Princeton Grad Student Released By Iran In Prisoner Exchange

Xiyue Wang and his family. photo via @FreeXiyueWang on twitter

Xiyue Wang, 38, a Princeton University graduated student, was released from an Iranian prison on Saturday. Wang had been held on espionage charges since August of 2016.   He was exchanged by the U.S. government for Masoud Soleimani, an Iranian scientist who was arrested in Chicago last year and convicted of violating American trade sanctions against Iran, according to the NY Times.

Rep Chris Smith has kept pressure on the Trump Administration to secure Wang’s release since the PhD candidate’s friends and family reached out to the congressman in early 2018.

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Monmouth Dem Chairman Apologizes For The Handling Of Congressional Candidate’s #MeToo Complaint

Tiffany Kaszuba, left and Bill Robinson, right at an event in Asbury Park in September. Photo via Kaszuba’s twitter page

Monmouth County Democrat Chairman Dave Brown issued an apology this morning for the way he handled the concerns of Tiffany Kaszuba, a lobbyist who ended her candidacy for Congress in CD4 on Tuesday with explosive allegations against Bill Robinson, the former Chairman of the Eatontown Democrats and former member of the Monmouth Democrats Executive Committee.

Kazuba issued the following statement announcing her withdrawal:

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Arnone Report: Recycling Rocky, Education Excellence, Road Improvements and Support for Small Businesses

By Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Happy December! I hope everyone had a terrific Thanksgiving with their family and friends!

The month of November was very busy for me and I would like to share what I have been up to around the County.

You may recall, last year we invited all fourth-grade students in Monmouth County to participate in an essay contest to help name our very own Monmouth County Recycling Mascot. Last April, we announced the first, second and third place winners of the contest. First place was awarded to Kiernan Turbitt of St. Leo the Great School in Lincroft. Kiernan got to name our first-ever recycling mascot, Recycling Rocky!

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Brookdale-Georgian Court agreement cuts cost of a bachelors degree by 75%

Georgian Court President Joseph R. Marbach, Ph.D. (left) and Brookdale President David Stout, Ph.D. (right)

A new agreement between Brookdale Community College and Georgian Court University enables students to receive a four year baccalaureate for less than the average cost of tuition for one year at a private college.

Local college students can receive an associates and a bachelors degree for a cost of less than $33,000 under the new 3 + 1 program offered by Brookdale and Georgian Court.  The average annual tuition at a four year private college was $34,790 in the 2017-2018 school year, according to StudentDebtRelief.us

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Gopal Opposes Independent Contractor Bill As Written

Senator Vin Gopal @ the TommyG show

State Senator Vin Gopal (D-11) told MMM that he is opposed to S4204, a bill introduced and sponsored by Senate President Steve Sweeney this month, that would classify thousands of small business owners now working as independent contractors to employees of their clients.

“As written, this bill would be devastating to freelance photographers, journalists, truck drivers and even babysitters,” Gopal said in a phone interview. “I am a NO on the bill in its current form.”

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Congressman Smith: Braedon Bradforth’s death was 100% preventable

Joanne Atkins-Ingram, center, her attorney, Jill E. Greene, and Congressman Chris Smith, held a press conference on April 7, to demand an independent investigation into the death Braeden Bradforth, Atkins-Ingram’s son

Congressman Chris Smith said that the independent report into the death of 19 year Braedon Bradforth was “utterly heartbreaking” as the report concluded the the tragedy was 100% preventable.

 “The investigator found that ‘a striking lack of leadership’ by Garden City Community College officials ‘set off a series of events that ended with the death of Braeden Bradforth.’ I can only imagine how difficult this is for Braeden’s mom, Joanne, to read; yet it is exactly what she and I have long requested—a transparent and independent review of the facts so steps can be taken to prevent another death of a student athlete,” Smith said.

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College to release report on Braeden Bradforth’s death

Joanne Atkins-Ingram, center, her attorney, Jill E. Green, and Congressman Chris Smith, held a press conference on April 7, to demand an independent investigation into the death Braeden Bradforth, Atkins-Ingram’s son

Garden City Community College, of Garden City, Kansas, announced today that they have received the independent investigation report into the death of Braeden Bradforth and that the report will be released to his family.

Braeden, a Neptune High School football standout was a freshman at GCCC when he died of heat stroke following his first day of practice in August of 2018.

Congressman Chris Smith, R-NJ4, said the college was doing the right and compassionate thing by releasing the report of Braeden’s mother, Joanne Atkins-Ingram.

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Arnone Report: Honoring Vets, Fighting Cancer and Thanking Voters

By Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Monmouth County Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Happy November! It’s hard to believe we’re just a few weeks away from celebrating the holidays. It’s agreat time of the year and, as always, there is so much going on and so much to do in Monmouth County.

I’d like to start by thanking all of the veterans, past and present, who have served our country. We should continue to recognize their sacrifices throughout the entire year. It is because of their sacrifices we continue to enjoy our freedoms. Let us also not forget the sacrifices made by their families!

To honor our veterans, I spent the day on Monday with Sheriff Shaun Golden at numerous ceremonies throughout Monmouth County. First we joined my fellow Freeholder Sue Kiley and the Manasquan VFW Post 1838 for a brief ceremony before they headed to the NYC Veterans Day Parade. Afterwards, we attended the Asbury Park and Bradley Beach Veterans Day Ceremonies. Thank you to all our veterans for their courage, sacrifice and service to our great country! Read the rest of this entry »

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Broullon leads Highlands mayoral election by one vote

With 25 provisional votes counted, Highlands Councilwoman Carolyn Broullon is leading Mayor Rick O’Neil by one vote.

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Highlands Mayoral Race Tightens To 2 Votes With Late VBM Ballots Counted

Carolyn Broullon and Rick O’Neil. photo courtesy of ShoreGrafx Inc

Highlands Councilwoman Carolyn Broullon leads Mayor Rick O’Neil by 2 votes with late Vote By Mail (VBM) ballots counted, according to results posted on MonmouthCountyVotes.com, the election website of the Monmouth County Clerk’s Office, and the site’s mobile app.

Broullon led O’Neil by 6 votes when the polls closed on Tuesday, 589-583. VBM ballots postmarked by election day and delivered to the Board of Elections within 48 hours of polls closing are counted. The updated count is 591-589 with 4 write-in votes. Read the rest of this entry »

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