New Jersey Natural Gas takes 10 weeks to disconnect-reconnect rebuilt Sandy homes

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

New Jersey Natural Gas, the utility that provides natural gas to nearly a half million customers in Monmouth and Ocean Counties as well as parts of Burlington, Middlesex and Morris, is delaying many Jersey Shore residents from moving back into their Sandy damaged and reconstructed homes by up to 10 weeks.

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon said that a constituent contacted him with information that the contractor rebuilding her home said that NJNG takes 8 weeks to disconnect service pre-construction and another 8 weeks to reconnect the gas service after construction has been completed.

O’Scanlon reached out to New Jersey Natural Gas representatives who clarified that the average time frame for a disconnect is approximately 4 weeks, and the average time for a reconnect is 4-6 weeks. Disconnections and re-connections of gas lines are more complicated than for power lines, the utility’s representative said, thus leading to longer lead times.  For this reason homeowners and contractors are encouraged to contact New Jersey Natural Gas early in their construction planning phase.

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Middletown cops shut down traffic to rescue ‘panic stricken’ cat

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Brookdale President Looking for Greener Pastures

photo via brookdalecc.edu

Brookdale Community College President Maureen Murphy is one of four finalists for the position of president of Blinn College’s Bryan, Texas campus, according to a report on theEagle.com, a Byran-College Station, TX publication.

Murphy and her three competitors will be in Texas to meet members of the public, who will provide feedback on the selection, on May 4 and 5.

In an email to Brookdale’s faculty and staff on Friday, Murphy said, “I entered this search for personal and professional reasons. My commitment to Brookdale is steadfast, but I am exploring select opportunities,” according to a report on APP.com.

The former English professor has an interesting definition of steadfast.

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Shark River Dredging Project Will Go Out To Bid Late Summer

Bids expected in late summer.  Award anticipated in Fall of 2015

The long delayed dredging of the Shark River Channels is finally moving forward, according to a statement released today by State Senator Jennifer Beck, Freeholder Tom Arnone and Neptune Township Committeeman Randy Bishop.

The New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Office of Maritime Resources has provided a working timeline for dredging the channels. Requests for proposals (RFP) will be released by DOT in August or September, according to Arnone, and a contract for the project is expected to be awarded in late October.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, April 24-26, 2015

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, April 24

• A Little Shakespeare: Midsummer Night’s Dream at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• Jersey Shore Restaurant Week (Monmouth County restaurants) – MORE INFO
• Brighton Beach Memoirs by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO
• Atlantic Cinemas Movie Night (Atlantic Highlands) – MORE INFO
• Discover Bats! (Holmdel) – MORE INFO
• Arbor Day Tree Walk at Sandy Hook – MORE INFO
• The Realization of Emily Linder at NJ Repertory Theatre (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• Roger McGuinn at Monmouth U (WLB) – MORE INFO
• Health & Fitness Expo at Monmouth Park (Oceanport) – MORE INFO

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N.J. Assembly Republicans accuse NJEA of ‘pandering’ to members in pension talk pullout

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Parkway set to unveil plan to fix Exit 109. Here’s a sneak peek

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Monmouth County man jumps to death from GWB, police say

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Humane Society Reinstates Volunteer Program

The Associated Humane Societies announced on facebook this evening that the volunteer program at their Tinton Falls facility has been reinstated.

AHS announced the suspension of the program last Sunday, claiming that volunteers failure to follow protocol for handling animals housed at the shelter cause animal deaths and injuries to both animals and humans.

Asbury Park Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn, a volunteer at the facility, called the claims by AHS “outrageous” and dubbed the management of the facility “apathetic” to both guests of the facility looking to adopt pets and the animals themselves. The volunteers was wage a PR campaign against the programs termination throughout the week.  A protest was scheduled for tomorrow at the facility.  It is unclear if the protest will happen, given the reinstatement.

Here is the statement posted today announcing the reinstatement of the program:

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Staten Island Scammer Gets 7 Years In Mortgage Scheme

Mario Coniglione, 51, of the Tottenville section of Staten Island, NY was sentenced to seven years in New Jersey State Prison today for stealing more than $187,000 in mortgage payments from two New Jersey couples, according to a statement by Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni.

Posing as a mortgage broker, Coniglione pocketed over $100,000 from a Freehold couple and $75,000 from a Jackson couple over a 33 month period in 2010 through August of 2013 when he was arrested.  He pleaded guilty to two counts of  second degree theft in December.  In addition to the 7 year sentence,  Judge Anthony J. Mellaci, Jr ordered that Coniglione pay restitution of $187,562.40 to the victims.

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