Walmart is offering its employees homework in its ongoing battle with online retailers like Amazon. The nation’s largest retailer announced it will begin asking employees to deliver packages on their way home after work. The company is testing the employee deliveries at two stores in New Jersey and one in Arkansas. “The best part is this…
New Jersey residents on Friday should be able to end their week with some pretty nice weather that should carry into Saturday. Friday should be mostly sunny with highs near 77. After 2 p.m., however, there is a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms. Forecasters say highs will reach 79 in Vineland, Trenton and Newark. There…
A swimming advisory was issued for five ocean beaches in Monmouth County on Wednesday afternoon due to high levels of bacteria. The five beaches include: Broadway and Spray Avenue, in Neptune Township; Public Beach in Sea Bright Borough; and Brown Avenue and York Avenue in Spring Lake Borough. The statewide agency will check the beaches every…
May turned out to be a lousy month for New Jersey sun worshippers, but a great month for lush lawns and flower beds. All because of a pesky weather pattern that pushed a lot of storm clouds over the region and dumped abundant amounts of rain. Although some areas of North Jersey ended up getting average…
The other day a friend of mine forwarded me a photo of the governor sitting at a bar in Point Pleasant Beach just after Hurricane Irene in 2011. The reason he gave me the photo was Chris Christie’s recent attack on me in which he said that I should “start writing earlier or start drinking later.”…
LAKEWOOD — The township has exceeded 100,000 residents, making it the eighth largest in New Jersey, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent data. The Ocean County town now has approximately 100,758 residents, according to the bureau’s data from 2016. That’s a 1.5 percent increase compared to the previous year. Very few local municipalities are…
FORKED RIVER – Elected officials in all-Republican Lacey Township just quietly voted themselves a salary increase in excess of 40%, public records obtained this week revealed. According to documents provided by Lacey officials in response to an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request Thursday, salary increases for the mayor and township committee were authorized as a…
The one-time dominant electronics retailer RadioShack is in the final stages of closing more than 1,000 stores, leaving just 70 opened across the country. Just three brick-and-mortar stores will remain open in New Jersey, including in Kearny, Toms River and West Orange. The company will keep those 70 stores in operation across the U.S. as it…
ORTLEY BEACH — The first mounds of sand for one of New Jersey’s largest beach replenishment projects started being pumped onto Ortley Beach this week as Shore towns on the northern Ocean County peninsula, which for decades had fought hard against engineered beaches, relented after Hurricane Sandy. After having at least two projected start dates fall…
Jared Bellissimo tossed a four-hit shutout with six strikeouts and two walks to lead seventh-seeded Toms River North to a 5-0 win over third-seeded Wall in the semifinal round of the Shore Conference tournament in Wall. Toms River North will take on either top-seeded Toms River South or fourth-seeded Red Bank Catholic in the finals on…
TOMS RIVER-Lindsay Nelson pitched 7 innings and struck out 5 batters while going 2 for 3 at the plate to help lead the Donovan Catholic softball team to a 6-5 win over St. John Vianney.
Donovan Catholic took an early 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but SJV answered right back with 4 of their own in the top of the second inning. In the 5th, SJV went up 5-4, but DC scored 2 in the bottom of the inning and held the lead through the 7th and final inning.
Karina Gaskins went 1 for 2, had a double and drove in 3 runs. Kayla Roncin went 1 for 3 and drove in the other 3 runs.
LAKEWOOD-This week Rabbi Yisroel Schenkolewksi, of the Lakewood Vaad sent out a robocall to Lakewood Orthodox Jewish voters urging them to vote in Tuesday’s primary elections to secure the power of the community’s united bloc vote.\
Schenkolewksi said “Let us stop those who are trying to divide us and weaken us.”
Three Lakewood men, disagree with that robocall and feel that Lakewood’s, “Corruption Must Stop”. They are challenging the Vaad sponsored candidates on Tuesday.
Aaron Hirsch, Yosef Travis and Avraham Sharaby are challenging the Vaad’s influence in local government in this year’s primary election for township committee.
“We need a change in this town,” Sharaby said. “Many people want it. Many people are asking for it.”
“I am young and have been involved for many years with activism within the community. I feel as a representative on the Township Committee I can represent the thousands of young families that live in Lakewood and they can feel that they have a voice representing them, as well I understand that the seniors need quality of life and deserve the best for all that they have contributed to our generation,” Travis said. “I see traffic as a big issue in Lakewood, the traffic problems are being caused by improper planning. I believe smart growth, and a planned and coordinated way of properly building that won’t affect the residents’ quality of life can be accomplished.”
The trio hopes to win over Lakewood voters and defeat the Vaad’s candidates on Tuesday and, according to Travis, “Make it a great place to live for the great residents.”
LAKEWOOD-The influential political power brokers of Lakewood Township, the Lakewood Vaad, have announced Kim Guadagno as their candidate of choice for governor of New Jersey in Tuesday’s Republican primary election.
Photo of Kim Guadagno with New Jersey Orthodox leaders. Note: Her face was intentionally blurred according to a report. Click photo to read about that.
In a report yesterday on the political news website, Ocean County Politics, editor Gavin Rozzi broke the news through a video published by Lakewood’s “First Amendment Activist” of a robocall sent out by Rabbi Yisroel Schenkolewksi, one of the Vaad’s religious and political leaders.
In the call, Schenkolewksi urged Lakewood’s Orthodox voters that a vote for Guadagno, Lakewood’s large bloc vote remains powerful.
“Let us stop those who are trying to divide us and weaken us,” Schenkolewksi said.
Guadagno’s opponent in the election, Ocean County resident Joseph Rullo wondered what offers or promises Guadagno made to Lakewood in return for the endorsement.
“It’s so corrupt how one guy can cut a deal to get 13,000 votes for promises after elected in Lakewood,” Rullo said. “Kim sold her soul….Lakewood is a sanctuary city with no rules.”
The news also doesn’t sit well with voters in the Republican stronghold of Ocean County where an ongoing confrontation exists between Lakewood’s growing Orthodox Jewish population and the surrounding gentile townships of Jackson, Brick, Toms River and Howell where Rullo is showing strong against Guadagno and the other Republican establishment candidates.
In a new SaveJersey poll, a shore area conservative blog site, Rullo is leading the pack with 41% of voters. Rival conservative Steve Rogers polled with 22% with Guadagno and her establishment arch-nemesis Jack Ciattarelli trailing with just 14% and 16% respectively.
In the latest Shore News Network poll, consisting mostly of Ocean County residents, Rullo received 51% of the votes and Guadagno 27.8%. Ciattarelli (8%), Singh (7%) and Rogers (5%) all trailed.
Rullo hopes his conservative platform and open support of Donald Trump resonates with the New Jersey voters on Tuesday. He backed the president in last November’s election and has been a staunch supporter of Trump since his announcement in 2015.
Rullo said he feels most of New Jersey’s Trump supporters will be behind him, while Guadagno, Ciattarelli and Singh compete over the balance of the establishment type voters in the state.
by Al Della Fave, OCPO
LAVALETTE-On Thursday, May 25th 2017, at 1:21 am, The Lavallette Police Department and Fire Department were dispatched to a structure fire at 1806 Grand Central Avenue. Upon arrival, emergency personnel observed the second floor of a two story, multi-unit dwelling condominium structure was fully involved in fire. Both Seaside Heights and Seaside Park Fire Departments assisted with fire suppression.
RELATED NEWS >> Lavallette Police Officer Under Fire by Toms River GOP Smear Campaign
Despite the intensity of the flames responding units found upon arrival, the fire event produced one minor injury. A 45-year-old male was transported to Community Medical Center for non-life threating injuries sustained when jumping from the second story to escape the extreme fire and smoke conditions.
The subsequent investigation conducted by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes/Arson Unit, Ocean County Fire Marshal’s Office, Ocean County Sheriff’s Department Crime Scene Investigation Unit and Lavallette Police Department determined that the area of origin was on the exterior of the south side of the structure, along a balcony style walkway on the second floor. The point of origin is on top of outdoor carpeting that lined the floor of the walkway in between unit #7 and unit #8. The cause of the fire is deemed accidental and improperly discarded smoking material cannot be eliminated as the cause of the fire.
https://www.facebook.com/JerseyShoreHurricaneNews/videos/1592115787474594/
Toms River-Police here said they are investigating an overnight blaze that occurred at a school bus parking lot that damaged two school buses.
BREAKING NEWS>> Lavallette Police Officer Under Fire by Toms River GOP Smear Campaign
On May 26th at 2:40 am a fire was located to the rear of 2301 Industrial way. Toms River Police Officer John Minor was on patrol along Route 37 when he observed a smoke condition on the South side of the highway. He conducted a search of the area and located the source of the smoke. Officer Minor came upon several vehicles engulfed in flames. Toms River Fire Companies #1 and #2 responded and ultimately extinguished the multiple fires. Two Chevrolet buses and one Ford bus suffered extensive damage. Minor secondary exposure damage was done to a Ford F150 pickup. The vehicles are owned by the Toms River School District and they were within the transportation storage area at the time of the incident. Officers are still on the scene and the cause of the fires remains under investigation. The police department worked overnight with School Superintendent David Healy and his staff to ensure that no morning bus routes were negatively affected.
The cooperative investigation is being conducted by Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention Inspector Kevin Britton, Toms River Police Detective Mark Bajada, Ocean County Prosecutors Arson Detective John Doran, and Ocean County Sheriffs C.I.U. Officer Jillian Menke.
TOMS RIVER-A campaign of mudslinging and personal assaults has been ongoing against Justin Lamb, a Lavallette police officer who is challenging Jersey Shore pizza magnate Maria Maruca for her seat on the Toms River Council this November. Those attacks were increased this week, just two weeks before the June 6th primary election.
Lamb, an independent Republican has been challenging what he calls the “status quo” in Toms River and the establishment Toms River GOP organization.
His campaign calls for the end of the status quo, nepotism, cronyism and patronage in Toms River and for a more conservative approach to governing the township, but local party Republicans aren’t happy about it. They have engaged in a smear campaign that is reminiscent of turn of the century Haelig style politics.
Through aggressive and negative campaign mailers, personal public information searches and direct personal attacks against Lamb, the Republicans are hoping they can squash Lamb’s growing momentum across the township to save their ward 1 seat on the council.
Last week, the Republicans slammed Lamb for the defeat of a lavish $14 million taxpayer funded fire headquarters in downtown Toms River. Lamb was publicly against the expensive endeavor, but in the end, the township residents voted overwhelmingly against the project. Lamb, and township voters were immediately branded “Anarchists” by GOP leaders. Councilman Brian Kubiel, who also serves as a Fire District No. 1 administrator backed the project, which he claimed would save tax dollars in the long run and could provide as a future home to paid firefighters. Many voters felt the $14 million price tag was too high and the station too large.
Then came a report out of the GOP headquarters in downtown Toms River that Lamb, a veteran police officer had a negative confrontation with a Toms River police officer who was responding to a noise complaint at a house party. Police recorded Lamb’s condescending remarks to an arriving officer. The two had a short spat, but it was quickly resolved and no charges or summonses were issued. The GOP said the report was found through an open public records (OPRA) search they conducted against Lamb.
This week, we obtained a copy of that OPRA request. It was submitted by Sherri Pollina, a resident of Jackson Township who has close and personal ties to Toms River Councilman Kevin Geohegan and former Jackson Township Police Officer Brian Geoghegan.
Pollina, according to our own records search is a relative of Brian Geoghegan, and Toms River Councilman Kevin Geoghegan. We attempted to contact Pollina to inquire about her interest in Toms River’s Ward 1 election campaign, but she has not yet responded to our request.
Pollina’s request had the markings of a witch hunt. In her public filing with the Township of Toms River, she requested, “All accident reports listing Justin Lamb as a driver or passenger; copies of all summons issued to Justin Lamb; Any report or incident in the police CAD system [database] with Justin Lamb as a victim, reporting person or in the narrative mentioned.”
Sources close to the department also said similar requests were filed in Berkeley Township and Lavallette.
Pollina amended her request to include Lamb’s Toms River address, “Any police response to 109 [Lamb’s Toms River Address] Avenue and the disposition can also be emailed to me,” she wrote.
Toms River Republicans have previously disputed Lamb’s official residence at Buerman Avenue, yet requested Lamb’s activities at that address.
Days after Pollina received Lamb’s police records from the Toms River Police Department, which contained no record of violations, summonses or arrests, the records were in the hands of the Toms River GOP who used them to launch another attack on their challenger.
This week, mailers were sent out across ward 1, paid for by “Continued Prosperity PAC” citing Lamb as a Fake candidate and a Democrat, warning voters to “use caution”. That PAC was traced back to the offices of Bellu Memoli in Toms River, an influential professional services firm that has received public contracts from many Ocean County municipalities over the years. The firm is the home of Toms River political power brokers Carmen Memoli and Juan Bellu. Bellu, the recently ousted Toms River GOP chairman also serves as the chairman of the Toms River MUA. His partner, Carmen Memoli serves as the MUA’s vice chairman.
Lamb, a veteran police officer, used to verbal abuse and unprovoked altercations, isn’t bothered by the personal attacks against him by his opponent, Maria Maruca.
“Here they go again,the GOP hit club, my opponent’s puppet master,” he joked about the relationship between GOP Chairman Robert DiBiase and Maruca. “My opponent’s 13 year legacy is high taxes, slow recovery, and neighborhoods in decline all while she sits silent and waits for the next photo-op. It’s time for someone to be elected by the people, not handpicked as she was in 2004.”
Lamb also used the opportunity to slam DiBiase’s attacks against him.
“To the GOP club puppet master: The voters tell me YOU are on life support, I strongly believe it,” he added.
Lamb then got back to the issues at hand.
“The voters want change. They demand representation that will boldly serve them, not just talk,” he said. “They do not want to be betrayed again by a firehouse tax increase disguised as a public safety necessity. I will never vote for or stay silent on any tax increase, because I believe in small government at all costs.”
We are pleased to announce the grand opening of Guiding Light House, Inc. This is a transitional housing program for Woman Veterans and is the first female only non profit in the state of New Jersey. Please stop by and show us your support on Saturday,
June 3, 2017 from 10:00 – 11:30 am. Any questions regarding this event, email us at [email protected]. Donations will be accepted at GuidingLighthouse.net.
Submitted by Julie Lipari
TOMS RIVER-Daniele RomeodiSantillo, 29, of Jackson Township received a sentence of 30 years by judge James M. Blaney for his role in the murder of Peyman Sanandaji. Mr. Sanandaji was murdered on April 9, 2015 in the abandoned Casanova’s Ristorante, adjacent to the RemoediSantillo’s family owned Romeo’s Pizzeria.
RomeodiSantillo claimed the murder was in self defense, but during the trial, the jury found him guilty of conspiring with Hector Calderon, of Freehold to murder Sanandaji, and was found guilty on charges of murder, weapons charges and conspiracy to commit murder.
RomeodiSantillo maintained his innocence throughout the trial.
Sad Republican is sad.
TOMS RIVER-Republicans in Toms River have long adhered to the 11th commandment, an often spoken, unspoken rule that is cherished by many party loyalists. It was created by GOP’s most revered leader in its over 150 year history, President Ronald Reagan. Reagan invented the idea of the 11th commandment during his 1966 campaign for governor of California.
“Thou shalt not speak ill of any fellow Republican,” he said.
In recent weeks, that commandment has been shattered and is now scattered in broken pieces across the township’s bayfront and oceanfront properties as the hotly contested ward 1 Republican primary election has turned into a knock ’em dead, mudslinging bloodbath.
In what is being described as a hit piece, issued by Toms River’s establishment Republican Club against Lavallette police officer Justin Lamb, elected Councilman George Wittmann is the latest in a line of party Republicans coming out against Lamb.
Wittmann said Lamb was unqualified to be a councilman over a 2015 dispute he had with a Toms River Police Officer over a noise complaint at an Ortley Beach residence where Lamb was in attendance.
According to a police report, also released by the Toms River Republican Club, Lamb had a disagreement with a Toms River officer, however no complaints or charges were ever filed and the matter was never revisited.
Lamb said the incident was a non-issue and just another attack in a barrage of negative campaigning against him by the Republican establishment to keep him from getting the party’s nomination.
“This release by my opponents, just the latest in a long line of mud-slinging and dirty campaigning, was not a surprise. I spoke out against the deficit in their carefully crafted budget, and they scrambled to amend the budget and close the gap,” Lamb said. “I spoke out against the extravagant and opulent firehouse proposal, another backdoor tax increase, and in an historic voter turnout – and a very lopsided vote – our community shut those plans down. It appears that I carry the voice of the people, the township council follows my lead, and my opponents have no real ideas of their own.”
After that vote, establishment Republicans called the residents of Toms River anarchists for voting against the lavish $14 million facility and blamed Lamb for influencing the vote.
Lamb added that since he started campaigning on local issues, the Toms River Republican Club has been relying on personal attacks and mudslinging. Lamb also questioned the club’s use of what he described as party attack dogs, while his opponent, Maria Maruca has remained mostly silent during the campaign.
“With less than three weeks to the primary election, the GOP establishment is running out of time to derail my campaign with dirty politics,” Lamb added. “My opponent remains bizarrely silent during this campaign, and I’m still not sure that she has a plan. Her attack dogs keep barking insults, but we will continue to rise above it. They want to keep their status quo, but I want reform. I want us to do better.”
“I will continue to stay on-message and to fight for the issues that matter in our community. I will continue to discuss plans to curtail unnecessary spending, decrease property taxes, and fight an overwhelming heroin epidemic in my neighborhood of Gilford Park,” Lamb said. “While the establishment strives to keep Ward 1 stuck jogging in place, I will continue to work on ways to move forward for a better Toms River.”
The 11th commandment, issued by Reagan is important during political primaries, because the former President felt if Republicans attacked each other during their primary elections, those attacks would be used against them during the general election against their Democrat opponents.
In March, during a gubernatorial showcase hosted by the Ocean County Republicans, Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore reminded those candidates of the 11th commandment before they spoke to the audience and those involved in the current mudsling were all in attendance.
The Lakewood BlueClaws will host Jackson Township Night on Saturday, June 17th, game time is 7:05pm. This year the Lakewood BlueClaws will be offering a special promotional rate of $13 per ticket which includes Hot Dog, Small Drink and chips. To order tickets go to www.blueclaws.com and enter promotional code “Jackson” to receive special rate. We hope to see a full house!!
by Manchester PD
MANCHESTER-On Monday, May 15, 2017, at approximately 3:28 p.m. , members of the Manchester Township Police Department responded to the intersection of Route 539 and Harry Wright Boulevard in the Whiting section of the Township to investigate a motor vehicle crash involving an overturned dump truck.
Upon arrival, officers observed a gray, 2008, Nissan Altima pinned under a silver, 2016, Kenworth T80 tri-axle dump truck which had been loaded with stone. Both vehicles were along the northbound shoulder of Route 539. The initial investigation revealed that the dump truck was traveling southbound on Route 539 when it struck the driver’s side of the Nissan as it was making a left turn onto Harry Wright Boulevard from Route 539 south. The impact caused both vehicles to leave the roadway and the subsequent collision with multiple signs and trees caused the dump truck to overturn onto the Nissan’s roof and spill its load.
The driver of the Nissan, 24-year-old, Andrea Penna of Whiting was trapped underneath stone and debris as the vehicle’s roof completely collapsed on top of her. Extensive extrication efforts were conducted and Penna was eventually rescued from her vehicle and transported to Community Medical Center for treatment of non-life threatening injuries. The driver of the dump truck, 41-year-old, Tayfun Obut of Browns Mills and the front seat passenger of the Nissan, 22-year-old, Kaitlyn McCabe of Lakehurst both sustained non-life threatening injuries and were transported to Community Medical Center for evaluation and treatment. The roadway was closed for several hours during the rescue, investigation and subsequent clean-up.
Assisting at the scene were detectives from the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office and Ocean County Sheriff’s Office Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) Unit as well as members of both the Manchester and Whiting Volunteer Fire Departments. Also assisting were EMTs from Quality Medical Transport and paramedics from MON-OC as well as representatives from the Manchester Township Department of Public Works and the Ocean County Road Department. We would also wish to express our gratitude to the members of the New Jersey State Police, New Jersey Department of Corrections, and other motorists who had stopped to assist with the extrication process. This crash is being investigated by Patrolman Ian Bole, Sergeant Antonio Ellis, and Patrolman Thomas O’Hare with the Manchester Township Police Traffic Safety Unit.
Anarchists are on the loose in Toms River according to statements made by Toms River GOP leaders after voters turned down a $14 million firehouse in a special election on Saturday.
According to a story in PoliticsOc today, Toms River Republican school board member Christopher Raimann, still recovering from a black eye after losing a critical political appointment vote earlier this year condemned the taxpayers of Toms River for voting down a new, lavish $14 million firehouse project.
The Toms River Republicans privately blamed conservative challenger Justin Lamb for their defeat, but their memo, like so many before were leaked to the local news media.
According to the report, Raimann, who sits on the supposed non-partisan Toms River Regional School District Board of Education, fired off a memo to the Toms River Republican Club warning them not to take Lamb’s campaign lightly, blaming Lamb for lying to voters about the costs of the firehouse.
After looking over Lamb’s social media and campaign statements, Lamb was an advocate for the defeat of the referendum, but did not appear to publish any statements that were not consistent with the facts released by the township and fire district pertaining to the project. Lamb offered sharp criticism over the costs, size of the building and clarification of the use of the word “average” when used by township officials in the expected tax increase.
“This memo is one of many I have received and agree with since the Fire House vote,” DiBiase was quoted as writing by Politics OC. “We will continue to expose them as the anarchists they are!”
“While we could only speculate over the TR GOP’s silence over this backdoor tax increase prior to the Saturday’s vote, this latest revelation from this surrogate shows they have been in full support of a huge tax increase all along,” Lamb said in a statement.
Lamb said his opponent, incumbent Maria Maruca had a chance to speak out against the referendum, but chose not to when the matter was discussed before the council.
Lamb is a police officer and volunteer firefighter himself and said the cost of the new facility was excessive at $14 million and would have impacted ward 1 residents more than others in town due to higher property values along the bay front and oceanfront.
Prior to the claim of anarchy in Toms River, Republicans have sharply criticized Lamb, leading to what could be a situation of strange bedfellows throughout the general election should Lamb defeat Maruca in the June 6th primary elections where he would run with those he criticized and those who have criticized him.
He would run as part of the Republican ticket in November.
Lamb fired off a final salvo in the back and forth exchange in heated contest which has had its share of mudslinging prior to the firehouse election.
“Are we taxpayers anarchists?” Lamb asked. “I believe we are called Conservative Republicans, an informed electorate is the establishment’s biggest fear…the TR GOP and WARD 1 has no leadership and my opponent sits silent as usual.”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qbmWs6Jf5dc
TRENTON-Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced two new initiatives to fight public corruption, including a reward program offering up to $25,000 for tips from the public, as well as a program that offers lower-level defendants in a corruption scheme the potential to avoid prosecution if they reveal the crime to the Attorney General’s Office so more culpable defendants can be prosecuted.
New Jersey has tough anti-corruption laws that provide mandatory minimum terms of imprisonment and parole ineligibility for people who commit crimes that touch upon their public office or employment. The Attorney General’s Office has utilized these laws in recent years to prosecute major cases involving elected officials, government employees and companies receiving public funds. A critical challenge, however, is securing the initial leads that allow such crimes to be uncovered and prosecuted. The new programs are designed to encourage those with information on corruption to come forward.
“It’s a troubling reality that along with the many public officials and employees who carry out their duties with integrity, there are some who abuse their authority and corruptly exploit their positions for personal gain,” said Attorney General Porrino. “We know these bad actors are out there, and we’re casting a wide net to catch them with these two new programs. For members of the public who have personal knowledge of corruption and are fed up with it, we’re offering an added motivation for them to turn their anger into action.”
“Our whistleblower program strategically allows secondary players in corruption schemes to come clean and avoid prosecution,” Porrino added. “Whether we’re talking about a skilled public worker assigned to act as a personal handyman for his boss, or a contractor asked to pay bribes to a local code inspector, or a corporate employee pressured by executives to make illegal political contributions, we’re offering a way out of such predicaments for those who come forward first and are less culpable.”
“These new programs offer strong incentives for people to come forward confidentially and help us root out public corruption, whether they’re tipsters from the public seeking a reward, or public workers or others seeking to extricate themselves from a corrupt scheme,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “By offering the programs for a limited time, we’re looking for swift results, and we will vigorously pursue every lead.”
“By implementing the Anti-Corruption Reward and Anti-Corruption Whistleblower Programs for a relatively short time frame, we are hoping for quick and decisive action by anyone with knowledge of public corruption by elected officials and government employees,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “The goal of the initiatives is to encourage those to come forward with information that will eventually lead to the prosecution of anyone who engages in these corruption schemes.”
Attorney General Porrino announced the following programs to promote reporting of corruption cases:
Anti-Corruption Reward Program
Anti-Corruption Whistleblower Program
The programs are intended to encourage individuals who have information on public corruption to come forward promptly, so they will be open for a limited time. Both programs will expire on Aug. 1, 2017.
The Attorney General’s Office will keep the identities of applicants to the programs confidential to the fullest extent possible, subject to any statute, rule of court, or judicial decision to the contrary which may require disclosure to certain parties, including, in certain circumstances, a criminal defendant. Applicants to each program may be interviewed by detectives at the discretion of the Division of Criminal Justice. The applicant may also be required to give his or her verbal statement under oath and sign a written memorialization of his or her statement.
Additional information about the two programs can be found posted with this press release on the Attorney General’s Office website: www.njpublicsafety.com.
Individuals may report information and apply for the Anti-Corruption Reward Program or Anti-Corruption Whistleblower Program by one of the following methods:
New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety
Division of Criminal Justice
25 Market Street
P.O. Box 085
Trenton, NJ 08625-0085
Attention: Anti-Corruption Reward Program OR Anti-Corruption Whistleblower Program.
by Christopher Parise
Jackson PD
JACKSON-The Jackson Police Department’s Detective Bureau investigation regarding a recent rash of stolen Ford tailgates has culminated in the arrest of three individuals.
28 year old Peter Wesolowski of Manchester was arrested by Detectives Scott Conover and Detective Keith Hood on May 8. Mr. Wesolowski was charged with two counts of theft and five counts of receiving stolen property. After being charged, Mr. Wesolowski was remanded to the Ocean County Jail.
31 year old Scott Hendrickson of Bennetts Mills Road in Jackson was charged with five counts of receiving stolen property. Mr. Hendrickson was released on a summons complaint.
32 year old Ronald Pearn Jr of Bennetts Mills Road in Jackson was charged with five counts of receiving stolen property. Mr. Pearn was released on a summons complaint.
Jackson Police Department were able to recover five stolen tailgates, four from thefts that occurred in Jackson and one that was stolen from Brielle. The investigation is still ongoing and anyone having information about these thefts are asked to contact Jackson Detective Keith Hood at 732-803-3012 or the Jackson Police Tip Line at 732-833-3032.
-The media and public are reminded that any persons arrested or charged with any offenses or crimes are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
by Michael DiBella
Chief, Lacey PD
LACEY–May 12, 2017, was a night of intense and competitive games of speedball at the Lacey Township Middle School. Over one-hundred 7th and 8th grade Middle School students participated in a double-elimination speedball tournament, ultimately resulting in one team being announced as the 2017 Lacey Middle School Speedball Tournament Champions. The tournament, which was coordinated by the Lacey Township Recreation Department, the Lacey Township Police Department and the Lacey Municipal Police Foundation, included free food and giveaways, provided by Lacey Township Recreation and the Municipal Alliance. Additionally, free team t-shirts (in various team colors) were provided to each Middle School student who participated, by the Lacey Municipal Police Foundation. Last evening’s tournament involved 10 teams of middle school students and several Lacey Township Police Officers who served as coaches and assistants.
The below picture depicts Officer Anthony Sarno looking on during one of the impressive games at last night’s Middle School Speedball Tournament.
The competition was very competitive with approximately 15 matches being completed before the final championship game. The championship game was between the “Flourescent Yellow Team” and “Golden-Rod Team,” with the Flourescent Yellow taking the victory after a very spirited hard-faught match.
Ten officers from the Lacey Township Police Department participated in the event, including: Chief Michael C. DiBella, Captain Patrick Ganley, Detective Dimitri Tsarnas, Officer Michael Hein, Officer George Resetar, Officer Anthony Sarno, Officer Scott Keefe, Officer Christopher Meyler, Officer Jason Lee and Officer Noah Schaffer. The members of the Lacey Township Police Department had an amazing evening serving as coaches and most of all interacting with the middle school students.
The below picture depicts an intense game between two teams (Maroon and Blue Teams) at last evening’s Lacey Middle School Tournament.
I want to truly thank everyone who participated in last evening’s event, including the students and staff of the Lacey Middle School, the families who attended and supported the event, the members of the Lacey Township Recreation Department and the members of the Lacey Township Municipal Alliance. In addition, I would like to thank all of my officers who participated. Building a positive relationship with the Officers of the Lacey Township Police Department and the students of our community remains a top priority for our agency. Moving forward the Lacey Township Police Department in coordination with the Lacey Township Recreation Department, will continue to foster these types of events for our kids. An additional Lacey Middle School Speedball Tournament might be forthcoming before the end of the year.
I would like to note that the next Gille Park Skate Park Evening Event will be held next Friday, May 19th, 2017, beginning at 6pm. There will be a live DJ playing music, along with a new Gaming Trailer made possible by the Lacey Municipal Police Foundation and the Lacey Municipal Alliance. Additionally, the Lacey Township Junior Policy Academy is scheduled to take place between July 10th and July 14th, 2017. Twenty Middle School students will be participating in the academy. Furthermore, the Lacey Township Police Department is presently coordinating National Night Out for Lacey Township at Gille Park on Tuesday Evening, August 1, 2017.