By the Ocean County Leader July 30, 2025 The Veterans Administration clinic on Hooper Avenue in Toms River may soon bear the name of Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell, a decorated World War II veteran recognized for his actions during the D-Day invasion. On July 21, the U.S. House of Representatives approved legislation to rename the facility after Lomell, whose leadership helped disable German artillery at Pointe du Hoc and aided Allied landings on Utah and Omaha beaches. Historian Stephen Ambrose credi... Read more

By Jim Lonergan Published July 27, 2025 at 3:15 PM JERSEY SHORE — Congressman Chris Smith (R-NJ) has secured a $1 million federal earmark to help restore Silver Lake in Belmar, one of several critical coastal lakes and waterways stretching from Belmar through Brielle—including Spring Lake, Lake Como, and Wreck Pond—that are vital to local ecosystems and flood management. The funding, included in the Interior and Environment Appropriations bill, is set for a final House vote in September. If appr... Read more

By Jean Mikle Asbury Park Press staff TOMS RIVER -- The Veterans Administration clinic here is one step closer to being named for a hometown hero. The U.S. House of Representatives unanimously passed a bill July 21 to name the Hooper Avenue clinic after the late Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell, an Army veteran who was one of the most highly decorated combat soldiers of World War II. Lomell, then a staff sergeant, is best known for leading a group of Army Rangers up the steep cliffs of Pointe du Hoc on D... Read more

A House bill would honor Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell, the highly decorated hero during the D-Day invasion at Normandy, by putting his name on the VA Clinic in Toms River. (Karen Wall/Patch) By Karen Wall Patch Staff WASHINGTON, DC — When ground was broken for the new Veterans Affairs health clinic in Toms River in May 2022, former Toms River Mayor Maurice Hill made a plea, asking the congressional delegation to name the clinic for the town's World War II hero, Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell. On Monday, th... Read more

Jacob Adams During his first term, President Donald Trump hosted then-Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan in the Oval Office on July 22, 2019. Khan is now a political prisoner in Pakistan. (Mark Wilson/Getty Images) Congress’ Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission heard testimony Tuesday condemning the government of Pakistan over its treatment of Christians and other religious minorities. In his opening remarks, Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., a co-chairman of the bipartisan commission, noted what the U.... Read more

By Dan Radel - Asbury Park Press staff The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will install new fencing around the entire perimeter of the Point Pleasant Canal at a cost of $3 million, U.S. Rep. Chris Smith announced. The fencing there now is inadequate and falling into disrepair, Smith, R-N.J., said. “I alerted the Army Corps to the deteriorating conditions of the fence after hearing from residents and elected officials in Point Pleasant,” Smith said. “Safety is everyone’s number one concern, so I rea... Read more

By Ross O'Keefe Hours after Republican lawmakers sent a letter to National Institutes of Health Director Jay Bhattacharya asking him to end dog and cat testing, two top officials at the agency said they are “phasing out” testing on the animals. Bhattacharya and NIH Deputy Director Nicole Kleinstreuer spoke with each other on an NIH video, in which the former asked the latter what they should do about dog and cat testing. “I don’t think we should do research on dogs or cats,” she said. “Absolutel... Read more

By Vernonica Fleisher Patch Staff A recent Lacey Township High School graduate got to be celebrated by Rep. Chris Smith before she heads off to become a future U.S. military leader. Katrina Conti, who will be attending the United States Air Force Academy, was one of eight teens in the Fourth Congressional District who were nominated by Smith and selected to attend one of the nation's prestigious military academies. Conti and the other students will join the ranks of the Class of 2029 to eventua... Read more

Jerry Carino Asbury Park Press In September 1943, shortly after he graduated from Point Pleasant Beach High School and turned 18 years old, John Wardell was drafted into the U.S. Army and volunteered for the Rangers — elite troops whose heroism in World War II's European Theater became the stuff of legend. On June 26, Wardell’s courage was recognized on in Washington, D.C., with one of America’s highest civilian honors. The 99-year-old, who lives in Point Pleasant Borough, received the Congressi... Read more

By Jeanne Wall Published June 28, 2025 at 3:18 AM — New Jersey resident and World War II Army Ranger veteran John Wardell was among the heroes honored Thursday during a Congressional Gold Medal Ceremony in the U.S. Capitol, recognizing the legendary United States Army Rangers of World War II for their extraordinary service. “John Wardell and his fellow Army Rangers fought with unmatched courage and tenacity under the most difficult conditions, meeting the enemy head-on and overcoming ferocious ... Read more