Made In Monmouth

By Freeholder Director Tom Arnone

Freeholder Director Tom Arone

This year’s MADE IN MONMOUTH ANNUAL EVENT now in its second year surpassed last year’s expectations and proved to be a win-win for both Monmouth County vendors and shoppers alike. The second annual ”Made in Monmouth” was held this past Saturday, September 28, 2013 at Monmouth University in West Long Branch. The event took place from 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

            This event was a proactive approach originated as a way to give Monmouth County Vendors an opportunity to display and sell their products. All products were made in Monmouth County and showcased an array of amazingly well crafted products. Many of the vendors were true artists and the creativity brought forth had no end.

            As liaison to the Department of Economic Development, it gave me great pride as I walked around with my fellow Board Members and had an opportunity to meet and speak with the many vendors who participated in this fantastic event.

            There were approximately 140 vendors in all with more than 2000 shoppers in attendance for the day.

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Middletown’s Website Named Best In New Jersey By Monmouth University Study

Middletown Township’s has the best municipal website in the State of New Jersey by a Monmouth University study performed by the school’s Polling Institute and its Graduate Program in Public Policy.

The project assessed 540 municipal websites in New Jersey for content, ease of use and citizen interaction.

Red Bank’s site earned an Honorable Mention, coming in 22nd on the list of 540. Five other Monmouth County sites were in the top 100, barely. Spring Lake’s site is ranked #82, Manasquan #89, Tinton Falls #91, Belmar #93 and Marlboro #95.

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More financial troubles at New Jersey’s newspapers

The Asbury Park Press’s building is for sale.  The Press of Atlantic City is for sale.

This morning, The Star Ledger announced that they are laying off 34 people, including 10% of the newsroom.

In a poll published on January 8, Monmouth University’s Patrick Murray said that since 2005 newspapers as the primary source of news has decline from 48% to 27% among New Jerseyans.  The shift has favored the interent where 28% now get their news, up from 6% in 2005.  Television as a news source has also declined since 05, according to Murray.  48% got most of their news from TV in 05.  Now 34%, still the highest percentage, are informed by television.

There is not much good news for the industry looking forward, according to Murray’s report. 45% of 18-34 year olds now look to the net as their primary news source, up from 33% in 2009.

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MMM Year In Review – March

Governor Christie’s flirtation with the national media and GOP fundraisers over running for president started to build momentum during March.  He told reporters in Washington that he wouldn’t be governor in 2014.  He told the National Review’s Rick Lowry “I already know I could win” the presidency.

The Monmouth County Freeholders suspended three SCAT drivers who had called out sick on February 25 but were caught on camera protesting labor reforms in Trenton.  State Senator Joe Kyrillos praised the Freeholders for their action and stepped up his call for civil service reform.

Anna Little told The Auditor that she was thinking of running for U.S. Senate instead of Congress.

Peter Burnham was suspended as Brookdale College President on March 3.   On March 9 Burnham resigned.

Citizen journalist James O’Keefe embarrassed NPR and came to Monmouth County as a Special Guest Speaker at the Bayshore Tea Party Group’s St. Patrick’s Day Celebration.  O’Keefe ended up being embarrassed himself over the press coverage of the event which included accurate reports that he did not want the event videoed.

Monmouth University Pollster Patrick Murray accurately predicted that Dr. Alan Rosenthal, the tie breaking member of the legislative reapportionment, would choose the Democrats new legislative map.  Murray based his prediction on Rosenthal’s scholarlly work espousing “continuity of representation,” i.e.,  that there is a value to voters being continuously represented by the same legislator after redistricting.

Even though MMM debunked the value of “continuity of representation” and the Bayshore Tea Party Group submitted a constitutional map, Rosenthal did indeed side with the Democrats, thereby assuring Democratic control of the legislature at least until the 2021 election.

After months of reading MMM, former Democratic Assemblyman and triCityNews publisher Dan Jacobson had an epiphany and registered as a Republican.   Jacobson started submitting his weekly columns to MMM and prepared to challenge Senator Sean Kean in old 11th district Republican primary. 

Spring Lake Councilman Gary Rich received the Monmouth GOP’s endorsement for Freeholder.  Rich received 25 votes from the screening committee.  Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas received 23 votes and Wall Committeeman George Newberry received 22 votes.  Howell Mayor Bob Walsh removed himself from contention prior to the committee vote.

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Monmouth Univeristy Poll: Pallone Leads Little 53%-41%

A Monmouth University Poll released today gives Congressman Frank Pallone a 53%-41% lead over Highlands Mayor Anna Little in the race for the NJ-6 congressional seat.  6% of likely voters are undecided according to the poll.

“A 12 point lead may look comfortable, but not when you consider the fact that Pallone regularly wins reelection by more than 30 points,” said Patrick Murray, director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute. “District demographics are the key to this race. Little does well in independent-minded parts of the district. The question is whether it will be enough to overcome the built-in Democratic advantage here.”

Pallone and Little are basically tied 49% to 47% in the Monmouth County half of the district, but Pallone has a sizable 58% to 33% lead in the other half, which includes urban strongholds in Middlesex and Union counties.

Little actually leads by 51% to 38% among self-identified independent voters in this district, but, so far, it is not enough to overcome the Democrats more than 2-to-1 registration edge over Republicans in New Jersey’s 6th.

Congressman Frank Pallone’s job performance rating among likely voters in his district stands at 46% approve to 36% disapprove. He also garners personal ratings of 48% favorable to 32% unfavorable.

By comparison, 33% of voters give Little a favorable rating and 22% are unfavorable, with nearly half

(45%) offering no opinion on the Highlands Borough Mayor.

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