Jersey Shore Headlines

Which towns in our area have the highest number of alcohol abuse cases? That and more in today's Monmouth and Ocean County News from Townsquare Media.

Seven Jersey Shore communities are among NJ's top 20 with the highest number of alcohol abuse cases in 2013. According to a report, Brick is sixth and Toms River ranks eighth. Also on the list: Asbury Park, Neptune, Middletown, Lakewood and Jackson.

Our state might become the first state in the nation to raise the legal age to purchase tobacco products and electronic cigarettes to 21. The state senate has passed a bill that would raise the minimum age. The measure awaits action in the assembly. The current age in our state, three other states, and DC, is 19. New York City prohibits the sale to anyone under age 21.

The State Senate has sent Governor Christie a bill that overhauls our state's alimony laws. The bill, which cleared the Upper House on Monday, seeks to limit the length of payments to an ex-spouse. Payments would not be permitted to exceed the length of marriages that lasted fewer than 20 years unless a judge finds 'exceptional circumstances.' Alimony could also stop if the person receiving payments starts living with someone without marrying them. Judges also would be permitted to lower payments if an ex is out of work for 90 days. Some lawmakers say current alimony laws are out of date and unfairly burden spouses with 'crippling' lifetime payments.

An early morning fire in a Neptune condominium complex on River Avenue displaces several residents. No one was injured. Police had to kick in doors while evacuating residents.

Point Pleasant Beach police release surveillance photos of a gunman still being sought for allegedly demanding money and keys from a man outside the Green Planet Coffee Shop on Arnold Avenue Sunday morning. no one was injured. anyone with information is urged to contact police.

How legitimate are those boardwalk games? State investigators will be in Point Pleasant Beach this morning making sure the games are fair and testing prizes for lead. They'll also check to see if retail stores are in compliance with price and refund disclosure requirements.

Lakewood's Tent City is empty. All of the homeless people who had been living there are gone and the township is moving ahead with a complete sweep of the site. Officials are considering planting trees there to replace ones that were chopped down for firewood.

A Brick Township driver is ticketed for a Friday crash that left a motorcyclist severely injured. Police say Rosa Geller of Brick failed to cede right of way to Robert Amtzis, whose bike slammed the back of her car on Chambers Bridge Road and careened into a second car near Hooper Avenue. Police say that NJ motorcycle crashes result in at least 70 deaths and 2,000 injuries each year.

A Toms River non-profit is hoping to raise $20,000 for Sandy victims through a benefit concert. Jersey Shore United is hoping to keep Sandy survivors top-of-mind with the concert August 2nd featuring Phil Wickham.

A new survey finds most of us are going through our daily routine carrying less cash. The Bankrate.com survey finds 8 in 10 Americans carry less than $50 around every day, bringing us closer to becoming a cashless society. Only 7% of Americans are packing $100 or more. And the survey shows women are more likely to carry less cash than men.