DiBella: End Nicastro Recall Effort

By Joe DiBella

Joe DiBella

I was disturbed and disappointed to learn that a group of residents have filed a petition to recall our Deputy Mayor, Rob Nicastro.

I have lived in Howell for nearly 20 years and have not seen a more hard working, devoted public servant than Deputy Mayor Nicastro. I met the Deputy Mayor Nicastro while he was leading the fight to correct an issue with how his neighborhood was being unfairly charged for water services. In dealing with the issue facing he and his neighbors he worked tirelessly with local, county and state officials and he got results. When he disagreed with a policy issue he did not try and overthrow the government or overturn a legitimate election. Instead he rallied people together and worked collaboratively to get results. He has applied that same tenacious approach while serving as an elected official in Howell. He was recruited to run for office based and at first declined the opportunity to run. Having seen him in action these past few years I for one am glad he was convinced to seek office.

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Howell woman faces six months in jail for raising baby squirrels

A Howell woman has been issued a $500 summons and faces a potential sentence of six months in jail because she took in two newborn squirrels that had been abandoned by their mother, according to a reports by ABC News in New York and Philadelphia.

Posted by Maria Vaccarella on Thursday, January 14, 2016

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Howell Mayor Gotto calls his video taped behavior “unacceptable”

Howell Mayor William Gotto. Photo via HowellRepublican.com

A heated exchanged between Howell Mayor William Gotto and a 19 year old Township resident, Chris Cohen, that ended with both parties apologizing, shaking hands and expressing their respect for one another has ignited a social media outrage now that a video of part of their encounter has been posted on facebook and YouTube, more than a month after the incident occurred.

On October 14, there was a petition drive at the Howell library to collect signatures of residents opposed to a proposed affordable housing development at West Farms on Route 9.   Grotto and Deputy Mayor Robert Nicastro went to the gathering to answer questions about the proposed development.

The questions were heated and pointed when Cohen says he asked the mayor, “Whose pockets were being lined here?”

Gotto says he heard the question as an accusation of personal corruption. He lost his composure, as can be seen on the video:

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Howell mayor accuses township residents of anti-Semitism

Howell Mayor William Gotto. Photo via HowellRepublican.com

HOWELL — Mayor William Gotto isn’t happy about “absolutely disgusting” comments he said were made on social media about a controversial affordable housing project owned by an Orthodox Jewish group. In fact, he made his disdain publicly known when he bemoaned at a council meeting on Nov. 9 and in a subsequent letter to residents, riling… Read the rest of this entry »

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Veitengruber: Keep Big City Politicians Out of Howell’s Board of Education

By Sue Veitengruber

I have a self imposed rule of not using my Facebook page for political views on candidates. My friends’ beliefs and ideals cover the entire spectrum. However,  at the risk of a few individuals never speaking to me again, I have questions about certain BOE candidates on the ballot.  Board of Education members are supposed to be the epitome of community volunteers. Howell is not “the big city.” So why, I need to ask, is one candidate being funded by state wide Political Action Committees and the Mayor of Elizabeth?  The Elizabeth BOE has been fraught with corruption and nepotism. Board officials, including an attorney,  were indicted on fraudulently  claiming their kids were eligible for free lunches. Staff members were pressured into contributing to BOE members campaigns. Why does that candidate list her name and “politician” on her  election FB cover page?  This is not what the Howell BOE needs. It is the largest and best K-8 in the state. I am proud to have been part of the reforms in the 80s as a board member for almost 9 years, reforms that succeeding boards built on to continue the excellence in education in our town. We don’t need the Elizabeth political machine determining  the decisions and future of the Howell BOE.
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Pedophile Gets 12 years

Kevin Motyka. photo via facebook

Kevin Motyka, 24, of Howell Township, was sentenced to 12 years in state prison for sexually assaulting a toddler and electronically recording the act, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Motyka must serve 85% of his sentence before being eligible for parole.   He will be subject to the provision of Megan’s Law, Parole Supervision for life and is banned from having unsupervised contact with anyone under the age of 18, pursuant to the sentence imposed by Judge Anthony J. Mellaci, Jr.

A tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children led to the arrest of Motyka in February of 2014.

A Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Computer Crimes Unit investigation revealed Motyka sexually assaulted a 2-year-old boy between May and December 2012, and created photographs and video recordings of the attacks. The defendant also distributed child pornography of images that did not include his young victim.

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Howell Man Indicted On Pedophilia Charges

Defendant is free on $125K bail

Gregory Rittman, 50, of Howell Township, was Indicted by a Monmouth County Grand Jury this week on 12 counts of Sexual Assault, Endangering the Welfare of a Child and Lewdness, according to a statement by Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Rittman was arrested on Friday, Oct. 24, 2014, after authorities received a report from an employee at a McDonald’s that described lewd behavior witnessed by an 8-year-old juvenile, near the sink in the men’s bathroom of the restaurant. Rittman was charged with one count each of second degree Sexual Assault, third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child, fourth degree Lewdness and a disorderly persons charge of Harassment. He was released after posting $73,000 bail with no 10-percent option, as set by Monmouth County Superior Court Judge Teresa A. Kondrup-Coyle, J.S.C.

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SCAT Dispatcher Pleads Guilty To Obstruction

Mickey Major, 54, of Howell Township and a former dispatcher for the Monmouth County Special Citizens Assisted Transportation (SCAT) buses, pleaded guilty to Obstruction of Justice after admitting that he shredded fare envelopes while the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office was investigating the collection of fares, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Major worked as dispatcher at the Center Street, Freehold location of the Monmouth County Division of Transportation, where he dispatched SCAT buses, but was also tasked with reconciling fare reports with the actual fare amounts collected and reported by the drivers. On Sept. 16, 2014, detectives arrived at the Center Street location and discovered Major shredded the envelopes and fled from the office in his vehicle.

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Howell Bridge Collapses

photo via facebook

The Monmouth County bridge that crosses Havens Bridge Road in Howell Township collapsed on Saturday, May 9.   The bridge had been closed for weeks prior to the failure due to damage discovered during an inspection by employees of the County Public Works and Engineering Department.

News of the collapse was first reported on the Our Howell NJ facebook community page.

“Thank God we closed the bridge before this happened and no one got hurt,” said Freeholder Tom Arnone, liaison to the Public Works Department, when confirming the collapse.

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Howell man indicted for kiddie porn, sexual assault on a child

Kevin Motyka. photo via facebook

Kevin Motyka, 23, of Howell Township, was indicted on Friday by a Monmouth County grand jury, according to Acting Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

The 17 count indictment charges Motyka with 2 counts of first degree Aggravated Sexual Assault, 7 counts of second degree Sexual Assault, 5 counts of Endangering the Welfare of a Child involving the manufacture and distribution of child pornography; as well as permitting a child to engage in child pornography. Motyka is also charged with  2 counts of third degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child involving sexual conduct and the possession of more than 100 items of child pornography, as well as a lone count of fourth degree Endangering the Welfare of a Child related to possession of child pornography.

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