Circus Camel Escapes In Middletown

Heidi the prodigal camel

North Middletown- A female camel escaped from St. Catherine’s Church on Monday. The camel, Heidi, is not left over from the parish’s nativity scene.  She is a featured performer in the circus that St. Catherine’s is hosting tonight, Tuesday, May 24.

Heidi escaped while the circus staff was setting up the tent for tonight’s festivities, according to church secretary Kathy Toomey.

“The camel took a stroll down Bray Avenue dragging her tether and chain behind her,” Toomey said.  Residents of Bray Avenue laughed and said they were unaware of the incident when MMM asked them about it.

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19 Year Old Ocean Township Man Arrested On Drug Charges

Teddy Feindt, 19 of Ocean Township, was arrested in his Bowne Road home by the Ocean Township Police Department on Friday, May 20, after the execution of a search warrant revealed various types of drugs, drug paraphernalia, a weapon and fireworks, according to a statement released by the OTPD.

Feindt was charged with 2 counts of possession of a controlled dangerous substance (a bottle of Promethazine Codeine and cocaine) possession of under 50 grams of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of a weapon, possession of fireworks, possession with intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance and intent to distribute a controlled dangerous substance in a school zone. He was later released on a criminal complaint summons and will appear at a future court hearing.
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Middletown Hit and Run Driver Indicted

Toni Marletta
photo via facebook

Toni Ann Marletta, the Leonardo woman accused of the hit and run accident that resulted in the death of 15 year old Marissa Procopio last July 8, was indicted by a Monmouth County Grand Jury on Monday, May 16, according to a copy of the indictment released by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Marletta stands charged of one count of Knowingly Leaving the Scene of a Motor Vehicle Accident which resulted in a death, a Second Degree Crime, two counts of Third Degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child and one count of second degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child.  The Third Degree Endangering Charges are related to the children who were passengers in the car driven by Marletta when it struck and killed Procopio.  The Second Degree Endangering Charge is related to the deceased teenager, Procopio.

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Video: Ocean Township Police Seek The Public’s Help In Identifying A Burglar

The Ocean Township Police is asking for the public’s help in identifying a burglar who stroke a home in the Wanamassa section of the Township on Thursday morning May 19 at 10:28 a.m.

The white male suspect was wearing a red baseball cap, blue jeans and a grey T-shirt when he entered the home through an unlocked window. The break in was captured by the homeowner’s home surveillance video system.

The OTPD released links to two videos.

The first video shows the subject, who appears to be in his late twenties or early thirties, enter the open porch of the home and attempt to enter through the front door and windows.  He leaves the porch and returns when he enters the home through a window. View that video here.

In the second video, the subject can be seen walking through the living room of the home, apparently with a laptop computer he is stealing and other property.  He using his T-shirt to avoid leaving finger prints.  After attempting to leave the home through the front door, he opts to leave through the window through which he entered.  Two small dogs look on as the burglar makes off with the property.  The second video can be viewed here.  Don’t blame the dogs.

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Ocean Township Man Busted Twice On Same Day

Golden’s Palace

David Shank, 30, of Ocean Township, was arrested for shoplifting at Family Dollar on Route 35 on Thursday, May 19 when  He was also found to be in possession of drug paraphernalia.  He was processed and released by the Ocean Police Department on a criminal complaint penind a future court appearance, according to an announcement by the Ocean Township Police Department.

Shortly after his release, Detectives Michael Melody and Jesse Orbach spotted Shank walking along Deal Road and then running up to a residence. Melody and Orbach exited their vehicle and located Shank in the rear of the home actively attempting to gain entry. Back at the station, Shank was now found to be in possession of a prescription pill bottle containing 12 Xanax pills.

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Christie nominates Judge Escandon for tenure

Judge Paul X. Escandon

Governor Chris Christie announced yesterday that he has nominated Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Paul X. Escandon for reappointment to the bench.  Should Escandon be be confirmed by the State Senate, he will be a tenured Judge eligible to serve until the mandatory retirement age of 70.

Escandon was appointed to the Superior Court in 2009 by Governor Jon Corzine.  His service on the bench became a matter of public controversy when Governor Chris Christie lent a sympathetic ear to Rachel Alintoff, whose divorce was being presided over by Escandon, during a Town Hall Meeting in Garfield, Bergen County, on May 2, 2012.  Alintoff complained to Christie that Escandon stripped her of her parental rights as a punishment for seeking an Order of Protection against her estranged husband in New York and that the Judge ordered her estranged husband, who she said makes over $500,000 per year on Wall Street, to provide only $1000 per month in support for her and her son.

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Monmouth GOP: Doherty is bought and paid for by out of county special interests

Republicans Sheriff Shaun Golden, Surrogate Rosemarie Peters, Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Freeholder Director Serena DiMaso

The Monmouth County Republican Organization said that Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for Freeholder in the June 7 primary, is bought and paid for by Trenton lobbyists, Wall Street executives and North Jersey political bosses “seeking to turn Monmouth County Government into their own Hudson County style patronage machine.”

In a press release distributed Monday afternoon, the Monmouth GOP organization said that Doherty’s latest campaign finance report indicates that over 60% of the $98,000 he disclosed the source of came from donors who reside outside of Monmouth County.

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“Lawless Matt” Doherty defies Court, Pay to Play Ordinance

Defy– openly resist or refuse to obey

Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty speaks during the Two Year Hurricane Sandy Anniversary while Governor Christie practices his Trump sidekick pose(Governor’s Office/Tim Larsen)

In his latest campaign finance disclosure with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission, Belmar Mayor “Lawless Matt” Doherty did not disclose the names of donors who gave his campaign $300 or less, as required by Belmar’s Ethics and Pay to Play Law.

Before he stopped talking to MoreMonmouthMusings, shortly after he declared his candidacy for Monmouth County Freeholder in January, Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty told us that his borough’s pay to play ordinance was unenforceable.  Never-the-less, he pushed the Borough Council to pass a new ordinance that would allow him to take donations from people and entities who have business with or are regulated by the Borough and not to disclose donations less than $300.

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May 17 is the voter registration deadline to vote in the June 7 primary

New voters can still register to vote in the June 7 primary. The deadline is Tuesday, May 17.

Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders are still battling for the Democratic Presidential nomination and locally, the Democrats have an election to choose who their County Freeholder candidates will be on the November general election ballot.  Running for Freeholder under Clinton’s line are Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty and Brenda Sue Fulton of Middletown.  Running with Bernie Sander are Angelica Ashford of Manalapan and Laury Wills of Little Silver.

The Republican presidential primary has been settled, with Donald Trump the presumptive nominee.  Ted Cruz and John Kasich remain on the New Jersey ballot.   The Republican Freeholder candidates, Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Freeholder Serena DiMaso are running unopposed for their nominations.

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Surrogate Rosemarie Peters Reminds County Residents of the Importance of Having a Will

By Caitlin Brown

FREEHOLD- Entertainment news has been dominated lately by the passing of one of the biggest names in music for over thirty years- Prince, who died suddenly at age 57. Although he passed away on April 21, this story will remain in the news for quite some time, due largely to the fact that the superstar seemingly did not leave a will to cover the vast wealth of his estate, according to his lawyers. The announcement of his death has led to hundreds of people coming forward to request DNA testing, in the hopes of being named an heir of his estate- an issue that will take months, perhaps even years, to resolve.

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