Bloom Again Foundation Is Opening A New Jersey Chapter In Monmouth County

Bloom Again Foundation, a Pasadena, CA based charity that provides rapid response emergency financial assistance to working women facing medical crises, is launching a New Jersey Chapter on Wednesday, May 27 during a luncheon at the Navesink Country Club in Middletown.

Founded in 2008 by Dr. Lois Frankel, PhD, the foundation provides rapid response financial assistance for living essentials to working women living at or near the poverty level when medical challenges stretch their already limited resources.

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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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Another homeless summer for some Sandy victims | Di Ionno

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Monmouth County Honors Centenarians

Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso celebrates with Holmdel resident Addy Lubkert at Regency Park Nursing and Rehab Center in Hazlet

HAZLET, NJ – Monmouth County’s Office on Aging joined with Regency Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hazlet to host the Monmouth County’s Centenarian Celebration, honoring residents who are or will be aged 100 and over in 2015.

The birthday party was held at the Regency Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on May 11 and included a luncheon, music, gifts and a birthday cake.

There were 15 centenarians in attendance: Josephine Alessandro, 100; Eleanora Bell, 99; Rita D’Elia, 99; Katherine Elberty, 101; Hazel Feick, 100; Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, 102; Mario Gazzara, 101; Nicoletta Granato, 100; Adeline Lubkert, 99; Helen McKeown, 99; Rose Perrotta, 101; Brother Patrick Power, 102; Christina Savoca, 103; Ruth Schiff, 102; and Irene Starosolsky, will turn 104 on May 31.

In May 2013, Regency broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the “Largest Gathering of Centenarians” at their Somerset location, Regency Jewish Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation Center by gathering 31 centenarians in one location.

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The Shore Fine Art Scene Is in Full Blossom

April W. Klimley

By April W. Klimley, Art Critic

Everything starts blooming in May—including the Shore art scene. All of a sudden, galleries and artists’ organizations are all holding openings.  It’s almost impossible to decide which to attend. The art scene may not be as broad and deep here as it is in New York City—where the auction houses sell the “best of the best” of modern during these weeks—from Picasso to Giacometti. But there’s a great deal of excitement and variety, and even more to come in June.

Opening this Friday the 15^th

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Incumbents Sweep In Ocean Township

Donna Schepiga, Rich Long, Chris Siciliano, William Garofolo and and Rob Acerra were elected to a three year term government Ocean Township

Mayor Chris Siciliano and his One Ocean Team easily fought off a challenge by Ocean Together in a non-partisan municipal election in Ocean Township.

Siciliano was the top vote getter with 3,001 ballots cast for him.  Deputy Mayor William Garofolo earned 2, 793 votes. School Board member Robert Acerra, the only non-incumbent council member on the slate came third with 2,775 votes. Councilman Richard Long got 2,614 votes and Councilwoman Donna Schepiga won 2,490 votes.   The five winners were elected to govern the Township through 2019.

4,038 of the Townships registered voters, 21.7%, cast ballots.

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Despite Indictment, New Jersey Rates Menendez Higher than Christie

Gov Chris Christie and Sen Bob Menendez kibitz at the reopening of the Belmar boardwalk as Freeholder Tom Arnone reads the names on the boards,  NJ.com photo

Despite the facts that U.S. Senator Bob Menendez was indicted by federal prosecutors last month and Chris Christie says he’s in the clear after he wasn’t indicted in the Bridgegate scandal, Menendez has a higher job approval rating the Christie, according to Monmouth University Poll releases.

In a poll release issued this morning, Menendez’s job approval rating is 42% positive to 38% negative and 20% unsure among registered voters.

In a release last week based upon the same 500 person survey, Christie’s approval rating is 35% approve, 56% disapprove, and 9% unsure among voters.

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Feds Probe Why Sandy Victims Were Shortchanged on Flood-Insurance Claims

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Dueling Mayors in Belmar

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty and Former Mayor Ken Pringle

Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty said, “Ken Pringle is like a jaded ex-girlfriend who won’t go away.”

Ken Pringle, who was mayor of the oceanfront borough for 20 years before Doherty took over in 2011, isn’t sure how many times he’s sued Doherty and the borough since he left office. “Four or five, I’m not sure.”

Both Doherty and Pringle, who served together for four years, are Democrats.  Doherty was a councilman during Pringle’s last term as mayor.

At issue is the beachfront and money.

Pringle contends that Doherty and the Council are using the Beach Utility Fund to subsidize borough operations and to keep property taxes artificially low, in violation of the Public Trust Doctrine.  Doherty says that while Pringle was mayor Belmar’s property taxpayers subsidized the beach and that Pringle raised taxes 14 years in a row.   Doherty has not increased Belmar’s taxes since becoming mayor, keeping the borough’s spending flat at 2010 levels.

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Don’t freak out about low-flying helicopter over N.J. skies

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