LITTLE SILVER: COVID SHUTS WEIGHT ROOM
After a Red Bank Regional High School student tested positive for COVID-19 this week, the Little Silver school’s weight room was closed for additional cleaning, an official told players and parents Thursday.
RED BANK: COFFEE SHOP JAZZES UP CORNER
A customer checks her email at one of the new seating areas at Coffee Corral. (Photo by Chris Ern. Click to enlarge.)
By CHRIS ERN
It’s a warm summer night as Jessica Olszewski relaxes in an Adirondack chair while her wife and young daughter dance to live jazz under glimmering lights outside the Coffee Corral in in Red Bank.
A new, post-pandemic vibe has captured the attention of locals at the busy corner of Shrewsbury Avenue and Drs. James Parker Boulevard. There, owners Courtlyn Crosson and Erich Reulbach have developed their business into what Reulbach said is now “more than just a coffee shop on the corner.”
“It’s family-friendly. I have my wife and daughter here, and she’s able to run around and enjoy the live music,” says Olszewski, of Tinton Falls. “It’s a lot of what we couldn’t do for so long.”
RED BANK: RAIL PROJECT NEARS COMPLETION
A view of the Rail project from Chestnut Street, with the existing office building at right and the new residential portion at left. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By CHRIS ERN
For nearly four years, it’s been slowly emerging from the ground alongside the Red Bank train station. Now, most of the block bounded by Bridge Avenue, Chestnut and Oakland streets is a teeming site of construction activity.
So What’s Going On Here? Here’s the latest.
FAIR HAVEN: LIMITS ON SPEED & 5G ENDORSED
A view east along River Road from 2016. Below, a 5G repeater atop a pole alongside Route 35 in Shrewsbury in 2018. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Fair Haven’s council took two steps to slow things down on River Road Monday night.
One measure would reduce the vehicular speed limit on the road for the full width of town. Another would tap the brakes on an anticipated proliferation of wireless telecom infrastructure on utility poles along that road and and elsewhere in the borough.
The council also took action on upgrades to the historic Bicentennial Hall.
RED BANK: CAR SHOW MARKS EVENT REVIVAL
After a year up on blocks due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Doc Holiday Classic Car Show returned to Red Bank’s White Street parking lot Sunday.
With 270 vehicles on display and hundreds of car lovers admiring them, the event marked the return of large-scale public events following months of restrictions on gatherings. It was also the first in the lot since a makeover of the parking facility, which also hosts major spring-and-fall food festivals per year. One, the Guinness Oyster Festival, is scheduled to return September 26.
The car show, a scholarship fundraiser named for a late fire chief, is hosted by volunteer firefighters from the borough’s Liberty Hose company. Check out additional photos below. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
RED BANK: TURTLES & PLANTS SETTLE IN
Creating the turtle habitat at Bellhaven involved trucking in a special blend of sand. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
Red Bank’s Environmental Commission has debuted a pair of completed projects spotlighting turtles and water conservation in recent weeks.
RED BANK: STORM KNOCKS HUNDREDS OFFLINE
JCP&L reported 303 Red Bank homes and businesses remained without electrical service Friday morning following a storm Thursday afternoon.
According to police Chief Darren McConnell, winds from Tropical Storm Elsa took down trees on on Leighton Avenue (above) and River, Tilton, Catherine, High and McClaren streets, bringing down power lines. Several landed on homes, but none caused severe damage, he said.
As of 6:30 a.m. Friday, JCP&L estimated all customers in the borough to be back online by 8:30, according to its outage map.
Check out the extended forecast here. (Photo by Ben Forest. Click to enlarge.)
FAIR HAVEN: STORM TO SOAK GREATER GREEN
It was smooth sailing in sultry weather for junior sailers in the Fair Haven-based River Rats program Thursday morning. But Tropical Storm Elsa threatened to keep the vessels docked Friday.
In a statement, the National Weather Service warned of heavy rainfall resulting in flash flooding and tropical storm-force winds, especially near the coast. Two to four inches of rainfall are expected Thursday afternoon into Friday morning, with locally higher amounts possible.
Check out the extended forecast below. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
RED BANK: COUNCIL TO HOSE FIREWORKS
“If you can hear it, and you can see it over the trees in your backyard, it’s not permitted,” said Fire Marshal Tommy Welsh. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Days after a booming Fourth of July weekend, Red Bank officials said they’re ready to enforce a ban on unauthorized fireworks.
At their monthly workshop session Wednesday night, Mayor Pasquale Menna and council members outlined a proposed ordinance aimed at boosting enforcement of state law.
RED BANK: MUMFORD SHRINKS PLAN AGAIN
The latest changes to plan for 234-240 Shrewsbury Avenue reduced the building to three stories, from four, shown below. (Renderings by Thomas J. Brennan Architects. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Developer Roger Mumford has again reduced the size of a proposed apartment building on Shrewsbury Avenue in Red Bank.
Whether the zoning board will hear the details at its July 15 meeting is unclear, however. Also on the ambitious agenda: a mixed-used project next door to the borough library; an “exotic car rental” business in a downtown office building; and a gym on residential property.
RED BANK: ‘FEELS LIKE’ TEMPS TO TOP 100
High temperatures and humidity will push feels-like temperatures above 100 degrees Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service.
With ample sunshine expected, the heat index value for the region that includes the Greater Red Bank Green could top out as high as 104 Monday, the NWS forecasts. Thunderstorms may arrive in late afternoon.
A heat advisory is in effect until 8 p.m. Wednesday. Check out the extended forecast below. (NWS image. Click to enlarge.)
FAIR HAVEN: MARINA, TOWN SETTLE LAWSUIT
Fair Haven Yacht Works owner Jim Cerruti in November, 2019, with the disputed dock visible in the distance. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
A six-year battle between Fair Haven’s government and one of the town’s oldest businesses has been settled, the two sides announced late Thursday.
The pact requires Fair Haven Yacht Works to relocate boat slips from a thin slice of the Navesink River it had used without challenge for 90 years.
RED BANK: CRIME & ARREST REPORTS
The crime and arrest reports below were provided by the Red Bank Police Department for June, 2021. This information is unedited; see below for additional information.
CRIMES
Theft: On 06/03/2021 in the area of Evergreen Terrace a report of theft was taken. Victim stated a CD music collection valued at $800.00, a framed picture valued at $600.00, various items of clothing valued at $700.00, and $75.00 US Currency was taken from a residence. Ptl. Froilan Hernandez.
RED BANK & FAIR HAVEN: SPCA TAKES OVER
His position eliminated, Red Bank Animal Control Officer Henry Perez has been reassigned to a new job, says McConnell. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Effective Thursday, calls for animal control services from Red Bank and Fair Haven are being handled by the Monmouth County SPCA, acting Red Bank business administrator Darren McConnell tells redbankgreen.
RED BANK: BOARD TAPS BOWERS-CRADER
Samantha Bowers-Crader with her father, John Bowers, at the Mayor’s Ball in 2018. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank RiverCenter‘s new chairperson is filling a seat held three decades ago by her father.
RED BANK: DUCKLINGS FOUND IN OFFICE SPACE
On what may have been his final call, Red Bank animal control officer Henry Perez responded to a report of ducklings found inside a Broad Street office building Tuesday.
The four downy babies were discovered by the unidentified painter at right, with their mother nowhere to be found.
Perez transported to the ducklings to the Monmouth County SPCA, which, under a contract with the borough that goes into effect Friday, is displacing him from his job of 18 years. He’s expected to be reassigned to another position within the public utilities department. (Click to enlarge photos.)
FAIR HAVEN: SIDEWALK PLAN GETS PUSHBACK
Pedestrians on Grange Avenue Monday evening. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Residents of a Fair Haven neighborhood on the Navesink River told the borough council Monday night they don’t want sidewalks installed on their “bucolic” streets, even if a $350,000 grant has to be abandoned.
RED BANK: HEAT ADVISORY ISSUED
UPDATE: On Monday, the borough announced a postponement of the work described below to Thursday and Friday, weather permitting.
Outdoor work, like the scheduled milling of Hudson Avenue in Red Bank, may be extra uncomfortable this week.
With temperatures and humidity levels high, he National Weather Service has issued a heat advisory for seven New Jersey counties, including western Monmouth, from noon Monday through 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Check out the extended forecast through Independence Day below. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
FAIR HAVEN: COUNCIL TO MEET IN-PERSON
A view of the Fair Haven council chamber in 2017. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
After 15 months of meeting via technology, the Fair Haven mayor and council plan to enter the post-pandemic era with an in-person meeting Monday night.
On the agenda: honors for three Eagle Scouts; a ban on cannabis businesses; discussion of 5G telecommunications and more.
Here’s the full agenda. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. at borough hall, 748 River Road.
RED BANK: NO LOCAL TAX INCREASE IN BUDGET
A screengrab from Wednesday’s virtual meeting, which was chaired by Councilman Hazim Yassin, top right. (Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank property owners will see no increase in the local tax rate under the budget introduced by the borough council Wednesday night.
The governing body also finalized a plan for a charter study referendum that several commenters referred to as “historic;” eliminated the job of animal control officer to make way for the Monmouth SPCA; and tabled the hiring of a new executive director of the Redevelopment Agency.
RED BANK: AGENCY APPOINTEE SILENT
Cherron Rountree, bottom left, during the agency’s meeting Tuesday. (Zoom screengrab. Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
The prospective new manager of the Red Bank Redevelopment Agency appeared onscreen without introduction during its monthly meeting Tuesday evening.
Cherron Rountree, who now serves as township administrator in Holmdel, also did not speak, even as former council member Cindy Burnham said her appointment should be halted by a pending sexual harassment lawsuit in which Rountree is a defendant.
RED BANK: TWIN PUMPERS DELIVERED
Red Bank’s volunteer fire department took delivery of a new firetruck Tuesday morning, the second in four days.
RED BANK: WHAT’S ON COUNCIL AGENDA
The East Side parking lots would get a makeover under an engineering contract on the agenda. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
The Red Bank council has some weighty spending and hiring matters on its agenda when it meets this week.
RED BANK: MARCH INAUGURATES JUNETEENTH
Juneteenth marchers on Shrewsbury Avenue, above, and Drs. James Parker Boulevard, below. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bankers commemorated the new federal and New Jersey state holiday of Juneteenth with a march Saturday.
The hike on a humid last day of spring was bookended by gatherings at Pilgrim Baptist Church on Shrewsbury Avenue and the T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center on Drs. James Parker Boulevard.
RED BANK: PROJECT GETS NO BOARD SUPPORT
Twenty apartments would be built above stores at 234-240 Shrewsbury Avenue under a revised plan by developer Roger Mumford. (Rendering by Thomas J. Brennan Architects. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
A plan for 20 apartments and new retail space on Shrewsbury Avenue found no support from the Red Bank zoning board Thursday night.
It’s too tall, too dense, and too out of step with where things should be going, board members told developer Roger Mumford after three hours of testimony.