Christie’s School Cuts: Freehold Districts React

Governor Chris Christie's statewide school aid cuts--some $819 million--will hurt staffing and school programs for Freehold students next year, and officials must now figure out how to cope.

FRHSD

Update, 1:18PM: Freehold School District will lose about 9% of their state aid from the cuts, amounting to more than $868,000 less for 2011 than in 2010.  Patrick DeGeorge, the Business Administrator for the district, was not immediately available for comment.

"Mr. (Bret) Schundler lied. He's lost all credibility with his constituency," said
Brian Boyle, business administrator for Freehold Township's elementary and middle school
district. Read more

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Reader-Submitted: Karaoke event raises more than $1,000 for Girl Scouts

Posted via APP.com:

The Greater Monmouth Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Group recently presented a check for $1,376 to the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore after a successful "Caring With Karaoke" event.

"It is great to see young professionals use their ingenuity to have such a unique event," said Linda Rieche, fund development director at the Girl Scouts of the Jersey Shore. "Excitement filled the room fun was had by all from the Girl Scout cookie eating contest, to a candy kiss gift auction, billiard stunts and of coarse the main event-karaoke." Read more

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Accused Elks Club Shooter Held on $2.5 Million Bail; No Further Details Released

Posted via APP.com:

The New York City man believed to have murdered an Asbury Park man outside the Freehold Elks Club in 2008 is being held on $2.5 million bail, according to the APP. The details surrounding the case remain unclear:

Rodney Keys of Asbury Park was 39 when he was killed in a shooting in Freehold early Saturday, May 2, 2008. Rodney Keys of Asbury Park was 39 when he was killed in a shooting in Freehold early Saturday, May 2, 2008. (~ File photo)

Authorities believe Brandon Montes, 29, of Manhattan, shot and killed 39-year-old Rodney Keys and shot and injured Keys' friend, Tyrone Ellis, 38, both of Asbury Park, on May 3, 2008 outside the club.
Montes made his first court appearance today on the charges he is facing: murder, attempted murder and weapons offenses.

Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Jennifer Lipp read the charges against Montes, as he sat shackled at the wrists and ankles, dressed in a yellow jumpsuit, in the courtroom of state Superior Court Judge Thomas F. Scully.

Scully ordered Montes would continue to be held on the $2.5 million bail set in the case earlier this month.

Earlier this month, prosecutors charged Montes and Terrell Ryans, 23, of Trenton, in the shooting death, which authorities have labeled as gang-related. Ryans is also being held on $2.5 million bail.
Authorities have released few details about the shooting. At the time of his death, Keys' family members said they believed the killing was linked to an earlier dispute at the Elks lodge.

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New protocol authored for Freehold post applications

Posted via APP.com:

To encourage more community involvement, the Borough Council has created new procedures for applying to and filling appointed municipal positions.

"A lot of people don't know anything about the (borough) committees," said Councilman John Newman, who introduced the ordinance setting out the procedures. Read more

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Tranquil conditions continue, but active weather pattern expected to return

High pressure is slowly transitioning towards the Ohio Valley today, which will lead to a slight shift in the winds towards the northwest.  Other than the wind shift, conditions will remain rather quiet throughout the northern Mid Atlantic, as least for now.

The water vapor satellite picture this morning shows an interesting separation between the Sub Tropical and Polar jet streams.  Note that the low pressure over the Southeast will remain well south and east of the northern Mid Atlantic over the next 24 hours due to the Polar jet stream suppressing the low pressure system.  An area of sinking air between the two jet streams is centered right over the Philadelphia metropolitan area through Long Island, which will lead to clear skies due to sinking air over the region.  This sinking air will also support warm temperatures with many locations breaking well into the 60's, possibly upper 60's by this afternoon.  Yes, it will be very difficult to concentrate this afternoon at work or school! Read more

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Tranquil and perfect, a look at this evening

This is the second afternoon of perfect conditions with clear skies, low humidity, and temperatures pushing into the upper 50's to lower 60's along the immediate coast and lower to mid 60's throughout the rest of the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan areas.

The tranquil conditions will continue into this evening as temperatures slowly fall through the 50's and into the 40's under clear skies and light winds.  With dew points in the teens throughout the Northeast and Mid Atlantic, temperatures will have no problem crashing in the early morning hours into the upper 20's to lower 30's over the northern interior and mid to upper 30's along the coast.  So expect a slightly chilly start to Thursday. Read more

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Brookside Residents Struggle Without Power

Among the damage and struggles of Freehold residents from last weekend's mamouth rain storm were the residents of Brookside Assisted Living, who lived without power for nearly 60 hours because of the storm.

www.thebrookside.com

The 175 residents huddled in the facility's theater with generators and heaters from Saturday afternoon until Tuesday morning, but power is now back at the assisted living facility. Read more

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Kitty, Kitty Might Be Here: More Reports of Mountain Lion in Freehold Twp

Posted via APP.com:

Police responded to a possible mountain lion sighting Tuesday, but no animal or paw prints were found.

A Duchess Court resident called police to say a brown animal with a long tail had been spotted near a tree line some 25 to 30 yards away. Read more

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Janice Venables Enters The Democratic Freeholder Mix

Posted via MoreMonmouthMusings

Spring Lake Councilwoman Janice Venables will compete with Vincent Solomeno of Hazlet to be Freeholder John D'Amico's running mate in this year's Monmouth County Freeholder race.

Venables, a practicing attorney in Manasquan, has served on the Spring Lake council since being appointed to fill a vacancy in 1999. She was elected to a full term in 2000 and re-elected in 2003, 2006 and 2009.

Monmouth Democratic Chairman Vic Scudiery told MoreMonmouthMusings that he doesn't have a favorite in the race. "Janice and Vincent will work the room at the convention. The winner will be our nominee." Scudiery did say that he was impressed that Venables was re-elected in Spring Lake last November despite Chris Christie's overwhelming plurality in Monmouth County on the top of the ticket.

The Democrats will choose their nominees for Freeholder, Sheriff and Congress at a "mini-convention" on March 27 for 10 am-noon. Delegates to the convention are comprised of elected officials, municipal chairs and vice chairs, club presidents and vice presidents and at-large delegates determined by a percentage of primary voters in the previous election.

In the GOP, Neptune City Mayor Thomas Arnone, former Middletown Committeeman Thomas Wilkens and Spring Lake Councilman Gary Rich are competing to be Freeholder Rob Clifton's running mate.

Republicans will select their nominees on March 29. The selection committee is comprised of present and former elected officials at the county and state level, municipal chairs and former county chairs.

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Openness in Government webinar at Monmouth County Library Headquarters March 19

Attention all citizen journalists! Check out the "Openness in Government: Building Transparency" webinar at the Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan on Friday, March 19 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

The webinar is co-sponsored by the Monmouth County League of Women Voters and the Monmouth County Library System, and is part of "Sunshine Week," an ongoing national nonpartisan initiative to engage in a dialogue about the importance of open government and freedom of information.

The "Building Transparency" webinar will focus on transparency in the Obama administration – what has changed and what remains to be done. High-level government officials - including Norm Eisen, Special Counsel to the President for Ethics and Government Reform, and Miriam Nisbet, Director of the new Office of Government Information Services (OGIS) - will discuss the Administration’s new initiatives and their effect on the public. Panelists will also take questions from the live and viewing audience.

Plan to join us at this webinar “Monmouth County viewing party!”
Contact 732-431-7220 for more information.

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A well deserved break after a brutal end to winter

After a February and early March that produced historic heavy snowfall, heavy rain, flash flooding, wind damage, and all sorts of other issues; the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan areas finally are going to get a nice and well deserved break.

High pressure this morning is producing clear skies with temperatures in the mid 30's to lower 40's throughout the northern Mid Atlantic.  Clear skies can be expected through the day and into tonight with temperatures this afternoon expected to break into the lower to mid 60's throughout the region.  The only exception will be the immediate coast where the Atlantic Ocean will keep temperatures slightly cooler in the upper 50's.  A perfect day for St. Patrick's Day!

High pressure will remain in control through this coming weekend with similar conditions.  In fact, there is a real potential for some locations to push close to if not to 70 degrees on Saturday and Sunday.  So clearly this weekend is the time to get outside and enjoy the comfortable conditions, unless you are watching basketball that is! Read more

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Freehold Releases Snow Cost Estimates

This winter's unusually heavy series of snowstorms has cost Freehold $85,000, Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina reported Monday night.

Freehold Borough Administrator Joseph Bellina

Most of the expenses came from rock salt purchases and overtime, Bellina told the Borough Council.

Those costs will be minimized thanks to the borough's "snow trust," where officials had put aside money for just such an emergency.

Overtime payouts will come from the borough's operating budget, but Bellina was confident the snowstorms would not have a severe impact on the budget.

"We should be fine," he said in a follow-up interview Tuesday.

As for the havoc wreaked by last weekend's rainstorm, Bellina said Tuesday it was too early to tell how much it had cost the borough.

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Spring-like conditions return!

It's amazing how much weather conditions can change in less than 24 hours!  Just this morning, overcast conditions dominated and the regions was still soaked from the five day rainfall event!  This afternoon, conditions could not be much different with clear skies and much warmer temperatures as highs blew past forecasted temperatures into the upper 50's to mid 60's throughout the Philadelphia and New York City metropolitan area. Read more

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Spotted: Mountain Lion Migrating to Freehold?

The mountain lion--or creature like it--that has been spotted around Manalapan over the last week may be migrating into Freehold territory, according to chatter on Facebook today.

The footprint of the mysterious creature spotted around Manalapan--and now possibly Freehold--during the last week is believed to be feline.

Though the cat was most recently seen off Taylors Mills Road, Millford Brook, and Tennent Road, readers today reported that it crept to Durand Park in Freehold Township most recently. Read more

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Casagrande & Co. Open New Office on Main Street

Assemblywoman Caroline Casagrande is moving on up, or, well, west. Casagrande opened her new office at 35 West Main Street in Freehold Borough, in the storefront formerly occupied by Freehold Jewelers.

Casagrande took a moment to chat with us about the move as she made her way home from Governor Christie's budget address earlier today. Read more

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