Have you ever had a day in your life that seemed ordinary; but as the day unfolds, it becomes life altering? The day I am about to tell you about was like that for me. After this became part of my past, each passing day after it became more aggressive and life altering than the day before it. I will tell you more about those later.
Sometimes I cannot believe it was part of my life. If this were a part of reality television, viewers would have been glued to their TVs each week. I have many awesome stories, along with some scars. I found it is in the scars where you find your true character, so it was an all around win for me.
In New Jersey politics, many who’ve been in it for a long time would say my story is all too common, and it is; but this story is uncommon in many ways. This story unfolds the intriguing details of the dynamic team work put in by my opposition to keep me as an unknown. They worked hard on a daily basis putting out fires, getting shows canceled, keeping articles of me from being published, making sure I was not invited places, and the list could go on and on. I congratulate this machine of people in their success; they are really good at what they do.
“The world lost a giant yesterday,” said Leigh-Ann Bellew, Republican candidate for State Senate in District 13. “My condolences go out to the family of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. She blazed the path for women like me to enter into politics, showing that a strong woman can be an effective leader.”
In a statement released this afternoon, Bellew called for men and women alike to emulate Thatcher’s strong leadership, free market principles and reverence for life.
Public hearings for JCP&L’s proposed rate increase started yesterday in Toms River. The Monmouth County hearing is on April 24 at the Freehold Township Municipal Building.
Assemblywomen Caroline Casagrande (R-11) and Amy Handlin (R-13) have already gathered 1300 constituent signatures on a petition opposing the JCP&L rate increase. The petition will be submitted to the Board of the Public Utilities at the Freehold hearing.
“Our constituents are tired of over promises and underperformances by their electric company and we’re going to make sure their voices are heard until JCP&L pulls the plug on this rate hike,” Handlin, R-Monmouth, said. “JCP&L’s customers have already paid the price by suffering through prolonged outages, so our response to their request is a simple and firm, ‘No.’”
Handlin and Casagrande noted their constituent’s outrage with JCP&L’s poor performance in restoring power and keeping families, businesses and communities informed during prolonged outages – most notably Hurricanes Sandy and Irene. The petition also notes the allegation by the N.J. Division of Rate Counsel that the utility is earning too much profit from New Jersey ratepayers to send back to its parent company in Ohio.
Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande
“We can say it once, or we can say it a thousand times, the answer is still, ‘No,’” Casagrande, R-Monmouth, said. “Losing power for extended periods of time is a very difficult and costly burden for families and businesses. We have had more than our share of severe outages because JCP&L refused to invest its corporate profits to update its infrastructure and keep the power on in our communities.”
Yesterday (April 8th) I attended a press conference at The Breakers in Spring Lake, organized by AssemblymanDave Rible and Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone, which addressed initiatives to bring 2014 Super Bowl travelers to the coastal Monmouth and Ocean Counties.
Super Bowl XLVIII will take place on February 2nd, 2014, at the Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ, which is within an hour of most of Monmouth County. “Monmouth and Ocean counties are closer to the Meadowlands than people realize,” said Dave Rible. “Our state’s excellent transportation network and first class hotels and dining facilities offer people a chance to take in a part of New Jersey that will play an important role in next February’s most watched event. Our rebound from last year’s superstorm is well under way. The beach communities don’t close after Labor Day. The partners we have assembled will make sure visitors are aware of the Shore’s year-round attractions and are worth a visit during their stay leading up to the Super Bowl.”
Tom Arnone, who spearheads initiatives to strengthen Monmouth County’s economy and create jobs stressed the importance of tourism to the local economy: “A vibrant tourism industry is an integral part of our economy in Monmouth County and being involved with the Super Bowl will be a tremendous boost for our local businesses. I look forward to working with local merchants to use this historic event to bring more tourism and more business to Monmouth County.”
The event was attended by local politicians (also including Freeholders Serena DiMaso and John Curley, and Asbury Park Economic Development Director Tom Gilmour), business leaders (Evelyn Mars and Adam Puharic from the Southern Monmouth Chamber of Commerce, Bob Hilton from the Jersey Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau, Chris Fotache from Jersey Shore Vacations) and tourism officials (NJ Tourism Director Grace Hanlon and Monmouth Tourism Director Jeannie De Young). Special guests were two-time Super Bowl winner with the NY Giants, Lee Rouson, and former NY Jets star Joe Klecko.
The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is awaiting response from the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) Hazard Mitigation Unit after it submitted numerous requests totaling more than 1 billion dollars in funding as a result of Superstorm Sandy. On March 31, 2013, OEM delivered 185 letters of intent to the NJOEM Hazard Mitigation Unit for various mitigation projects, which include home elevations, property acquisitions and flood control measures, as well as various infrastructure improvements and emergency generators for critical infrastructure.
The Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP) provides grants to states and local governments to implement long-term hazard mitigation measures after a major disaster declaration. The purpose of the program is to reduce the loss of life and property due to natural disasters and to have mitigation measures in place which can be implemented during the immediate recovery from a disaster. “Monmouth County was severely impacted by Superstorm Sandy, and, the projects submitted by Monmouth County and each municipality will provide the necessary protection of life and property, should another disaster occur,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden.
Monmouth County OEM has been collecting the letters of intent from each municipality since mid-December. “These letters are the first step in notifying the state as to the projects for which the municipalities wish to seek funding to mitigate, and, the priorities in which they fall within the respective jurisdictions,” said Michael Oppegaard, Coordinator of the Monmouth County Office of Emergency Management. “We now must wait to hear from the state mitigation office as to how they intend to prioritize and fund these projects.”
Under the Robert T. Stafford Act, HMGP is authorized to direct and govern mitigation projects as long as a community has an approved Hazard Mitigation Plan. Monmouth County’s Plan was completed and approved in 2009 and includes all 53 municipalities within the county. “Hopefully the state will look favorably upon Monmouth County when selecting and prioritizing the projects under this program,” said Freeholder Director Thomas A. Arnone. “This will allow the residents and communities to rebuild stronger, safer and smarter.”
Gigi Dorr has reopened Jakebob’s…off the bay…five months after the Union Beach landmark was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy. The new restaurant is decorated with the doors of homes that were destroyed by the storm.
U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg missed work, on doctors orders, for the entire month of March. On Friday he released a statement saying he will not return to Washington on Monday as the Senate convenes after a two week recess, according to reports in The Star Ledger and Politico.
“I regret that I will not be returning to Washington next week as I continue treatment for, and recuperate from, muscle weakness and fatigue. My physician continues to advise me to work from home and not travel at this time,” Lautenberg said in a statement issued by his office.
Lautenberg added: “I am disappointed I will not be present for the opening of the debate on gun legislation in the Senate. It is an issue I am deeply passionate about, and my victories over the gun lobby are among my proudest accomplishments. I am, however, gratified that my legislation to ban high-capacity ammunition magazines will be one of the key amendments offered to this bill.”
Lautenberg will also miss the confirmation of U.S. Magistrate Patty Shwartz to the Third Circuit Court of Appeals, a nomination that was initially blocked by New Jersey’s junior senator, Bob Menendez.
“I have worked hard since Judge Shwartz’s nomination by President Obama toward her confirmation, and I am confident that she will be confirmed by a strong majority of my colleagues,” Lautenberg said.
Lautenberg, 89, announced in February that he would not seek reelection in 2014.
Should the senate seat become vacant on or before August 27, New Jersey’s election law requires that a successor be elected in the November general election. If a vacancy occurs after August 27, the next election for the seat would be on schedule in November of 2014, unless the governor calls for a special election sooner. Governor Christie could appoint a temporary senator or leave the seat vacant.
As a political blogger, I expected that my story about former NFL player and convicted sex offender Christian Peter being on a Christie fund raising committee would be viewed in a political context. Both Democrats and Republicans asked me, “Why are you taking a shot at Christie?” “I’m not,” I replied, “I’m taking a shot at Peter. I am close to a few sexual assault survivors and I am related to recovering alcoholics. I don’t give sexual predators or addicts any slack.” “Yeah, right,” they said, “you’re taking a shot at Christie.” That’s they would be doing.
I confess, if I found out that Peter was on the host committee of a Menendez or Buono fundraiser, my inner partisan blogger would be inclined to make hay with that information. But I would wait until after the fundraiser. I would try to get photos taken at the fundraiser of Peter with the candidate and the other politicians present and then wait to use them to strike or counter-strike at the opportune time. That’s how the game is played, as they say. But sexual assault and the destructive wake of addiction is not a game for me.
So, my inner political blogger did my friends who will be attending the Christie fundraiser a favor. Most that of them that I talked to before I published the story had either forgotten about or never knew of Peter’s history of violence against women, even though it was written about just four months ago in the New York Times. Who would have guessed that my political friends don’t read the New York Times’ sports section? Now they know about Peter’s history. They can choose to pose for pictures with him, or have a drink with him, or not, with full knowledge of his history.
That’s part of why I wrote the story, but not the most important reason.
The story I wanted to write about Peter is a tale of how he’s turned his life around. A tale about his triumph over his demons. About how he’s made amends to the people he has hurt. I wanted to write about how he is making a difference for battered women and how he’s training young athletes not to make the mistakes he’s made.
ASBURY PARK, NJ – JANUARY 12: NFL player, Christian Peter and WCW World Heaveyweight wrestler, Diamond Dallas Page attends the 2012 Light of Day New Jersey Rock N’ Bowl A Thon at Asbury Lanes on January 12, 2012 in Asbury Park, New Jersey. (Photo by Bobby Bank/Getty Images)
Former NFL player, admitted alcoholic and convicted sex offender Christian Peter is a member of the host committee for a Governor Christie fundraiser/cocktail party scheduled for April 30th in Middletown.
Political fundraising host committees typically don’t meet. Members names are included on invitations in order to encourage others to attend and contribute to the event and as an acknowledgement of the level of funds the member has agreed to contribute or raise. The invitation to the April 30th event at the DiPiero residence on Navesink River Road can be viewed here.
The committee, chaired by Senator Joe and Susan Kyrillos, is a who’s who of investment banking, medicine, commerce, philanthropy, politics and government in Monmouth County and beyond. Peter’s name sticks out like item from a which item does not belong test.
“The world lost a giant yesterday,” said Leigh-Ann Bellew, Republican candidate for State Senate in District 13. “My condolences go out to the family of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. She blazed the path for women like me to enter into politics, showing that a strong woman can be an effective leader.”
The event was attended by local politicians (also including Freeholders Serena DiMaso and John Curley, and Asbury Park Economic Development Director Tom Gilmour), business leaders (Evelyn Mars and Adam Puharic from the 
The Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office, Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is awaiting response from the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (NJOEM) Hazard Mitigation Unit after it submitted numerous requests totaling more than 1 billion dollars in funding as a result of Superstorm Sandy. On March 31, 2013, OEM delivered 185 letters of intent to the NJOEM Hazard Mitigation Unit for various mitigation projects, which include home elevations, property acquisitions and flood control measures, as well as various infrastructure improvements and emergency generators for critical infrastructure.
