House of Representatives Passes International Megan’s Law, Bill Awaits Obama’s Signature

By Congressman Chris Smith

Eight years after I first introduced a bill to protect children in the U.S. and around the world from convicted pedophiles who travel in secret to or from the United States—currently below the radar of law enforcement officials—it is now on the verge of becoming law.

The House today passed, and sent to the President, my International Megan’s Law to Prevent Demand for Child Sex Trafficking (HR 515)—named for Megan Kanka, a seven-year-old from Hamilton, N.J. in our congressional district who was sexually assaulted and killed in 1994. Megan’s assailant was a convicted, repeat sex offender living across the street, unbeknownst to residents in the neighborhood. Due to public outcry in response to the tragedy and to hard work by Megan’s loving parents, Richard and Maureen Kanka, the New Jersey State Legislature passed the original Megan’s Law (NJSA 2C: 7-1 through 7-II) in 1994 to require public notification of convicted sex offenders living in the community.

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The Arnone Report: Jonas, Wreck Pond, Grown in Monmouth

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

I think Mother Nature is surely playing tricks on us. Last week at this time we were still digging out from one of the biggest blizzards in years.  Some of our towns reported nearly two feet accumulation and more in certain areas with snowdrifts piling on several additional inches.  Fast forward to this week, and we are enjoying spring like temperatures.  Whatever weather Mother Nature brings us, Monmouth County is always prepared to handle it.  Our crews were out round the clock, preparing ahead of Jonas by pretreating and brining all of the county roads, and of course keeping up throughout the storm with plowing and snow removal. We even assisted several municipalities in keeping up with the accumulations as we are always partners in providing services when requested.

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Pregnant officer who alleged discrimination gets $51K

OCEAN TOWNSHIP — A township police officer who alleges she was discriminated against during her pregnancy will receive a $51,000 judgment from the township. Kathleen J. Delanoy, an officer on the Ocean Township force for 13 years, said in a lawsuit the department wrote a set of guidelines after her pregnancy in July 2011 barring her… Read the rest of this entry »

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Who’s the Governor of New Jersey When the Governor’s Out-of-Town?

When Gov. Chris Christie left New Jersey to return to the presidential campaign trail immediately after a major winter storm walloped the state last week, it was Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno who personally visited barrier-island communities where the storm’s floodwaters had caused the most damage. Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. sets a goal for number of kids it wants in charter schools

JERSEY CITY — During his State of the State address earlier this month, Gov. Chris Christie pledged to pursue the expansion of charter school opportunities for New Jersey students. On Friday, his education commission put a number on that goal. New Jersey hopes to expand to 50,000 charter schools seats, about a 9 percent increase from… Read the rest of this entry »

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Golden, Peters, Arnone and DiMaso Announce Reelection Campaign

Sheriff Shaun Golden and Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Before an enthusiastic crowd of over 600 Monmouth County supporters at the Eagle Oaks Country Club in Farmingdale, Sheriff (and County GOP Chairman) Shaun Golden announced that he, Freeholders Tom Arnone and Serena DiMaso, and Surrogate Rosemarie Peters are all running for reelection in November.

“We don’t need to make Monmouth County great again,” Golden declared with a reference to Donald Trump’s campaign slogan, “Monmouth County is great!”

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10K BAGS OF HEROIN SEIZED IN KEYPORT PARKING LOT

FREEHOLD – Investigators seized 10,000 bags of heroin with an estimated street value of as much as $100,000, as part of an undercover operation that culminated in the arrests of two New York City women, announced Acting Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Vikky V. Morel, 26, and Niudis Vazquez-Moncion, 34, both of the Bronx in New York City, were arrested Tuesday afternoon when they delivered the large quantity of heroin to undercover detectives in the parking lot of a supermarket on Route 36 in Keyport. Both women are charged with third degree Possession of Heroin and first degree Possession of Heroin with Intent to Distribute and are being held in the Monmouth County Correctional Institution, Freehold Township, in lieu of bail. Morel is being held on $325,000 bail, with no option to post 10 percent, and a required bail source hearing.  Vazquez-Moncion is being held on $250,000 bail, with no option to post 10 percent, and a required bail source hearing.  A bail source hearing is conducted at the request of the prosecutor or judge as a means to ensure that the funds used by a defendant to post bail were not acquired as a result of criminal or unlawful conduct.

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Surprise walkout by dockworkers shuts down the N.J., N.Y. ports

NEWARK–More than 4,000 longshoremen unexpectedly walked off the job this morning, shutting down the port terminals both in New Jersey and New York, causing truck traffic to immediately start backing up throughout Port Newark and Port Elizabeth. Port officials were taken by surprise by the labor action, and were unsure what precipitated it. “We do know… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. man found guilty in killing of 3 bears outside his home

ANDOVER — A Sparta man has been found guilty of illegally killing three bears outside his home and ordered to pay a total of $4,332 in fines and restitution, according to a report in the New Jersey Herald. During a trial in Andover Joint Municipal Court in November and December, Robert Ehling, 78, had claimed he… Read the rest of this entry »

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Plan to put armed, retired cops in N.J. schools advances

TRENTON — A proposal to station armed, retired police officers as security in New Jersey’s schools was revived Thursday for the new legislative session. The bill ( S86) establishes “Class Three” special police officers designated to provide security at both public and private schools. The measure was approved by the state Senate a few weeks ago… Read the rest of this entry »

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