The Jersey Shore is officially open for summer, Gov. Chris Christie said as he spent Friday morning in Seaside Heights promoting tourism in New Jersey.  Early Friday, Christie appeared on NBC's Today Show, which broadcast its morning news program live from Seaside Heights. The governor later cut a ceremonial ribbon — a Guinness World Record at over five miles long — to officially declare the shore open.  "It's an incredible day for New Jersey," Christie said in remarks. "I'm so thrilled that this morning we're here with the whole country welcoming the Jersey Shore back." After being battered …

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 …

With winter weather still moving through the region, NJ Transit has extended full systemwide cross-honoring through the end of the service day Friday, March 8, enabling NJ Transit customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, bus or light rail, as well as private carrier buses.  NJ Transit continues to monitor the storm and take steps to minimize delays and ensure service reliability and safety.  All customers are strongly advised to check njtransit.com before traveling for up-to-the-minute service information before starting their trip. High winds reported …

Gov. Chris Christie, in a joint statment with New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, applauded the "critical" Sandy aid approval by the House of Representatives Friday, but said the $9.7 billion outlay is merely a "down payment." "While we are pleased with this progress, today was just a down payment and it is now time to go even further and pass the final and more complete, clean disaster aid bill," they said. The U.S. House of Representatives approved a measure Friday afternoon allowing the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to borrow $9.7 billion to pay insurance claims made by victims of …

Gov. Chris Christie is placing blame for the lengthy delay in approval of a Hurricane Sandy Relief bill squarely on the shoulders of combative U.S. House of Representative Republicans, specifically Speaker John Boehner. Christie offered a scathing rebuke of Boehner and waffling Republicans during a press conference in Trenton Wednesday afternoon, saying Congress has failed in its primary purpose, to protect its own citizens. Residents of New York and New Jersey are being used as pawns in a game of politics, he said, and that's why this country's citizens "hate" Washington D.C. "Last night, …

Among the 10 resolutions that were passed by members of Lawrence Township Council at their meeting last week (Dec. 4) was one authorizing an emergency appropriation of $17,500 to cover additional costs incurred by the township as a result of its response to Hurricane Sandy and its subsequent cleanup of storm debris. The $17,500 is related to police department overtime, and raises the township’s total for storm-related expenses to $145,000, Township Manager Richard Krawczun explained. “The $145,000 may still go up and approach $200,000,” he advised council members. A $127,500 emergency …

Jersey threw a rocking party and everyone was invited—except Sandy. On Sunday, a crowd of over 400 turned up for Unite 2 Revive, a benefit concert held at Jersey’s Sports bar & Grill in Neptune. The event raised $5,800 for the Jersey Coast Chapter of the American Red Cross to help with their Sandy disaster relief efforts, according to Unite 2 Revive publicist Deirdre Anne Lopian. “It has been an extremely stressful two weeks. Everybody is affected by the storm in one way shape or form. Why not come out, have a good time, listen to the music, dance to the bands. And at the same time, you’re …

Vice President Joe Biden visited Seaside Heights today to view damage caused by Hurricane Sandy - saying "this is a national responsibility" - according to the Associated Press. “We have an awful lot of work to do,” AP quoted Biden as saying. He added, “This is going to be a long process. This is going to be an expensive process." Chairman of the candidate screening committee for the Ocean County Democrats Kevin Barron discussed Biden's visit with Patch today. "We heard some saying, [when President Obama] visited, that he was only here because he was campaigning. But here [Biden] is after the…

At the concrete barricades that seal off Ortley Beach, Bay Head and Seaside Heights from everything else, fully-armed police officers peek through dimly lit cars, looking for any trouble they can find.The clouds that hover over them never seem to leave, covering what's left of the shining sun, long before it's ever supposed to set. Each officer is bundled in burly black jackets, pointing flashlights in each passing car before turning them away. Wearing knitted hats that nearly wrap around their eyes and ears, these officers are mere shadows with badges, figurines with no faces that stop …

Among the 30 resolutions approved by Lawrence Township Council at its meeting last week (Nov. 8) was one authorizing an “emergency appropriation” of $127,500 to cover costs incurred as a result of the township’s response to Hurricane Sandy and its subsequent cleanup of storm debris. The bulk of the money - $82,500 – will be used to pay for debris removal and disposal, while $25,000 will be used to cover the cost of police department overtime and the remaining $20,000 will go toward public works department overtime. “We know that there will be some additional costs, but in order to make …

  Thirteen U.S. Senators - including Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ) and Charles Schumer (D-NY) - on Tuesday called on President Barack Obama to amend his 2013 budget to request emergency aid for federal disaster assistance programs in the wake of Superstorm Sandy.   The senators want Obama to act quickly so the necessary funds can be used to help victims of Sandy rebuild and recover. The Senators also requested an increased federal share for recovery costs.  Sens. Lautenberg and Schumer were joined by Sens. Robert Menendez (D-NJ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Tom Carper (D-DE), Christopher Coons (D-DE…

Ben Franklin Elementary School students and their families will gather at the school this from 5:30 to 7p.m. today, Tuesday, Nov. 13, to take part in “Make Art – Give Heart,” an event intended to lift the spirits of Hurricane Sandy victims throughout New Jersey. “This is a chance for our Ben Franklin families to help fellow New Jersey families who were hit very hard by [Hurricane Sandy]. They lost so much and we can help,” a flyer from the school’s PTO reads. “This will be a fun, creative evening of making art – some to take home, some to give to storm victims to let them know we are thinking…

It’s been two weeks since Hurricane Sandy struck New Jersey. While a handful of local residents are still without power and toppled trees, snapped utility poles and dangling wires are lingering reminders of the storm, life in Lawrence Township has pretty much returned to normal. Certainly, the same cannot be said about other areas of our state. Having now had a chance to catch our breath, so to speak, after the hurricane (and the nor’easter that dumped four inches of snow on the township last week), we at Lawrenceville Patch would like to share two little Sandy-related stories, and some …

New Jersey has entered a new normal, Gov. Chris Christie said Monday. With the recovery effort largely concluded, the focus of state and federal agencies will turn toward rebuilding the parts of New Jersey devastated by Hurricane Sandy, he noted during an appearance at the newly established Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Joint Field Office at the former Avaya building in Lincroft. “We’ve returned to a sense of normalcy, that’s why I have the fleece off,” Christie said, joking about his signature accessory at a series of press conferences and appearances across the state. “It’s …

I knew even before I called my next door neighbor the news was probably bad. "How is it?" I asked. "You don't know?" he replied. My heart sank. We had fled our sweet little Bayville home near the Toms River at noon on Monday, the deadline for the mandatory evacuation order. We headed for my son and daughter-in-law's house in Toms River. A Bayville fireman knocked on our front door about 9 p.m the Friday night before Hurricane Sandy. He smiled, then stepped into our cozy living room lit with harvest lights. We had to sign a paper acknowledging that we understood if we stayed and got into …

The region took a battering from Hurricane Sandy, and that includes the sturdy wooden poles that hold up utility and telephone lines. More than a few crashed down in the hurricane's wake. Many more are leaning dangerously over to one side or another from the high winds.  PSE&G said since they began restoring service after the hurricane, they've replaced at least 2,500 utility poles and 1,000 transformers, as well as cut down more than 41,000 trees that were impairing their ability to get to electrical lines. If you have a crooked utility pole on your street, the company wants you to report it…

Governor Christie said he may lift gas rationing on Monday. The governor, speaking at a press conference in Seaside Park on Friday, said the rationing has worked well and eased congestion at gas stations. But he expects all power to be restored by Sunday, so rationing should therefore end. The following counties are now limited on the days in which they can fill up their gas tanks: Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union, and Warren. According to the state, plates ending in an even number can fill up on even-numbered days of the month, …

Update: Gov. Chris Christie and the U. S. Department of Homeland Security’s Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) announced today, Friday, Nov. 9, that New Jersey residents in all 21 counties will have until Feb. 4, 2013, to apply for coverage under the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance program as a result of damages caused by Hurricane Sandy.  The order establishes one deadline date, Feb. 4, 2013, for New Jersey residents to seek coverage under the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance (DUA) program and extends the timeline within which people may file a claim. The program …

In an effort to help those in need from Hurricane Sandy, Retro Fitness in Lawrence Township is accepting donations of blankets, clothes, jackets, diapers, non-perishable food, batteries, water, activities for children, toiletries, and other items. Monetary donations are also being accepted; these donations will be rung up at the cash register and documented.  "Our state, our friends, our neighbors need our help so please stop by the gym with any donation.  We also ask that everyone who reads this share our post on their news feed so we can spread the word to as many people as possible," the …

Middlesex and Mercer Counties took the brunt of Nor'easter Athena's heavy, sodden snow Wednesday, said Ralph LaRossa, president and chief operating officer of PSE&G in a morning conference call. LaRossa said he had had a meeting with mayors from the area in East Brunswick yesterday when a 69,000 volt line in the substation there blew but was quickly repaired. As of Thursday morning, 40,000 PSE&G customers were impacted by up to six inches of snow from the nor'easter, while 70,000 customers were still suffering from the lack of electricity from Hurricane Sandy last week. "We've been making …