Gold Star Mothers’ Day

I’m embarrassed that I did not know that the last Sunday in September is Gold Star Mothers’ Day, a day for people to recognize and honor those who have lost a son or daughter while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

Thanks to our friend Edith T. Nowles who sent in the following remembrance of her parents, Zelma deGuerin Seaton & Lester Mason Thorne, who lost their son Cpl. Horace Marvin “Bud” Thorne in the WWII Battle of the Bulge:

“Gold Star” Mother & Father …. Zelma deGuerin Seaton & Lester Mason Thorne, New Monmouth, N. J..  Year after year, their heartache remains very much alive … compounded by childhood memories of family … the tremendously, painful loss is forever.  Vividly recall my mother’s personal escort, Mrs. Mildred Minor of Belford, N.J, always in appropriate, official VFW 2179 Auxiliary uniform, who transported and proudly escorted my mother, to and fro, for many years.  Seventy years since he was killed, my brother “Bud” still remains 26 years old … remembered – honored … dearly beloved … and deeply missed.  (Cpl. Horace Marvin (Bud) Thorne, U. S. Army, KIA 12/21/44, WWII Battle of the Bulge, Grufflingen, Belgium.  He never knew that he was a Recipient of The Congressional Medal of Honor).  

God Bless all the mothers and fathers, sisters and brothers, sons and daughters and spouses who have lost a loved one who was defending our freedom.

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Clock Ticking on $1 Million Powerball Ticket Sold in Tinton Falls

A Powerball ticket worth $1 million that was sold at the Kwik Farms on Shrewsbury Ave in Tinton Falls remains unclaimed and is set to expire on October 23.

The winning numbers on October 23, 2013 were 03, 23, 31, 34 and 47. The Powerball number was 13.

If you have the ticket, sign the back and have it validated at a New Jersey Lottery Retailer before midnight on October 23 .

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Brick Realtor Arrested After Arranging Sex With Fourteen Year Old Girl

Girl Was Undercover Cop

Richard J. Jones Mugshot

A 66 year old real estate broker was arrested today after he set up a meeting to have sex with a 14 year old girl who was actually an undercover police officer, according to a statement by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office.

Richard J. Jones of Brick Township, Ocean County, was charged with second degree Attempted Sexual Assault after he was snagged this afternoon by a Joint Investigation of the Prosecutor’s Special Victims Unit and investigators from the Asbury Park, Englishton and Wall Township police departments.  He is alleged to have used a local prostitute to facilitate a meeting to have sex with a 14 year old girl who was really an undercover police officer.

Jones, the owner and broker of Century 21 Herbertsville Real Estate in Brick, is being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution on $125,000 bail with no 10% option as set by Judge Honora O’Brien Kilgallen.  Judge Kilgallen also order Jones to have no contact with the prostitute who facilitated the meeting.

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Kolibas Elected Hazlet Board of Education President

William Kolibas Jr

William Kolibas, Jr was unanimously elected President of the Hazlet Board of Education on Monday evening, according to a statement by Superintendent Bernard F. Bragen, Jr Ed. D.

Kolibas replaces Stephen F. Willig who stepped down after serving on the Board for nine years due to conflicts with his work schedule.

Lauri O’ Leary was elected to replace Kolibas as Vice President.

The Board is seeking a replacement for Willig and hope to appoint the new member at its November 17, 2014 meeting.  Interested parties should contact Board Secretary Chris Mullins, [email protected] or 732-264-8401 ext. 1109.

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Report: Shaneen Allen Admitted to PTI

Single mother is facing eviction, electric has been shut off

Shaneen Allen, the 27 year old Philadelphia single mother facing a New Jersey State Prison term for bringing a Pennsylvania licensed handgun into New Jersey has been offered entry into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program, according to a report on NBC10.  (H/T Save Jersey)

Atlantic County Prosecutor James McCain issued a statement which said that, upon review, his rejection of Allen’s application to the PTI program was contrary to a 2008 “Graves Act” directive, according to NBC10. Read the rest of this entry »

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A Bad Situation

Sorrentino Brothers Indicted For Tax Exvasion

Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino and Middletown Committeeman Gerry Scharfenberger cutting the ribbon at the TV personality’s Middletown tanning salon

Michael “The Situation” Sorrentino of Jersey Shore fame and his brother Marc have been indicted on federal charges of failing to pay taxes on $8.9 million income from promotional activities, according to a statement issued by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman. The brothers are expected to surrender to IRS Criminal Investigation Agents in Newark this afternoon prior to an appearance before in U.S. Magistrate Judge Steven Mannion.

Both brothers are charged with one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States Government and with filing false tax returns for 2010 and 2012.  The Situation faces an additional charge of failing to file a tax return for 2011.

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Money Magazine Honors Middletown (Again)

Middletown Mayor Stephanie Murray, right, and Committeeman Tony Fiore at Memorical Sloan Kettering’s ground breaking last week.

Monmouth County’s largest municipality, Middletown Township, has yet again been named one of the best places to live in the United States by Money Magazine.

Strong economics, a clean environment, a highly educated and stable population, low crime and an abundance of leisure, cultural and recreational opportunities clinched the honor for the Township that has also been named the best run municipality in New Jersey by MoreMonmouthMusings for eight consecutive years.

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Monmouth County Breaks Ground on Phase II of Child Advocacy Center

Monmouth County Assistant Prosecutor Peter Boser, Sue Rekedal, Multi-Disciplinary Teams coordinator at the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center, Assemblywoman Mary Pat Angelini, Dr. Martin Krupnick, Chairperson of the Friends of the Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center, Freeholder Director Lillian G. Burry, Freeholder Deputy Director Gary J. Rich, Sr., Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone, Freeholder John P. Curley, Freeholder Serena DiMaso and Monmouth County First Assistant Prosecutor Marc C. LeMieux.

The Monmouth County Child Advocacy Center, a partnership between the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, the Board of Chosen Freeholders, a local non-profit named for the facility and the National Children’s Alliance broke ground on a $1.6 million addition to the facility in Freehold this afternoon.

The brainchild of former Prosecutor John Kaye, the facility provides a physically and psychologically safe place for victims of child abuse and their families to receive treatment that is coordinated with the investigations into their abusers in such a way as to prevent and reduce the traumatic effects of the investigations into the devastating events they have already suffered.

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Attention County Workers: The Freeholder Meeting is not in Fair Haven!

CWA Local 1075 is calling on Monmouth County workers to gather in Fair Haven on Tuesday evening to protest for a fair contract.

Contract negotiations have been going on for two years, according to the CWA 1075 website, and County workers have had enough.

Here’s the problem:  The Freeholders are meeting at the Hall of Records in Freehold.

I was going to write a snarky post making fun of the union for sending their members to the wrong location, but after verifying that the meeting is in Freehold with Freeholder Director Lillian Burry and Freeholder Tom Arnone, they both asked me to get the word out that the Freeholders want to hear from the membership.  They have moved the meeting to Judge Cleary’s Court Room in order to accommodate the larger than usual crowd that is expected.

The meeting was moved back to Freehold weeks ago. Where the communication breakdown happened is unknown.

So share this post and spread the word….the Freeholder Meeting is on Tuesday September 23, not on its usual Thursday night because of Rosh Hashanah, and the meeting has been moved to larger quarters, Judge Cleary’s Court Room , 1 East Main St, in Freehold.

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Gopal: Essex County is the model he wants for Monmouth County

These men want to turn Monmouth County into South Essex County.
CD-4 Candidate Ruben Scolavino, Larry Luttrell, Senator Cory Booker, Joe Grillo, Congressman Frank Pallone, NJ Democratic Chairman John Currie and Monmouth Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal.  photo via facebook

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal said that Essex County’s Government is the model he hopes to impose on Monmouth County should he ever win control of the Board of Freeholders.

Gopal and his freeholder candidates Larry Luttrell and Joe Grillo ventured north to Essex this week, hat in hand for money to fund their quest to transform Monmouth into South Essex, according to a report on PolitickerNJ.

“They have done an extraordinary job in Essex County as far as managing a county government, and it’s all Democratic,” Gopal said. “It’s a model for Monmouth to hope to achieve one day.”

Let’s take a look at what that means.

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