By Jerry Carino Published January 13, 2026 at 5:06 a.m. ET TOMS RIVER -- On D-Day, Leonard “Bud” Lomell performed one of the great feats of valor in World War II, leading a group of Army Rangers who scaled 100-foot cliffs and disabled five big German guns that threatened the Allied landing at Normandy’s Utah and Omaha beaches. Lomell, who grew up in Point Pleasant Beach and later lived in Toms River, gained worldwide acclaim in the 1990s when his actions on June 6, 1944, were featured in books b... Read more

By Jeanne Wall Published January 13, 2026 at 4:21 AM NEW JERSEY— The newly constructed Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient facility was officially named the Leonard G. “Bud” Lomell VA Clinic during a ceremony held this month, honoring the life and legacy of a decorated World War II hero and longtime Ocean County resident. The naming follows legislation, covered in a previous TAPinto article, that was introduced by Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ) in July and signed into law by President Trump in Se... Read more

By Lakewood Alerts Published January 11, 2026 Rep. Chris Smith announced that the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has awarded $1.5 million in federal funding to the Ocean County Utilities Authority (OCUA) for a major wastewater treatment infrastructure improvement project. The funding was secured through a congressional earmark Smith included in the 2024 Consolidated Appropriations Act (Public Law 118-42). The funds will be used to replace and upgrade Primary Digester No. 2 at the Ocean Cou... Read more

By Karen Wall Published January 8, 2026 at 3:23 PM ET TOMS RIVER, NJ — After lengthy delays, the new Veterans Affairs outpatient medical clinic in Toms River finally bears the name of Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell, the World War II hero from Ocean County. The clinic opened in November 2024, and efforts to name it for Lomell — a D-Day hero whose actions as an Army Ranger in Normandy saved the lives of thousands of soldiers during the D-Day invasion — had stalled for nearly two years. On Tuesday, Lomell... Read more

Rep. Chris Smith (R-NJ), Co-Chair of the Congressional Pro-Life Caucus, sat down with Tony Perkins on Washington Watch with Tony Perkins to discuss the importance of the Hyde amendment, which prohibits federal funds from paying for elective abortion, and the need to apply it to Obamacare subsidies. The full interview can be viewed by clicking here. ### Read more

By Andrew Rice Published January 6, 2026 TOMS RIVER – The Veterans Administration clinic just hosted its official naming ceremony, as it will now be known as the Leonard G ‘Bud’ Lomell VA Clinic. Leonard ‘Bud’ Lomell was a local World War II hero. After his service, he assisted other veterans when they arrived home via his work with the local veterans affairs offices. His impact rippled throughout the local veterans communities in Toms River. Lomell’s service included the raid on Pointe Du Hoc w... Read more

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By Lakewood Alerts Published January 5, 2026 The newly constructed Toms River Department of Veterans Affairs outpatient clinic was formally named Monday in honor of World War II hero Second Lieutenant Leonard G. “Bud” Lomell, following legislation sponsored by Chris Smith and signed into law by Donald Trump last fall. The designation was marked by a ceremony inside the Toms River Veterans’ Clinic attended by lawmakers, veterans, local officials, and members of the Lomell family. The act of Congr... Read more

By Jim Lonergan Published December 23, 2025 at 9:51 AM WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Trump administration has ordered a suspension of construction and lease activity for five major offshore wind projects along the East Coast, including Empire Wind, which is planned off the New Jersey and New York coasts. Federal officials cited national security concerns, specifically the potential for large offshore wind turbines to interfere with military and civilian radar systems used for aviation and maritime navi... Read more

By Daniel Nee Published December 23, 2025 President Donald Trump halted numerous offshore wind projects on Monday, citing national security concerns, officials said. The decision led to cheers from U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, who has lobbied against the projects for years, and with consternation from some environmental groups that favored the projects. The order from Trump’s administration will stop five major offshore wind farms — including Empire Wind, located offshore in the New York bight, roughl... Read more