Saturday, May 19, 2012
Ocean County law enforcement officials and officers gather to remember those lost in the line of duty in the last year
There are 12 names etched in the monuments at Ocean County Park in Lakewood. It's a list that grew longer in the last year, as more law enforcement families joined those whose family members made the ultimate sacrifice in giving their lives in the line of duty. During the annual Law Enforcement Memorial Day Service, on the grounds at the Ocean County Police Academy within the park, those officers were remembered again, as the county's entire law enforcement family paused to honor their sacrifices. "I've always believed that we are one large law enforcement family," said Juan Mattos Jr., U.S. Marshal for the District of New Jersey, who was the keynote speaker at the service. "When one of us bleeds, we all bleed." "Remembrance is the …
Thursday, May 17, 2012
Growing enrollment, OCC-Kean partnership sparking need for new access driveway, student center
In two separate ordinances on Wednesday, the Ocean County Board of Freeholders approved $18.5 million in spending for improvements to the campus at Ocean County College. Thanks to state funding and money from the college itself, the measures are expected to cost the county $11 million of that total, however, Freeholder Deputy Director John C. Bartlett said. The improvements are the result of the college’s partnership with Kean University that allows students to start at OCC and wind up with a bachelor’s degree from Kean. “This is going to be a major development for our community,” Freeholder Director Gerry Little said. “It will offer students an affordable baccalaureate degree for under $25,000 total.” One ordinance, for $8.5 million, will…
Wednesday, May 16, 2012
Board, administration officials counter accusations delivered by former Board of Education member.
In an open letter to the media, the Board of Education, Barnegat Township Committee and New Jersey Department of Education, resident Angelo Mureo faulted the Barnegat school district Tuesday for allegedly overspending and fumbling the tax assessment process, resulting in an inflated tax bill. "Thought I've heard and seen everything when it came to skyrocketing property taxes in Barnegat," Mureo's letter began. "We saw our own taxes increase by 60 percent in just five years, caused by a botched reassessment at the height of the real estate bubble in 2007, an illegal selective partial assessment in 2011 and a Barnegat school board that can't put the lid on overspending." "Fact is last year alone, the Board of Ed raised taxes on our three-…
NJ’s governor and Cory Booker channel Seinfeld in video parody for correspondents show.
Just because they're the state's two most prominent politicians doesn't mean they don't have a sense of humor. The office of Gov. Chris Christie yesterday released a lighthearted video co-starring Newark Mayor Cory Booker as a peripatetic go-to guy, riffing off his now national-scale image as a man of action following his rescue of a neighbor from a burning building several weeks ago. As the Democratic mayor of the state's largest city is depicted doing everything from coming up with a spare guitar for Bruce Springsteen to catching a falling baby, a faux-frustrated Christie hisses "Booker!" The video was produced for the New Jersey Press Association's Legislative Correspondents Club show.
Tuesday, May 15, 2012
Measure aimed at staving off 'relentless' toll increases, Assemblyman says
A group of Ocean County state legislators have proposed a bill that would allow commuters to claim a tax credit if they spend $1,000 or more on highway tolls per year. Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin (all R-10) proposed the bill in their respective chambers Tuesday. If it becomes law, commuters would be able to receive a $1,000 state income tax credit if their E-ZPass toll accounts register $1,000 or more in toll payments in a given year. Holzapfel said the law is aimed at providing relief for commuters who have seen "relentless" toll increases in recent years. "By providing commuters with a means to offset a portion of their commuting costs, our bill recognizes that these taxpayers are paying more than …
The Ocean County Health Department is offering the pills to those living within a 10-mile radius of Oyster Creek
The Ocean County Health Department will be distributing free potassium iodide pills to those living within the 10-mile radius of Oyster Creek Generating Station at Community Hall on North Main Street in Forked River from 3 to 7:30 p.m. “This is a preparedness measure only and is not in response to any imminent danger or threat,” said Leslie Terjesen of the Ocean County Health Department. Those who have pediatric pills that expired on April 30, 2012, are being asked to bring them in exchange for new potassium iodide pills. Adult pills will be given to those who have never received them before. Those who have adult potassium iodide pills do not need to exchange them or get new ones as the expiration date is 2014. Distribution of potassium …
Quaker lobbyist from Washington, D.C. to speak at the upcoming "Friends" meeting on how to convince politicians and advocate for cuts in defense spending in favor of "human needs."
Barnegat Friends Meeting House on Bay Avenue will host a national speaker to talk to the local community about the need for a "more just and humane" federal budget. Emily Temple, a campaign staffer with Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), a Quaker lobbyist organization working to "facilitate peaceful action," will lead the discussion at 1 p.m. May 20 at the Barnegat Friends Meetinghouse, 614 East Bay Ave., where light refreshments will be served. "A reduced Pentagon budget would allow us to keep funding for human needs programs that defense contractors and many in Congress would eliminate," Temple said. "I hope to spend some time discussing in real terms what Ocean County taxpayers put into the federal budget ($1.6 billion …
Monday, May 14, 2012
Record number of species 'rebuilt,' report says
The summer flounder fishery has been rebuilt, a report out Monday from the federal government said. The fish species, commonly known as fluke, is arguably New Jersey's most important sport fish, and is also one of the state's most important commercial finfish species. Summer flounder joins six other species – none of which are common to New Jersey waters – that were declared rebuilt this year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's annual Status of U.S. Fisheries report. A species is considered rebuilt when its stock level meets a federal target that is considered by scientists and policymakers to be considered healthy and self-sustaining. The summer flounder rebuilding effort is important to New Jersey anglers …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
President made historic pronouncement during ABC News interview
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, May 9
In a landmark statement, President Barack Obama has become the first president to state his support for same-sex marriage. Obama gave the news to ABC News' Robin Roberts in an interview that will air on ABC's "Good Morning America" on Thursday. "I have to tell you that over the course of several years as I have talked to friends and family and neighbors when I think about members of my own staff who are in incredibly committed monogamous relationships, same-sex relationships, who are raising kids together, when I think about those soldiers or airmen or marines or sailors who are out there fighting on my behalf and yet feel constrained, even now that Don't Ask Don't Tell is gone, because they are not able to commit themselves in a marriage…
Students at Lacey Township High School join together with staff from the Department of Environmental Protection in the second Barnegat Bay Blitz
A little bit of rain didn’t stop the second Barnegat Bay Blitz as approximately 45 Lacey Township students enthusiastically made their way out into the woods surrounding the high school to pickup trash and debris. “The Barnegat Bay is one of our treasures,” said Bob Martin, Commissioner of the Department of Environmental Protect, which ran the cleanup effort. Martin told the high school students that Governor Chris Christie is concerned the bay is dying and has developed a 10-point restoration plan, which addresses areas such as nutrients going into the waterways and stormwater basins as well as education. The Blitz fits in with action item number eight in the plan, which calls for increased education efforts to foster public stewardship …
JD
9:13 am on Friday, May 18, 2012
You are clueless... The reason for the growth in OCC is due to the high cost of 4yr state colleges in NJ. It's $100k for NJ state colleges... rutgers, etc. Most kids do 2 years at OCC and final 2 years at Rutgers, Rowan, etc to save cost.. that is less than $60k. With Kean setting up... that could be a commuter school for a 4yr degree... large population to draw from within driving distance... … more ›