Thursday, May 23, 2013
DEP Commissioner: side scan sonar used to detect sunken debris; Tourism Commissioner: rental market is healthy
Though immense devastation from Superstorm Sandy remains visible up and down the New Jersey coastline, beaches, boardwalks and even rental homes are ready for the annual influx of summer tourists that will begin this weekend, officials said Thursday at the annual "State of the Shore" event in Belmar. The State of the Shore report is presented by state officials and the New Jersey Sea Grant Consortium every year before Memorial Day weekend kicks off, but this year it evolved to mark the unofficial reopening of the Shore area following Sandy. With emergency repairs to state and local infrastructure damaged by the storm now complete, work has started on the state's long term recovery, said Bob Martin, commissioner of the state Department of …
This will be Obama's first visit to Shore since just after Sandy
President Obama and Gov. Christie will visit the Jersey Shore on Tuesday, according to The Record in Bergen County. Herb Jackson of the Record and northjersey.com reports President Obama will visit the Jersey Shore on Tuesday with Gov. Christie. This will be Obama's first visit to the area since Oct. 31, just after the storm struck. More information can be found here.
Monday, May 20, 2013
Planning a vacation or just a day trip? Patch has all the information on the Shore's best beaches
More than six months after Superstorm Sandy caused unprecedented damage to the Jersey Shore region, the beaches will be open for Memorial Day Weekend and the summer. While certain access points and facilities might be closed as municipalities continue to work on restoration, for the most part, the beaches will be operational. The only beach that remains off limits to the public is Mantoloking. The borough was home to a breach that split Ocean County's northern barrier island in half and was one of the hardest hit communities in New Jersey during the storm. So as you prepare to stick your toes in the sand, are you wondering what will be accessible after Sandy? Need to know how much it will cost to buy badges to your favorite beach? Curious …
Saturday, May 18, 2013
The state urges customers to consult the database before buying a car
The State Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) and Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) are urging all customers to consult their database of flood and salvage-titled vehicles before purchasing a car. That database now provides information on 31,000 such vehicles, the State MVC announced on Wednesday. It isn't illegal to sell vehicles with flood or salvaged titles. However, there are specific requirements that ensure potential purchasers are aware of the status of such vehicles, according to the MVC. “Damage sustained by vehicles must be disclosed to prospective buyers,” Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said. “We will hold car dealers accountable for violating our Consumer Fraud Act if they fail to make such disclosures.” The database was …
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Some municipalities, such as Sea Bright, desperately need the additional funds from Community Disaster Loan applications.
The impact of Superstorm Sandy continues to be felt by the State of New Jersey as it embarks on its first fiscal year following one of the biggest storms in state history. For various reasons, many towns have been forced into a holding pattern, waiting as the state approves their budgets. Indeed, 32 towns impacted by the storm have applied for Community Disaster Loans, which are reviewed by officials from the Federal Emergency Management Agency and must ultimately be approved by the state Department of Community Affairs' Division of Local Government Services. Some towns, such as Sea Bright in Monmouth County, see this loan as an absolute must. The borough applied for about $1.25 million in the loan, and has not even introduced its budget …
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
Monmouth County Department of Public Works, Sheriff's Department beneficiaries in latest dole
The Monmouth County Department of Public Works and the Sheriff’s Department will share in $9.4 million in federal recovery money to reimburse those agencies for money spent during Hurricane Sandy, officials said. Tuesday. U.S. Senators Frank R. Lautenberg and Robert Menendez, both D-NJ, announced a total of nearly $9.4 million in federal funding to reimburse New Jersey communities for their response and recovery work following the storm. The county Public Works department will receive $3,714,294 as partial reimbursement for its pre- and post-storm efforts, according to the release. The Sheriff’s Department will receive $1,291,688 for the department’s efforts in providing security at shelters as well as its search and rescue operations, …
Friday, April 26, 2013
An interactive map, produced by NJ Spotlight, breaks down insurance costs by town following Hurricane Sandy
Freehold residents have claimed $18 million in Hurricane Sandy-related claims to insurance companies, according to a new report. An interactive map produced by New Jersey Spotlight and published late last week provides a complete breakdown of every insurance claim paid in New Jersey since Hurricane Sandy by town, giving further insight into the totality of losses suffered during the late-October storm. Information from color-coded map was compiled using the most recent data from the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI). Based on the most recent data, Freehold residents have filed 3,596 claims for Sandy-related damage, totaling $17,973,876. Of those, 2,680 claims have been paid, for a total of $15,255,170, according to …
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Final hearing on a 4.1 percent increase for state's second largest utility
The sixth and final hearing on a request for a rate increase by the state’s second largest utility company met with a mix of praise and criticism for Jersey Central Power & Light Wednesday at Freehold Township’s Town Hall. JCP&L, fresh off widespread criticism for its handling of Hurricane Sandy and the Nor’easter that followed, is seeking a 4.1 percent increase in the rates it charges its 1.1 million customers – many of whom were without power for up to two weeks after this winter’s storms. The Morristown-based company, the main power supplier in Monmouth, Ocean and Morris counties, is seeking to recoup the $630 million it spent on repairs following Sandy. It has petitioned the state regulatory board -- the Board of Public Utilities -- …
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
Utility company petitioning state board for consumer rate increase
The state Board of Public Utilities is scheduled to hold a pair of hearings in Freehold Township on Wednesday on a proposed rate increase for Jersey Central Power & Light. The first meeting is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. at the Township Municipal Building, at Schanck and Stillwells Corner roads. The second meeting is set for 6:30 p.m. at the same location. The utility company, roundly criticized for its response during Hurricane Sandy and the nor’easter that followed, wants a rate increase of 4.5 percent in its effort to raise $603 million the company says it needs to repair infrastructure damaged in hurricane’s Sandy and Irene. The company faces opposition. “We will speak for the hundreds of ratepayers who are tired of paying more for less …
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
The deadlines for FEMA assistance and SBA loans are both May 1.
There are two weeks left for survivors of Superstorm Sandy who suffered damage to their homes to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The deadline is midnight, May 1, according to FEMA officials. This is also the deadline for residents to return applications to the Small Business Administration (SBA) for low-interest disaster loans. Residents can register for FEMA assistance online at DisasterAssistance.gov, or via smart phone or tablet at m.fema.gov. They also can call 800-621-3362 or TTY 800-462-7585, and those who use 711-Relay or Video Relay Services can call 800-621-3362. Those platforms are also available to check the status of any applications. Residents can apply for low-interest home or business disaster …
KC
11:11 pm on Thursday, May 23, 2013
We just all heard on PBS the other night that the rental marked is flaccid. more ›