RED BANK: FIRST LESSONS OF NEW YEAR

Day one of the new school year at Red Bank Middle School began with several lessons before students even reached their classrooms Monday.

Among them: stand six feet apart while waiting your turn to enter the building. Then, stand on the red dot while a touchless scanner takes your temperature.

With in-person instruction at 50-percent capacity, four days a week, “we feel confident we can provide a safe environment” in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Superintendent Jared Rumage said at a board of ed meeting last month. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

September 14, 2020 - 9:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: SCHOOLS ‘READY TO ROLL’

The traffic flow at the middle school will be reversed to enhance social distancing during student drop-off and pick-up, Rumage said. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj While some 180 school districts throughout New Jersey are pursuing plans for all-virtual instruction, Red Bank’s is on track to open September 14 under a plan that puts students into classrooms two days a week, Superintendent Jared Rumage said Tuesday.

August 26, 2020 - 12:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: SCHOOL REOPENING PLANS AIRED

Students would receive in-school instruction just two days a week under the plan unveiled Wednesday. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj Red Bank school officials have begun nailing down a COVID-19-era reopening plan while “standing on shifting ground,” in the words of a board of education member.

On Wednesday, the district unveiled “the most likely scenario for September” in the form of a plan that calls for a mix of classroom and at-home learning.

July 29, 2020 - 6:00 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: MONMOUTH TOPS 10K CASES

Case growth in Red Bank, Fair Haven and Little Silver. (Monmouth County data. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj Monmouth County has now surpassed 10,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases, the freeholder board announced Thursday.

But four months into the pandemic, the county’s caseload and fatalities have slowed dramatically from the worst of the crisis in early April.

July 23, 2020 - 5:00 pm | Comments ()

RED BANK: FREE COVID-19 TESTS SLATED

Pilgrim Baptist Church is one of six sites in Monmouth County that will offer the tests. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

[UPDATE: The COVID-19 testing scheduled for August 7 has been cancelled due to weather.]

Red Bank-area residents will be able to get free, no-appointment COVID-19 tests starting next month under a program co-funded by Monmouth County and a philanthropic organization.

July 22, 2020 - 7:52 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: LION IN WAIT… FOR A VACCINE?

A homeowner on River Road in Red Bank found an opportunity for humor in the increasingly politicized debate over masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Unlike the similarly masked lions guarding the New York Public Library’s main branch, these porch lions appear to be less than six feet apart, and thus in compliance with Governor Phil Murphy’s order, issued Wednesday, that masks be worn when social distancing is “not practicable.” (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

July 9, 2020 - 6:50 am | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: ‘MASK UP,’ MURPHY ORDERS

Governor Phil Murphy donned a mask while dining with his wife, Tammy, and son, Josh, at Char in Red Bank last month. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

[See UPDATE below]

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank nj New Jerseyans must wear face coverings outdoors when social distancing is not practicable, Governor Phil Murphy ordered Wednesday.

The mandate marked the latest sign of concern about that Murphy labeled “backsliding” from earlier progress against the COVID-19 pandemic.

July 8, 2020 - 3:40 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: MONMOUTH DEATH TOLL AT 700

One hundred of Monmouth County’s fatalities have been reported since June 1. Below, a map shows the number of COVID-19 deaths per 100,000 population by county; the statewide figure is 147. (New Jersey Health Department data. Click to enlarge.)

[See UPDATE below]

By JOHN T. WARD

One hundred days after its first reported death from COVID-19, Monmouth County has now seen 700 fatalities in the pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy’s administration reported Tuesday.

June 23, 2020 - 4:45 pm | Comments ()

RED BANK: AWFUL INTERSECTION FIXED

red bank what's going on here The axle-killing potholes and front-end-scraping dips are gone, and the final touches on a makeover were underway at a key Red Bank intersection Tuesday.

What’s Going On Here? Read on.

June 23, 2020 - 12:25 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: SANDY HOOK FEES RETURN

Lifeguards, along with entry fees, are returning to Sandy Hook, the National Park Service announced Friday.

June 12, 2020 - 8:50 am | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: STATE’S DEATH TOLL AT 12,049

The trajectory of new cases has shown gradual flattening in Monmouth County. (Monmouth County data. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 With new COVID-19 illness totals showing continued abatement, New Jersey passed another grim milestone as the number of deaths in the pandemic topped 12,000, Governor Phil Murphy said Friday.

At the same time, Murphy lauded state residents for working to “beat the crap out of this virus,” with key indicators down 70 percent or more from peak spread as the state nears “stage two” of an economic reopening.

June 5, 2020 - 3:00 pm | Comments ()

LITTLE SILVER: RBR CEREMONY STAYS ONLINE

An in-person commencement ceremony “remains impractical,” says Superintendent Lou Moore . (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 Though in-person graduation ceremonies can resume starting July 6 under New Jersey guidelines, Red Bank Regional High won’t be holding one anytime soon.

June 2, 2020 - 9:00 am | Comments ()

PROSECUTOR: ‘OUR MISSION IS TO PROTECT’

Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni at a community forum on police-involved shootings at Pilgrim Baptist Church in Red Bank in 2018. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Monmouth County’s top law enforcement official on Monday “wholly” denounced the death of a Minneapolis man that has sparked protests and violence across America.

In a statement posted on the county website, Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni called the death of George Floyd while he was in police custody “murder.”

June 1, 2020 - 7:41 am | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: RED BANK CASES LEVELING

Governor Phil Murphy at his daily crisis briefing in Trenton Friday. (Pool photo by Thomas Costello for Gannett. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 For the second day in a row, Red Bank has seen no growth in the number of residents testing positive for COVID-19, Monmouth County officials reported Friday.

At the same time, a longterm care facility that has accounted for most of the borough’s deaths saw one more, the New Jersey Health Department reported.

May 29, 2020 - 4:48 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: COUNTY SEES 97 NEW CASES

Since early May, the Monmouth County’s COVID-19 case growth has largely stayed below 100 per day. (Monmouth County data. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 Monmouth County’s government reported 97 new confirmed COVID-19 cases among county residents Thursday, as other data also showed the pandemic continuing a monthlong weakening.

May 28, 2020 - 3:25 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: GUV SIGNALS FURTHER EASING

Murphy said the rolling three-day average of new COVID-19 cases continues to decline. (New Jersey Department of Health graphic. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 Governor Phil Murphy signaled loosening of COVID-19 restrictions on sporting events and indoor religious services Wednesday.

Separately, Monmouth County reported the number of county residents with confirmed cases of the illness has now surpassed 8,000.

May 27, 2020 - 4:37 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: GRADUATIONS TO RESUME

Outdoor commencement ceremonies, like this Red Bank Charter School graduation in 2016, will be permitted, Murphy said. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

[See UPDATES below]

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 Graduation ceremonies can resume starting July 6, Governor Phil Murphy announced in another easing of COVID-19 restrictions Tuesday.

The change follows a three-day weekend in which key measures of the pandemic showed continued improvement over the Memorial Day weekend.

May 26, 2020 - 12:45 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: FACILITY CASELOAD UP BY 11

The Hackensack Meridian Health facility in Red Bank, seen here from Bank Street in 2019, has experienced 83 COVID-19 cases among residents and staff members, the state reported. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 COVID-19’s toll on one longterm care facility in Red Bank continued with 11 new infections reported Friday, bringing the total to 83 so far in the pandemic.

May 22, 2020 - 1:00 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: RED BANK CASE TOTAL RISES

Red Bank’s confirmed case total continues to rise while Fair Haven’s and Little Silver’s have remained relatively stable. (Monmouth County data. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 Red Bank saw a spike in confirmed COVID-19 cases in data reported by Monmouth County officials Thursday.

The borough’s case total in the pandemic now stands at 194, an increase of 13 from Wednesday, the county freeholders reported.

May 21, 2020 - 6:16 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: CRISIS MEASURES CUT BY HALF

Governor Phil Murphy discussing hospital-related data Wednesday. (YouTube screengrab. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 Key measures of the COVID-19 pandemic have fallen to half their peak levels, but New Jersey residents are still being hospitalized in large numbers, Governor Phil Murphy said Wednesday.

May 20, 2020 - 5:30 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: NO CLARITY ON GRADUATIONS

Fair Haven’s municipal dock is open for taking in the vista along the Navesink River, but remains off-limits for fishing and crabbing. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 Governor Phil Murphy is still trying to “figure out” how to hold safe graduation ceremonies under the lingering threat of a resurgent COVID-19 pandemic, he said Tuesday.

May 19, 2020 - 3:04 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: MURPHY EYES ‘NEW NORMAL’

Statewide data shows sustained improvement by key measures in recent weeks, Murphy said. (New Jersey Department of Health data. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 Governor Phil Murphy laid out a staged approach to getting the Garden State to a “new normal” way of life following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The plan, announced Monday at his daily briefing on the crisis, came as he also eased restrictions on outdoor activities such as community gardening and batting cages.

May 18, 2020 - 3:51 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: MONMOUTH DEATHS TOP 500

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 More than 500 Monmouth County residents have now died in the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Phil Murphy’s administration reported Sunday.

Three-hundred-seventy-two, or 73 percent, of the county’s 508 victims were residents or staff members at longterm care facilities, according to the New Jersey Health Department’s COVID-19 dashboard.

May 18, 2020 - 7:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: 16 COVID-19 DEATHS REPORTED

The Hackensack Meridian Health longterm care facility on Chapin Avenue (seen here in 2011) has been associated with 12 resident or staff deaths, the state reported Friday. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank’s death toll in the COVID-19 pandemic stands at 16, the borough reported government reported Friday.

All appear to have occurred at the borough’s two congregate living facilities, based on separate data sources.

May 15, 2020 - 5:15 pm | Comments ()

VIRUS UPDATE: DEATH TOLL PASSES 10,000

Nearly 80 percent of the state’s COVID-19’s victims have been 65 or older. (Source: COVID19.nj.gov. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

HOT-TOPIC_03 As New Jersey’s death toll from COVID-19 crossed the 10,000 mark, Governor Phil Murphy said other indicators of the weakening pandemic made it safe for physicians to resume elective surgery.

May 15, 2020 - 2:50 pm | Comments ()

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RED BANK: FIRST LESSONS OF NEW YEAR

RED BANK: SCHOOLS ‘READY TO ROLL’

RED BANK: SCHOOL REOPENING PLANS AIRED

VIRUS UPDATE: MONMOUTH TOPS 10K CASES

RED BANK: FREE COVID-19 TESTS SLATED

RED BANK: LION IN WAIT… FOR A VACCINE?

VIRUS UPDATE: ‘MASK UP,’ MURPHY ORDERS

VIRUS UPDATE: MONMOUTH DEATH TOLL AT 700

RED BANK: AWFUL INTERSECTION FIXED

VIRUS UPDATE: SANDY HOOK FEES RETURN

VIRUS UPDATE: STATE’S DEATH TOLL AT 12,049

LITTLE SILVER: RBR CEREMONY STAYS ONLINE

PROSECUTOR: ‘OUR MISSION IS TO PROTECT’

VIRUS UPDATE: RED BANK CASES LEVELING

VIRUS UPDATE: COUNTY SEES 97 NEW CASES

VIRUS UPDATE: GUV SIGNALS FURTHER EASING

VIRUS UPDATE: GRADUATIONS TO RESUME

VIRUS UPDATE: FACILITY CASELOAD UP BY 11

VIRUS UPDATE: RED BANK CASE TOTAL RISES

VIRUS UPDATE: CRISIS MEASURES CUT BY HALF

VIRUS UPDATE: NO CLARITY ON GRADUATIONS

VIRUS UPDATE: MURPHY EYES ‘NEW NORMAL’

VIRUS UPDATE: MONMOUTH DEATHS TOP 500

RED BANK: 16 COVID-19 DEATHS REPORTED

VIRUS UPDATE: DEATH TOLL PASSES 10,000