Trenton, NJ – Taking action to provide immediate and emergency repairs to return families to their homes and secure structures from additional damage this winter, Governor Chris Christie today announced the implementation of FEMA’s Sheltering and Temporary Essential Power (STEP) Pilot Program in the 5 New Jersey counties. Through the program, homeowners can apply through their municipalities … [Read more...]

NJ voters approve raising judges' benefits costs   New Jersey voters have approved a ballot question forcing judges and state Supreme Court justices to pay more for retirement and health benefits. Voters easily approved the constitutional change that allows a 2011 law requiring higher benefits contributions from public workers to apply to those on the bench. A Hudson County judge who … [Read more...]

Officials are still piecing together an accident along the tracks in Red Bank.  An unidentified adult man was killed at the Front Street bridge near Shrewsbury Avenue yesterday morning.  It remains under investigation according to NJ Transit spokeswoman Courtney Carroll.  Carroll said the incident occurred at about 6:15 a.m. along the northbound North Jersey Coastline. There were no … [Read more...]

A police standoff in Ocean County has ended peacefully. A law enforcement official tells The Associated Press that the suspect in Tuesday's early morning shooting of a woman outside a Brielle restaurant was taken into custody without incident Tuesday afternoon. The law enforcement official spoke on the condition of anonymity because the official was not authorized to publicly discuss the … [Read more...]

A Sea Bright man accused of swindling more than $ 12,000 from the FEMA after Superstorm Sandy has been indicted on a theft by deception charge. Monmouth County prosecutors say 51-year-old William Nagle of Sea Bright used the money to pay for 68 nights of lodging even though he could have lived in his third-floor apartment. Nagle's unit was temporarily uninhabitable after Sandy caused … [Read more...]

An overnight shooting in Brielle has left a woman injured. The incident happened just after 1am outside the popular Sand Bar Restaurant. Witnesses say the 35-year-old woman was shot in the back. She's listed in critical but stable condition according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. News 12  is reporting that the suspect may be an employee of the Sand Bar. 1PM … [Read more...]

Health officials are warning residents that coyotes have been spotted in Monmouth County's central coastal areas. County Regional Health Commission spokeswoman Sandra VanSant has declined to reveal which municipalities the coyotes reportedly have been seen in. She says they can travel for several miles so it is better if everyone is alerted to their presence. The commission is warning … [Read more...]

The state Education Department is considering requiring prospective teachers to achieve at least a B average in college before they can get state certification. The new 3.0 grade-point requirement would be higher than the current 2.75. But those who educate educators tell The Press of Atlantic City (http://bit.ly/16xl6s0 ) that it would not make much of a practical difference. Neighboring … [Read more...]

The former school superintendent of Wall has been indicted on charges  he played a part in covering up an alleged sex abuse of a 4-year-old student and fraudulently obtained more than $ 360,000 in vacation payouts. Fifty-six-year-old James Habel, who now lives in Dunedin, Fla., is accused of official misconduct in the alleged cover-up along with another former Wall Township school … [Read more...]

Federal officials have released new versions of flood zone maps, bringing relief to some property owners. The maps are for Ocean, Monmouth, Atlantic, and Hudson Counties -areas that were hardest hit by Superstorm Sandy last year. About 50 percent of homes in Ocean County that were previously in a "v-zone" have been taken out potentially saving them tens of thousands of dollars. When finalized … [Read more...]