Five days in Cuba

By Muriel J. Smith

Perhaps the best solution to the problems between Cuba and the United States is to leave it up to the teenagers. Especially if they are teens like Catherine Curtin of Atlantic Highlands and Ava Zockoll of Bay Head.   Because while negotiations are going on at high levels between the bureaucrats of both nations, and compromise and trade-offs are slowly making it easier for Americans to travel there, 16-year old Catherine, a junior at Red Bank Catholic High School designed a week long stay in Cuba’s capital to interact with Cuban teens on the volleyball court. Eager to join her on the expedition were RBC’s girls’ volleyball team captain Zockoll, Ava’s mother, Nancy, and Catherine’s parents, Dan and Tricia Curtin. And me. The Curtins asked me to accompany them on the trip so I could report it for newspapers and magazines.

Life is certainly good.

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Are those sharks or rays swimming along the Jersey Shore? Experts disagree

MONMOUTH BEACH — Are those sharks or rays swimming along the shore in Monmouth Beach and Belmar? The answer to that question can’t seem to be agreed upon among those in the ocean research community . Police received a call Tuesday when residents spotted dorsal fins less than 10 feet from shore in Monmouth Beach. An… Read the rest of this entry »

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County combats West Nile Virus in Atlantic Highlands, Middletown, Lake Como, West Belmar and Spring Lake

Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso

Monmouth County’s Mosquito Control Department has discovered evidence of the West Nile Virus in Atlantic Highlands and the Hillside section of Middletown.

Residential streets in Atlantic Highlands east of First Avenue to Sears Avenue and north to E. Washington Avenue in Atlantic Highlands, and from Portland Avenue to Grand Avenue north of Hillside Avenue in the Hillside section of Middletown will be ground sprayed on Tuesday morning July 26 from 4 a.m. till 6 a.m., weather permitting, according to an announcement by Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso.

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Christie says Sweeney and Prieto have not shared their gas tax plan with him

MMM file photo

Brian T. Murray, Governor Chris Christie’s spokesman, told MMM in an email that Christie has not seen the Transportation Trust Fund legislation that Senate President Steve Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto announced today.

New Jersey’s infrastructure construction projects have been shut down since July 8 when the TFF was down to a $10 million balance which being held for emergency projects.

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DNA evidence clears Long Branch Man of 1992 rape conviction

Dion Harrell of Long Branch spent four years in prison for a rape he did not commit.

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni announced this afternoon that a recent DNA test proved the Harrell was not the source of the biological evidence found in the 17 year old victim of the 1987 rape.  Gramiccioni sad that Harrell’s conviction will be vacated.

Harrell was convicted on March 26, 1993 and released from prison in 1997.  He turned 50 years old last week and is homeless, according the the New Jersey Sex Offenders Registry.

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Beck Opposes Sweeney/Prieto Gas Tax Plan

Senator Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth), the leading opponent of a gas tax increase in the legislature, announced her opposition to the compromise legislation out forth by Senate President Sweeney and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto.  Beck says the Sweeney/Prieto plan is just as bad for taxpayers as the Senate plan that failed last month.

“The tax plan announced by Democrats today would still raise the gas tax by 23 cents per gallon, just as the last failed plan would have,” said Beck. “The cosmetic changes that the Senate President and Assembly Speaker have agreed to are just window dressing on the core $1.2 billion tax increase on drivers that remains largely unchanged from the previous version of the legislation.”

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FROM THE DESK OF LILLIAN G. BURRY: Fair is fair and the library has an app        

Freeholder Lillian G. Burry

Folks get ready, it’s that time of year again, and the 42^nd Annual Monmouth County Fair is set to get underway. Once again you can enjoy all the wonderful fun activities that have become synonymous with the Monmouth County Fair. Congratulations to the Monmouth County Parks system and the Monmouth County 4-H Association for leaving no stone unturned. This year’s fair will prove to be one that you surely will not want to miss, and it will run from Wednesday to Sunday, July 27 – 31 delivering excitement for the entire family. From the 4-H shows & exhibits, home and garden competitions and horse shows to the games, rides and live entertainment, it is guaranteed to be a great time. Additionally, you can expect to see crafters and commercial vendors. You will have many opportunities to sample some delectable food, as well as have an opportunity to make purchases from the farm stands that will be featuring local produce. There is even a climbing wall! I encourage everyone to come out to the Monmouth County Fair and be prepared to be totally entertained with lots of laughs and good surprises along the way.

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6 N.J., 4 Philly radio stations sold in $240M deal

Six New Jersey radio stations and another four in Philadelphia have been sold as part of a $240 million deal. Naples, Fla.-based Beasley Broadcasting agreed to buy the stations from Greater Media Inc. in a transaction that includes $100 million in cash and about $25 million in Beasley stock, the company announced Wednesday. The New Jersey… Read the rest of this entry »

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Gopal Declares War On Monmouth County Legislators

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal, speaking at his “Chairman’s Ball” fundraiser in Neptune last night, declared that he is targeting every Monmouth County Republican seat in the legislature in the 2017 election, according to a report on PolitickerNJ.

Gopal singled out Senator Joe Kyrillos, Senator Jennifer Beck and Assemblymen Declan O’Scanlon and Dave Rible in his remarks.

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Homeland Security awards grants to local Jewish organizations

Ken Philmus, Security Taskforce Chair for the Jewish Federation and Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden address security measures with Jewish leaders

The Jewish Federation in the Heart of New Jersey announced that 16 Jewish organizations throughout Monmouth and Middlesex counties are among the 58 recipients statewide of nonprofit grants awarded by the Homeland Security’s Nonprofit Security Grant Program.

The grants are intended for security equipment, such as cameras and surveillance systems, lighting, card access readers, blast film, fencing and bollards (short posts used to protect an area against vehicles).

“In total, New Jersey-based applicants received $4.26 million, more than double than last year,” said Security Taskforce Chair for the Jewish Federation Ken Philmus. “The number of Jewish organizations receiving grants represents a five-fold increase from 2015. It will bring more than a million dollars in security upgrades to the Jewish community.”

The Federation worked closely with the Monmouth County Sheriff’s Office on the security effort.

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