Mtown News Flash 9-30-11

Dog Rabies Clinic October 1

The Middletown Health Department will hold a free rabies clinic for dogs only at the overflow parking lot on the corner of Kings Hwy and Penelope Lane on Saturday October 1 from 9 a.m. to noon. Open to all residents of New Jersey. All dogs must be on a leash. Middletown residents may renew and or apply for new licenses - proof of neutering must be supplied for reduced fees. Please bring proof of any previous rabies vaccinations.

Fall Recreation Class Registration
The Middletown Parks, Recreation and Cultural Affairs Department is currently accepting registration for youth and adult classes offered this fall. Adult classes include computers, karate and volleyball. Youth classes include Computer Explorers, ceramics, bowling and gymnastics. Registrations are accepted on-line, by mail and at the Parks and Recreation Office, 900 Leonardville Road, Leonardo. Call 732-615-2260 for details. Online Registration - https://parkpay.middletownnj.org/vsiwebtrac.html

FEMA Disaster Recovery Center open Mon-Sat
Assistance Claims must be filed by October 31
FEMA Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) at the Monmouth County Park System's Henry Hudson Trail Activity Center, 945 Route 36 will be processing claims from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Saturday. The office will be closed on Sundays effectively immediately

Monmouth County residents and business owners whose properties sustained damage as a result of Hurricane Irene are also reminded to register with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for disaster assistance no later than Oct. 31.

Before visiting the DRC, residents and business owners who sustained losses should register online anytime at www.disasterassistance.gov or www.fema.gov or via mobile phone application m.fema.gov. You can also register by phone between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. daily to 1-800-621-FEMA (3362), or for the speech or hearing impaired, TTY 1-800-462-7585.

After registering for FEMA assistance, claimants should receive notification by mail within 10 days on whether they qualify for federal disaster assistance. If eligible, the letter explains how much the grant will be, and how it is intended to be used. You should keep receipts and other documentation for at least three years as proof the funds were spent as intended. If ineligible – or if the grant amount reads "0" – you may still qualify. The denial may just mean the application is missing information or that you missed an appointment with an inspector. FEMA recommends that you consider the appeals process.

The Oct. 31 deadline also applies to loan applications submitted to the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and FEMA's National Flood Insurance Program. Additional information is available at www.sba.gov or 1-800-659-2955. Other storm recovery information and links to FEMA resources are available on the Monmouth County Web site at www.visitmonmouth.com

Police Advise Residents to Lock Car Doors
The Middletown Police Department has warned township residents to lock their car doors and to remove their car keys and any valuable items from their vehicles. Most of the burglaries and thefts from vehicles occur when residents leave them unlocked. "Cherry Picking" is the practice of walking through randomly chosen neighborhoods and checking vehicles in order to identify those that are left unlocked. Once a thief locates an unlocked car he or she will enter the vehicle and remove any items of value.

Police also warn residents to remove any of value from their vehicles such as keys, money, cell phones, computers, etc. Recently, there have been numerous thefts from vehicles where the suspects have only removed the vehicle's keys. This permits the thieves to return to the area at another time and possibly steal the car.

Almost all of the car burglaries, thefts from vehicles and actual stolen cars occur in vehicles that have been left unlocked. The simple process of locking your doors, even when the vehicle is parked at your home, and removing valuable items from your car, often discourages a thief from choosing your vehicle.

The Middletown Police Department requests that anyone with information in reference to any car burglaries or vehicle thefts to call Police Headquarters at (732) 615-2100 or the Detective Bureau at (732) 615-2120.

Written Comments on Oceanic Bridge Accepted Through 10/26
If you missed the chance to voice your concerns about the Oceanic Bridge at recent public information meetings held in Rumson and Middletown, you can still do so in writing.

The Monmouth County Department of Public Works and Engineering has created and posted a form online that you can download and use to submit your written comments.

The public meetings were held to discuss the replacement alternatives of the Oceanic Bridge over the Navesink River between Rumson and Middletown, in accordance with federal and state regulations. The public is encouraged to voice their opinions on their preferred bridge replacement alternative. All written public comments will be included in the submission to the New Jersey Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration.

The forms, as well as the materials presented at the public information meetings, are posted on the Monmouth County website via this link.

Written comments will be accepted through Wednesday, October 26, 2011. Comments may be mailed or faxed to:

Monmouth County Engineering
1 East Main Street
P.O. Box 1255
Freehold, NJ 07728
Attn: Inkyung Englehart
Fax: 732-431-7765