Friend stole $7K from Sarah Stern after strangling her, new documents reveal

NEPTUNE CITY — The man accused of strangling Sarah Stern went with her to the bank where she retrieved a safety deposit box filled with at least $7,000 before the pair returned to her Neptune City home where Liam McAtasney allegedly robbed her, new documents obtained by NJ Advance Media reveal. McAtasney, 19, of Neptune City,… Read the rest of this entry »

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Family of missing teen organizing search of Jersey Shore towns Saturday

BELMAR — Family members of the missing 19-year-old Neptune City woman missing nearly a week since her car was found unoccupied on a Belmar bridge are organizing a search party for Saturday in coastal towns in Monmouth County. Sarah Stern’s car was discovered unoccupied on Saturday on the Route 35 bridge not far from her home.… Read the rest of this entry »

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Search for Sarah Stern Continues

Monmouth County and New Jersey authorities are continuing their massive search for Sarah Stern, the 19 year old Neptune City resident whose  her abandoned vehicle was discovered in the shoulder of the southbound lanes of the Route 35 Bridge in Belmar, announced Monmouth County Prosecutor Christopher J. Gramiccioni.

“We are asking everyone to keep an eye out for this young woman, and report any possible sightings as soon as possible,” Gramiccioni said.

Stern, 19, was last seen at her Neptune City residence on the afternoon of Dec. 2, 2016, and a few hours later her 1994 silver four-door Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight was found abandoned on the crest of the bridge by a passerby who reported the car to a Neptune Township police officer. The abandoned car was operational and the keys were found in the vehicle. There were no persons in the area and the vehicle was subsequently towed from the road by the Neptune Township Police Department.

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Crime Stoppers Offers $5K Reward In Sarah Stern Disappearance

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Monmouth County Crime Stoppers is offering a $5 thousand reward for information leading to the identification, arrest and prosecution of any suspect(s) involved in the disappearance of Sarah Stern, 19, of Neptune City.

Stern left her home on Friday evening December 1.  Hours later her unoccupied vehicle was found on the Route 35 bridge in Belmar.  Her whereabouts is unknown.

“The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office is working collaboratively with the Belmar Police Department, and New Jersey State Police Missing Person Unit to investigate this case. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children is also providing advise and assistance.  All information is being investigated and we appreciate the efforts of Monmouth County Crime Stoppers to help resolve this case,” Charles Webster, spokesman for the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office said.

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Neptune City 19-year-old missing after her car was found unoccupied on Belmar bridge

BELMAR — A 19-year-old Neptune City woman remains missing Monday, nearly three days after her car was found unoccupied on the Route 35 bridge in Belmar, and her family is appealing for any information to help locate her. Sarah Stern left her family’s home at 11:45 p.m. Friday driving her grandmother’s 1994 Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight Royal, said… Read the rest of this entry »

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Pryor Wins Neptune City Special Election, Monmouth GOP prevails over bus loads of Democratic canvassers

Neptune City Councilman Richard Pryor, center, celebrates his reelection with Neptune City and Monmouth GOP leaders. Click photo for larger view

The streets of Neptune City were reminiscent of Newark, Jersey City or Chicago on election day Tuesday as out of town canvassers worked the town to get Democrats to come out and vote in a Special Election for a Council seat that was vacated as a result of a tie vote last November.

The State Democratic Party emailed Democrat activists statewide, imploring them to knock on doors and make phone calls in Neptune City, “because it is the home of Monmouth County Freeholder Director and Republican Leader Tom Arnone, who previously served as mayor.” U.S. Senator Cory Booker made a robocall for the Democrat candidate. An estimated 30 out of towners were bused in on Tuesday to to find Democratic votes to drag to the polls.

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Man arrested after shore cab driver is robbed at gunpoint, police say

NEPTUNE CITY — A borough man, who evaded authorities for two hours, was arrested early Saturday for allegedly robbing a taxicab driver at gunpoint. The incident started in Eatontown when Christopher Cutler, 24, caught a cab to drive him to his apartment in the Brighton Arms complex on West Sylvania Avenue, Neptune City Public Safety Director… Read the rest of this entry »

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Neptune City teen’s vote counts. Special election set for council race

Michaela O’Brien, photo via facebook

Michaela O’Brien’s vote has been counted, 84 days after she cast it, and as a result the Neptune City Council election between Democrat Michael Skudera and Republican Richard Pryor is tied at 602-602.  A special election between the two currently former councilmen will be held on March 22.

O’Brien, an 18 year old Brookdale student voting for the first time on November 3, voted by provisional ballot when her name did not appear in the poll book at the Neptune City First Aid Building.  O’Brien turned 18 in August and registered to vote on or about October 13, according to the election contest complaint file by Jason Sena, Esq on behalf of Pryor.

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Shoplifter Captured After Falling Off His Bicycle

Not Mark Lawrence

Mark A. Lawrence, 52, of Lake Como, was arrested by the Ocean Township Police Department last evening after fleeing from Target of Ocean on a bicycle, according to a statement by Det. Lt. Timothy Torchia.  He was taken into custody after falling off the bicycle and putting up a brief struggle.

Officer Ryan Krug responded to a shoplifting in progress call at Target and observed the suspect, later identified as Lawrence, cycling away.  Officer Dean Schooch spotted Lawrence near Asbury Circle.

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Year in review: November 2015

Jonelle Melton

Three Asbury Park Men were charged with the 2009 murder of Jonelle Melton, a 33 year old Red Bank Middle School teacher.

Democrats Eric Houghtaling and Joann Downey defeated Republican Assemblywomen Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande in the 11th Legislative District.  A Democratic SuperPac funded largely by the NJEA spent $1.5 million in the race, including television commercials implying that Angelini is inappropriately profiting from the drug abuse prevention non-profit that she leads.

For all the special interest money spent on behalf of the Democrats, Angelini lost to Downey by only 253 votes and the top vote getter, Houghtaling had only 713 votes more than the low vote getter, Casagrande.  Low voter turnout in Republican strongholds Freehold Township and Colts Neck was the difference in the election.

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