WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who represents areas of Ocean and Monmouth counties hard-hit by Superstorm Sandy, today testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee Energy and Water Development on the impact of Superstorm Sandy disaster relief legislation.
The hearing was held by New Jersey Congressman, Chairman Rodney Frelinghuysen, author of the “Frelinghuysen amendment” which provided the necessary funding to rebuild New Jersey and keep our recovery on track. The legislation “is making—and will continue to make—a real difference in the lives of our constituents and communities throughout the Northeast,” Smith told the Committee members.
The legislation brought the total federal appropriations to help Sandy impacted states to $60.4 billion including assistance to back up the National Flood Insurance Program, programs to help the residents whose homes were destroyed or damaged, and help for communities to make a robust and sustainable recovery.
The hearing focused on the Army Corps of Engineers—who received $5.35 billion from the supplemental appropriation—and their plans for Sandy recovery, including the critical beach replenishment projects along the Jersey Shore that helped mitigate the damage in certain areas.
Manalapan Mayor Susan Cohen posted the following message on facebook at 2:25 ths afternoon:
From the Manalapan Police and the Town Committee
At 11:11 am today March 13, 2013 the Manalapan Township Police were dispatched to the Manalapan High School in reference to a terroristic threat made via Twitter. A male juvenile student of the school sent a Twitter message which contained threats made by him that he intended to bring a firearm to the school and “go hunting”.
The school officials were made aware of the Tweets and immediately put the school into a stationary lockdown and contacted the police. The school officials were able to identify the student who sent the tweets and isolated him without incident. The juvenile was detained and checked by school security and found not to be in possession of any weapons. His belongings and locker were also checked and found not to have any weapons contained therein. This student was arrested on scene and juvenile charges will be signed against him for terroristic threats and false public alarm.
Eileen Kean has withdrawn as a candidate for the New Jersey Republican State Committee from Monmouth County, leaving incumbent Committeewoman Christine Hanlon unopposed for the party’s nomination on March 23 in Colts Neck.
In a statement emailed to members of the Monmouth County Republican Committee, Kean called for party unity and then endorsed Howell GOP Chairman John Costigan for the male slot on the committee. Costigan and Middletown GOP Chairman Peter Carton are competing to replace Monmouth GOP Chairman John Bennett on the Republican State Committee.
After much deliberation, I have made the decision to withdraw my name as a candidate for State Committee and support our incumbent State Committeewoman Christine Hanlon for re-election. I believe this is in the best interest of the Monmouth County Republican Party and will continue the unification efforts of Chairman Bennett. I welcome the opportunity to serve and know that there will be future opportunities for me to contribute to the Monmouth County GOP.
I believe our Party is heading in the right direction under the leadership of John Bennett. Personal agendas need to be put aside and unifying the party is paramount. Thank you for your consideration and please join with me in supporting Christine Hanlon for re-election as Monmouth County’s State Committeewoman and John Costigan as Monmouth County’s State Committeeman.
The hopes of Middlesex and Monmouth County mayors, freeholders and legislators hoping to move to Washington in early 2015 as the newly elected representive of the 6th Congressional district were set back a bit this morning by a new FDU Public Mind Poll that shows Newark Mayor Cory Booker dominating the Democratic field to replace Senator Frank Lautenberg.
Congressman Frank Pallone has been considered Booker’s main competition for the 2014 Democratic U.S. Senate nomination among the media and political establishment. However, 12th District Congressman Rush Holt has almost twice the support among self identified Democrats than Pallone does, according the FDU survey.
FDU surveyed its respondents cable news viewing habits, polling the trustworthiness of CNN, FoxNews and MSNBC. Given Holt’s surprising showing, they should have surveyed how many of their respondents are Jeopardy fans. Holt is famous for being a five time Jeopardy winner and beating IBM’s supercomputer, “Watson,” on the TV trivia game show.
Booker leads the Democratic U.S. Senate field with 50% support. Pallone got only 4% and Holt 7%. 32% of the respondents are unsure and are probably Wheel of Fortune fans.
Frank Pallone aged 30 years
Unless Booker becomes incapacitated running into fire, shoveling snow, or leaping a tall building in a single bound, Pallone is likely to remain in the House of Representatives until he’s Launtenberg’s age.
Monmouth Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal, Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik, former Edison Mayor Jun Choi and Carteret Mayor Dan Reiman best hopes for becoming a congressman is if Gerald Rivera manages to beat Booker next year in the general election and then Pallone beating Rivera in 2020. But that is not much of a hope, as FDU says Booker will beat Geraldo 52%-21%.
A Barnegat women was arrested last week after exposing her breasts to security cameras.
Wendy Tucker, 56, got out of her car and flipped her middle fingers at security cameras before lifting her blouse and exposing her breasts to the cameras, according to the Asbury Park Press. The cameras were being monitored by police dispatchers.
Tucker was arrested on the strength of a no-bail warrant issued in Atlantic County. She was additionally charged with lewdness. She is being held at the Atlantic County Jail.
The Atlantic County Sheriff’s Department declined to say what the underlying charge for the no-bail warrant is. The Barnegat Police have yet to respond to the same inquiry.
Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon said that Tucker’s actions were not exactly what he had in mind when he encouraged New Jersey motorists to protest red light cameras.
Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon has been doggedly fighting for New Jersey motorists who have been getting ripped off red light cameras for months. Yesterday, O’Scanlon issued a scathing statement opposing a proposed settlement in the class action law suit against American Traffic Solutions, the Arizona company that installs and operates the red light rip offs.
U.S. District Court Judge Peter Sheridan held a hearing on the proposed settlement that would refund an average of $6 to motorist who were ticketed $85-$140 by cameras that were not properly calibrated.
“We have unequivocal, documented proof that the standard used to set yellow light times didn’t abide by the law – resulting in a huge percentage of the tickets issued as a result of these cameras to be undeserved” said O’Scanlon. “We have equally irrefutable evidence that the supposed yellow-light-timing recertification process was a sham blatantly designed from the start to justify perpetuating the status quo – rather than treat motorists fairly under the law.”
“First NJ motorists were cheated by their own state government when the DOT implemented the pilot program and didn’t follow the law, then they were screwed again in the phony yellow light recertification fiasco. They continue to be screwed by the camera companies and the local governments which collude to steal from them.” said O’Scanlon. “This settlement sells them down the river one more time – and amounts to nothing more than a get-rich-quick scheme for the attorneys involved. The beleaguered motorists of NJ have been abandoned or outright attacked by their government at every level, and relentlessly victimized by the predatory camera companies. Hopefully Judge Sheridan will take a stand and NJ Motorists will be able to count on one branch of government willing to give them a small victory.”
Governor Chris Christie continues to enjoy sky high approval ratings among New Jersey voters and is heavily favored to be reelected in November, according to a Farleigh Dickinson University Public Mind Poll released this morning.
66% of New Jersey voters, including 55% of Democrats and 61% of Independents approve of the governor’s job performance. If the election were held today, Christie would defeat presumptive Democratic nominee Barbara Buono by 58%-22% with 20% unsure. Christie would garner 36% of the Democratic vote.
48% say they like the Christie personally and like his policies. 18% like him, but not his policies. 12% don’t like the man, but like his policies and 17% don’t like him or his policies. 5% are comatose and were awakened by the pollster’s phone call.
The Committee is comprised on one male and one female from each New Jersey county. The members are elected by Republican voters in the June primary. Primary challenges are rare with the members typically being chosen by the County Committee.
Hanlon and her fellow State Committee Member John Bennett squared off in the race to replace Joe Oxley as Monmouth Republican Chairman last June. Bennett prevailed by 3 votes out of 615 cast. Since then, Hanlon has been the consummate team player. She is an attorney with Archer & Greiner’s Shrewsbury office, serves as the Deputy Municipal Attorney of Tinton Falls, the Atlantic Highlands Prosecutor and a Commissioner of the Monmouth County Board of Elections.
WASHINGTON, DC – Congressman Chris Smith (NJ-04), who represents areas of Ocean and Monmouth counties hard-hit by Superstorm Sandy, today testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee Energy and Water Development on the impact of Superstorm Sandy disaster relief legislation.
