Buckle Up or Pay Up

Monmouth County Sheriff Shaun Golden

Wear your seat belts, Monmouth County drivers. Sheriff Shaun Golden is sending reinforcements to police departments throughout the county as part of the national “Click it or Ticket” campaign.  The seat belt enforcement program provided through a grant by the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety kicks off on Monday, May 18, and runs through Sunday, May 31.

“I’m proud that the sheriff’s office has been selected once again to participate in such a lifesaving program,” said Sheriff Shaun Golden. “The main focus of these patrols and checkpoints, which will be conducted throughout Monmouth County, is to issue summonses to motorists and front and rear passengers, who are not complying with the state’s seat belt laws and to raise awareness on how vital it is to buckle up.”

According to the New Jersey Division of Highway Traffic Safety, the front seat belt usage rate in New Jersey currently stands at 87.59%. The goal for this year’s campaign is to increase the statewide rate to 90%.

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82 New Officers Graduate from Monmouth Police Academy

82 young men and women were sworn in as law enforcement officers today during their graduation ceremony from the Monmouth County Police Academy at Neptune High School’s Performing Arts Center, according to an announcement by Sheriff Shaun Golden.

43 officers completed the Basic Course for Police Officers, a 19 week program with 780 hours of training. 39 completed the Basic Course for Class II Special Law Enforcement Officers, a three month program that consists of approximately 600 hours of training with full police powers while on duty. Both classes are run through the Monmouth County Police Academy and upon completion the officers are well trained and well prepared to serve their respective law enforcement agencies.

The new officers’ training was sponsored by jurisdictions in Monmouth, Middlesex, Mercer and Burlington counties.

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Howell Bridge Collapses

photo via facebook

The Monmouth County bridge that crosses Havens Bridge Road in Howell Township collapsed on Saturday, May 9.   The bridge had been closed for weeks prior to the failure due to damage discovered during an inspection by employees of the County Public Works and Engineering Department.

News of the collapse was first reported on the Our Howell NJ facebook community page.

“Thank God we closed the bridge before this happened and no one got hurt,” said Freeholder Tom Arnone, liaison to the Public Works Department, when confirming the collapse.

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Monmouth County Honors Centenarians

Freeholder Deputy Director Serena DiMaso celebrates with Holmdel resident Addy Lubkert at Regency Park Nursing and Rehab Center in Hazlet

HAZLET, NJ – Monmouth County’s Office on Aging joined with Regency Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Hazlet to host the Monmouth County’s Centenarian Celebration, honoring residents who are or will be aged 100 and over in 2015.

The birthday party was held at the Regency Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center on May 11 and included a luncheon, music, gifts and a birthday cake.

There were 15 centenarians in attendance: Josephine Alessandro, 100; Eleanora Bell, 99; Rita D’Elia, 99; Katherine Elberty, 101; Hazel Feick, 100; Elizabeth Fitzpatrick, 102; Mario Gazzara, 101; Nicoletta Granato, 100; Adeline Lubkert, 99; Helen McKeown, 99; Rose Perrotta, 101; Brother Patrick Power, 102; Christina Savoca, 103; Ruth Schiff, 102; and Irene Starosolsky, will turn 104 on May 31.

In May 2013, Regency broke the Guinness Book of World Records for the “Largest Gathering of Centenarians” at their Somerset location, Regency Jewish Heritage Nursing and Rehabilitation Center by gathering 31 centenarians in one location.

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Jersey Shore summer rentals are still out there — if you’re flexible

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The Arnone Report: Shop Local

By Monmouth County Freeholder Tom Arnone

Freeholder Tom Arone

Want to make a difference in your community? Shop local! Keep the money within our own community.  It’s a proven fact that independent and locally-owned businesses recirculate more revenue locally compared to absentee-owned businesses. In other words, going local creates more local wealth and jobs. The spending done by a business locally to operate, including inventory, utilities, equipment and pay to employees directly impacts the economy within its community. In addition, the indirect impact happens as dollars the local business spent at other area businesses re-circulate and the additional consumer spending that happens as employees, business owners and others spend their income in the local economy.

Not convinced? How about helping the environment? In addition to the economic impact, there is also a positive impact on the environment that occurs when shopping locally. When you choose to buy from local or independent makers, you are cutting down on processing, packaging and transportation waste.

Our 4^th annual Made in Monmouth event was recently held to help support local business as well.  Made in Monmouth was created by the Grow Monmouth Team within the County’s Division of Economic Development in 2012,  to help small Monmouth County businesses expand their customer base and find new partnerships. In addition to the annual event held at Monmouth University, Made in Monmouth expanded last year and was a part of the Monmouth County Fair in July and held two “Mini Made in Monmouth” events in Manalapan and Cream Ridge last December.

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Oceanic Bridge will close for repairs between May 26 and June 12

The work being done on the Oceanic Bridge between Middletown and Rumson this month has revealed the need for additional significant repairs. After meeting with local officials, business and educational leaders last week, Monmouth County officials determined that the best course of action would be to close the bridge around the clock for three weeks immediately following the Memorial Day weekend.

The Oceanic Bridge will be closed to all but marine traffic from Tuesday, May 26 through Friday, June 12. For marine traffic, seasonal rules and scheduling will be in effect.

“The County’s current Oceanic Bridge repair project has revealed deterioration in two areas not readily or previously accessible,” said Freeholder Thomas A. Arnone, liaison to the Department of Public Works and Engineering.

Two of the bridge’s four main bearings need to be repaired. The bearings are part of the mechanism that supports the bascule and flanking spans on the bridge approaches.

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Ten Day Detour For Building Traffic Circle in Colts Neck

The intersection of Crine Road (County Road 4) Dutch Lane (County Road 46) and Heulitt Road in Colts Neck will be closed from April 22 through May 2 for the installation of a roundabout.

Motorist heading east should follow Vanderburg Road to Boundary Road to Cedar Drive to Heyers Mill Road to Flock Road to State Hwy. 34 to Conover Road. Motorists travelling west should use the reverse route. A detour route has been posted.

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Monmouth County man jumps to death from GWB, police say

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Humane Society Reinstates Volunteer Program

The Associated Humane Societies announced on facebook this evening that the volunteer program at their Tinton Falls facility has been reinstated.

AHS announced the suspension of the program last Sunday, claiming that volunteers failure to follow protocol for handling animals housed at the shelter cause animal deaths and injuries to both animals and humans.

Asbury Park Deputy Mayor Amy Quinn, a volunteer at the facility, called the claims by AHS “outrageous” and dubbed the management of the facility “apathetic” to both guests of the facility looking to adopt pets and the animals themselves. The volunteers was wage a PR campaign against the programs termination throughout the week.  A protest was scheduled for tomorrow at the facility.  It is unclear if the protest will happen, given the reinstatement.

Here is the statement posted today announcing the reinstatement of the program:

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