Monmouth County Launches Flooding Awareness Program

John Szeliga, Verizon; Middletown Mayor Gerald Scharfenberger; Monmouth County Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso; Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden; Capt. Jay Steingold of Naval Weapons Station Earle; FEMA Region II Administrator Michael Moriarty and Tony MacDonald Director of the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute.

A countywide collaboration with Monmouth County’s government, FEMA, Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute, New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium, National Park Service, Jacques Cousteau National Estuarine Research Reserve at Rutgers University, Navy Weapons Station Earle, New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and Verizon designed to raise the public’s awareness of flood risks and to encourage the mitigation of those risks was launched this morning in Middletown with the installation of a High Water Mark (HWM) sign at the Belford Ferry Terminal.

FEMA and the National Flood Insurance Program’s High Water Mark awareness program gives participating municipalities Community Rating System (CRS) points which result in residents of the community getting a break on their flood insurance premiums.

Municipal participation is voluntary and there is no cost to the towns for participating.

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Suspended Asbury Park Police Officer, His Sister, Indicted In Insurance Fraud Scheme

photo via monmouthsocialcalendar

Alix Antoine, a 37 year old suspended Asbury Park Police Officer and his sister Patricia Louis, a/k/a Patricia Antoine, 43, of Clifton, were indicted by a Monmouth County Grand Jury today on charges related to their scheme that enabled the sister to receive medical benefits she was not entitled to through the Asbury Park Police Department, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Between June 1, 2009 and April 1, 2013 the siblings knowingly made false statements and tampered with public records resulting in Patricia being enrolled in Alix’s Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield health insurance policy provided by the Asbury Park PD.

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Freeholders Give Combat Wounded Vets Special Parking Privileges

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders, Gary Rich, Lillian Burry, Director Tom Arnone, Deputy Director Serena DiMaso and John Curly, commemorate the installation of a Wounded Warrior parking spot at the Hall of Records.

The Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders has followed the lead of Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso in making the lives of combat wounded war veterans a little easier.

Under a new program announced yesterday, the Freeholders are designating special parking spaces at county facilities for use by Purple Heart Medal recipients.

“We all recognize the tremendous sacrifices our military personnel have made to secure the freedoms we enjoy every day,” said DiMaso. “Regretfully, many of these men and women have returned home with physical and emotional injuries that will follow them the rest of their lives. A designated parking space is a simple way to say thank you.”

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Sonnek-Schmelz: Pallone’s behavior is disgraceful

Congressman Frank Pallone sitting on the House floor. Photo via twitter

Brent Sonnek-Schmelz, the Republican candidate challenging Congressman Frank Pallone in New Jersey’s 6th District, called the 28 year incumbent’s behavior on the floor of the House of Representatives “disgraceful.”

“Frank’s right,” the challenger continued, “he does not have much to be proud about after 28 years.”

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, June 24-26, 2016

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, June 24

• Jersey Shore Greek Festival (Ocean Twp.) – MORE INFO
• St. Leo the Great Carnival (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
• Nick Clemons Concert (Freehold) – MORE INFO
• Man of La Mancha by Stone Church Players (Navesink) – MORE INFO
• Danny White & Friends Concert (Belmar) – MORE INFO
• Shark Challenge ’16 (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO
• “Seeing Stars: Every Flag Tells A Story” Exhibit (Highlands) – MORE INFO

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Highlands Employees Injured When Old Borough Hall Ceiling Collapses

Highlands Borough Clerk Carolyn Cummins and Assistant Borough Clerk Debbie Daily were seriously injured this morning when the ceiling of the former borough hall collapsed under them.

The women were in the attic of the Sandy damaged building looking for official documents when the collapse occured.

Highlands Mayor Frank Nolan said that a Medi Vac Helicopter was called for Cummins, but then called off.  Both women have been transported to the Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune.

UPDATE: Both women are expected to make a full recovery.

Highlands’ municipal operations have been conducted in trailers since shortly after Hurricane Sandy ravaged the borough.

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Hit and Run Driver Pleads Not Guilty To Killing 15 year Old Atlantic Highlands Girl

Toni Ann Marletta in Judge Ronald Reisner’s Court Room, June 20, 2016

Toni Ann Marletta, the 50 year old Leonardo woman accused of killing Marissa Procopio, 15, of Atlantic Highlands, in a hit and run incident on Rt 36 last July, pleaded not guilty to Knowingly Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident which resulted in a death, a Second Degree Crime, two counts of Third Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child and one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child this morning during her arraignment in Judge Ronald Reisner’s Courtroom in Freehold.

Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Meghan Doyle told Judge Reisner that the State has offered Marletta a plea deal which carries a 7 year sentence in state prison. Marletta has until September 6, the date of the next case conference, to accept that deal.

Peter M. O’Hara, Esq, Marletta’s defense attorney, said that he would be filing a motion to suppress some the the evidence against his client.

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MAST gets another Fort Hancock building, Students will have a gym

By Muriel Smith

MIDDLETOWN – “We’re a long way away from putting a shovel in the ground, but if we’re able to agree on a project plan that meets our needs, and is acceptable to all community stakeholders, it will be a huge step in the future of our program. We really can’t thank Ms. Burry and the Freeholders enough for recognizing our need for a gymnasium, and offering their support.”

That’s what Earl Moore, principal at MAST, the Marine Academy of Science and Technology at Fort Hancok said this week when he learned the Monmouth County Vocational Board of Education and the National Park Service signed a Memorandum of Intent, paving the way  for conversion of Buildings 56 and 23 at Fort Hancock into a new facility.

The announcement, which was signed by all parties involved on Thursday, was made at the Fort Hancock 21^st Century Advisory Committee meeting at Thompson Park Friday.

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About 1,000 join at Asbury ParK equality walk in wake of Orlando attack

ASBURY PARK — Danielle DiNapoli is no stranger to the gay nightclub, Pulse, in Orlando, that was recently attacked by a lone gunman that left 49 people dead and more than 50 injured. When she heard about the attack, she said, “It literally felt like my heart was being ripped out.” DiNapoli, 35, of Spring Lake,… Read the rest of this entry »

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8 things we know about the Jersey Shore’s nasty new jellyfish

A new and dangerous type of jellyfish has made its first appearance in New Jersey over the past couple weeks. The clinging jellyfish is most likely the creature that stung a Middletown man while he was swimming in the Shrewsbury River in Oceanport on June 11, scientists surmise, based on his response to the sting. He… Read the rest of this entry »

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