By Art Gallagher
Over the Memorial Day weekend I noticed that Sean Byrnes, the establishment candidate for State Senate in the 13th District Democratic Primary, has put up lawn signs to get people to vote for him on Tuesday, June 6. Byrnes is being challenged for the nomination to compete with Republican Declan O’Scanlon in November by Joshua Leinsdorf of Atlantic Highlands. The winner of the LD 13 Senate election will replace Senator Joe Kyrillos in the Senate.
Given that Byrnes is taking the primary challenge from Leinsdorf seriously, I thought I should too. I invited Mr. Leinsdorf to sit with me for an interview. He surprised me. I thought Leinsdorf was an attention seeking gadfly perennial candidate. I found him to be a sincere, smart and thoughtful man who has common sense ideas on how to solve New Jersey’s many fiscal problems. Win or lose, he wants to influence public policy. He claims that even his losing campaigns have made a difference.
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Posted: June 2nd, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 13th Legislative District, 2017 Elections, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, Opinion | Tags: Declan O'Scanlon, endorsement, Joshua Leinsdorf, LD 13 Democratic Primary, LD 13 primary, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, Opinion, Sean Byrnes | 1 Comment »

Congressman Frank Pallone and Michael “Middletown Mike” Morris
Middletown Democrats who are examining their sample ballots in preparation of voting in the primary on Tuesday, June 6 will notice that only one candidate, William E. Hutton, is on the ballot for two seats on the Township Committee. This has led to a flurry of activity of potential candidates trying to get the twenty-six write-in votes necessary to qualify to be on the ballot in November.
As good a job as Republicans Deputy Mayor Stephanie Murray and Committeeman Tony Fiore are doing for the people of Middletown, it is just un-American to let Murray or Fiore go unchallenged for another term.
For over 10 years, Michael Morris, aka Middletown Mike, has been preaching that “Truth, Justice and the American Way is possible all at once here in Middletown, the Bayshore and the great State of New Jersey. Read the rest of this entry »
Posted: June 2nd, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Middletown, Middletown Democrats, Monmouth County News | Tags: 2017 elections, endorsement, Michael Morris, Middletown, Middletown Mike, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, Opinion, Stephanie Murray, Tony Fiore | 2 Comments »
By Greg Kelly

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Friday, June 2
- Lions’ Strawberry Fair (Oceanport) – MORE INFO
- The Midtown Men at Count Basie Theatre (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
- & Juliet by NJ Repertory Company (Long Branch) – MORE INFO
- The Ballad of Little Jo at TRT (Red Bank) – MORE INFO
- Paintings by Jason Stewart (Lincroft) – MORE INFO
- Monmouth Civic Chorus Northern Lights (Colts Neck) – MORE INFO
- The Challenges of Downsizing (Shrewsbury) – MORE INFO
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Posted: May 31st, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Greg Kelly, Greg's List, Monmouth County News, Things to do in Monmouth County, Things to do on the Jersey Shore | Tags: Greg Kelly, Greg's List, Jersey Shore, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, Things to do at the Jersey Shore, Things to do in Monmouth Ccounty, Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend | Comments Off on Greg’s List: Things to do in Monmouth County this weekend, June 2-4, 2017

Kim Guadagno, center, and her mother Pat McFadden, right, from a family photo via facebook
Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno’s mother, Mary Patricia (Pat) Blevens McFadden, died in Virginia Beach this morning. Guadagno has cancelled her official and campaign schedule and joined her family in Virginia, according to an announcement from the Department of State.
“Lieutenant Governor Kim Guadagno, has joined her family in Virginia Beach, due to the passing this morning of her mother Mary Patricia (Pat) Blevens McFadden. Please include them in your prayers during this incredibly difficult time,” said Suzanne Schwab, spokesperson for the New Jersey Department of State.
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Posted: May 29th, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2017 Elections, 2017 NJ Gubernatorial Politics, Kim Guadagno, New Jersey | Tags: 2017 GOP primary, 2017 Gubernatorial race, Kim Guadagno, Mary Patricia (Pat) Blevens McFadden, New Jersey, Patricia McFadden | Comments Off on Guadagno leaves campaign trail after death of her mother
O’Scanlon: Bears Hanging out in Monmouth County on Memorial Day Weekend is not “normal behavior”

Male bear killed in Union Beach on Saturday night. photo by Councilman Charlie Cocuzza
In response to our report this morning that NJ DEP’s Fish and Wildlife Division told Union Beach Police officials that “We don’t come out on weekends” and “that is not our protocol,” when the UBPD asked for their assistance in tranquilizing and relocating the bear that was shot and killed last night, DEP spokesman Bob Considine said, “the notion that F&W biologist don’t work weekends is ridiculous and offensive.”
Considine said that had the Union Beach situation been Category 1, i.e., the bear was a threat to public safety or property, that Fish and Wildlife biologists would have been on the scene. He said that the situation in Union Beach last night was a Category 3…a bear exhibiting normal behavior and not a nuisance or threat to public safety.
Considine said that F&W advised UBPD that they would not be disposing of the carcass over the weekend. The bear’s body is now stored in a locked dumpster on Union Beach Borough property. “Perhaps something got lost in translation,” he said.
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Posted: May 28th, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County, Monmouth County News | Tags: Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon, Declan O'Scanlon, Middletown Bear, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, NJ DEP, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, Union Beach Bear, Union Beach Bear Shot and Killed | 14 Comments »
Bear was previously caught and tagged by NJDEP
Updated with NJ DEP response 2:30 pm

photo by Councilman Charlie Cocuzza.
The Union Beach Police Department requested the assistance of the NJ Department of Environmental Protection’s Division of Fish and Wildlife to tranquilize and relocate the male bear that was eventually shot and killed on Saturday night, according to Councilman Charlie Cocuzza.
Cocuzza said that he was on the scene for over four hours with Union Beach Police officers. He stressed that the officers “did everything that was suggested by Fish and Wildlife.”
During a phone interview with Cocuzza this morning, he said that UBPD received a call from a resident reporting the presence of a bear at Dock and 3rd Ave at approximately 9:30 pm on Saturday, according to the source. By 9:50 pm police had spotted the bear and started evacuating the fishing area at the point.
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Posted: May 28th, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Monmouth County News, Union Beach | Tags: Bear shot in Union Beach, Councilman Charlie Cocuzza, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, NJ DEP, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, Union Beach Bear | 7 Comments »
The Middletown bear has not been located by Animal Control or the NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife yet, according to the Township Police, but there have been several more sightings reported on facebook throughout the Township. According to social media posts, there may be two bears…a cub and an adult.
@MiddletownBear opened a Twitter account last night. The bear reports that it is just checking out the town and is puzzled why JCP&L wants to build a massive powerline so close to parks, schools and homes. It posted that it was looking for the beach, but got distracted by a ferry in Belford. #wherearethefish. The bear is thinking of hosting a BBQ in Tantum Park this weekend.
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Posted: May 27th, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Middletown, Monmouth County, Monmouth County News | Tags: @MiddletownBear, Middletown, Middletown Bear, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, NJ Division of Fish and Wildlife, NJDEP | Comments Off on Middletown Bear Opens A Twitter Account

photo via facebook
A black bear was spotted in the River Plaza section of Middletown Township last evening, near Nutswamp Road and the federal road connecting Naval Weapons Station Earle’s Leonardo and Colts Neck facilities, which is not far from Middletown High School South.
Lt. Paul Bailey of the Middletown Police Department confirmed reports of the bear sighting and said that Animal Control and The NJDEP Division of Fish and Wildlife have been notified. Bailey said that as of noon on Friday, no Middletown Police Officers have seen the bear.
“Don’t approach the bear, feed it or give it a picnic basket,” Bailey said in a warning to residents. “If you see the bear, call the police. Try it keep it in your line of sight, but do not approach or engage the animal.”
Middletown Township released the following guidelines for dealing with bears:
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Posted: May 26th, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: Middletown, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, News | Tags: Black Bear in Middletown, Middletown, Middletown Bear, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, River Plaza | Comments Off on Bear Spotted in Middletown

Click for larger view
Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli’s recent attack on Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno appears to be backfiring. The oversized glossy postcard comparing Guadagno to Hillary Clinton is drawing angry comments on social media and pledges to work for Kim’s nomination on June 6.
Childhood friends of the Assemblyman are turning their backs on his candidacy and Republican women are particularly offended:
Here’s a small sample:
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Posted: May 26th, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2017 Elections, 2017 NJ Gubernatorial Politics, Kim Guadagno, New Jersey | Tags: 2017 GOP primary, 2017 Gubernatorial race, Hirsh Singh, Jack Ciattarelli, Kim Guadagno, New Jersey | 5 Comments »
Murphy’s lead in Democratic race slips slightly

Kim Guadagno
Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno has expanded her lead in the New Jersey GOP gubernatorial primary, according to independent poll by Stockton University released today.
Guadagno is the favorite of 37% of likely Republican primary voters surveyed between May 16 and 23, up from 29% in a Stockton poll taken April 26 though May 1. Guadagno’s surge coincides with her ads running on MMM. Just sayin’.
Assemblyman Jack Ciattarell’s support slipped 1% from 19% t0 18% between the two polls. Undecided voters declined from 41% to 31%.
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Posted: May 25th, 2017 | Author: Art Gallagher | Filed under: 2017 Elections, 2017 NJ Gubernatorial Politics, Kim Guadagno, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, Phil Murphy | Tags: 2017 GOP primary, 2017 Gubernatorial race, Jack Ciattarelli, Kim Guadagno, Monmouth County News, New Jersey, Phil Murphy | Comments Off on Stockton Poll: Guadagno Expands Her Lead in GOP Gubernatorial Primary