Two Women Show Up At GoTopless Protest

Two women, one from Mercer County and one from Ocean County, showed up at the Monmouth County Correctional Institution this morning to protest hunger striking Phoenix Feeley’s incarceration and anti-toplessness laws.   They kept their tops on.

Sue Vliet, of Toms River, identified herself as an admin of One Million Vaginas, a feminist organization dedicated to empowering women to take their vagina’s back from invasive conservative politicians, was one of the two protestors.  Her sign said, “STOP THE DOUBLE STANDARD. FREE OUR BREASTS.” Vliet said she was protesting the “double standard and draconian laws” that allow men that to bare their chests in public, but not women.

Judith Sherwood of Mercer County read a letter from GoTopless.org in support of Feeley. You can hear that letter by viewing the video below.

Sherwood said she wasn’t raising money to pay Feeley’s $816 fine, which would end the incarceration, as a matter of principle.  Sherwood and Vliet both said they were not protesting topless and risking arrest themselves, because their protest was not about going topless.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Go Topless Activists Say They Will Picket Monmouth County Jail This Morning

Somehow this event didn’t make it to Greg’s List.

GoTopless.org, the group that says laws that prohibit women from exposing their chests are discriminatory violations of the 14th Amendment, announced that they will be protesting Phoenix Feeley’s incarceration for going topless in Spring Lake in 2008 by picketing in front of the Monmouth County Correctional Institution this morning from 9am till noon.

GoTopless is making Feeley out to be a modern day Susan B. Anthony.  Nadine Gary, a spokeswoman for the organization, said in statement on their website, “Suffragette activists, like Phoenix Feeley and other topless activists today, willingly went to jail for claiming their rights.”

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Racially charged tweet by Lonegan campaign draws fire from Eck, Booker

Eck says Lonegan is not a viable candidate. Says the former Bogota mayor and his team are “angry white men”

During last night’s Democratic U.S. Senate debate, a racially insensitive tweet was sent out from former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan’s campaign account, @Lonegan.

Politico captured an image of the tweet which depicted Newark Mayor Cory Booker’s foreign policy prep notes as a map of Newark with Guaya, West Africa, Portugal and Brazil noted as parts of the city and the Middle East as Afghanistan, Pakistan PLUS Bangladesh and Trinidad.

The tweet was quickly deleted and Lonegan spokesman Rich Shaftan told Politico that Lonegan did not find it funny or reflective of how he thinks.

Shaftan told The Star Ledger that the  staffer responsible had been discipline but probably would not be fired.

“It’s not Lonegan’s tweet. It’s not from his personal account,” Shaftan said. “Sometimes things happen in political campaigns. People put things out that are not reflective of what the candidate thinks.”

Shaftan declined to say who was responsible for the twet and said the individual had been disciplined but would likely not be fired.

“Everyone does stupid things,” Shaftan said. ” Steve’s not a believer in throwing people over because they make mistakes.”

Lonegan press contact Jon Meadows referred MMM to Shaftan. Shaftan did not respond to a message via facebook and said he would call back when reached on the phone.

Lonegan’s opponent in the August 13th Republican primary, Dr. Alieta Eck said the gaffe is indicative of Lonegan’s world view.  Eck said the Lonegan and his campaign staff are “angry white men.”

In a statement released by Eck Campaign Manager, Thomas Roberts, the campaign said that Lonegan’s candidacy is “unviable”

“Steve Lonegan just continues to demonstrate how uncomfortable he is addressing people other than his own acolytes,” said Eck campaign manager Thomas Roberts. “From his English language debacle in Bogota, to his refusal this week to meet with the NAACP in Newark, and finally last night’s horrifyingly racist tweet, how on earth is he supposed to ‘represent’ a state as culturally rich and diverse as New Jersey in the Senate? He is completely unviable as a candidate, and I think he owes a lot of people an apology.”

Eck told MMM that Lonegan did not reply to the Newark NAACP’s invitation to a debate earlier this week.
Booker’s campaign spokesperson said, according to the Ledger,

“The Lonegan campaign’s tweet is inappropriate, offensive and fundamentally out of step with New Jersey values. It’s also not surprising,” Booker campaign manager Addisu Demissie said. “This is the same misguided person who was offended by an advertisement simply because it was in Spanish. We need leaders who will lift up our communities, not tear them down — leaders like Cory Booker.”

• Tweet

A Day Of Health In Hazlet For Sandy Survivors

The Visiting Nurse Association Health Group, Immediate Care Walk-In, and the Robin Hood Foundation are hosting a Day of Health for Hurricane Sandy survivors on Wednesday, August 14, from 11 am to 2 PM at Immediate Care Walk-In’s medical facility at Airport Plaza in Hazlet.

Area residents are invited to visit the center at 1376 Route 36 for free medical, emotional and crisis support.

The free services provided will included health screenings, health counseling, medication review, education and resource information, integrated services, reiki therapy, stress reduction and maternal child heath.

For additional information, call VNAHG at 800-862-3330.

• Tweet

Asbury Park Mayor Campbell Says She Wasn’t Trying To Embarrass Council Members

Asbury Park Mayor Myra Campbell said she wasn’t trying to embarrass her fellow council members at Tuesday evening’s National Night Out Celebration when she announced their names and asked that they come forward when they weren’t present.

“Everyone was invited, but attendance was not well coordinated,” Campbell said in on a phone call with MMM, “Susan Henderson (Deputy Mayor) told me she didn’t get her email about the event until after she got she home.”

“All the council members except John Loffredo, who was on vacation as I said, attended the event. When they arrived, I invited each of them to speak. Councilwoman Quinn and Henderson did speak. Councilman Moor did not.”

“We’re a council. Whenever we’re at public events, I will invite each member of the council to speak.”

• Tweet

Topless Activist Has 12 More Days In Jail

Tells Judge He’s Sentencing Her To Death, Says She’s Been Naked For Four Days

photo via PhoenixFeeley.com

Fire breathing topless activist Phoenix Feeley told Spring Lake Municipal Court Judge George Pappas that he was sentencing her to death by giving her the option of serving 16 days in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution or paying a $816.oo fine for going topless in Spring Lake in 2008, according to a report on NJ.com.  Pappas gave Feeley credit for the four days she’s been incarcerated since she surrendered in Spring Lake on Monday.

“I refuse to pay a fine for an act that is legal for a man but is illegal for a woman,” 33-year-old artist Phoenix Feeley told Spring Lake Municipal Court Judge George Pappas via teleconference from the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold Township on Thursday morning.

Feeley was arrested twice in the same day in 2008 while sunbathing in Spring Lake.

Authorities charged her with violating an ordinance banning public nudity. Feeley argued that going topless was not the same as going nude, and that women, like men, should be able to bare their chests in public.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, August 9-11, 2013

SPONSORED BY SEASTREAK

By Greg Kelly

 Sunday, August 11

• NY Yankees vs. Tigers via Seastreak Ferry (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Ocean Township Italian Festival – MORE INFO

• Saving Kitty at NJ Repertory Theatre (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• The Wizard of Oz at Algonquin Arts Theatre (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

• Shade Tree Mechanics (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• Kidz Bop Live! (Freehold Twp) – MORE INFO

• Harry at Grange Playhouse (Howell) – MORE INFO

• Kortney’s Challenge Fun Run/Walk at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Prosecutor: Subpoenas to be issued over fraudulent 4am robocall

It’s been two months since 13th district Republicans were awakened by a fraudulent 4am robocall urging them to get out to vote for Senator Joe Kyrillos, Assemblywoman Amy Handlin and Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon in the Republican primary, but the perpetrators are not off the hook.

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni told MMM that the incident remains under active investigation and that subpoenas will be issued. “Stay tuned,” Gramiccioni said.

Kyrillos, who was awakened by the call, which he publicly blamed on the campaign of his opponent in the June 4th primary, Leigh-Ann Bellew, said he has been interviewed by investigators from the Prosecutor’s Office.

The voice on the 4 am call, which can be heard here, sounds very much like the voice on the recorded message on the Bellew campaign’s voice mail. Listen to the Bellew for Senate voice mail greeting here.

The New Jersey Democratic Party was fined $42,000 for making fraudulent robocalls in the 2009 gubernatorial election.  Among Republicans, Kevin Collins plead guilty, paid a $1000 fine and received a year on probation for violating the Fair Campaign Practices Act with a fraudulent robo call in a 2009 legislative primary. More serious charges against Collins were dropped in plea negotiations.

• Tweet

Asbury Park Mayor Myra Campbell Throws Council Members Under The Bus

Asbury Park Mayor Myra Campbell went out of way to embarrass her colleagues on the city’s governing body last evening during the National Night Out celebration.

While introducing Congressman Frank Pallone as a candidate for “State Senator” (Pallone is running for the Democratic nomination to succeed the late United States Senator Frank Lautenberg), Campbell went off script with a spiel about the importance of citizens knowing their governmental representatives.

“I represent you as mayor of Asbury Park and I want you to know your other representatives,” Campbell announced to the crowd of a few hundred, “If you are a member of the council, please step forward.

“Susan Henderson, Deputy Superintendent, uh, Deputy Mayor Susan Henderson.  I know John Loffredo is on vacation. Councilman John Moor, are you here.  Amy Quinn?

“I guess they’re not here.  They are your representatives.”

The council members were not scheduled to join the other dignitaries on stage for the kickoff of the event.

Councilwoman Amy Quinn was seen arriving to the celebration about 10 minutes after the formal remarks concluded.

Quinn told MMM that “unequivocally” Moor and Henderson attended after the formal remarks to kickoff the event.

• Tweet

Crime Stoppers To Reward Anonymous Tipsters Of Monmouth County Crimes With Cash

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni announced a new partnership Crime Stoppers in an effort to encourage the public to share information with law enforcement.  The announcement was made last evening at National Night Out events in Asbury Park,  Neptune City, Neptune Township and Union Beach.

“Unfortunately people with information about crimes are often reluctant to cooperate with law enforcement because they are afraid of retaliation, they do not care enough to get involved or  they want something in exchange for the information,” Gramiccioni said, “Crime stoppers offers cash, up to $5000, no questions asked, with anonymity as a solution to this lack of information.”

Citizens with information about a crime or fugitive may contact Monmouth County Crime Stoppers by calling 1-800-671-4400, which is a confidential telephone tip line; they can text “MONMOUTH” plus their tip to 274637; or the can email a tip via the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com

When a tipster contacts Crime Stoppers via tip line, email or text, the tipster is assigned a confidential code number, which becomes their only identity in the system. At no time does anyone ask a tipster for their name.  When an arrest is made, the tipster will be told to go to the Crime Stopper’s bank in Freehold, provide the confidential code number, and collect the cash.

Gramiccioni asked the the crowd in Asbury Park for information about the September 2009 murder of Red Bank Middle School teacher Jonelle Melton, who was found in a pool of her own blood in her Neptune City home.  He said the investigation has led law enforcement to believe that Melton’s murder was a case of mistaken identify; that the perpetrator went to the wrong home and intended to kill someone else.

• Tweet