News 12

A Rockland group shopped at a Kosher supermarket today in hopes of promoting interaction between Hasidic and non-Hasidic groups in the county.
Dozens of members from "Wake Up Rockland" dressed in all black and shopped at the Rockland Kosher Supermarket in Monsey.
The group formed a few months back and hopes to bring unity to a county where both cultures often clash.
Community liaison Yossi Gestetner calls the demonstration and group a "move in the right direction."
"We may have some road blocks but I think with good communication and the right steps and the public relations we can do a lot of good things," Gestetner said. "The Jewish community doing business with the non-Jewish community."
The group says it plans to keep holding demonstrations until there is a change in Rockland.

APP

Here’s the dark side of the much heralded Jersey Shore recovery from superstorm Sandy: just a fraction of the millions of aid dollars earmarked for small businesses has been sent to merchants hurt by the storm.

A number of Shore business owners say they fear that the delays from bureaucratic red tape and odd requirements — including one that forces recipients who receive a grant from one program to stop reconstruction until they obtain federal approval — will cost them the chance to salvage the 10 weeks remaining in the summer tourism season.

The U.S. Small Business Administration has disbursed 17 percent, or $11.5 million, of the $67.3 million in disaster loans it has approved for businesses in Monmouth and Ocean counties, an Asbury Park Press investigation found. And the state Economic Development Authority — which launched a $260 million grant program May 1 — isn’t saying if any money has been given out yet.

“I’m all for helping people in need anywhere in the world. That makes sense to us as a country,” said Paul Kelly, owner of Kelly’s Sea Bay Sunoco in Lavallette, who thought he was close to receiving a response from the EDA on his grant application, only to be told last week it needed more documents from him. “It’s time to help ourselves. That’s what this money was approved for.”

The $25 million dollar “Stronger than the Storm” marketing campaign and the high-profile boardwalk visits from Gov. Chris Christie and President Barack Obama get a lot of optimistic attention, but the mom-and-pop business owners who make up the Shore’s tourism industry paint a picture of a frustrating recovery.

While they await government aid to help them rebuild, replenish their inventory, or pay their vendors, the summer tourism season has arrived. Government officials say the intense scrutiny is needed to ensure taxpayer money isn’t wasted. But business is off from last year in the areas hit hardest by Sandy, many owners say. And they are being warned that the Shore’s economic recovery isn’t going to happen this year.

“Very honestly, most of the state does not understand the recovery hasn’t happened yet,” state Sen. Robert Singer, R-Ocean, told business owners at a recent seminar in Lakewood. “We’re looking at a three- to seven-year recovery, and anybody who thinks different really hasn’t taken a look at that.”

Business aid slow to arrive
The slow pace of the business aid programs stands in contrast to money that — after political wrangling in Congress — has flooded into the Shore. In recent months, New Jersey’s congressmen have announced a flurry of grants, including: $42.4 million to repair and rebuild New Jersey parks; $35 million to repair Sandy Hook; and $25.6 million to replenish beaches in Sea Bright and Monmouth Beach.

They have announced grants for $14 million to help Atlantic Highlands repair its marina; a total of $10 million to Seaside Heights and Spring Lake to repair their boardwalks; and $6.4 million to Middletown for Sandy debris cleanup.

Business owners haven’t been as lucky.

After Sandy struck Oct. 29, many of the Shore’s tourism business owners consoled themselves with the bright side: the summer was still months away, leaving them plenty of time to rebuild. But the small business owners that make up the Shore’s tourism industry said this summer, as every year, snuck up on them quickly.
To help, both the federal and state governments have offered assistance. The U.S. Small Business Administration quickly rolled out its disaster relief program, which includes loans with interest rates as low as 4 percent, to businesses that need money to help repair physical damage, replace equipment or inventory and make up for lost sales.

New Jersey on May 1 launched the Stronger NJ Business Grant Program, providing business owners who sustained at least $5,000 in damage from Sandy grants of up to $50,000 — or up to $250,000 for businesses with multiple locations — to use for working capital and future storm-related construction. Unlike loans, the grants don’t have to be repaid.

Billed as a last resort, the grants are designed to make up for the gap in what business owners are eligible for from the SBA and what they need to stay afloat. They first need to apply for the SBA program, at least as long as the SBA continues to accept applications.

Eight months after Sandy, however, the aid for small businesses has only trickled in, particularly in Monmouth and Ocean counties.

The SBA has approved $67.3 million in disaster loans for Monmouth and Ocean county businesses, but disbursed $11.5 million. By comparison, the SBA has disbursed more than 25 percent of the loans it approved for a region that includes 22 counties in New Jersey and New York.

New Jersey’s Economic Development Authority has set aside $260 million for the grant program. Officials declined to say how many grants have been distributed. The Asbury Park Press filed an open records request seeking the informationbut had not received a response by publication time.

Gov. Christie’s office didn’t return a call last week for comment.

“We have an increasingly robust pipeline of applications that are actively being processed,” said Linda Kellner, director of the EDA’s Office of Recovery.

Owing everybody money
Sandy demolished much of the coastline from Union Beach to Long Beach Island, adding a giant weight to a group of business owners who already feel the pressure to earn enough money between Memorial Day and Labor Day to survive.

APP

Lawmakers greenlighted more than $715 million in college-campus construction projects, but not before subjecting a few of the plans to a little additional pressure.

In all, Gov. Chris Christie’s administration is moving forward with $1.27 billion for 176 higher-education projects around New Jersey. That includes $715.6 million from the $750 million in borrowing voters approved last November, which required approval by the Senate and Assembly.

That approval was given Thursday, by votes of 36-0 in the Senate and 74-1 in the Assembly. The Assembly added an extra wrinkle through a resolution that calls on the Christie administration to pause before providing grants of $10.6 million to Beth Medrash Govoha in Lakewood and $645,323 to the Princeton Theological Seminary, a Presbyterian Christian seminary.

The resolution, sponsored by Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for U.S. Senate, urges the state treasurer and secretary of higher education to withhold the grant until the courts decided whether awarding the money is legal, on grounds that it uses public funds for a religious purpose.

“This resolution is entered ... to voice my opposition to the funding for those two institutions, which I believe very strongly are unconstitutional and violate legislative intent,” Oliver said.

This past Friday night a young man was crossing Route Nine at 11pm. With only one car off in the distance he quickly crossed the street when he realized that the oncoming car was traveling at a high speed. As the car passed and honked at him he waved his hand towards the car to express his displeasure while realizing the car was actually a police car. The officer returned and askef the young man his name and address, accusing him of holding out his middle finger to him as he passed. A few days later the officer hand delivered a ticket to the hand waving pedestrian. The officer cited him with crossing against a traffic light.
Lakewood's finest are really going above and beyond these

The same month a New York State judge wrote about the long history of flipping the bird being free speech comes news that a Harlem man is seeking $2.1 million from the city after he says he was harassed by the police because he gave an NYPD detective a middle finger salute. Wait, haven't we seen this one before?

According to 22-year-old Aneury Peralta, back in October 2011 he and an unidentified detective's cars were stuck behind a garbage truck on E. 107th Street. Realizing it would be a while before he could get off the block, Peralta says he tried to slip into a parking spot near him, but the car behind wouldn't move. So he waited.

Realizing the garbage truck was moving, Peralta started to move, too — but, his lawyer said, he was annoyed by the honking, so he stuck his hand out the window. “He did what virtually everyone does in New York. He gave him the finger,” Okoli said in an interview. The other driver jumped out of his car, opened Peralta’s door and demanded, “Say to me again what you just said,” according to Okoli.
Peralta obliged — sticking out his middle finger — again.

At this point Peralta claims the other driver then pushed him, and made it clear he was a member of the NYPD. He also "violently removed [Peralta's] key from the ignition" and broke it, according to court papers. Finally, the other man called for backup and two officers arrived and gave Peralta a ticket for disorderly conduct (which was then dismissed).

It didn't end there. Peralta says that three weeks after the incident three cops and a sergeant arrived at his family's bodega and demanded to see his license. "The suit claims that when the sergeant told Peralta there was a warrant out for his arrest, Peralta reached for a cell phone to call his brother. He was busted on the spot and charged with resisting arrest." The Manhattan DA's office declined to prosecute that charge.

Now Peralta wants to be paid (a lot) for his trouble. Interestingly, two weeks ago Paul Browne, the chief spokesman for the New York Police Department, was asked about police officers arresting people for flipping the bird. His response? If NYPD officers "locked up everyone who gave the middle-finger salute, traffic would grind to a halt."

Authorities say the deputy director of public works for Toms River is among 22 people arrested as part of an investigation into a $1 million-a-week gambling ring.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office says the enterprise operated in Monmouth, Somerset, Essex and Hudson counties and in New York.

Authorities say the ring used websites to track illegal bets and record profits and losses. Prosecutors also allege members sold marijuana and prescription drugs.

Anthony Benyola of Toms River is suspended with pay from his job with the township's public works department.

Authorities say 55-year-old Richard Crossan of Hillsborough and 38-year-old Anthony Gagliardi of Monmouth Beach acted as co-conspirators.

Initial court appearances for most of the suspects were held Tuesday afternoon in Freehold. Three suspects remain at-large.

APP

The death of a 61-year-old woman found in her home at an adult community Tuesday has been labeled a homicide, and a man who was stopped while driving the victim's car is being questioned about her death, police say.

The body of Gail Conway was found at her home at 3C Sumac Court in Country Place Condominiums earlier Tuesday, according to a knowledgeable source who was not authorized to speak on the record.

Al Della Fave, a spokesman for the Ocean County prosecutor, declined to release details about the circumstances surrounding Conway's death.

"We are treating it as a suspicious death. There were signs on her body that it was more than natural causes," Della Fave said.

The man who was driving Conway's car was stopped and taken into custody at 5:29 p.m. Tuesday at Lakewood-Allenwood Road in Howell, Della Fave said.

Lakewood Patrolman Jason Pederson spotted the man driving the victim's car and called other officers to help him make the arrest, he said.

A small dog was in the car with the man, he said.

The man is being questioned by detectives, he said.

Police initially went to Conway's home because co-workers were worried that she had not shown up at work on Tuesday as scheduled.

Conway was last seen at work Thursday and attended a meeting of the condominium association Thursday night, according to neighbors.

Conway was identified by neighbors as an outspoken community advocate. She lived at the condo in the adult community with her son, according to Joyce and Norman Havens, who live across the street on Gladiola Court.

"She was a very, very nice person," Joyce Havens said.

The neighbors gathered on the street near Conway's home in the close-knit adult community, talking while police cars were parked outside the condominium.

"It has been like this all day," Joyce Havens said. "She was a really hard worker and usually left for work just after dawn."

At one point, Conway's mother lived with her in the condo, and she was later put in a nursing home after becoming ill, she said.

Conway has a brother who lives out of state, Joyce Havens said.

Norman Havens said Conway and her son were working outside last week putting down mulch.

But there were often loud arguments between Conway and her son that were known to several neighbors.

"He had a short temper," Norman Havens said.

A neighbor said Conway's son, Brian, had walked a small dog -- the family pet -- about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. However, no one had seen him drive away from the condo that day, witnesses said.

One car had been towed away from the Conways' home earlier by police.

Neighbors said Conway was vocal about the pool having two hours a day of segregated swim time. She would come home from work and want to use the pool but it would be at the time set aside for the men, Joyce Havens said.

While the pool rules allow mixed swimming for most of the day, there are two hours set aside where men and women swim separately, according to the association rules.

"She was definitely against that," Joyce Havens said.

"She was very effective in trying to get her point across. She got a lot of things accomplished."

The law firm of Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein& Celso  that was chosen to  replace Michael Inzelbuch as the township attorney seems to have a track record of improper billing, and overcharging other school districts as well. The BOE  chose this firm over Inzelbuch claiming that a new firm will save the district a significant amount. It seems they didn't do their homework. After realizing the exorbitant fees the new firm was charging, the board moved to fire the new firm. It will remain to be seen if the new firm will reign in the excessive legal costs of our school board. The comptroller report discusses the excessive billing in certain districts in NJ:

State Comptroller report finds local governments failing to control excessive and improper payments for legal services

D. Freehold Regional High School District
The Freehold Regional High School District (“Freehold”) consists of six high schools located in western Monmouth County. As of FY 2011, Freehold served more than 11,000 students in grades 9 through 12. According to State Department of Education (“DOE”) data, Freehold spent $42 per pupil on legal services in FY 2011, just below the $44 per pupil statewide average for districts serving high school students. In FY 2011, Freehold spent a total of $493,414 on outside legal costs, all of which was paid to the law firm of Schwartz, Simon, Edelstein & Celso LLC as its Board Attorney. Our analysis of those payments identified deficiencies as described in detail below.
Freehold’s Board Attorney submitted bills that were non-descriptive and block-billed, making it impossible to determine whether the billed tasks should have been covered under the retainer.
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