New Footage from Obama’s Mandela Eulogy

• Tweet

Third Monmouth County Business Gets A Post Sandy Face Lift

Gaetano’s Restaurant and Market of Red Bank is the latest Monmouth County business to benefit from the Grow Monmouth Facade Improvement Program. The $75,000 program is funded by HUD Community Development Block Grants and administered by the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders.

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone presented Gaetano’s owner Tom Cappello a check for $1,824 on Wednesday as reimbursement for lighting fixtures for the restaurant.

Early this month, Woody’s Roadside Tavern in Farmingdale received a $1700 grant for its facade improvements. Old Monmouth Candies of Freehold was the first recipient of a Grow Monmouth Facade Improvement Grant.

Businesses with privately held commercial properties in the municipalities of Aberdeen, Atlantic Highlands, Belmar, Bradley Beach, Colts Neck (Naval station only), Deal, Eatontown, Farmingdale, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Hazlet, Highlands, Howell, Keansburg, Keyport, Lake Como, Manalapan, Matawan, Neptune City, Neptune Twp., Ocean Twp., Red Bank, Shrewsbury Twp., Tinton Falls (naval station only), Union Beach and West Long Branch are eligible to apply for facade improvement grants of up to $1,850.

Asbury Park, Long Branch and Middletown businesses are not eligible for this program because those municipalities receive designated HUD Community Development Block Grants directly.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Christie: We’re all one of God’s creations

Excerpts of Governor Chris Christie’s remarks at the Passaic County Superior Court’s drug court graduation this morning.

• Tweet

ObamaCare Update

680,000 New Jersey residents will be losing their health care coverage  in the coming weeks, as Horizon Blue Cross and AmeriHealth cancel policies that are not compliant with ObamaCare.

But all is not lost!  HealthCare.gov doesn’t work, so one of the firms contracted by the federal government to help with the enrollment process has opened centers in Edison and Wayne that are open seven days per week where trained navigators will be on hand to help the uninsured and soon to be uninsured enroll.

The deadline to enroll in ObamaCare, if you want coverage by January 1, is December 23.  Get your elf off the shelf and hustle off to Edison or Wayne.  There are malls nearby.

President Obama is leaving Friday for a $4 million vacation in Hawaii.

• Tweet

2 tickets hit $636M Mega Millions jackpot – but neither is from N.J.

2 tickets hit $636M Mega Millions jackpot – but neither is from N.J. (via NJ.com)

The second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history finally has a winner — two of them in fact. The lucky tickets that will split a $636 million prize were sold in San Jose, Calif. and Atlanta. There were also 20 tickets sold that matched five numbers…

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

You might be drunker than you think

In case you missed the Today Show this morning, here’s the video of the Rossen Reports segment shot last week at Raven and the Peach in Fair Haven last week.

Watch me dance stumble through the field sobriety test.

Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

• Tweet

Explainer: How Redistricting Can Shape Elections — and What Happens When It Does

Explainer: How Redistricting Can Shape Elections — and What Happens When It Does (via NJSpotlight)

What’s responsible for the extreme divide between Republicans and Democrats in Congress, and to a lesser extent, in Trenton? Some political observers believe part of the problem is the way we draw legislative and congressional districts. These days…

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Freeholders support traditional and religious holiday celebrations and displays in schools

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

At the December 10, 2013 meeting of The Board of Chosen Freeholders, a resolution was passed regarding Assembly Bill 4481 which provides school districts with the option of educating students about the history of traditional winter celebrations and allows students, faculty and other staff to offer traditional greetings regarding the celebrations. Some examples of the traditional greetings would be Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah and Happy Holidays.

Furthermore, Assembly Bill 4481 also provides the option to allow a school district to display on school property scenes or symbols associated with traditional winter celebrations, including a Menorah or a Christmas image such as a nativity scene or a Christmas tree; however the scene must display a scene or symbol of more than one religion, or one religion and at least one secular scene or symbol.

In addition to holiday displays, the legislation provides that a school district may include musical selections with religious themes at winter or holiday programs if the winter or holiday program includes musical selections of more than one religion or one religion and music secular in nature.

I felt that this piece of legislation was something that was very important to bring back into our schools because it encourages the support of understanding the importance of individuals and families keeping with tradition. Not only was I a strong supporter of this piece of legislation but I received the full support of The Board in particular my fellow board member, Freeholder John Curley.

Assembly Bill 4481 which allows school districts to teach about traditional winter celebrations, display holiday symbols on school property, and include musical selections with religious themes is legislation that I will continue to support in hopes of seeing those old family values and traditions restored to what they once were.

            With the Holidays come family gatherings, office parties, socializing with friends and Year End football game get-togethers. These are occasions each and everyone of us looks forward to all year.

            The Board of Chosen Freeholders wishes the residents of Monmouth County a very safe and happy holiday season.

• Tweet

N.J. Senate pulls gay marriage bill

N.J. Senate pulls gay marriage bill (via NJ.com)

TRENTON — State Senate Democrats have pulled from consideration a bill that would write gay marriage, already legal in New Jersey by court order, into the law books. Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg said Sunday that she decided to follow the…

• Tweet

Drinking on the Today Show

The segment was bumped by the Short Hills Mall shooting story.  It is now rescheduled for Tuesday between 7:30am and 8am.

Tune into NBC Monday morning between 7:30 and 8 or set your DVR  to catch some familiar faces, including your favorite blogger, demonstrating the dangers for drinking too much during the holiday season, or anytime, especially if you plan to drive.

The Today Show, in conjunction with the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control and the Fair Haven Police Department, hosted a holiday party for a small group of Monmouth County residents at Raven and the Peach last week.

The drinking, followed by sobriety tests and interviews, should serve as an important warning. Hopefully, those of us who participated will not look too ridiculous.

• Tweet