Scarlet Knights football schedule published

The Rutgers Scarlet Knights season schedule has been published for the football program. Click on the headline and go to the schedule.

THE FLOODING THAT WASN'T

The Bayshore, Northern Monmouth County, is prone to flooding. That is the experience of area residents from Sea Bright (not technically a part of the Bayshore but close enough) to Aberdeen. Some areas flood faster than others.

This morning, Courier staffer Scott Shanley and myself went out to survey the rain and what we found was better than normal conditions in Sea Bright, Highlands and Union Beach. Meanwhile, what appeared to be flooding was starting to become apparent on Leonard and Thompson avenues, respectively, in Belford. In addition, water was starting to significantly collect on Palmer Avenue, near the Route 35 intersetion, also in Middletown.

According to the Middletown police, at about 10:30 a.m., there is no flooding in Middletown as of yet. Above is a photo of a car driving through water at about 10:30 a.m. at the intersection of Thompson Avenue and Route 36.

Pilgrim Baptist holds upcoming HIV/AIDS event

Pilgrim Baptist Church, in Red Bank, is hosting an upcoming HIV/AIDS event. This kind of program is really what community outreach in the church environment is about. Click on the headline and go to the APP staff report.

APP publishes piece about hurricanes

The Asbury Park Press has a great article talking about the upcoming summer and the possibility of hurricanes this year. Well, anyone who has lived on the Shore knows that if you don't have a basic plan for hurricanes that hurricanes will have a basic plan for you.

With that said, I think laying up some flashlights, batteries and maybe some extra water won't kill anyone. Since it might get used later on, you might be glad you did. Click on the headline and go to the article.

Holmdel bans dual-office holding

Holmdel recently banned dual-office holding. Good for them. It's a sound idea. Click on the headline and go there.

Bean pens piece about privacy in editorial

Good editorial by GM Exec. Editor Greg Bean this week Online. Click on the headline to go there.

Caption: Glass blower is not Greg Bean: This was a great attraction on Jamestown Island, Va., called the Glass House. The attraction is located in the vicinity of Jamestown Village and the folks there work pretty hard in some pretty tough heat.

Opinion: Voting patterns do not change randomly

OPINION PIECE:

Politics is not an easy thing to speculate about in Northern Monmouth County, among other places. Once a predominantly Republican area, Northern Monmouth is today seeing a shift in voting patterns that cannot be boiled down to a few arguments between individuals in partisan camps. Once-Republican strongholds like Matawan, Keyport and Hazlet have seen large increases in Democratic voting patterns, which eventually led to those communities having a new party with a majority of seats on the governing bodies there. Meanwhile, all of the towns in the Bayshore have traditions of strong Democratic representations.

There are bloggers and political people who will offer that spats between a few individuals within certain parties may have something to do with this shift at this time. I strongly disagree with the motivation for fundamental change and offer that the personalities involved on the inside of these parties offer little, if anything, of substance about the generalized movement of voters away from a one-party system of representation in this county, and in this area.

Anyone who believes what they write as opinion has the weight to sway even one informed person is thinking a bit much of themselves. Nationally and locally, the Republican Party has struggled at times. This is widely perceived as one of those times. At alternate times, the Democratic Party has struggled. It is the nature of democracy: Two opposing parties, acting in an adversarial way to ensure another system of check and/or balance.

Whenever things are not going well for any party, Democrats included, the inclination is to 'find blame.' So devout Democrats fume at certain public figures and publications when they are upset with the status quo and Republicans do the same. It is the way of the world, on every level of political life.

But Rush Limbaugh did not get George W. Bush elected, as much as he'd like to think he did. Meanwhile, Air America did not get Hillary Clinton elected as a United States senator in New York. In fact, most newspapers have given up the practice of offering endorsements of candidates because there is good research showing that newspapers cannot change anyone's mind about anything. Editorials serve to reinforce the existing ideas of some and offer dissenting ideas to others. Anyone who has made their mind up about any issue is likely to remain wherever they first arrived.

So what does change peoples' minds? I suggest it has something to do with their tax bill, their garbage getting picked up, the police and fire departments in their towns, perhaps the trend of the national dominant parties, or maybe it's all just the luck of the draw.

My opinion is that people vote for government that intrudes least, costs less and encourages commerce. In the Bayshore, home to a diverse group of middle- to upper-class families with a broad range of educational and vocational experiences, I think it is a bit much for anyone to put too much stock in any paper (let alone weeklies) to make much of a dent given the media carpet bombing every Bayshore resident receives daily as they wake up and trek to work.

If I were a Republican looking for why the GOP is more challenged this year than in those past, I might look to...the Republican Party and its elected and appointed people and how well or not these folks are: keeping taxes down, getting the garbage picked up, clearing the roads of snow, keeping out of peoples' lives, encouraging business and assisting police professionals and fire volunteers in protecting our communities. These things and not talking heads are what motivate voters.

What could Republican office holders do to secure their positions more comfortably in Northern Monmouth? Their jobs are great places to start, I think. The way it generally works is that if some party isn't doing something or a series of 'somethings,' then people can vote for the other party, to send a signal and to get desired public actions to happen. That is sort of the point of democracy. I think some people sell voters short. Political office is not an inherited right of kingship in the United States, it is a stewardship with serious responsibilities.

NJ.com posts about seventh Harry Potter book

NJ.com has a great article about "Harry Potter mania" in the Garden State. It's an interesting enough cultural phenomenon. While there has been great intrigue about the book's security, the series has also served as a doorway for the imaginations of countless young people.

Well, today the new seventh book is out, and the "secret endings" on the Internet won't be all that sensational anymore.

Smith donates money to Highlands bridge group

Breaking News from Courier staffer Alyssa Passeggio: Celebrated writer/actor/producer/director Kevn Smith has donated money to a local citizens' group in Highlands. The group is concerned about the Highlands Bridge. Click on the headline to go to the story.

CAPTION: Kevin Smith and Jason Mewes in the parking lot of the Spirits Unlimited, in Middletown, during filming of Clerks II.

Older drivers can be better than younger ones

A study has come out stating that older drivers are, in fact, better drivers than many young people. Hard as it is to believe, click on the headline and go to Yahoo News! for more information.

Caption: I guess this would be considered a very old driver based on the vintage of his transportation.

Blue Jersey posts new report on civil unions

Blue Jersey's Juan Melli has posted about the status of civil unions in the state. According to Mr. Melli's report, there is still widespread discrimination reported by couples joined in civil unions. Click on the headline and go to Blue Jersey. Click on the headline and go there.

Shields interviews Asbury Park police chief

The APP's Nancy Shields interviewed Asbury Park Police Chief Mark Kinmon in today's issue of the APP about Asbury Park's recent crime statistics (some good news there) and a little about the PD's personnel deployment status.

Yahoo News posts about steam in explosion

The air in Manhattan is supposed to be asbestos free at this point following yesterday's steam explosion (which was really bad). With respect, I remember a few years ago when the air was deemed "officially safe" to breath in Lower Manhattan but maybe wasn't. This is a different situation -- true -- but it still makes people like me think twice.

Click on the headline and go to Yahoo News.

CAPTION: Unrelated shot: "Seminary Row" in Manhattan. Pictured is Union Theological Seminary, located across the street from Riverside Church (nowhere near yesterday's problem).

Vick faces suspension from federal charges

Falcons Quarterback Mike Vick may or may not be taking the field this season in Atlanta. Click on the headline to go to Yahoo News!

Walsh posts on Middletown Committee

Thirteenth District Democratic Candidate Patricia Walsh has a good post on her blog about the Middletown Committee. It is thought provoking. Click on the headline and go there.

Caption: The photo has nothing to do with the post. I just liked it a lot. The Victory Center at Yorktown is great if anyone has any ideas about vacationing in Virginia.

Upcoming story about Melissa Farmer and Erica Lopez-Mulligan

The death of Melissa Farmer, Union Beach, and Erica Lopez-Mulligan, Upper Freehold, was tragic. It took place on Sunday along the Parkway in Wall. Yesterday, Alyssa Passeggio and I went to Union Beach and spoke with some of Ms. Farmer's teachers and neighbors about her. We were unable to get in touch with her family, as of yet.

But it is clear that a very special and talented person was lost from our area. We did not have a chance to interview any of Mrs. Lopez-Mulligan's family or friends. But the loss of these two young ladies must be devastating to those who knew them.

The Courier has a feature about Ms. Farmer's life and untimely end coming out this week, including what we know about Mrs. Lopez-Mulligan. These were wonderful young people and stories like these never fail to evoke empathy for writers. Stories like these happen, but the young people who pass away always leave a big hole in families and communities. My sympathy to the Farmer and Lopez-Mulligan families.

If the newspaper is unable to get in touch with the Farmer family for this issue, then we are certainly open to a subsequent tribute celebrating Ms. Farmer's life later, when the family is more available. In the meantime, the sympathies from everyone at the newspaper.

The story about Melissa Farmer and Erica Lopez-Mulligan is not just another story to us.

Click on the headline for the APP treatment. Courier will be out on Thursday.

Benefit for Riley Franklin on July 21st

There is a BBQ and gift auction fund raiser for Riley Franklin on July 21st at the American Legion in Leonardo from 1 to 6. It costs $20 to get in; that includes food, beer, soda, entertainment, horseshoes, kids games, and kids under 12 are free.

Middletown, NJ: Not in the top 100 anymore

Money Magazine's "Top 100" places to live is out...and Middletown, New Jersey is not on it anymore. There are all sorts of factors that go into the "Top 100" listing, which are explained at the site. FYI: Marlboro made it. Click on the headline and go there.

INPRINT notes top Web sites

INPRINT is a monthly newspaper for newspapers in New Jersey, put out by the New Jersey Press Association. In this month's edition, on Page 6, there is a small story about top-producing Web sites. According to Nielsen//NetRatings, NYTimes.com had the largest Online circulation, with 12,775,000 unique visitors in May. The visitors spent an average of 29 minutes on each site.

This was a national-level poll.

NJ.com was 28th in the nation, with 1,319,000 visitors, who spent 9 minutes each, during May. NJ.com was just nominally behind 24th-place winner Philly.com, which welcomed 1,485,000 unique visitors for 10 minutes each during the same period.

Note: I have looked on the NJPA site for an Online version of INPRINT and haven't been able to find it yet. But INPRINT has great information in it. Click on the headline to go to NJPA's homepage to check out the association...and maybe get a little luckier than I was finding an Online version of INPRINIT.

CAPTION: Just another picture from Williamsburg vacation...nothing to do with the story.

APP publishes piece on commercial fishermen

The APP has a good story about the potential imposition of a fishing ban for commercial fisherman in an area of the county where recreational fishermen want it (the Shark River Reef).

When it comes to the idea of recreational fishermen trying to take away business peoples' ability to earn a living...and it being taken seriously by government... that is the problem with business and New Jersey in the first place.

When will New Jersey's economy improve? When New Jerseyans take their economy seriously and stop discouraging business. In this case, we're talking about a discretionary limit on business, based on a desire by recreational boaters to enjoy an area more. When does that trump private sector commerce?

The commercial fishing business in this state has been brutalized by government regulation in this state for some years. This is just another thing area fishermen will lose. By the way, as our commercial fishermen are pushed out of local waters, so is a tradition dating back hundreds of years. Click on the headline and go to the article.