Sandy-related contractor complaints piling up | Di Ionno

Weeds now envelop the pile of broken concrete slab where Nancy Wirtz’s home once stood. A swing set, bowed and rusted from neglect, is the only remnant of the place where she raised two children. It was a simple house, like most in the Forked River Beach section of Lacey Township. Compact and rectangular, it was… Read the rest of this entry »

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New Jersey won’t pay legal bills for Bridget Anne Kelly in GWB case

Bridget Ann Kelly, texting, with Governor Chris Christie and Michelle Brown at Seaside Park fire, September 12, 2013 photo credit, Phil Stilon, Ocean County Signal

TRENTON, N.J.—New Jersey won’t pay for Bridget Anne Kelly’s legal bills. That decision followed a months-long fight by her attorney who argued she was being treated differently from other state employees who, like her, all believed it was a traffic study that caused the lane closings at the George Washington Bridge in September 2013. The details… Read the rest of this entry »

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O’Scanlon: We MUST move forward on pension and budget reform

By Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon

Now that the 2016 budget debate is over, we must get back to the most pressing state issue of our time.  The suggestion of some in the public worker sector that those of us who voted against the budget are in favor of our abandoning our commitment to ensuring their pensions is completely false.  For any responsible elected official, and decent human being, it is imperative that we meet our commitments in a way that protects our pubic workers – and the NJ economy at the same time.

The reason we couldn’t make a payment larger than the $1.3 billion one included in the Governor’s budget has nothing to do with a lack of will or integrity.  It’s about devoting as much $ as possible without inflicting massive, economy-killing, tax increases on an economy just now showing signs of real growth.  Without economic growth there will be no chance we will be able to meet our commitments to the system in the many years to come – so ensuring growth is as important to public workers as anyone else.  We don’t simply have a $1.8 billion deficit this year. We have a $6 to $7 billion hole over the next few years. Taxing the life out of our economy this year, with no plan going forward – and leaving us in a $2 billion hole next year as the Democrat’s proposed budget would – is bad policy, for all New Jerseyans.

But it is true as well that we can’t foster growth to the exclusion of our obligation to our dedicated public workers.  And I can’t state that point vehemently enough.  Our teachers and other public workers are decent, devoted, professional people.  Generalizations to the contrary are without merit.

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Highlands Man Surprised To Find Himself In Christie For President Ad

Governor Chris Christie released the first ad of his fledgling presidential campaign today.  The thirty second spot is aimed at New Hampshire primary voters and will air on Boston, MA and Manchester, NH television and cable outlets, according to a report on NJ.com.  Christie’s campaign will spend $500,000 to distribute the ad over the next four weeks, according to the report.

Monmouth County restaurateur Leo Cervantes, the owner of Chilango’s in Highlands and LaPlaya in Keansburg was surprised to find himself featured in the ad.

Cervantes appears 5 seconds into the ad and is the first face featured after Christie’s.  He had no idea he was in the ad when contacted by MoreMonmouthMusings.

“I endorsed Christie for his reelection as governor,” Cervantes said, “I did a commercial for him and was part of his Hispanic outreach, but I have not heard from his presidential campaign. Should I sue them?” he asked jokingly.

Cervantes said he has not made a decision on who to support for president in 2016. “I was just talking to my daughter about this.  I know the candidates are Bush, Hillary, Trump and some others, but I really haven’t focused on it yet.”

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Why New Jersey Got Billions Less Than New York in FEMA Disaster Aid After Sandy

In the two-and-a-half years since Superstorm Sandy, while the Garden State has struggled to recover, many people have puzzled over the question of why New Jersey has received substantially less federal aid than New York, even though both states suffered roughly the same amount of damage — close to $37 billion. Much of the focus has… Read the rest of this entry »

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Hit and Run Victim, 15, Is On Life Support

Marissa Procopio photo via facebook

Marissa Procopio, the 15 year old Atlantic Highlands girl who was struck by a hit and run driver in Middletown on Tuesday, is on life support at Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune.  Previous published reports said she had died of her injuries on Wednesday afternoon at 3:46.

An official of the Henry Hudson Regional High School District who asked not to be named for this story told MoreMonmouthMusings that Marissa’s family was informed by her doctor that there was no blood flowing to her brain and that there was no hope of recovery. The family has chosen to keep Marissa on a life sustaining ventilator for two days in order that family members can travel to say good-bye, according to the school official.  The official said that the high school principal visited Marissa at the hospital on Wednesday at 5:45 pm, two hours after the reported death.

Robert Cavanaugh, spokesperson for Jersey Shore Medical Center, declined to confirm Marissa’s condition, citing HIPAA regulations that the hospital’s policy against commenting on the condition of minors.   An telephone operator a Jersey Shore said that Marissa is patient in the Intensive Care Unit.

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Atlantic Highlands Girl, 15, Succumbs To Hit And Run Injuries

UPDATED: As of Thursday morning, Marissa is still on life support at Jersey Shore Medical Center

A 15 year old Atlantic Highlands girl who was struck by a hit and run driver Tuesday evening on Route 36 in the Leonardo section of Middletown died as a result of her injuries this afternoon, according to a report in The Two River Times.

Marissa Procopio was crossing the highway at the intersection of Ave D at approximately 8:25 pm when she was stuck by a light grey compact car traveling west.  The car fled the scene before police arrived.  Marissa was transported via Medivac helicopter to Jersey Shore Medical Center in Neptune.  She succumbed to her injuries at 3:46 this afternoon.

A review of videotape of provided by local business owner Michael D’Alessio resulted in the Middletown Police to announce that the vehicle which struck Marissa was driven by Toni Marletta, 49, of Leonardo.

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Lakewood patient doesn’t have Ebola, state says

A patient who was taken overnight to a local hospital because of Ebola-like symptoms has a conventional travel-related illness, not the deadly virus, a spokeswoman for the N.J. Department of Health said. While the patient had recently traveled to Africa, “this person had not even traveled to an Ebola-affected country,” said Donna Leusner, the spokeswoman. Nor… Read the rest of this entry »

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Ocean Township Police Seek Help In Locating Missing Man

The Ocean Township Police Department has asked for the public’s help in locating a 27 year old man who was reported missing from a Township mental health facility on Saturday, July 3.

Nicholas Johnson, a 27 year old white male who stands 6’05” tall, weighs 170 lbs. and has brown hair and hazel colored eyes was last seen at the Gateway Treatment Center on Saturday.

Three photographs of Mr. Johnson that depict him at various times over the last several years and included in this post. At the time of his disappearance he was seen wearing black pants and a black coat.

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Corzine and other MF Global directors reach new $64.5M settlement with investors

NEW YORK–Former Gov. Jon Corzine has agreed with other former directors and officers of MF Global Holdings, the failed brokerage that bet big on European bonds and lost, has agreed to settle an investor lawsuit for $64.5 million. U.S. District Judge Victor Marrero gave preliminary approval of the deal Tuesday, according to court filings, and scheduled… Read the rest of this entry »

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