Vatican’s bishops lighten up: What new report says about homosexuality, marriage and contraception

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Months After Robin Williams, Hotlines Still See a Spike

A full two months after Robin Williams’ death from suicide on August 11, a scattered handful of mental health professionals and volunteers are still feeling the aftereffects. They are suicide prevention hotline directors and operators, spread across the country but allied in their commitment to meeting the demand for mental health services that routinely spikes after… Read the rest of this entry »

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Two Middletown Men Charged With Arson

Sean Powers photo via facebook

Sean Powers, a twenty-two year old Middletown volunteer firefighter has been charged with starting the fire that left him with critical burn injuries.  William Rohweder, 23 of Middletown was also charged with arson of an abandoned barn in a residential area.  The fire at 251 Monmouth Ave was reported to Middletown authorities on Saturday morning at 5:48 AM.  Powers’ address is 260 Monmouth Ave.

According to a statement from the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office, both young men have been charged with one count of second degree Conspiracy to Commit Aggravated Arson, one count of second degree Aggravated Arson and one count of third degree Aggravated Assault.

Because of his status as a volunteer firefighter, Powers has also been charged with Official Misconduct, an offense that carries a maximum prison term of ten years and a minimum period of parole ineligibility of five years, upon conviction.

Powers is in critical but stable condition at The Burn Center at St. Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.  Judge Honora O’Brien Kilgallen set Powers bail as R. O. R. (Released On Recognizance) so long as he remains in an in-patient. Upon his release from The Burn Center, his bail will be reviewed.

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Larry Luttrell Lunges At Lillian Burry

Democratic Freeholder Candidate Lawrence Luttrell at Four Seasons debate in Manalapan. photo by Rhoda Chodosh

In a move reminiscent of Congressman Rick Lazio’s aggression towards First Lady Hillary Clinton in the 2000 U.S. Senate debate in New York,  Lawrence Luttrell, a Democratic candidate for Monmouth County Freeholder jumped from his seat and lunged towards Freeholder Director Lillian Burry Wednesday night at a candidates debate at the Four Seasons Club House in Manalapan.

Deputy Freeholder Director Gary Rich and Giuseppe “Joe” Grillo, Luttrell’s running mate, braced themselves to protect Burry as it appeared that Luttrell would leap over them to get to Burry.  Rich and Grillo were seated between Burry and Luttrell.  Luttrell pulled back before going airborne and turned to the debate moderator and shouted, “This is not what I came here for.  If this is going to be a kangaroo court where we don’t follow the rules, I’m leaving right now.”  Luttrell was living up to the name of the paper organization he created with his wife and mother-in-law to sue Monmouth County last year; R.A.G.E.

What apparently set Luttrell off was Burry asking him, “Is your name Pinocchio?”

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Islamic State issues ‘annual report’ detailing atrocities

The glossy cover of the Islamic State’s annual report features an armed fighter jauntily looking over his right shoulder, decked out in clean, green army fatigues while holding an automatic rifle in his right hand. Inside the latest 410-page report, or “al-Naba,” released on March 31, 2014, the Islamic State’s statistics are laid out in black… Read the rest of this entry »

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Ebola patient dies in Dallas

DALLAS — Ebola patient Thomas Eric Duncan died Wednesday morning, according to a statement from a Texas Health Resources spokesperson. “It is with profound sadness and heartfelt disappointment that we must inform you of the death of Thomas Eric Duncan this morning at 7:51 am,” says the statement made by Wendell Watson, public relations director at… Read the rest of this entry »

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Overdose Deaths From Heroin On The Rise In The US

A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reveals that heroin deaths have risen sharply in many US states. The findings, published in a recent Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, were developed from death certificate data from 28 states. Despite this rise, twice as many people died from prescription opioid overdoses than… Read the rest of this entry »

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The Facts About Ebola: How The Disease Can (And Can’t) Be Spread

In the wake of recent developments involving the ongoing outbreak of Ebola Hemorrhagic Fever, officials from the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are reaching out to make certain that people have the facts about the dangerous viral disease. On September 30, CDC tests confirmed… Read the rest of this entry »

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Natural-Gas Bills Will Drop This Winter for Most Customers in New Jersey

For most customers who use natural gas to heat their homes, costs will drop this winter. The state Board of Public Utilities yesterday approved new rates for the state’s four gas utilities, with all but South Jersey Gas customers seeing drops in their gas bills. The rates take effect today. The decline in customers’ bills continues… Read the rest of this entry »

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Kyrillos and Lesniak Fast Track Sports Betting Legislation

Sen. Joe Kyrillos

Senators Joe Kyrillos (R-Monmouth) and Ray Lesniak have teamed up to sponsor legislation that will counter the professional sports leagues latest attempts to block sports betting in New Jersey.

The bill, which will be introduced during the Senate’s next session, would explicitly abolish language in state law that prohibits sports betting, a move that would reinforce the state attorney general’s effort to lift the injunction preventing the state from moving forward on plans to allow casinos and racetracks to accept wagers on sporting events. The measure would also prohibit the transport of sports-betting equipment across state lines and set an age requirement of 21 years old.

Last month acting Attorney General John Hoffman issued a directive that instructed law enforcement not to prosecute sports betting at racetracks and casinos.  The Christie Administration asked U. S. District Judge Michael Shipp to rule that New Jersey is not violating federal law by decriminalizing sports betting  and allowing private entities to operate and regulate the betting.

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