Stupid Parking Tricks in Red Bank

Red Bank Republicans and the business community are opposed to expanding the paid parking zone along Monmouth Street from Maple Avenue west to Bridge Avenue, and along a stretch of Bridge, according to reports on RedBankGreen.

Discussion to end a five year moratorium on parking fees in the area was tabled at Tuesday’s Council Meeting due to the absence of Mayor Pat Menna who is recovering from heart bypass surgery.  I wish Menna well and pray for his quick recovery.

I don’t know enough about the western Monmouth Street parking situation to opine, but if the businesses and Republicans think charging for parking is a bad idea, it probably is.   The wiring for the parking kiosks was installed in 2012 and 13 new kiosks will cost the borough $135,308.  $10,400 per kiosk, installed, sounds to me like more of a ripoff than $1 per hour to park.

What is really dumb about Red Bank’s paid parking is the coin operated meters in the heart of the business district located along side kiosks.

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Christie coming to Belmar Friday, May 29 to announce flood mitigation grant

Mayor Matt Doherty and Governor Chris Christie walk the Belmar boardwalk in August 2011. Photo Credit: Tim Larson, Governor’s Office

Governor Chris Christie will be in Belmar tomorrow, May 29, to announce the award of a $6.185 million flood mitigation grant and to “kick off the summer in Belmar baby,” Mayor Matt Doherty told MMM.

The Community Development Block Grant from the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development is being awarded through the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection after a competitive application process,  according to Doherty.   The funds will be used for an outflow pipe in Lake Cuomo which will provide flood mitigation for residents of Belmar, Spring Lake and the Borough of Lake Cuomo.

Christie is scheduled to arrive in Belmar at 2:15 p.m.  The event will take place on Ocean Avenue at 20th Street.

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Brookdale Prez Doesn’t Get Texas Job

Brookdale Community College President Maureen Murphy’s search for her next gig continues.

One of four finalists for the presidency of Blinn College in Brenham, Texas, Murphy lost out when the Board of Trustees unanimously chose Dr. Mary Hensly, a 14 year veteran administrator of the Austin Texas Community College District.

Murphy has been the president of Brookdale for three years. In the 16 years since leaving teaching to become an administrator in 1999, she’s held five different positions at four different community colleges. Her contract with Brookdale was extended last October.

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Reminder: Oceanic Bridge Closes May 26

The Oceanic Bridge (S-31), the span that connects Rumson and Middletown over the Navesink River, will close for repairs at 6:00 am on Tuesday morning May 26 and remain closed until the estimated completion date of June 12, according to Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone, liason to the Department of Public Works and Engineering.

The current repair project of the bridge was stated on February 9th and was scheduled to be completed by April 15th.  However, in late April, Arnone announced that while work was being done it was discovered that two of the bridge’s four main bearings need to be repaired. The bearings are part of the mechanism that supports the bascule and flanking spans on the bridge approaches.  The bearings were inaccessible at the beginning of the project.

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Halfacre Leaving The Christie Administration

Michael Halfacre

Michael Halfacre submitted his resignation as Director of the New Jersey Division of Alcohol Beverage Control to Acting Attorney General John Hoffman yesterday, effective June 30,2015.

Under Halfacre’s leadership since March of 2012, the ABC is credited with cracking down on underage drinking, the sale of alcohol to the already intoxicated, and penalizing establishments that were scamming consumers by “drink substitution,” i.e. charging customers for the “top shelf” drinks they ordered while actually serving cheaper booze.

During Halfacre’s tenure, new laws were implemented for the brewing and distilling industry which have lead to an emerging micro brewing industry.  Additionally, new rules were written to regulate the direct sale of wine to consumers by out-of-state wineries.

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Self Service or Full Service, You’ll have to get out of your car before getting gas starting in 2017

Some Independent Gasoline Retailers Are At Odds With Their Lobbyist Who Is Pushing Self Service

O’Scanlon: Self Service bill will give consumers and retailers a choice.  Will decriminalize a harmless convenience

Starting in October of 2017 New Jersey drivers will have to get out of their cars, swipe their own credit or debit card and enter a PIN before an attendant can can pump gas into their car, according to a report at NorthJersey.com.

Consumers will no longer be allowed to hand their cards gas station employees due to new credit card security requirements, The Record quotes Sal Risalvato, executive director of the New Jersey Gasoline C-Store Automotive Association (NJGCA), an independent gas station owners group, as saying.

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Amtrak Service Between New York and Philly will resume on Monday

Amtrak service between New York and Philadelphia will resume Monday morning, according to from report The New York Times.

The first trains will be departing from Philadelphia at 5:53 a.m. and New York at 5:30 a.m.

Service between the two cities has been suspended since the derailment on Tuesday night that killed 8 people and injured more than 200.

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O’Scanlon: When pumping gas, DON’T SET YOURSELF ON FIRE

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon is offended by the argument that New Jerseyans are not capable of pumping their own gas without setting themselves on fire.  But in order to get his legislation that would decriminalize consumer gas pumping passed he in inserting language into the bill that would require signs on gas pumps for the protection of the mentally challenged and members of the Jersey City Council.

“I am offended by people that argue that New Jerseyans are mentally incapable of pumping their own gas without setting themselves on fire. But I hear them.  For that reason I am recommending language be inserted in the final bill that mandates signs at all self serve pumps, in bold red and blue flashing neon lettering, that reads “Do not, UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, set yourself on fire!!”   I think that should resolve these concerns” O’Scanlon said when introducing the legislation.

O’Scanlon’s bill, which mirrors a bill in the Senate sponsored by Bergen County Senators Paul Sarlo and Gerald Cardinale, except for the signage language, would decriminalize gas pumping by consumers and provide for self-service islands at New Jersey gas stations. Each facility would be required to operate at least one island full service for three years following enactment, and the bill also allows for gas retailers to charge a lesser price for self-service gasoline.

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Westfield High School Displays Anti-Cop Student Art

photo via TAP into Westfield

A school district-wide student art exhibit by Westfield High School students titled, “Law Enforcement — Police Brutality,” is drawing criticism from the law enforcement community, according to a report at TAP into Westfield.

Westfield, a toney Union County town of 30,000 with a median family income of $112,145 as of the 2010 U.S. Census, was named the 24th safest city in the United States in 2015 by Neighborhood Scout.   The chances of being the victim of a crime in Westfield is 1 in 2057. Statewide in New Jersey, the chances of being the victim of a crime is 1 in 347, according to Neighborhood Scout.

Westfield is 13.5 miles from Newark and 10 miles from Elizabeth.

The art exhibit, which closed this afternoon, includes an image of a bloodied figure stabbed in the back with a badge and several images of guns aimed at unarmed figures.

TAP into Westfield reports that police officers worldwide are sharing photos from the display on social media and encouraging complaints to be emailed to Superintendent Dr. Margaret Dolan.

The student’s work was accompanied by artist statements.

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82 New Officers Graduate from Monmouth Police Academy

82 young men and women were sworn in as law enforcement officers today during their graduation ceremony from the Monmouth County Police Academy at Neptune High School’s Performing Arts Center, according to an announcement by Sheriff Shaun Golden.

43 officers completed the Basic Course for Police Officers, a 19 week program with 780 hours of training. 39 completed the Basic Course for Class II Special Law Enforcement Officers, a three month program that consists of approximately 600 hours of training with full police powers while on duty. Both classes are run through the Monmouth County Police Academy and upon completion the officers are well trained and well prepared to serve their respective law enforcement agencies.

The new officers’ training was sponsored by jurisdictions in Monmouth, Middlesex, Mercer and Burlington counties.

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