Rick Brandt suspended by Little Silver Fire Department

Is Rick Brandt the choir boy he presents himself to be?

Rick Brandt, the 30 year old packaging salesman challenging Little Silver Mayor Bob Neff in the Republican primary on June 4, was suspended from the borough’s fire department last fall.  The suspension was extended for an additional six months last week, according to documents obtained by MMM this morning.

RedBankGreen first reported Brandt’s  suspension, earlier this afternoon.

According to a December 7, 2018 letter from officers of the Little Silver Fire Company #1 to Little Silver Borough Clerk Kim Jungfer, the Mayor and Council and the Trustees and Administration of the Fire Company, Brandt was agreed to a 30 day suspension on November 30 for violating the fire department’s by-laws regarding photographing emergency scenes and using fire department equipment and grounds in photographs without authorization.

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Middlesex Dems endorse Lande and Guha to challenge Dancer and Clifton in LD 12

The Middlesex County Democrats endorsed Monmouth County residents David Lande of Millstone and Malini Guha of Matawan to be the Democrat nominees for Assembly in the 12th Legislative District at a convention on Monday night.  NewJerseyGlobe first reported the endorsements.

Malini Guha’s facebook profile picture.

Lande and Guha will hold the top Democrat spots on the June 4 primary ballot in Middlesex County.  The 12th district includes parts of Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Burlington Counties, which have yet to endorse their candidates.  Gene Davis of Jackson (Ocean County) is also competing for the endorsements.

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White House Budget Has No Gateway Tunnel Funding—Booker Suggests Naming The Tunnel For Trump

photo via Gov Cuomo’s flicker

President Trump’s 2020 budget has no funding for the Gateway Tunnel and Deputy Secretary of Transportation Jeffrey Rosen said New York and New Jersey should pay for the tunnel, according to AMNY:

“Those transit projects are local responsibilities, and elected officials from New York and New Jersey are the ones accountable for them,” said U.S. Department of Transportation Deputy Secretary Jeffrey Rosen on Monday, during a budget briefing call with reporters.

New Jersey Senator Cory Booker responded by suggesting that the tunnel be named after Trump, according to the NY DailyNews: Read the rest of this entry »

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County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon Commemorates Ocean Township’s 170th Anniversary

OCEAN TOWNSHIP, NJ – During the Township of Ocean Council Meeting on Feb. 21, Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon made a special presentation to the Mayor and Council to commemorate the Township’s 170^th Anniversary. Clerk Hanlon gave the Mayor and Council a digital reproduction of the first recorded map of the Township which was filed in the Office of the Monmouth County Clerk, 170 years ago, on Feb. 21, 1849.

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Driver Charged with DWI and Reckless Driving in Atlantic Highlands Fatal Crash

Dylan Rieger, photo via facebook

Dylan Rieger, the 27 year old Belford resident who allegedly struck and killed John and Barbara Grogan of Atlantic Highlands on Route 36 on Friday night, has been charged with Driving While Intoxicated and Reckless Driving in connection with the incident, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni announced.

The Grogans were attempting to cross the intersection from the northbound direction of State Highway 36 and Grand Avenue at approximately 7:50 p.m. Friday evening, when they were struck by an eastbound 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, driven by Rieger.

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DiMaso’s bill would crackdown on illegal massage parlors, thwart human trafficking

New Look Spa in Hazlet was busted in March of 2018

Legislation sponsored by Assemblywomen Serena DiMaso (R-Monmouth) and Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) strengthens the regulation of massage and bodywork establishment in order to combat prostitution and human trafficking was approved by the Assembly Homeland Security Committee today.

“The massage industry is a hotbed of human trafficking,” said DiMaso. “This bill reins in an out-of-control industry. Changing the rules will protect trafficking victims. We will shut down facilities profiting from illegal activities.”

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O’Scanlon: Stop the Madness. No More Throwing Taxpayer Money in the Street

Senator Declan O’Scanlon

After seeing salt covering New Jersey roads today, despite the fact that temperature is not supposed to drop below 37 degrees Fahrenheit over the next few days, Senator Declan O’Scanlon (R-Monmouth) said that “enough is enough” and demanded that the State put an end to the practice of unnecessary brining.

“It’s time for someone to challenge Governor Murphy’s assertion that this is a pennies per mile cost: it’s not. There was simply no way that a .17 per mile number was an accurate reflection of the cost to brine our roads when you account for labor, gas, and equipment. After speaking with a few of local officials we were able to confirm that the actual cost in totality is in excess of $12 or $13 per mile locally – and that is for areas that are more conservative with their usage of salt and brine,” O’Scanlon said.

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Employers invited to participate in Monmouth County Job Fair

Spring Job Fair at Brookdale Community College, April 2014. file photo by Art Gallagher

The Monmouth County Spring Job Fair will be held at Brookdale Community College on April 12.  Employers still have time to register and participate in this free of charge event, Freeholder Deputy Director Pat Imprevetudo announced.

“The County’s Spring Job Fair is an outstanding opportunity for employers from all industries to meet jobseekers with different skillsets and experience.” said Impreveduto, liaison to the Monmouth County Division of Workforce Development. “We are seeking employers from all industries, especially those who have not partaken in prior years.”

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YMCA honors Congressman Chris Smith

The New Jersey YMCA State Alliance and other NJ branches of the Young Men’s Christian Association, joined the national organization in honoring Congressman Chris Smith on Wednesday morning in Washington during their YMCA Champions Breakfast on Capitol Hill.

Smith was named a Congressional Champion for, among other things, his efforts to restore the ability of middle class taxpayers to deduct charitable contributions from their federal income taxes.

H.R. 651, a bill authored by Smith and introduced in January, would allow taxpayers to deduct 100% of their charitable deductions from their federal income taxes, even if they opt to use the standard deduction instead of itemizing their deductions. Read the rest of this entry »

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Authorities Ask For Help in Murder Investigation

Earl “Everlasting” Sanders of Neptune City was shot and killed while driving on Route 18 in Colts Neck last April 29 while driving home from a birthday party at the Freehold Elks Club.

His killer remains at large and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office along with the Colts Neck Police Department and Monmouth Crime Stoppers are asking the public’s support in solving the case.

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