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News from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Beyond.

Sand Dollars Washing Ashore on Long Beach Island?

LONG BEACH ISLAND-Sand dollars have been reported washed ashore along Long Beach Island and Clean Ocean Action would like to educate beachgoers on the difference between live sand dollars and their skeletons.

“Rumor has it, sand dollars have been washing ashore in LBI! When you’re walking on the beach, you may be lucky enough to find a sand dollar. What you’ll usually find is something called a test, which is the skeleton of a dead sand dollar. When they are alive, sand dollars look much different – like the one below,” Clean Ocean Action wrote on their Facebook Page.  “They are covered with short, velvety spines that may be purple, reddish brown, yellowish, gray, green or black in color. Sand dollars are animals and they deserve to be protected. If you do find a live sand dollar please return it to the ocean.”

The top photo is a live sand dollar.  The photo below is a test (skeleton) which are commonly found on New Jersey’s beaches.

Photos courtesy of Wikipedia.  Learn more about sand dollars.

Visit Clean Ocean Action’s Facebook Page.

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Plane Lands on Median of Jersey Shore Highway

MANAHAWKIN,NJ-Beachbound traffic heading to Long Beach Island was slowed for 90 minutes on Sunday as crews worked to remove a small plane from the median which made an emergency landing here.

At 10:13 am, Stafford Township Police responded to the area of Route 72 and Route 9 for a report of a small plane down.

“The initial investigation suggests that the small single engine plane, carrying students from the Skydive East Coast Sky Diving School, lost power forcing the pilot to make an emergency landing on the grass median between the east and west bound lanes of Route 72,” the police department said in a statement. “Officers at the scene closed the left lanes on Route 72 in both directions for approximately 90 minutes while the scene remained under investigation.”

One sky dive instructor was treated for a small cut on his arm, however, no other injuries were reported and no vehicles were involved.

The investigation will be turned over to Federal Aviation Administration, the department said.

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ABC NEWS: Head of Influential New Jersey Political Lobbying Firm Assaulted Blind U.S. Army Veteran

by Phil Stilton

EAST ORANGE-ABC News this morning has reported that powerful North Jersey Democrat Party Chairman LeRoy Jones is being charged for assaulting a partially blind U.S. army war veteran after a political exchange between the two men.   The assault was caught on video.   In the video, Jones can be seen sucker punching the disabled veteran.

Jones, who also heads the influential New Jersey political lobbying firm 1868 Public Affairs is being charged with a misdemeanor, but 75 year old victim, Bill Graves, a retired water veteran who is legally blind in one eye and partially blind in the other said it’s not enough.  Graves is pushing for more severe charges.

ABC reported that Graves’ attacker was identified by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office as Jones.  Graves contends the confrontation between himself and Jones stemmed from Graves backing a political candidate Jones was not in favor of.

1868Graves said in an interview that his vision problems are getting worse and now he has to run back and forth between doctors, because of Jones.

Due to conflict of interest concerns the case will not be heard in Essex County.

The Tangled Web of Ocean County Politics

Jones has close ties to Ocean County Republicans and it’s unsure how the assault will play out in local politics.

According to 1868’s Public Affairs website, Jones is partners with George Gilmore, the chairman of the Ocean County Republican Club and Idida Rodriguez.    Rodriguez was a senior campaign staffer for former Jackson Township Business Administrator Jose Torres during his bid for re-election in Paterson earlier this year.

Torres was pushed into the Jackson Township spotlight by Gilmore and Jackson Mayor Mike Reina when both lobbied the township council to appoint the former Paterson Mayor to a $120,000 job as the town’s new business administrator.  Although his appointment was hotly contested in Jackson, the Republican majority council of Scott Martin, Ken Bressi and Anne Updegrave approved the appointment.   Torres, who was legally unqualified for the job was told by the council the requirements would be changed to meet his insufficient educational background.  The position required a bachelor’s degree which Torres did not possess.

Shortly after Torres won his election, Gilmore was awarded a $100,000 contract by the city.

Gilmore and Jones’ 1868 Public Affairs came under fire in Ocean County in 2014 when it was reported by the Daily Beast that Wal-Mart was paying 1868 to assist in the approvals process to build a Walmart Super Store in a remote section of Toms River.

Founded in 2005, 1868 Public Affairs’ clients include several dozen New Jersey based firms and boasts, “Our relationships on both sides of the political spectrum at the state and local level in New Jersey are without equal.”