Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend PLUS, June 30-July 4, 2017

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, June 30

• Auto Tech Car Meet & Info Session at BCC (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
• Wall Twp. Fair ’17 – MORE INFO
• “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” at Monmouth U. (WLB) – MORE INFO
• The Great St. Mary’s Fair (Middletown) – MORE INFO
• Build a Better Library Book Sale (Tinton Falls) – MORE INFO
• St, Rose of Lima Parish Carnival (Freehold) – MORE INFO
• “Halftime with Don” by NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• “The Reveal” Art Exhibit (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

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Christie says there’s no reason for a government shutdown

TRENTON — The clock is ticking for lawmakers and Gov. Chris Christie to hash out a compromise on a state budget by the end of the week or else New Jerseyans will be staring down the barrel of the first state government shutdown since 2006. At odds are the differences within the Democratic-controlled Legislature over a… Read the rest of this entry »

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Increasing Fiscal Transparency by Tracking, Reporting on Unspent Funds

While Democratic legislative leaders are negotiating a budget with Gov. Chris Christie this week, lawmakers are also moving toward final passage of a bipartisan bill that would bring a new level of transparency to how taxpayer dollars are spent by state government each year. Both houses of the Legislature are expected to approve later today a… Read the rest of this entry »

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, June 23-25, 2017

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, June 23

• “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” at Monmouth U. (WLB) – MORE INFO
• Huey Lewis and the News at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• Third Eye Blind at PNC Bank Arts Center (Holmdel) – MORE INFO
• “Halftime with Don” by NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• “They Call it Gravy, We Call it SAUCE!” (Middletown) – MORE INFO
• St. Leo the Great Carnival (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
• Jersey Shore Greek Festival (Ocean Twp)– MORE INFO
• “One Good Deed” at Grange Playhouse (Howell) – MORE INFO

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Christie blasts Horizon over $16M in fines for mishandling Medicaid

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie’s battle with Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey to give up $300 million of its reserves to the state intensified Wednesday when the governor vilified the insurer for getting slapped with $16 million in fines from the state over a period of nine months. In a hastily called news… Read the rest of this entry »

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Interactive Map: Charting the Ups and Downs of Dems’ School-Aid Plan

You can toggle between districts by type — elementary, regional HS and K-12 — by clicking in the Visible layers box (K-12 are shown by default). To find a district, zoom in and move the map, or use the search box (with the magnifying glass). Hover over or click on a district for information. A day… Read the rest of this entry »

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Belmar Elementary School Grieves Over Death of Drowning Victim, As Other Student Clings to Life

By Cathy Goetz, TAPintoBelmar/LakeComo

BELMAR, NJ — On a day that should have been a time of celebration at Belmar Elementary School is a time of grief as the school mourns the drowning of one 13-year-old student and prays for the 12-year-old student who is clinging to life.

Today, June 16, marks the final day of the school year for Belmar Elementary School — less than 15 hours after two unidentified students, who were cousins, were pulled from the surf at the Ninth Avenue beach along Ocean Avenue. While attempts to save one of the girls were unsuccessful, the other girl is in critical condition on life-support at Jersey Shore University Medical Center, Neptune.

What makes the situation even more heart-wrenching is that the tragic scene began to unfold at about 6:30 p.m. on June 15 — the same time 55 eighth-graders were participating in their graduation ceremony at Belmar Elementary School, unaware of the massive emergency scene just six blocks away.

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Contractor sought in $1.5M Sandy scam arrested in South Carolina, authorities said

Federal authorities on Thursday arrested a contractor accused of bilking victims of Hurricane Sandy out of more than $1.5 million by skipping out on repair jobs after taking their money. Jamie Lynn Lawson, 42, was arrested early Thursday morning at an extended stay hotel in Florence, SC, by U.S. Marshals in that area, said Michael Schroeder,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Beck: School Funding Should Be Fair and Transparent

Senator Jennifer Beck

By Senator Jennifer Beck

The biggest issue facing our state is property taxes.  And the biggest impact on that issue is school taxes.

Over the next several weeks, a new plan for school funding will be debated in Trenton.

There aren’t a lot of details being provided on this plan or its methodology, but estimates suggest that it could end up costing Monmouth County schools over $100 million in state school aid.

This plan, if estimates are true, isn’t a fair or equitable solution to our school funding crisis.

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NJ Lawmakers reach $171M deal on school funding

TRENTON — Top Democratic lawmakers who have been pushing competing plans to repair education funding in New Jersey said Wednesday they have agreed to a deal that would increase state funding by $125 million. Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) said their plan that would add $100 million in new K-12… Read the rest of this entry »

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