Bruce Springsteen, Will You Support Asbury Park Gays Against Bigotry and Refuse to Play There, Too?

By Tommy DeSeno

Greetings, Bruce!

I hail from the City of your choosing, Asbury Park New Jersey.  A fan since you named your first album after our fair city; I’m one of your loyal “kids huddled on the beach in the mist.”  We’ve met on those nights you thrill the locals with impromptu performances at the Stone Pony, which made that venue famous.

I’ve noticed your occasional forays into politics, including your concert cancellation in North Carolina to protest laws about who gets to use what bathroom, and who gets to sue for discrimination.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Cops bust alleged heroin ring operating near Asbury Park

FREEHOLD — Monmouth County authorities say they busted a drug ring that moved 7,500 bags of heroin a week through the Asbury Park area. “Operation High Life,” as the four-month investigation was dubbed, culminated with the arrest this week of seven of nine suspects and the seizure of more than 10,000 bags of heroin that were… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce to Honor Company Connected to Homophobic, Racist Sheikh

By Tommy DeSeno

The Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce by all accounts is handled well. It was once as out of sorts as the City itself, run by the gas company with mostly out of City gatherings.

Lifetime resident Don Stine gave it a boost in 2002.  He formed the competing “Asbury Park Merchants Guild,” which gobbled up all the new businesses that were opening at the time as members.  It was vibrant, fresh and gave Asbury Park some great events. Little did anyone know Stine purposely designed it not to last.  He wanted to jump start the Chamber through competition, then eventually merge with it.  That happened.  The Merchants Guild became a special events committee of the Chamber, which has been running well ever since.

Yet there is something ominous coming this May 13, when the Chamber honors the Stone Pony with a Carousel Award, despite it being revealed that the parent company who owns the Pony is rooted in the Middle East and has a brutal Sharia Law advisor named Sheikh Muhammad Taqi Usmani.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

The Arnone Report: Spring into Monmouth County

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Freeholder Director Tom Arnone and Deputy Director Serena DiMaso at the Asbury Park St. Pat’s Parade

The past two weekends have been filled with fun festivities throughout the county and the list of activities throughout the rest of March includes parades, plays and performances. March is the month to celebrate the end of winter by getting outside and with two holidays happening this month, there are plenty of great events to choose from.

There’s nothing like a parade to usher in the month and the St. Patrick’s Day celebration in Belmar on Sunday, March 6 was the perfect place to do it.  Those of you who were in attendance may have seen me, along with my colleagues, on our 2016 float – it was a great way to participate in the parade – we had the best view! I also had a great time at the Asbury Park St. Patrick’s Day Parade on Sunday, March 13 walking with Freeholder Serena DiMaso, along with Mayor Moor and members of the Council and look forward to keeping the festive spirit alive in the Highlands by walking in their parade on March 19.  March 20 marks the first day of spring, so take the kids outside (if weather permits) and join the Monmouth County Park System for a nature walk at 10 a.m. at the Manasquan Reservoir to look for signs of the new season.  Log onto www.visitmonmouth.com for a full list of activities throughout the County.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Suspended Neptune cop pleads guilty, avoids life sentence in ex-wife’s killing

FREEHOLD — A suspended police sergeant who police say shot his ex-wife to death in front of their young daughter last year accepted a plea deal on Thursday that will allow him to avoid spending the rest of his life in prison. Philip Seidle, 51, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and child endangerment in the June… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Kiefer Sutherland’s new country band will rock Asbury Park

ASBURY PARK — Bauer meets banjo? Veteran actor Kiefer Sutherland will visit The Stone Pony in Asbury Park this spring, not to discuss his film career or time spent on the famed Fox thriller “24,” but as the frontman for a country-rock group. The Kiefer Sutherland Band, which released its debut album “Down In a Hole”… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Asbury Park Mayor’s First Rodeo

Asbury Park Mayor John Moor and his daughter Christa

Asbury Park Mayor John Moor is not a tuxedo guy.  He didn’t even wear one to his daughter’s wedding. Since taking office, many have suggested that Moor host a Mayor’s Ball to raise money for a worthy city cause. Rather than risk Dan Jacobson writing “Mayor Moor Has No Balls,” he’s having a rodeo to raise money for the city’s summer recreation program.

Moor told MoreMonmouthMusings that last summer 50 city children were turned away from the summer recreation program due to lack of funding. Moor found out about that too late to do something last year and vowed to do what ever it takes, except wearing a tuxedo, to make sure every Asbury Park child who wants to attend the summer recreation program can attend the summer recreation program.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Diquan “Gudda” Speights Charged with Jamar Small’s Murder

Diquan Speights was charged with the murder of Jamar Small. photo via facebook

An Asbury Park man who had been charged with Attempted Murder in 2014 was charged today with the December 20, 2015 shooting, murder and attempted murder in the 1000 block on Summerfield Avenue in Asbury Park.  The announcement by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office did not name the victims of today’s charges, but the time line and location match up with the murder of Jamar Small and the attempted murder of his brother.

A law enforcement official confirmed that today’s charges are for the Small murder.

Small was a standout football player who graduated from Asbury Park High School in 2010 and from Texas Southern University last year. He was the quarterback of the Texan Southern Tigers.  He returned to his home city to give back and mentor Asbury Park youth.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Asbury Park man indicted for firing at cop in shooting that injured 8 year old girl

FREEHOLD – A Monmouth County grand jury has indicted a 20-year-old Asbury Park man on six counts, including attempted murder, after he allegedly exchanged gunfire with a police officer in November. At approximately 7:15 p.m. on Nov. 4, an Asbury Park police officer attempted to conduct a field stop of Dante Allen, 20, of Asbury Park,… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

A Pussy Riot in Asbury Park

By Tom DeSeno

A friend once told me that he snot-chuckles like a 14 year old boy whenever he hears the name of the Russian female protest collective Pussy Riot.   That’s culturally understandable.

Don’t mistake though the seriousness of these women and the issues that surround them.  They are making a fascinating imprint on modern politics, power and protest.

On February 24 the House of Independents, Asbury Park’s new venue that is giving that City the artistic aesthetic it always pretended to have, is presenting “A Conversation with Pussy Riot:  Hosted by John Cameron Mitchell.”

To get a proper perspective of Pussy Riot, you have to realign your point of view from American to Russian when dealing with political terms.  It also helps to look at what they aren’t as much as what they are.

They aren’t a band, at least not in the traditional sense.   There’s music, but it’s not their focus.  It’s not even good music, probably by their own intention.  The music is beside the point of their varied socio-political messages.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet