Latino Coalition CPC Endorses Christine Hanlon for Monmouth County Clerk

Oh boy.  Things just went from bad to worse for Vin Gopal and the Monmouth County Democrats:

Frank Argote-Freyre, Chairman of the Latino Coalition Continuing Political Committee. photo via facebook

The Latino Coalition Continuing Political Committee (LC-CPC) announced today its support for incumbent Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon because of her forward thinking pledge to modernize the clerk’s office.

“Many of the clerk’s staff are still using typewriters to conduct business on a daily basis,” said Frank Argote-Freyre, Chair of the LC-CPC. “The Latino Coalition believes she is the right person to bring the office into the 21st Century.”

At a meeting with the Coalition, Hanlon pledged to provide more information in Spanish on the county’s website. Hanlon also said she plans to improve the Clerk’s office by adding e-filing, providing more information online, and creating a more mobile friendly office, including a forms portal for online submission of many county forms.

In contrast, her opponent, Democrat Kevin Kane never responded to a request for a meeting with the Latino Coalition.

“Kane has served for many years as a Councilman in Freehold Borough and has done absolutely nothing to improve relations between the immigrant community and the more established residents,” said Argote-Freyre. “When former Mayor Michael Wilson tried to force Latino immigrants from the borough through a series of unethical actions, Kane sat silently and did nothing to foster a climate of understanding.”

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Asbury Park Press Endorses Angelini and Casagrande in LD 11

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal is having a bad day year.

The Dems have put their eggs in the LD 11 basket this year, hoping to pick off one or two of New Jersey’s only all female legislative delegation in Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande.

Vin made sure that his county candidates for Clerk and Freeholder are residents of the 11th, in hopes that a hometown turnout boost for the county candidates, who are hardly campaigning elsewhere in the county, might help Eric Houghtaling of Neptune and Joann Downey of Freehold over the finish line.

Only in the 11th will you find a typical election year showing of road and lawn signs. Houghtaling and Downey are advertising on ESPN and even FoxNews.

Gopal has historically been able to count on an assist from the Asbury Park Press. Not this year and not where he needs it most.

In endorsing Angelini and Casagrande, APP called them “among the strongest legislators in New Jersey.”

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Sample Ballots Available on MonmouthCountyVotes.com

Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon

Freehold, NJ- Monmouth County voters can prepare to vote earlier than usual this year, thanks to a new website, MonmouthCountyVotes, launched by Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon.

Sample ballots for every Monmouth County town are now available on the site.  Scroll over the word “Elections” on the top menu bar and then click on “Sample Ballots” from the drop down menu. When the new webpage appears, click on name of the town in which you are seeking the sample ballot.

The names of all candidates currently running for elected office in the New Jersey Assembly, County Freeholder Board, County Clerk, Mayor, Town Council or Committee and local school boards are all listed on sample ballots by voting district.

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Middletown Terminates Contract with Realty Data Services

Middletown, NJ- The Middletown Township Committee voted unanimously Monday night to terminate its contract with Realty Data Services, LLC,  the Shrewsbury based company which performs inspections and data collection for most Monmouth County towns under the pilot Assessment Demonstration Program (ADP).

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Dozens aid in rescue of man at Manasquan Inlet

MANASQUAN — Police and firefighters rescued a man who fell off the end of the Manasquan Inlet jetty Monday night. The 26-year-old victim suffered a cut to his head and possible neck and back injuries, according to Manasquan fire chief Ed Hill. The call came in at about 7:15 pm and the rescue took more than… Read the rest of this entry »

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Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider Endorses Angelini and Casagrande in LD 11

NJTV’s Michael Aron interviews Long Branch Mayor Adam Schneider. file photo

Long Branch, NJ- Mayor Adam Schneider, a Democrat, today endorsed Republican Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande for reelection in New Jersey’s 11th Legislative District.

Schneider said that Angelini and Casagrande are partners that Monmouth County and Long Branch need in the Assembly.

“It means a lot to have two representatives that partnered with me to help Long Branch recover, rebuild and safeguard against future storms,” said Mayor Schneider. “Mary Pat and Caroline are dedicated, hardworking leaders that continually demonstrate their commitment to putting partisanship aside to protect our families, make our state more affordable and provide more opportunities for our children. I will be working hard to help them secure the support they need to continue to bring both parties together to solve problems.”

The 11th Legislative District, which includes Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, and West Long Branch, is the only district in New Jersey that is represented by an all female delegation in the legislature.   In addition to Angelini and Beck in Assembly, the 11th is represented by Sen. Jennifer Beck in the State Senate.  Beck is not up for reelection this year.  All 80 seats in the Assembly are on the ballot on November 3rd.

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Fire at Aberdeen warehouse remains under investigation

“Mayor Fred Taliarini said on facebook, “I just want you to know that our brave firefighters did a heck of a job last night at the US Mahogany factory on Lloyd Road. They also had the help of many surrounding towns. They fought that fire for hours. I visited these incredible volunteers at site last night to thank them on behalf of a very grateful town. I am so proud of all our first responders who keep Aberdeen safe!”

ABERDEEN — Investigators remained at the scene of a blaze on Sunday morning that forced traffic diversions and caused train delays on Saturday night. Aberdeen Police Chief John Powers said the fire was reported at a warehouse that stocks lumber and hardwoods around 8:40 p.m. The fire was declared under control at 9:45 p.m., he said.… Read the rest of this entry »

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Train service suspended as crews battle blaze in Monmouth County

ABERDEEN — Fire crews were battling a large blaze at a industrial building on Lloyd Road in the township late Saturday. North Jersey Coast Line rail service was suspended between Matawan and Hazlet due to “fire department activity” in the area, NJ Transit said in an advisory around 9:15 p.m. Authorities also blocked Exit 117a, off… Read the rest of this entry »

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Marlboro Republicans Accuse Hornik Democrats of “Fairy Tales” and “Gimmickry”

Hornik Campaign: Republicans Don’t Know How Municipal Government Works, Blames Board Of Ed, John Dwyer For Tax Increases

Graphic via PositivelyMarlboro.com, the Marlboro Republican candidates’ website

Invoking Abraham Lincoln’s ‘You can fool all of the people’ quote and Congressman Frank Pallone’s promise of affordable healthcare, the Republican “PositivelyMarlboro” team of Ira Goldberg for Mayor and Council candidates John Dwyer and Sui Allex charged that their incumbent Democrat opponents, Mayor Jonathan Hornik and Councilwoman Randi Marder have been deceiving the public regarding their record of taxing and spending.  The Republicans noted that Hornik’s own property tax assessment went down in 2015 and that Marder’s assessment is lower now than it was in 2011.

In a press release and postings on their website and on facebook on Friday, the Republicans said that Hornik and his “obedient” and rubber stamp” Township Council are employing election year budgetary gimmicks and deceitful campaign language in an attempt to convince voters that they’ve been fiscally responsible and that others—the Board of Education and the County Tax Board—are responsible for the growing tax burden.

The Republicans disputed Hornik’s recent claim that the new property tax assessment program has “effectively has eliminated the avenue to appeal a tax assessment.”

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Monmouth Democrats Endorse Tara Ryan-Killeen In Highlands’ Non-Partisan Council Race

Highlands Councilwoman Tara Ryan. photo via facebook

The Monmouth County Democratic Party has endorsed incumbent Councilwoman Tara Ryan-Killeen for reelection in the non-partisan municipal election in Highlands on November 3.

In a sponsored advertisement on facebook, Chairman Vin Gopal’s organization lists every nominated Democratic candidate in Monmouth County on the County, State and Municipal levels, plus Ryan-Killeen in the non-partisan election in Highlands. The Democrats did not endorse any candidates in the only other non-partisan election this November, in Tinton Falls, which is uncontested.

Incumbent Councilman Kevin Redmond, who ran with Ryan-Killeen as a Democrat when they ran in 2012, did not receive the endorsement of Gopal’s organization.  Highlands changed to non-partisan municipal elections in 2014.

Redmond and Ryan-Killeen appear to be running together, as the share a facebook page, lawn signs and have issued a joint mailer.  However, they have different slogans on the ballot.

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