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Why New Jersey Got Billions Less Than New York in FEMA Disaster Aid After Sandy

2018In the two-and-a-half years since Superstorm Sandy, while the Garden State has struggled to recover, many people have puzzled over the question of why New Jersey has received substantially less federal aid than New York, even though both states suffered roughly the same amount of damage — close to $37 billion. Much of the focus has… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: July 9th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Chris Christie, Christie Administration, Community Development Block Grant, Department of Community Affairs, EPA, FEMA, Hurricane Sandy, Monmouth County News, Superstorm Sandy | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Behind the Izod Closure: More Questions Than Answers in the Meadowlands

With its glory days long gone and its future up for grabs, the fate of the Izod Center has become an open question. After years of study and debate, officials suddenly took action in January — shuttering the 34-year old state-owned arena with barely two weeks warning and shifting much of its business to the privately… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: June 17th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Christie Administration, New Jersey | Tags: , , , , | Comments Off on Behind the Izod Closure: More Questions Than Answers in the Meadowlands

$6.2M solution for persistent flooding in Belmar on the way

assetContentBELMAR —Days before Hurricane Sandy inundated large parts of New Jersey with its storm surge, Lake Como in Monmouth County was partially drained to make room for the rising waters that were expected to accompany the superstorm. But even those efforts didn’t spare the surrounding towns, which frequently had to contend with the lake overspilling its… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: June 3rd, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Belmar, Christie Administration, Matt Doherty, Monmouth County, Monmouth County News, NJ Department of Environmental Protection | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Sandy victims just want to go home

assetContentSTAFFORD — If Joe Karcz had gone with his gut, he’d be home by now, instead of staring at his empty lagoon-front lot in Stafford Township. A disabled construction worker, Karcz, whose home was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy’s storm surge, first thought he’d rehab it on his own, but then decided to get the funding… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: May 29th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Chris Christie, Christie Administration, Hurricane Sandy, RREM, Superstorm Sandy | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Sandy victims just want to go home

Halfacre Leaving The Christie Administration

Michael Halfacre

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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Posted: May 22nd, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Christie Administration, Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control, Fair Haven, Mike Halfacre, Monmouth County, Monmouth County News, New Jersey | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

Supreme Court Hears Oral Arguments about Payments to Public-Worker Pensions

RabnerIt was just four years ago that Gov. Chris Christie and Democrats in the Legislature struck a deal on a bipartisan plan to address years of underfunding the public-employee pension system. The legislation mandated increased contributions into the system from both from the state and its workers.… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: May 7th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Christie Administration, New Jersey, New Jersey State Budget, NJ Constitution, NJ Courts, NJ Judiciary, NJ Supreme Court | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment »

N.J.’s Sandy spending dipped in first quarter of 2015, report shows

IMG_5425The pace of spending on Hurricane Sandy disaster programs in New Jersey waned in the first three months of this year compared to the previous quarter, a new report shows. Roughly $180 million in federal recovery funds were handed out in New Jersey in the last quarter, according to the state’s latest report to the federal… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: May 6th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Christie Administration, Hurricane Sandy, New Jersey, Superstorm Sandy | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on N.J.’s Sandy spending dipped in first quarter of 2015, report shows

New details in $225M Exxon pollution settlement made public

assetContent (68)Exxon Mobil will pay $225 million for contamination at refineries and other polluted sites across the state under a settlement agreement state officials are calling “historic.” The deal between the state and the Texas oil giant ends more than a decade of litigation over the environmental damage at two refineries, known as Bayway and Bayonne, which… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: April 7th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: Chris Christie, Christie Administration, Environment, Exxon Mobil | Tags: , , | Comments Off on New details in $225M Exxon pollution settlement made public

Christie Appoints Codey/Byrne Administrations Veteran to run the Department of Community Affairs

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Governor Chris Christie has consistently thumbed his nose at New Jersey Republicans

Governor Chris Christie continued the transition of the Executive Branch of New Jersey’s State Government back to the Democratic Party today with his announcement that Charles A. Richman will become Acting Commissioner of the Department of Community Affairs on Friday when current Commissioner, Richard Constable, leaves government service after 13 years. Christie’s announcement said that Richman will be formally nominated to succeed Constable in the Commissioner’s post.

Richman, a career New Jersey bureaucrat with 40 years experience, served in the cabinets of Governor Brendan Byrne and Governor Richard Codey, on a acting basis.

Throughout his second term as Governor, Christie has appointed high profile Democrats to fill cabinet level and other important goverment positions when vacancies have occurred.

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Posted: March 23rd, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: 2016 Presidential Politics, 2017 NJ Gubernatorial Politics, Chris Christie, Christie Administration, New Jersey | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

State announces settlement in controversial Exxon Mobil pollution case

IMG_3433Exxon Mobil will pay the state $225 million to resolve liability for contamination at two New Jersey refinery sites, according the state Attorney General’s office. Additionally, the company remains responsible for ongoing cleanup at the two sites, known as the Bayonne and Bayway facilities, according to details of the settlement released Thursday. The announcement was the… Read the rest of this entry »

Posted: March 5th, 2015 | Author: | Filed under: 2016 Presidential Politics, Chris Christie, Christie Administration, Exxon Mobil | Tags: , , , , , | 1 Comment »