WASHINGTON, March 28, 2017 – The consensus among most pundits and political analysts is that President Trump was the biggest loser when House leadership pulled the American Health Care Act (AHCA)-the GOP replacement for Obamacare-last week due to a lack of Republican votes. On the surface, the media’s conclusion seems to make obvious sense; namely, that…
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Exclusive: White House, Paul, Lee Keep Health Care Deal Alive
After Republicans spent much of the day Tuesday pledging to press ahead on health care reform, the White House appears to have found a possible path forward thanks to critics of its first attempt to dismantle Obamacare. Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) met with White House chief of staff Reince Priebus Tuesday evening,…
13 States Rally in Support of Trump Travel Ban
Thirteen states filed an amicus brief on Monday supporting President Donald Trump’s revised executive order on nationals entering the United States from the six countries identified as “countries of concern” under the Obama administration. Twelve state attorneys general and Mississippi Governor Phil Bryant filed the amicus brief which claims the president’s immigration order is lawful and…
GOP Targets Taxes as Government Nears 20 Percent of Economy
The federal government is on track to collect more than $3.6 trillion in revenue for the current fiscal year, roughly 18.9 percent of of the nation’s $19.3 trillion economy. And still, it will not be enough to keep the government in the black. “Washington definitely has a spending problem, not a revenue problem.” By fiscal year…
Army National Guard Conducting Artillery Training at Joint Base Friday through Sunday
Heads up, MDL! Units from the New Jersey National Guard and U.S. Army Reserve will be conducting heavy and light weapons training beginning today through the weekend. Training is slated to run between approx. 8 a.m. and 10 p.m.
Officials Expect Low Turnout for Saturday's Trump MAGA March in Seaside Heights
SEASIDE HEIGHTS-County and local officials estimate only about 400 to 800 people will be attending this weekend’s MAGA (Make America Great Again) March being held on the boardwalk in Seaside Heights. According to those officials, the rally could be a bust with a very low turnout.
Warm weather is expected with sunny skies and temperatures in the high 50’s to mid 60’s are expected.
Traffic in Seaside Heights is still limited to a single lane on the Route 37 bridge leading to the barrier island peninsula. From the north, marchers can use Route 35.
The march starts a 1pm and ends at 5pm.
You can get more details about the event here.
Ocean County Split Over This Weekend's Seaside Heights Pro-Trump Rally
SEASIDE HEIGHTS-The MAGA March is coming to Seaside Heights this Saturday and Ocean County residents are split on whether or not it’s a good thing.
The Seaside Heights march has been designated as the official MAGA March for New Jersey and is part of a national pro Trump effort.
“It is about time we stand up for America. We are marching for our President, Vice President, Military, and First Responders. We are the silent majority and we are ready for a real change,” the organization said on its website. “A change for how our Veterans are treated when the focus seems to be somewhere else.”
“It’s a peaceful pro American event. Ok. Right,” wrote Bradley Livingston. “I would be against this if it was an anti trump march. Again, nothing good will come of this.”
“I’m a very big Trump supporter. But I kinda agree with Brad,” replied Kenny TuShak “This could bring some unwanted attention and Seaside Heights is always under the gun.”
“We need to show support for Trump and our country which is in the process of being taken over,” said Kathy Serra. “WE can’t let the left think they are winning because they are not!”
Some want to use the event as a show of force against the alt-left uprising that has been gaining momentum across Ocean County in recent weeks.
“All the more reason to attend,” wrote Robert Heany. “Time to put these pansies in their places. Make it ‘uncomfortable’ to confront the once passive right.”
“Will they be celebrating the loss of their health insurance, social security, Medicare and Medicaid? I’ll buy tickets to see that,” quipped Margaret Jelcich.
You can learn more about the event on their Facebook event page.
Long-awaited $128M beach replenishment to start in Ortley Beach next month
TOMS RIVER — Beach replenishment for the northern Ocean County peninsula is set to start the middle of next month, with Ortley Beach as the first spot to get the sand. State environmental protection officials said Weeks Marine Inc., the Cranford-based contractor selected to perform the $128 million project, will spend two weeks beginning mid-April pumping…
Former Jackson Business Administrator Turns Himself in to State Police on Corruption Charges
TOTOWA-When Jackson Township hired former Paterson Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres in 2010 to succeed Phil Del Turco as business administrator, everyone in the township knew is it was a mistake, except for the governing body. Appointed by Mayor Michael Reina with a stunning referral from then township attorney George Gilmore, the township council approved the appointment, despite Torres being legally qualified for the position.
In the all-or-nothing effort to appoint Torres, notorious for political backroom wheeling and dealing, Councilman Scott Martin suggested the township change their legal code to allow Torres in. In Torres’ tumultuous time in Jackson, the township furloughed DPW workers, threatened police department layoffs and many other negative impacts to the township as Torres used the position simply as a holdover until he ran for mayor in Paterson in 2014, after being deposed in his hometown a year earlier.
One of Torres’ most damaging and notorious backroom deals was the agreement he made with a local landscaper, in which township resources were used to provide a political ally with with tons of leaves, free of charge, which the landscaper then was given authority by Torres to convert the leaves into mulch for commercial resale.
That agreement led to years of complaints from local residents and an eventual lawsuit in which the town was forced to sue the landscaper, costing taxpayers nearly $250,000 in legal and professional fees during the investigation and subsequent lawsuit.
Now, Torres, might finally be heading to jail as he was indicted on political corruption charges in Paterson. He turned himself into authorities earlier this week.
Earlier this month, federal authorities raided Torres’ offices as part of an unrelated investigation. Subpoenas were also sent to multiple Ocean County town halls, including Jackson related to that second investigation.
Below is a report from the Star Ledger:
TOTOWA – Paterson Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres turned himself in to the State Police on Monday after being indicted last week on corruption charges. Torres, 58 of Paterson, walked into the State Police barracks in Totowa to answer charges that he conspired to have work performed on a property connected to one of his family members.…
Ordinance to ban dormitories in Jackson to be heard Thursday evening
JACKSON-The Jackson Township clerk has announced the rescheduling of Tuesday night’s cancelled council meeting where the council was expected to vote on a controversial ordinance to ban dormitories within the township. The meeting will now be held Thursday night at 7:30pm at town hall. The meeting is open to the public. The ordinance is scheduled for a second and final reading and a public comment session will be afforded to the public.
RELATED NEWS: Is it too late for Jackson Township? Has the town already been sold to the highest bidder?
According to a statement released by the clerk:
Pursuant to the “Open Public Meetings Act”, N.J.S.A. 10:4-6 et seq., the Jackson Township Council hereby gives notice of a change in date of a previously scheduled Township Council meeting. The Jackson Township Council previously noticed a regular public meeting for Tuesday, March 14, 2017 commencing at 7:30 p.m. Due to inclement weather, the meeting is hereby canceled and is rescheduled for Thursday, March 16, 2017 at 7:30 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Jackson Township Municipal Building, 95 West Veterans Highway, Jackson, New Jersey. Formal action will be taken. No change in items listed on the 3/14/17 agenda. There will be no executive session.
Follow the Money: Jackson Council Political Payouts are Mirror Image of Lakewood Political Powerbase
JACKSON-The Jackson Township council is preparing for a showdown with the Orthodox community this week as it considers a dormitory ban within its borders. Many in town are left wondering, is the battle over before it even starts after revelations came to light connected the Jackson Township council to powerful professional firms already operating in Lakewood.
Some in town however, are more concerned about the deep political and patronage ties between the city of Lakewood and the rural township of Jackson, left asking themselves how can the people who created Lakewood now be tasked with saving Jackson?
The two towns are not similar in any way to the observing visitor.
Lakewood is a bustling, congested city, literally breaking at the seams. Jackson is a rural community of over 100 square miles, much of the land is environmentally protected and sensitive headwaters.
When you drive from Jackson to Lakewood vice versa, you know exactly where Jackson ends and Lakewood begins. Sleepy tree lined roads turn into high density residential neighborhoods bustling with activity and traffic. High density commercial districts make way for sparse strip malls.
On paper, it’s nearly impossible to tell where Lakewood begins and Jackson ends. The two towns share much more commonality than one would think. That’s because the same power base that has been appointed to run Lakewood’s municipal government, planning board, zoning board and MUA are is nearly identical to the one that runs Jackson.
All of the things that make Lakewood and Jackson similar lead to one common denominator, campaign funding by politically powerful professionals that operate in both towns. In total, between 2012 and 2016, the campaign of Jackson’s township councilmen Ken Bressi, Barry Calogero and Rob Nixon took in over $26,000 in campaign funds from politically appointed professionals that also run Lakewood’s boards even though they had no opponents in their November election.
Why did they take accept nearly $50,000 in total campaign contributions in 2016 in an election where they had no opponents?
The township council in Jackson generously acepted $26,000 in donations from Lakewood’s appointed professionals between 2012 and 2015. During that time, they awarded those same professionals over $6,000,000 dollars in public service contracts.
In an Open Public Records request to the township in 2016, the township provided JTOWN Magazine with the payouts to those professionals. Since our October report on those payouts between 2012 and 2015, the township has since refused to release the 2016 payouts.
Since running our initial report last year on the Jackson council’s campaign pay to play scheme, the township has since stripped JTOWN Magazine of its municipal advertising, delisted it as an official paper of the township, publicly ridiculed the magazine and have been engaged in an underhanded backroom attempt to kill JTOWN Magazine, going as far as fabricating statements released to other newspapers. The council struck back at our meddling in their affairs, enacting fierce and harsh political retribution against our publication.
So what is it that the Jackson Township council doesn’t want the residents of Jackson to know?
They don’t want the residents to know that they originate from the same power and financial base as neighboring Lakewood Township. Ken Bressi, Barry Calogero and Rob Nixon got the bulk of their 2016 campaign funding from the same sources that Lakewood Township’s elected officials got theirs from.
In return, like Lakewood, Jackson appointed those donors with very lucrative municipal public contracts.
For instance, the planning firm that represents Lakewood’s zoning board, council, municipal utilities authority and planning board, Remington and Vernick also represents Jackson’s zoning board, planning board and council as engineer and planner.
Jackson Township now tells the people of the town it is ready to enter battle with the same professionals that have been representing Lakewood for years…really?
The same powers that represents the rampant overgrowth in Lakewood is now tasked with controlling the growth in Jackson, simply because they put money into the campaign coffers of our council.
Many of the same professionals who donated large sums of money to the campaign team of Bressi, Nixon and Calogero were given extremely large payouts over the past four years in Jackson. They also receive large public payouts for their work in Lakewood.
Across the board, when you look at the hired professionals in Lakewood, most of them have also been hired in Jackson. While that in itself could be defended as a coincidence, chance is thrown out of the window when those names are cross referenced with campaign financing paid to the Jackson Township Council, where all of them are listed, according to election filings on record with the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission.
While nothing done in either town is illegal under New Jersey law, residents are left to question what exactly is going on here?
A pay to play scheme is apparent in Jackson, with stark similarities to Lakewood. Many of those same professionals also funded political campaigns in Lakewood Township in 2016.
In a recent news story about JTOWN Magazine, councilman Barry Calogero balked at a 2016 election satire piece mocking his campaign pay to play scheme, but in January of 2016, Calogero voted yes to hire the Lakewood professionals who donated large sums of money to his campaign.
The same money being thrown around Lakewood for political access is now being thrown around in Jackson Township for similar political access and the township council is throwing a fit because they didn’t want the township’s residents to know.
While Lakewood and Jackson are two completely different towns, on paper, there are very few differences when it comes to who controls both towns, according to NJELEC, records obtained from Jackson Township and meeting minutes from the Jackson and Lakewood 2017 reorganization meetings for both towns’ council, zoning, planning and MUA boards.
Political pay to play is alive and well in Jackson and Lakewood and the ones paying the price will be the residents of both towns.
NJ Legislators Scramble to Protect State from Dangerous Consequences of Bail Reform
JACKSON-When New Jersey voters approved a constitutional amendment that would give judges the ability to hold violent criminals behind bars until their trials without bail, nobody would have imagined the end result of that vote would lead to more violent criminals and sexual offenders released from jail before their trials.
Not even those Trenton politicians who supported and voted to keep New Jersey’s bail reform and speedy trial act alive and well were prepared for what came next.
Sexual offenders, domestic violence suspects, drug dealers and more are being released without bail just hours after police arrest them. They’re being released by judges against all logical advice from arresting agencies and prosecutors to keep these offenders behind bars.
One of those Trenton politicians who recently supported a $9.3 million refueling bill to further fund the flawed bail reform act was Assemblyman Ron Dancer, who represents Jackson Township here in Ocean County.
Dancer recently proposed a bill that is aimed at curbing the flow child sex offenders being set free by judges around the state, an unfortunate byproduct of the bail reform act he voted to expand funding for just weeks prior.
“Suspects of sex crimes against children will be kept in jail while waiting for trial under a bill introduced by Assemblyman Ron Dancer. The bill (A4637) amends the new bail reform law, allowing courts to order the pretrial release of some defendants,” Dancer said. “The decision to hold a suspect should be based on the danger to the public and the possibility that more children may be victimized,In the case of sexual attacks on children, it is imperative that we exercise extreme caution. For the sake of potential victims, it makes sense to keep attackers off the streets until the case is decided by the courts.
If approved, Dancer’s measure increases the likelihood a charged suspect would remain held by authorities, and creates an option under the bail reform law for prosecutors to argue for pretrial detention. Keywords here are “likelihood”, “could” and “argue”. In the end, the same judges letting out sex offenders today, would be the same ones looking at a computerized score, letting them out tomorrow.
Sexual offenders aren’t the only ones being sent back into the communities they prey upon. This week, in Manchester Township, a drug dealer caught with over $1 million in heroin was set free hours after he was arrested in a multijurisdictional law enforcement operation.
While criminals across New Jersey are being released by judges under New Jersey’s new bail reform and speedy trial process, the very legislators who facilitated the new system are now scrambling.
They’re scrambling to save face and plug up the holes before a violent criminal, sexual offender, rapist or drug dealer in their own voting district makes headlines prior to this November’s election.
Want to contact your local shore legislators to tell them how you feel about bail reform? Click here for a full list.
US launches criminal probe into CIA leak
A federal criminal investigation is being opened into the public release of documents said to detail alleged CIA hacking tools. The FBI and CIA are believed to be co-ordinating the inquiry after WikiLeaks published thousands of files. White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the Trump administration will be getting tough: “Make no mistake about it, I…
MacArthur to Ocean County town hall: I favor part of Obamacare
OCEAN — Republican U.S. Rep. Tom MacArthur promised a packed and mostly civil town hall meeting that he would review his party’s Affordable Care Act repeal-and-replacement plan but said that he had not seen the legislation. Monday’s town hall meeting came as word was breaking that House leaders were introducing their plan and about a week…
Jackson Planning Board Review Passes Dorm Ban Ordinances
JACKSON-The Jackson Township planning board on Thursday reviewed and approved two ordinances that would prohibit the construction of dormitory facilities township wide on Tuesday.
Ordinance 03-17 would prohibit school dormitories in R2, R3 and R5 residential zones.
Ordinance 04-17 prohibits school dormitories in any zone within the township.
Under section B of the ordinance, “The following shall be prohibited as principal or accessory uses or structures in all zoning districts within the Township of Jackson: (1) Dormitories.”
The planning board voted unanimously on both ordinances. The township council is expected to vote on both ordinances at the Tuesday, March 14th township council meeting.
Video and a discussion about this hearing is taking place now on the Jackson, NJ Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/jtownmag/videos/1284445068318521/
Trump Signs New Travel Ban Order
U.S. President Donald Trump signed a new executive order Monday, barring travelers from six countries to the United States for three months, and all refugees for four months, after federal appeals judges blocked a similar order from implementation last month. In an attempt to ensure a smoother rollout of the travel ban and protect it from…
Trump Admin Refused Entry to Muslim Athlete Who Was Granted Visa by Chuck Schumer, Then Sexually Abused Child
LAKE SARNAC, NY-One of two muslim athletes from India who were rejected entry into the United States during the brief Trump administration extreme vetting process in January is back in the news this week after sexually assaulting a child shortly after he was granted access to enter.
Tanveer Hussain Parra and Abid Kahn were both refused entry into the United States, but after Senators Chuck “crybaby” Schumer and Kirsten Gillibrand contacted the U.S. State Department, the two were allowed to enter.
In January, Schumer was shedding tears over Trump’s refusal to let men like Kahn and Hussein into America.
Schumer applauded the athletes’ arrival in New York,”Still a country that welcome athletes from across the globe to compete in our stadiums, our snow-covered fields and everywhere in between.”
Today, the parents of a young girl in Lake Sarnac are shedding tears after Hussein sexually assaulted their daughter.
According to a report published in the Adirondack Daily Enterprise, Hussain was charged with felony first degree sexual abuse and endangering the welfare of a minor.
The incident happened on Monday in the town of St. Armand in a swimming pool. Hussein’s partner Khan said the girl followed the athletes during their stay and said she was “a nut case”.
Hussein and Kahn claim the young girl made up the story, but local police said other witnesses and social media evidence supports the charges against Hussain.
“He is not aware that she is minor in first place,” Kahn said. “We told him later that she is a minor. He doesn’t understand proper English, so he doesn’t know.”
Read the whole story at the Lake Adirondack Daily Enterprise.
Russian Official to CNN: Stop Spreading Lies and False News
The survey results are in, government officials from every major superpower in the world now agree that CNN is fake news. Russia’s Foreign Ministry spokeswoman, Maria Zakharova told a pesky CNN reporter that his network’s story of a Russian ambassador is recruiting spies in America was absolutely absurd and false.
“Come on, stop spreading lies and fake news. This is a good advice for CNN. Thank you,” Zakharova told the reporter. “Please, stop spreading lies and false news.”
CNN used the moment to claim a victory in their struggling campaign to regain integrity.
https://youtu.be/wUgEE2EO3bE
First Lady Melania Trump Celebrates National Read Across America Day
First Lady Melania Trump celebrated National Read Across America Day and the birthday of Dr. Seuss by visiting the Phyllis and David Komansky Center for Children’s Health at NewYork-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center. Mrs. Trump met with doctors, families, and patients at the hospital and shared the joy of reading with the children.
Mrs. Trump brought a package of Dr. Seuss’s children books, including her and her son’s favorite book, Oh, The Places You’ll Go!. She gathered with children in the pediatrics playroom and read to them. Afterward she spoke with them and said, “Loving to read early in life has the power to make each one of you a lifelong learner.”
“Dr. Seuss has brought so much joy, laughter and enchantment into children’s lives all around the globe for generations,” the First Lady said. “Through his captivating rhymes, Dr. Seuss has delighted and inspired children while teaching them to read, to dream, and to care.”
The First Lady emphasized that as a Nation, we must instill in young readers a lifelong love of learning.
“Education is a great equalizer and nothing can be more critical to achieving empowerment than reading and literacy,” said Mrs. Trump.
Media Hails President Trump's Speech "Best Speech of His Life"
“A Grand Slam… The Best Speech of His Life” … “Home Run of a Speech” … “The Most Impressive Speech of His Fledgling Political Career” … “Remarkable”
Media outlets this week praised President Donald Trump’s speech to the joint session of Congress. Despite the left’s opting out of the speech in protest, including an ovation for fallen U.S. Navy Seal William “Ryan” Owens and most liberal news media continued to find fault, several respectable sources applauded the President.
https://www.facebook.com/DonaldTrump/videos/10158727617745725/
New York Post: “President Trump Hit a Grand Slam… The Best Speech of His Life and the Most Remarkable Speech in Decades by a Chief Executive to a Joint Session of Congress.” “President Trump hit a grand slam Tuesday night, with the best speech of his life and the most remarkable speech in decades by a chief executive to a joint session of Congress.” (Editorial, “Trump Delivered a Grand Slam of a Speech to the Nation,” New York Post, 3/1/17)
Arizona Republic: “Trump’s Best Day in the White House… This Man Looked Presidential…” “This was Trump’s best day in the White House, because for the first time he expressed a desire to unify the country without baiting his speech with insults for his opponents. … This man looked presidential.” (Editorial, “The Night Trump Became Our President,” Arizona Republic, 3/1/17)
Springfield (MA) Republican: “[Trump] Turned Presidential… Frequently Hopeful, Envisioning a Brighter Future for America and Americans…” “Donald Trump became president on Jan. 20. Forty days later, he turned presidential. … He still talked of building a wall on our nation’s border with Mexico, and spoke of the ravages of crime and drugs across the land, but he was also frequently hopeful, envisioning a brighter future for America and Americans.” (Editorial, “Trump Hits Reset Button With Address to Congress,” Springfield Republican, 3/1/17)
Minneapolis Star Tribune: “Struck an Inspiring, Even Bipartisan Tone…” “What Americans will take away from Tuesday’s address is a president who at last struck an inspiring, even bipartisan tone, who asked Americans to be unafraid to dream of ‘American footprints on distant worlds,’ and of a country where having ‘millions lifted from welfare to work, mothers safe from fear, schools where children learn in peace’ is ‘not too much to ask.’” (Editorial, “Does Trump’s New Tone Signal a Real Shift?,” Minneapolis Star Tribune, 2/28/17)
Deseret News: “President Donald Trump’s Speech Struck a Tone of Unity and Optimism…” “President Donald Trump’s speech struck a tone of unity and optimism while advocating for the unique mixture of political positions that fueled Trump’s rise to the White House.” (Editorial, “Pres. Trump’s Otherwise Laudatory Speech Missed an Opportunity to Address Entitlement Reform,” Deseret News, 3/1/17)
Albuquerque Journal: “President Donald Trump Delivered an Optimistic Message to the Nation…” “In a welcome departure from his previous public speeches, President Donald Trump delivered an optimistic message to the nation Tuesday, promising a new era of prosperity, a new approach to immigration, rebuilding of America’s infrastructure, a strengthening of the military, an overhaul of the nation’s health care system and tax code and, most notably, ‘a new chapter of American greatness.’” (Editorial, “Poised, Disciplined Trump a Welcome Change Of Pace,” Albuquerque Journal, 3/2/17)
Omaha World-Herald: “[Trump] Stood Up for His Beliefs, But Did So While Striking a Presidential Tone.” (Editorial, “Trump Shows Presidential Side,” Omaha World-Herald, 3/2/17)
Tulsa World: “We Congratulate the President On a Good Speech…” “We congratulate the president on a good speech and urge him to use it in his own best interest and that of the nation.” (Editorial, “Trump’s Speech Offers an Opportunity for a New Start,” Tulsa World, 3/2/17)
Charleston (WV) Daily Mail: “Home Run of a Speech…” “Members of the D.C. punditocracy gave President Donald Trump his due following his home run of a speech before both houses of Congress Tuesday night.” (Editorial, “What a Difference a Speech Makes,” Charleston Daily Mail, 3/2/17)
Lakeland (FL) Ledger: “President Donald Trump Delivered the Most Impressive Speech of His Fledgling Political Career…” “President Donald Trump delivered the most impressive speech of his fledgling political career Tuesday night — one that blended familiar policy themes with some new ideas, offered a descriptive assessment of the ‘earthquake’ that propelled him to victory last November, extended an olive branch to naysayers and recounted a long list of what he sees as his achievements after just 40 days in office.” (Editorial, “Trump’s Theme Evident Without Being Spoken,” Lakeland Ledger, 3/2/17)
Toledo Blade: “[Trump’s] Style Is Direct and Not Eloquent. But It Is Sincere and Powerful.” (Editorial, “Something Beats Contempt,” Toledo Blade, 3/2/17)
Providence Journal: “Trump Exceeded Expectations with a Well-Written Speech…” “But even by that standard, Mr. Trump exceeded expectations with a well-written speech that re-introduced, in a less harsh manner, the same themes he has been pounding for more than a year.” (Editorial, “President Trump’s Speech to Congress,” Providence Journal, 3/1/17)
Washington Times: “Remarkable Speech…” “Donald Trump’s remarkable speech to Congress was notable for its tone, the public reaction it engendered and the way it left so may critical listeners speechless.” (Editorial, “Trump’s Second Chance,” Washington Times, 3/1/17)
Costs of Bail Reform Hindering Jersey Shore Town Still in Recovery from Hurricane Sandy
BERKELEY-Berkeley Township New Jersey is a town that in many ways is still recovering from Superstorm Sandy nearly five years ago, but the new costs associated with the Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act are already taking its toll on the municipal budget.
Mayor Carmen Amato said this week that bail reform in New Jersey is an unfunded state mandate and is requesting the state to pay their fair share of helping his municipality comply with the new regulations imposed on his town.
Bail hearings under the Bail Reform Act are now required for disorderly persons and petty disorderly offenses are held in Superior Court, but the municipalities are now on the hook financially to pay for public defenders and sending those public defenders to appear in Superior Court in Toms River, instead of municipal court, pre-bail reform.
“The foregoing necessitates municipal public defenders being required to appear in Superior Court at a considerable inconvenience and expense to local municipalities,” Amato said today in a statement.
Amato has the backing of the Ocean County Mayor’s Association which drafted a resolution to be delivered to the the New Jersey legislation, Ocean County Freeholders and the New Jersey League of Municipalities.
The resolution, supported by Mayor Amato requests legislation that would require the state to provide the public defender. Currently, municipal public defenders to travel to Toms River to represent defendants, under the request proposed by Amato, the state would represent those defendants, not his township.
Jackson Council Pulls Ordinance Targeting Orthodox Jewish Dormitories
The following is a brief recap of the February 28, 2017 Jackson Township council meeting. A full story will follow later today.
JACKSON-When Jackson Township Council President Ken Bressi proposed a township wide ban on dormitories in his town, it was clear to everyone what the goal of that ordinance was and who the targets were.
In nearby Lakewood Township, home to Beth Medrash Govoha, one of the world’s largest Orthodox Jewish Yeshivas, most Jewish students live in dormitories, but some, in makeshift dormitories, sometimes in homes located in residential areas of the township. Even though Jackson Township’s border is nearly 5 miles from the BMG campus, out of the required walking distance of the university, the township proposed the ban on dormitories.
These dormitories became a local spotlight in January when a fire at a makeshift Lakewood dormitory displaced 50 students.
Many in Jackson’s Orthodox community felt the ban on dormitories was a moot point since none currently exist and the likelihood of Yeshiva dormitories in the town is very low. They felt the proposed law was simply another ordinance targeting members of their faith unfairly.
In the past, members of Jackson’s Orthodox community had approached the township council to offer advice and feedback, to work together to craft sensible ordinances that would help maintain the quality of life in town in a manner that would not be seen as a continued crackdown against members of their faith. Those community leaders said their offer to support the council’s effort to maintain quality of life standards were flatly rejected.
On Tuesday night, as the township council was poised to pass the ordinance, an obvious effort to curb the growth and migration of the growing Orthodox Jewish population, they were met with with an audience of nearly two hundred Orthodox Jewish men who came to protest the action.
Upon seeing the large gathered crowd, the council quickly suspended their regular public business meeting and entered a private executive session, a rare action for the 5 member all-Republican board.
After a few minutes, the council returned to the public meeting and announced it would not be voting on the ordinance and it needed further legal and planning board review, admitting flaws in the manner in which the ordinance was proposed, reviewed and introduced.
The basic rundown…
- A lawyer representing the Jewish community in town told the council it was one of the most anti-Semitic ordinances he has ever seen.
- Orthodox Jewish Jackson resident called the Jackson Township council anti-semitic and alt-right fascists.
- Orthodox Jews in Jackson are upset that the Jackson council has passed numerous ordinance aimed at curbing their growing population in town.
- Previously, a no-knock ordinance, realtor realtor canvassing laws, a prohibition on trailers and a landlord registration law have all been aimed at slowing down the growth of the Orthodox population in the town.
- At the first reading of the ordinance, the Jackson council was asked if the ban on dormitories also covered drug recovery homes, nursing homes, halfway houses or the dormitory facilities in the Cassville section of town. The council said it does not.
- Jackson’s anti-dormitory law was the first such law that could be found anywhere in the United States, raising concerns about constitutionality.
- The lawyer representing the Orthodox community declared the law an unconstitutional law that is meant to unfairly target the Orthodox Jewish community.
- The lawyer representing the Orthodox community has already successfully tried and won cases targeting the Orthodox communities in Howell, Toms River and Ocean Township.
- Many township residents were upset that the township council pulled the ordinance in the face of opposition.
- Opposition to Jewish growth in town has been mounting over the years through groups such as Jackson Strong who have expressed vocally their dislikes for the rapid growth in town.
- Despite the setback, the township council will reintroduce a the ordinance on March 14th.
- Orthodox residents told the Jackson council at the meeting that they wish to maintain the quality of life in Jackson and commended the Jackson zoning board for being strong and said the town should have more faith in the zoning board’s ability to govern development.
The fundamental problem with the ordinance is that no such ordinance has ever been proposed anywhere in the United States.
This story is being published under Creative Commons and may be reproduced and republished without permission or consent of the author. Attribution/No additional restrictions.
Curiosity Catches Moving Martian Sands
This pair of images shows effects of one Martian day of wind blowing sand underneath NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover on a non-driving day for the rover. Each image was taken just after sundown by the rover’s downward-looking Mars Descent Imager (MARDI). The area of ground shown in the images spans about 3 feet (about 1 meter) left-to-right.
The first image was taken on Jan. 23, 2017, during the 1,587th Martian day, or sol, of Curiosity’s work on Mars. Figure A is this image with a scale bar in centimeters. The second was taken on Jan. 24, 2017 (Sol 1588). The day-apart images by MARDI were taken as a part of investigation of wind’s effects during Martian summer, the windiest time of year in Gale Crater.
When Curiosity landed inside Gale Crater in August 2012, MARDI recorded the descent from the rover’s point of view. Malin Space Science Systems, San Diego, built and operates MARDI. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the Caltech in Pasadena, California, manages the Mars Science Laboratory Project for the NASA Science Mission Directorate, Washington, and built the project’s Curiosity rover.
NASA Telescope Reveals Largest Batch of Earth-Size, Habitable-Zone Planets Around Single Star
NASA’s Spitzer Space Telescope has revealed the first known system of seven Earth-size planets around a single star. Three of these planets are firmly located in the habitable zone, the area around the parent star where a rocky planet is most likely to have liquid water.
The discovery sets a new record for greatest number of habitable-zone planets found around a single star outside our solar system. All of these seven planets could have liquid water – key to life as we know it – under the right atmospheric conditions, but the chances are highest with the three in the habitable zone.
“This discovery could be a significant piece in the puzzle of finding habitable environments, places that are conducive to life,” said Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of the agency’s Science Mission Directorate in Washington. “Answering the question ‘are we alone’ is a top science priority and finding so many planets like these for the first time in the habitable zone is a remarkable step forward toward that goal.”’
At about 40 light-years (235 trillion miles) from Earth, the system of planets is relatively close to us, in the constellation Aquarius. Because they are located outside of our solar system, these planets are scientifically known as exoplanets.
This exoplanet system is called TRAPPIST-1, named for The Transiting Planets and Planetesimals Small Telescope (TRAPPIST) in Chile. In May 2016, researchers using TRAPPIST announced they had discovered three planets in the system. Assisted by several ground-based telescopes, including the European Southern Observatory’s Very Large Telescope, Spitzer confirmed the existence of two of these planets and discovered five additional ones, increasing the number of known planets in the system to seven.
The new results were published Wednesday in the journal Nature, and announced at a news briefing at NASA Headquarters in Washington.
Using Spitzer data, the team precisely measured the sizes of the seven planets and developed first estimates of the masses of six of them, allowing their density to be estimated.
Based on their densities, all of the TRAPPIST-1 planets are likely to be rocky. Further observations will not only help determine whether they are rich in water, but also possibly reveal whether any could have liquid water on their surfaces. The mass of the seventh and farthest exoplanet has not yet been estimated – scientists believe it could be an icy, “snowball-like” world, but further observations are needed.
“The seven wonders of TRAPPIST-1 are the first Earth-size planets that have been found orbiting this kind of star,” said Michael Gillon, lead author of the paper and the principal investigator of the TRAPPIST exoplanet survey at the University of Liege, Belgium. “It is also the best target yet for studying the atmospheres of potentially habitable, Earth-size worlds.”
Christie ratchets up his fight against N.J. newspaper legal ads
TRENTON — Gov. Chris Christie on Friday ratcheted-up his fight to repeal a law requiring legal notices to be printed in newspapers, pointing out the New Jersey Press Association is a month late in releasing an analysis of how much the ads cost taxpayers last year. In a blistering statement against the newspaper industry, the Republican…
Jackson Township Mayor Reina Supports League Of Municipalities Opposition of Bail Reform
JACKSON-Jackson Township is a rural suburb nestled at the edge of the New Jersey Pinelands. It’s New Jersey’s third largest town by size in area, with over one hundred square miles. It’s a bedroom community of 54,000 and crime is very low here, but the mayor of the town tonight said even his low crime community will not be able to keep up with New Jersey’s Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act and he fully supports a resolution being presented to the township council next week.
Jackson Township Michael Reina (R) might be the first mayor in the State of New Jersey to openly express criticism of the state’s new Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act since it has been enacted when he said tonight that he fully supports a resolution that will be voted on by the township council Tuesday night.
He’s not alone though. Last week, Ocean County Freeholders Joe Vicari and Gerry Little officially launched opposition to the reform law, along with the Ocean County Association of Police Chiefs. A week earlier, the New Jersey Association of Counties opposed legislation sponsored by Lakewood Senator Robert Singer that would have allowed governing bodies to break the 2% tax cap for costs associated with the new law.
Bail reform came into the local spotlight after Little Egg Harbor Police Chief Richard Buzby and Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato were powerless against a local judge’s decision to release a multiple offense child sexual offender back into the community after a pretrial hearing.
Related: How Jersey Shore Legislators Voted on Recent New Bail Reform Funding Bill
The Jackson Township council is expected to vote on the resolution against the new law which has essentially created a revolving door for criminals. It has made New Jersey’s streets less safe for residents and police officers alike. The Toms River PBA last week called bail reform a very serious problem for their town. The resolution to be voted on was circulated by the New Jersey League of Municipalities this week.
“The Criminal Justice Reform Act imposes upon municipal governments an undue financial hardship to implement as each municipality in some capacity must hire new personnel, invest in new equipment and information technology, and make capital and other necessary improvements to jail, court and ancillary court facilities,” the resolution reads. “Under this terribly flawed law, judges now assign a score to determine whether a defendant should be detained or freed. Serious offenders are being let go over prosecutor and law enforcement objection only to go and commit more crimes as soon as they hit the street.”
Related: Governor Chris Christie says bail reform opposition is “ridiculous crap”.
It states the new reform, which is unfunded by the state, is not only dangerous, and the town will not be able to afford to properly maintain the necessary staffing to comply with the requirements dictated by the state to enforce it locally.
“It is also a massive financial burden to our police department, municipal courts, municipal public defenders and the County Prosecutor’s Office. Detention hearings are expedited and our officers are forced to spend hours on even simple offenses due to demands for our officers to file paperwork and complete cases, some demanding complex analysis, are simply unrealistic and the costs are only going to expand without any financial relief from the state,” it continued “The Criminal Justice Reform Act law has put our residents at risk and threatens the fiscal health of the town and county. ”
Related: Who is benefiting from bail reform?
The council is expected to vote on the resolution Tuesday evening and certified copies will be sent to the Governor of the State of New Jersey, Chris Christie, the President of the New Jersey State Senate, Steve Sweeney, the Speaker of the General Assembly, Vincent Prieto, the New Jersey Association of Counties, the Office of County Counsel and all Ocean County municipalities.
“Yes, I support this resolution,” Reina said when asked his position. “You’re asking me if I support a resolution opposing a state law that helps put criminals back out on our streets, of course I do.”
MacArthur Visit With Protesters Not Enough for Ocean County's Angry Alt-Left
TOMS RIVER-In a surprise move by Congressman Tom MacArthur on Thursday, he met with alt-left protesters assembled outside the WOBM radio station in Downtown Toms River.
The alt-left across America have stepped up their protests against all Republicans of late. This week was the first time the protests reached Ocean County after the local Ocean County Democrat Club has been hosting courses at branches of the Ocean County Library designed to teach residents how to protest and disrupt at the local level.
MacArthur showed the upset and angry left once again that his brand of Republican and conservative diplomacy and governing is about inclusion, not division, so he spoke to the mob of about 40 protesters.
“Tonight, during my regular ‘Ask the Congressman’ radio program, a sizable group of my constituents peacefully demonstrated outside the WOBM studios,” MacArthur posted on his Facebook page. “I respect each of them – those who disagree with me as much as those who agree with me – for exercising our most precious, God-given right of free expression.”
While most of the protesters were protesting President Donald Trump, some challenged MacArthur his lack of town hall events, something not required by his position and a forum frequently used by liberals with post election stress disorder (PESD) to vent their frustrations about losing the presidential election last November.
“After the radio program, I went out to the group and promised I would honestly answer their questions and asked in return that they let me speak without drowning out my answers,” MacArthur added. “And that began some genuine, open, respectful conversation that touched on a range of issues including healthcare, gun control, the environment, and of course President Trump.”
MacArthur told the protesters he understands their anxiety, being brought up in a bi-political household as a child.
“As I shared with my constituents tonight, I grew up with a Mom who was a progressive democrat and a Dad who was a conservative republican,” he added. “They loved each other and I love and respect both of them. Talking with this crowd tonight was like dinner back at home. I’m grateful for those who took the time to make me a better representative and I always welcome the opportunity to have productive conversations with my constituents.”
This was the second time this week MacArthur, a Republican surprised Democrats, once again bringing them into his circle of inclusion.
On Wednesday, he was hosting a meeting in the same building where the Evesham Democrat Club held their monthly meeting. He stopped by to talk to them about their concerns.
“So, I walked in. Yes, a Republican Congressman dropping in to a meeting of local Democrats to talk with them about some very serious concerns they had. We didn’t yell or point fingers. We talked honestly and respectfully. We certainly disagreed in some areas, but we did it respectfully,” he said. “I genuinely cherish moments like these and I’m certain our country would be the better for it, if members of both parties – Republicans and Democrats alike – would commit ourselves to working together to make America the best it can be.”
But for the angry left, MacArthur’s kindness and openness wasn’t enough, as it never is. Instead of thanks, he was further assaulted on Facebook today.
“Too bad you couldn’t show up for the 500 at Demasi. You don’t get to pat yourself on the back because you got cornered,” wrote Rachel Patore.
“God given? It wasn’t given, it was created by people who were forward thinking and other people who marched for that right,” ranted Meredith Alison.
“Surprise visits for a photo op don’t get you points.” wrote a frustrated Andrea Gurney. “Meet with your constituents in a town hall like a normal, rational, reasonable, paid MoC instead of someone fleeing questions.”
Some were more constructive.
“Thank you for meeting the small group of us that still remained in the parking lot after your WOBM call in show had ended,” wrote Stacey Kalb. “I hope you took away from our meeting, the urgency to have real town halls with real back and forth dialogue.”
“I am proud to have you as our Representative. You have always shown yourself to be a person who truly cares and always reaching across the aisle,” wrote Mark LeMire.
But, for most, it wasn’t.
“So we need to wait outside of your closed door events for the chance to talk,” griped Kelly McKelvey.
The protest was organized by the Ocean County Democrat Club and paid political consultants who are managing a new alt-left campaign of protest and disruption in Ocean County.
The group plans on protesting MacArthur’s March 31st event at Ocean County College, but some conservative groups are already planning to show up to support the Congressman and President Donald Trump in the face of growing alt-left uprising here in Ocean County.
Lead photo by Tom MacArthury. Photos from YouTube video posted by WOBM and 94.3 the Point.
Howell Township Police Chief Talks About Military Surplus
The Howell Police Department obtained an MRAP through a federal program that allows local law enforcement to accept equipment that has been declared military surplus, but Chief Kudrick details how other lesser equipment is helping his department save money on much needed equipment.
https://www.facebook.com/NJ.com/videos/10154497550571234/
New Jersey Democrat Governor Candidate: Donald Trump is Adolf Hitler
TOMS RIVER-Like many disappointed liberals in New Jersey, Phil Murphy, a Democrat running for Governor is suffering from post-election stress syndrome in the wake of Donald Trump’s overwhelming victory against Hillary Clinton in November.
In a shocking video at a campaign event, front-running Democrat candidate Murphy attempted to invoke fear by comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler.
“I have lived in Germany twice – once as a private citizen and once as the United States ambassador, and I’m a modest student of Germany history,” Murphy said. “And I know what was being said about somebody else in the 1920s. And you could unfortunately drop in names from today into those observations from the 1920’s, and the moves that have been made early on only aide and abet that argument.”
On Tuesday, at a Republican governor’s candidate forum in Ocean County, home to one of the largest Orthodox Jewish population centers in the world outside of Israel, Ocean County Republican Chairman George Gilmore expressed disappointment with the words Murphy chose to describe President Trump. Murphy invoked both Adolf Hitler and the Holocaust to make his political statement against Trump.
“Mr. Murphy set the tone for the 2017 gubernatorial campaign,” Gilmore said. “It’s unfortunate that he chose those words to compare our President to a man who killed 6 million innocent Jewish people during the Holocaust and millions more.”
Murphy made the statement to rally his alt-left liberal supporters in the blue state of New Jersey. Gilmore said it was a sign that Democrats in New Jersey are scared and out of touch.
“People say that a Republican can’t win New Jersey in 2017,” Gilmore added. “Those are the exact same people who also said Trump couldn’t win the Presidency in 2016.”
“Ocean County brought Donald Trump the largest victory in New Jersey and we carried Chris Christie twice,” said Republican candidate Joe Rullo. “Communist Phil Murphy calling our president Adolf Hitler is one of the worst things on earth.”
“Murphy made his first Hillary Clinton mistake,” Rullo said. “Trust me, if Phil Murphy is elected, you will absolutely miss Chris Christie.”
Rullo sharply criticized Murphy for running a campaign that is promising tax increases across the board in the top taxed state in the United States.
“Murphy already spent $20 million in campaign money and nobody is even talking about him,” Rullo added.
Another Republican candidate Jack Ciattarelli also took a swipe at Murphy’s alt-left focused liberal agenda and open support for sanctuary cities in New Jersey. Murphy has stated on numerous occasions he would staunchly defend sanctuary cities for illegal immigrants in New Jersey, a stance many residents outside of the inner cities oppose.
“When Trump cuts funding to New Jersey’s sanctuaries, who will [Phil Murphy] get to foot that bill?” Ciattarelli asked. “Not New Jersey, if I’m Governor.”
“Phil Murphy’s comparison of the President of the United States to Nazi Germany and Adolf Hitler is repulsive and inexcusable,” said Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno. “His stunning lack of judgement and sensitivity is insulting to those whose families suffered, died or fought during World War II. It diminishes the slaughter of six million Jews and he should apologize to the people of New Jersey immediately.”
It wasn’t just Republicans in Ocean County who took notice, Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker said Murphy owes an apology to Trump and the Jewish population he offended with his remarks.
The Republican Governors Association released the following statement regarding New Jersey Democrat gubernatorial candidate Phil Murphy’s remarks comparing President Donald Trump to Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany.
“Phil Murphy’s comparison of our president to an authoritarian tyrant responsible for the deaths of millions is shameful,” said RGA Chairman Governor Scott Walker. “Murphy’s absurd statement raises serious questions about his judgment and ability to lead, and proves that he is too extreme to represent the people of New Jersey. Murphy should immediately apologize for this offensive and despicable remark.”
Multilayered LLC Challenging Jackson Zoning over Proposed Building Project
According to a public notice published this week, Feldchild, LLP seeks to build multiple shops and buildings for contractors at 504 Whitesville Road in Jackson and their attorney, Raymond F. Shea is challenging the township for an interpretation of zoning regulations that could prohibit the project.
Feldchild LLP is a business registered in Colorado and the owner identified as Rabbi Yechezkel Feldberger, former rabbi of Congregation Zera Abraham based out of Denver, Colorado.
According to county records, the property has switched hands several times since 2014. It was originally owned by Blanche Horowitz, fka Blanche Honigman of Lakewood, NJ. It was then transferred to Quack Properties, a company with a P.O. Box in Seaside Park prior to the 2014 transfer.
In 2015, it was then transferred to Winding River, LP. a limited partnership company out of Nevada with a mailing address of 561 Winding River Court, Brick, NJ. The property at 561 Winding River Court is owned by Big Business, LP, another limited partnership company.
In 2016, Winding River, LP sued Quack Properties for $50,000 in punitive damages in a breach of contract lawsuit.
The property in question is just north of the intersection of Faraday and Whitesville on the southbound side of Whitesville Road.
A hearing has been scheduled before the zoning board on March 1st at 7pm at town hall.
JACKSON TOWNSHIP PUBLIC NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE that FELDCHILD, LLP has applied to the Jackson Zoning Board of Adjustment for an Interpretation with respect to Article VII Section: 244-97A & D as it relates to an application for site plan to the planning board with respect to Lot 6 in Block 22401 for multiple contractor offices and shops of 10,000 square feet each. Both uses are expressly permitted in the zone but the local ordinance is silent with respect to multiple uses in one or multiple buildings. Applicant contends that the PM-1 zoning district does not expressly prohibit multiple buildings or multiple uses within said buildings. Alternatively, should the board determine otherwise, the applicant seeks whatever variances may be necessary to advance the proposed permitted uses to be processed through a site plan. Said application shall include a request for any and all other variances and/or waivers as may be required by submission and discussion of the plans. . The aforesaid has been scheduled for a hearing before the Jackson Township Zoning Board , at the Jackson Township Municipal Building, 95 West Veterans Highway, Jackson, New Jersey on Wednesday, March 1, 2017 at 7:00 p.m. or as soon thereafter as possible. The application, maps and supporting documents are on file in the Jackson Township Zoning Board in the municipal building and are available for public inspection during normal business hours for a period of 10 days prior to the date of hearing. RAYMOND F. SHEA, JR., ESQ. RAY SHEA LAW, LLC Attorney for Applicant 2105 W. County Line Road Jackson, New Jersey 08527 (732) 364-7333 ($46.20)
Casanova Ristorante Owner to Receive Liquor License Transfer
JACKSON-Antonio Romeo DiSantillo, owner of the now close Casanova Ristorante and Romeo’s Plaza in Jackson has applied to the township to receive a liquor license for the currently closed restaurant.
The restaurant was the scene of what Ocean County Prosecutors are calling a “Murder for hire” plot.
According to testimony in court, DiSantillo claimed an associate, Hector Calderon shot and killed Peyman Sanandaji. Court filings show Romeo DiSantillo owed Sanandaji $140,000.
Closing arguments in the case are expected to be heard today and a verdict is expected to be handed down in the near future.
From a township public notice:
TOWNSHIP OF JACKSON LEGAL NOTICE PLEASE TAKE NOTICE, that application has been made to the Township of Jackson for a person to person transfer from Happy Time Cafe, Inc. to Antonio Romeo DiSantillo for premises located at 10 South New Prospect Road, the Plenary Retail Consumption License # 1511-33-021-00 1. Objections, if any, should be made immediately, in writing, to: Ann Marie Eden, Clerk, Jackson Township, Municipal Building, 95 W. Veterans Highway, Jackson, NJ 08527. Antonio Romeo DiSantillo.
Photo: Google Earth.
Ocean County Alt-Left Plans to Disrupt Congressman's Speaking Engagement at Ocean County College
TOMS RIVER-In light of many Republican congressmen canceling speaking engagements due to alt-left disruption, including town halls and speaking engagements, one is ready to brave the elements of the new political atmosphere in America.
It’s an atmosphere of blind rage and hostility towards anyone or anything that is remotely Republican.
On March 31st, Ocean County College’s Governmental Affairs Institute will present a seminar entitled ‘Government & Politics: What You Need to Know with Congressman Tom MacArthur’.
The even will be hosted on campus in the Gateway Building Lecture Hall. Congressman MacArthur will speak about the recent presidential election and his perspectives on the new Trump administration and the new Congress.
The alt-left in Ocean County is already planning to disrupt the event with political protest.
“Congressman Tom MacArthur will be speaking at Ocean County College, March 31st at 11 am. The event is open to the public,” the Ocean County Democrat Club posted on their Facebook page. “Please attend and let him know we are here! More details to follow.”
White House Says AP Report On National Guard Rounding Up Illegals Is False
The White House disputed an Associated Press report Friday that President Donald Trump is considering sending the National Guard to round up illegal immigrants. “This is not true,” White House press secretary Sean Spicer tweeted, within minutes of the AP report. The AP obtained an 11-page memo drafted by the Department of Homeland Security outlining the…
Ted Nugent, rock guitarist, weighing 2018 Senate run
Rock musician and NRA board member Ted Nugent is considering a run for U.S. Senate next year, the “Cat Scratch Fever” singer said Thursday. The 68-year-old Republican and avid Second Amendment supporter confirmed his interest in competing for Michigan Democrat Debbie Stabenow’s Senate seat this week after a local blogger touted him as a potential GOP…
Leaked Emails: Dems Think Obama's Nonprofit Army Destroyed The Democratic Party
Some Democrat organizers blame former President Obama’s grassroots nonprofit for helping destroy the Democrat party, leaked emails show. The leaders and activists didn’t take news of the nonprofit, Organizing For Action “relaunching” to protect Obamacare well, as they believe the shadow army drained valuable resources and energy from the official Democrat grassroots effort during the election.…
Florida Gov. Bashes Fellow Republicans In Robocall Campaign [VIDEO]
Florida Gov. Rick Scott sent out robocalls bashing fellow Republicans, according to a Friday report from Politico. Nine Florida Republicans backed a bill that would essentially remove the state’s tourism board based on the runaway government spending associated with the department. Scott quickly sprung into action, launching campaigns against each state representative paid for with his…
EPA Employees So Terrified Of Pruitt They're Whining To Their Senators
EPA employees are calling their senators to complain about President Donald Trump’s choice to head the agency, according to The New York Times. They are furious Trump nominated Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to lead the agency. Pruitt has battled the EPA numerous times in court, earning the hatred of many of the agency’s employees. “Employees…
Students Demand Free College Tuition to Make Up for Slavery
Given this nation’s history of slavery, black students should be offered free tuition and housing at the University of Wisconsin-Madison — because their ancestors weren’t able to receive education as slaves, a student government group insisted this week. The Associated Students of Madison (ASM) also said that students from suburban high schools are overrepresented at the…
Report: Staten Island Student Gets Lower Grade Because She Didn't Bash Trump
Teachers tasked by taxpayers with educating their children are instead inserting their own anti-Trump biases into their lesson plans. A Staten Island, New York, educator teacher placed an anti-President Trump question onto a middle school homework assignment — and then defended it as “freedom of speech,” reported The New York Post. “Please keep your political views…
Trump: Fake news media is the enemy of the American People
With fair and balanced news hard to find these days, President Donald Trump once again lashed out at the media on Friday, calling out the “failing New York Times”, NBC News, ABC, CBS and CNN.
Trump gave a message they most likely won’t understand, that they are the “enemy” of the American people.
The liberal leaning news media has, for the most part, not only failed to fairly cover the new president, but are leading the liberal, alt-left’s charge against the administration, therefore against America.
To date, the media still doesn’t get it, they have lost the attention of the average hardworking American and cater to the alt-left population base and it shows in the weekly Nielsen ratings as Fox News tops the charts on cable television overall with CNN and MSNB trailing far behind.
Photo by Zeke Miller, White House Press Pool.
The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 17, 2017
Sanders Reminds Media Why President Continues to Bypass Them to Reach Americans
WASHINGTON, DC-White House Deputy Press Secretary Sarah Stern gave the White House media pool aboard Air Force One a firm reminder why the President has chosen to circumvent the biased anti-Trump media.
Sanders was asked why the President, who was inaugurated four weeks ago feels the need tomorrow to go back onto the stump and reach out directly to the American people.
“I think it’s real simple the reason he wants to go back,” Sanders said. “I think, in large part, it’s because his message, when filtered through — unfortunately, people standing in this circle don’t always do the best job delivering his message, and nobody does it better than he does.”
Trump has lost all faith in the mainstream media’s ability to provide fair and honest reporting of his Presidency.
“And so, he can do that very easily by taking the stage and talking directly to the people of America, addressing their concerns, and being able to properly express exactly what he’s doing, what his administration has done over the last month, and what they plan to do in the coming weeks,” Sanders added.
When asked a ridiculous question by the “dishonest” media, Sanders handled it like a pro.
“Is this a campaign rally for 2020? Or is it a campaign rally for another candidate? Or how do you portray it?” one reporter asked.
“I think it’s most likely a campaign rally for America,” she responded. “I think it’s — again, it’s the President’s time to be able to speak directly to people across this country in an unfiltered way, and in a way that doesn’t have any bias that’s been expressed through the reporting that usually happens.”
The press pool, who rarely, if ever questioned former President Barack Obama over his travel plans continued to grill Stern with more absurd and leading questions.
Trump's Epic Slam of the Dishonest Press
Washington, DC-President Donald Trump continued his defense of the American people against the barrage of misinformation and misleading headlines since he has taken the oath of office.
On Thursday, he spoke at a press conference, over the media, directly to the American people.
“I’m making this presentation directly to the American people with the media present, which is an honor to have you this morning, because many of our nation’s reporters and folks will not tell you the truth and will not treat the wonderful people of our country with the respect that they deserve,” Trump said. “And I hope going forward we can be a little bit different, and maybe get along a little bit better, if that’s possible. Maybe it’s not, and that’s okay too.”
https://www.facebook.com/WhiteHouse/videos/1225328447554886/
Trump showed no love for the mainstream media.
“Unfortunately, much of the media in Washington, D.C., along with New York, Los Angeles, in particular, speaks not for the people but for the special interests and for those profiting off a very, very obviously broken system,” Trump said. “The press has become so dishonest that if we don’t talk about it, we are doing a tremendous disservice to the American people — tremendous disservice. We have to talk about it to find out what’s going on, because the press honestly is out of control. The level of dishonesty is out of control.”
He reminded the American public that he was committed to draining the swamp in Washington, even if that means draining the media outlets that thrive in the swamp.
“I ran for President to represent the citizens of our country. I am here to change the broken system so it serves their families and their communities well. I am talking, and really talking, on this very entrenched power structure, and what we’re doing is we’re talking about the power structure, we’re talking about its entrenchment,” he added. “As a result, the media is going through what they have to go through to oftentimes distort — not all the time — and some of the media is fantastic, I have to say; they’re honest and fantastic. But much of it is not — the distortion. And we’ll talk about it, and you’ll be able to ask me questions about it.”
Trump was quick to place blame on the poor health and division of America squarely on the shoulders of the past eight years of Barack Obama’s presidency, which left the country more divided that it has been since the 1960’s, perhaps even more.
“But we’re not going to let it happen, because I’m here again to take my message straight to the people. As you know, our administration inherited many problems across government and across the economy,” Trump added. “To be honest, I inherited a mess — it’s a mess — at home and abroad. A mess. Jobs are pouring out of the country. You see what’s going on with all of the companies leaving our country, going to Mexico and other places — low-pay, low-wages. Mass instability overseas, no matter where you look. The Middle East, a disaster. North Korea — we’ll take care of it, folks. We’re going to take care of it all. I just want to let you know I inherited a mess.”
Toms River Board Recognizes Life Saving Wrestling Coaches
The Toms River Regional School District’s Board of Education recognized High School North coaches Josh Huber and John DeMarco for their quick thinking as well as their certified training that led to saving the life of a Donovan Catholic student during a wrestling meet in Lakewood on January 4, 2017.
“We are proud of our coaches and the real reason for victory that evening,” the board said.
Pictured with coaches Josh Huber and John DeMarco is Board Member Christopher Raimann, HSN Athletic Coordinator Paul Barnoski and Superintendent David Healy.
Silent Kim Guadagno and Black Train Jack Ciattarelli Continue to Ignore Bail Reform Woes Plaguing New Jersey
The top two contending Republican candidates for the office of Governor in New Jersey, Kim Guadagno and Jack Ciattarelli continue to ignore the growing nightmare facing New Jersey, bail reform.
We’ve asked both campaigns repeatedly to let New Jersey know where they stand on bail reform, but so far, what we received was a new CD release from “Black Train Jack” Ciattarelli mocking Kim Guadagno and more silence from Guadagno who is quickly becoming deserving of her moniker, “Silent Kim”.
The two of them are shining examples of Trenton style politics independent Republicans across New Jersey are sick and tired of. One of them is busy producing music releases (who uses compact discs anyway?), the other making no noise at all.
Here’s what we know about bail reform so far…
Reader Poll: Is Governor Chris Christie's Recent Drug Addiction Stance Sincere?
After being governor for 7 years, Chris Christie recently embarked on a crusade to fight New Jersey’s growing opiate addiction problem, which has been growing for many years. Many are now questioning the governor’s motives and doubting his sincerity in the effort. What do you think?
How Shore Area Legislators Voted on Latest Bail Reform Funding Bill
In January, New Jersey legislators were asked to throw $17.6 million dollars into the new failing bail reform system to hire 20 more judges required to manage the system that has been nothing but a revolving door for repeat criminals in the state.
These are the Jersey Shore area legislators who recently voted to spend $17.6 million on continuing bail reform. We have added their phone numbers for those who want to call to express their concerns.
YES – Voted to spend $17.6 million over 2 years to keep bail reform alive.
NO – Voted against spending $17.6 million
ABSTAIN – Did not vote.
Here’s who voted here at the Jersey Shore:
District 13 – Northern Monmouth
YES Senator Joe Kyrillos (732) 671-3206
NO Assemblywoman Amy Handlin (732) 383-7820
YES Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon (732) 933-1591
District 11 – Central Monmouth
YES Senator Jennifer Beck (732) 933-1591
YES Assemblyman Joann Downey (732) 695-3371
YES Assemblyman Eric Houghtaling (732) 695-3371
District 30 – Southern Monmouth/Northern Ocean
YES Senator Robert Singer (732) 987-5669
YES Assemblyman Sean Kean (732) 974-0400
YES Assemblyman David Rible (732) 974-0400
District 12 – Western Ocean
YES Senator Samuel Thompson (732) 607-7580
YES Assemblyman Robert Clifton (732) 970-6386
YES Assemblyman Ron Dancer (609) 758-0205
District 10 – Central Ocean County
ABSTAIN Senator James Holzapfel (732) 840-9028
YES Assemblyman Gregory McGuckin (732) 840-9028
YES Assemblyman David Wolfe (732) 840-9028
District 9 – Southern Ocean County
NO Senator Christopher Connors (609) 693-6700
NO Assemblyman Dianne Gove (609) 693-6700
NO Assemblyman Brian Rumpf (609) 693-6700
District 2 – Atlantic County
YES Senator Jim Whelan (609) 383-1388
YES Assemblyman Chris Brown (609) 677-8266
YES Assemblyman Vincent Mazzeo (609) 383-1388
District 1 – Cape May
YES Senator Jeff Van Drew (856) 765-0891
YES Assemblyman Bob Andrzejczack (856) 765-0891
YES Assemblyman R. Bruce Land (856) 765-0891
OC Police Chiefs Call for Repeal of Bail Reform: Dangerous, onerous and fiscally disastrous
TOMS RIVER-The Ocean County Association of Chiefs of Police called upon call upon Governor Christie, the New Jersey Legislature, the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts and New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino to immediately suspend the use of the current public safety assessment computerized program that scores criminal defendants under New Jersey’s bail reform law.
The association, which represents the county’s municipal police chiefs also said the new system is, “Dangerous, onerous and fiscally disastrous to the taxpayers of this great state.”
Below is a resolution prepared by the Ocean County Association of Chiefs of Police:
Resolution
Whereas, The Ocean County Association of Chiefs of Police consists of the law enforcement chief executives from all the law enforcement agencies currently active in the Ocean County, and,
Whereas, It is the goal of this Organization to promote the welfare and mission of its members, their relative agencies and the general public, and,
Whereas, the voters of The State of New Jersey recently approved a state constitutional amendment that called for bail reform for low level indigent offenders, and,
Whereas, that amendment was implemented by a state legislative enactment which took effect on January 1, 2017 and for which a computer generated Public Safety Algorithm (PSA) was designated to assess the threat level of respective arrestees , and,
Whereas, the required usage of that modality thus far has been observed to involve long delays and often produces what appear to be highly inappropriate results regarding the relative threat level of these offenders, and,
Whereas, These delays and this extra work being placed on our systems without budgetary support requires reallocation of budgetary items that are already in too short of supply due to existing funding restrictions, and,
Whereas, Existing State Law requires enactments that impose a financial impact on Counties and Municipalities to be supported by a concomitant State funding initiative that does not appear to have been provided in this case, and,
Whereas, Officers being redeployed to these activities are not available to answer even emergency calls for service, and has resulted in slower response times and the suspension of discretionary police activities that support and improve the quality of life in those communities, and,
Whereas, Certain inappropriately low threat assessments have also led to the ill-advised release of offenders who traditionally have, and we believe should, be remanded to custody for the safety of the public, and,
Whereas, Many of these releases relate directly to offenses against special victims such as sexual offenses, offenses against children, domestic violence victims and senior citizens to name but a few, and,
Whereas, Certain protections for these special victims appear to have been completely disregarded by the PSA, those protections having been built into our laws over the course of decades and often the result of collective tragedies, and,
Whereas, NJ Court officials announced yesterday that in those cases where incarceration is indicated under the PSA, extensive discovery must be provided to the defendant almost immediately further increasing the burden of this initiative and demanding additional staffing that currently does not and will not exist, and,
Whereas, in other cases, such as serial shoplifters, it is our understanding that inappropriately high threat levels have been observed, due again to data given inappropriate weight by the PSA and causing additional systemic work and incarceration senselessly for subjects who would have otherwise been released, and,
Now heretofore, be it resolved on this the eighth day of February, 2017, The members of this Association support the State mandate, State pay litigation initiated by New Jersey Counties and call upon Governor Christie, the New Jersey Legislature, the New Jersey Administrative Office of the Courts and New Jersey Attorney General Christopher Porrino to immediately suspend the use of the current PSA as being dangerous, onerous and fiscally disastrous to the taxpayers of this great State.
Everything You Need to Know About Saturday's Fire District Elections in Jackson
This Saturday is the day residents of Jackson can go out and vote for their local fire district commissioners and budgets. Polls in Jackson are open from 2pm to 9pm on Saturday, February 18th.
Jackson Fire District 2 (Consolidated 1&2)
3 yr. Commissioner Seats Available: 2
Candidates: *John Alchevsky, *Martin Flemming III, Robert Reddington, Jr.
1 yr. Commissioner Seats Available: 1
Candidates: *John Ryan
Budget detail: 2017 Proposed Budget 2017 APPROPRIATIONS Salaries $682,615 Fringe Benefits 355,923 Election Expense 1,500 Office Expense 5,400 Professional Services 50,000 Travel Expenses 200 Advertising Expense 2,000 Insurance Expense 165,000 Maintenance & Repairs 140,000 Hydrant Rental 38,000 Supplies Expense 5,000 Training & Education 10,000 Uniforms & Personal Equipment 37,000 Utilities 40,000 Fire Supression Contracts 40,500 Payroll Service Fees 5,500 Physicals 10,000 Fuel 20,000 Replacement Equipment 36,500 Extrication Equipment 24,000 SCBA 20,000 Hose 5,000 Pagers 5,000 Operating Expenses 66,800 Losap 40,000 Capital Appropriations 490,000 Debt Service 137,021 Total Appropriations $ 2,432,959 REVENUES Fund Balance Utilized $655,500 Misc. Revenues 12,745 Interest Income 3,300 Supplemental Fire Grant 116,500 Amount to be Raised by Taxation 1,644 914 Total Revenues $ 2,432,959 Tax Rate Per $100 $0.0812
Voting place: Miller Avenue Firehouse, 785 Miller Avenue
Jackson Fire District 3
3 yr. Commissioner Seats Available: 1
Candidates: *John Seidler, Vincent Nicosia
Budget detail: OPERATING APPROPRIATIONS: Current Operating Expenses $ 3,008,400.00 CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS: a. Debt Service $ 84,105.00 b. Total Capital Improvements $ 100,000.00 c. Reserve for future Capital Outlays $ -0- d. Length of Service Award Program $ 30,000.00 TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS: Total revenues and fund balance $ 3,222,505.00. utilized to defray taxation: $ 264,651. 00 AMOUNT TO BE RAISED BY TAXES: $ 2,957,854.00.
Voting Place: Jackson Volunteer Fire Company Firehouse 200 Kierych Memorial Drive
Jackson Fire District 4
3 yr. Commissioner Seats Available: 2
Candidates: *Brian Ruditsky, *Ray Torres, Kenneth Byrnes, Wallace Jamison, n/a
Note: n/a – One candidate omitted at request of family member under threat of lawsuit.
Budget detail: OPERATING APPROPRIATIONS: Current Operating Expenses $ 1,546,141.00 CAPITAL APPROPRIATIONS: a. Debt Service $ -0- b. Total Capital Improvements $ 500,000.00 c. Reserve for future Capital Outlays $ -0- d. Length of Service Award Program $ 50,000.00 TOTAL APPROPRIATIONS: $ 2,096,141.00 Total revenues and fund balance utilized to defray taxation: $ 538,757..00 AMOUNT TO BE RAISED BY TAXES: $ 1,557,384.00
Voting Place: Jackson Mills Volunteer Fire Company firehouse, 465A North County Line Road.
* Indicates JTOWN Magazine’s fire commissioner endorsement.
Jackson Council Approves Very Exorbitant $140,000 Bathroom Upgrade for Senior Center
JACKSON-The Jackson Township council approved a very exorbitant $140,000 project paid for through the community development block grant to upgrade the facility’s bathrooms on Tuesday.
“Improvements to restroom facilities at the Jackson Township Senior Center focusing on greater ADA accessibility. The approximate value of this grant is $140,000. Projects will be listed by priority based on availability of funds,” read the ordinance which was unanimously approved by the council.
In 2015, a similar grant in the amount of $139,000 was approved by the council to build a 24’x34′ addition on the facility, before that a grant was used to install an on-site generator and other usability features on the building.
Despite the ongoing heroin epidemic in Jackson and the need for a Youth Center, Jackson Township said the grant could not be used for youth services facilities. There are no plans at this time to build a youth services center in Jackson Township or to co-locate a youth services program within the senior center.
Jackson Township remains the largest township in Ocean County without a youth services center.
In many neighboring towns such as Brick Township and Howell Township the township have partnered with the Police Athletic League to create self-sustainable youth service facilities. Toms River Township has a fully function youth services department and a youth services center located on North Bay Avenue.
Historically, Jackson Township elections are won by catering to the township large and growing senior citizen populations.
Who is Tim Schnacke and why is he pushing bail reform down our throats in New Jersey?
Tim Schnacke lives in Colorado, but suddenly has an interest in touting New Jersey’s Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act as a monumental success.
He has been attacking the media, including yours truly, law enforcement, prosecutors, the bail bond industry and anyone who dares criticize bail reform.
After all, it is his baby.
“Man, I never thought I’d ever use such a stupid term as ‘fake news,’ and my dad knew Nixon,” Schnacke wrote on his blog, followed by just 5 people. “But recently I’ve seen the bail insurance company posts with all these stories about how horrible everything is in New Jersey, and I noticed that they were all coming from one source – Shore News Network. I mean, it was literally the only outfit saying these things, and the things it was saying were pretty much the opposite of what I was hearing both from people high up and on the ground in New Jersey.”
We decided to look into the man behind the curtain and see why his panties are in such a bunch. After all, it was his program that just facilitated the release of a two-time child sexual predator back into the neighborhood in Little Egg Harbor.
It turns out Mr. Schnacke is paid good money to promote bail reform. In fact the company he works for, Pretrial Justice Institute has received over $7 million in federal grant money to write positive reports and analysis on bail reform. Those are just the grants we were able to find through a quick Google search.
Pretrial Justice Institute hails itself as “The Third Generation of Bail Reform”.
It turns out Schnacke is even one of the architects behind bail reform programs such as New Jersey’s which has put child sex offenders and other repeat offenders back on the streets in the first 30 days.
In fact, in 2013 he was the driving force behind pretrial bail reform in Jefferson Colorado. By 2016, the Attorney General there shut the failing bail reform program down.
Tim Schnacke’s bail reform ideas failed the citizens of Colorado and the Attorney General suspended it in December of last year, a few days before Schnacke’s model was implemented in New Jersey. Now schnacke is pushing bail reform in NJ and going after NJ’s law enforcement community and news outlets such as ours who are reporting the failures. He’s also going after the bail industry because he NEEDS reform to work in NJ so he can get more million dollar grants from the federal government.
Schnacke’s methods were sharply criticized by the American Bail Coalition, a bail industry advocate in 2011, prior to launching his failed bail reform pilot program in Jefferson County, Colorado.
“Tim Schnake from Jefferson County, CO, wants JEFFCO to become the DC of the Rockies. In his position as a criminal justice planner/analyst for the county, he explained his two part program the first part of which was a jail impact study and the second part of which was to highlight the defects of the commercial bail system in Colorado,” the ABC wrote.
“During the debate over CO SB 186, Schnacke’s findings were challenged by a professor of criminology at the University of Texas, who concluded, that by contemporary academic/scientific standards, Schanke’s methodology suffered from such grave design flaws, that they were fatal to the validity of his findings,” the report continued. “Schnake did not react well and attacked the professor ad hominem through all the deans on his campus, the provost, plus the system chancellor of the University of Texas. Schnake never did address the substance of the professor’s criticism, nor did he mention such a challenge during the symposium presentation (nor did his colleague, Mike Jones, who gave substantially the same presentation at the National Sheriffs Association annual meeting on 18 JUN in a session lumberingly entitled, Increasing Public Safety While Reducing Jail Populations: The Benefit of Cost-Effective Bail Setting and Pre-Trial Services Programs).”
Two years later, Schnacke was able to reform JEFFCO’s justice system. Three years later, it was shut down.
The mainstream liberal media in New Jersey has for the most part not covered the downside of the new Bail Reform and Speedy Trial Act.
Schnacke and his company are making big bucks on bail reform at the expense of the residents of New Jersey who now have sexual predators being released back into their neighborhoods.
That’s why Schnacke is interested in pushing bail reform and trash talking the media, law abiding citizens, prosecutors and law enforcement officers who criticize his platform. His company survives on federal grant money and if the narrative of success is not maintained, they could lose that money in the future.
With the amount of revenue being spent on bail reform, we can only hope at some point this scam against the American people and especially the people of New Jersey is noticed by the Trump Administration and is shut down until a more practical, affordable and sensible reform can be adopted.
Schnacke’s bail reform has failed the citizens of Colorado, where marijuana is legal, but officials are of enough sound mind to have pulled the plug on his terrible bail reform program.
We attempted to contact Mr. Schnacke several times this week to hear his side of the story, but he dodged our repeated calls and never returned any messages.
