Where Do The Rudest Drivers In America Live? The Answer May Surprise You

Report: Idaho outranks Washington, DC, New York and New Jersey for rude drivers

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Lucas takes the stand

Andrew Lucas, center, then the Republican mayor of Manalapan, with then Freeholder John D’Amico and Amy Mallet, both Democrats, in September of 2010, seven months after Lucas purchased Burke Farm.

Former Manalapan Mayor Andrew Lucas took the stand in his federal trial on fraud charges yesterday, according to a report in the Asbury Park Press.

Lucas acknowledged that he had made “egregious errors” in his loan application for financing to purchase Burke Farm, a 97 acre parcel of which he later sold the development rights to the New Jersey Farmland Preservation Program for $1.16 million.  The funding for the farmland preservation deal came from the taxpayers of Manalapan, Monmouth County and the State of New Jersey.

During his full day of testimony, Lucas explained that he made his errors in haste to get the loan funded before the lender, Central Jersey Bank, was acquired by Kearny Federal Saving Bank, not part of a complicated criminal scheme to defraud the lender who did not lose any money on the transaction.

Lucas explained that the discrepancies in his income tax returns for 2007 and 2008 he submitted to the bank were the result of adjustments made to the returns after an IRS audit which was completed two days after he was approved for the loan and to glitches in his tax preparation software.  He said he did not disclose the changes in his tax returns to the bank, as required, because he “did not read the fine print.”

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New York, New Jersey reviewing security steps

Governors Christie and Cuomo at the NYC 9/11 Ceremony, September 11, 2104. (Governor Christie’s Office/Mykwain Gainey)

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Bellew’s Campaign Manager Arraigned, Released Without Bail

Dwayne Horner. photo via facebook

Dwayne Horner of Little Elm Texas was arraigned in Monmouth County Superior Court on Identity Theft Charges stemming from a 4am robo call purported to be made on behalf of State Senator Joe Kyrillos, Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon and Assemblywoman Amy Handlin in the early morning of the primary election in the 13th legislative district on June 4, 2013.

Horner was the campaign manager for Leigh-Anne Bellew, Kyrillos’s challenger in the Republican primary.

Horner, 45, was indicted on the fourth degree charge on August 11.  He plead Not Guilty before Superior Court Judge Ronald Lee Reisner.  Horner was released on his own recognizance.

A recording of the call can be heard here.  Horner’s voice can be heard on the voice mail greeting of the Bellew campaign here.

The indictment charges that Horner impersonated another person or organization for the purpose of obtaining a benefit for himself or another or for the purpose of injuring or defrauding another.

If convicted, Horner faces 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.  He is represented by Robert Bonney of Lomurro-Davidson.

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Republican Assemblywomen Call for NFL Commissioner’s Resignation

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande

Republican Assemblywomen Caroline Casagrande, Nancy F. Muñoz, Mary Pat Angelini, Amy Handlin, Alison McHose, Holly Schepisi, DiAnne Gove, BettyLou DeCroce, Donna Simon and Maria Rodriguez-Gregg today called for the resignation of NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell over his handling on domestic violence issues on the part of NFL players.

The legislators jointly issued the following statement:

“When someone sucker punches an innocent woman or takes a switch to his son, something is terribly wrong. The league either delays disciplinary action or issues a slap on the wrist of the offender. The victims are vulnerable to the power of these men. Commissioner Goodell is unsuccessfully trying to appease the fans and advertisers that the league takes these actions seriously. If he were truly serious, he would apologize and submit his resignation over his failure to take immediate steps to prevent these kinds of assaults. The NFL should send a message to society that it will not tolerate these actions, and implement a no-tolerance policy with severe repercussions.”

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Report: 38% of New Jersey Households Are Not Meeting Basic Needs

You can’t have everything you want (or need) in ALICE’S New Jersey

1.2 million New Jersey households, including 890,000 households with employed adults (28% of the states population) are not making ends meet, according to a report released by the United Way of Northern New Jersey.

The working poor are dubbed as Asset Limited, Income Constrained and Employed (ALICE) by the UWNNJ.  These are families of four earning less than $62,000 and single adults earning less than $28,000…the income levels needed to provide housing, food, child care, health care and transportation in New Jersey according to the report.

The report says that 53% of all jobs in New Jersey pay less than $20 per hour or $40,000 per year.

71% of ALICE households are white.  31% are in the prime wage earning years of 45-64.

85% of New Jersey’s 560 towns have 20% of their population struggling to survive.

The study is based on data through 2012 and does not fully measure the impact that Superstorm Sandy had on New Jersey’s economy.

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A Teachable Moment

Editor’s note:  Freeholder Director Lillian Burry submitted this column back in February. In light of the recent “push polling” negative campaign tactic on the part of the Monmouth County Democrats and what looks to be an ugly seven weeks coming before election day, we thought it might be a good idea to run her column again.

By Lillian G. Burry, Monmouth County Freeholder Director

Photo by Vinnie Amessé © www.amessephoto.com

When Vin Gopal launched his latest attack, I heard from friends with two different types of advice.  Some said I should fight back immediately because silence would suggest I had no defense.  Others said I should do nothing because to respond to bullying would make me just look defensive.  I thanked them all for their kind thoughts but told them all the same thing.  I see this as a teachable moment to be shared with everyone who may be thinking of someday entering public life.

You may see public office as I do – a way of giving back to society and being thankful for the success you’ve had in your professional life.  In an ideal democracy opponents would challenge you by putting forth a competing vision of the future they would work for and offer up their record of accomplishments so people could judge whether or not they had as good a record as yours when it comes to getting things done.  Unfortunately, that’s not how our democracy has evolved.

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Reeling from casino closures, Atlantic City boosters attempt to change resort’s sub-Vegas reputation

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Number of whale sightings increase off the coast of New Jersey

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5 things to watch for in New Jersey elections

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