Arnone: Casino referendum is bad for Monmouth County

Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone today announced his opposition to the public question that would amend the New Jersey Constitution to allow casino gambling in Northern New Jersey.

“My first responsibility as a Freeholder is to make sure Monmouth County’s interests are my top priority,” Arnone said in an announcement released by ‘Trenton’s Bad Bet,’ the group that has been campaigning against the constitutional amendment, “Unfortunately, the ballot question on casino expansion is misguided, shortchanges our horse racing industry, and favors a small group of out-of-state, special interests.”

“In no way does this legislation help Monmouth County,” Arnone concluded.

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Sonnek-Schmelz challenges Pallone to two debates

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz, the Republican candidate for congress in New Jersey’s 6th Congressional District (parts of Monmouth and Middlesex Counties) publicly challenged Congressman Frank Pallone to two debates today after not hearing back from the 28 year incumbent after extending a private invitation.

“Congressman Pallone should live up to his own words and debate me.  The people of the Sixth District deserve to hear him defend his failed policies and tell us why after 28 years in Congress, the loss of Fort Monmouth and the government corruption following Sandy, he deserves reelection,” said Sonnek-Schmelz.  “Pallone was chomping at the bit for debates when it would have benefited him politically during his failed U.S. Senate campaign. Failure by Mr. Pallone to agree to these debates would reveal him to not only be a hypocrite, but a brazen one at that.  I am hoping he exceeds my expectations and agrees to stand on a stage with me and contrast our competing visions for the country and our district face-to-face.”

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Gopal blames County Republicans, MoreMonmouthMusings for Middletown High School North controversy

Monmouth Democratic Chairman “Goofy” Gopal and Belmar Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty also blamed a protest at a campaign fundraiser on the Monmouth GOP and this website

In an email to the members of the Middletown Board of Education and Superintendent of Schools Dr. William George, Monmouth County Democrat Chairman Vin Gopal blamed the controversy about his candidates for Surrogate and Freeholder campaigning in a Middletown High School North honors Government, Law and Public Policy Program (GLP3) seminar on the Monmouth County Republicans and this website.

“I feel sorry for the school district that the County Republicans and a local blogger are trying to create a witch hunt and create an issue that does not exist,” Gopal wrote in his email last evening.

There he goes again. Whenever things go wrong for Gopal he blames the Republicans, this website and the boogeyman. 

That’s one of the reasons why we call him Goofy.

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Belmar and Sea Bright voters have decisions to make on Tuesday, September 27

The big one is not until November 8, but for Belmar and Sea Bright residents, Tuesday September 27 is also election day as both borough’s are holding special elections with a public question.

In Belmar, voters are asked to approve or reject “Matt’s Law”, an amendment to the borough’s pay to play and ethics ordinance which significantly loosens to reporting requirements of campaign contributions and allows borough officials to act in their official capacities in matters involving campaign donors like liquor license holders, developers and other borough vendors.   The ordinance is nicknamed for Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty because it was passed by the council at roughly the same time Doherty became a Democrat candidate for Monmouth County Freeholder.  Doherty said the ordinance had nothing to do with his candidacy, but was designed to make it easier for Belmar Republicans to raise campaign funds.

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Get your flu shots in Atlantic Highlands on Tuesday

Scott Eagelton, co-owner of Bayshore Pharmacy, administers a flu shot to his partner, Richard Stryker. photo via facebook

Are you ready for flu season?

Bayshore Pharmacy, Card and Gift Shop is hosting a flu shot clinic at the Atlantic Highlands Borough Hall, 100 First Ave, on Tuesday, September 27 from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m   There is no charge for Medicare patients. Most insurances will pay for the shot.  Residents not covered for the shot by insurance will be charged $25.00

Richard Stryker, Co-owner of the pharmacy said that the same deal is available at his store, located at 2 Bayshore Plaza (the same location as Foodtown) on Route 36 in Atlantic Highlands for resident who can not attend the clinic at Borough Hall on Tuesday.  “No appointments. No excuses,” Stryker said.

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Monmouth Democrats threaten to sue over the Middletown High School North story

For the second time in less than a month, the Monmouth County Democrats have threatened to sue MoreMonmouthMusings.

Earlier this month Maggie Moran, former Governor Corzine’s campaign manager and Deputy Chief of Staff and the wife of Belmar Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty threatened to take legal action against us if we did not correct or retract a story wherein we claimed she worked for Ashbritt, the company that made millions cleaning up the Jersey Shore after Hurricane Sandy and the company Belmar hired after Dirty Doherty fired a local clean up contractor.  We responded by publishing her lawyer’s letter and proof that Maggie worked on behalf of Ashbritt, in the form of marketing materials with Maggie’s name and phone number on it.

Yesterday, Monmouth County Democrat Chairman Vin Gopal, threatened to sue, not about something we wrote, but about something we might write.

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Monmouth Democrats were invited to campaign at Middletown High School North during school hours

Second Middletown Teacher caught engaging in Democrat partisan activity during school hours this year

A photo of Monmouth County Democrat candidates for Surrogate and Freeholder speaking to a seminar of Middletown High School North freshmen and sophomore participants in the school’s honors Government, Law and Public Policy Program (GLP3) Pathway was posted on the campaign facebook page of Surrogate candidate Vincent Solomeno last Tuesday with the caption “Thrilled to join Matt Doherty and Sue Fulton for Monmouth County Freeholder 2016 and speak to students about county government at Middletown High School North.  Get involved!”

None of the three candidates have any experience in county government.

The seminar was supervised by Patti May, a teacher who is a Democrat candidate for Borough Council in Eatontown.  Monmouth County Democrat Chairman Vin Gopal held a fundraiser for the teacher at the Jumping Brook Country Club in June.

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N.J. police officer attacked, beaten unconscious

LONG BRANCH – Authorities are offering a reward for information that leads to the arrest of the person or persons responsible for attacking and beating Long Branch police officer unconscious early Tuesday. A uniformed Long Branch Police Officer was assaulted around 2 a.m. and left unconscious in the area of Westwood and Bath avenues, according to… Read the rest of this entry »

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Sheriff’s Office Partners with Team Rubicon on disaster response training

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden announced a partnership with Team Rubicon, a non-profit group of veterans that unites the skills and experiences of military veterans with first responders to rapidly deploy emergency response teams.

To improve response and recovery of disasters and emergency situations, Team Rubicon along with members of the Monmouth and Ocean County Building Officials Association, attended a training seminar at the Public Safety Center in Freehold on September 21.  The focus was on damage assessment and the utilization of a new software system to record and track the damages caused by a disaster.

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Freeholders Launch “Grown in Monmouth” Marketing Campaign

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Freeholder Lillian Burry announced a boost to the Agribusiness sector of Monmouth County’s economy last week with the launch of a marketing campaign for farm products grown in the county.

Monmouth County farms and related business can sign up to use the new “Grown in Monmouth” logo which is the first part of county wide marketing strategy funded under a USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grant the county received last year to evaluate current trends and future opportunities to expand the local farming industry, and to develop a marketing strategy to promote and market agricultural products.

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