Businesses damaged by Sandy may get new chance to seek federal help

WASHINGTON — The U.S. House of Representatives voted Monday to allow businesses damaged by Hurricane Sandy to again seek federal disaster loans. The legislation to reopen the application process was passed by voice vote in response to reports of delays in the Small Business Administration loan process, where the agency was overwhelmed by requests for assistance… Read the rest of this entry »

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Freeholder Lillian Burry Recoverying From A Fall

Freeholder Lillian G. Burry photo by Art Gallagher

Monmouth County Freeholder Lillian G. Burry is resting comfortably at home after being released from Riverview Medical Center in Red Bank where she spent most of last week after sustaining injuries resulting from a fall outside of her Colts Neck Realty office.

During a phone interview this morning, Burry told MMM that she sustained a mild concussion, injured her left knee and crushed her right elbow.  Her elbow joint was replaced.

“There’s still a lot of life in this old broad,” Burry said, “that’s it.  When I do something, I really do it.”

Burry’s knee is being treated with an ice pack.  Her right arm is in a cast that feels like it weighs 50 lbs., she said.

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Sea Bright favorite Donovan’s Reef reopens tiki bar post Hurricane Sandy

SEA BRIGHT — When borough resident Daniel Ekdahl heard that Donovan’s Reef was reopening its tiki bar on Friday afternoon, he was the first in line and bought the first beer they sold this season. He returned each day of the weekend. “I’ve known Donovan’s my whole life,” said Ekdahl, 33, remembering that his parents used… Read the rest of this entry »

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Sandy-related contractor complaints piling up | Di Ionno

Weeds now envelop the pile of broken concrete slab where Nancy Wirtz’s home once stood. A swing set, bowed and rusted from neglect, is the only remnant of the place where she raised two children. It was a simple house, like most in the Forked River Beach section of Lacey Township. Compact and rectangular, it was… Read the rest of this entry »

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Highlands Man Surprised To Find Himself In Christie For President Ad

Governor Chris Christie released the first ad of his fledgling presidential campaign today.  The thirty second spot is aimed at New Hampshire primary voters and will air on Boston, MA and Manchester, NH television and cable outlets, according to a report on NJ.com.  Christie’s campaign will spend $500,000 to distribute the ad over the next four weeks, according to the report.

Monmouth County restaurateur Leo Cervantes, the owner of Chilango’s in Highlands and LaPlaya in Keansburg was surprised to find himself featured in the ad.

Cervantes appears 5 seconds into the ad and is the first face featured after Christie’s.  He had no idea he was in the ad when contacted by MoreMonmouthMusings.

“I endorsed Christie for his reelection as governor,” Cervantes said, “I did a commercial for him and was part of his Hispanic outreach, but I have not heard from his presidential campaign. Should I sue them?” he asked jokingly.

Cervantes said he has not made a decision on who to support for president in 2016. “I was just talking to my daughter about this.  I know the candidates are Bush, Hillary, Trump and some others, but I really haven’t focused on it yet.”

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Why New Jersey Got Billions Less Than New York in FEMA Disaster Aid After Sandy

In the two-and-a-half years since Superstorm Sandy, while the Garden State has struggled to recover, many people have puzzled over the question of why New Jersey has received substantially less federal aid than New York, even though both states suffered roughly the same amount of damage — close to $37 billion. Much of the focus has… Read the rest of this entry »

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Hit and Run Victim, 15, Is On Life Support

Marissa Procopio photo via facebook

Marissa Procopio, the 15 year old Atlantic Highlands girl who was struck by a hit and run driver in Middletown on Tuesday, is on life support at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune.  Previous published reports said she had died of her injuries on Wednesday afternoon at 3:46.

An official of the Henry Hudson Regional High School District who asked not to be named for this story told MoreMonmouthMusings that Marissa’s family was informed by her doctor that there was no blood flowing to her brain and that there was no hope of recovery. The family has chosen to keep Marissa on a life sustaining ventilator for two days in order that family members can travel to say good-bye, according to the school official.  The official said that the high school principal visited Marissa at the hospital on Wednesday at 5:45 pm, two hours after the reported death.

Robert Cavanaugh, spokesperson for Jersey Shore Medical Center, declined to confirm Marissa’s condition, citing HIPAA regulations that the hospital’s policy against commenting on the condition of minors.   An telephone operator a Jersey Shore said that Marissa is patient in the Intensive Care Unit.

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Atlantic Highlands Girl, 15, Succumbs To Hit And Run Injuries

UPDATED: As of Thursday morning, Marissa is still on life support at Jersey Shore Medical Center

A 15 year old Atlantic Highlands girl who was struck by a hit and run driver Tuesday evening on Route 36 in the Leonardo section of Middletown died as a result of her injuries this afternoon, according to a report in The Two River Times.

Marissa Procopio was crossing the highway at the intersection of Ave D at approximately 8:25 pm when she was stuck by a light grey compact car traveling west.  The car fled the scene before police arrived.  Marissa was transported via Medivac helicopter to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune.  She succumbed to her injuries at 3:46 this afternoon.

A review of videotape of provided by local business owner Michael D’Alessio resulted in the Middletown Police to announce that the vehicle which struck Marissa was driven by Toni Marletta, 49, of Leonardo.

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Lakewood patient doesn’t have Ebola, state says

A patient who was taken overnight to a local hospital because of Ebola-like symptoms has a conventional travel-related illness, not the deadly virus, a spokeswoman for the N.J. Department of Health said. While the patient had recently traveled to Africa, “this person had not even traveled to an Ebola-affected country,” said Donna Leusner, the spokeswoman. Nor… Read the rest of this entry »

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Ocean Township Police Seek Help In Locating Missing Man

The Ocean Township Police Department has asked for the public’s help in locating a 27 year old man who was reported missing from a Township mental health facility on Saturday, July 3.

Nicholas Johnson, a 27 year old white male who stands 6’05” tall, weighs 170 lbs. and has brown hair and hazel colored eyes was last seen at the Gateway Treatment Center on Saturday.

Three photographs of Mr. Johnson that depict him at various times over the last several years and included in this post. At the time of his disappearance he was seen wearing black pants and a black coat.

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