Congressman Chris Smith Urges Fire Departments to Apply for SAFER grants

Congressman Chris Smith today urged all fire departments, career and volunteer, to apply for federal SAFER (Staffing for Adequate Fire & Emergency Response) grants that are available from FEMA.  The grants are for the recruitment and retention of “front-line” firefighters.  The application period is February 15, 2019 through March 22, 2019 at 5 p.m. ET.

“All eligible career and volunteer fire departments in the Fourth District are encouraged to apply for these Staffing for Adequate Fire and Emergency Response (SAFER) grants, which help increase the number of firefighters and first responders to provide our communities with more security,” Smith said. “As we have already seen, this grant program has strengthened our district’s local fire departments and volunteer organizations in the past.”

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O’Scanlon’s bill will require full restitution for stealing from taxpayers

Pay up or get locked up

Senator Declan O’Scanlon today announced his plans to introduce legislation that would prohibit State entities from entering into civil settlements for less than the amount that has been stolen from social safety net programs and offering immunity from criminal prosecution.  The legislation comes as a direct result of recent investigations into Medicaid fraud settlements in Lakewood.

“The notion that people who have knowingly received benefits they were not entitled to would only be required to pay back half of that amount of money is completely ludicrous. It’s basically like letting someone get away with stealing from taxpayers. That’s unacceptable.”

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Greg’s List: Things to Do in Monmouth County This Weekend, February 15-17, 2019:

By Greg Kelly

Friday, February 15

• An Adult Evening of Shel Silverstein at BCC (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
• “Legally Blonde” The Musical (Spring Lake) – MORE INFO
• Butterflies Are Free by Center Players (Freehold) – MORE INFO
• Bobby Collins at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• The Castoffs (Howell) – MORE INFO
• Celebrity Activists of the Civil Rights Era (Manalapan) – MORE INFO
• Tweens: Learn to Code with Mirobot (Manalapan) – MORE INFO
• Meet Author Rick Geffken (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

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Marlboro Governing Body Condemns Congresswoman’s Anti-Semitic Remarks

Marlboro Mayor Jon Hornik

Mayor Jonathan Hornik and the members of the Marlboro Township Council today issued a public letter condemning the Anti-Semitic remarks of Congresswoman Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota).

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Rep Smith, fathers, meet with NIH researchers fighting for cure to deadly muscle disorder

Congressman Chris Smith hosted a meeting last week with top doctors and researchers from the National Institute of Health and two fathers from his New Jersey district who are fighting to saves their sons from a devastating disease.

James and  Karen Raffone of Manalapan and David and Maria Schultz of Hamilton are parents of sons with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD). Both families have dedicated their lives to finding a cure for their sons and the hundreds of thousands of boys who until recently faced certain paralysis in their teens and death in their early twenties.  The Schultz family founded Ryan’s Quest, the Raffones founded JAR of Hope.

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Frankly Chatting: Don’t be a baby

By Steve Frank

I always sorta’ saw myself as a tough guy. Not physically but in a mental patient kind of way. I never pampered myself. Didn’t let the weather affect me; scorcher, nor’easter, flooding, blizzard -didn’t matter. I went about my business doing whatever it is I do. I used to coach wrestling. Anyone who’s ever spent time in a wrestling practice room knows the saying “Suck it Up!” When you’ve got nothing left in the tank; you’re gasping for air; there’s thirty seconds left on the clock. Suck it Up!

I incorporated this politically incorrect child-rearing philosophy into raising my kids. They flirted with 100% attendance almost every year of their school lives. Got a headache? It’ll pass. Queasy stomach? Don’t be a baby. Tired? Stop whining. And, of course, you never get to quit anything. Well, at least, without giving it your best shot.

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Republican Enthusiasm Abounds At Monmouth County Lincoln Day Dinner

It’s become a winter tradition that Monmouth County Republicans can mark their calendars by.  Shaun Golden’s annual Starry Night Celebration is on the last Friday of January followed by the Monmouth GOP’s annual Lincoln Day Dinner two weeks later.

The atmosphere was electric on Friday night in Freehold where over 500 enthusiastic Republicans gathered at Southgate Manor for the annual celebration of America’s first Republican president and the annual kickoff of signature gathering for candidates’ petitions.

New Jersey’s sole remaining Republican in Congress, Rep Chris Smith, received a spontaneous standing ovation when Golden noted his arrival from a Friday voting session in Washington.  Smith in turn acknowledged the strong Monmouth Republican team that held back the blue wave that swept the rest of New Jersey in last fall’s election and specifically congratulated Golden, not for politics, but for outstanding government.  The Sheriff was honored in Washington last year, Smith noted, for leading the best 911 call center in the country.

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Statement by Long Branch Police Chief Jason Roebuck on the arrest of Officer Patrick Joyce, Jr

Long Branch Police Chief Jason Roebuck

As with any investigation, especially one involving a law enforcement officer, I cannot legally release certain information to the press, no matter how much I may want to, until that investigation has been completed. This was the situation with the incident involving Officer Patrick Joyce, Jr.

Now that the investigation is complete, and charges filed, I can issue the following statement, with much outrage and embarrassment. Officer Patrick Joyce Jr was charged with Criminal Sexual Contact (4th degree) and Harassment (Disorderly Persons offense) by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office on Friday, February 8th, 2019. While the matter was under investigation, he was immediately suspended without pay, which was supported by the command staff of the department and the City’s leadership. He is now facing termination of his employment.

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Long Branch Cop Charged With Criminal Sexual Contact

Patrick D. Joyce, Jr., 35, of West Long Branch, a Long Branch Police Officer for 12 years, has been charged with fourth-degree Criminal Sexual Contact and Harassment, a petty disorderly persons offense, according to an announcement by Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni.

The charges are the result of an incident that occurred on February 1 at Jack’s Goal Line Stand during a private party celebrating the promotions of 12 Long Branch Officers.  MMM was the first to report on the incident and the investigation.

It is alleged that at the private party Joyce inappropriately touched a 21-year-old woman without her consent for his own sexual arousal or gratification.

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O’Scanlon and DiMaso Introduce “River’s Law” To Increase Penalties For Animal Abuse

River

Senator Declan O’Scanlon and Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso have introduced legislation that will increase certain animal abuse crimes to the second degree level.  Convictions for second degree crimes carry penalties of five to 10 years imprisonment and fines of up to $150,000.

The legislation is named for River, a pitbull/mix that was rescued by a Good Samaritan, Jennifer Vaz of Highlands, who discovered the dog caged and left to drown on the banks of the Shrewbury River at Veterans Memorial Park last June.

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