RED BANK: MUSICAL FIREWORKS FOR THE 4TH

Conductor Sameer Patel, below, leads the New Jersey Symphony in an open-air display of musical Americana overlooking the Navesink River from Marine Park Sunday night. (Click to enlarge.)

It’s been five years now since Red Bank heralded the Independence Day holiday with a bang and a kaboom with the cancellation of its long fireworks-on-the-Navesink tradition. But as relatively quiet as things have been of late during the Fourth of July interlude, there’s celebratory music in the air.

This Sunday, two events — one of them a community happening of long standing, the other representing something new down by the riverside — bring the sound and the classic American spirit to the Greater Green.

That something new is a “Sunday in the Park” free performance by the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra in Marine Park. Before that, the borough’s landmark Tower Hill Church celebrates flag and country with the 29th edition of the annual Liberty Extrvaganza.

June 30, 2017 - 6:45 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: SCOUT LEADS BENCH PROJECT

Zack Forest of Red Bank, at right above, got help from 11-year-old Alex Pane, and other members of Boy Scout Troop 67 (Tower Hill) over the past two weekends as he completed a community service project required for certification as an Eagle Scout: refurbishing benches and picnic tables at Mohawk Pond and Eastside Park.

Why work on benches? “Because they needed to be done,” said Forest, a 17-year-old junior at Red Bank Regional, who worked with the borough DPW on the project. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

April 7, 2015 - 10:00 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: DEER IN THE CHURCHLIGHT

No, this antlered male deer wasn’t peering in a window at the newly reopened First Presbyterian Church at Tower Hill in Red Bank Tuesday evening, but at our camera. A dog-walking passerby said the spot seems to be one of the deer’s favorites. (Click to enlarge)

November 13, 2013 - 6:34 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: STEEPLE STABLE, WEDDING’S ON

Quick work by contractors and inspectors led to the reopening of the church Friday morning. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

The landmark First Presbyterian Church at Tower Hill in Red Bank was back to doing the Lord’s work Friday morning following a 10-day shutdown triggered by a dicey steeple.

That means Sunday services will be held, dozens of students will return to their school and – most pressing – a wedding will go off as planned Friday evening.

The bride-and-groom-to-be, whose names were not disclosed, held a rehearsal Thursday night at their fallback sanctuary, the United Methodist Church on Broad Street, “but tonight they’ll be having their wedding here,” Tower Hill spokeswoman Karen Gyimesi tells redbankgreen.

November 8, 2013 - 11:01 am | Comments ()

RED BANK: STEEPLE CRACK SHUTS CHURCH

The 61-year-old steeple, which rises to 128 feet from the ground, has a failing timber inside, a church official says. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

A cracked timber in the steeple has forced the temporary closure of the landmark First Presbyterian Church at Tower Hill in Red Bank.

Borough officials ordered the church and an adjoining school closed Tuesday morning after structural engineers could not rule out a catastrophic collapse of the 70-foot tall steeple, said construction official Stanley Sickels.

“In these situations, you either get to see it before it collapses or after,” he said. “There’s no way of knowing” what might trigger a failure.

The discovery prompted the shutdown of the Tower Hill School, as well as the relocation of Sunday services and community group meetings that serve hundreds of congregants and visitors each week, church property manager Rob Wallman tells redbankgreen. It could also derail a wedding planned for next week.

October 30, 2013 - 5:45 pm | Comments ()

WHERE HAVE I SEEN THIS?

Here’s a Where Have I See This? or should we call it “This See I Have Where”? that we hope you have fun puzzling over.

It was fun for the staff here at WHIST HQ seeing the near-miss answers to last week’s photo, which showed a grand white structure as seen from the bottom of a hill.

July 18, 2013 - 7:08 am | Comments ()

WEEKEND: EAT, DRINK, SING, SAIL, AND MORE

A promo video for ‘Eat! Drink! Italy!,’ Red Bank restaurateur Victor Rallo’s new TV show, which gets a launch at the Basie Saturday night. Below, a rousing night of patriotic songs fills the First Presbyterian Church at Tower Hill Sunday. (Click to enlarge)

By ALEXIS ORLACCHIO

Friday, July 5:

RED BANK: The Josh Zuckerman Band stops by the Walt Street Pub for an energetic Friday night set. The show beings at 8 p.m. 180 Monmouth Street.

RED BANK: Blues rock guitarist Matt ORee and band perform at Jamians Food & Drink. The show begins at 8 p.m. 79 Monmouth Street.

SHREWSBURY: Monmouth County Eastern Branch Library hosts a discussion on Treasures of the Monmouth County Parks, including an update on the status of the park system post-Hurricane Sandy for this edition of First Friday for Seniors. The discussion begins at 11 a.m. 1001 Route 35 North.

July 5, 2013 - 7:16 am | Comments ()

TODDLERS OUT OF EARSHOT, MOMS JUST TALK

Young moms assemble at a recent meeting of Mothers of Preschoolers in Red Bank. Jenni Keatts, below, says she appreciates the chance to chat “hands-free.” (Photos by Rebecca Desfosse. Click to enlarge)

By REBECCA DESFOSSE

Twice a month, swarms of weary moms march across the parking lot of the First Presbyterian Church of Red Bank at Tower Hill, preschoolers in one hand and diaper bags in the other.

They corral their kids into classrooms upstairs, and after wiping a few tears, offer a smile of thanks to the volunteers who will watch their little ones for the next two hours. They then hurry downstairs to the St. Andrews room, where theyre warmly greeted with a so nice to see you from nearly everyone they see.

Theyve come for Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPS), a twice-monthly support group for moms of little ones, and this is their refuge.

October 4, 2012 - 8:53 am | Comments ()

RED BANK COUPLE BURGLARIZED, SHOT AT

A Red Bank couple was assaulted and shot at in an early-morning burglary and pursuit early ~~Thursday~~ Friday morning, police say.

According to Captain Darren McConell, five men, at least two of them carrying handguns, forced their way in through the front door of a condominium on Tower Hill, off Prospect Avenue, at about 2 a.m.

August 17, 2012 - 12:28 pm | Comments ()

WHERE HAVE I SEEN THIS?

The lighted staircase shown in last week’s Where Have I Seen This? tripped up a few readers.

April 5, 2012 - 5:06 am | Comments ()

UNDRESSING IN THE CHURCHYARD

On the grounds of the First Presbyterian Church at Red Bank, atop Tower Hill, is a wonder of a nature: a paper-bark birch throwing off its clothes in paper-thin layers to reveal something purer underneath.

Red Bank arborist Bill Brooks tells redbankgreen that the exfoliation process occurs “pretty much year-round” for the trees, also known as white birch and canoe birch, because Native Americans used the detritus to waterproof their vessels.

To see more redbankgreen videos, visit our YouTube channel.

January 20, 2012 - 11:46 am | Comments ()

JUST A VAPOR BARRIER, FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE

redbankgreen‘s accidental photographer came upon this shot a couple of nights ago at the First Presbyterian Church at Tower Hill on Harding Road in Red Bank.

No, the church hasn’t decided to do product placement for a construction materials company; it’s in the midst of a major facelift.

November 25, 2009 - 7:50 am | Comments ()

Red Bank Green

Serving Red Bank and Greater Red Bank, NJ

RED BANK: MUSICAL FIREWORKS FOR THE 4TH

RED BANK: SCOUT LEADS BENCH PROJECT

RED BANK: DEER IN THE CHURCHLIGHT

RED BANK: STEEPLE STABLE, WEDDING’S ON

RED BANK: STEEPLE CRACK SHUTS CHURCH

WHERE HAVE I SEEN THIS?

WEEKEND: EAT, DRINK, SING, SAIL, AND MORE

TODDLERS OUT OF EARSHOT, MOMS JUST TALK

RED BANK COUPLE BURGLARIZED, SHOT AT

WHERE HAVE I SEEN THIS?

UNDRESSING IN THE CHURCHYARD

JUST A VAPOR BARRIER, FOR HEAVEN’S SAKE