The Gazette of Really Small News

Two beaches in Sea Girt and another two in Spring Lake are under swimming advisories after testing for high counts of bacteria, the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) said. The Sea Girt beaches are at The Terrace and Beacon Boulevard, while the Spring Lake beaches are at Brown Avenue South and York Avenue. Water samples showed higher-than-acceptable levels of enterococci,  bacteria found in human and animal waste. The bacteria most likely entered the ocean by way of storm water runoff after heavy rain, according to information on the NJDEP website. Heavy rain accompanied the storm the National Weather Service named "Potential Tropical Cyclone 10" as it churned offshore on Aug. 29 and into the early morning hours of Aug. 30. Contact with contaminated water can result in gastrointestinal symptoms such as diarhhea, nausea and vomiting, flu-like symptoms, and rashes, according to the NJDEP. Two consecutive high counts result in closing a beach, the ...

Remnants of Hurricane Harvey, now a tropical depression, could put a damper on the Labor Day weekend, if not wash it out completely. The National Weather Service (NWS) says rain is likely after 2 p.m. Saturday, with a chance of showers all day Sunday. Highs could reach 69 on Saturday and 77 on Sunday. The only good day of the holiday weekend should be Monday, Labor Day, which will be sunny, with a high around 79, according to current NWS forecasts. Pictured: Wesley Lake as the soaker the NWS named "Potential Tropical Cyclone 10" moved out of the area on the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 30.

Raw footage of sunrise, filmed Aug. 31 at Bradley Beach, New Jersey.

The National Weather Service has issued an advisory for a moderate risk of rip currents. Ocean Grove Beaches tweeted they are currently operating under yellow flags--the standard notice of moderate risk--but might switch to red flags--a sign of high risk and potentially life-threatening conditions--later in the day as the tide rises.

This fine feathered individual stopped strolling around the park on the Ocean Grove side of Fletcher Lake and struck a pose when the photographer crouched to take what was supposed to be a candid shot. Waiting for a handout, perhaps? UPDATE: Readers say this is a Muscovy duck. Thank you! #ClearlyNotAFarmGal

Don't let that brilliant sun rising over Fletcher Lake between Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach fool you. The National Weather Service predicts a 30-percent chance of showers and thunderstorms mostly before 8 p.m. and a slight chance of showers between 8 p.m. and 9 p.m. Today's high will be around 83, with tonight's low around 57.

Many local beaches are open today but under double red flags because of treacherous surf and rip currents whipped up by Potential Tropical Cyclone 10, which is farther offshore but still affecting local waters. But danger isn't stopping Sea Girt's lifeguards from going in the water. The team is using the hazardous conditions to train in. "Using the rough water 2day to practice & also we have to be able to get to anyone in the water. Great conditions to train rescue situations," @SGLifeguards tweeted a little after 12:30 p.m. In case you were wondering: yes, there is video. You can see it here.

The National Weather Service named it "Potential Tropical Cyclone 10," and the offshore storm lived up to its awkward name by dumping some heavy rain and scouring the coast with stiff winds and high, beach-eroding surf. Here are some scenes of what happened as PTC 10 finally moved on and the sun appeared. This capture of rough surf off Ocean Grove appears to be black-and-white but is actually four-color and unenhanced. Image by Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of (Really) Small News This view of Wesley Lake after the storm is another unenhanced, four-color image. By Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of (Really) Small News Departing storm clouds seen from the Ocean Grove boardwalk. Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of (Really) Small News

The Monmouth County Historical Commission will hold workshops in September for different grants now available through the commission. The workshop for the Monmouth County History Regrant Program is slated for Monday, Sept. 11, at 7 p.m. in the Hall of Records Annex, Planning Board Conference Room, 3 East Main Street, Freehold. Two types of grants are available through the History Regrant Program: one to support general operations and management, and one for special history projects and programs that are open and accessible to the public. The workshop for "bricks and mortar" Historic Preservation Grants will take place at 6 p.m. Monday, Sept. 25, also at the Hall of Records in Freehold. Attendees should register by email to john.fabiano@co.monmouth.nj.us. The grants are competitive. Applicants for History Regrant Program grants must submit a Declaration of Intent by Sept. 25. The completed application is due Oct. 30. The deadline for Historic Preservation Grants is...

With all the media reports and dramatic images of flooding caused by Hurricane Harvey in Texas, it might be natural for people to want to donate food and clothing, or to jump in their vehicles and head south to lend a hand, but those aren't the best ways to help, according to the Neptune Office of Emergency Management (OEM). The best way to contribute is with monetary donations, the OEM said by way of a statement on its Facebook page. "Unsolicited donations of clothing and food, as well as the influx of volunteers, can quickly overwhelm a disaster area," the OEM said, whereas monetary donations, "unlike clothing or people, arrive on scene to [begin] providing support instantly."  . The OEM recommends checking out the Hurricane Harvey page on Charity Navigator, a free online resource that evaluates and rates charitable organizations, for a list of organizations soliciting monetary donations.  Charity Navigator is at www.charitynavigator.org. For more info...

Brighton Avenue Bridge in Neptune Township, which connects with Marconi Road in Wall Township, will be closed from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sept. 5 through Sept. 8, and on Sept. 11, officials said. Commuters are advised to plan for alternate routes during that time.

Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of (Really) Small News The ominous sky and the miniature flags snapping in the breeze along the Ocean Grove boardwalk suggest a nasty interruption to the last week of summer before Labor Day.

It's not a beach day, thanks to what the National Weather Service (NWS) calls "Potential Tropical Cyclone Ten" moving up the eastern seaboard. The NWS predicts a 100-percent chance of rain mainly between 10 a.m. today and 3 a.m. tomorrow, with a high around 73, and an easterly breeze between 20 and 24 miles per hour, higher along the coast. Rough surf will cause minor beach erosion. The video shows Ralph the Ocean Grove Fisherman sitting out the storm atop the remnants of the Ocean Grove fishing pier, which was destroyed by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012.

High surf and rip currents created by what the National Weather Service (NWS) calls "potential tropical cyclone 10" have forced local beaches to raise double red flags and prohibit swimming. The NWS has issued a rough surf advisory and forecast a high risk of rip currents until late tonight.

Auditions for Algonquin Arts Theatre's production of A Christmas Story, the Musical , are set for Tuesday, Sept. 5 and Thursday, Sept. 7 at the theater, 173 Main Street, Manasquan. There will be separate auditions for students ages 17 and under and for adults. Student auditions will be held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. both days. Adult auditions will take place from 7 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. both days. Student auditions are by appointment only. To schedule an audition, email Julie Nagy at julie@algonquionarts.org. Call backs are slated for Sunday, Sept. 30, starting at 5 p.m. If you're auditioning, please bring a recent head shot (student photo is fine) and a current resume, and prepare 32 bars of a standard Broadway musical selection. Bring sheet music in the correct key. An accompanist will be provided. You should also wear comfortable clothes and shoes. The production requires strong tap dancing skills. Bring tap shoes if you have them. Students ages 8 to 17 who are cast will...

Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of (Really) Small News

Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of (Really) Small News

Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of (Really) Small News The National Weather Service is calling for a repeat of yesterday: sunny, with a high in the mid-70s and a low in the mid-60s. Pictured: the Ocean Grove fishing pier before sunrise today.

Today will be sunny and clear, with a high around 74 and a low around 64, according to the National Weather Service. Pictured: BradleyBeach-henge/The Gazette of (Really) Small News.

Wesley Lake was so calm before dawn that it became a mirror for houses on the Ocean Grove side.

The National Weather Service is calling for a mostly sunny day with a high around 77, and partial clouds tonight, with a low around 61. Pictured: sunrise over the Asbury Park end of Wesley Lake. Copyright The Gazette of (Really) Small News/www.reallysmallnews.com.

A partial rainbow appeared over Asbury Park at sunrise today. A wider shot, with Wesley Lake, appears below. Both photographs are the property of Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of (Really) Small News.

Foreboding clouds and an empty lifeguard stand in Ocean Grove are reminders that Labor Day weekend and the unofficial end of summer are nearer than lots of us want to think.

This was the scene on Ocean Grove's boardwalk shortly after the 2:45 p.m. peak of the eclipse on Monday, Aug. 21. Thin, high clouds moved in shortly before the eclipse began at 1:22 p.m. Experts had predicted the moon would block between 70 and 75 percent of the sun's light in this area, but the cool front moving in made it hard to distinguish the reduced light of the eclipse from the reduced light caused by an overcast sky.

The solar eclipse on Monday, Aug. 21, began at 1:22 p.m. and reached its peak at 2:45 p.m. It was a bright day, with thin, high clouds that thickened as the start time approached. Experts expected people in this area would see the moon obscure between 70 and 75 percent of the sun. This is Founders' Park in Ocean Grove at the 2:45 p.m. peak of the eclipse.

The solar eclipse on Monday, Aug. 21, began at 1:22 p.m. and reached its peak at 2:45 p.m. It was a bright day, with thin, high clouds that thickened as the start time approached. Experts expected people in this area would see the moon obscure between 70 and 75 percent of the sun. This is what the Asbury Park steam plant, at the boardwalk-end of Wesley Lake, looked like at 2:30 p.m., 15 minutes away from peak obscurity.

The solar eclipse on Monday, Aug. 21, began at 1:22 p.m. and reached its peak at 2:45 p.m. It was a bright day, with thin, high clouds that thickened as the start time approached. Experts expected people in this area would see the moon obscure between 70 and 75 percent of the sun. This was Wesley Lake around 2:30 p.m.

Jenkinson's Boardwalk advises customers who bought solar eclipse glasses there not to use the glasses to watch the solar eclipse this afternoon. In a statement issued through social media, Jenkinson's says that the glasses supplier, EverythingBranded.com, "has issued a warning and DOES NOT RECOMMEND USING THEM TO VIEW THE ECLIPSE [upper case letters are by Jenkinson's Boardwalk]." Jenkinson's Boardwalk said it will refund the purchase price in full. The glasses may be returned to where they were purchased or mailed to 500 Boardwalk, Point Pleasant Beach, NJ 08742. For more information, email information@jenkinsons.com. "We would like to apologize for this inconvenience, as we were assured by the supplier that the Solar Eclipse Glasses we purchased were in fact ISO Certified and safe to distribute," Jenkinson's said in its statement.

Meteorologists say high, thin clouds like the ones seen at daybreak over Ocean Grove should have no effect on viewing the solar eclipse this afternoon. The National Weather Service is calling for sunny skies, despite those clouds, with a high around 83. Tonight will be cloudy with a chance of thunderstorms, with a low around 74. The eclipse will begin around 1:22 p.m. and peak around 2:45 p.m.

Thinking of watching the solar eclipse tomorrow? It's never safe to look directly at the sun, even if the sun is partly obscured, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) says. The only safe way to look directly at the eclipse is through special-purpose solar filters, such as “eclipse glasses” or hand-held solar viewers. Sunglasses or homemade filters aren't safe because they transmit thousands of times too much sunlight. The advice appears on the agency's official eclipse web site, eclipse2017.nasa.gov. Tomorrow afternoon will look like tomorrow evening as the moon crosses in front of the sun in a rare solar eclipse visible in some degree to the entire contiguous United States. The moon is expected to block up to 75 percent of the sun during the event, according to NASA. Meanwhile, the coverage will be 100 percent in a roughly 70 miles-wide swath beginning around Salem, Oregon and ending around Charleston, South Carolina, NASA said. But no matter ho...

Today will be sunny, with a high around 85, while tonight will be clear, with a low around 69, according to the National Weather Service. Pictured: the Emory Street footbridge over Wesley Lake at sunrise today.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch until 9 tonight, with a 70 percent chance of thunderstorms and patchy fog into the night. Pictured: A lone pedal boat crosses Wesley Lake as clouds build up over Ocean Grove earlier this afternoon.

These showers on the beach in Ocean Grove might not have human company today. The National Weather Service calls for a 50 percent of showers today, with a high around 81, and a 70  percent chance of thunderstorms and heavy showers tonight, with a low of 73.

"No tents or canopies permitted on the beach." Like the canopy on the beach on the background? The canopy has been there all summer, and could be there as part of borough or borough-approved events. Stay tuned.

Today should be mostly sunny, with a high around 79, while tonight should be mostly cloudy, with a low of around 72, according to the National Weather Service. Pictured: sunrise over a jetty in Bradley Beach.

Beaches are open but operating under double red flags, which indicate entering the water is prohibited. Hurricane Gert--which we mistakenly reported as a tropical storm--might be miles offshore in the Atlantic, but she's causing potentially deadly rip currents and, as seen in this video shot on the beach in Ocean Grove around daybreak, high waves and rough surf.

Fog will give way to mostly sunny skies by late morning, according to the National Weather Service. The high will be around 82; the low tonight, around 65. Pictured: the old Asbury Park steam plant on Wesley Lake at sunrise.

Today should be mostly sunny, with a high around 82, but mostly cloudy tonight, with a low around 68, according to the National Weather Service. Tropical Storm Gert in the southeast Atlantic could affect rip currents later in the week as it moves north but well offshore. Pictured: sunrise at the Ocean Grove boardwalk.

Autumn isn't due to arrive for another six weeks, but this individual was seen lurking Saturday morning amid the bushes at the north end of Ocean Grove, at the beachfront end of the path around Wesley Lake.

This morning's overcast will change to isolated showers between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. After that, we'll have a chance of thunderstorms and showers through the night. Today's high will be around 79, while the low tonight could reach 68. Pictured: the beachfront end of Wesley Lake, with the old Asbury Park steam plant and carousel building.

Avon residents have until Aug. 21 to pay their property taxes without penalty. The borough announced the extension on its web site, www.avonbytheseanj.com.

The Neptune Township Committee will hold a public hearing on the proposed Skate Park at Sunshine Fields, 10 Pine Drive, at 7 p.m. Monday, Aug. 14, in the meeting room of the municipal complex, 25 Neptune Blvd. The township has submitted a development application for the project to the Monmouth County Municipal Open Space Program.

The National Weather Service says to expect partial sunshine today, with a high around 79, and a chance of showers and thunderstorms tonight, with a low around 68. Pictured: Wesley Lake at first light today.

We can expect between 14 and 19 named hurricanes instead of the 11 to 14 predicted at the start of the 2017 hurricane season, and there is now a 60 percent chance of above-average hurricane activity this season instead of the 45 percent chance predicted earlier, national forecasters revealed today.  From two to five of those hurricanes could be major, as opposed to the two to four forecast earlier, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a statement on the administration's web site, www. noaa.gov. Gerry Bell, Ph.D., lead hurricane forecaster at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center, attributed the update in part to the lack of an El Nino and to warmer waters in the tropical Atlantic. NOAA defines El Nino as a "large-scale ocean-atmosphere climate interaction linked to a periodic warming in sea surface temperatures across the central and east-central Equatorial Pacific." Strong El Ninos suppress the development of hurricanes in the Atlan...

Today will be sunny, with a high around 79, according to the National Weather Service. Expect tonight to be partly cloudy, with patchy fog and a low around 64. Pictured: early sunrise over Fletcher Lake in Ocean Grove.

It was a Septemberish 60 at dawn, but the National Weather Service says to expect a high around 79, with sun all day. Tonight will be clear, with a low around 67. Pictured: the boardwalk border of Ocean Grove and Bradley Beach at dawn.

If all goes according to plan, patrons at the Algonquin Arts Theatre on Oct. 7 will see more than  Guys & Dolls , the show set to open the Manasquan theater's 2018 Broadway Series. They'll be among the first to see--and experience--the theater's new and expanded rest rooms, all thanks to the Second Seat Campaign, a capital improvements project that combined  imaginative crowdfunding with what theater is meant for: entertainment. The Second Seat Campaign evolved by way of the first seat campaign, which was called "Take a Seat" and  funded the replacement of all the seats in the auditorium, according to Algonquin Arts marketing director David Applegate. "Once restroom expansion was determined to be our next capital project, we started to get a little bit silly in a staff meeting, and someone jokingly called it our Second Seat Campaign," Applegate said in an email. That little bit of silliness turned the campaign into a musical sketch that parodie...

Copyright The Gazette of (Really) Small News/www.reallysmallnews.com

The Spring Lake Theatre Company will hold auditions for its October production of Young Frankenstein on Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Aug. 26, at 11 a.m. at the Spring Lake Community House, 300 Madison Ave. Auditioners are asked to prepare between 16 and 32 bars of a musical theater song, and to wear or bring clothes that you can dance in, including jazz or character shoes. Please bring sheet music in the key that you will sing in. An accompanist will be provided, but will not transpose. Auditioners are also asked to arrive early to fill out paperwork, and to bring a head shot, if available, and a resume listing theatrical work. Performance dates are Oct. 6, 7, 13, 14, 15, 20, 21, and 22. For more information, contact director Ian Moore at IMoore5484@gmail.com.

The Algonquin Arts Theatre will hold auditions for the musical Guys and Dolls on Monday and Tuesday, Aug. 14 and 15, at 7 p.m. at the theater, 173 Main Street, Manasquan. Callbacks will be Wednesday, Aug. 16. Auditioners are asked to prepare 16 bars of a Broadway song similar in style to the show's score, and be prepared to move for a dance audition. All roles require movement, but the dance audition is required for all roles except those of Lt. Brannigan and Abernathy. Auditioners are also asked to provide a picture and a resume, stapled back-to-back. Performance dates are Oct. 7, 8, 14, 15, 20, 21 and 22.

Property owners in Manasquan have until Aug. 25 to pay their local taxes. Officials today said the borough just received its certified 2017 tax rate and is preparing the tax bills for mailing. Taxes not paid by Aug. 25 will accrue interest dating back to Aug. 1, officials announced by email and on the borough's web site, Manasquan-nj.com..

We'll have scattered showers and thunderstorms, mostly after 1 p.m., according to the National Weather Service. Parts of the Jersey Shore already experienced storms around daybreak. Aside from that, we can also expect today to be hazy, hot, and humid, with a high around 82 and a low tonight of 67. Pictured: the Heck Street footbridge over Wesley Lake before dawn today, with south Asbury Park in the background.

The image really is of crabapples at the Asbury Park train station. But is it a photograph, or a painting in watercolors?