Christie signs $34.5B budget, cuts Democratic spending

TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie on Thursday signed a $34.5 billion budget, but not before slicing into the $300 million Democrats added to the spending plan earlier in the week. Christie handed down his line-item vetoes Thursday evening amid a stalemate over transportation funding and hours before the start of the new fiscal year. The Legislature… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. gas taxes not likely to soar this holiday weekend as Senate stalls Christie deal

TRENTON — New Jersey motorists may not have to worry about their gas taxes skyrocketing this weekend. The state Senate will not vote Thursday on Gov. Chris Christie’s offer to raise the gas tax in exchange for a 1-cent reduction in the sales tax, Sen. Raymond Lesniak said Thursday. The governor, in a news conference Wednesday,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Cops could not have prevented officer from killing ex-wife, probe concludes

FREEHOLD — Asbury Park police officers could not have prevented an off-duty police sergeant from gunning down his ex-wife in broad daylight and then putting the police-issued handgun he used to his own head, according to a yearlong investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office released Thursday morning. The study also determined that the first officer… Read the rest of this entry »

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Sharks spotted off Jersey Shore beach, police say

DEAL – Beachgoers were frantically ushered out of the water at Deal Casino Beach Club on Thursday, after lifeguards spotting a gray, angular fin snaking its way through low tide. For about an hour on Thursday morning, the ocean near the beach club was devoid of visitors as lifeguards temporarily closed off the water to monitor… Read the rest of this entry »

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Howell dog hoarders appear in court; face maximum of $1M in fines

HOWELL — A couple who housed 276 dogs in what officials called the worst hoarding case in Monmouth County history, appeared in municipal court in Howell on Wednesday to face more than 500 counts of animal cruelty. If Charlene and Joseph Handrick are each found guilty of a 552 counts of animal cruelty, they could face… Read the rest of this entry »

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Christie on the defense as his gas and sales tax plan faces failure

TRENTON — Facing the possibility that a proposed gas-tax-increase-for-sales-tax-decrease proposal he brokered with the Assembly could go up in flames, Gov. Chris Christie made his case for the deal Wednesday. The governor called a surprise Statehouse news conference hours after Senate Democrats said they opposed the plan, which would raise gas tax by 23 cents to… Read the rest of this entry »

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Long Branch Man Pleads Guilty To Federal Kiddie Porn Charges

Donald Haring, 61, of Long Branch, pleaded guilty to federal charges of possession and distribution of child pornography today, before U.S. District Judge Freda L. Wolfson in Trenton, according to a statement by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman.

Haring admitted that he knowingly used a computer from his home to share images and videos of child sexual abuse with other members of a publicly-available, peer-to-peer file-sharing network. Haring also admitted to possessing at least three videos and 600 images of child sexual abuse on his computer and other electronic devices.

Haring faces a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison, a minimum penalty of five years in prison, a fine of $250,000, and up to a lifetime of supervised release. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 7, 2016.

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Prosecutor to Announce Findings of Law Enforcement Review of Seidle Murder on Thursday

Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni will announce the results of the Internal Affiars review of the law enforcement response to the brutal slaying of Tamara Seidle by her ex-husband, then Neptune Township Sgt Phillip Seidle, on June 16, 2015 while the couple’s 7 year old daughter, and members of the Asbury Park and Neptune Township Police Departments, looked on, at a press conference in Freehold tomorrow morning.

The 22 year veteran of the Neptune Police Department pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and child endangerment on March 10.  He is scheduled to be sentenced by Judge Joseph W. Oxley in August.

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Phony Pallone’s Phony Sit-in: A typical day of inaction

By Art Gallagher

Congressman Frank Pallone said last week that sitting on the floor of the House of Representatives to try to force the Republican majority to force a vote on gun control legislation was his proudest moment in 28 years in Washington.

Pallone told NJ.com’s Auditor that he is holding a “symbolic sit-in” in his New Brunswick Office today, as a “national day of action” with his fellow Democrat Congress  Members, where his constituents could sit on the floor and discuss gun control legislation with him.

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Deal looks to restrict parking near beach — again

DEAL — The borough plans to introduce an ordinance at its public meeting on Wednesday evening that will require residential permit parking on nearly a dozen streets with beach access points. Stephen R. Carasia, the borough’s clerk and administrator, cautioned on Tuesday that the ordinance is yet to be introduced and is still in the process… Read the rest of this entry »

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