Jersey Shore Headlines

There is A LOT of important information today in Monmouth and Ocean County News from Townsquare Media.

Lt. Governor Kim Gudagno spent the night in the hospital after falling off her bike in Sea Bright. She broke her wrist and elbow when she stopped suddenly to avoid a car. Gudagno is serving as Acting Governor while Governor Christie continues to travel the country as chairman of the Republican Governor's Association.

Governor Christie says there's no need for an acting governor when he's out of state because cell phones and wi-fi are everywhere and it's not like he needs the Pony Express to get a message. One lawmaker agrees and is now pushing to amend the constitution. He says it's time to recognize the fact that we have virtually instantaneous communication wherever the governor is and it's time to think about mandating that the governor be the governor wherever he is. Assemblyman Declan O'Scanlon wants to give voters the chance to amend the constitution to eliminate making the Lt. Governor the Acting Governor when the elected governor is out of state.

Drivers who text behind the wheel in Monmouth County are being put on notice. All month it's the 'Unplugged and Alive' initiative. If you're pulled over for texting or talking on the road, you'll be given a special ticket that lets you avoid paying a hefty fine if you go online within 15 days and take the pledge to not text and drive.

Despite nonstop efforts to raise awareness among doctors and the public about the dangers of over-prescribing pain medications like Oxycontin, prescription drug abuse continues to spiral out of control in our state. Law enforcement is cracking down on doctors who improperly write pain medication prescriptions for profit.

A high school specifically for teens going through addiction recovery opens its doors this week. The goal of the Raymond J. Lesniak school in Union is to give young people a healthy positive environment to go to classes and make friends -- something addicts are rarely able to do in their old schools due to the peer pressure to do drugs and drink. Students will have all the regular classes but will also have regular drug tests and be required to attend addiction counseling sessions.This school is a safe zone for them to go through recovery.

New Jersey students will have more ways to prove what they learned in high school and still get a diploma, even if they fail to show it on regular tests. State education officials have unveiled a new test to be used for next school year. This year, the state is already experimenting with a test called the PARCC exam.

The Colts Neck School Board will present an architectural study on October 15th on a proposal to close the elementary school and shuffle students to the middle and primary schools. A drop in the district's student population prompted the proposal.

For-profit colleges in our state that promise degrees as well as skills training could lose their ability to issue degrees if they don't graduate at least 75% of their students. Lawmakers are debating the new requirements. Devry University, for example, graduates only 40% of its students.

JP Morgan Chase says roughly 76-million households and 7 million small businesses have been affected by this summer's cyberattack. The new disclosure adds to increasing doubts over the security of consumer data kept by businesses. The bank also says the data breach affected only customers using its online services and mobile apps.

Neptune police reportedly are searching for a suspect wanted for stabbing a woman last night on 7th Avenue. The suspect may still be armed and is described as a black male wearing pajama pants and a North Face-style jacket.

Today's sentencing is postponed for a drunk driver who crashed into a jeep on Thanksgiving 2010, killing off-duty Ocean Gate police officer Jason Marles. An appeals court will consider new arguments filed by Erick Uzcategui of Howell, blaming modifications made to Marles' jeep for causing it to roll over and explode.

A Chinese food delivery driver was robbed at gunpoint in the Laurelton Woods condo complex in Brick. Police say the victim was called to a home on Sandra Place Wednesday night in what turned out to be a false order, then held up by two male suspects. The victim was able to run away and call police.

A Rumson man is accused of making $1.5 million by allegedly manipulating commodities prices by using software that executes trades within milliseconds. 52-year old Michael Coscia is facing six counts.

It's 15 months in jail for Real Housewives star Teresa Giudice. Her husband got 41 months when they were sentenced in federal court for bankruptcy fraud yesterday. They will serve separate sentences, with Teresa going first, in January, so her husband can stay with their four children.

Expect extra traffic tomorrow on Ramtown Greenville Road in Howell as police, school officials, emergency management, fire and first aid squads carry out a large-scale drill at Howell Middle School South from 7 am - 1 pm. It has been several years since a drill of this scale has been carried out in Howell. Volunteer faculty and students involved with the Police Athletic League will help simulate the drill.

Parents have a new tool at their disposal to monitor their kids' mobile phone and social media activity. The app is called Teen Safe and it allows parents to track everything their children are doing on their smartphones. In this day of cyber-bullying, sexting, and the world literally at their fingertips, the intent is not for parents to spy, but to protect their pre-teens and teens.

The Toms River North high school football team is tackling cancer to raise awareness and donations for a cure. Mariners varsity football players are teaming up with Monmouth Medical Center's "Roll out the Ribbons" campaign to 'tackle cancer" during the month of October. You can donate $1 or more for a rainbow ribbon representing all colors of cancer to dedicate in memory of someone or add a message of support. Every ribbon of honor will be displayed along the home side fence of North's football field.

A new report finds a growing number of New Jersey residents are turning their backs on the suburbs and moving into urbanized areas that offer more energy and nonstop activities. According to economists, over the past four years there has been a significant population shift away from more tranquil counties into urban areas. An increasing number of New Jerseyans are relocating to parts of NYC, along the Hudson River waterfront, including Hoboken, Weehawken ,and Jersey City. After more than half a century of dominant growth, some say, the plain vanilla suburbs have now started shrinking.

Shop Rite is coming to Friendship Plaza on Rt. 9 in Howell. The supermarket plans on moving into the former K-mart store and space currently occupied by Pet Smart next year.

The NJ Zombie Walk is tomorrow in Asbury Park. You can also get a sneak peak at our Haunted Hall inside Convention Hall at the Paramount. For details, CLICK HERE.

Chowderfest takes place this Sunday in LBI. It runs 11 am - 4 pm in Beach Haven.