Thomas J Largey of Sea Bright questions Governor Christie abouth Hammerman & Gainer Inc at Middletown Town Hall Meeting on Feb 20,2013. Asbury Park Press Editor Randy Bergmann in background.
TRENTON —The state is paying a fired Hurricane Sandy housing recovery contractor another $7 million to settle a dispute over $21 million the company insisted it was owed after fewer than eight months of services that were plagued by stagnation, delays and inefficiencies. The state Department of Community Affairs announced the settlement with Louisiana-based Hammerman &… Read the rest of this entry »
NEWARK — A former Monmouth County postal worker was arrested Friday for stealing more than $30,000 in federal tax refund checks through a scheme to steal the identity of others, New Jersey federal prosecutors say. Luis Martin, 24, of Trenton, was charged with stealing government funds when he was arrested by special agents from the IRS’… Read the rest of this entry »
Layne Bracht, 32, of Highlands, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison today for uploading images of child sexual abuse to an online file-sharing network, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
A repeat offender who was convicted in 2006 of possession of child pornography, Bracht admitted in October of 2013 that he knowingly placed images and videos depicting child sexual abuse into shared folders that others could access via a peer-to-peer network. Special agents of the FBI executed a search warrant at his residence in Highlands on Jan. 15, 2014 and seized digital evidence that contained numerous videos and images depicting child sexual abuse, including material involving prepubescent minors and sadistic or masochistic conduct. The digital evidence seized included three files previously downloaded from Bracht by law enforcement agents working in an undercover capacity on the peer-to-peer network. Brach has been in federal custody since his January 2014 arrest. He pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph E. Irenas on December 2, 2014.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Irenas sentenced Bracht to serve 15 years of supervised release.
Michael Halfacre submitted his resignation as Director of the New Jersey Division of Alcohol Beverage Control to Acting Attorney General John Hoffman yesterday, effective June 30,2015.
Under Halfacre’s leadership since March of 2012, the ABC is credited with cracking down on underage drinking, the sale of alcohol to the already intoxicated, and penalizing establishments that were scamming consumers by “drink substitution,” i.e. charging customers for the “top shelf” drinks they ordered while actually serving cheaper booze.
During Halfacre’s tenure, new laws were implemented for the brewing and distilling industry which have lead to an emerging micro brewing industry. Additionally, new rules were written to regulate the direct sale of wine to consumers by out-of-state wineries.
If you’re at the south end of the Jersey Shore this month, stop by the Torche Galerie in Belmar. Many of the works on display last month in the gallery’s 2nd anniversary exhibition have been either taken down or sold. But it’s worth a stop to see the magnificent interior space—as well as to examine some of the art gems which are still hanging on the wall. The space is the creation of owner/sculptor Roddy Wildeman, who has his own workroom connected to the gallery in the back of the first floor.
TRENTON — Oregon this week became the third state after New Jersey and California to ban gay-to-straight conversion therapy for minors – a practice discredited by mental health professional organizations but defended by some religious groups – including one in Hudson County that will go on trial soon for defrauding the public. The Southern Poverty Law… Read the rest of this entry »
HACKENSACK — An FBI intelligence analyst warned students at Bergen Arts and Sciences Charter School not to fall prey to the recruitment tactics of terror organization ISIS, according to a Record report. The presentation at the Hackensack charter school on Tuesday was part of a national outreach effort from federal officials on how the ISIS terror… Read the rest of this entry »
NEWARK —Federal prosecutors are trying to keep secret more than 1.5 million pages of documents connected to the investigation into the George Washington Bridge scandal, which led to criminal charges earlier this month against two former associates of Gov. Chris Christie. Defense attorneys, however, argue that there is no justification for such a broad request, and… Read the rest of this entry »
SEA BRIGHT — A stretch of Sea Bright’s shoreline that used to be among the few free beaches in New Jersey will start charging patrons for access starting this weekend when nearly all Shore towns’ beach fees kick in for summer. A wooden booth stands at the entrance to Anchorage Beach where a badge checker will… Read the rest of this entry »
Traveling through the heart of northeastern Monmouth County got a lot easier this week after State,County and Local officials celebrated the reopening of the West Front Street Bridge, AKA Hubbard’s Bridge, that connects Middletown and Red Bank over the Swimming River.
The five month long replacement project that came in as promised before the Memorial Day weekend.
The opening follows the construction of a new 488-foot long steel girder bridge to the north of the existing West Front Street Bridge.
