Weather: 76 F Cloudy. Intermittent drizzle this morning. High 76F.. Tonight Cloudy this evening with thunderstorms developing after midnight. A few storms may be severe. Low 68F. Chance of rain 70%.
Heat advisory in effect from 11 AM TO 8 PM Thursday Heat index values up to 100 degrees exp.
- Trump administration has rejected New Jersey's appeal of the denial for $84 million in federal disaster aid for the major snowstorm last February. Governor Mikie Sherrill appealed the denial in July, seeking Public Assistance, including snow assistance for 19 counties, and statewide Hazard Mitigation assistance. Lakewood was counting on this money to pay back for snow (ShlomoSchorr)
- A Jewish woman screams at NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani at a Jewish bookstore in Borough Park for “causing antisemitism”: “You’re causing all the antisemitism… I can’t believe you’re in a Jewish store before Rosh Hashanah… Shame on you for coming to Borough Park!”
- Registration opens today for Nshei Adirei HaTorah annual event to take place during Aseres Yemei Teshuva
- New chasidishe girls elementary school opens in Lakewood Bnos Melochim under the leadership of the Lelover rebbe shlita. The school is located off Chestnut street.
- Trump accounts kids up to 10 years old receiving $250 from Michael Dell.into their bank account.
- Sefardi Chief Rabbi the Rishon Letzion Rav David Yosef shlita is in the US and will spend shabbos in Toms River.
- Admor M'Barniv Monsey will be in Lakewood tonight for Kabolas Kahal ahead of Yomim Noraim.
- Today is the first day of school for elementary girls, but some girls are still home without a school placement. The Ner High School is also closed, leaving students home while a vaad works to find placements for everyone. The hope is that all students will be placed within the next few days.
- Bingo has side of salmon for $6.99 pound Side of Scottish salmon for $8.99 pound. BTW the vienese crunch & Jelly rings on sale were out already sunday. (Submitted)
- New Jersey's auto insurance rates are rising 10.46% in 2026, the largest increase of any state in the country, for the second year running"
- LSTA Update Parents expected better service after paying a premium for courtesy busing. While the start of the school year often brings late buses, no-shows, and skipped stops, this year is especially challenging because about 2,600 children opted out of busing and are carpooling instead. This has required route changes and increased traffic, carpool lines, and safety concerns at schools. Hopefully, as routes are adjusted, service will become more reliable.
- Eagle Ridge Update: At last night’s planning meeting, the board approved the first phase of the Eagle Ridge application, which includes 116 residential dwellings plus basements on the golf course. Attorneys noted that when residential development was first proposed, several meetings were packed with residents opposing the project. Now, the meeting is empty. The Fairways senior community HOA submitted a letter supporting the application after reaching an agreement with the developer that includes a tree buffer and 41 acres dedicated to open space. A resident spoke out taking apart the traffic study that was submitted by the developers.
- Lakewood property TAX Incerease. The Township will adopt the 2026 municipal budget tomorrow at the online township meeting.
Lakewood’s proposed 2026 municipal budget is about $163.5 million, $693,000 (0.43%) higher than 2025. However, the amount expected to come from local property taxes rises from about $97.2 million to $115 million, an increase of roughly 18.2%. For an average duplex $475k assessed property, that could mean approximately $650 more per year, or about $54 more per month, in municipal taxes alone. The final 2026 budget and tax rate could still change. and thats not including School county and fire taxes.
Bottom line: Lakewood is proposing a $163.5M municipal budget, financed in part by $114.95M in property taxes, with enormous expenditures 34 million on police/payroll, $23.4M of employee health insurance, and $13.6M of pensions/payroll taxes. The municipal tax levy itself is up about 19.4% from 2025. The ordinary portion of the municipal levy is subject to the 2% cap, but certain costs lparticularly emergencies, health insurance, pensions and debt service can be added outside that cap. And in Lakewood's 2026 budget, those exclusions are large enough that the municipal levy goes from $96.3M to $115. million an increase of nearly $18.7M, or 19.4%.
- Update on Gedolim meeting with President Trump at the White House A delegation of prominent Gedolim and Admorim is expected to meet with President Trump at the White House at approximately 12:30 p.m. Among those attending are Rav Malkiel Kotler, both Satmar Rebbes, the Bobover Rebbe,the Vizhnitzer Rebbe of Monsey, and the son of the Skverer Rebbe.The meeting is expected to begin with hakoras hatov to President Trump for all he has done for the Orthodox Jewish community. Reports indicate that the Gedolim are also expected to discuss several pressing issues, including the rise in antisemitism, security for Jewish communities and institutions, frum Yidden in prison, and the draft of bnei yeshiva in Eretz Yisroel, along with other matters affecting the frum community. In preparation for the trip, Bobov has announced an earlier 7:00 a.m. Shacharis, allowing the Rebbe and delegation to daven before departing for Washington, D.C.
- Report: 30 Jews Missin at China-Nepal Border Floods: Around 30 Jews R"L, including two Israelis, are among 4,400 people missing after floods near the China-Nepal border. The Chabad House in Kathmandu is coordinating searches and has dispatched food and medical supplies to areas accessible only by air.
- Lakewood public school over 300 kids lost courtesy busing. Parents are organizing to speak up at the next BOE meeting in 3 weeks.
- Giyus: MK Goldknopf from UTJ outside prison 10 calls for the release of frum draft Dodgers ahead of the yomim Tovim he says they are hungry malnourished and not treated well.
- Mordy's Shteibel getting trailers for now after the shul caught fire.
- NJGOP: These illegal aliens who killed a 9 month old baby and injured innocent citizens were allowed into our country under Joe Biden and ended up in New Jersey communities. Rather than holding them accountable and ensuring justice is served, Mikie Sherrill is staying silent - and her silence is deafening. New Jersey MUST honor ICE detainers for individuals accused or convicted of these horrific crimes and ensure they are removed from our country.
- The state of New Jersey has asked the Supreme Court today for the ability to shut down prediction markets in the state, teeing up a potential landmark case where the justices could decide if the highly popular but controversial industry can survive in its current form. Today's request is the first time the nationwide legal battle over the legality of prediction sites such as Kalshi and Polymarket U.S. has reached the U.S. Supreme Court.(Onejersey)
- NYC mayor Mamdani paid a visit today to Boro Park his first since becoming mayor as he toured the frum Jewish stores along 13th Avenue.
The Sem Life Planner: Available online at https://www.finetoysandgifts.com/category/flowers-and-gifts
ReplyDeletethe ONLY topic that the admorim and harav Kotler should discuss is the shmad
ReplyDeleteNo, they should discuss the contradiction in the Rambam in Hilchos Gezeila vaAveida. Why doesn't the Rambam differentiate between before yiush and after yiush in the lavin of taking an aveida?
DeleteThe CC extremely disagreed and would have castigated anybody who said that.
DeleteIf they were really dealing with Klal issues (dubious), they would be forbidden to stop for anything
If I had to choose between the Chillul Hashem of "frum yidden" in prison and music at Slichos?
DeleteI would gladly take the music!
Two wrongs make a right or an airplane
DeleteThe Jewish community in the US has no needs whatsoever. ever. Every bit of our clout and $$$ is meant to be used for the Jews in EY. How did they create such a propaganda machine. A Wonder.
DeleteWhat happened to the construction informing waze of Road closures? People are being sent to roads that are blocked off then they have to turn around causing major traffic
ReplyDeleteWhich lol over Rebbe making a school in Lakewood?
ReplyDeleteLet’s stop pretending that more construction automatically means more money for Lakewood taxpayers.
ReplyDeletePoliticians and developers keep claiming that new construction expands the tax base and benefits everyone. But what about the costs that come with it?
Lakewood has had to hire more workers and provide additional services to keep up with population growth and all these new developments. Meanwhile, we’re seeing duplexes selling for $1.5 million.
So who is actually benefiting?
Certainly not the young people and middle-class families who grew up here and can no longer afford to buy a home. They’re being asked to help pay the bill while deep-pocketed investors and developers continue to get richer.
And for the average young Lakewood couple, homeownership is becoming completely unaffordable.
What exactly is the point of all this construction if the people who live here can’t afford the housing being built?
A bigger tax base means very little if the price of “progress” is pushing an entire generation of local families out of the community.
We need to start asking who this development is really for and who is being left with the bill.
No need to ask.You already answered. Action now.
DeleteCan anyone explain why Trump is meeting 5 Chassidish Rabbanim but only one Litvish Rosh Yeshivah?
ReplyDeleteWhy wasn't Rav Yaakov Bender, Rav Elya Brudny, Rav Yisroel Reisman and Rav Aharon Feldman invited.
Does Trump harbor secret negative opinions specifically about Litvaks?
Trump is half breslov half lubavitch and in spite of that didn't invite the Rebbe's. Enough said!
Deletemore votes
DeleteWhy didn’t he invite the Lubavitch Rebbe?
DeleteYou are advocating for Agudah.
DeletePresident Trump knows better than all that.
It was mentioned in one of the frum publications that they plan to request trumps intervention in the draft in Israel. Most Rabbanim don't want to be
Deleteinvolved with getting the American government to pressure Israel. Only Eitzniks and Satmar types.
Budget shenanigans. Basically you spend the budget on things that you cannot raise the tax for and the things that you could raise the tax for there is no money for it so then you raise taxes. Pension are a known item it is not a surprise they know exactly how much the pensions will be each and every year the fact that there's no money for it is a big question mark
ReplyDeleteCause Trump likes there getup better !
ReplyDeleteMajor, bobov waking up before 7! Wow!!
ReplyDeleteTrump not interesting in Litvaks because they don't go to the mikvah
ReplyDeleteTrump seems to have a shprach with chassidishe rebbes.
DeleteWhat's he going to talk to litvishe RYs, a pshat in the Rambam?
Trump invited all the major Rebbes of America. Reb Malkiel is the Rebbe of all the litvaks.
ReplyDeleteFacts.
Trump gets it.
this president is more chassidic.He beat the litvaks like Cruz & DeSantis.
Delete8:11
ReplyDeleteHe ain't my rebbe. Don't have a rebbe
Trump knows what's going on among the tzy hielige breeder, he may very well ask Aaron & ZL to shake hands!!! Lol
ReplyDeleteI heard Reb Ivanka came to Lakewood last week to buy a shietel for the invent
ReplyDeleteThe Township continues approving more and more development while the basic needs of the people who already live here are being ignored.
ReplyDeleteTraffic has become unbearable. Roads are overcrowded, parking is inadequate, buses can barely get through certain areas, and children are spending excessive amounts of time sitting in traffic just trying to get to and from school. At the same time, families are being told there isn’t enough money for adequate busing.
And who would want to drive a school bus in these conditions? Drivers are expected to navigate packed streets, constant congestion, difficult turns, construction, and endless delays. It has become an extremely difficult and aggravating job, yet we continue acting surprised when there are driver shortages and transportation problems.
Meanwhile, development continues. More homes mean more cars, more traffic, more pressure on infrastructure, and greater demands on Township services. The entire town has been turned upside down trying to accommodate this growth.
Yet taxes continue to rise.
Residents are repeatedly told there isn’t enough money for essential services, including transportation for our children, while at the same time Township administrators have received substantial raises. That raises a very legitimate question: What are the Township’s priorities, and where is all the money going?
The average resident is paying more and getting less while dealing with worsening traffic, inadequate parking, transportation problems, overcrowded roads, and a steadily declining quality of life.
At this point, small changes are not enough. Lakewood needs a complete change in direction and a full turnover of the Township administration and leadership that allowed these conditions to develop and continue.
There should also be an immediate pause on major new development until a truly independent audit and comprehensive quality-of-life study are completed. That review should examine development approvals, municipal spending, administrative compensation, taxes, traffic, parking, busing, infrastructure, emergency access, and the cumulative impact of years of rapid development on Lakewood residents.
The needs of the average citizen have been ignored for far too long. Residents cannot continue paying more, receiving less, and sacrificing their quality of life while the Township continues business as usual. It is time for accountability, transparency, new leadership, and a government that puts the people who already live here first.
This is clearer because the demand for turnover comes after you’ve established the case for it, rather than appearing too early.
We Agree. Completely. What Now?
DeleteIn EY they are doing it .
ReplyDeleteIt`s time for change .
With the old politicians who can`t seem to find money for bussing in the $300,000,000 collected in property taxes out and to put new ones in.