N.J. forest fire that destroyed buildings, damaged homes still burning. Firefighter critically injured.

Firefighters are still working Monday morning to contain a major forest fire in Ocean County that destroyed commercial buildings in Lakewood, damaged more than two dozens homes in neighboring Brick and left one firefighter critically injured.

• Tweet

Ocean County Man, 28, Charged With Luring 15 Year Old Girl In Howell

Craig Sorokach, 28, of Sawmill Road in Brick Township was arrested on Saturday after he arranged via the Internet to engage in sexual activity with a 15 year old girl in Howell, according to an announcement by Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

Sorokach was charged following an investigation by the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office working in conjunction with the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC). He is charged with Attempted Sexual Assault, Luring, Enticing a Child by Various Means, Attempted Endangering the Welfare of a Child, and Attempted Obscenity to a Minor after he arranged to meet with the girl in Howell. He is in the custody of the Monmouth County Correctional Institution in Freehold.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Drunk woman with suspended license sideswipes N.J. trooper in Eatontown

TRENTON — A woman with a suspended license allegedly side-swiped a state trooper vehicle while driving drunk on along a stretch of highway in Monmouth County on Monday, authorities said. Kristen Szatmary, 31, was driving a Ford Focus and allegedly talking on her cell phone when she crashed into a troop car just after noon on… Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Prosecutor seeks additional victims of Middletown con man

Christopher D. Biello. photo via facebook

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office is concerned that a Middletown con man may have fleeced far more people than they already have identified.

Christopher D. Biello, 43, of Coe Place in the Port Monmouth section of the township, was arrested last week and charged with 14 crimes including Theft by Deception, Impersonation, Fraudulent Use of a Credit Card, Forgery and Falsifying Records following a year-long investigation.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Red Light Cameras Shuttered In Brick

O’Scanlon and Ducey Celebrate “Good Riddance” To Red Light Ripoffs

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon and Brick Mayor John Ducey celebrated the end of the Township’s red light camera program  yesterday by posing for one last image for American Traffic Solutions’ computers in Arizona to process.

Fulfilling a campaign promise made during his race for mayor last fall, on February 6 Ducey announced the results of his study of Brick’s RLC results showing that the cameras actually increased traffic accidents over the three year program and refused to renew the contract of ATS, the Arizona company that administered the program and kept roughly half of the fine monies collected.  The contract expired at midnight today.

O’Scanlon, New Jersey’s leading critic of the RLC program praised Ducey for protecting Brick’s motorists from the dangerous rippoffs and called on the leaders of the twenty-four New Jersey municipalities that still have the cameras to do the same thing: “One down, 24 to go!” O’Scanlon declared.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Brick Township Ends Its Red Light Camera Program

Brick Mayor John Ducey

Citing accident statistics reporting an increase in accidents at the three red light camera intersections in his Township, Brick Mayor John Ducey announced this afternoon that he is not renewing American Traffic Solutions’s contract.

Brick’s red light camera program terminates effective February 18, 2014 and equipment is to be removed  by February 24.

Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, New Jersey’s most prominent opponent of the red light camera program was on hand to congratulate Ducey, the residents of Brick, and New Jersey motorists who drive in Brick.

“When I was running for Mayor, one of the most frequent sources of frustrations of the people I spoke to was the red light cameras.  I promised to review our red light camera program and remove them if that review didn’t convince me that they were making our roads safer,” said Mayor Ducey.  “I have kept that promise.  After conducting that review, I am not convinced that the benefit is safety and not revenue. At the end of the day, the statistics I was shown did not convince me that these cameras are making intersections safer.  The strongest argument for keeping the lights is for the revenue they generate and I feel strongly that government should not be balancing budgets through punitive measures,” As a result I am not renewing the red light camera contract which is effectively ending red light cameras in Brick Township.”

Ducey noted an increase in accidents at each of the three Brick intersections that have RCLs between 2012 and 2013, the 2013 data is not completely reported yet.

Read the rest of this entry »

• Tweet

Jersey Boys: Christie and Springsteen

Jeffery Goldberg’s account in The Atlantic of the Springsteen concert he attended with Governor Chris Christie and his entourage at The Rock is a must read for friends and foe of Christie.  Mitt Romney’s vetters and the DGA will be reading it.  You might as well.

Hat tip to our friends at InTheLobby.

Christie is having a Town Hall meeting in Brick on Tuesday the 26th, four days before the State’s budget is due or the government shuts down, except for the State Police and the Casino Control Commission.

Bruce is invited but probably won’t show.  You are invited too!

The meeting is at the Lake Riveria Middle School, 171 Beaverson Road, Brick.   It starts and 3PM.  Doors open at 2:15.  RSVP here is you are going.

• Tweet

First Lady Mary Pat Christie Names Brick Stars Coach Alex DePalma a New Jersey Hero for Empowering Individuals with Developmental Disabilities with Important Life Skills

Trenton, NJ – With 25 years coaching experience, Alex DePalma was searching to make a difference in a new arena. So in 2009, he began the Brick Stars Challenger Program to bring together children and adults with developmental disabilities for an hour each Sunday to teach them to play and enjoy the game of ice hockey. To honor the commitment, success and remarkable growth of the Brick Stars Challenger Program, First Lady Mary Pat Christie today joined Alex DePalma on center ice at the Ocean Ice Palace in Brick to name him the fourth New Jersey Hero of 2012.

“Through the game of hockey, Alex has found a creative opportunity to encourage children and adults with Autism and other developmental disabilities to learn valuable life skills that will help these players overcome challenges in becoming more confident and independent individuals,” said Mrs. Christie. “Seeing the joy each skater is experiencing as well as the pride expressed by their parents makes this an incredibly inspiring program. I am proud to name Alex DePalma our New Jersey Hero for the month of April.”

The Brick Stars Challenger Program is for participants between the ages of 5 and 21 who have a developmental disability, such as Autism. The program, which helps players learn fundamental skills, began with just 8 players in 2009. By the end of the first season, it had a total of 25 players, making it the fastest growing special needs program in New Jersey.

“When I received a call that I had been selected as the New Jersey Hero for the month of April by First Lady Mary Pat Christie, I was extremely honored and very proud to represent our Stars Challenger Hockey program,” said Brick Hockey Club ACE & Stars Director Alex DePalma. “The players and parents involved in the Stars program show amazing courage and determination every week, inspiring and enriching the lives of all who volunteer their time to teach these amazing kids how to play hockey. They are truly our heroes.”

The Brick Stars Challenger Program is part of the Brick Hockey Club Organization and is a 501c (3) organization. Coaches are USA Hockey certified and the program is operated by volunteers consisting of local coaches, current and past Hockey Club members as well as local high school players.

New Jersey Heroes is an initiative of First Lady Mary Pat Christie that showcases the positive and unique ways people and organizations are impacting New Jersey and their communities. To nominate a hero, go to http://newjerseyheroes.org and follow the application instructions to submit the person you believe is a true New Jersey Hero.

In addition, Autism Awareness is an advocacy area embraced by Mrs. Christie to bring greater understanding of the developmental disability. Throughout the year, she highlights the innovative work being done by organizations throughout the state to serve people with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).

 For more information about Brick Stars Challenger Program, visit www.brickhockeyclub.org.

• Tweet