UPDATE! Wednesday Briefs From WOBM News

News from Ocean & Monmouth Counties and around New Jersey for Wednesday, December 7.

OCEANPORT - Talks to privatize Monmouth Park have hit an major snag. Reports say the Oceanport racetrack's future is unclear after the Christie administration terminated discussions over a dispute with a horsemen's group on controlling a small number of racing days. No word when the two sides will meet again.

JACKSON - Layoffs and demotions may hit Jackson Township before the holidays. Reports say a drop in municipal revenues and a shrinking of the tax base is to blame. The mayor and business administrator is working to avoid it. The 2 percent property tax cap is also being blamed.

TRENTON (AP) -- The state is facing a mixed bag of wintry, wet and windy weather. A winter weather advisory is in effect from 10 p.m. tonight until 4 a.m. tomorrow for Sussex and Warren counties. Forecasters say rain is expected to change to snow and accumulations of 3 to 5 inches are possible.

TOMS RIVER - The pairings for WOBM's 28th annual Christmas Classic have been announced with Jackson Memorial getting the #1 seed on the boys side and Manasquan named #1 seed for the girls. Play begins Saturday, December 17 at the Pine Belt Arena on the campus of Toms River North. Full coverage can be found on shoresportsnetwork.com.

TRENTON (AP) -- Governor Chris Christie is heading to Iowa to campaign for presidential candidate Mitt Romney. He's scheduled to appear at a rally today in West Des Moines. Christie endorsed Romney in October, soon after he announced that he would not run for president himself.

FREEHOLD - Opening arguments have begun in the civil trial of New Jersey's child welfare agency and three caseworkers. The adopted mother of an abused Monmouth County girl claims DYFUS ignored repeated recommendations that the child receive therapy for anxiety and post-traNewumatic stress disorder, after she was assaulted by her biological father when she was two. It took two years for her to receive treatment.

LACEY - Lacey's wind turbine proposal is put on hold yet again. Reports say after several months of talk, the decision whether to allow 10 windmills in the Wal-mart parking lot is postponed till next month. A vote will take place at the next board meeting on January 4th.

LACEY - The Lacey Municipal Utilities Authority schedules a hearing for its proposed rate increase tonight in its headquarters on Route 9. Ratepayers can address the LMUA during the meeting that starts at 7PM.

TRENTON - New Jersey veterans who run businesses will get extra help getting state contracts, if a shore-sponsored bill that cleared the assembly also gets senate approval. The Treasury, Military And Veterans Affairs And Economic Development offices would collaborate under the bill by Republican Chris Connors and Assembly members Brian Rumpf and Dianne Gove

MANCHESTER - A car takes down a utility pole in Manchester and the driver escapes with his life but now faces drunk-driving charges. Police say 24-year-old Brian Vassel lost control of his car on Horicon Avenue just before 4AM, careening through the oncoming lane and snapping the pole. He was treated at Community Medical Center in Toms River. Horicon was closed for the rest of the day between Route 539 and Beckerville Road.

WASHINGTON D.C. - The Food And Drug Administration is expected to decide today whether girls under 17 can get the morning-after pill without a prescription. Right now Plan B One-Step is only available without a prescription for women 17 and older.