Holmdel Township Elects New Mayor

At its annual reorganization meeting, the Holmdel Township Committee elected DJ Luccarelli as Mayor of Holmdel and Rocco Impreveduto as Deputy Mayor.
Mayor Luccarelli has lived in Holmdel his entire life. He resides in the Township with his wife Nila and their three daughters Milena, Belen, and Alessandra. The mayor was previously the vice president and owner of Dearborn Market, an esteemed part of the Holmdel business community. He is currently the proprietor of Sweetwaters Coffee and Tea in the historic Hahne Building in Newark, NJ, where he also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Newark Downtown District. Prior to being elected to the Township Committee, Mayor Lucarelli served on the Holmdel
Zoning Board. He has been an active member of the community, as a member of the Holmdel Kiwanis for over 20 years and as an active supporter of the Holmdel Township Police Department, who awarded the mayor PBA Man of the Year in 2007.

Deputy Mayor Impreveduto is an alumnus of Holmdel High School and has been actively involved in the Holmdel community since moving back home to the Township a decade ago. The deputy mayor attended Penn State University where he majored in Communications. He is currently a Vice President and General Manager of a global provider of information services and software solutions. Prior to being elected to the Township Committee, Deputy Mayor Impreveduto served on the Holmdel Recreation Committee and the Holmdel Planning Board. He also volunteered
his time as a HYAA coach and as a member of the Monmouth County Bayshore Outfall Authority.

Commenting on the occasion of his election, Mayor Luccarelli stated, “I’m excited for the year ahead and I am looking forward to leading the Township Committee in providing efficient services to our residents, ensuring the safety of our citizens and their property, and continuing to build strong relationships with our community partners.”
Deputy Mayor Impreveduto agreed, saying, “over the past few months we have improved the Committee’s relationship with the Board of Education, initiated a new tax relief program, and provided an official forum for our residents from diverse populations...we look forward to continuing this good work in the year ahead.”
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, newly elected Committee Members Brian Foster and Kim LaMountain were sworn into office. Committeeman Foster has been serving on the Township Committee since September after having been appointed to fill a vacancy.

Just as many of us at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2023 have decided to make some changes in our lives, New Jersey has done the same. The Garden State will be implementing new laws that will go into effect this month or in the later months of 2023, per NJ Advance Media. According to the publication, Gov. Phil Murphy signed these laws in the past year but many don't go into effect immediately.

Take a look at some new state laws that will go into effect sometime this year:

New Jerseyans will be facing a higher insurance rate which took effect on Jan. 1. According to the outlet, Jersey drivers will spend $125 more a year for insurance, according to industry officials.

Last year, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law that people could not carry guns into "sensitive areas" about six months after the U.S. Supreme Court made it easier to get a gun permit. "Sensitive areas" include "schools, courthouses, child care centers, nursing homes, polling places, government buildings, hospitals, bars, and restaurants where alcohol is served, airports, parks, beaches, demonstrations, movie theaters, casinos, and other entertainment centers," NJ Advance Media previously reported.

Murphy's decision on stopping people from carrying guns into "sensitive places" took effect Dec. 22; other provisions are slated to be phased in over the coming months, the publication reports.

According to the outlet, a new law will allow teens who are 16 and 17 work up to 50 hours per week during the summer in New Jersey. Previously, teens could only work up to 40 hours.

This took effect on Jan. 1.

In this new voter privacy law that Gov. Murphy signed back in July, it states that polling stations in New Jersey "will have privacy sleeves for the printed ballot so poll workers or anybody nearby can’t see who you voted for in between the time it takes to slide your ballot into the scanner." The law (A3817) also lets registered voters update their name and address online.

This took effect on Jan. 1.

Murphy signed a new law in July that will require gun owners in New Jersey to register their firearms purchased from out of state. He also signed another gun-related law that will make "manufacturers and dealers to keep a detailed electronic record of handgun ammunition sales in New Jersey and report them to the State Police."

Both are to go into effect on Feb. 1.

Places of worship that have more than 500 seats, entertainment venues with more than 1,000 seats, and entertainment facilities including sports arenas with more than 5,000 seats are to soon set up with first responders and local law enforcement a plan of action in case of a mass shooting.

This law will take effect on June 1.

This new law will make getting unemployment benefits for out-of-work New Jersey residents obtained faster. It is also supposed to extend the time for appeals and increase the fine for employers who make it harder to gain information about claims.

This law takes effect on July 31.