Earlier this week the Middletown Democratic Executive Committee reported to the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission that they received a $2600 contribution from Bookazine Inc, a Bayone based book wholesaler.
Bookazine specializes in the wholesale distribution of homo-erotica. Their catolog includes such titles and Handjobs Anthology, Volune 22, Tug Harder 2, and Bustin’ a Nut. I’m not going to write the sub-titles.
Reached for comment, Middletown Democratic Chairman Joe Caliendo said, “What’s your problem?” Asked if knows what Bookazine sells, Caliendo said, “No comment on anything,” and hung up.
Democratic Township Committee Candidate Carol Fowler said, “I wouldn’t know about that,” when informed that Bookazine had contributed to the campaign. When informed about what Bookazine sells, Fowler said, “That’s too shocking to even process.”
Fowler’s running mate, Jim Grenefage, could not be reached for comment.
Mayor Tony Fiore, who is being challenged by Grenafege and Fowler said, “The Middletown Democrats should return that donation. If they have any sense of decency and what is right, they will return the money.”
Fiore’s running mate, Stephanie Murray, a book seller herself, said “The Democrats should know where their money is coming from. This contribution shows a lack of judgement and insight.”
“Government Affairs Representative Roberta Sheridan’s communication is fantastic”
“People think I am making this crap up!” exclaimed Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore in frustration over JCP&L personnel giving the public information that contradicts what he has been told by JCP&L’s government affairs representative Roberta Sheridan.
“Sheridan is doing a great job,” said Fiore, “she told me at 10:30 this morning that there were still 1518 customers in the township without power and that 1264 of them would be restored today and 254 tomorrow. Linemen are telling people they won’t have power anytime soon. On the phone they’re telling people they will have power next week.”
Fiore asked that MMM post Sheridan’s email so that Middletown residents would have accurate information and would not think that he is a sewer truck:
we are working all over the township today……….waiting for the areas to be identified……..total of 1,518 customers out in all of the Township, today we are scheduled to bring 1, 264 back in power the remaining 254 tomorrow………..r
Roberta Sheridan
JCP&L
The heat and humidity is coming back and asthmatics are beginning to suffer. So reports an MMM reader from Highlands who just called saying she was having a hard time breathing.
GET THE FRICKIN POWER ON!
Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore just called. JCP&L’s Roberta Sheridan called back and gave him an electric delivery 101 lesson. “All Available Men” are not at the substations because the substations are working. The problem is with circuits throughout the neighborhoods that must be repaired. That is where “all available men are” per Sheridan through Fiore.
All available men must be working out of Comcast, Verizon or Sewer trucks because there is not a JCP&L truck in the area that I have seen. If you see one, please post the location in the comments and I’ll run right over to take pictures.
Sheridan guaranteed Fiore that all of Middletown Township would have power by Friday.
That’s still too long as far as I am concerned.
Fair Haven Mayor Mike Halfacre says he just heard the Governor’s office. Christie is ramping up the pressure on JCP&L. Christie’s representative told Halfacre that Monmouth County has more residents without power than all of the rest of the state.
Note to municipal elected officials. Fiore and Fair Haven Mayor Mike Halfacre have demonstrated that the squeaking wheel gets the oil. Don’t be satisfied with the bullshit JCPL is feeding you. If you’re not satisfied with the answers your OEM team are getting through the established protocalls, call your legislators and the Governor’s office. Hold them to account. Feel free to use MMM the way Fiore, Halfacre and Toni Angelini have been. The public presssure is working.
Estimated Customers Out For
MONMOUTH County
As of Aug 31, 2011 2:46 PM
I have been informed that additional resources are being deployed to Middletown Township to get power restored to all Middletown residents as quickly as possible. These resources come after consistent phone calls to Governor Christie and JCP&L representatives. I have been informed that the Belford substation and the Stone Church substation, which affects Navesink, have been given the highest priority.
I understand many residents are frustrated that they are still dealing with power outages and downed trees entangled in power lines. For safety reasons, township crews cannot touch any trees that have power lines on them. They can only be touched by the utility. Once the substations are repaired, we expect to see JCP&L accelerate repair of primary and secondary wires along roadways. Meanwhile, Township crews are working feverishly to remove trees and tree parts from roadways that do not involve power lines. Our crews also stand ready to assist JCP&L with tree removal after utility company crews clear the power lines.
Middletown Township was well-prepared for this hurricane. We are currently in the storm recovery phase. An emergency brush collection will start town-wide on Wednesday, September 7. We will continue to do all we can do to pressure the Governor and JCP&L to get the power restored.
Posted: August 31st, 2011 | Author:Art Gallagher | Filed under:JCP&L | Tags:JCP&L, Tony Fiore | Comments Off on Middletown Mayor Anthony P. Fiore Statement on Power Outages
JCP&L’s Belford Substation @ 12:48 PM, August 31, 2011
Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore reports that he has a call into JCP&L’s Roberta Sheridan. Fiore also said that Middletown GOP Chairman Peter Carton told him via email that “all available men” went to the Stone Church substation this morning and Navesink now has power.
Is JCP&L’s electronic message telling you your power has been turned on and it hasn’t?
Not that Angelini got much satisfaction from calling. In her Matawan neighborhood a crew “finished” repairs and an announcement went out that the power was back on. Problem was, half the neighborhood still didn’t have power. When one of the neighbors called a JCPL rep told the person “we didn’t know you didn’t have power.” The person was told the neighborhood went back on the list….the bottom of the list with a 5 day wait.
Maybe JCPL days are like dog years.
The tanker trucks are still heading up Route 36 from the Bayshore sewage plants without power. May I suggest the truckers deliver to a large fan outside a JCP&L office.
In Highlands, Councilwoman Becky Kane reports that the State of Emergency is still in effect and that there is a curfew from dusk till dawn.
In an email to a Highlands Google group this afternoon, Kane said that JCPL told Highlands OEM that power would likely be out for several days. At 1:47, a Highlands resident reported to the same group that has just been restored at Shore Dr. and Miller Street.
There is hope for power, but evidently not for a straight story from JCPL
It’s been three hours since JCP&L’s Roberta Sheridan told Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore that “all available men” would be dispatched to the Monmouth County Bayshore for repairs to the Belford substation and the Stone Church substation.
There are no men at Belford. There is not a JCP&L truck in sight. There’s Comcast and Verizon trucks, but no JCP&L. There are tanker trucks moving up and down Route 36 filled with sewage. Apparently the trucks are not the only thing full of shit around here.
JCP&L's Belford Substation at 10:10 AM, August 31, 2011
An angry and frustrated Fiore told MMM that the Governor’s office called him this morning to check on if he had heard from JCP&L.
Maybe the circuts that have to be repaired are off sight. Or maybe JCP&L is placating the Governor’s office while bullshitting municipal elected officials.
Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore called at 7:22 AM to report that JCP&L Government Affairs Representative Roberta Sheridan had just called.
JCP&L is moving “all available men,” into the Bayshore of Monmouth County. That’s about 300 workers, per Fiore. Work will finally get started on the Belford substation which powers most of the Bayshore.
Multiple sources have told MMM that the Belford station was a problem. JCPL (not Sheridan) has been saying that the substation was underwater (it wasn’t) that its old (it is) and that they didn’t know when they would get to it.
Yesterday afternoon they hadn’t gotten to it. It wasn’t wet, but it was rusty….on the top, not the bottom. It’s elevated and the ground was dry all around it. This was not one of the underwater substations.
In an ironic and infuriating twist, while I was inspecting the Belford substation yesterday, Comcast workers, who now use the former JCP&L building adjacent to the substation were taking delivery of small generators. Well one or two of them were taking delivery while 9 or 10 watched.
The Stone Church substation off Sears Ave in Atlantic Highlands is the other problem for Northeast Monmouth residents and businesses. The misinformation being spread to area elected officials by JCPL about this substation is disgusting. One story was that trees fell on it and destroyed it. Another story was trees fell on it and it “burnt up.” ” Burnt up” could mean a fire or it could mean a blown transformer. Neither was the case. No members of the Highlands, Atlantic Highlands or Navesink Fire Companies knew of any calls to the substation in the last week. MMM went to the substation. No signs of a recent fire or the lingering smell of a blown transformer. The substation was not underwater. There were sounds of electricity though!
Stone Church Substation, August 30, 2011
Fiore said that Sheridan told him that the real problem with the Stone Church substation is topography with the lines going to and from the station. Trees on the lines and downed lines will cause further delays to electric customers being serviced by this station.
Fiore has been a bulldog of an advocate for Middletown residents and the entire Bayshore during the aftermath of Irene. During the Real Jersey Guys Radio Show yesterday afternoon, Fiore couldn’t get through on the call in lines so he sent a text informing us that he had gotten through to the Governor’s office about the Bayshore situation and asked that the Belford and Stone Church substations be made a priority. The head office said they would do so. Within an hour lights started coming on in Belford and Atlantic Highlands. Then Sheridan called first thing this morning.
Here’s a recording of the radio show, in case you didn’t have power and are listening to it next week sometime.
The show featured Fair Haven Mayor Mike Halfacre and stories of his multi-year battle with JCP&L and Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande reporting on the great works of Monmouth volunteers, law enforcement and genuinely finding the silver lining in the mutliple Irene clouds.
Middletown Mayor Anthony P. Fiore and the Office of Emergency Management have declared a mandatory evacuation as a result of impending Hurricane Irene. Areas subject to mandatory evacuation are:
All areas located between Route 36 and the Raritan/Sandy Hook Bay from the Keansburg border to the Atlantic Highlands Border.
ALSO
The following streets South of Route 36: Texas Avenue, Briarcliff Avenue, Montana Avenue, from Illinois Avenue to Pews Creek.
ALSO
Hartshorne Road in Navesink including Washington Lane, Clay Court, Tan Vat Road, Grand Tour, Indian Terrace, Wigwam Road
Mandatory evacuation is effective immediately. All residents must be out of these areas by noon on Saturday, August 27. No one will be permitted to return to these areas until they are deemed safe by local authorities.
For all other areas of Middletown, it is strongly recommended that you consider relocating to a safer location.
Middletown—Senator Joe Kyrillos, co-prime sponsor of legislation establishing New Jersey’s landmark Environmental Infrastructure Trust (EIT), is pleased to announce that special financing for the cleanup of Middletown’s Shadow Lake has cleared the Senate Budget and Appropriations Committee today:
“It has been a very long fight for the residents of this community,” said Kyrillos. “I am thrilled that the financing for this project is finally nearing approval. The Environmental Infrastructure Trust was established for just this purpose- to restore contaminated natural treasures and improve the environmental quality of our communities.”
If approved by the Legislature, the bill appropriates $2.7 million in low interest financing for the Township of Middletown to dredge the Shadow Lake in order to remove contaminated sediments at the bottom of the lake. The dredge spoils will be transported to a properly licensed facility off site.
“Thanks to the efforts of Senator Kyrillos the residents of the communities surrounding Shadow Lake can rest easier knowing that a project more than a decade in the making is nearing reality,” said Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore. “In addition to the Senator’s efforts in helping secure financing for this project, he has assisted the Township with the NJDEP to find a qualified site outside of Middletown for disposal of the dredge spoils.”
The legislation now heads to the full Senate for consideration.
Former State Senator Dick LaRossa and your favorite blogger will have our first radio show Tuesday from 5PM till 6PM on WIFI AM 1460 and here on your computer.
Middletown Mayor Tony Fiore will be our guest. Fiore will address the recent round of labor negotiations in Middletown as well as the pension and benefit reforms currently being proposed in Trenton.
You are invited to call into the live show at 609-447-0236.
The tanker trucks are still heading up Route 36 from the Bayshore sewage plants without power. May I suggest the truckers deliver to a large fan outside a JCP&L office.
Yesterday afternoon they hadn’t gotten to it. It wasn’t wet, but it was rusty….on the top, not the bottom. It’s elevated and the ground was dry all around it. This was not one of the underwater substations.
