If Murphy Holds Municipal Aid Flat, Can Property Taxes Go Anywhere But Up?

New Jersey’s municipalities are being left out in the cold again by a state budget that seeks to freeze aid to towns at 2010 levels, leaving municipal officials with little choice but to increase property taxes to avoid cutting services. Gov. Phil Murphy’s proposed budget recommends no increase in aid to communities, keeping the level of… Read the rest of this entry »

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Employers still have time to sign up for Monmouth County’s job fair

Spring Job Fair at Brookdale Community College, April 2014. file photo by Art Gallagher

New Jersey area employers looking to fill positions still have time to recruit highly skilled Monmouth residents at the County’s Spring Job Fair to be held on April 13, 10 a.m. till 1 p.m. at Brookdale Community College’s Collins Arena.

“The County’s Spring Job Fair is an excellent opportunity for employers to connect with job seekers with all levels of skill and experience,” said Freeholder Patrick Impreveduto, liaison to the Monmouth County Division of Workforce Development. “We are seeking employers of all sizes that represent a variety of industries, and welcome those who have not participated in prior years.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Monmouth Beach Man Pleads Guilty To Bank Robbery

Navesink branch of Investors Bank

Martin N. Racioppi, 52, of Monmouth Beach, pleaded guilty  in federal court in Trenton today to robbing the Navesink branch of Investor Saving Bank, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Racioppi entered the Navesink Investors branch on July 20, 2017 and demanded money from a teller.  He fled with approximately $1,600.  The FBI arrested him the following day in Eatontown.

This is Racioppi’s third bank robbery conviction.  He was released from federal prison on March 26, 2014 for his 2007 conviction in the robbery of a Red Bank Sovereign Bank branch, according the the Federal Bureau of Prisons.  He was on parole for a previous bank robbery conviction at the time of the Red Bank robbery, according to RedBankGreen. Read the rest of this entry »

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Road improvements in Middletown could delay mid-day NJ Transit commuters this week

Residents of the north side of Middletown and Bayshore residents who commute mid-day on NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line via the Middletown train station should leave home earlier than usual this week as Church Street (County Road 50) will be closed near Kings Highway for road construction and improvements, according to an announcement by Freeholder Director Tom Arnone.

Weather permitting, the plan is for Church St to be closed from 9 a.m. till 4 p.m., Monday March 19 through Friday, March 23.  Riders of 9 trains that leave Middletown starting with the 9:31 a.m. departure through the 4:06 p.m departure could be delayed. Read the rest of this entry »

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Former Lake Como resident charged with luring a minor, obscenity

Michael Camacho

Michael Camacho, 55, formerly of Lake Como and most recently of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was arrested Wednesday and charged with second-degree Luring, second-degree Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a child, two counts of third-degree Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and third-degree Attempted Obscenity to a Minor, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni announced. Read the rest of this entry »

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Passport Fees Rising April 2

The fee to process your passport application in-person with an authorized agent, including a County Clerk, U.S. Post Office or other government office, is rising from $25 to $35 on April 2, 2018, Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon announced today.

The fee is mandated by the U.S. State Department for application through agents.  Applications sent to the State Department via mail are not subject to the fee increase.

“The April 2 fee increase provides an additional incentive to obtain or update a passport now,” said Clerk Hanlon. “By completing passport transactions at this time of year, Monmouth County residents can not only save money, but they can avoid the last-minute rush of the busy spring travel season.” Read the rest of this entry »

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Newark airport travelers: You may have been exposed to measles

If you were at Newark Liberty International Airport Monday, there’s a chance you were exposed to the measles, officials say. The state Department of Health has confirmed in a statement that a young child flying into Newark airport on Monday from Brussels had the highly infectious disease, potentially exposing other travelers. The child, officials said, arrived… Read the rest of this entry »

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Greg’s List: Things to Do in Monmouth County This Weekend, March 16-18, 2018

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, March 16

• Dublin Irish Dance at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• Traditional Irish Bagpipers (Freehold) – MORE INFO
• Ragtime: The Musical at Axelrod PAC (Deal) – MORE INFO
• Wild Horses by NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• The Bridge of San Luis Rey at Two River Theater (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• The Wedding Singer by Shore Players (WLB) – MORE INFO
• Michael Short Art Exhibit (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

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Governor Murphy’s 2019 Budget Address, as prepared for delivery

My fellow New Jerseyans.

I must begin by acknowledging the continued perseverance of the hundreds of thousands of residents impacted by the recent storms. Rest assured, we will not stop until every home is restored power, and we will get to the root of the problem. And, we thank the thousands of workers – including those from out-of-state – who have put in countless and tireless hours to fix downed wires.

Eight weeks ago today, I pledged to be a different type of governor. I pledged to create a stronger and fairer New Jersey that measured success not by what we could do for the few, but by what we could accomplish for all nine million of our residents. Read the rest of this entry »

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The Big Things to Watch for in Murphy’s Inaugural Budget

Gov. Phil Murphy is scheduled to present his first state budget this afternoon in a speech before a joint session of the Legislature in Trenton. Since being sworn in earlier this year, Murphy, a Democrat, has promised to take the state in a new direction after eight years under former Republican Gov. Chris Christie. The budget… Read the rest of this entry »

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