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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Posted: March 13th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2019 elections, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News | Tags: 2019 elections, Assemblyman Rob Clifton, Assemblyman Ron Dancer, David Lande, LD 12, Malini Guha, Monmouth County News, nj legislative district 12 | 15 Comments »
By Rosalie Avin

Rosalie Avin
In 2016, Chris Christie raised our gas taxes 23 cents on the gallon. It was “HUGE” and not in the President Trump, positive way. The people of New Jersey were angered once again by Christie’s brazen disregard for the middle class. He had shown his apathy by playing with the pensions of state employees including teachers and the police. He flaunted it by refusing to negotiate contracts in a timely fashion. The one reason this tax was accepted was the governor’s promise that the money would be directed towards infrastructure. Our roads, tunnels and bridges were in disrepair therefore the taxpayer would finance the renewal.
Christie did not keep his word. As I drove on major routes like the Garden State, I often wondered, “Where did that money go?”
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Posted: March 13th, 2019 | Author: admin | Filed under: Gas Tax, Monmouth County, Monmouth County News, New Jersey | Tags: Monmouth County News, New Jersey, NJ Gas Tax, Opinion, Rosalie Avin | 1 Comment »

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 »
Posted: March 12th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: New Jersey, News | Tags: 2020 Federal Budget, Build the wall, Chris Christie, Chuck Schumer, Congressman Chris Smith, Gateway Tunnel Project, Sen Cory Booker | Comments Off on White House Budget Has No Gateway Tunnel Funding—Booker Suggests Naming The Tunnel For Trump
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Posted: March 12th, 2019 | Author: admin | Filed under: New Jersey | Tags: Al Alvarez, Murphy Administration, New Jersey | Comments Off on Al Alvarez Testifies in Trenton…watch it live

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 170th 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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Posted: March 12th, 2019 | Author: admin | Filed under: Christine Hanlon, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News, Ocean Township | Tags: Christine Hanlon, Monmouth County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon, Monmouth County News, Ocean Township, Ocean Township's 170th Anniversary, Press Release | Comments Off on County Clerk Christine Giordano Hanlon Commemorates Ocean Township’s 170th Anniversary

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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Posted: March 11th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News | Tags: Atlantic Highlands, Atlantic Highlands fatal crash, Atlantic Highlands Police, Barbara Grogan, DWI, Dylan Rieger, John Grogan, Monmouth County News, Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni, Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, Reckless Driving | 26 Comments »

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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Posted: March 11th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Human Trafficking, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News | Tags: Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso, Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle, Bodywork, Human Trafficking, Illicit Massage Parlors, Massage, Monmouth County News, New Jersey Board of Massage and Bodywork Therapy, Polaris Project, prostitution, Senator Declan O'Scanlon, Senator Tom Kean Jr | Comments Off on DiMaso’s bill would crackdown on illegal massage parlors, thwart human trafficking
By Steve Frank, Frankly Chatting
Don’t get me wrong. I love my daughter. Love her to death. We’ve always been there for each other through both our rough patches. I taught her to ride a bike, drive a stick shift. Sat through bone-chilling football games when she was a cheerleader. Fought with her when she was dating knuckleheads. Practiced a dance routine for her wedding. But now, I’ve got to put some distance between us. There has to be boundaries.
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Posted: March 11th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County News, Opinion | Tags: breast feeding, Father-Daughter Relationships, Frankly Chatting, Frankly Speaking, Humor, Monmouth County News, Opinion, Pregnancy, Steve Frank | 2 Comments »
Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) made the following statement on Sunday, March 10, 2019:

Congressman Smith in Rumson on Sunday March 10 with Freeholder Gerry Scharfenberger, Middletown Committeemen Rick Hibell and Kevin Settembrino, Freeholder Deputy Director Pat Impreveduto, Middletown Mayor Tony Perry, Rumson Mayor Joseph Hemphill, Freeholder Sue Kiley and Middletown Committeewoman Pat Snell
The St. Patrick’s Day Parades across the country are great expressions of faith; celebrations of our rich Irish heritage and above all, a recognition of a saint who transformed not only Ireland but the world.
So special thanks to Jamie McManus and the Rumson St. Patrick’s Day Parade Committee for providing a way for us to honor, revere and praise one of the greatest saints in all of Christendom.
And thank you for your leadership and generosity in supporting local charities particularly this year’s beneficiary Lunch Break of Red Bank.
St. Patrick, born in 387, endured six years of slavery in Ireland as a child yet went back after a daring escape to face unremitting danger and crushing setback only to persevere with an indomitable will to preach the good news of Jesus Christ, the forgiveness of sin and the way of salvation.
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Posted: March 11th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Chris Smith, Monmouth County News, New Jersey | Tags: Catholic faith, Congressman Chris Smith, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, NJ 4, Rumson St Patrick's Parade, St Patrick transformed the world, St. Patrick's Day | Comments Off on Congressman Chris Smith: St. Patrick Transformed The World

Josh Welle using free Wifi at Panera Bread in Ocean Township last month
In a podcast published last week, former congressional candidate Josh Welle said that if he runs for election again it will likely be for a national office and that it would likely be in 4-6 years.
Last December after he became the 20th Democrat to lose to Congressman Chris Smith, Welle told NJGlobe that he was considering a run for State Assembly in the 13th district to replace retiring Assemblywoman Amy Handlin.
Monmouth County Freeholder Gerry Scharfenberger received the GOP endorsement for Handlin’s seat at a convention in Freehold yesterday. Democrats are set to endorse their candidates next Saturday. Welle’s name is not in the mix for Assembly, according to a Democrat who doesn’t want to be known for talking to MMM. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: March 10th, 2019 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2019 elections, Monmouth County, Monmouth County News, New Jersey | Tags: Assemblywoman Amy Handlin, Beyond the Uniform, Congressman Chris Smith, Gerry Scharfenberger, Josh Welle, Justin Nassiri, NJ 4, NJ CD 4, Rumson | 5 Comments »