The Gazette of Really Small News

The National Weather Service says today will be partly sunny, with a high around 84, and mostly cloudy tonight, with a slight chance of thunderstorms, and a low around 71. Pictured: Wesley Lake at dawn today.

Have an aptitude for art? A penchant for painting? A grasp of graphics? Then you might want to try your hand at designing Ocean Grove's 2018 beach badges. A contest to select the design is underway. The theme is the Bishop Janes Tabernacle, and the design should reflect the building, organizers say. Registration forms can be picked up at the Beach Office on the boardwalk at Embury Avenue. Designs must be submitted to the Beach Office by 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

Today will be mostly sunny, with a high of 78, while tonight will be partly cloudy, with a low of 69, according to the National Weather Service. Pictured: Wesley Lake before sunrise today.

Maybe you know the feeling. You're on the sidewalk, chatting with a friend or walking along with your 'buds or Bluetooth in, when a bicycle races by or cuts you off--on the sidewalk--close enough for you to imagine yourself creamed on the pavement, and you wonder, "What if I stepped a little to the left? Would I have been knocked down? Hurt? Killed?" Think you're overreacting to something that probably happens thousands of times a day all over the world? You're not. Some people would say that what happened to you shouldn't happen at all. "Except for very young cyclists under parental supervision, sidewalks are not for bicycling,"  the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) says on its "Biking in New Jersey" web site. The notion is backed up by the New Jersey Bicycle and Pedestrian Resource Center, which says in its latest bicycle activities survey: "Bicycles are vehicles and belong in the street." Bicy...

Neptune Township's department of public works on Wednesday painted stripes for diagonal parking spaces on the northwest side of Main Avenue in Ocean Grove. That side of the road from New Jersey Avenue to Lawrence Avenue and the North Gate now has the same parking pattern as the business district. It was unclear how many more vehicles the new pattern would accommodate. Parking has historically been an issue in town during the summer, when crowds come to the beach and special events. Parallel parking remains along the south side of Main Avenue between New Jersey and Lawrence avenue.

The National Weather Service is calling for clear skies, sunshine, and highs near 75. Above: Wesley Lake before dawn today, when the temperature was a brisk, un-summery 56.

Sometimes you look down and see things that aren't what they look like. Yesterday it was a twig squished into the mathematical symbol "pi" (which is really the Greek letter "pi"). Today it was a little chain that just happened to have twisted into the shape of a heart. So you never know what's underfoot. All you have to do is look.

The Glimmer Glass bridge between Manasquan and Brielle is closed today for maintenance, the Manasquan Office of Emergency Management said. Motorists are urged to use alternate routes.

This stone denotes the resting place of a time capsule buried in the park across from the the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association on Pitman Avenue in the Grove. United Methodist Homes (UMH) might have been founded in Ocean Grove in 1907 and the capsule buried there as part of the organization's centennial celebrations, but with the sale of the Francis Asbury Manor in May, UMH no longer has facilities in the town, which is the historic district of Neptune Township. Its other Ocean Grove property, Manor by the Sea, on South Main Street (Route 71), was sold to Meridian Health in 2006.  The Francis Asbury Manor, located on Stockton Avenue and with a view of Fletcher Lake, is now the Allegria at Ocean Grove, a senior residence owned by Sage Healthcare Partners, based in Cedarhurst, New York.

The National Weather Service says today will be partly sunny, with a chance of thunderstorms after 2 p.m. and a high of 75.  There's also a chance of thunderstorms before 8 this evening, and a nighttime low of 60. Pictured: Wesley Lake and Ocean Grove, early on the morning of June 25.

Tree bits squashed into the mathematical symbol baked on a sunny sidewalk near the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove.

The Terrace beach in Sea Girt re-opened this morning after being closed on Sunday for excess bacteria. The beach had been closed after a second consecutive water sample revealed unacceptable levels of Enterococci bacteria, which are found in human and animal waste and can enter the ocean in storm water runoff after heavy rain. Beaches are generally placed under advisory after one  unacceptable reading and closed after two consecutive unacceptable readings, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP). Contact with contaminated water can lead to a variety of gastrointestinal, respiratory, and flu-like symptoms, including diarrhea, sore throat, and fever, according to the NJDEP.

Wesley Lake's unperturbed mirror effect showing Asbury Park at dawn suggests what's in store for today:  high pressure, clear skies, and a pleasant high of 76, according to the National Weather Service.

. . . that, at sunrise, it can fit in the frame along with the shore.

If you think tornadoes don't strike Monmouth County, think again. The National Weather Service confirmed two twisters touched down along the Route 9 commercial corridor in Howell Township yesterday morning. Nobody was killed or injured in the storms, officials said. Both tornadoes formed during severe weather caused by remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy and were rated EF-0, which denotes tornadoes with winds of up to 75 miles per hour. One of the twisters touched down in the parking lot of a Home Depot and gained initial notoriety by way of a video posted on social media. After uprooting trees and tearing metal roofing off a Chase Bank, it tracked southeast along the southbound lane of Route 9. According to the NWS, damage along its path included uprooted trees at the West Farms Road jug handle and at Ideal Plaza, and roofing torn off Ice Cream on 9. The tornado also pushed together three cars that were in Ideal Plaza parking lot. The tornado was on the ground for fewer than ...

The Terrace beach in Sea Girt was closed after water samples showed high levels of bacteria, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) said on the web site of its Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program. The  beach was under a swimming advisory yesterday. Recent advisories and closings have been caused by higher-than-acceptable levels of Enterococci bacteria in water samples taken by local departments of health. Enterococci, which are found in human and animal waste, likely entered the ocean by way of storm water runoff after recent heavy rains, officials said. Two consecutive readings of high bacteria will close a beach, according to the NJDEP. Enterococci can cause a variety of gastrointestinal, respiratory, and flu-like symptoms, including diarrhea, sore throat, fever, and chills, the NJDEP said.

Asbury Park and Wesley Lake might have looked pretty and placid at late morning, when this picture was taken, but hours earlier, remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy were blowing through as heavy rain and a severe thunderstorm. High pressure followed and is expected to dominate the weekend, setting up mostly sunny days and clear nights with highs in the low 80s, according to the National Weather Service.

Early morning storms on Saturday didn't stop local environmentalists from planting a rose garden at one of the three  footbridges over Wesley Lake. By 11 a.m., members of the Friends of Wesley Lake, the Wesley Lake Commission, and the Asbury Park Environmental Shade Tree Commission had planted  80 Knock Out rose bushes in the letters "AP," for "Asbury Park," on the lawn at the intersection of Emory Street and Lake Avenue on the Asbury Park side of the bridge. The Knock Out variety was selected because it isn't susceptible to aphids and other pests and diseases that afflict other varieties like tea roses and floribundas, said Tom Pivinski, who chairs the Asbury Park Environmental Shade Tree Commission. Pivinski isn't worried about the "AP" losing its shape as the bushes grow. Knock Outs "need to be pruned yearly, but we don't want to prune them until they've become established. They'll be given a light pruning in early ...

Heads up if you're near or going to northern and northwestern Monmouth County. The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a tornado warning for the area, effective until 7:15. Extensive thunderstorms capable of producing both tornadoes and extensive straight-line wind damage were moving east from Mercer County at 35 m.p.h., the NWS said.

Remnants of pre-historic creatures abound in coastal New Jersey, and on Thursday, June 29, families can hunt for those ancient treasures under the guidance of a Monmouth County naturalist during Family Fossiling at Shark River. The event runs from 10:30 a.m.m to noon and is for kids ages 7 to 12 with an adult. The adult will have to do what the county calls "some light shoveling." Bring a container for fossils. Fee is $10 per child. Pre-registration is required. Shark River Park is at 1101 Schoolhouse Road in Wall. For more information, call 732-842-4000, ext. 4312, or email info@monmouthcountyparks.com.

Deep Cut Gardens in Middletown hosts Daylily Day today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event, presented by the Garden State Daylily Growers, will feature displays, sales, lectures, and experts answering questions about the popular garden flower. Deep Cut Gardens, part of the Monmouth County Park System, is at 152 Red Hill Road, Middletown. Admission and parking to Daylily Day are free. For more information, call 932-842-4000, ext. 4312, or email info@monmouthcountyparks.com

With one stroke of the pen, Gov. Chris Christie could give older kids and adults more reason to enjoy the Fourth of July this year. The state legislature today approved a bill (S. 3034) to allow the sale, possession, and use of specific non-exploding, non-aerial fireworks by persons age 16 and older. Now all it needs is the governor's signature. The bill authorizes the sale, possession, and use of sparklers, snakes, and glow worms, smoke devices, and trick noisemakers, including party poppers and snappers, by people who are at least 16 years old. Current law prohibits the sale and use of fireworks, and carries a punishment of up to 18 months in jail and fines of up to $10,000 for the sale of fireworks. Buyers can be sentenced to up to 30 days in jail and fines of up to $500.

Power has returned to parts of Neptune Township affected by an outage earlier in the day, and Route 66 and Neptune Boulevard are open to traffic, police said. While Jersey Central Power & Light on its local outages page said an investigation into the cause was pending, police reported multiple pole fires along Neptune Boulevard.

The beach season is still young, but beachgoers so far have used enough water from Ocean Grove's brand-new water filtration water fountain to prevent the equivalent of 191 plastic water bottles from going in the trash, Ocean Grove Beaches (OGB) reported today on its Facebook page. The fountain is located at the beach office on the boardwalk at Embury Avenue, OGB said. The beach opened daily for the season this week after being open on weekends only since the Memorial Day weekend.

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 10 p.m. Heavy rainfall could produce localized flooding in areas of poor drainage, and there is the possibility of minor tidal flooding at high tide the NWS said.

Power could be restored to the area around Route 66 and Neptune Boulevard by 6 p.m., authorities said. Power went down this morning in unspecified circumstances. Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) on its outage site online said only that the cause of the outage was pending investigation, but Neptune police reported multiple pole fires along Neptune Boulevard. The fires were extinguished at 2:30 p.m., police said. Neptune Boulevard remained closed in both directions as JCP&L made repairs. There were heavy delays on Route 66, and police urged motorists to avoid the area. JCP&L initially said up to 500 customers were affected by the outage.

Paving in Neptune Township will begin on or around Monday, June 26, on the following roads: --Ridge Avenue, the Asbury Park border and Ridge Avenue; --Pharo Street, between Embury Avenue and Division Street; --Union Avenue,  between Corlies to 8th avenues; --Union Avenue, between 7th and 6th avenues; --Hawthorne Street, between Prospect Place and Old Corlies Avenue; --Waterworks Road, between Old Corlies Avenue and Terminus; --Hillview Drive, between Spray Boulevard and W. Bangs Avenue; --W. Concourse Drive, between S. Concourse Drive and the Neptune City border; --New York Road, between W. Concourse Drive to Terminus. The work, by P. & A. Construction, Inc., will take place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. Residents are asked to keep their vehicles off the street during those hours.

The Historic Village at Allaire moved its Summer Craft Market and Art in the Park from Saturday, June 24 to Sunday, June 25, because of the weather forecast, organizers tweeted. The event will run as originally scheduled, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $2 adults. Children under 12 will be admitted free. The Historic Village at Allaire is located in Allaire State Park, 4263 Atlantic Ave., Farmingdale.

The Terrace beach in Sea Girt is under advisory for above-standard bacteria, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) said on the web site of its Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program. Recent advisories and closings have been caused by higher-than-acceptable levels of Enterococci bacteria in water samples taken by local departments of health. Enterococci, which are found in human and animal waste, likely entered the ocean by way of storm water runoff after recent heavy rains, officials said. Two consecutive readings of high bacteria will close a beach, according to the NJDEP. Enterococci can cause a variety of gastrointestinal, respiratory, and flu-like symptoms, including diarrhea, sore throat, fever, and chills, the NJDEP said.

Neptune Township police are urging drivers to avoid Route 66 East this morning, after a power outage affected traffic lights in the area and caused what authorities call "heavy" traffic delays. Township police and New Jersey Department of Transportation crews are on site. Up to 500 customers of Jersey Central Power & Light (CJP&L) are without power, according to JCP&L's online outage map. The utility said an investigation into the cause of the outage is pending but expected power would return by noon.

Power and traffic lights are out in the area of Route 66 and Neptune Boulevard in Neptune Township, police said. Officers are directing traffic. UPDATE: Up to 500 customers are without power in the area between Route 66 and Sunset Avenue, according to Jersey Central Power & Light's(JCP&L)  outage map. The utility estimates power to be restored by noon. The cause of the outage is pending investigation, JCP&L said.

An event at the National Guard Training Center in Sea Girt is causing traffic delays around Route 71 and Sea Girt Avenue, police said. Drivers might want to plan alternate routes in the area.

The name of the footbridge over Wesley Lake between Asbury Park (left) and Ocean Grove (right)  comes from the name of the street at the entrance on the Asbury Park side.

An unidentified worker rides into the sunrise as he rakes the Ocean Grove beaches at dawn today. Partial sun and high humidity could lapse into thunderstorms by late afternoon.

The swimming advisories for the Brown Avenue South and York Avenue beaches in Spring Lake have been lifted, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. All local beaches are open. The beaches were placed under advisories when water samples showed above-standard levels of Enterococci bacteria. Enterococci are found in human and animal waste and could have entered the ocean by way of storm water run-off after recent storms, officials said.

MOGO Taco in Asbury Park will have a food truck at Sea Watch Beach in Manasquan starting Saturday, June 24. The Korean fusion eatery will be on site Thursday through Monday through Labor Day. Hours are 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., but company officials expect an earlier opening when the menu expands to include breakfast. MOGO Taco will donate $1 for every taco sold this weekend at Sea Watch to the Manasquan Recreation Commission, the company said in a press release.

 Windows of the Dunes restaurant on Ocean Grove's North End Boardwalk glow with light from the rising sun.

Asbury Park's old steam plant looms en silhouette against the early morning sky. The landmark, built in 1930, sits at the end of Wesley Lake, on the border of Asbury Park and Ocean Grove, and once supplied power to buildings on the Asbury Park boardwalk.

The sun is so far north at dawn and sunset around the summer solstice, that it was possible to catch sunrise and Asbury Park in the same frame. The solstice was June 21, at 12:24 a.m.

Swimming advisories were dropped today for the Spray Avenue beach in Ocean Grove and seven other area beaches that were under advisories yesterday for high levels of bacteria. Meanwhile, advisories were posted at the Brown Avenue South and York Avenue beaches in Spring Lake. In addition to the Spray Avenue beach, the other beaches no longer under advisories are at 7th and 3rd avenues in Asbury Park, Sylvania Avenue in Avon-by-the-Sea, Ocean Park in Bradley Beach, Beacon Boulevard in Sea Girt, and Essex and Washington avenues in Spring Lake. Beaches are initially placed under advisories when water samples reveal unacceptable levels of bacteria. Two consecutive unacceptable readings result in a beach closing. The bacteria are likely carried by storm water run-off after heavy rain, officials said. The  bacteria found in the water samples that resulted in this week's advisories were Enterococci , which are found in human and animal waste. Swimming in or contact with bacteria...

Neptune Township police report a motor vehicle collision at the intersection of Route 33 (Corlies Avenue) and Neptune Boulevard. There are traffic delays in the area. You might want to find an another route.

. . . reflected in the windows of Stella Marina Bar and Restaurant, on the boardwalk in Asbury Park.

Benches en Retro at Ocean Grove's North End Boardwalk.

Ocean Grove's Spray Avenue beach is one of eight area beaches placed under swimming advisories after tests revealed above-acceptable levels of a bacteria found in human waste, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) said on the web site for its Cooperative Coastal Monitoring Program. The bacteria was likely carried by storm water run-off after yesterday's rains, officials said. Other locally affected beaches are at 7th and 3rd avenues in Asbury Park, Sylvania Avenue in Avon-by-the-Sea, Ocean Park in Bradley Beach, Beacon Boulevard in Sea Girt, and Essex and Washington avenues in Spring Lake. A total of 15 beaches in Monmouth and Ocean counties are under advisories, which warn the public of potentially unhealthy water conditions, the NJDEP said. Water samples are taken by local boards of health, and notices are posted at the entrances to affected beaches. Pictured is the notice at the entrance to the Spray Avenue beach, an unguarded beach near...

This bordered space at the entrance to the Emory Street footbridge, on the Asbury Park side of Wesley Lake, is expected to become a garden on Saturday, June 24, when volunteers with the Friends of Wesley Lake, the Wesley Lake Commission, and Asbury Park's Environmental Shade Tree Commission plant rows of Knock Out roses. The group set the stone border on Saturday, June 17, after members of Asbury Park's public works department dug up the grass. The footbridge is one of three pedestrian walkways over the lake between Asbury Park and Ocean Grove. The Friends of Wesley Lake said in a post on its Facebook page that the new garden would continue the beautification of the city "and be a symbol of the welcoming spirit that Asbury Park ... shares with residents and friends alike." The groups are seeking donations to help defray the cost of the project, which is estimated at $1,500. Donations by can be made by check to the City of Asbury Park Environmental Shade Tree ...

Color pops through dawn clouds over Asbury Park.

Signs on handrails at the entrances to Ocean Grove's beaches offer visitors a life-saving safety tip. The beaches here and at many other Jersey Shore beaches are unguarded at night. In Ocean Grove, lifeguards go off duty at 5:30 p.m. Sunday through Friday, and at 6 p.m. Saturday. Two children in Belmar died recently when they went swimming after hours on unguarded beaches and were reportedly trapped in rip currents.

Rough surf off Ocean Grove at daybreak on Tuesday. The risk of rip currents today is moderate, the National Weather Service (NWS) says in its daily surf and rip current forecast. Surf height is around 3 feet, with swells south 2 to 3 feet. The NWS and water-safety experts recommend asking a lifeguard or other members of the beach patrol about surf conditions before going in the water. You should also swim near a lifeguard, never alone or at night, and have a flotation device with you.

Neptune Township has openings for property maintenance staff in the department of public works. The position pays $15 per hour for about 40 hours per week from June 26 through Aug. 25. Hours are 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m., Monday through Friday. Duties include assisting with the collection of refuse and recycling, cleaning various sites within the township, and other public works functions to be determined. Applicants must be 18 or older. Applications should be submitted to Neptune Township Human Resources Department, 25 Neptune Blvd., Neptune, NJ 07753, no later than Thursday, June 22.

Clouds amassed over Ocean Grove, left, and Asbury Park, right, at noon today, ahead of a massive cold front. A severe thunderstorm watch is in effect until 8 p.m. Earlier today, the National Weather Service (NWS) gave coastal Monmouth County and the rest of the Jersey shoreline a slight chance of severe thunderstorms between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., but the clouds were building up by noon, pushed by an approaching cold front that extends from the northern Appalachians southwest to the Great Plains. Eastern Monmouth County has an 80-percent chance of thunderstorms tonight. Some could be severe, with heavy rain and damaging winds, the NWS said.

Signs like this one appear at every jetty along the Ocean Grove beachfront. The beaches are open daily now until Labor Day, conditions permitting.

This sand sculpture and the one below were seen at daybreak Monday. They survived the night, and escaped both high tide and the tractor that raked the beach before sunrise.

The sun rises Monday over the Asbury Park boardwalk end of Wesley Lake. Ocean Grove is on the right. A bright start, but thunderstorms later today could be severe, according to the National Weather Service.

Manasquan Borough Council expects to pass on Monday a resolution urging the borough's federal representatives to reauthorize and extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP) when it ends in September. The "Resolution To Urge Representatives from the State of New Jersey To Support the Legislative Action To Reauthorize and Extend the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP)" calls the potential loss of the program "a catastrophic loss of insurance against flooding." "The disruption of coverage and the potential financial burdens to residents throughout the state of New Jersey will be of great economic significance," the resolution says. The resolution will be presented at the council's regular meeting this Monday, at 7 p.m. in borough hall, 201 East Main Street. The Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act of 2012, signed by President Obama in July, 2012, reauthorized the NFIP through Sept. 30 of this year. According to the reso...

The surf was rough, and southerly winds gusted to 20 miles per hour, sending sun hats and beach balls skittering across the sand. But once the clammy morning fog gave way to brilliant sunshine and temperatures in the low 80s, visitors flocked to Ocean Grove's beaches to play, if not to swim. Starting this week, the beaches will be open full-time. The summer schedule started under a yellow flag, which warns bathers about dangerous conditions. Sunday was the second consecutive day that there was a high risk of potentially deadly rip currents along the length of the New Jersey coastline. The National Weather Service expected conditions to continue through the evening. Sunday afternoon's surf ran 5 to 6 feet, with swells east around 2 feet, according to the National Weather Service.

A high risk of life-threatening rip currents along the coast will continue through evening, The National Weather Service (NWS) said. "A high risk of rip currents means dangerous and potentially life-threatening conditions for all people entering the surf," the NWS said on its Surf and Rip Current Forecast website. "People visiting the beaches should stay out of the high surf." The risk was high yesterday, too. Area beaches, including the ones at Ocean Grove, were open under a yellow flag, which signifies dangerous conditions and warns bathers to be extra-cautious when venturing into the water--if they dare. If you happen to get caught in a rip current, stay calm and don't fight it, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says on its ripcurrents website, ripcurrents.noaa.gov. Relax and float. Don't swim directly to shore. Swim at an angle away from the current. If you don't think you can make it all the way to shore, relax, face...

Panels of blue light, fueled  by pre-dawn fog, contrast with the interior of Ocean Grove's Boardwalk Pavilion.

Dismal weather couldn't keep shoppers away from the Giant Craft Show sponsored by the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association on Saturday. The event was on Ocean Pathway, between the Great Auditorium and Ocean Avenue. SATURDAY'S heavy mist and threatening skies might not have made for a day at the beach, but they were perfect conditions to shop in, according to organizers of  the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association's Giant Craft Show, held on Ocean Pathway. "The weather is what we want," said event co-chair Mark Mitchell. "The people aren't at the beach. They're here." According to Mitchell, 275 vendors registered for the event. Past shows usually had  between 250 and more than 300 vendors, but this year the size of the show was reduced, in part to accommodate more food services. "We wanted it to be more shopper-friendly, too," said co-chair Alison Mitchell. By mid-morning, the already-large crowd, which grew as more peopl...

The surf is rough, and there's a high risk of rip currents, but the Ocean Grove beaches are open under a yellow flag, which signifies dangerous conditions and warns bathers to be extra-cautious when venturing into the water--if they dare. Here, a lone member of the beach patrol sits low in the thick, clammy mist that wafted over the beachfront.

Keeping calm, a little knowledge, and swimming near a lifeguard can help you survive or avoid the lethal clutches of a rip current, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Rip currents, also called rip tides, are channels of water flowing away from surf beaches. They form at breaks in sand bars and around structures like jetties, NOAA says on its Rip Currents Safety website, ripcurrents.noaa.gov. They can kill. A grammar school student died in the surf off Belmar this week, purportedly drowned in a rip current. If you're not sure what a rip current looks like, you can find out online at NOAA's rip currents site or even on You Tube and on state or local emergency management websites. Once you're at the beach, you can ask the lifeguards or other beach patrol staffers about rip conditions. You can also check your local surf conditions by going online to the National Weather Service's Surf and Rip Current Forecast, http://www.weather.g...

The National Weather Service (NWS) predicts a high risk of rip currents through this evening. "A high risk of rip currents means dangerous and potentially life-threatening conditions for all people entering the surf," the NWS said on its Surf and Rip Current Forecast web site. "People visiting the beaches should stay out of the high surf."

The annual reenactment of the Battle of Monmouth will take place Saturday and Sunday, June 17 and 18, at Monmouth Battlefield State Park, on the border of Manalapan and Freehold Township. Organizers expect hundreds of Revolutionary War reenactors to take part in the encampment and scenarios depicting the battle which took place there on June 28, 1778, as British forces encountered the Continental Army while fleeing Philadelphia. Historians agree the battle ended in a draw, with more men felled and killed by the one-hundred-degree heat than from the fighting. The encampments will open at 9:30 a.m. on both days, with the battle reenactment slated for 2 p.m. on Saturday and 1:30 p.m. on Sunday. The camps will close to the public at 3:30 p.m. on Saturday and at 3 p.m. on Sunday. There will also be lectures and presentations about the battle, tours of the camps, and activities for children. A food vendor will be on site, and handicapped parking is available. No alcohol is allowed ...

Less than one week after The Gazette published a story about Bradley Beach warning swimmers with  diarrhea not to go swimming   ("Sign Warns Bathers Not To Go When They Go in the Water," June 10, 2017), Quinnipiac University Poll released the results of a survey in which more than four-fifths of respondents thought bathrooms at the beach should be the law. Although several local seaside towns, including Ocean Grove and Belmar, already have restrooms on their boardwalks, 87 percent of the people in the Quinnipiac survey said the state should require seashore towns to provide restrooms at their beaches. The same study showed that 72 percent think New Jersey, long known as the "Garden State," is a "very good" or "fairly good" place to take a vacation. Yet there is an issue with beach access. Nearly half of respondents--47 percent--said seaside towns put too many restrictions on access to their beaches. While 41 percent said that ...

This lamp on the Ocean Grove fishing pier was the only spot of color in a dismal, monochromatic dawn.

Sights like this balloon on the sand in Ocean Grove would be history if a bill now in the state legislature becomes law. Sponsored by state Sen. Jim Whelan, D-Atlantic, the bill (S3177) would ban the intentional outdoors release of helium-filled balloons, and calls for a fine of up to $500 for each offense. Proponents of the bill say the releases do everything from litter the landscape to harm animals, especially marine animals, who eat them wherever they land.  Opponents see it as a threat to small businesses that rely on releases for celebrations and memorials. The bill exempts hot air balloons, research or meteorological balloons, and balloons that are released indoors. According to the bill, balloon releases are already banned in several Jersey Shore municipalities, including Atlantic City, Margate City, and Ventnor City.

The Premier Theatre Company will hold auditions for the children's chorus in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat on Saturday, June 24, from noon to 2 p.m. at Henderson Theater, Christian Brothers Academy, 850 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft. Auditioners should prepare 16 bars of an uptempo song. Show dates are Aug. 11, 12, and 13. For more information, email info@premiertheatre.com.

La Strada Theater Ensemble will hold auditions for The Fairy Plays , by A.J. Ciccotelli, tonight from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, June 17, from 10 a.m. to noon, at the Jersey Shore Arts Center, 66 South Main Street, Ocean Grove. Tentative performance dates are Aug. 18, 19, and 20. Auditions are open to all ages and genders. The producers ask that you not bring resumes or head shots or a prepared monologue. Just bring yourself, dress so you can move, and be prepared to create. Rehearsals will take place in Barnegat, but tech and performances will be the Jersey Shore Arts Center. Please email vedarouze@gmail.com if you have questions.

ASBURY PARK--An informal coalition of local environmental groups needs volunteers this Saturday, June 17, to help prepare the soil and design a rose garden for the Emory Street entrance to the footbridge over Wesley Lake (above). The project is a partnership among the City of Asbury Park Environmental Shade Tree Commission, the Wesley Lake Commission, and the Friends of Wesley Lake. The Asbury Park Department of Public Works has offered to remove the grass and the upper layer of compacted soil, organizers said. The volunteers will be at the site from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. Organizers are also seeking donations to help defray the estimated cost of  $1,500 for plants, mulch, and soil. Checks may be made out to the Environmental Shade Tree Commission, or contributions may be directed to the Friends of Wesley Lake's "Save Wesley Lake" page on the GoFundMe fundraising website. Designate "Footbridge Garden" in the comments section online or on the c...