Greg’s List: Things to Do in Monmouth County This Weekend, June 15-17, 2018

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, June 15

• “The Little Mermaid” by Premier Theatre (Holmdel) – MORE INFO
• PTO SpringFest ’18 (Monmouth Beach) – MORE INFO
• Mercy by NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• Disney’s Newsies: Broadway Musical at Axlerod PAC (Deal) – MORE INFO
• The Taming of the Shrew by Stone Church Players (Navesink) – MORE INFO
• Sex & Garbage at Grange Playhouse (Howell) – MORE INFO
• Bluegrass Mini Golf at MP (Oceanport) – MORE INFO
• Simulcast Racing at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO
• Live Harness Racing (Freehold) – MORE INFO

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Howell Democrats Endorse Independent For Township Council

Howell Democrat candidate for Council, John Bonevich, right, with Gov Murphy and Mayor Berger, endorsed his Independent opponent, Michael Bernstein

There are three seats on the Howell Township Council on the ballot in November.  The Howell Democrats have three candidates, as do the Howell Republicans.

An Independent candidate, Michael Bernstein, submitted nominating petitions for his candidacy to Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon last Monday morning.

John McCabe, the Chairman of the Howell Democrats, John Bonevich, one of the Democrat candidates for Township Council and Amy Sara Cores, the Democrat candidate for State Senate in the 30th legislative district last year, signed Bernstein’s nominating petition. Five members of the Howell Democrat County Committee signed Bernstein’s petition.  13 people who signed Bernstein’s petitions also signed the petitions for the Democrats candidates.

Howell’s Republican candidates for council, Tommy Russo, Pamela Richmond and Robert Walsh said that the Democrats are colluding with Bernstein and that the Independent should be knocked off the ballot, in a formal challenge file with Hanlon yesterday. 

Hanlon has till Wednesday to rule on the challenge.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Murphy signs sports betting law, Uncertainty remains on when Monmouth Park can take bets

Governor Phil Murphy signed the sports betting bill this afternoon, finally allowing Monmouth Park and New Jersey’s other horse racing tracks to generate an alternative revenue source.   The news was broken on twitter by Politico’s Matt Friedman and Brent Johnson of NJ.com

“Today, we’re finally making the dream of legalized sports betting a reality for New Jersey,” said Governor Murphy. “I’m thrilled to sign Assembly Bill 4111 because it means that our casinos in Atlantic City and our racetracks throughout our state can attract new business and new fans, boosting their own long-term financial prospects. This is the right move for New Jersey and it will strengthen our economy.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore to be discovered at Monmouth County Library

By Muriel Smith

Rick Geffken, author

MANALAPAN –  Noted author Rick Geffken will bring his stories of New Jersey amusement parks to the Headquarters Library Thursday, June 21,  at 7 p.m.

The author of “Lost Amusement Parks of the North Jersey Shore,” and other books on local history will display images from the Library of Congress and local collections documenting how the Jersey Shore was the most famous vacation and recreational destination along the US coast in earlier times.

Geffken, who lives in Farmingdale,  will bring to life through word and photo the families who spent their days on the beaches of the Jersey Shore and their evenings sipping sodas, savoring candied apples and purchasing salt water taffy and souvenirs of their visits to Asbury Park, Highlands, Sea Bright, and other amusement parks. Geffken will also talk about the rides at these amusement parks and the varieties of personalities whose summers were enjoyed along the boardwalk and beach. Read the rest of this entry »

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Mater Dei Prep graduates 109 scholars

Mater Dei Prep, the Catholic High School affiliated with St Mary’s Parish in Middletown, last week graduated its first class of scholars that attended all four years since the school was saved from closure by a $1 million grassroots fundraising campaign.

The 109 graduates of the Catholic preparatory high school collectively received $18.5 million in merit based college scholarships, an average of $169,725 per student, according to a write-up of the graduation on the school’s website.   That’s quite an accomplishment for a school that was slated to close for financial reasons before the school community raised $1 million to keep its doors open. Read the rest of this entry »

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O’Scanlon: “The Murphy Delay” on sports betting is “a historic blunder”

Senator Declan O’Scanlon called Governor Phil Murphy’s delay of sports betting in New Jersey, “The Murphy Delay,” a policy blunder of historic proportions in a blistering post on facebook this morning:

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Curley’s Defective Petitions

Disgraced Freeholder John P. Curley blew his chance to compete for the Republican nomination for Monmouth County Freeholder back in January, because he did not get his letter of intent and nominating petition filed on time.

Now, Curley might not make it onto the ballot as an Independent candidate because the petitions he filed with the Monmouth County Clerk on Tuesday are defective.

A review of the 398 signatures Curley filed indicates that only 165 of them are valid.  Only 100 valid signatures are required to get the misogynist, homophobe, anti-Italian bigot on the ballot, so his candidacy might be safe.  However, of the 165, there are apparent duplicates within Curley’s paperwork that are still being researched.   A review of Democrat candidate Amber Gesslein’s petitions and Republican Sue Kiley’s petitions for additional disqualifying duplicates is ongoing.

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O’Scanlon slams Murphy for holding up Monmouth Park sport betting.

Senator Declan O’Scanlon

Senator Declan O’Scanlon, R-Monmouth, blasted Governor Phil Murphy and the New Jersey Racing Commission for standing in the way of Monmouth Park from taking sports bets this weekend.

“There are two aspects to the administration’s actions. The first is that they are taking their time to sign the legislation, and the second is that they are standing in the way of Monmouth Park opening while taking that time,” said O’Scanlon said in a press release this afternoon. “The Governor claims he needs to review this legislation before signing it, but there is no practical reason why Monmouth Park cannot start accepting wagers while that’s happening–the sky won’t fall, lions won’t roam the streets, locusts won’t ravage our fields. There is absolutely zero likelihood of any negative impact of Monmouth Park opening today. That being the case, one has to wonder about the motivation here. It’s disturbing.”

“The legislature came together in a bipartisan manner to get this done correctly and quickly. All of that bipartisan effort has been brought to a screeching and frankly irrational halt by the actions of the administration.”

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Asbury Park Police seek assistance in locating missing 13 year old girl

UPDATE: Jhasyiah has been located!
The Asbury Park Police Department is seeking help from the public in locating Jhasyiah Torres, 13.   Read the rest of this entry »

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Snapchat with Governor Murphy

Moments ago Governor Phil Murphy invited the twitterverse to get updated on his behind the scenes activities via Snapchat.

Add me on Snapchat for a behind the scenes look at our state government. pic.twitter.com/CbAZIV3hms

— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) June 8, 2018

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