The Local Finance Board, the entity within the Department of Community Affairs which oversees the ethics of local officials, has ruled that two Jackson Township councilmen did not violate State Ethics or Campaign Finance Laws when they voted to appoint their former campaign manger a job on the Jackson Municipal Utilities Authority, according to a report on Shore News Network.
Cara Glory was the 2012 campaign manager for Councilmen Barry Calogero and Robert Nixon. On January 6, 2014 Calogero, Nixon join the rest of the Jackson governing body in unanimously voting to approve Glory’s appointment to the MUA. Unidentified Jackson residents filed ethics charges with the Local Fiance Board.
The charges were deemed frivolous by Board Chairmen Thomas Neff, according to the Shore News Network report.
“Following preliminary investigation and evaluation of the facts and circumstances relevant to the complaints and upon consideration of the foregoing provisions of Local Government Ethics Law, the Local Finance Board voted to dismiss the complaints as having no reasonable factual basis.”
The state reiterated their stance, adding, “The relationship between an elected officeholder and a campaign deputy treasurer or campaign manager is simply not one, in and of itself, which poses a conflict.”
The charges against the councilmen were dismissed and Glory’s appointment remained as-is.
The issue is of significance in Monmouth County as Democratic freeholder candidates Larry Luttrell and Joe Grillo attempt to portray themselves and paragons of virtue in the campaign against Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and Deputy Director Gary Rich.
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Posted: September 3rd, 2014 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Department of Community Affairs, Monmouth County, Monmouth County Board of Freeholders, Monmouth Democrats | Tags: Bill Bucco, Cara Glory, Department of Community Affairs, Gary Rich, Jackson, Jackson Municipal Utilities Authority, Joe Grillo, Larry Luttrell, Lawrence Luttrell, Lillian Burry, Local Finance Board, R.A.G.E., Thomas Neff | Comments Off on Jackson Councilmen Cleared Of Ethics Charges Over Appointment

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Posted: September 3rd, 2014 | Author: admin | Filed under: Barack Obama, Middle East, News | Tags: Barack Obama, ISIS, Islamic State, James Foley, Steven Joel Sotloff | Comments Off on Global disgust deepens over Islamic State crisis

The annual action-packed event offers the hottest skimboarding action on the Jersey Shore
Sea Bright, NJ – The 11th annual SkimBash skimboarding competition returns to Sea Bright, New Jersey on September 6 and 7. This is always a high-energy, exciting event that is sure to offer thrills for all ages – both competitors and spectators.
From beginners to professionals, skimboarders gather for the 2-day event to show off their skills and compete for prizes. The Pro Division showcases the country’s best skimboarders, who compete for a cash purse.
The contest runs from early morning to approximately 4 p.m. each day. Families, teens and young adults gather at Sea Bright’s beautiful beach to cheer on contestants and show their support for the local skimboarding community. Parking and admission are free.
“The September SkimBash is a tradition in Sea Bright,” notes Felecia Stratton, SkimBash contest director. “We held our first SkimBash 11 years ago in September, and it has become an annual event that both skimboarders and spectators look forward to.”
For more information about SkimBash 2014, visit www.SkimBash.com.
Warning: This video contains singing by John Schneider. Listener discretion advised.
Skim Boarding in Sea Bright from Jersey Bayshore on Vimeo.
Posted: September 3rd, 2014 | Author: admin | Filed under: Monmouth County, Sea Bright, Things to do in Monmouth County, Things to do on the Jersey Shore | Tags: Felecia Stratton, Jersey Shore, John Schneider, Press Release, Sea Bright, Skim Bash, Skimbash, Things to do at the Jersey Shore this weekend, Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend | Comments Off on Skimbash returns to Sea Bright this weekend

Andrew Lucas, center, then the Republican mayor of Manalapan, with then Freeholder John D’Amico and Amy Mallet, both Democrats, in September of 2010, seven months after Lucas purchased Burke Farm.
Jury selection is scheduled to start tomorrow in the case of the United States of America vs Andrew Lucas, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press. The trial is scheduled to start on Monday, September 8.
The former Manalapan mayor was indicted in February on fraud charges for allegedly falsifying documents to obtain financing for the purchase of a 97 acre farm in the township. He later sold the development rights to that farm to New Jersey’s farmland preservation program for $1,158 million. After an exhaustive investigation, no charges were filed concerning the farmland preservation transaction, but the investigation led to alleged irregularities in Lucas’s financial records and documents provided to a lender and an investor in his acquisition of the land.
Lucas is looking forward to his trail. His attorney, Mario F. Gallucci, told the app, “Andrew Lucas has been looking forward to this day. He finds it unfortunate that he has to defend what he believes were legal actions that he took, and he can’t wait for his day in court.”
If convicted on all 11 counts against him, Lucas, 37, could be sentenced to more than 60 years in federal prison.
Lucas has been subject to home detention and electronic monitoring since posting $500,000 bail in February.
Posted: September 2nd, 2014 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Andrew Lucas, News | Tags: Andrew Lucas, Andrew Lucas trial, Burke Farm, Farmland Preservation, Lucas Farm Deal, Manalapan | 14 Comments »

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Posted: September 2nd, 2014 | Author: admin | Filed under: Jersey Shore, Monmouth County, News | Tags: Humpback Whales, Jersey Shore, Monmouth County, New Jersey, Whales | Comments Off on Number of whale sightings increase off the coast of New Jersey