Newest luxury commuter ferry to begin Belford service Sept. 1

WEEHAWKEN – Commuters will get free sewing kits to celebrate the maiden commercial voyage of the Betsy Ross, the region’s newest “luxury” ferry, which will begin service on Sept. 1 between the Jersey Shore and the New York Harbor region, its operator announced Wednesday. The Betsy Ross, named for the Revolutionary War heroine famous for stitching… Read the rest of this entry »

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Congressman Smith Encourages High School Students To Enter the Congressional App Challenge

Congressman Chris Smith and Freeholder Lillian Burry in Spring Lake, Aug 22, 2016

Congressman Chris Smith, R-NJ 4 is encouraging Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) high school students from his district to apply for the Congressional App Challenge, a competition for U.S. high school students across the nation.

“The App Challenge encourages high school students to get involved in STEM fields, computer science and programming by creating and exhibiting their software applications,” said Smith. “This challenge is a modest but important step to inspire creativity in students, urge them to pursue coding skills and prepare for good-paying, high-tech jobs.”

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Wawa Armed Robber Busted By Middletown Cops

Cole Murch. photo via facebook

Cole Murch, 21, of Middletown was arrested by the Middletown Police Department yesterday afternoon after he brandished a knife while approaching a gas attendant demanding money at the Wawa store on Route 36 in the Leonardo section of the township, according to a statement by Middletown Township Police Chief R. Craig Weber.

Murch fled on foot after the incident.  The Middletown PD received a call reporting the robbery at 3:39 p.m.  Multiple units responded and Murch was apprehended in the area shortly thereafter.  He was taken into custody by Detective First Class Daniel Sullivan and Detective Keith Hirschbein and charged with charged with First Degree Robbery, Unlawful Possession of a Weapon, Possession of a Weapon for Unlawful Purposes, Certain Persons Not to Have Weapons, and Resisting Arrest.

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O’Scanlon: Make Drivers’ Licenses Expire On Birthdays

Declan O’Scanlon

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon is the best friend New Jersey drivers have in Trenton.

The Monmouth County legislator who defeated red light cameras today announced that he is introducing legislation that will reduce the end of the month waiting lines at Motor Vehicle Commission offices by changing the date that drivers’ licenses expire from the last day of the month to the birthday of the driver.

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Monmouth County continues to battle West Nile Virus

Ground spraying to occur in Ocean Township and Spring Lake on Thursday morning

Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso

The Monmouth County Mosquito Control Division will be conducting a ground spray operation in the Oakhurst section of Ocean Township on residential streets near Palaia Park, specifically, north of Deal Road to Dow Avenue and east of State Highway 35 to Whalepond Road and in Spring Lake on residential streets south of Washington Street to Monmouth Avenue and First Avenue west to the NJ Transit railroad tracks on Thursday morning August 25.

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Hazlet Man Charged With Middletown Bank Robbery

photo via Middletown PD’s facebook page

Justin Rafalko, 25, of Sycamore Drive in Hazlet was charged with robbing the TD Bank branch on Harmony Road in Middletown, according to a statement by Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Rafaldo entered the bank at around 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, approached a teller with a note that indicated he was armed and demanding money. He fled the scene on a bicycle.

The Keansburg police apprehended Rafalko later on Saturday along the Henry Hudson Trail.  He was identified via surveillance video.

The investigation was a cooperative effort of the Monmouth County Prosectuor’s Office, the Middletown Police Department, the Hazlet Police Department and the FBI.

“This was a great team effort by all the law enforcement agencies involved to bring this case to a swift conclusion,” said Prosecutor Gramiccioni.

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Ethics Complaint Filed Against Doherty Over Helicopter Landing

Belmar Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty commemorates the anniversary of Hurricane Sandy. photo by Tim Larsen/Governor’s Office

Former Belmar Councilman Jim Bean filed an Ethics Complaint with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs’ Local Finance Board against Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty  on Friday, August 19, alleging that Doherty did not have the authorization of the Borough Council to grant a campaign donor permission to land a helicopter in the Borough or on Borough property.  Additionally, Bean alleges that Doherty did not provide public notice nor notify Monmouth County officials of the temporary landing permit, as is required by the Department of Transportation when applying for said permit.

On July 7, a $2500 donor to Doherty’s campaign for Monmouth County Freeholder landed a helicopter at Silver Lake, a park in the Borough.

A copy of the Ethics Complaint can be found here.

Bean said that Dirty Doherty used “public resources to allow a campaign donor special privilege to land a helicopter in Belmar’s small but very populated Green Acres Silver Lake Park.”

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Adviser to Pro Athletes Serves Everyday Investors

Peter Grandich and Jets great Joe Klecko at the office of Peter Grandich & Co., Spring Lake

If you’re a fan of business news on television, you probably remember Peter Grandich.  The former Wall Street Wiz Kid came to fame by boldly, and correctly, predicting the stock market crash of 1987 that few saw coming.

Grandich resisted the pressure from his bosses on Wall Street to withdraw his prediction and suffered the ridicule of many on the street and in the media…until he was proven to be correct.  Then he was on his way to fame and fortune. Literally.

Today Grandich can’t get an invitation to a Wall Street Christmas party, never mind a segment on Cavuto. Not that he cares.  He believes and is not shy about saying that most on Wall Street are fooling themselves. Grandich proclaims that trying to beat the market is a fool’s errand.   Buy low cost index funds is his suggestion to the vast majority of investors.

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40 people arrested in massive N.J. child porn crackdown

TRENTON — State authorities have arrested 40 people hailing from every county in New Jersey following a large-scale child pornography crackdown. Authorities are scheduled to detail the arrests at an 11 a.m. press conference at the State Police technology complex in Hamilton. All of the defendants were charged with possession of child pornography, and most were… Read the rest of this entry »

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Christie issues Executive Order to fund transportation projects from the general state fund

file photo

Governor Chris Christie announced this afternoon that he has ordered the State Treasurer to fund transportation projects that are absolutely essential for the protection of the health, safety, and welfare of the people of the State of New Jersey, or that are required to ensure the receipt of federal funding.

The Governor’s announcement comes as the Transportation Trust Fund is on the verge of running out of money.  The legislature failed to pass a funding mechanism for the fund by June 30th.  Christie subsequently shut down all non-essential projects and those not at risk of losing federal funding.

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