Buckle Up or Pay Up

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden

Wear your seat belts, Monmouth County drivers. Sheriff Shaun Golden is sending reinforcements to police departments throughout the county as part of the national “Click it or Ticket” campaign.  The seat belt enforcement program provided through a grant by the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety kicks off on Monday, May 18, and runs through Sunday, May 31.

“I’m proud that the sheriff’s office has been selected once again to participate in such a lifesaving program,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “The main focus of these patrols and checkpoints, which will be conducted throughout Monmouth County, is to issue summonses to motorists and front and rear passengers, who are not complying with the state’s seat belt laws and to raise awareness on how vital it is to buckle up.”

According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, the front seat belt usage rate in New Jersey currently stands at 87.59%. The goal for this year’s campaign is to increase the statewide rate to 90%.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

82 New Officers Graduate from Monmouth Police Academy

82 young men and women were sworn in as law enforcement officers today during their graduation ceremony from the Monmouth County Police Academy at Neptune High School’s Performing Arts Center, according to an announcement by Sheriff Shaun Golden.

43 officers completed the Basic Course for Police Officers, a 19 week program with 780 hours of training. 39 completed the Basic Course for Class II Special Law Enforcement Officers, a three month program that consists of approximately 600 hours of training with full police powers while on duty. Both classes are run through the Monmouth County Police Academy and upon completion the officers are well trained and well prepared to serve their respective law enforcement agencies.

The new officers’ training was sponsored by jurisdictions in Monmouth, Middlesex, Mercer and Burlington counties.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Toni Marie Angelini Resigns From Matawan Council Effective June 30

Matawan Councilwoman Toni Marie Angelini has resigned from the borough’s governing body effective June 30.   Angelini, who declined to seek reelection this year, is moving to Wall Township.

Mayor Paul Buccellato said that Angelini will be missed. “Toni was a valuable member of the council who represented the residents of Matawan with honesty and integrity,” Buccellato said, “She always made decisions with the best interests of the people in mind.”

Angelini has lived in Matawan for 15 years and was elected to the Borough Council twice.  Her move to Wall brings her closer to her family, Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini  and Ocean Township School Board Member Bob Angelini, and gives her a shorter to commute to Trenton where she is the Senior Media Manger for Northeast and Midwest at the National Federation of Independent Businesses. (NFIB).

Toni Marie was formerly the manager of the Hazlet Motor Vehicle Commission facility and worked on Superstorm Sandy recovery in Governor Chris Christie’s office until October of last year.

• Tweet

Bloom Again Foundation Is Opening A New Jersey Chapter In Monmouth County

Bloom Again Foundation, a Pasadena, CA based charity that provides rapid response emergency financial assistance to working women facing medical crises, is launching a New Jersey Chapter on Wednesday, May 27 during a luncheon at the Navesink Country Club in Middletown.

Founded in 2008 by Dr. Lois Frankel, PhD, the foundation provides rapid response financial assistance for living essentials to working women living at or near the poverty level when medical challenges stretch their already limited resources.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Howell Bridge Collapses

photo via facebook

The Monmouth County bridge that crosses Havens Bridge Road in Howell Township collapsed on Saturday, May 9.   The bridge had been closed for weeks prior to the failure due to damage discovered during an inspection by employees of the County Public Works and Engineering Department.

News of the collapse was first reported on the Our Howell NJ facebook community page.

“Thank God we closed the bridge before this happened and no one got hurt,” said Freeholder Tom Arnone, liaison to the Public Works Department, when confirming the collapse.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Another homeless summer for some Sandy victims | Di Ionno

• Tweet

Monmouth County Honors Centenarians

Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso celebrates with Holmdel resident Addy Lubkert at Regency Park Nursing and Rehab Center in Hazlet

HAZLET, NJ – Monmouth County’s Office on Aging joined with Regency Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hazlet to host the Monmouth County’s Centenarian Celebration, honoring residents who are or will be aged 100 and over in 2015.

The birthday party was held at the Regency Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on May 11 and included a luncheon, music, gifts and a birthday cake.

There were 15 centenarians in attendance: Josephine Alessandro, 100; Eleanora Bell, 99; Rita D’Elia, 99; Katherine Elberty, 101; Hazel Feick, 100; Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, 102; Mario Gazzara, 101; Nicoletta Granato, 100; Adeline Lubkert, 99; Helen McKeown, 99; Rose Perrotta, 101; Brother Patrick Power, 102; Christina Savoca, 103; Ruth Schiff, 102; and Irene Starosolsky, will turn 104 on May 31.

In May 2013, Regency broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the “Largest Gathering of Centenarians” at their Somerset location, Regency Jewish Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation Center by gathering 31 centenarians in one location.

• Tweet

The Shore Fine Art Scene Is in Full Blossom

April W. Klimley

By April W. Klimley, Art Critic

Everything starts blooming in May—including the Shore art scene. All of a sudden, galleries and artists’ organizations are all holding openings.  It’s almost impossible to decide which to attend. The art scene may not be as broad and deep here as it is in New York City—where the auction houses sell the “best of the best” of modern during these weeks—from Picasso to Giacometti. But there’s a great deal of excitement and variety, and even more to come in June.

Opening this Friday the 15^th

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Incumbents Sweep In Ocean Township

Donna Schepiga, Rich Long, Chris Siciliano, William Garofolo and and Rob Acerra were elected to a three year term government Ocean Township

Mayor Chris Siciliano and his One Ocean Team easily fought off a challenge by Ocean Together in a non-partisan municipal election in Ocean Township.

Siciliano was the top vote getter with 3,001 ballots cast for him.  Deputy Mayor William Garofolo earned 2, 793 votes. School Board member Robert Acerra, the only non-incumbent council member on the slate came third with 2,775 votes. Councilman Richard Long got 2,614 votes and Councilwoman Donna Schepiga won 2,490 votes.   The five winners were elected to govern the Township through 2019.

4,038 of the Townships registered voters, 21.7%, cast ballots.

• Tweet

Ocean Township: The polls are open till 8 p.m. Vote Today

All five seats on Ocean Township’s governing body are up for grabs today in a non-partisan municipal election.

There are ten candidates, two slates, running for the five seats.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet