Two Brick Women Charged With Animal Cruelty Want Their Dogs Back

Also in local news:  Gov Murphy's State of the State address and a rare Lincoln portrait in New Jersey heads to D.C.

Two women charged with animal cruelty in a hoarding case in Brick have asked for seven of their dogs back because they were their personal pets.  The women -- 49-year-old Aimee Lonczak and 58-year-old Michele Nicz -- made their request yesterday before an Ocean County Superior judge during a status hearing in the case.  The two women were arrested last month after authorities found 180 dogs and cats living in filth in a Brick Township home.  Workers had to wear hazmat suits to retrieve the animals from the home.  The animals have spent the last month being bathed, treated and adopted.  Some have been reunited with their owners.  A January 24th hearing is set for their request.

Governor Murphy did an in-person state of the state speech yesterday.  First of those in-person since 2019.  He pledged action on lots of things: from battling opioid addiction to assisting Shore towns with boardwalk maintenance.  The governor highlighted his administration's accomplishments such as property tax relief, a higher minimum wage and gun safety legislation, which (we reported yesterday) was held up by a federal judge.   He promised new funding to preserve New Jersey shore town boardwalks.  He proposed policies to end double taxation penalties for residents who work in New York City.  Murphy also announced the ANCHOR property tax relief for residents would be extended by one month.  That relief is up to $450 for renters, up to $1500 for property owners.

An air show that regularly drew thousands of spectators to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst is back for the first time since before the pandemic.  The Air and Space Open House at the base is scheduled for the weekend of May 20th and 21st. One of the main attractions will be a demonstration featuring the U.S. Air Force's F-16 Viper. More details about the air show will be released in the coming months.

A historic portrait of President Lincoln that's been hanging in the Madison borough council hall for more than 80-years is heading to Washington, DC.  Researchers discovered the painting has significant history and may be worth millions.  It was created by Dutch painter W.F.K. Travers and is one of the few paintings for which Lincoln ever sat.  Local officials have agreed to loan the painting for five years to the Smithsonian Institution's National Portrait Gallery.  The Hartley Dodge Foundation owns the painting.  That foundation is based in the Rockefeller family and the Remington Arms empires.