Law Enforcement Seeking Public’s Help In Long Branch Murders Investigation

Veronica Roach

Joan Colbert

Monmouth County Prosecutors and the Long Branch Police Department are seeking the general public’s assistance in the investigation into the murders of a Long Branch woman and her foster daughter.

Long Branch Police responded to a 911 call reporting a suspicious circumstance on Friday August 1 at 5:22 PM.  Officers found the bodies of Joan Colbert, 62 and Veronica Roach, 10 in a first floor apartment of 61 Lippincott Avenue.

Dr. Diane Karlik of the Middlesex County Medical Examiner’s Office has ruled both deaths homicides.

Investigators are asking anyone with any information that may be important to solving this crime to call Detective Richard Chapman, of the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office at 732-577-8700, or Detective Ross Zotti, of the Long Branch Police Department at 732-222-1000.

Anyone who feels the need to remain anonymous but has information about a crime can contact Monmouth County Crime Stoppers confidential telephone tip-line by calling 1-800-671-4400; can text “MONMOUTH” plus their tip to 274637; or, they can email a tip via the website at www.monmouthcountycrimestoppers.com

Monmouth County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest of criminals and fugitives.

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O’Scanlon joins Oceanport’s fight against crematorium

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon said he supports the Borough of Oceanport’s efforts to prevent a crematorium from being built in a residential neighborhood.

“I am concerned with the process and the minimal amount of communication,” said O’Scanlon.  “The fact that the only public notification of this pending permit was published in the Home News Tribune, which is not even distributed in the Borough, is hardly adequate notice.”

“I have seconded the municipal request for a public hearing so that all the facets of this permit request can be discussed and the residents have an opportunity to voice their concerns,” O’Scanlon explained. “Projects such as this should never be implemented behind closed doors. I plan on remaining involved in this issue to see that all concerns are addressed.”

Oceanport Borough Administrator John Bennett was surprised last week when he was informed by the Department of Environmental Protection that Woodbine Cemetery had applied for an Air Pollution Control permit.  As Acting Governor in 2002, Bennett signed legislation that required crematoriums be approved by the governing bodies of the municipalities where they were proposed.  That legislation was repealed in 2011. The current law gives the New Jersey Cemetery Board the authority to approve crematorium construction permits. The majority of the Cemetery Board is comprised of owners or managers of cemeteries.

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Christie: Shark River Dredging Delayed By County and Municipalities

Beck: Federal and State Agencies Haven’t Approved Drying Sites

Governor Chris Christie told his Town Hall gathering in Belmar yesterday afternoon that the dredging of Shark River is being held up because the municipalities along the river and Monmouth County can not agree on a destination for the dredge spoils to be dumped.

The issue has gathered increased public attention in recent months due to a massive fish kill in the river last May.  310 tons of dead fish were removed from the shoreline of the estuary that feeds into the Atlantic through the inlet between Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea and extents 11 miles through Neptune and Wall Townships.

In answering a question from a man who identified himself as Bob from Wall, Christie said that he supports the dredging, fought for money from FEMA to pay for the dredging and would impose a solution on the county and municipalities if he had the authority to do so.  He said he had been briefed on the issue three weeks ago.

Maybe the Governor remembered a briefing from a different dredging project when answering Bob’s question.

Both the Monmouth County and Neptune landfills are willing to take the dredge spoils, according to Senator Jennifer Beck.  The river hasn’t been dredged, Beck said in a phone interview last night, because over the last two decades various federal and state agencies have rejected every proposed location for the dredged materials to dry before being moved to their final disposal site.

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Play for a Patriot

By Ernesto Cullari

Once a day an active member of the military commits suicide. Before today is over 22 more Veterans: men and women, who have survived long deployments and possible combat, will die by suicide.

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Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, August 1-3, 2014

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By Greg Kelly

Friday, August 1

• Manasquan Firemen’s Fair – MORE INFO

• Lucky Me at NJ Repertory Theatre (Long Branch) – MORE INFO

• Godspell at Algonquin Arts Theatre (Manasquan) – MORE INFO

• A Few Good Men at Duncan Smith Theatre (Holmdel) – MORE INFO

• Clam Festival (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• Sunset Seining Along Sandy Hook Bay – MORE INFO

• The Wizard of Oz by Spotlight Players (Matawan) – MORE INFO

• Keyport Firemen’s Fair – MORE INFO

• Martha’s Vineyard Weekend Trip via Seastreak (Highlands) – MORE INFO

• APPETITE: Andrew Zimmern at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• Night Boat Tours on Manasquan Reservoir (Howell) – MORE INFO

• WW I & the Rise of Military Communications (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO

• Give Us the Scoop on Your Favorite Ice Cream Topping (WLB) – MORE INFO

• Eat, Drink, Dance, Bowl, Repeat (Asbury Park) – MORE INFO

• 145th Annual Camp Meeting Association Week (Ocean Grove) – MORE INFO

• Shakespeare by the Sea (Spring Lake) – MORE INFO

• Walking Lantern Ghost Tours (Red Bank) – MORE INFO

• American Littoral Learners on Sandy Hook – MORE INFO

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Prosecutor: Belmar Did Not Account For Sandy Relief Gift Cards

$2,550 in gift cards remain unredeemed

Doherty: We were in the middle in the worst natural disaster in the history of New Jersey. Taking care of people trumps accounting principles

Mayor says he will ask ShopRite to replace lost cards

Belmar Borough Administrtor Colleen Connelly posing with cash donations. Photo provided by Councilman Jim Bean

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office has found that the Borough of Belmar distributed ShopRite gift cards purchased with cash donations in the wake of Super Storm Sandy without following generally accepted accounting principles.

In a letter to Councilman Jim Bean dated July 11, Special Deputy Attorney General/Acting Assistant Prosecutor John Loughrey said,  “There is, however, every indication that the cards were not properly inventoried,  adequately managed or or appropriately secured at any point after they were taken into custody of the Borough of Belmar.”  Loughrey’s letter to Bean can be found here.

Loughrey said there is no evidence that any one person or groups misappropriated the Shoprite gift cards.

The Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation on January 31, 2014 after Bean discovered a $9,050 discrepancy in reports of how the cards were distributed. In answering OPRA (Open Public Record Act) requests from Bean,  Belmar Elementary School business administrator Loretta Hill reported that the school received $7,950 in gift cards while Borough Clerk April Claudio said that $17,000 in gift cards were given to the school.

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Sean and David Goldman Act Passes House and Senate

Congressman Chris Smith’s International Child Abduction Bill Awaits President Obama’s Signature

Sean Goldman, 14, celebrating the passage of a child abduction bill named for him, with Congressman Chris Smith. Photo and graphic via Bring Sean Home Foundation’s facebook page

Legislation that will give the State Department tools to apply pressure on foreign government to return abducted American children that Congressman Chris Smith as been pushing through congress for five years has finally passed both the House and Senate.

The Sean and David Goldman Act first passed the House unanimously last December.   With the help of Senator Bob Menendez, Chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, the bill passed the Senate with some changes on July 16. On Friday, the House passed the Senate version.

Sean Goldman, of Tinton Falls, was four years old in June of 2004 when his mother Bruna told her husband David that she was taking the boy to her native Brazil for a two week vacation to visit her parents.  Instead, Bruna divorced David in a Brazilian Court and married another man, keeping Sean in her native country.

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Algonquin Jazz Ensemble in Manasquan

ALGONQUIN JAZZ ENSEMBLE TO SWING AROUND MANASQUAN THIS WEEKEND

Free Concert at Manasquan’s Main Beach on Saturday, Aug. 2 at 6 p.m.; Jazz Party Hosted at Manasquan Elks Lodge on Sunday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m.

The newly formed Algonquin Jazz Ensemble  swings around Manasquan this weekend with performances on Saturday, Aug. 2 at 6 p.m. and Sunday, Aug. 3 at 6 p.m.

Saturday’s concert will be held at Main Beach in Manasquan at 6 p.m. and is free to attend.

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MC Events-July 28-August 3

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Booker comes to Monmouth, Only Raises $25K

Selfie via twitter.

Senator Cory Booker’s fundraiser for the Monmouth County Democrats only yielded $25,000, according to a report on PolitickerNJ.

Booker has had much better nights in Hollywood and on Twitter than he had last night in the county he lost by 10,000 votes last year to former Bogota Mayor Steve Lonegan.

Monmouth County Democratic Chairman Vin Gopal confirmed the take and said he was happy with it.

Democratic Freeholder candidate Larry Luttrell was excited in his remarks at the Wall Township home of Gary Faraci, the Wall Democrats only nominee for three Township Committee seats this fall.

“This is different. This isn’t like any other year. This year is special. We have a rock star on top of the ticket,” said Luttrell, of Holmdel, an attorney, as he pointed to Booker. “He’s here to help us, and that means a lot. We’re going to out work them, we’re going to out raise them, and we’re going to make it happen.”

OK Larry.

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