Casey Bartholomew and Ray Rossi: The best thing Jersey has to offer...next to the tomato. A couple of 'Good Fellas' in a Jersey state of mind. Gen-X meets the Baby Boomer. They call it like it is, no holds barred. Find out why the Most Listened To FM Talk Show In The Country is on New Jersey 101.5.
In Loving Memory of Linda Bartholomew
Casey's mother Linda passed away suddenly on August 7 following a massive heart attack on August 4. She had been having "back pain" for a few days, but she did not go see a doctor. No one connected that the back pain she was feeling was actually cardiac pain due to blockages in arteries in her heart; she was unaware she was suffering from heart disease.
Click here for a special page that has been established in her memory by Casey's family on the American Heart Association website to help the fight against heart disease and stroke.
Jennifer Aniston Uses The "R" Word
During a visit to "Live With Regis and Kelly" on Thursday morning, Aniston let slip a word that’s best not used in mixed company.
The Corzine-Katz Emails
Governor Corzine spent $127,000 in taxpayer dollars to keep his email with Carla Katz secret. The Star-Ledger has obtained and published 123 of those emails. According to the paper, the emails "are by turns salacious, playful, plaintive, even angry. And they include clear discussions of state business.
"The e-mails appear to support Corzine’s contention that no direct negotiations took place between him and Katz. But they contradict Corzine’s claim at the time that his interaction with Katz was no different from the way he dealt with any other top labor leaders in the state."
The former American Idol contestant from New Jersey has a new video..
Ray Talks To Governor Christie
Fresh off his address to a joint Legislative session offering compromise over his 2.5% cap on property tax, Governor Christie talked to Ray Rossi.
Choosing Not To Abide By Kyleigh's Law?
Many parents are concerned that placing a red sticker on the vehicle driven by a teen under "Kyleigh's Law" will put their children in danger. If you choose not to have them use the sticker, as a public sevice. Casey & Ray have created a postcard you can present if needed to explain your decision.
Casey's Crush: Lisa From Ice Road Truckers
Phillies Fan Runs On Field, Gets Tasered
A Phillies fan who rushed the field at Monday night's game became the first person police used a Taser gun on in the team's history.
The 17-year-old interrupted play during the bottom of the 8th inning against the St. Louis Cardinals when he jumped a fence and ran through the outfield.
NJEA Takes On Christie
The New Jeresey Education Association (NJEA) has developed a strategy in their battle with Governor Christie and his proposed budget that involves "attack lists," encouraging members to "dig up dirt" on Christie, member writing letters and rallys.
They have also released a form letters for members to send to Christie expressing their lack of confidence in his ability to be Governor. Click here to read the letter.
Read the NJEA leadership's action plan by clicking here which implies they would like to see Christie die.
Follow up:
Memo Hints At Gov's Death; Union Apologizes
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) -- A teacher union's memo hinting that New Jersey's governor should die has escalated a war of words in a state already squabbling about public schools and how much they cost.
The memo from the Bergen County Education Association to its locals reads in part: "Dear Lord this year you have taken away my favorite actor, Patrick Swayze, my favorite actress, Farrah Fawcett, my favorite singer, Michael Jackson, and my favorite salesman, Billy Mays. I just wanted to let you know that Chris Christie is my favorite governor."
Association president Joe Coppola said the "prayer" was a joke and was never meant to be made public. Friday, he apologized, saying he'd made an error in judgment. The New Jersey Education Association was also contrite. It issued an apology Friday, saying the attack wasn't funny and that it takes away from the more serious discussion the group would like
to have with the governor. NJEA President Barbara Keshishian said she would try to apologize personally to Christie.
At an appearance in New Brunswick on Friday, Christie didn't see any humor in the memo -- and used it as another chance to blast the teachers unions. "They said they didn't intend it to be public," said Christie, a Republican. "So, private prayer for my death would have been OK?"
One Republican lawmaker even called for the state attorney general to investigate.
The memo -- even if it was a joke -- escalates an ongoing war of words. During the Republican Christie's run for governor last year, he didn't mind offending the teachers union. He refused to meet with the NJEA as it interviewed candidates to consider whom to endorse. And he attacked the union on the campaign trail. In July, he said: "Frequently, the leadership of the NJEA has been a strong advocate for the status quo, whether the status quo is succeeding or failing."
The union endorsed incumbent Democrat Jon Corzine in the election -- and paid for fliers, staffed phone banks and knocked on doors on his behalf. This year, the state education association has aired television commercials critical of the governor.
The friction intensified last month when Christie proposed a state budget that called for state and federal aid to school
districts to be cut about 11 percent. Many districts are getting cuts deeper than that -- and most say they expect to lay off staff.
Christie, though, says that he'll give extra aid to any district where educators agree to freeze their salaries for the year and
start paying a portion of their health insurance costs. Any layoffs, he says, will be the fault of the unions -- not him.
Steve Baker, an NJEA spokesman, said the group hopes the memo dustup will create an opportunity for the group to meet with Christie to talk about the future of the state's schools. "Frankly, we have been talking at each other and we haven't
been talking with each other," he said.
Casey's New Shirt
Christina from Woodbridge brought Casey a brand new shirt.
Box Of Twinkees Auction Winner
Middlesex County Health Dept Director David A. Papi and Epidemiologist Sherie Wolpert stopped by the studio to give Casey & Rossi a donation for their Pancreatic Cancer Walk on June 5th, 2010. David won the bidding for an autograhed box of Twinkes refused by Governor Christie prior to his first Ask The Governor appearance.
A Teacher's Open Letter To Chris Christie (nj.com 3/28/10)
By lhteach
March 28, 2010, 11:21PM
Dear Governor Christie,
I am aware that you will most likely not personally read this letter, as I am sure you have plenty of well paid staff to handle that arduous task for you. That, however, will not stop me from voicing my opinion. Your hypocrisy is despicable. As you ask the working to middle class teachers of this state to “tighten our belts” I also wonder why you have not done the same. Why do you fly around on a chopper paid for by OUR taxpayers’ money? Why do you work for the highest possible salary allowed for your position? Why doesn’t your new budget call for a pay freeze for you and your cohorts? Why don’t you contribute towards your health benefits? Well, I have the answer. You are a pompous, egotistical, callous fascist who lied his way into office. You think the public is too far below you to catch on to your shrewd, scapegoat tactics. You would also love to demolish public education in favor of charter schools. You would love to broaden the gap between the ‘haves’ and ‘have nots.’ You are a divisive, disrespectful, classless bully.
Using teachers and children as pawns for your own political gain is the lowest of the low and, in my opinion, abusive. I do understand that public education means nothing to you and that you have no faith in the hard work that goes on in public schools. If you did, you wouldn’t be paying for your own children to attend private schools. Oh, how lovely it must be to rape the entire public school system and not have to worry about it ever affecting your family. How simple- minded you are to attempt to pit the public against the most selfless, caring, and hardworking professionals our state has to offer. I love children and I believe in their futures. You love yourself and believe in ignorance. You are in fact banking on the public’s ignorance in order to benefit your personal agendas.
You must have very little faith in your own abilities as governor if you must resort to lying to the public about teachers. I do recognize your distraction techniques. I have seen them before. As a teacher, I often encounter such shoddy attempts at clouding the issue at hand when children make excuses for not having their homework done. Well, Chris Christie, the teachers did not eat your homework. Why don’t you just tell the public the truth? It is not the teachers who have bankrupted the state. Years of reckless spending and borrowing (from our pensions, might I add) and short- sighted politicians such as yourself, have single handedly robbed this state blind. There is no hidden money in our profession. We DON’T DOUBLE DIP. We don’t get PAID OVERTIME. We don’t FLY TO WORK ON HELICOPTERS. We do NOT EARN WITHIN THE TOP ONE PERCENT. Keep stealing from the future of New Jersey’s youth and you will see that ignorance is far more costly than the debt that we already know.
In a recent televised speech, you stated that you did not want to be known as the governor who didn’t make a difference. Well, you are certainly making quick work out of alienating the entire state. And, if it all goes as you have planned, you will certainly hold a legacy. You personally will have ruined the lives and futures of our children. Your legacy will be that of the evil governor who stole opportunity from the most fragile members of our society. You will be the man responsible for failing test scores and neglected students. Hopefully, after you are done with New Jersey, there will be enough money left in education to purchase the new Social Studies books that will highlight your strong-armed fascist politics. You and Mussolini can share a chapter. Children can read and learn about rotten, tactless, hateful politicians with personal agendas and no redeeming qualities.
What you don’t seem to recognize, Chris Christie, is that most intelligent people understand the value of an excellent education. The public knows how well we teachers in this state do our jobs. They support us. You underestimate New Jersey, and the people who live here, when you spew such misguided and ignorant hatred towards teachers. You only make yourself look worse. Teaching is at the CENTER OF EVERYTHING. The public knows how well our schools run. That is why people live here, in New Jersey, you silly man. That is why your attempts at vilifying us teachers will never work.
I invite you, Chris Christie, to come into my classroom. Do my job as well as I do. Scramble to put together interactive and differentiated lessons for every single period of the day. Follow Individualized Education Plans for special needs students in a mainstream setting as seamlessly as I do. Come to my Intervention and Referral Services meetings. Attend Back to School Night. Tell a crying student they will survive the TAUNTS OF A BULLY. You tell the children why some of their favorite teachers are no longer employed. Explain why there will not be an afterschool math club. Tell these children that their education is PRICELESS and that THEY COUNT. Reach into your pocket to buy supplies the district cannot afford. Reach every student and change their lives. Become a teacher.
Oh….wait. That would mean foregoing your helicopter rides, generous salary, and lobster dinners. And those private school tuitions for your children would have to go, as well. Thank goodness you can afford that privilege, so that your children don’t have to slum it with the rest of us common folk in the public sector. How nice it must be to sit at the top, with all of you minions who are too afraid of you to speak out against you. Enjoy your reign while it lasts, and best of luck getting re-elected.
Teacher Of The Year
The Jersey Guys want to know if you believe the message of this PSA created by the NJEA.
Description of the PSA on the YouTube page: In the wake of Gov. Christie's announcement that he is raiding $475 million from local school districts this year and threats from the administration to cut more than $1 billion from schools next year, 2010 New Jersey Teacher of the Year Maryann Woods-Murphy has decided to speak up.
Click here to read Maryann's op-ed piece about merit pay for teachers.
Data Universe
Want to see what your local school administrators & teachers earn in pay and benefits? Click here for Gannett's Data Universe.
Click here for School District Administrator Salaries And Benefits
Click here for New Jersey Public School Teacher's Salaries
Daddy IS Spiderman
Another Casey video production.
School District Administrator Salaries
Casey and Rossi shared a list of the salaries of New Jersey school district administrators and their top staffers.
Click here to read the list (PDF). Note: once the PDF is open adjust the size to read.
Donations for a scholarship fund set up by the Jersey City Police Officers Benevolent Association can be sent to:
P.O. Box 17395, Jersey City, NJ 07307.
The Jersey Guys' New Favorite Sing-a-Long, "Mahna Mahna"
Governor Corzine spent $127,000 in taxpayer dollars to keep his email with Carla Katz secret. The Star-Ledger has obtained and published 123 of those emails. According to the paper, the emails "are by turns salacious, playful, plaintive, even angry. And they include clear discussions of state business.
The New Jeresey Education Association (NJEA) has developed a strategy in their battle with Governor Christie and his proposed budget that involves "attack lists," encouraging members to "dig up dirt" on Christie, member writing letters and rallys. 
Want to see what your local school administrators & teachers earn in pay and benefits? 
Casey and Rossi shared a list of the salaries of New Jersey school district administrators and their top staffers. 
