The bank robbery took place at approximately 12:20 p.m. when a subject entered the bank, produced a written note threatening the teller, and left with money, Salerno said. Salerno would not say how much money the subject took.

The bank is located on Sunset Avenue near the railroad tracks, between Memorial Drive and Main Street.

The man was later identified as Michael Rush, 31, of Main Street in Asbury Park, Salerno said. He was apprehended a short time later in the 900 block of Pine Street between First and Second avenues, Salerno said. Police officers Joel Fiori and Carl Christie made the arrest.

The officers found a knife in Rush’s possession, Salerno said. He was charged with first degree armed robbery and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was sent to the Monmouth County correctional Institution in lieu of $100,000 bail with no 10-percent option.

The police were able to recover the bank proceeds and return them to PNC, Salerno said.

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The kiosk will serve iced coffee and iced tea, as well as some “light treats and cafe merchandise,” according to owner Doug Parent [shown above, left with co-owner Paul Cali].

The kiosk will be called Cafe Volan at the Asbury Yacht Club, Parent said.

The location is at the boardwalk pavilion which now contains Langosta Lounge, owned by Marilyn Schlossbach and her husband Scott Szegeski, along with her brother Richard Schlossbach. The trio also own the Lightly Salted Surf shop in the pavilion, as well as the new Asbury Yacht Club bar there.

“The boardwalk itself is great and it’s great to be at beach. And to align ourselves with what the Lightly Salted Surf Shop and Asbury Yacht club are doing is a good fit for us,” said Cali.

The Volan kiosk is being built by Szegeski, Parent said. The kiosk may be open this coming Memorial Day weekend, or the following weekend at the latest, he said.

Cafe Volan opened in June 2011, on Bangs Avenue in the Steinbach building.

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The district is about to start searching for a new superintendent, as they voted not to renew current Superintendent Denise Lowe’s contract in November 2012.

The board of education will employ Kathy Winecoff of the New Jersey School Boards Association as a search consultant, according to a release from the district. At the input session on June 6, Winecoff will explain the search procedure and the roles played by the board, the staff and the public in the process, as well as the calendar for the search.

Discussion will center on the strengths, concerns, ongoing issues and future initiatives which will face the new superintendent, according to the release. Information gathered in this and other focus groups will be used to shape candidate review documents and interview questions.

The meeting will take place on June 6 at 7 p.m. in the Asbury Park High School auditorium. For more information, call the board office at 732-776-2606, ext. 2426.

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MAY 16

• A 53-year-old male from Neptune was arrested and charged with defiant trespassing in the 200 block of Fifth Avenue.

• A 46-year-old female from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with possession of controlled dangerous substances [CDS] at the intersection of Fourth Avenue and Bergh Street.

MAY 17

• A 34-year-old male from Brick was arrested and charged with possession of CDS, CDS distribution or manufacture, CDS distribution near school property and unlawful possession of a hand gun in the 10 block of Ridge Avenue.

MAY 18

• A 39-year-old male from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with possession of a syringe and possession of drug paraphernalia in the 600 block of Sixth Avenue.

• A 20-year-old male from East Brunswick was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct in the 900 block of Kingsley Street.

MAY 19

• A 32-year-old male from Belmar was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, shoplifting and begging in the 1400 block of Asbury Avenue.

• A 42-year-old female from Oldbridge was arrested and charged with driving under the influence [DUI], reckless driving, refusal to submit to chemicals and unsafe backing.

• A 20-year-old male from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with shoplifting.

• A 19-year-old male from Neptune was arrested and charged with possession of CDS in the 900 block of Kingsley Street.

• A 21-year-old male from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with resisting arrest and obstruction of justice in the 1100 block of Atlantic Avenue.

• A 23-year-old male from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with simple assault.

• A 23-year-old female from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with disorderly conduct and resisting arrest in the 1100 block of Atlantic Avenue.

MAY 20

• A 19-year-old female from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with simple assault at the intersection of Monroe and Prospect avenues.

MAY 21

• A 58-year-old male from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with domestic violence in the 1000 block of Third Avenue.

• A 36-year-old female from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with hindering apprehension and possession of CDS, CDS distribution near school property and possession of drug paraphernalia in the 1100 block of Sunset Avenue.

• A 19-year-old male from Asbury Park was arrested and charged with obstruction of justice in the 1100 block of Sunset Avenue.

The candidates on the One Asbury ticket would like to extend a heartfelt thanks to all of our supporters and volunteers. The last few months have been a wild ride, and without your efforts, we would never have succeeded in getting a majority on the council. This was really a group effort. There were people behind the scenes and people out front helping us in numerous ways throughout the campaign. The financial support, in particular, was more than any of us could have expected. Because so much of it was in relatively small donations, it reminded us of what a community is capable of doing when it comes together.

The city council introduced an ordinance allowing landlords to obtain seasonal certificates of occupancy [COs] for their properties. A certificate of occupancy is a document issued by the city confirming that a residence is in an acceptable state to be occupied. A landlord must obtain a CO prior to bringing new tenants into a property.

Previously, landlords were required to obtain a new CO every time a new tenant came in. A landlord who owned a weekly rental would have to get a new CO every week.

The council introduced the ordinance at an April meeting but due to some amendments, they had to re-introduce it on May 15. The final public hearing will be held on June 5.

Under the new system, landlords with seasonal COs still need to obtain licenses for the seasonal COs once a year, said city director of commerce and economic development Tom Gilmour at an April council meeting when the measure was introduced.  This creates a new revenue stream for the city, he said, and “gives us a way to monitor what’s going on with these types of properties.”

“I think this helps residents who want to [lease their homes in the summer] and also allows the city to make sure the rentals that are taking place are being done in a way that’s safe,” city manager Terence Reidy said.

To craft the ordinance, city attorney Fred Raffetto [pictured] culled ordinances from other municipalities with similar measures in place, he said. He based Asbury Park’s ordinance on a similar ordinance from Point Pleasant Beach.

Councilman Jim Bruno took issue with the ordinance, stating that landlords may allow properties to fall behind on fire preparedness if they don’t have to get a new CO with every new tenant. A license to rent a house costs about $100 per year, Bruno said, and a CO costs about $68.

“If you have five, six, seven or eight people living in one house and then they move out and someone else moves in, how do you know they didn’t mess with the smoke detectors and fire extinguishers?” Bruno said at the May 15 council meeting.

The landlords are required to give the city a list of tenants every time a new group comes in, Gilmour said. Gilmour emphasized that it is difficult now for landlords to rent houses on a short-term basis.

“The landlords renting these places are getting $3,000 to $4,000 per week for some of these places,” Bruno said. “I don’t see why they can’t afford a new CO every time they do a transfer of title.”

Deputy Mayor John Loffredo, who is a realtor by trade, concurred with Gilmour that landlords are often hesitant to do summer rentals due to municipal red tape.

“To start saying we have to inspect a home every time [new tenants come in throughout the summer] is ridiculous,” he said. “Why are we making this laborious for the city? This is a thing that every town does.”

Bruno again pointed out fire safety issues.

“It’s not hard to walk in there and check a smoke detector and see if a fire extinguisher is empty or full,” he said. “The fire department can go out and do these inspections. I don’t see why they can’t.”

When the time came to approve the ordinance’s introduction, Bruno suggested the city add an affidavit requirement.

“I think the owner should have to sign an affidavit saying he checks the smoke detectors and fire extinguishers and send it over to code enforcement,” Bruno said.

“I don’t see anything wrong with that,” Councilwoman Sue Henderson said.

The council voted unanimously in favor of the ordinance with the addition of the affidavit requirement. The final public hearing will be June 5.

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The Arts Council of Asbury Park [ArtsCAP] oversaw this year’s contest. Head lifeguard Joe Bongiovanni and Marshall Twinam of Marshall Jackson Partners, a local advertising agency, helped judge the 10 entries this year.

Mecca’s design [pictured at right, top] will adorn the daily badges. It features a lifeguard rescue buoy with a rope.

Taormina’s design [pictured at right, bottom] will come in three colors to signify teen, adult and senior seasonal badges. She created an image that combines a beach umbrella with an electric guitar.

The judges selected winners by weighing each entry’s simplicity and boldness, said Dennis Carroll of ArtsCAP at the May 15 council meeting. They also took note of whether each design suggested the sea, the beach, the summer and the city of Asbury Park, as well as “placement, clarity, creativity and ability of the design to be easily read from a short distance,” Carroll said.

The Beach Office is currently open on the boardwalk between First and Second avenues, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, for purchase of seasonal badges. Seasonal badges cost $70 for adults and $20 each for seniors and teens this year.

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“In the aftermath of Sandy, we couldn’t be more thrilled about being back on the beaches and in the parks,” said Shore Flicks owner TJ Brustowicz in a prepared release.

The Free Summer Movie Series, presented by XFINITY, features a total of 65 nights of free movies in 15 towns throughout Monmouth County and Long Beach Island.

The movies begin just after sundown and are shown on Shore Flicks’ 16-foot inflatable screen [pictured above]. As in previous years, Shore Flicks will collect nonperishable food items to be distributed to food banks and pantries throughout the area at each screening. This summer, the series will also support two Sandy-related charities, RAINE Foundation and Sea Bright Rising.

People are encouraged to follow Shore Flicks on Facebook and Twitter for updates on the movie nights, including cancellations due to the weather.

Look below for a list of the movies to be screened in Asbury Park. Also participating are Red Bank, Sea Bright, Spring Lake, Middletown, Atlantic Highlands, Hazlet, Keyport, Fair Haven, Ocean, Eatontown, Oceanport, Matawan, Neptune and Shrewsbury. Check the Shore Flicks website for the screening schedules in those towns.

July 11 — “Ghostbusters”

July 18 — “Grease”

July 25 — “Finding Nemo”

Aug. 1 — “Better Off Dead”

Aug. 8 — “Psycho”

Aug. 15 — “Pee Wee’s Big Adventure

Aug. 22 — “Jaws”

Aug. 29 — “The Princess Bride”

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“They said they’re not required to give it out. It’s private information. It’s been voided so you don’t need the names,” said attorney Eric Brophy, who represents the Forward Asbury slate of council candidates.

Brophy spoke to board of elections personnel on Friday, he said.

Board of elections administrator Robin Major, when asked by the Sun on Thursday, also declined to specify the reasons the board voided vote by mail [VBM] ballots from Asbury Park. Nor was any reason given by the four members of the Board of Elections during proceedings Friday afternoon to count provisional ballots and some VBM ballots from the city.

Attempts by the Sun last week to reach three of the four members of the board for an explanation also were unsuccessful as messages left were not returned. The Board of Elections reports to the New Jersey Secretary of State with legal counsel provided by the Attorney General’s office. Spokesmen for both departments declined comment and referred questions about the voided Asbury ballots back to the Board of Elections.

The losing A-Team slate of candidates plan legal action to get the 320 voided ballots counted. Their attorney — Monmouth County Republican Chairman John Bennett — filed an Open Public Records Act request with the Board of Elections on Friday for all documents concerning why the ballots were voided, according to A-Team candidate Duanne Small.

That information is expected to be provided on Monday or Tuesday, Small said. The A-Team has until May 29 to file for a recount, and until June 13 to file a challenge to the election results, according to the website of the Division of Elections in the New Jersey Secretary of State’s Office. The new city council is scheduled to be sworn in on July 1.

On Friday, the Board of Elections declared the official results from the May 14 election. The A-Teams’s Jim Keady is within 173 votes of fifth-place winner Susan Henderson. Small is within 176 votes of Henderson. Fourth-place winner Myra Campbell is an additional two votes away.

On the A-Team, the three highest vote getters were Keady with 447 votes, Small with 444 and Daniel Harris with 430.  The three lowest winning candidates were incumbent Henderson with 620 votes, Campbell with 622 and incumbent John Loffredo with 654.

The two other winners were John Moor with 723 votes and Amy Quinn with 716. Ousted incumbent Kevin Sanders remains in sixth place with 596 votes. Moor, Quinn and Campbell ran on the One Asbury ticket. Loffredo, Henderson and Sanders ran on the Forward Asbury ticket.

There is some unofficial information regarding the basis for the voiding of the 320 VBM ballots.

The Forward Asbury ticket filed challenges to 275 VBM ballots on election day, according to Brophy, the attorney for Forward Asbury. In a conversation after the election, Superintendent of Elections Hedra Siskel told Brophy that approximately 250 of the 275 challenged ballots were voided by the board of elections, Brophy said. [Siskel's office is separate from the Board of Elections, but provides the board with information to help decide whether to count a ballot.]

There were two primary reasons Forward Asbury challenged those 275 VBM ballots, Brophy said. Ballots were challenged from voters who allegedly did not reside at the address they claimed. Also challenged were ballots delivered by messengers, when the messenger did not sign an affidavit required by the county clerk. The affidavit stated that the messenger complied with applicable legal requirements, and that the messenger understands violating the law governing VBM ballots is a crime.

Brophy was unable to state how many ballots were challenged because of the messenger issue, and how many on residency grounds.

The use of ballot messengers by the A-Team has been controversial in the campaign. A voter may designate a messenger to pick up a VBM ballot at the election offices in Freehold and bring it to the voter. The voter can then return the completed ballot by mail, or by designating the messenger or another person to take it back to Freehold for tabulation. A messenger may handle no more than 10 ballots.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office executed a search warrant earlier this month at the A-Team headquarters in connection with an investigation of the messenger ballots. Keady previously told the Sun that the A-Team is fully cooperating with the investigation. All the other campaigns denied the use of ballot messengers.

A total of 42 messengers collected 336 ballots for voters, according to records in the election offices.  As of the Friday before election day, about 275 of those ballots had been returned for tabulation. An additional 50 VBM ballots arrived after that, according to the county election offices.

As of the Friday before election day, 25 of the 42 messengers had not returned the affidavits required by the clerk and sent out by certified mail on April 17 — one of the basis for the Forward Asbury challenge to the ballots.

Forward Asbury decided to challenge the messenger ballots because of the controversy surrounding their use, culminating in the search of the A-Team headquarters, Brophy said.

“The integrity of the entire election was in the balance regardless of who the winners would be,” he said.

But the A-Team slate sees the 320 voided ballots as disenfranchisement of voters.

“We are going to try to get them opened to ensure that every voter in Asbury Park has their constitutional right to vote protected and no one in Asbury Park is disenfranchised,” said Keady on Friday in regard to the group’s planned legal action.

The One Asbury slate challenged 34 VBM ballots on election day, campaign manager Meredith DeMarco confirmed. The challenges were made because the ticket believed that the voters did not reside at the address they claimed, she said.

All five council seats were contested at the May 14 election, and twenty two candidates were on the ballot. The term of office is four years.

The following are the official election results as declared by the Monmouth County Board of Elections:

No new ballots will be counted by the Monmouth County Board of Elections, its members said. The official results were posted Friday on the county website, and are listed at bottom.

Campbell, Moor and Quinn ran on the One Asbury ticket. Current council members Loffredo and Henderson ran on the Forward Asbury ticket with fellow council member Kevin Sanders, who was not reelected and remains in sixth place.

Jim Keady, a member of the A-Team ticket, said he and his running mates plan to challenge the results due to 320 vote-by-mail ballots that have been voided by the Board of Elections.

“We are going to try to get them opened to ensure that every voter in Asbury Park has their constitutional right to vote protected and no one in Asbury Park is disenfranchised,” he said on Friday of the 320 voided votes.

Keady himself is now 173 votes away from fifth-place winner Henderson. His A-Team running-mate Duanne Small is within 176 votes of Henderson. Fourth-place winner Campbell is an additional two votes away.

The A-Team has retained Monmouth County Republican Chairman John Bennett as their attorney for a legal challenge to count the 320 voided votes, Small confirmed Friday night.

The A-Team ran a large messenger ballot operation, paying people to act as messengers for up to 10 voters each. A messenger ballot is a type of vote-by-mail ballot whereby someone transports the ballot application and the ballot itself to and from Freehold for the voter.

If a judge decides to open those ballots, A-Team candidates theoretically could win a majority of the seats on the council because the margin between the winners and the top A-Team candidates is within 320 votes.

Based on the newly counted ballots, 225 votes separate the three top A-Team candidates from taking a council majority.

With the new count, Jim Keady has 447 votes, Duanne Small has 444 and A-Team candidate Daniel Harris has 430. The lowest three winners have the following vote counts: Incumbent Susan Henderson with 620, Myra Campbell with 622 and incumbent John Loffredo with 654.

Incumbent Kevin Sanders of Forward Asbury remains in sixth place with 596 votes.

The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office investigated the use of messenger ballots during the election, and executed a search warrant at A-Team headquarters this month.

PROVISIONAL BALLOTS

A voter is able to cast a provisional ballot if he or she arrives at his or her polling location and the poll workers are unable to locate his or her registration information, or if the voter thinks he or she may have registered too late for the election.

On Tuesday, May 14, 169 people voted with provisional ballots. Of those ballots, 57 were voided today and 112 were counted.

About 30 were voided because the Board of Elections had already received vote-by-mail [VBM] ballots from those voters. Even if a voter’s VBM ballot has been voided, his or her provisional ballot will be voided as well, members of the Board of Elections said.

Five provisional ballots were voided because of issues with voters’ signatures. Nine were voided because the voters were not registered. Five were voided because voters failed to complete the affirmation statement required as part of the provisional ballot, and one was voided due to criminal disqualification.

A-Team candidates received the most provisional ballot votes. Remond Palmer received 30 votes. Duanne Small received 32 votes. Nora Hyland received 26 votes. Daniel Harris received 35 votes. Keady received 34 votes.

Within the valid provisional ballots, there were 12 votes for Henderson; 14 votes for Loffredo; 21 votes for Sanders; 10 votes for Hopson; and 14 votes for Potter. Those candidates ran on the Forward Asbury Park ticket.

From the provisional ballots, there were 21 votes for Quinn; 22 votes for Campbell; 16 votes for Woerner; and 16 votes for Crank. Those candidates ran on the One Asbury ticket.

Independent candidate Randy Thompson received four votes from provisional ballots. Independent candidate Harold V. Suggs received none.

Rosetta Johnson received 20 votes from provisional ballots, while Stephen Williams received 19, Clevette Hill received 13, Shonna Famularo received 14 and Dorvil Gilles received 13 votes. Those candidates ran on the AP Out Front ticket.

VOTE-BY-MAIL BALLOTS

The Board of Elections had voided 332 vote-by-mail ballots on Election Day. Today, they counted 12 of those ballots, meaning 320 remain voided.

Forty-three of the 332 voided ballots had been challenged on Election Day. The Board of Elections decided to validate eight of those ballots.

Eight of the 332 voided ballots had been voided due to issues with identification. Voters may not have provided identification during the registration process, so they were asked to provide identification at the polls or within 48 hours of casting their votes, board members said. Of those eight voided ballots, four were deemed to be valid.

After those 12 votes were counted, Henderson, Loffredo, Hopson, Potter, Thompson, Suggs, Williams and Gilles received no new votes.

Sanders received one new vote following the counting of those 12 vote-by-mail ballots.

Quinn received two new votes. Campbell received two new votes. Woerner received two new votes. Moor received four new votes. Crank received two new votes.

Palmer received eight new votes. Small received eight new votes. Hyland received four new votes. Harris received seven new votes. Keady received four new votes.

Johnson received one new vote from the 12 VBM ballots. Hill received one new vote. Famularo received one new vote.

The official results posted on the county website are:

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