RED BANK: TAXI FARE HIKE APPROVED
After idling for 12 years, taxi fares in Red Bank are about to increase, following action by the borough council this week.
RED BANK: CABS, KIDS, COPS & DOGS
Mayor Pasquale Menna offers an official welcome to the RBPD K9 unit of Hunter, a 21-month-old Belgian Malinois, and his handler, Patrolman Stan Balmer. Below, an image used in a presentation on the Bellhaven spray park last August. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Wednesday night’s bimonthly meeting of the Red Bank council included attention to taxicabs, a controversial proposal for Bellhaven Natural Area, lifesaving cops and a four-legged borough employee.
Details just around the corner…
RED BANK AGENDA: CABS, DOGS & PARKING
Parking in front of these businesses and others on Monmouth Street and Bridge Avenue would no longer be free if an ordinance up for introduction Wednesday wins approval. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
[This article has been updated since it was originally posted to reflect the contents of proposed ordinances.]
By JOHN T. WARD
The agenda for Wednesday night’s bimonthly meeting of the Red Bank Council is a busy one, with a handful of proposed changes to borough laws.
Here’s what’s on the draft agenda.
INDICTMENT IN SHOOTING, RED BANK HOLDUP
A one-man, 24-hour crime spree that included a holdup of a Red Bank gas station and a shooting in Asbury Park got a Monmouth County man indicted on federal charges Thursday, authorities said.
Quam Wilson, 23, of Neptune Township, started the blitz by shooting an Asbury Park cab driver in the head during a robbery, an indictment handed down by a grand jury in Trenton alleges.
The driver survived.
CAB DRIVER IN RECENT CRASH FOUND DEAD
The taxicab driver charged with drunken driving after a collision in Lincroft a week ago was found dead in his Red Bank apartment Monday morning, borough police said.
Police were summoned to the Monmouth Street home of John Curtis, 39, after his landlord found him dead at about 8:25 a.m., said Captain Darren McConnell.
DWI, ASSAULT CHARGES FOR CABBIE IN CRASH
This just in from the Middletown PD:
On April 23, 2013 at approximately 8:30pm Middletown Police responded to a two car motor vehicle crash at the intersection of Newman Springs Road and Half Mile Road in Lincroft during which three people were injured.
Patrolman Michael Reuter conducted an investigation and determined that a taxi cab driven by John Curtis, age 39, from Monmouth Street in Red Bank, NJ, was travelling east bound on Newman Springs Road and failed to stop for the red light at Half Mile Road. The cab then struck a vehicle driven by Edward Stratton, age 55, from Arbor Drive in Howell, NJ.
FAIR HAVEN: ANOTHER CABBIE STIFFED
Recent activity reports, unedited, as provided by the Fair Haven Police Department.
8/2/12 Ptl. Hostrup took a theft report from Surf Taxi out of Asbury Park, The driver reports that two juveniles ran after failing to pay their fare.
8/3/12 Ptl. Hostrup arrested Amanda Lipko, 22, Rumson, for Obstructing the Administration of Law, by providing a false name while on a traffic stop. Ms. Lipko was released pending court.
8/3/12 Ptl. Reevey responded to a Hit and Run Motor Vehicle Accident at the Knights of Columbus. The driver Paula C. Konnor, 54, Rumson was located and place under arrest for DWI. Mrs. Konnor was released pending court.
NO FARE! CABBIE GETS STIFFED IN FAIR HAVEN
Recent activity reports, unedited, as provided by the Fair Haven Police Department.
7/4/12
-Cpl. Waltz and Ptl. Reevey arrested Francis Luby, 19, Rumson, and charged him with Disorderly Conduct. Mr. Luby was released pending a court date.
7/5/12
-Ptl. Patton took a Harassment report from a Fair Haven Rd. resident who reported receiving threatening text messages on her cell phone.
7/6/12
-S.O. Albert arrested Darryl Canfield, 26, Tinton Falls for being in Contempt of Court. Mr. Canfield was released on bail.
TAXI LAW CHANGES JUNKED, AGAIN
Cabbies, mostly in the background, helped fill the council chambers Monday night to oppose proposed changes to local regs. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
As if in a strange time warp to 2008, an overflowing council chambers was the scene for another round of “let’s kill this taxi idea.”
The names and faces at Monday night’s council meeting were familiar, and their cry unchanged from the last time they huddled into the chambers: increasing the number of taxi licenses is bad for business.
And just as before, the second attempt to revise the borough’s taxi ordinance ran into a ditch.
MORE LICENSES, HIGHER FARES IN TAXI LAW
Red Bank is expected to adopt changes made to its taxi licensing ordinance. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi; click to enlarge)
By DUSTIN RACIOPPI
After hashing out concerns with local cabbies over proposed changes to Red Bank’s taxi licensing ordinance, the borough council is poised to adopt a new version of regulations that features more licenses and “substantially reduces fees.”
But a person hopping into a cab will pay more.