LITTLE SILVER: RBR DIGS IN FOR EXPANSION
Construction fences, heavy machinery and plywood-covered windows have appeared on the campus of Red Bank Regional High School in Little Silver in recent weeks.
What’s Going On Here? Read on…
RED BANK: LIBRARY PLANS PUBLIC SURVEY
The library, which opened in the onetime home of manufacturer Sigmund Eisner in 1937, is now looking ahead to 2026. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
The Red Bank Public Library plans to solicit public input as it develops a new five-year strategic plan, its board of trustees announced Thursday. Read More
RED BANK: LOWERY FUNERAL AWASH IN BLUE
State Police officers were among the hundreds of worshippers, clerics and law enforcement personnel who packed St. James Church in Red Bank Thursday morning for the funeral mass of Monsignor Philip A. Lowery.
Lowery, who led St. James Church in Red Bank for three decades, died last Thursday. He was 70 years old.
In recognition of his 23 years of service as Head of Chaplains for the New Jersey State Police, the service drew a large contingent of blue uniforms, as well as a giant U.S. flag over Broad Street. Even members of the clergy couldn’t resist the urge to take photos of it.
On Wednesday, Governor Phil Murphy, who was expected to attend the service, ordered flags be lowered to half-staff Thursday in Lowery’s honor. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
RED BANK: MONSIGNOR LOWERY DIES AT 70
Monsignor Philip A. Lowery, who led St. James Church in Red Bank for three decades, died early Thursday morning. He was 70 years old.
Lowery’s death was announced on the Red Bank Catholic High School Facebook page. Mayor Pasquale Menna told redbankgreen that his death occurred at 12:01 a.m. on Thanksgiving at Riverview Medical Center.
RED BANK: COUNCIL HONORS SOCCER TEAMS
Mayor Pasquale Menna and the Red Bank council honored the middle school girls’ and boys’ soccer squads Wednesday night. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
Press release from Red Bank Schools)
The Red Bank Middle School soccer teams are striving toward their school’s mission statement of B.I.A. (Best in America) by being B.I.L. (Best in League). For the first time ever, both soccer teams were able to win first place in the Jersey Shore Athletic League, in the same year, bringing great pride to their school and community. First year athletic director, Isaac Nathanson stated, “It’s simply amazing that both our teams were able to accomplish such a task. This shows tremendous growth in our athletic programs at the Red Bank Middle School.”
RED BANK: SCHOOL REFERENDUM PASSES
By a 2 to 1 margin, Red Bank voters approved a $6.75 million building-repair referendum on Tuesday’s ballot, according to the Monmouth County Clerk’s website.
RED BANK: EX-CHEF FOUND NEW WAY TO SERVE
With his son, Aydin, looking on, Jorge Torres embraces his wife, Lauren, after being sworn in as a police sergeant. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
A former chef became the newest sergeant on the Red Bank police force Wednesday night.
The promotion of Jorge Torres was one of several ceremonies that led the borough council’s semimonthly meeting Wednesday night.
FAIR HAVEN: VOTERS APPROVE SCHOOLS PLAN
An addition to the Sickles School will create room for all-day kindergarten. (Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Fair Haven voters overwhelmingly approved a $15.6 million plan to create classrooms and improve security at the borough’s two schools in a special election Tuesday.
FAIR HAVEN: VOTERS TO DECIDE $15.6M PLAN
Architectural renderings of the proposed additions to the Knollwood School (above) and Sickles School. (Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Fair Haven residents are scheduled to vote Tuesday on a $15.6 million plan to create classrooms and improve security at the borough’s two schools.
But first, they’ve got to go to the right polling station.
RED BANK: RUMAGE REFLECTS ON FIVE YEARS
Superintendent Jared Rumage wished middle schoolers a nice holiday weekend on the Friday before Memorial Day in May. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank’s school district still faces stiff financial challenges, but is “without question” in all-around better shape than it was when he arrived five years ago, says Superintendent Jared Rumage.
And as he did at a presentation last week, Rumage is hoping to leverage the narrative of that improvement to win voter approval of a $6.75 million referendum in November.
RED BANK: REFERENDUM Q&A SCHEDULED
Red Bank voters, faced with a $6.75 million ballot question in November, will get their first chance to grill Superintendent Jared Rumage on the issue Thursday night.
FAIR HAVEN: RIVER RATS LOSES TAX CASE
River Rats’s home at the northern end of Battin Road. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Fair Haven’s River Rats organization is not entitled to a property tax exemption, even though it’s a registered nonprofit run by volunteers, the New Jersey Tax Court ruled last week.
The organization tells redbankgreen it will appeal the decision.
RED BANK: $6.75M REFERENDUM PLANNED
Red Bank Primary School, with a newly completed fire access road at left, would get a new roof if the November 5 measure passes. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
A referendum on $6.75 million worth of school improvements will be on the ballot for Red Bank voters in November, under a plan approved by the board of education Tuesday night.
The project won’t increase property tax bills, officials said.
LITTLE SILVER: Q&A WITH NEW RBR PRINCIPAL
New RBR Principal Julius Clark in downtown Red Bank last month. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Many students at Red Bank Regional High School will recognize the new principal when they arrive at the Little Silver institution next month.
Completing a loop of sorts, Julius Clark returns to the area where he worked for 13 before departing for what turned out to be a one-year stay at a district in Mercer County.
RED BANK: BIG NIGHT OUT AT BASIE FIELDS
A MONOC helicopter paid a visit, hundreds of burgers were served and police Chief Darren McConnell got dunked repeatedly as Red Bank police hosted their annual National Night Out Against Crime community barbecue Tuesday night.
For the first time since its inception, the event was held at Count Basie Fields rather than the borough hall parking lot. The change of venue brought in dozens of games and safety demonstrations, created a carnival atmosphere and prompted many to comment that the location was ideal.
“This is our crown jewel,” Councilman Michael Ballard told redbankgreen. “Why wouldn’t we have it here?”
Officials credited Patrolwoman Dawn Shields for organizing the event, an effort that included wrangling up donations of food and sponsors.
Check out redbankgreen’s photos below. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
RED BANK: SCHOOLS AMONG ‘MOST IMPROVED”
Red Bank’s pre-K-8 school district was among 11 from across New Jersey honored this week by the state Department of Education as “most improved” in terms of student performance.
RED BANK: ALTERNATE-SIDE PLAN REVISED
Borough officials say streets with one-side-only parking, including Spring Street, above, will allow parking on the other side during street sweeping. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
After a number of complaints were raised, a proposed alternate-side parking ordinance for Red Bank will be revised to make the system monthly rather than weekly.
RED BANK: FIREFIGHTERS KEEP FREE Y ACCESS
The Red Bank nonprofit says no families of kids now in a free membership program will be turned away. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank’s volunteer firefighters will get to keep their free memberships to the local YMCA, the organization announced Wednesday.
Police will still have to pay, though now at a discount, a spokeswoman for the nonprofit said. But there’s no change to the plan unveiled last week to end across-the-board free memberships for borough schoolchildren.
RED BANK: SPREAD YOUR WINGS THIS SUMMER
Red Bank Charter School art instructor Michelle Sciria put the final touches Thursday on an “interactive mural” she created with students at the School of Rock on Monmouth Street in Red Bank.
RED BANK: MENNA ‘IRATE’ OVER YMCA ACTION
Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna speaking at the the Memorial Day ceremony last month. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna on Thursday blasted a decision by the Community YMCA to end free memberships for borough schoolchildren and emergency first-responders.
Menna went on the offensive after the Y’s “unilateral” action, which he said was made without any advance notice to or discussion with his administration.
RED BANK: KIDS, RESPONDERS LOSE FREE YMCA
The Red Bank YMCA says affected families can apply for subsidies to replace the free memberships. Below, the letter sent to parents of children in the Healthy Kids program. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank’s schoolchildren and emergency first-responders will lose their free access to the borough YMCA in September.
The Maple Avenue nonprofit’s executive director, Katie McAdoo, tells redbankgreen the change was driven by its need to be “accountable” to funders.
RED BANK: CHARTER SCHOOL NAMES NEW HEAD
By JOHN T. WARD
The Red Bank Charter School has hired a new head of school, an administrator whose last job was clouded by calls for her resignation.
Kristen Martello, the former superintendent of the Berlin school district in Camden County, is scheduled to succeed Meredith Pennotti, who guided the Oakland Street institution through its first two decades.
RED BANK: COUNCIL LAUDS PRINCIPAL CLAY
The Red Bank council meeting Wednesday night began with an ending: a sendoff for Risa Clay, who’s retiring this summer as principal of Red Bank Regional High School.
FAIR HAVEN: $15.6M SCHOOLS PLAN UNVEILED
New classroom space and other facilities, shown in blue, would be built on a vacant lot adjoining the Sickles School, said Superintendent Sean McNeil, below. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Fair Haven residents would get classrooms to allow for full-day kindergarten as well as improved security under a $15.6 million plan officials unveiled Wednesday.
The typical homeowner would also get a tax increase of as much as $566 per year if a public referendum on the plan passes muster with voters in September.
RED BANK: PARKING, NEWS RACKS AND MORE
News boxes outside the Post Office on Broad Street. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank’s borough council is expected to introduce an ordinance Wednesday requiring alternate-side parking throughout town.
Also on the agenda: a law to regulate news racks, and honors for an educator who is retiring.