Highlands remembers America’s fallen heroes and celebrates with those who came home

Twelve veterans of the U. S. Army 6-9 Calvary, 1st Division, and the family of one of the troop’s fallen, are guests of the American Legion Post 143 in Highlands this Memorial Day Weekend.  On Saturday the group served as Co-Grand Marshals for the borough’s annual Memorial Day Parade.

Veteran Tim Hallgring was inspired to bring the true meaning of Memorial Day to the annual celebration when the parade committee asked him to be the Grand Marshall.  Hallgring and members of the community raised over $12,000 via gofundme to bring the soldiers/brothers to Highlands and provide their food and lodging while they are here. Read the rest of this entry »

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Scharfenberger: Proposal to change ‘Freeholder’ to ‘Commissioner’ is wasteful unfunded mandate

By Monmouth County Freeholder Gerry Scharfenberger, PhD

The proposal to change the title “Freeholder” to “Commissioner” is an affront to every taxpayer in this state.

New Jersey residents are being suffocated by an onerous property tax system, companies like Gerber are leaving the state and taking hundreds of jobs with them, a host of taxes are being raised or created and this is what the legislature is wasting its time on?  If this ridiculous proposal goes through, it will cost the counties tens of thousands of dollars to change letterhead, stationery, signage – not to mention the reams of documents in which the term freeholder is embedded.  Read the rest of this entry »

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Murphy cancels his ‘Ask the Governor’ appearance on NJ Public Radio

Governor Phil Murphy chickened out of his Ask the Governor radio show this evening because he could not control the questions, according to a tweet by Nancy Solomon, Managing Editor of New Jersey Public Radio and WNYC.

#Askgovmurphy call in show is canceled. @GovMurphy refused to go on air if we stuck with plan to have Politico reporter @Linh_Tat on the show to ask questions. We wanted to focus on school funding. We refused. He canceled. @MattFriedmanNJ

— Nancy Solomon (@NancySolomon2) May 24, 2018

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Congratulations to Senator Gopal…

…for complying with the 1st Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as interpreted by U.S. Judge Naomi Buchwald, and unblocking MMM’s Art Gallagher before U.S. Senator Cory Booker unblocked Save Jersey’s @MattRooneyNJ.

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“Millionaires Tax” Not the NJ Fairy Tale Governor Murphy is Selling

By Rosemary Becchi, J.D., L.L.M.

We all know how the story goes: Steal from the rich and give to the poor.  In the story, it’s noble and righteous for the hero to take these actions.  So, it’s no surprise that Governor Phil Murphy believes he can sell New Jerseyans on an economic proposal known as the “Millionaires Tax”.  Unfortunately, this isn’t a story, and the Millionaires Tax doesn’t steal from the rich to give to the poor.  In fact, it steals from small businesses and gives to the bureaucracy of our state government that has proven unwilling and unable to make tough spending decisions.

Murphy’s story goes something like this: New Jersey will raise the state income tax rate for residents who earn more than $1 million, and this will supposedly produce more than $765 million in new state revenue.  Currently, the state’s personal income tax rate tops out at 8.97 percent on income over $500,000.  Governor Murphy’s proposed Millionaires Tax would increase the marginal tax rate applied to income above $1 million to 10.75 percent.

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Josh and Angela Welle make a fundraising appeal from their shower

Josh Welle, a candidate for the Democrat nomination for congress in the 4th congressional district, and his wife Angela, went live on facebook on Wednesday night in a bizarre fundraising appeal while they were regrouting their shower.  Here’s the first two minutes of their shower scene:

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Greg’s List: Things to Do in Monmouth County This Memorial Day Weekend, May 25-28, 2018

By Greg Kelly

Friday, May 25

• Manalapan & Freehold Jazz Bands (Freehold Boro) – MORE INFO
• Indigo Girls at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• Bradley Beach Memorial Day Weekend Celebration – MORE INFO
• R&B Express (Belmar) – MORE INFO
• The Right Career For You (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO
• WFAN Boomer & Gio’s Kick Off to Summer Show (Neptune) – MORE INFO
• Kiefer Sutherland at The Stone Pony (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO
• A Cappella Choir (Middletown) – MORE INFO

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New summer schedule for Rumson-Sea Bright bridge openings

The Rumson-Sea Bright bridge over the Shrewsbury River will be raised for marine traffic hourly, on the hour. from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and holidays this summer season, staring on Friday, May 25 through Labor Day, Monday September 3, under an agreement between Monmouth County and the U.S. Coast Guard, according to an announcement by  Freeholder Director Tom Arnone.

In previous years, the bridge opened every half hour from May 15 through September 30.

The Monmouth County Department of Public Works and Engineering requested that the U.S. Coast Guard consider an alternative schedule in attempt to balance the seasonally high volume of roadway traffic during peak hours with the needs of marine traffic. Read the rest of this entry »

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Traffic nightmare in Middletown today

Route 35 in Middletown between Applefarm Road and Woodland Dr will have lane closures for 6-8 hours today due to a water main break, according to an announcement from the Middletown Police Department.

The Applefarm development is without water.

New Jersey American Water Company is expected to restore water service to the area residents within two hours, but the day appears to be shot for businesses on the highway.

Drivers are advised to avoid the area.  Call the Middletown PD Traffic Division, 732-615-2045 with any concerns.

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Monmouth County Kicks Off Summer Tourism Season

Freeholder Pat Impreveduto, Deputy Freeholder Director Lillian Burry, Freeholder Gerry Scharfenberger, Deptuy Mayor Sue Kiley of Hazlet, County Clerk Christine Giodano Hanlon and Freeholder Director Tom Arnone celebrate the start of the summer tourism season.

Monmouth County officials gathered on the beach in Manasquan yesterday to kick off the summer tourism season during a festive press conference featuring Freeholder Director Tom Arnone, Manasquan Mayor Ed Donovan, Paul Wolf, manager of Leggett’s Sand Bar in Manasquan, Mary Brabazon, director of Belmar Tourism and Margaret Mass, director of the Red Bank Visitor Center.

In 2017, tourists spent $2.5 billion in Monmouth County on food, accommodations, recreation and entertainment, transportation and second homes, a $65 million increase over the amount spent in 2016.  6 million people per year visit the County. Read the rest of this entry »

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