A proposal to double the size of the charter school called for using the building on Monmouth Street for new classroom space. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
The Red Bank Charter School expansion will have to wait.
New Jersey Education Commissioner David Hespe has rejected the charter school’s request to double its enrollment, according to a letter sent to the school Monday.
The trailer for ‘Consumed,’ which gets a one-time showing in Red Bank Wednesday night. (Click to enlarge)
It hasn’t exactly scorched the box office, and you didn’t see it sweep Sunday night’s Academy Awards. But in the parlance of the Hollywood pitch, Consumed has it all: a mystery you can sink your teeth into, a take-charge female protagonist, a sick kid, a race against time, shadowy conspiracies, and the kind of global armageddon scenario that’s a cornerstone of the modern movie blockbuster.
The threat in this case comes from the insidious presence in food of Genetically Modified Organisms, and when the dramatic feature by director Daryl Wein comes to Red Bank’s Bow Tie Cinemas for a one-time screening on Wednesday, it will make no bones about its anti-GMO stance, and pull no punches about its point of view.
Risa Clay in 2010, when she was named principal at Red Bank Regional High. (Photo by Dustin Racioppi. Click to enlarge)
Red Bank Regional Principal Risa Clay is speaking out — about a health issue that has limited her ability to speak.
In a essay posted on the school website last week, Clay opens up about the physical and emotional challenges of dysphonia, a a neurological disease of the vocal cords that she’s been battling for the past six years.
Red Bank Regional Principal Risa Clay welcomed the students of The Jersey Shore Chinese School, and the star of their Lion Dance, at the Chinese New Year celebration at RBR on January 31, ushering in the Year of the Monkey. (Photo by Chimin Hu)
Press release from Red Bank Regional High School
On January 31, the Red Bank Regional High School community welcomed The Jersey Shore Chinese School students to their school, to usher in the Year of The Monkey. RBR Chinese students emceed the festive celebration, in sharing the Chinese cultural education experience with their peers.
The program was a feast of color, pagentry and skill. Chinese students displayed their talents with the Chinese yo-yo; beautifully festooned dancers performed an elegant folk dance, while others manipulated the serpentine dragon in his traditional dance. RBR Principal Risa Clay courageously fed the red envelope to the Lion, which signifies warding away evil spirits and bringing good luck.
Press release from Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School
Alex Perkins, a senior at Rumson-Fair Haven Regional High School, has once again claimed gold at the 2016 NASTAR Eastern Regional Championship, held in Okemo, Vermont on January 30 and 31.
The 18-year-old Fair Haven resident had the fastest finish among his age category of 18 to 20 year-old male skiers in Saturday’s championship race – which featured Olympian and World Cup Championship skier A.J. Kitt as pacesetter. Alex’s finish gave him the second fastest par time (20.17) of all skiers under the age of 21 who competed in the event.
The crime and arrest reports below were provided by the Red Bank Police Department for the period of February 18 to February 25, 2016. This information is unedited.
CRIMES
Burglary occurring on 2-23-16 at Leroy Place. Victim reported that unknown person(s) broke the front door to residence and gained entry. Stolen was a Playstation 4. Ptl. Michael Zadlock.
While another customer ladled hot soup into a container, below, PieHole opted for a rainbow roll all packed up and ready to go at SuperFoodtown. (Photos by Susan Ericson. Click to enlarge)
By SUSAN ERICSON
You need a cheap lunch, and time is limited. For many residents and worker bees on the Greater Green, Red Bank’s Foodtown supermarket is a veritable oasis of grab n’ go options.
Open since 1977, the store, at Broad Street and Maple Avenue, added a new-to-the-area salad bar as part of a renovation in 1996. Several other quick-lunch features have been added over the years, expanding the range of choices.
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Late Hollywood legend Gary Cooper possessed a certain ‘Enduring Style,’ the title of a new book co-authored by his daughter, who visits Red Bank on Saturday.
Comedians of the era suggested that his entire vocabulary consisted of the words “yup” and “nope.” There was always something of the Montana-born cowboy in his characters, whether he was playing a professor (Ball of Fire), Lewis Carroll’s White Knight (Alice in Wonderland), or Lou Gehrig in Pride of the Yankees.
But Gary Cooper could also rock a premiere-party tux, a day-at-the-races houndstooth blazer, or an anyone-for-tennis ensemble of casual cool. The golden-age Hollywood legend’s sense of Enduring Style is the subject of a book co-authored by his daughter, Maria Cooper Janis, and the centerpiece of an event dubbed”Oscar Saturday” at Garmany of Red Bank.
THE VOICE finalist Jacquie Lee (pictured) and Grammy nominee Charlie Puth are among the graduates of the Count Basie Theatre’s Performing Arts Academy, the new session of which is accepting registrations now for its spring 2016 classes.
Press release from Count Basie Theatre
Online registration for spring classes at the Count Basie Theatre’s Performing Arts Academy is now open at theBASIE.org/education. Classes for young thespians, rock stars in the making, vocalists and other creative types are available for students this session.
Classes run throughout March, April, May and June, with tons of daily options for students. On Mondays, the Academy’s “Kids On Stage” classes and its “Beginning Acting” and “Teen Audition Techniques” take center stage, while on Tuesdays, “Broadway Bound” and “Acting For TV And Film” are session highlights. Wednesday titles include “Dialects and Diction,” “Teen Improvisation” and private one-on-one vocal coaching classes, while Thursdays offer students lessons in show choirs, beginning acting and advance acting for teens.
Press release from Rumson School District
Types of Anxiety. What Determines “Normal.” Distinguishing between Thoughts and Feelings. Dealing with Phobias. And the phenomenon of “Almost-Anxiety.” These were the topics of discussion, when some 45 parents of Rumson School District students attended another session of “Parent Acaemy” at Forrestdale School on the night of February 18.
The parents joined guest speaker Dr. Alison Block for a lecture on “Recognizing Anxiety in Elementary and Middle School Children,” with school officials including Superintendent Dr. John Bormann, School Psychologist Spencer Austin, School Counselors Jenn Crow and Jessica Piernik, and Supervisor of Student Services Vera Ridoux, also in attendance.
“What I would like is for all of you to leave here with a model to help you understand anxiety in your child, as well as steps you can take to address it,” said Dr. Block, a licensed psychologist and well-known cognitive behavioral therapist, and the Director of the Health Psychology Center in Little Silver. “Kids are great at telling us how they feel, but what we need to examine is what they are thinking when they feel this way.”
Crime and arrest reports, unedited, as provided by the Shrewsbury Police Department for the period of February 15 to February 24, 2016.
Crime Reports
A report of Theft was reported by a female in the area of Shrewsbury Plaza on 2/15/2016. Reporting party advised a female was attempting theft of prescriptions. Ptl. Tyler Fox investigated.
A report of Criminal Mischief was reported by a female in the area of Shrewsbury Plaza on 02/17/2016. Caller reported her vehicle was vandalized while parked in the lot. Ptl. Mary Ellen Rumola & Det. Sgt Ramsey investigating.
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Stephen Fanuka, host of HGTV’s ‘Million Dollar Contractor,” will be the special guest at the 25th annual Jersey Shore Home Show at Brookdale Community College.
Sure, online shopping is here to stay (and it won’t be long before delivery drones are dropping our rush-ordered packages of interlocking patio stones upon our heads). But for those who still appreciate the sawdust smell of a big-store lumber department, the mind-boggling choices of paint swatches and the sport and science of the brick-and-mortar experience — there’s nothing quite like the strolling smorgasbord that is the annual Jersey Shore Home Show on the Lincroft campus of Brookdale Community College.
Superintendent Jared Rumage speaking at the middle school in January. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank borough schools Superintendent Jared Rumage calls data in a recent mailing to borough residents by the Red Bank Charter School “fiction.”
The flyer, which purports to show that the charter school’s impact on local taxes is light and getting lighter, also includes figures that “are different from those previously shared by the Charter School when making the same argument,” Rumage wrote in a letter posted on the borough schools website Monday.
Recent crime and arrest reports, unedited, as provided by the Middletown Township Police Department.
John Wilczewski, age 25, from Thompson Avenue in Middletown, NJ, arrested on February 15, 2016 by Patrolman Ekne Montalvo for Simple Assault and on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Neptune Municipal Court. He was held on $327.00 bail.
Erin Sullivan, age 33, from Comanche Drive in Middletown, NJ, arrested on February 15, 2016 by Patrolman Nick Manochio on a Contempt of Court warrant issued by the Middletown Municipal Court. She was held on $1,000.00 bail.
Students and faculty perform repairs at the Brookdale Community College automotive technology lab in Lincroft last fall. (Photo by Brookdale Community College)
Press release from Brookdale Community College.
Monmouth County residents who are interested in a career in automotive service and technology are invited to a free information session at Brookdale Community College on the evening of Wednesday, March 9.
During the 7 p.m. “open house” event, attendees will learn about growing career opportunities in the automotive technology field, which is expected to add more than 60,000 new jobs by 2022, according to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics.
StreetLife veteran act the Wag performing on Broad Street in 2014.
Press release from Red Bank RiverCenter
In an annual call for talent, Red Bank RiverCenter is seeking experienced street performers — musicians, magicians, and other entertainers — to entertain downtown Red Bank this summer.
Entertainers will be selected through open auditions and presented through RiverCenter’s popular StreetLife program, now in its 16th year. Interested artists are invited to take part in auditions beginning 6 pm on Thursday, March 10, at the Count Basie Rehearsal Studio (99 Monmouth Street, 2nd Floor) in Red Bank.
It’s a special performance keyed to young audiences with Autism Spectrum Disorder when the Count Basie Theatre hosts the Berenstain Bears Thursday afternoon.
It’s being described by the Count Basie Theatre as “sensory-friendly… a judgment-free, comfortable environment for families who would otherwise be reluctant to attend a live theatre performance.”
It’s a very special Thursday matinee of The Berenstain Bears LIVE! in Family Matters the Musical — and when the touring production based on the beloved children’s book characters of Stan and Jan Berenstain rolls into Red Bank on Thursday, it will represent the first in a projected series of events benefitting POAC Autism Services in its mission to raise awareness of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).
The big screen at the Count Basie Theatre, seen here during a live broadcast of the 2014 World Cup, will serve as the home screen for a film festival scheduled to run in July. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Kept on a restricted diet for the past eight years, Red Bank-area fans of independent movies will finally get to binge again this summer.
An outfit called Indie Street — in conjunction with Red Bank RiverCenter, three major entertainment venues and even the borough middle school — is planning screenings of as many as 30 films over five days in July.
Press release from Monmouth County Park System
Looking to give your child with special needs the best camp experience possible? Head over to the Visitor Center at Thompson Park on Tuesday, March 1 for a free information session on Camp Options for Children with Special Needs. Scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m., the session features camp directors from the Park System’s Therapeutic Recreation, Odyssey Adventure, Sports and Fitness, Fort Monmouth, Cultural Services and Nature Camps. For parents and caregivers of special needs children, it’s a chance to discover which camps best fit your child’s needs and interests, what supports are available, and how the Park System’s inclusion process works.
Gianni Perfetto, Brandon Trani, and Sarah Lashovitz, all of Little Silver, were among the culinary Students from Red Bank Regional High School who served as guest chefs during their Hope is Delicious dinner fundraiser for the JBJ Soul Kitchen.
Press release from Red Bank Regional High School
On the evening of January 26, the talented culinary students of Red Bank Regional High School assumed the responsibilities for cooking, serving and seating restaurant patrons, at the third annual Hope is Delicious Dinner fundraiser to benefit the JBJ Soul Kitchen. As in the past two years, the event sold out within hours of its posting.
On the menu was a mouthwatering panko crested eggplant pirogue finished with sautéed shrimp in petite diced vegetable cream sauce. A tossed romaine salad dressed with red wine vinaigrette accompanied the main course of braised boneless chicken thighs in a shallot wine sauce, with a side dish of Mediterranean style couscous and oven roasted cauliflower. The pièce de résistance was an Italian mascarpone espresso chocolate chip ice box pie.
Janice Havay at the charter school following acceptance of her resignation Tuesday night. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
In the midst of a highly contentious expansion proposal, the president of the Red Bank Charter School board of trustees has resigned.
Janice Havay, who served as board president since mid-2014, cited “expanding work responsibilities” and family obligations in a resignation letter that was dated February 4 and accepted by the board at its regular monthly meeting Tuesday night.
Havay declined to comment on whether she had misgivings about either the expansion plan, which would double enrollment over three years to 400 students, or its rollout, which has been widely criticized.
The West Side Lofts, as seen from West Front Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
In keeping with its resemblance to a stack of shipping containers, Red Bank’s West Side Lofts project is packing them in.
Since opening last spring, all 90 of its residential apartments have been leased. The West Elm furniture and housewares store has opened, taking one of two anchor spots. The second anchor, Triumph Brewing Company, is expected to open its restaurant in coming months.
And to close out the leasing spree, the project’s developer is bringing in two local small businesses, redbankgreen‘s Retail Churn has learned: Freshica’s Juice Bar and Rumson Personal Fitness.
O’Scanlon says underfunding of the local school district should be “preemptively disqualifying” of the proposed charter school expansion. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
New Jersey Assemblyman and self-described school-choice supporter Declan O’Scanlon calls the proposed expansion of the Red Bank Charter School “ill-informed” and says it should be rejected.
In what he calls a “data-driven” analysis of the plan, O’Scanlon calls on state Education Commissioner David Hespe to deny the request, and adds that he would “question” the merits of the proposal even if, as other critics have demanded, the state fully funds the local school district from which the charter school sprang 17 years ago.
In a back-and-forth contest that went into overtime, the girls’ basketball team of Rumson-Fair Haven lost its semifinal matchup against Manasquan, 61-58, in the Shore Conference Tournament on Monday. Shore Sports Zone caught all the great play.
The Lady Bulldogs’ loss came two days after their male counterparts were eliminated, also by Manasquan, in a quarterfinal game that went into triple overtime.
One of those light blobs seen from the Rumson-Sea Bright Bridge Monday night is Earth’s moon.
And now, shining a blobby light on the near-term weather outlook… the National Weather Service forecasts a high temperature of about 40 degrees and a 40-percent chance of rain on the Greater Red Bank Green Tuesday, with a 100-percent chance of showers Tuesday night. Expect moderate-to-heavy rain late Wednesday possibly accompanied by thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour, the NWS says in a hazardous weather outlook. (Photo by Trish Russoniello. Click to enlarge)