Database Provides Information on 31,000 Flood and Salvage-Titled Vehicles

The state urges customers to consult the database before buying a car

The State Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) and Division of Consumer Affairs (DCA) are urging all customers to consult their database of flood and salvage-titled vehicles before purchasing a car. That database now provides information on 31,000 such vehicles, the State MVC announced on Wednesday. It isn't illegal to sell vehicles with flood or salvaged titles. However, there are specific requirements that ensure potential purchasers are aware of the status of such vehicles, according to the MVC. “Damage sustained by vehicles must be disclosed to prospective buyers,” Attorney General Jeffrey S. Chiesa said. “We will hold car dealers accountable for violating our Consumer Fraud Act if they fail to make such disclosures.” The database was …

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5 Billion Gallons of Sewage Overflowed to N.J. Post-Sandy, Report Says

18 of 20 largest sewage spills in the northeast were reported in New Jersey and New York.

New Jersey saw approximately 5.1 billion gallons of untreated or partially treated sewage flow into waterways in the weeks and months following Superstorm Sandy, according to new data released by Climate Central. In total, the eight states hardest-hit by the storm had 11 billion gallons flow into canals, rivers and bays. "To put that in perspective, 11 billion gallons is equal to New York’s Central Park stacked 41 feet high with sewage, or more than 50 times the BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The vast majority of that sewage flowed into the waters of New York City and northern New Jersey in the days and weeks during and after the storm," the Climate Central report said. Data included in the report was compiled from state agencies and …

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Limits on Adjusters' Fees Would Save Homeowners in a Disaster

Bipartisan Muñoz -Brammick legislation would limit public adjusters' fees during a Hurricane Sandy-type catastrophe

Public adjusters’ fees related to a catastrophic loss would be limited to 10 percent of an insurance claim settlement under bipartisan legislation approved today by the General Assembly. The bill, A-3519, is sponsored by Assemblywoman Nancy F. Muñoz and Assembly Republican Leader Jon Bramnick, both R-Union, Morris and Somerset. “Homeowners and business owners deserve appropriate settlements after a catastrophe,” Muñoz said. “We can protect victims who have suffered a horrific loss and preserve fair compensation for the public adjusters who represent them.” New Jersey has no cap in place and by some accounts adjusters charged as much as 50 percent after Superstorm Sandy. “A cap shields policyholders from unscrupulous adjusters,” Bramnick …

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Scotch Plains, Fanwood Residents Report $12.5M in Sandy-Related Losses

An interactive map, produced by NJ Spotlight, breaks down insurance costs by town following Hurricane Sandy.

An interactive map, produced by New Jersey Spotlight and published late last week, provides a complete breakdown of every insurance claim paid in New Jersey since Hurricane Sandy by town, giving further insight into the totality of losses suffered during the late-October storm.   Information from color-coded map was compiled using the most recent data from the New Jersey Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI). Based on the most recent data, Scotch Plains incurred $9,637,642 in losses with $9,102,888 paid. A total of 1,845 claims were filed, with 1,417 paid and 357 closed without payment. Fanwood incurred $2,953,283 with $2,798,408 paid. A total of 593 claims were filed, with 456 paid and 114 closed without payment. To view the map, …

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Hurricane Sandy

Fanwood Resident Designs Home for Sandy Victims on ‘George to the Rescue’

Amre Griffin owner of rienú in Fanwood designed a home for Sayreville victims of Hurricane Sandy on an episode of “George to the Rescue."

  Amre Griffin, a Fanwood resident and owner of rienú interior design company was featured on an episode of George to the Rescue on NBC where she designed a home for a family who's home suffered damaged during Sandy.  Griffin provided a little bit of flair to the living room and dining room in the home of Joe and Janet Misiur and their two daughters, while still keeping the feel of their New Jersey neighborhood, she said in the episode. The Misiur’s purchased the Sayreville home in 2001 as a brand new construction, during Sandy a nearby river traveled through the woods and into the basement and first level of the family’s home. Since Sandy hit, the Misiur’s did not move back into their home until George and his team came to the rescue. “…

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Hurricane Sandy

Sandy Cost Scotch Plains Roughly $1 Million

At the Feb. 19 council meeting township manager Henry Underhill and Mayor Kevin Glover said the township is probably looking at an excess of $1 million spent on Sandy.

  During the Manager’s Report at the Feb. 19 Scotch Plains Council Meeting, the ongoing cleanup from Sandy was discussed by Township Manager Henry Underhill, who stated that originally the township borrowed $800,000 but that they probably tacked on another $200,000. According to Underhill, the township originally borrowed the $800,000 with money set aside for grinding, but are now probably near $1 million due to salaries from the police and fire department. Also, Underhill stated that he hasn’t seen the numbers from the police and fire departments as of yet, but he said he was sure the township was probably in another $200,000. “75 percent should be coming back to us,” Underhill stated. The township has been working on the report to submit…

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JCC Preschoolers Participate in Charity for Hurricane Sandy Victims

The JCC of Central NJ’s Early Childhood Department focuses on post-Sandy charity.

The following information was provided by the JCC of Central Jersey. The JCC’s Early Childhood Department has always included the concept of “tzedakah” or charity in its curriculum.  This school year has been no different – the school’s 4s classes all had an opportunity to learn about charity and helping others in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.  Five classes of 4-year-old preschoolers were motivated by all the local devastation they saw after Sandy.  They started by making their own tzedakah (charity) boxes in which they could collect their charitable contributions which they earned by doing chores or “good deeds” in their homes.  Some of the children set the dinner table; some cleaned up their toys; one child said his good deed was …

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Report: Sandy Second Costliest Storm in U.S. History

The National Hurricane Center released its report on Hurricane Sandy Tuesday.

Hurricane Sandy was the second costliest storm in this country’s history and directly responsible for 147 deaths – 72 of them in the U.S. alone – according to a recent report released by the National Hurricane Center. The report, released by the organization Tuesday, provides details about the start of the storm, its evolution as it made its way through the Caribbean up through the east coast, and its impact on the region. Though the number is still tentative, owing to incomplete data, the report puts the total damage incurred by the storm at $50 billion, noting that the actual tally could be much higher. Even just factoring in its initial estimate, the storm is more expensive than any storm other than 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. To read …

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Willow Grove Church to Hold Sandy Fundraiser on March 2

The event will benefit Hurricane Sandy victims and support the NJ food bank.

The following information was provided by Willow Grove Church.  Help provide assistance for victims of Hurricane Sandy, and food for neighbors in need, while enjoying international cuisine and listening to vocal and instrumental music from China. Attend the International Dinner at Willow Grove Presbyterian Church in Scotch Plains on Saturday, March 2, from 5 pm to 8 pm.  We will donate all funds raised equally to Hurricane Sandy assistance and to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey. The snow or rain date is March 9.   Our International Dinner will feature an array of ethnic specialties, including Italian, Chinese, Greek, German, Korean, Scottish, Irish, English, West Indian and Polish. Complementing the cuisine will be performances by …

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County Manager Announces $120 Annual Tax Hike For Average Homeowners in 2013

Despite decreased revenue in Union County's $506 million spending plan, officials managed to close a $28 million budget gap, according to a letter to the freeholder board by County Manager Alfred Faella.

The following is a letter written by Union County Manager Alfred J. Faella to members of the Union County Board of Chosen Freeholders, regarding the 2013 Executive Budget. Dear Freeholders: We are now at the beginning of a second year of what is a multi-year budgetary turnaround, as we have closed an approximate $28 million budget gap.  Overall, the County appears to have stemmed the tide of eroding revenue collections in line with the national recovery, while taking long term steps to create new revenue streams, and implement proactive measures controlling our costs for future budgets. This year, we have turned our attention to the completion of several areas identified in last year’s executive budget for reform: Runnells Specialized …

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Nota Whistleblower

8:22 pm on Sunday, April 14, 2013

hear, hear!!!! And, they should stop playing games with the Unemployment numbers..... It's 9.5 % in NJ and has been lowering Nationwide???? It's only because people ran out of their unemployment benefits and cannot find a job!   more ›