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Showing posts with label Christopher Christie. Show all posts

Showing posts with label Christopher Christie. Show all posts

Video: Christie On How To Remember September 11

Leave it to New Jersey Governor Chris Christie to articulate the true meaning of September 11 as he explains the ways in which we can all remember those who were lost. I urge you to watch the entirety of the Governor's relatively brief comments.
This is a man who knows what his priorities are. This is a man with a keen knowledge of human sensibilities and the human condition -- a man with a heart, soul and genuine passion.
Rarely have I heard the meaning of that infamous day expressed so simply, so clearly, so eloquently.

Christie Announces Openings Of FEMA Field Offices

Furthering his Administration’s commitment to ensuring that New Jerseyans impacted by Hurricane Irene have access to the critical resources they need, Governor Chris Christie today announced the imminent openings of a FEMA-State Joint Field Office (JFO) in Neptune, Monmouth County, and county-specific Disaster Recovery Centers (DRCs) to aid residents throughout the state. These are the next steps in an aggressive and coordinated long-term effort aimed at assisting residents impacted by Hurricane Irene, and ensuring access to available resources for all eligible New Jerseyans. A JFO is a temporary federal, multiagency coordination center established locally to facilitate field level domestic incident management activities related to prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. The Neptune JFO will open tomorrow.

Governor Chris Christie said, “Now that we have moved into this next phase of recovery, it is critical that we are utilizing all of our resources to ensure people who have been displaced from their homes and are dealing with the aftermath of flood damage are receiving the assistance they need.”

The JFO in Neptune will provide a central location for the coordination of federal, state, local, nongovernmental and private-sector organizations with the primary responsibility for moving forward with the recovery and relief efforts resulting from Hurricane Irene’s impact on New Jersey. This includes state governmental departments and agencies working on the front lines of the recovery and relief efforts alongside the State Office of Emergency Management (OEM) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA):

· Department of Transportation (DOT);

· Department of Community Affairs (DCA);

· Department of Human Services (DHS);

· Department of Environmental Protection (DEP);

· Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI), and;

· New Jersey Motor Vehicles Commission (MVC).

The first county-specific Disaster Recovery Center (DRC) opened today at the Paterson Museum in Paterson, Passaic County. DRCs in Bergen, Essex, Morris, and Union counties are expected to open in the next 48 hours and a majority of DRCs are expected to be up and running by the end of next week. These centers will directly assist New Jerseyans with the delivery of recovery and relief resources. DRC personnel, which will include representatives from different administration departments, will be available to aid those who wish to visit personally with a disaster recovery specialist to get answers to their questions.

Also important to note, individuals don’t have to go to a center in their own county. If a DRC isn’t open yet in one county, an individual can walk into a center in another county for assistance.

Many people find they get answers to their questions during the registration process. Therefore, before visiting the DRC, people are encouraged to register with FEMA online at www.disasterassistance.gov or by calling 800-621-FEMA (3362), (TTY) 800-462-7585 for the hearing- or speech-impaired. The toll-free numbers are available seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Help in languages other than English is available.

Following approval by the federal government of New Jersey’s request for disaster assistance, direct federal disaster relief is now available to New Jerseyans in all 21 counties who have been impacted by Hurricane Irene. New Jersey residents and small businesses in all counties are now eligible to apply for different types of federal assistance, including temporary housing, repair, replacement or other needs such as Disaster Unemployment Assistance, and Small Business Administration disaster loans.

Survivors of Hurricane Irene in every New Jersey county who suffered damage should apply for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency – even if they have insurance or aren’t sure they are eligible.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY To Governor Chris Christie!

Cent anni!

Our sincerest, Happiest Birthday Wishes to New Jersey
Governor Chris Christie
on the occasion of his 49th Birthday.
Enjoy this beautiful day with your family
and all those you love, Governor.
You deserve it.

And thanks for making us once again proud to say: "I'm from New Jersey!"

Christie: Aid Now Approved For All 21 NJ Counties

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie today announced that the federal government has approved New Jersey’s request for disaster assistance for New Jerseyans impacted by Hurricane Irene in all 21 counties. Individual and public assistance were approved for Burlington, Hudson, Ocean and Union counties, and individual assistance was approved for Mercer county, following the public assistance eligibility granted yesterday. Every New Jersey county has now been approved for both individual and public assistance by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).

New Jersey residents and small businesses in all 21 counties are now eligible to apply for different types of federal assistance, including temporary housing, repair, replacement or other needs such as Disaster Unemployment Assistance, and Small Business Administration disaster loans.

Public assistance eligibility for all 21 counties allows state, eligible local governments, and certain nonprofit organizations to apply for federal funding on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Irene.

Survivors of Hurricane Irene in every New Jersey county who suffered damage should apply for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency – even if they have insurance or aren’t sure they are eligible.

Register by phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585 for those with hearing or speech impairments. Specialists are standing by at the toll-free numbers seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, until further notice. Help in other languages is available. Or you can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.You can also apply through a web-enabled mobile device or smartphone by visiting m.fema.gov and following the link to “apply online for federal assistance.”

NJ: 16 Of 21 Counties Now Eligible For FEMA Help

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has announced that the federal government has approved disaster assistance for New Jerseyans impacted by Hurricane Irene in additional counties, providing direct assistance to individuals and households in the aftermath of the historic hurricane. Individuals in a total of 16 New Jersey counties are now eligible for federal disaster relief. Governor Christie previously requested assistance for all 21 New Jersey counties, but damage assessments need to be concluded before individual assistance can be granted to the remaining counties of Burlington, Hudson, Mercer, Ocean and Union.

New Jersey residents and small businesses in the following 16 counties are now eligible for Individual Assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA): Atlantic, Bergen, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Essex, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, and Warren.

Eligibility allows New Jerseyans to apply for different types of assistance, including temporary housing, repair, replacement or other needs such as Disaster Unemployment Assistance, and Small Business Administration disaster loans.

All 16 of the counties have also been approved by the federal government as eligible for public assistance, which includes federal funding. Additionally, Mercer County was also approved for public assistance. Funding also is available to state and eligible local governments and certain private nonprofit organizations on a cost-sharing basis for emergency work and the repair or replacement of facilities damaged by Hurricane Irene. Survivors of Hurricane Irene who suffered damage should apply for disaster assistance with the Federal Emergency Management Agency – even if they have insurance or aren’t sure they are eligible.

Residents of the five counties that have yet to be declared eligible for individual assistance by the federal government are being encouraged to begin the process of registering with FEMA for relief.

Register by phone at 800-621-FEMA (3362) or TTY 800-462-7585 for those with hearing or speech impairments. Specialists are standing by at the toll-free numbers seven days a week, 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. local time, until further notice. Help in other languages is available. Or you can register online at www.DisasterAssistance.gov.You can also apply through a web-enabled mobile device or smartphone by visiting m.fema.gov and following the link to “apply online for federal assistance.”

Video: Christie Reports 'Great' Cleanup Progress

After more than a week of non-stop pre and post Irene action, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie reports "great" progress on the Irene aftermath cleanup and on the restoration of vital services.
The Governor urges everyone to head on down to the Jersey shore this weekend!

Christie, Napolitano Tour NJ Flood Areas

Christie Signs Measure To Help Small Business

Continuing the Christie Administration’s efforts to streamline government bureaucracy, assist small businesses to succeed and grow in New Jersey and improve the state’s climate for job growth, Governor Chris Christie signed into law A-3195. The measure establishes a program within the Department of State to assist small businesses in identifying all of the financial assistance programs for which those businesses may be eligible. This program will help small businesses navigate the numerous finance, incentive and assistance programs administered by various State departments and entities that are available to these businesses.

A-3195 sponsors included Assemblymembers Greenstein (D-Mercer, Middlesex), DeAngelo (D-Mercer, Middlesex), Watson Coleman (D-Mercer), Lampitt (D-Camden), Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen), Conaway (D-Burlington, Camden), and Benson (D-Mercer, Middlesex). Senate sponsors for the substituted bill included Senators Beach (D-Camden) and Whelan (D-Atlantic).

Star-Ledger: Christie Gets It 'Exactly Right'

The Newark Star-Ledger offers high praise for Governor Chris Christie and his handling of the hurricane Irene weather emergency and its aftermath. Here's part of what the Star-Ledger has to say:

"Gov. Chris Christie got it exactly right Tuesday when he told members of his own party in Washington to stop squabbling and send aid to the victims of Hurricane Irene right away. It was a dose of common sense that this discussion sorely needed, delivered right between the eyes."

Click here to read the full editorial.

Christie: 'We're Not Gonna Wait; We Need Help Now!'

"We don’t have time to wait for folks in Congress to figure out how they want to offset this stuff with the budget cuts.
"Our people are suffering now. And they need support now. And they can all go down there, get back to work, and figure out the budget cuts later. But, we need the support now here in New Jersey, and that’s not a Republican or a Democratic issue.
"So, I would urge all my colleagues in the New Jersey delegation, doesn’t matter which party you are in, and all the rest of the folks in Congress. Nobody was asking about offsetting budget cuts in Joplin. And I don’t want to hear about the fact that offsetting budget cuts have to come first, before New Jersey citizens are taken care of.
"So, if you want to figure out budget cuts, that’s fine. Are you going to turn it into a fiasco like that debt limit thing where they were fighting with each other for eight or nine weeks? And you expect the citizens in my state to wait?
"They’re not going to wait. And I am going to fight to make sure that they don’t."
--New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, now in his eighth consecutive day of working non-stop, planning and executing Irene relief and recovery efforts and fighting for the people of his state.

Video: Christie Updates On NJ Irene Recovery

Governor Christie was on the job again today reviewing Irene damage, meeting with local, county and federal officials, marshaling all the resources of his administration and fighting for more assistance in the aftermath of Irene. Thanks, Governor! And thanks to all the volunteers, first responders, neighbors, public employees, civic and charitable groups and everyone else who is part of this monumental effort.

Christie Asks Obama For Expeditted NJ Assistance

Yesterday, New jersey Governor Chris Christie sent a letter to President Obama requesting an expedited declaration of a major disaster for the entire State of New Jersey from the federal government to assist state and local governments, as well as individually affected residents, to receive federal assistance as quickly as possible. Hurricane Irene was a catastrophe of enormous severity and magnitude and the storm conditions required emergency shelters to be established in 16 counties to house nearly16,000 evacuees, while over 700,000 residences suffered power outages. Torrential rains have caused significant flooding in areas across the state, impacting residences, major and local roads, and necessitating highway closures and a suspension of rail services. Recovery efforts are still ongoing in the aftermath of the disaster.

In light of these conditions and the serious impact they are having on New Jersey’s communities, field damage assessments should not be required to determine the State’s eligibility for supplemental federal assistance. Immediate federal assistance is needed now to give New Jersey’s residents a helping hand at an emotionally and financially devastating time.

Video: Christie Provides Update On Irene Recovery

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie provided another update today on massive recovery efforts in the Garden State in the aftermath of hurricane Irene.

Keep watching this blog for updated information, new developments and continuing reports from the Governor.

Governor Christie To NJ: 'Stay The Hell Home!'

Well, he didin't quite put it in those exact terms.
But New Jersey Governor Chris Christie is saying that if you live in New Jersey and you don't HAVE to go into work today, you shouldn't. That doesn't mean the governor doesn't want New Jerseyans to work. Here's how he puts it:

"If you can, please work from home today. There are severe delays and road closures because of flooding and damaged roadways. The Department of Transportation has deployed thousands of workers all across the state to survey and repair damage."

Listen to your governor -- or else!

NJ Business Post-Irene Business Assistance Ready

To support the recovery of New Jersey’s businesses and protect the overall economic interests of our state in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, Governor Chris Christie and Lt. Governor Kim Guadagno have announced a series of business assistance services for those affected by the storm. Among these vital services are those related to financial support, information on temporary space, and technical assistance for impacted businesses. Information for all services may be easily accessed through New Jersey’s Business Action Center (BAC), by calling 1-866-534-7789 or through the state’s business portal at www. nj.gov/njbusiness/, the “one-stop” shop for business resources.

“In response to this natural disaster, New Jersey has coordinated a range of multi-agency resources to assist impacted businesses and ensure they are operational quickly,” said Governor Christie. “We have worked hard to grow our state’s economy by working to meet the needs of our business community. Providing a thorough and inter-departmental business recovery assistance program is another demonstration of our support for our business community and their workers.”

“Through the collective efforts of the Partnership for Action, which includes the Business Action Center, the New Jersey Economic Development Authority and Choose New Jersey, in addition to the Departments of Banking and Insurance, Community Affairs and Labor and Workforce Development, we will work to protect the assets of our state’s businesses, provide the necessary temporary support to our workforce and sustain our economic vibrancy,” said Lt. Governor Guadagno.

The business recovery assistance services are designed to support businesses and workers who may be temporarily unable to perform their jobs due to the storm. These services include:

· Access to lines of credit of up to $500,000 for businesses that need access to cash to improve their damaged property while awaiting insurance proceeds;

· Grant awards for businesses to assist with on-the-job training costs for new workers hired specifically to assist in disaster-related activities, such as landscaping and tree removal, construction, insurance claims, building supplies sales, materials transport, utility work, call and claims centers staffing, and infrastructure clearing and repair.

· Availability of the Business Resource Centers at any of the 17 local One-Stop Career Centers across the state as temporary hubs for businesses to access telephone and internet services as well as for job seekers and displaced workers seeking workforce development and unemployment assistance.

· The availability of Disaster Unemployment Benefits to provide income security for those displaced workers suffering temporary storm-related job loss.

· Dispatch of Rapid Response team members to identified Disaster Recovery Centers to assist displaced workers

· Availability of services through New Jersey Youth Corps to assist non-profit, public and governmental entities in a variety of ways for disaster relief and clean-up.

In addition, BAC’s Business Call Center is also the one-stop resource for more information on how to get businesses back up and running. The Call Center staff can assist with the following services:

· Arranging business facility inspections for buildings suffering major flood damage, as such conditions require structural integrity inspections before utility service can be restored. These inspections are handled in local code enforcement offices and by local code enforcement officials. Anticipating an enormous increase in such work, the Department of Community Affairs has mobilized all qualified personnel to assist local governments in this effort.

· Advocate for businesses seeking assistance from local utilities to restore electric, phone, gas and water services.

· Advocate with insurance carriers to file and expedite claims.

· Provide information on how to qualify for federal recovery assistance, and

· Connect businesses to the other county and local business services and to the services offered by the Small Business Administration and Small Business Development Centers that include assistance with insurance claims, as well as loans and business plan revisions.

For further information about best practices in the aftermath of Hurricane Irene, please visit www.ready.nj.gov for continual updates.

Christie This AM: Warnings Were Needed & Continue

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie was on Meet The Press this morning. Still on the job. Still making us proud. Thanks, Gov!

Bush Did Too Litlle But Christie Does Too Much? What?

I find this darkly amusing:
Has anyone noticed that the people who are now suggesting that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is OVERreacting to Irene are the very same people who relentlessly bashed George W. Bush for not reacting properly to Katrina? Interesting . . . . .

Irene: Areas Covered By NJ Governor's Directive

To ensure the safety of New Jersey residents in the areas expected to be most impacted by Hurricane Irene, Governor Chris Christie announced the mandatory evacuations of the following areas:

ATLANTIC COUNTY

· Absecon (east of Rt 9)

· Atlantic City

· Brigantine

· Corbin City

· Galloway Township (east Rt 9)

· Linwood (east of Rt 9)

· Longport

· Margate

· Northfield (east of Rt 9)

· Port Republic (east of Rt 9)

· Somers Point (east Rt 9)

· Ventnor

· West Atlantic City in Egg Harbor Township (east of Rt 9)

CAPE MAY COUNTY

· All municipalities

OCEAN COUNTY

· All of Long Beach Island

· Berkeley

MONMOUTH COUNTY

· Keansburg

· Spring Lake

· Sea Bright

· Monmouth Beach

· Asbury Park (limited areas – coastal)

· Wall Township (limited areas – low lying/coastal)

· Town of Highlands

· Manasquan (limited areas – low lying/coastal; beginning Saturday, August 27^th at 6:00am)

· Union Beach (beginning Saturday, August 27^th at 11:00am)

Governor Christie again stresses the importance of residents’ preparedness and urged New Jerseyans in affected areas to heed evacuation orders ahead of the hurricane’s arrival.
Residents are urged to check for further information about safety precautions, evacuation routes and best practices by visiting ready.nj.gov or by calling 211.

Video: Christie Says 'Get The Hell Off The Beach!'

You don't often hear the Governor of New Jersey tell people to stay away from the Jersey shore -- more than 130 miles of the most beautiful beaches anywhere.
And few Governors are as direct as Chris Christie.
But, as usual his message is rooted in common sense.
Prepare for the worst. Abandon the beaches. Hope for the best and pray that Irene is nothing more than a harmless coquette.

Irene: Christie Announces Further Actions

West Trenton, NJ – Governor Chris Christie this morning announced additional measures being taken to prepare for Hurricane Irene and aid New Jerseyans in shore evacuations. Beginning at 6:00 p.m. this evening, contraflow will be in effect on Route 72, running for 28 miles to Route 70, closing all lanes to eastbound travel and utilizing all lanes of traffic for use in moving traffic westward. The measure is the latest action to aid residents in evacuating Long Beach Island in Ocean County.

In addition, Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) offices in Atlantic, Cumberland, Monmouth, Ocean and Salem counties will close beginning at 4:00 p.m. today until further notice. To aid New Jerseyans whose licenses will expire at the end of the month, the MVC will also provide an extension until September 10th for renewals on expired drivers licenses, identification cards, vehicle registrations and inspections effective September 1. Authorization was previously provided for MVC office closures in Cape May county.

Governor Christie has called on people to leave voluntarily and, in order to support coastal evacuations, has authorized several measures that will make evacuation easier.

Yesterday, the Governor ordered a temporary suspension of tolls on all parts of the Garden State Parkway south of the Raritan River and the Atlantic City Expressway beginning at 8:00 a.m. this morning. Governor Christie also announced that Routes 47 and 347 in Cape May County will be closed to eastbound traffic and that the use of all lanes of traffic will move westward beginning Friday evening at 6:00 pm. As part of this process, all ramps will be tightly controlled and additional personnel will be used to ensure safety.

The announcement reiterates the Governor’s strong call from yesterday, urging all residents and visitors to the New Jersey barrier islands and shore areas to leave for safer locations. Following a briefing at the Regional Operations Intelligence Center, Governor Christie signed a Declaration of a State of Emergency for New Jersey and called on people already at the shore to begin to leave immediately and advised anyone who has shore rentals or was planning to go to the shore this weekend not to go. It is important residents and visitors heed the advice and direction being given by the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management (OEM). In order to conduct an orderly evacuation of the coastline and barrier islands, residents and visitors should begin evacuating today if they have not already done so.

The state OEM is continuing to coordinate with every county as they mobilize preparations at the county and local level. Any request for assistance must come through from the local to the county up through the state OEM in order to ensure there is a real-time, coordinate response.

For further information about safety precautions, evacuation routes and best practices please go to ready.nj.gov.