We told you about the fundraiser coming up at Ross's Dockside for Veterans; now Carole J. Brandi, who was there to enjoy it, fills you in on the night itself.

By Carole J. Brandi

Despite threatening rain storms the May 1 waterfront benefit concert at Ross’s Dockside, in Sea Bright, for VetWork managed to gather $5,000 in donations. A New Jersey sunset on the bay, moving speeches in support of the country’s vets, and a patriotic rock ‘n’ roll show headlined by the popular rock band Goldenseal replaced the rain with warmth and hope.

This was the first fundraiser for VetWork, a 20 year-old nonprofit that aids homeless and disabled veterans. 3 Zero Records’ recording artists (and local Jersey homegrown talent) Goldenseal, John Rose, and Danny Rongo provided the music for about 75 guests. VetWork’s President and former paratrooper Joe Arata and Colonel Paul Costigan, from Fort Monmouth, explained the needs of vets returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. Both the music and the speeches left the crowd with one important message: “When you see a veteran, shake his hand and say ‘thank you.’”

“The volunteers at VetWork are the heroes helping our country’s heroes when they return home with little or no support network,” said Joe Hughes, the lead singer of Goldenseal. Led by Arata, Program Director Paul Kozak, and many other dedicated volunteers, VetWork has been assisting homeless veterans of Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Rongo, who also emceed the event, said, “VetWork is such an important charity in New Jersey that it deserves our attention and our financial support based on the tremendous work they are doing for our returning vets.”

Rongo opened the show with a heartfelt version of “America the Beautiful”, which he dedicated to the troops. Goldenseal then rocked the crowd with their powerful 9/11 anthem called “Heroes”, which was written for Port Authority Officer Al Niedermeyer, who died saving lives in the World Trade Center. Hughes introduced “Heroes” by saying that like Al, our vets are true heroes. Up-and-coming rock singer John Rose then belted out some powerful cover ballads and renditions of great Jersey artists, including Bruce Springsteen’s hit “The River”, complete with harmonica. The evening ended with an All-Star-Jam featuring all the artists singing “Streets of America”, the title track from Goldenseal’s latest CD that is already burning up New Jersey radio stations.

According to the VetWork speakers, vets return to Monmouth and Ocean counties to find they are homeless, jobless, that they can’t drive a car that would help them secure a job or shelter, perhaps due to an injury sustained while serving. But the guests who gathered in support of VetWork decided that this would not happen “on their watch”. To ensure it doesn’t, they donated over $5,000 dollars. Checks for VetWork are still coming in. Area businesses also stepped up and donated prizes for a raffle. One auction item, dinner for 10 at Ross’s Dockside, fetched a $500 winning bid!

It turns out this benefit was only the start of 3 Zero, Goldenseal and John Rose’s contribution to the troops. More shows, including a series for the USO, are currently in the planning stages.

The music, the crowd, and VetWork’s speakers all focused on a central theme: gratitude. From Tom Baldino, board member of the Jersey Shore Jazz and Blues Foundation, to diehard Goldenseal fans Jay and Stacie Harkavy, the crowd grooved and danced while celebrating and supporting our country’s heroes. Make no mistake that everyone walked away with a clear understanding of the sacrifice of our troops and their families, some of whom bear the ultimate sacrifice of a Gold Star on the front window. They also walked away with an understanding of our obligation to make sure that when our vets return, they are greeted with the support and the gratitude of our nation.

For more information about VetWork’s mission or to send a donation contact Paul Kozak at 609-971-7613 or 877-971-7613 or www.vetwork.org.

Joe Hughes of Goldenseal, left, performs with John Rose

Simon J. Harrison, right, of 3 Zero Records chats with a guest

VetWork Fundraiser guests enjoy the evening

MAY 10, 2008 -- Pictured below are friends of Werner Baumgartner, who served as Asbury Park's city historian until former city manager and current penitentiary inmate, Terry Weldon, banished him from city hall. Werner's friends are fixing Werner's porch at their own expense so that he can be released from jail.

Do you want to help? Count the number of code violations in Asbury Park that have not been acted on. Deliver the list to city hall -- or email it to terence.reidy@cityofasburypark.com. End the abuse of code citations to punish the enemies of city hall.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, left, with WOR's John Gambling

MAY 11, 2008 --John R. Gambling, last of the legendary "Rambling with Gamblings," slid back behind the WOR Radio (710 AM) mike Monday at a new time and with a new program: "The John Gambling Show" from 5:30 to 9 a.m. Gambling said he had "reinvented" himself during the months he spent off the air: "I had turned into a person with a point of view."

Gambling officially cut the umbilical cord on the Rambling moniker, which admirably served three generations of Gamblings, at an April 30 news conference at Ben Benson's Steak House on 52nd St., New York City, where he announced his return to WOR. Adam Buckman of the New York Post and David Hinckley of the Daily News -- not to overlook a radiant Marcia Kramer, CBS-TV's polittical reporter, tucked in a corner -- all were hanging on Gambling's words, as were his wife, children and two nieces.

The station turned John R. Gambling loose in 2000 and soon after WABC Radio (770 AM) picked him up. But on March 3, 2008, Citadel Broadcasting, which now owns WABC Radio, made a string of cuts at stations across the country (see next week's column for more on a troubling national trend) -- including Joohn Gambling and his news director George Weber, who has since accepted a reduced schedule for the WABC Radio Network. Joe Bartlett, who with Donna Hanover occupied the slot that is now Gambling's, stays on as Gambling's news announcer. Hanover will be the arts critic-at-large.

Gambling's new chapter has coincided with the rebranding of WOR as "News Talk Radio 710," according to Jerry Crowley, vice president and general manager of WOR. The new show will be headline-driven and will reprise the Friday-morning visits with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who joined Gambling for the press conference.

"He's a chip off the old block. I've been carrying him for six years," quipped Bloomberg, who won't be in New York City for their first reunion, but plans to call in from Belfast. "All Jewish boys go to Belfast, didn't you know that?"

On a more serious note, the mayor, who refused to continue on WABC with Gambling's replacement, Curtis Sliwa, said Gambling's show is very different from those in which the host tries to dominate the conversation. (A conservative, Gambling said he would not side with any party but rather be a pragmatist in discussions.)

WOR's venerable host Joan Hamburg, at a table front and center, was "thrilled," she told us.

"There's nothing more exhilarating than a homecoming, even if I don't always agree with everything John says."

Greetings from Asbury

Hamburg did a remote show last summer from the boardwalk in Asbury Park. She told Radio Somewhere she always jumps at the chance to come down to the Shore because many of her relatives live here. Her cousin Nancy and Nancy's husband, Dr. Martin Seidenstein, live in Manasquan.

We sat with the chairman of WOR's parent, Buckley Radio, Rick Buckley, who talked about the pressing need for an outlet for people to talk about the news of the day. Buckley's daughter, Jen, who handles sales for WOR, sat across the table. Also at our table were COO Joe Bilotta and his son Greg Bilotta, the station's national sales manager, as well as Crowley. Family-wide commitment appears to be part of the WOR heritage.

Gambling told Radio Somewhere that listeners were a big part of his decision to return to radio.

"Most times you're sitting in the studio with maybe a guest, but probably just an engineer and you wonder sometimes, how am I doing? It's good to grade the importance of what you're doing. The reactions of people like your readers had a great influence on my decision to return to radio."

Gambling's talk news focus pits him directly against two stalwart Jersey morning shows: NJ 101.5's Jim Gearhart and Jack Ellery of WCTC (1430 AM), a morning fixture at the station.

"John Gambling's return to WOR is of interest to WCTC because he's a legendary name returning to a heritage radio station," says the station's program director, Bruce Johnson. As far as market share of advertisers, Johnson noted that WCTC's rivals are WABC and WOR.

"So his movement from one station to the next is a bit of a wash for us. Our long-time morning man, Jack Ellery, who has been with us for most of the past 45 years, is once again matched up against a Gambling."

Gambling's first guest was Oliver North. His second-day topic was New Jersey's ex-governor's domestic court proceedings. Gambling sounded like a man more accustomed to maneuvering his way among the yachtsmen of Palm Beach than the politicians of Woodbridge with three-way love trysts. But he held his own, fielding calls from people of measured opinions, with his customary grace.

See Gambling in person at the Get Healthy Expo, taking place from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. June 21 at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center.

Send your comments regarding Radio Somewhere to AsburyRadio@aol.com or 3 Deal Lake Court, Asbury Park, N.J. 07712.

The Gambling family at the announcement of John R.'s return to WOR

APRIL 17, 2008 -- Hats off to Joan Whitlow in today's Star Ledger, who mentioned the glaring absence of any mention of our favorite attorney on the our waterfront redevelopment plan -- Alfred Faiella -- in the course of the first trial of Newark Mayor Sharpe James and his gal pal Tamika Riley. Faiella, before he served Asbury Partners, served in the position of deputy mayor to James. See our Faiella file.

APRIL 3, 2008 -- The Asbury Park City Council passed a resolution last night renewing Asbury Tower's payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) at more than twice the amount the city has been affording the building under a 20-year agreement, which was expiring. The new agreement is for a period of 42 years.

The matter was discussed in by the council executive session (behind closed doors), under the contract negotiation exemption of the Open Public Meetings Act. The new agreement was announced to the public after the public comment portion was over, so there was no public debate.

The city manager said the loss of tax revenue to the city would be about $200,000 a year.

The mayor said the tax break was necessary in order for the Tower's $68 million renovation to proceed. Otherwise, he said the management would not be able to renovate and the building would collapse causing the seniors to have to find alternative housing.

The state Department of Community Affairs wrote the council a letter strongly suggesting that it should cooperate with the request. The DCA is also overseeing a large payment to the city, which needs to borrow more than $12 million to balance the 2008 budget. The 2008 budget has not been passed yet. Members of the council explained that this situation created a political component to the PILOT matter.

Asbury Tower is managed and owned in part by PHS Senior Living, formerly known as Presbyterian Homes. PHS owns both low income and market rate, as well as upscale communities. For example, PHS acquired Navesink Harbor in Red Bank, where anchorman Brian Williams' father lives.

March 29th - Danny McKee, AP resident who revived the city's Little League and mobilized donors to fund lights for night games. Contributions are welcome at Asbury Park Little League, PO Box 702, Asbury Park, NJ 07712

APRIL 7, 2008 -- I pressed the flesh with Budd Schulberg yesterday, the man who breathed prose into Marlon Brando bringing him to life on the silver screen. Budd was gracious and unhurried. A few minutes later at home, just a few blocks from where I met Schulberg after the screening of his important film about the Nuremberg trials of Nazi criminals, footage denied the public for decades, the full weight of that extraordinary experience began to set in.

This is Asbury Park. This is what the redevelopment critics were trying to get across: Asbury Park doesn't need to become a bedroom community to survive. It has cache as an arts and entertainment destination built on history. This is the history that can employ the modern economy to produce the revenue necessary for survival. People come here -- despite whipping wind and spray and bone chilling cold -- to watch independent films in restaurants and bars, VFW halls and neighboring temples, venues to be used when the last theater standing in Asbury Park is already filled with features. Imagine 153 films in one glorious weekend, all within walking distance.

In its sixth year, the Garden State Film Festival continues to point the town fathers in the right direction. For three days each year thousands of film fans flood into the city filling restaurants and lounges and picking up merchandise at its stores. The city makes money and the visitors don't even burden the schools or stress its safety personnel. Is there enough arts and culture to keep the momentum going all year? One would think if they come in the raw spring what could keep them away when the sun is baking the beaches. Instead of buying people out of their properties with expensive legal fees, the city should be thinking of ways to encourage Madame Tognoli to extend her Metro Lyric Opera season next summer and encourage Madison Marquette's Gary Mottola in his efforts to revive consumer interest here. Is there still a way for Mottola to revive the Baronet Theater or the Savoy downtown? Can we clone Mottola to work downtown?

There's plenty to be exploited here without stripping buildings of tenants and the revenue from tax rolls to lay these lots barren for indeterminate periods. If Diane Raver, founder of the GSFF, can do all she does so well with precious little citywide ballyhoo, can you imagine if the city made a film month? Special movie theme dishes at the restaurants, Hollywood fashion shows, talent contests? Come on people, think!

Thank God, people like Raver and Mottola know the value of this unique place. Maybe now the town fathers will also see that it doesn't lie in bulldozing and approving more condominiums. We've got enough places to live; we need places to play!

Maureen Nevin, Asbury Park

MARCH 31, 2008 -- Former city zoning board member Edmund "Ned" Brown pleaded guilty in Superior Court in Freehold to charges of official misconduct, theft by deception, and forgery.

Brown, who now lives in Red Bank, admitted that while serving on the zoning board, he failed to recuse himself or disclose his relationship with RDR Properties and voted in favor of one of RDR's applications to the board.

The fraud and theft by deception charges involved the purchase of tax liens and mortgage notes on distressed properties in Neptune Township and Asbury Park. Brown admitted that he stole a check issued by the Township of Neptune and made payable to his partners in the limited liability corporation in the amount of $51,462.16. He said he forged the signatures of his business partners and endorsed the check into his own account.

[Read the press release from the county prosecutor's office.]

By MAUREEN NEVIN DUFFY

MARCH 26, 2008 -- The changes to the 33-year-old Open Public Meetings Act proposed by Sen. Loretta Weinberg, D-Bergen, are long overdue and a bit short on muscle, but certainly welcome. ("Time to update Sunshine Law," Asbury Park Press editorial, March 21.) Placing independent authorities, redevelopment entities and improvement authorities under the provisions are moves in the right direction.

As a resident who successfully took Asbury Park to court for violating the Sunshine Law, I'm intimately aware of the flaws and blind spots in the existing law, how officials are still subverting it, and where we must be vigilant with this new legislation.

Under the current law, there is little disincentive to keep municipalities from violating the provisions. If an item that is not exempt from the law is discussed in executive or closed session, the governing body has only to take the item before the public, which it must do to vote on the matter, and the violation is considered "cured" by the very action of taking it public. It has been brought into the sunshine, so no violation occurred and no fine is levied. This was the case in my lawsuit. So increasing the fines won't help in cases like these, although I agree they should be increased.

I won the argument on appeal — that the law had been circumvented — even though the court had ruled that the violation had been cured. My lawsuit wasn't in vain because the law firm representing the city did cease holding meetings with principals to the city's waterfront redevelopment, leaving out only the public. As a result, the firm did inform its clients and notify other governing bodies of how they must conduct their meetings in light of the appeal panel's opinion. But the courts did not fine the Asbury Park City Council or order legal fees to be paid to the plaintiff.

The proposed language that attorney fees "could be awarded to complainants" is also unacceptable. The burden is placed squarely on members of the public to bring these cases. If they are legitimate, there should be no doubt that complainants will be fully compensated. Anything less will have a chilling effect.

In my case, subsequent to the appellate ruling, the City Council began holding meetings between the redeveloper and only two members of the council, since more members would constitute a quorum and thus a violation of the Sunshine Law. Then the two members, considered a subcommittee, met with the full council to discuss the confidential content of the legal private meeting with the redeveloper in executive session. So the subcommittee was now apprising the full council of the material covered in the closed meeting — behind closed doors. This clearly violates the spirit of the law, which is meant to open the actions of government to the public.

The Public Advocate is aware of this strategy, which is being liberally applied by other public bodies across the state. The advocate, Ronald Chen, agrees the strategy is an end-round on the Sunshine Law. This loophole and Chen's input must be addressed before any new legislation is adopted.

The language change from "possible" to "probable" is hardly sufficient to close the loophole public bodies use to exempt their meetings under possible pending or anticipated litigation. That also should apply to the exemption for "contract negotiations."

Here's a practical example: A subsidized senior housing building is coming before the city to appeal its expiring tax exemption. This was placed on the council agenda for a recent executive session under the contract negotiation provision. The governing body could have slid it in under the "possible or probable litigation" exemption because you could imagine that the building's owners might decide down the road to take the matter to court if they don't like their new tax bill.

But is this how we intend these exemptions to be used? The public's share of the tax bill can be increased as a result of deliberations of which the public is clueless? If not, we'd better make sure the new law is clear on these points.

Otherwise, when do we acknowledge that taxpayers are being left out of their own governing process? It's taken 33 years to correct these injustices. Let's get it right this time.

(Originally published in the Asbury Park Press on March 26, 2008)

As part of the City of Asbury Park’s ‘undesignation’ of Charles Kushner's company as designated developer for Wesley Grove, after he sold the project to retail developer Madison Marquette on New Year's Eve, the City is seeking money damages from Kushner for breach of contract.

Wednesday night, Feb. 27, 2008, the council agreed to remove Kushner and declare him in default on the Wesley Lake project, which has 91 condo units standing, 22 of which have been sold. During the break, City Attorney Fred Raffetto, confirmed that the City is seeking remedies from Kushner for the breach of contract. Raffetto told Asbury Radio he could not discuss the amount of money under consideration because talks are ongoing.

Asbury Radio is greatly encouraged to see the City exercising its contractual rights.

The City's hesitance in accepting Madison Marquette as Kushner's unilateral choice for its successor, as reported in the Asbury Park Press today, also in violation of the City's waterfront redevelopment plan, is on the mark also. The project should be opened to all bidders. It will be an interesting test of how well our attorneys, on the plan and agreements for the waterfront, protected our rights in the event of a default. Was the clause granting the city the right to review all subsequent redevelopers just window dressing to make the city feel important? Or is the language powerful enough to invalidate the sale to Madison Marquette?

If the city finds we don't have a prayer in voiding the deal, will Madison Marquette take the city's side? As the buyer it surely had the right to expect the property to be presented for sale unencumbered. And, most importantly, if the City prevails can it offer the property for sale itself at realistic market rates - as opposed to the blighted values Asbury Partners has used to acquire most of its properties? If the City has one last chance to actually sell a piece of the waterfront at a real market value, it might go a long way toward reducing this year’s budget deficit, which looms at roughly $13 million. The State’s contribution to that shortfall, hoped to be about $7 or $8 million, will now be cut under Gov. Corzine’s state budget slashing, according to City Manager Terry Reidy, who hasn’t been told yet how drastic that cut will be.

Gary Mottola, of Madison Marquette, is to be commended for his eagerness to step in and take over the multiphase condo project. He certainly has his hands full with his Memorial Day deadline for renovating all the pavilions from the Casino to Convention Hall. Hopefully, his enthusiasm for buying Wesley Grove will inspire other developers to also bid. We've seen twice now how concentrating a project of this magnitude in the hands of one entity can quickly overwhelm the party and bring the waterfront's rebirth to a grinding halt.

Skip Bernstein has passed away. The funeral was private.

You can post your condolences or memories to share at www.sidun.com. The following is my post:

Skip found my radio show's website and contacted me in the first year we started broadcasting (2000).

He was full of ideas for taking the show to bigger and better things, and perhaps collaborating with the sites he was doing at the time, which promoted local restaurants by showing lots of pictures of people having a great time with their friends. It became a fun game of sorts to check the sites the day after to see if Skip had caught you in some goofy pose.

I'll never forget Skip's postings on Yahoo, rants about the undemocratic aspects of our U.S. democracy. He was very well informed and shared the facts with us, which got a lot of people's backs up. He shook us all up and made us think.

Two aspects of Skip will remain with me forever, in addition to that wry wit of his; his deep affection for animals and his willingness to give of his time. One year he urged us not to miss the Christmas Parade. Sure enough, there was Skip dressed in the leading role as Santa Claus -- but true to character Mr. Claus managed to aim a sarcastic joke at the town fathers at the same time. Anybody recall the nature of that one?

He will be missed.

Maureen

As part of the waterfront redevelopment plan the wreckers started today (Feb. 11, 2008) demolishing The Sterling Hotel, which was in recent years home to low income and disabled residents. The building is near the corner of Sunset Avenue and Kingsley Street. See photos. The move also adds to the number of land improvements removed from tax rolls.

Terry Weldon, former city manager of Asbury Park, reported to prison today (2/5/08) in Beaumont, Texas to begin serving a 58-month sentence.

Weldon pleaded guilty to three counts of extortion in his dual role as mayor of Ocean Township, back in 2002, soon after signing off on Asbury Park's waterfront redevelopment plan, adding to Asbury Park's reputation as a Big Easy.

For five years he managed to delay sentencing with claims of various health conditions. During that time, the specter of his corruption could have negatively affected the city's ability to attract more numbers of reputable developers to the downtown, west side and waterfront projects. One could also ponder whether it cost us financially, in our bond rating for example.

Get the background on the convicted extortionist who was praised by Asbury Park's deputy mayor for his work in the city right here.

The Asbury Park City Council passed a resolution at its Jan. 23 public meeting to formalize its agreement with boardwalk redevelopment partner Madison Marquette. Click here to read the resolution. Note: The resolution was brought forward from a closed executive session, where the actual deal was hammered out in secrecy, in order to take the vote for passage. The arrangement may be perfectly fine for the people of Asbury Park, but it was never open to their questions. Transparency is vital to public trust in government. When doors are closed, democracy goes out the window.

Jan. 15, 2008 -- The president and financial head of Madison Marquette Investments, Gary Mottola, must have mined every big name in the area over the past few months to put together his star-studded cast for the boardwalk's revival.

We don't see any clunkers among the names we recognized, but are saddened not to see Eddie Gaspar's restaurant in the First Avenue Pavilion (formerly The Tides) in the press release and news report.

We'd like to see more transparency in these announcements and plans. The announcement yesterday was termed a "press conference," but we didn't get the feeling there were a lot of press questions answered, from the report by Nancy Shields in the Asbury Park Press, and we don't see anything in the Star-Ledger today. Channel 12 had a report last night, which seemed pretty much a replay of the press release with some local shots of the boardwalk.

What's nagging at us:

We agree wholeheartedly with Mottola that the city can't come back without a concerted effort to stimulate all its facets, including things seemingly as diverse as the downtown business district and our educational system. Mottola's willingness to take on the residential developments, since Charles -- tear down that old historic carousel house, it's in my way -- Kushner decided to dump Wesley Grove and run is wise, too. How can you say come and have a great time when those empty windows are gaping at tourists like so many open mouths? But what about the impossible deal Asbury Partners left hanging in the air, which amounts to tentacles that remain in the project long after the property deed is signed over?

We're talking about, in addition to the per unit development rights of about $100,000 per, the 7 percet piece on the sale of every unit, and $20,000 per unit for the infrastructure improvement reimbursement, and the Partners' retention of all commercial rights on the sites. This is the piece of the story that never gets discussed. When we've brought it up, we're quickly hushed up.

This is why the developers have been trying to achieve mission impossible -- build quality units with skilled labor with the best materials, and sell at market rates, while giving the Partners their share -- and ride out a recession, and a credit and real estate crash. No wonder it caved in.

In the Press, Hugh Lamle of MD Sass, a partner in Asbury Partners, hinted at needing to help Dean Geibel of Metro Homes, whose building the Esperanza is now suspended in animation, a cold reminder on the same piece of land as the famous symbol of the last fiasco. "He got caught in this national financing debacle," Lamle's quoted as saying. Was it the "national debacle" or a far more local one? Perhaps the Partners' "Mission Impossible" deal?

He can't do much about the national economy but is Lamle willing to change this impossible agreement? Loosen the handcuffs?

Mottola is quoted saying he needs to negotiate a subsequent redeveloper agreement with the city for the boardwalk plans and an agreement on the Kushner properties. Is this when the tentacles of the existing contracts with Asbury Partners will bare their slimy barbs? Isn't the city itself, mum at yesterday’s press conference, also negotiating yet another agreement with the Partners -- the global settlement agreement?

Was Kushner's decision to pull out prompted at all by his unwillingness to fork over 7 percent of the sale of the Wesley Grove units to Asbury Partners? Twenty-two have been sold -- we'd like to know if 7 percent of those sale prices went to the Partners. It's time the residents and officials of Asbury Park knew the details of these deals.

And, by the way, where is Cherokee Investments? Last time we looked they were 50 percent of Asbury Partners. Don't they have a say in this? Our former redevelopment attorney Jimmy Aaron said Cherokee put $30 million into the Partners' pot. Did they sell their share? If so, who bought it?

We have a right to be in the loop, because it is our taxes, our businesses and our homes on the line.

If we're entering a new phase with Madison Marquette, let's be sure we're on equal footing. We can't be if only some parties know the details. Otherwise the plans sound wonderful.

1/09/08 - Spanish-speaking residents of the city filled the chambers at tonight's council meeting to ask for more police help in stemming violence in the city. Clergy members, residents and a woman from the Hispanic newspaper, Nostros, asked the city for help following the Christmas Eve murder of Cesar Torralba, a 35 year-old father of two.

They said residents of the Sixth Avenue neighborhood, just three blocks from the Ocean, were afraid to leave their houses or walk down the street since the shooting, which occurred in the hallway outside the victim's apartment door. A catholic priest accused the police of not responding to calls or coming late. "The attention is not adequate," he said. The priest also said Hispanics were afraid of police arresting them as immigrants.

But Police Chief Mark Kinmon said, "I disagree with your, sir. The police do take action and respond." Kinmon said the crime is part of an ongoing problem that did not happen over night and alluded to crimes going unreported in the neighborhood. Kinmon said more bilingual police had been added to the force and tackling the crime was part of an ongoing process.

Councilman James Keady gave a long statement in Spanish, which drew loud applause from the Hispanics and mixed reactions from the audience, especially among English-only advocates. Later translated by an observer, Keady had told the crowd that the council and police were very concerned about them and committed to helping.

City Manager Terry Reidy said the City will meet with Metro Homes' representatives tomorrow (1/10/08). Although the city in December declared the developers in violation of its agreement to complete the old C-8 site, between Ocean and Kingsley and Third and Fourth avenues, Metro is asking to go into arbitration. They hold that they're "really not in default," said Reidy. Their agreement calls for a 30-day period to resolve the situation or submit an alternate plan; and that time is not up yet, he said. Meantime, he said, the city believes Metro may have resumed work at the site and hoped to have a better knowledge of the situation after the meeting.

Scotland, of the firm McManimon & Scotland, Newark, was the alternate redevelopment attorney for Asbury Park. Most recently Scotland explained at a press conference, addressing the city's response to Metro Homes failure to complete the Esperanza condo project, why the City had not required performance bonds of the developer. (See report below.) His fees are capped at $100,000 for the year.

Scotland is a big Democratic Party contributor, according to Newsmeat, a web-based federal campaign contribution research site. It lists about $18,000 in contributions from Scotland to Democrats' federal campaigns from March 2002 through June of 2007.

James Aaron will still be involved in the waterfront. He is staying on as special litigation attorney in matters directed by the mayor and council, said city attorney Fred Raffetto, also with the Aaron firm. His $175/hour rate will be paid for by Asbury Partners LLC.

Representatives of the volunteer Deal Lake Commission asked the city to consider increasing its annual $2,000 contribution, which they said hasn't been raised in 25 years.

The speakers said the lake is severely polluted from run off and fecal matter. They estimate that dredging the lake will cost $10 million. The next meeting of the commission is February 7th, at 7 PM.

For over 30 years, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Monmouth County has been recognized as the premier one-to-one mentoring organization serving Monmouth County. Mentoring is available to all children (ages 6-14) residing within Monmouth County who face social, emotional, or academic challenges. We are seeking volunteers who are able to spend 4-6 hours per month mentoring a child. If you're over 18, live or work in Monmouth County, and have a valid driver's license, then you've already met the preliminary eligibility criteria to help a child by being a mentor with our organization. To become part of the BBBS family as a volunteer, donor or sponsor, or if you know a child who needs our help, please call us at 732-544-2224, ext. 319, or visit us online at bbbsmonmouth.org for more info and upcoming events.

Here's what my homeowner's insurance company considers its mission:

We understand the assumed responsibility that our policyholders have entrusted us with -- to protect their families, homes, and businesses from a catastrophic loss. This trust deserves the highest ethical standards from everyone associated with The Cumberland Insurance Group.

But the fine print says otherwise. Click here to see what it doesn't cover. Hint: Section L, Item 2 is where this insurer opts out of protecting your roof against defaults in workmanship... and apparently quite a few other possibilities.

How do you feel about this? Send me a message.