Opinion: Heads They Win, Tails You Lose

Andrew Sidamon-Eristoff In 1866, Surrogate Gideon J. Tucker wrote that “[n]o man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session.” Over a hundred years later, the New Jersey Legislature is doing its very best to keep Surrogate Tucker’s warning pertinent by once again advancing special-interest legislation that reaches for a new low… Read the rest of this entry »

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Middletown Township Reduces Spending and Property Taxes In 2017 Budget

Middletown Township Committee

The Middletown Township Committee will introduce a budget on Monday night that reduces Township spending by $161,459 and reduces the municipal tax rate by 3.49%

“We’ve taken a fine tooth comb to this budget in order to develop a spending plan that reduces costs without sacrificing core essential services,” said Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger, Ph.D. “We consistently seek ways to further minimize costs, maximize revenues and stretch a dollar.”

For the average homeowner, municipal taxes will decrease $5.31 this year.

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Melody is a costly tune for Eatontown’s Court

Eatontown Mayor Calls For Resignation Of Council President and Municipal Judge

By Eatontown Mayor Dennis J. Connelly

Eatontown Mayor Dennis Connelly

A backroom deal by the newly elected Eatontown Borough Council President Anthony Talerico and 3 of his followers will cost the taxpayers dearly.  One of the first deeds of Eatontown Borough Council President was to install his high school friend and local attorney, Eugene Melody III, as the Eatontown Municipal Court judge for a 3-year term.  Melody, a general law practitioner, has never held a judgeship, never been a prosecutor, nor has he served as a public defender.  At the very least, either of the latter two positions is critical in understanding the workings of a municipal court and would be the logical foundation for qualifications as a municipal court judge.  Not so, in Talerico’s mind. Eugene Melody is his go to guy for patronage positions.  Melody was appointed as Special Council in 2013 and was pushed for judgeship by Talerico in 2014 before he rescinded his application after realizing he was not getting the appointment.

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Inside the homeless encampment hidden in woods of Howell

HOWELL – On a recent unusually warm winter day, a handful of people milled about a camp site situated about a half-mile off a bustling stretch of Route 9 in Howell. The shantytown carved out of a township-owned section of woods has all the makings of a weekend camping getaway: a pantry lined with food, a… Read the rest of this entry »

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Next OAL Hearing on 3/29 nothing short of OutRAGEous

By Middletown Township Committeeman Tony Fiore

Tony Fiore

On March 29^th, thousands of residents and local elected officials from Monmouth County will converge upon the Collins Arena at Brookdale to speak against the proposed Monmouth County Reliability Project as proposed by First Energy and its subsidiary JCP&L.  This additional hearing called for by Office of Administrative Law Judge Gail Cookson, follows a meeting held on January 25^th at Middletown High School North where thousands attended and many were turned away.  As an elected official in Middletown who will not have the opportunity to speak at this meeting per the Judge’s request, I will not remain silent with the question I would have asked Judge Cookson:  What’s the point of this hearing?

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Dr. Maureen Murphy resigns as Brookdale President

Dr. Maureen Murphy PhD

For the third time in seven years, Brookdale Community College is looking for a new president.

Dr. Maureen Murphy resigned today, effective June 30.  She will become president of College of Southern Maryland effective July 1.

Murphy took the helm of Brookdale in 2012 when she replaced interim President William M. Toms.  Toms led the college after Peter Burnham, who had been president for about 20 years, resigned in March of 2011 due a scandal over his padding his expense reports and a student loan for his son.

In 2015, Murphy was a finalist for the presidency of Blinn College’s Bryan, Texas campus.

Murphy said she took the College of Southern Maryland job “for personal reasons,” according to The Asbury Park Press.  She has changed jobs every 4-5 years since 1999, according to her LinkedIn profile.

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Monmouth Dems will nominate a doctor and a lawyer for freeholder seats

Brian Wilton and Dr. Margaret Donlon

The Monmouth County Democrats are set to nominate a personal injury attorney and a doctor who specializes in reducing pain and improving function of injured patients for freeholder when they hold their mini-convention at the Shrewsbury Presbyterian Church on Saturday morning March 18.

Kevin Wilton, the Mayor of Lake Como, is a partner in the Wilton Law Firm, which is located across the street from Middletown Town Hall. The firm specializes in car accidents, personal injury and workers compensation, according to its website.

Dr. Margaret Donlon, MD, a resident of West Allenhurst (Ocean Township) practices pain and rehabilitation medicine at Orthopedic Sports Medicine and Rehabilitation Center in Middletown and Morganville.

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State Police Seeks Help In Locating 14 Year Old Girl Missing From Millstone Group Home

The New Jersey State Police is seeking the public’s assistance in locating Jermasia Wright, a 14 year old black female who has been missing from the Pine Drive Group Home in Millstone since March 1, 2017.

Jermasia Wright is 5’8”, 120 pounds and has a dark complexion. She has ties to Sewell, Glassboro, and Hackensack in New Jersey as well as Wilmington, Delaware. She also uses the alias, Mia Hollston, according to the NJSP announcement.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the New Jersey State Police Missing Persons Unit at 609-882-2000 ext. 2893 or NJSP Hamilton Station at 609-584-5000 ext. 5287. Anonymous tips are welcome.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, March 17-19, 2017

By Greg Kelly

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Friday, March 17:

• Happy St. Patrick’s Day
• New 2 You Kids Consignment Sale at BCC (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
• Top Notch Resume Class (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO
• Multiple Family Dwelling by NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
• Library Friends’ Book Sale (Colts Neck) – MORE INFO
• The Merry Wives of Windsor at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
• AARP Tax-Aide Program (Wall Twp.) – MORE INFO
• NJ Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Tours (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

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