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Smith Visits Monmouth On Sandy Anniversary

Congressman Chris Smith, center, meet with Middletown Administrator Anthony Mercantante, Public Works Director Ted Maloney, Mayor Stephanie Murray and Committeeman Tony Fiore (right) in the Township's new Emergency Command Center on the 2nd Anniversary of Superstorm Sandy.

Congressman Chris Smith, center, meet with Middletown Administrator Anthony Mercantante, Public Works Director Ted Maloney, Mayor Stephanie Murray and Committeeman Tony Fiore (right) in the Township’s new Emergency Command Center on the 2nd Anniversary of Superstorm Sandy.

Congressman Chris Smith visited Howell and Middletown Townships on the second anniversary of Superstorm Sandy to assess the progress of recovery and determine remaining needs to be fought for in Washington.

Smith joined Mayor Bill Gato and Deputy Mayor Rob Nicastro at the Mariners Cover community along the Manasasquan River to the the sites of four demolished homes that had been damaged by Sandy and Hurricane Irene in 2011, and one remaining home that is slated for demolition. The homes were purchased by the township with state and federal funding.Disney Princess Chambre de rebond

In Middletown, Smith joined Mayor Stephanie Murray, Committeeman Tony Fiore, Administrator Anthony Mercantante and Public Works Director Ted Maloney in the Township’s Emergency Command Center from where Fiore directed the rescue and recovery efforts two years earlier in the aftermath of the storm, before touring three sites in the Township still in need of federal support.  While in the command center Smith recalled that NBC’s Andrea Mitchell showed up and asked to interview him. “I told her to interview Fiore because he was the one doing the work. She refused, so I spent the interview talking about him and the amazing work he was doing protecting the lives and property of his community.”  Fiore was Mayor during the recoveries of Hurricanes Irene in 2011 and Sandy in 2012.

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Posted: October 30th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Army Corp of Engineers, Chris Smith, FEMA, Howell, Hurricane Irene, Hurricane Sandy, Middletown, Monmouth County, New Jersey, Stephanie Murray, Tony Fiore | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Smith Visits Monmouth On Sandy Anniversary

Profile: Weathering the Storm — Sea Bright and Its Volunteer Mayor

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Posted: September 18th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Dina Long, Sea Bright | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments »

Documentary About Coastal Development in New Jersey To Be Shown in Rumson

Soldier_and_RuinsThe documentary film Shored Up, which examines the collision between coastal development and severe weather in New Jersey and North Carolina, will be shown Sept. 20 at a special screening in Rumson.

The planning advocacy group New Jersey Future, which is working with Sea Bright and Highlands on long-term recovery planning after Hurricane Sandy, is sponsoring the screening with Sea Bright Mayor Dina Long.

At the conclusion of the film, there will be a panel discussion and question-and-answer session featuring the film’s director and several local coastal and environmental scientists.

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Posted: September 17th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Community Announcements, Hurricane Sandy, Monmouth County, New Jersey, New Jersey Future, News, Press Release, Superstorm Sandy | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Documentary About Coastal Development in New Jersey To Be Shown in Rumson

Ocean Grove Opens Its New Boardwalk

Dr. Dale Whilden, President of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Assoc, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Sen Jennifer Beck, Gov Chris Christie, Congressman Chris Smith and Neptune Mayor Dr. Michael Brantley cut the ribbon of Ocean Grove's rebuilt boardwalk

Dr. Dale Whilden, President of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Assoc, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Sen Jennifer Beck, Gov Chris Christie, Congressman Chris Smith and Neptune Mayor Dr. Michael Brantley cut the ribbon of Ocean Grove’s rebuilt boardwalk

After being twice denied funding from FEMA before finally getting $2.4 million on their second appeal, the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association re-opened their boardwalk to the public today with a ceremonial ribbon cutting lead by Governor Chris Christie, Congressman Chris Smith, Senator Jennifer Beck, Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande, Neptune Township Mayor Dr. Michael Brantley and Dr. Dale C. Whilden, President of the OGCMA.

“Today is truly a great day for Ocean Grove, Neptune Township, Monmouth County, and the Jersey Shore, and a critical step forward in our recovery from Sandy,” said Smith.”This boardwalk is an integral part of Ocean Grove the neighboring Jersey Shore community, a fact we reinforced during our efforts to reverse FEMA’s original decision at the local level—and yet another at the regional level—to deny critical funding.”

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Posted: July 3rd, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Chris Christie, Chris Smith, FEMA, Hurricane Sandy, Jennifer Beck, Neptune, Neptune Township, News | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments Off on Ocean Grove Opens Its New Boardwalk

The List: Ten Ways Sandy’s Impact Continues to Be Felt At the Jersey Shore

The List: Ten Ways Sandy’s Impact Continues to Be Felt At the Jersey Shore (via NJSpotlight)

Kids are getting out of school, the weather is getting nicer, and many people are starting to flock to the Shore as they do each year around this time. Early indicators like pre-season beach tag sales and vacation rental bookings seem to point to a…

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Posted: June 17th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Hurricane Sandy, Jersey Shore, Superstorm Sandy | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Communications Upgrades in the Works for Sandy-damaged Shore Towns

Communications Upgrades in the Works for Sandy-damaged Shore Towns, Part 2 (via NJ Tech Weekly)

Mayor William Curtis of Bay Head | Courtesy William Curtis This is the second of a two-part story on technological upgrades being implemented in New Jersey shore towns in the aftermath of Superstorm Sandy. Police communications systems. New websites…

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Posted: June 9th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Superstorm Sandy | Tags: , | Comments Off on Communications Upgrades in the Works for Sandy-damaged Shore Towns

Restored Doughboy Statue Helps Sandy Recovery at Union Beach

Restored Doughboy Statue Helps Sandy Recovery at Union Beach (via NJSpotlight)

A much-loved memorial to Union Beach’s war dead was hoisted back into place on Monday, some 19 months after it was displaced and dismembered by superstorm Sandy. The doughboy, a 6-foot granite statue of a World War I soldier, had stood on its plinth…

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Posted: May 20th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Monmouth County, Union Beach | Tags: , , , , , | Comments Off on Restored Doughboy Statue Helps Sandy Recovery at Union Beach

O’SCANLON INTRODUCES SANDY HOUSING LEGISLATION

New bill reauthorizes regional contribution agreements for Sandy affected counties

IMG_3871 (640x427)Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon will introduce new legislation tomorrow that reauthorizes regional contribution agreements (RCAs) between towns in the nine most Superstorm Sandy-impacted counties. These agreements will permit the transfer of housing units to count towards a recipient municipality’s fair share obligation. These types of agreements were originally permitted under the Coalition On Affordable Housing where one town could transfer a portion of its affordable housing obligation to another. RCAs were banned in 2008.

“I’ve always said that the law banning RCAs was shortsighted,” explained O’Scanlon.  “I want to go on record saying I disagree with this far reaching court-mandated housing scheme.  But if we have to have it, there should be a mix of options for municipalities to deal with it.  “Mayor John Hornik of Marlboro recently revived the discussion of RCAs in relation to those areas affected by Sandy. We have seized on that common ground and developed legislation reauthorizing RCAs to help facilitate the construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of housing in areas hardest hit by Sandy.  We can finally put these funds to work creating affordable housing and helping towns recover from the storm at the same time.  I look forward to working with Mayor Hornik on this as we work to persuade the legislative leadership to join the effort.”

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Posted: May 14th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: COAH, Declan O'Scanlon, Housing, Hurricane Sandy, Superstorm Sandy | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

How Superstorm Sandy Created a New Breed of NJ Online Citizen Journalists on Facebook

How Superstorm Sandy Created a New Breed of NJ Online Citizen Journalists on Facebook (via NJ Tech Weekly)

During Sandy, Bob “Weatherman” Burger kept people informed. | Courtesy Bob Burger  October 29, 2012 — call it “the night the lights went out in Jersey,” literally. That’s when Superstorm Sandy roared up the East Coast as a hurricane, made…

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Posted: May 14th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Hurricane Sandy, Media, Social Media, Superstorm Sandy | Tags: , , , , | 2 Comments »

NJ has distributed less than 25 percent of Sandy aid

NJ has distributed less than 25 percent of Sandy aid (via NJ.com)

About a year after the federal government allocated $1.8 billion to New Jersey to rebuild after Hurricane Sandy, the state has distributed less than a quarter of the disaster relief aid, according to a new report. State officials, however, claim they…

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Posted: May 4th, 2014 | Author: | Filed under: Christie Administration, RREM, Superstorm Sandy | Tags: , , | Comments Off on NJ has distributed less than 25 percent of Sandy aid