The Gazette of Really Small News

Neptune police want children and young adults under 18 to stay off the streets from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. tonight and on Halloween night. Officials announced the curfew by way of social media this afternoon.

The National Weather Service has placed the region under a flood warning until midnight. A nor'easter moving up the eastern seaboard is bringing heavy rains and winds with gusts expected to exceed 50 miles an hour by tomorrow morning.

Flooding in Neptune Township has closed Neptune Boulevard and Taylor Avenue between Lakeview and 6th avenues, the township office of emergency management reported by way social media. The area is under a flood flash flood watch until midnight as a nor'easter moves up the eastern seaboard, according to the National Weather Service.

The region can expect flash floods and possibly damaging wind gusts as a nor'easter-like storm rolls through later today and tomorrow. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a flash flood advisory for today from noon to midnight, and a wind advisory for tomorrow from 6 a.m. to noon. Gusts could reach or exceed 50 mph, the NWS said. The storm falls on the fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy's landfall near Atlantic City.

Ocean Grove's North End Pavilion was battered by Superstorm Sandy on Oct. 29, 2012. Five years later, the building is home to seasonal boutiques and eateries. Here the windowsreflect properties west of the boardwalk.

The little figure at the far end of the beam is Ralph the Ocean Grove Fisherman. He appeared days after storm surge from Superstorm Sandy took down the far end of the Ocean Grove fishing pier on Oct. 28, 2012. He remains as the symbol of the community's determination to bounce back from a natural disaster that destroyed homes and businesses throughout the Jersey Shore, and that kept the area without power for a week.

The Ocean Grove fishing pier used to extend over the water, and there was a small hut used by fishing folk. That far end and the fishing hut were swept away by monster storm surge 24 hours before Superstorm Sandy made landfall near Atlantic City on Oct.29, 2012. Unlike the devastated boardwalk, the pier was never repaired.

Superstorm Sandy obliterated Ocean Grove's North End boardwalk when it swept ashore on Oct. 29, 2012. Five years later, the site has a new boardwalk, and dunes filled with thick dune grass and vegetation that provides shelter for small birds.

Registration for the Ocean Grove Pet Boutique's Halloween parade for kids and pets starts at 11:30 this morning at Fireman's Park, on Main Street at Delaware and New Jersey avenues. The parade steps off at noon.

Environmental activists will observe the fifth anniversary of Superstorm Sandy with "Hands Across the Boards: A Five-Year Commemoration of Superstorm Sandy" at 2 p.m. on the boardwalk south of Convention Hall in Asbury Park. Organizers say the event will commemorate lives, homes, and businesses lost in the storm, and end with a call to action as attendees join hands in "a demonstration of the urgent need to address climate change." Organizations hosting the event include the Jersey Shore chapter of Surfrider Foundation, the American Littoral Society, and the Tri-County Sustainability Alliance.

Expect increasing clouds and a high around 68 today, and a low around 49 tonight. Source: National Weather Service. Pictured: The Ocean Grove side of Wesley Lake at daybreak on Oct. 25.

Heads up, if you commute to Wall Township! Belmar Boulevard between Martin Road and Woodfield Avenue is closed because of a downed live wire, local police report. It was not known how long the area would be off-limits. 

The region could see "pockets of damage " from wind, plus a "possibly damaging" thunderstorm this morning, with heaviest rains falling late this morning and through the afternoon., according to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly. "Wind advy w pockets of damage this morning. Heaviest rain 11 AM-5PM NJ/De w psbl damaging tstm [thunderstorm]," the NWS tweeted shortly before 6 this  morning. A wind advisory is in effect until 1 p.m.

Hold on to your umbrella! A wind advisory is in effect until 1 p.m. Winds are south, 15 miles per hour (mph) to 25 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Where's the rest of the bench? These bits of dismembered seat were seen across from the La Pierre Condominiums, overlooking Wesley Lake in Ocean Grove.

The Whimsical Garden in Ocean Grove is caught between the greens of summer and the russets of fall. Warm weather has stopped leaves from changing, but that could change later today as a cold front moves in from the west bringing rain, gusty winds, and lower temperatures. The National Weather Service is calling for a high of 72, with heavy rain  and severe thunderstorms. Expect heavy rain, patchy fog, and a low around 60 tonight.

Our Daily Dawns aren't all about the sun rising over the beachfront. There's also Wesley Lake, between Asbury Park and Ocean Grove. The sun rises directly over the lake during spring and summer, but slowly moves south after the summer solstice. These images are from June through October of this year.

We gathered some of our best Daily Dawns in a short but (hopefully!) entertaining video.

We popped a wee thing on YouTube to let visitors know what we're all about.

This tree at the intersection of Heck and Pennsylvania avenues in Ocean Grove was the only one on the street showing fall foliage. The unseasonably warm temperatures have reportedly kept leaves from changing into colors typical of the season. The trend could break with the arrival of rain and a cool front late Monday.

With a little more than a week before Halloween and the end of October, there are still few signs of the rich reds and golds of mid-Atlantic autumn. Pictured: vegetation at the north end of Ocean Grove on Saturday, Oct. 21.

About 30 people were drumming away at the iconic steam plant on the boardwalk between Asbury Park and Ocean Grove on Saturday, Oct. 21.

With the unseasonable warm weather stopping the leaves from changing color, Thornley Chapel in Ocean Grove is one place to see the traditional display of reds and golds. The effect is caused  by sunlight passing through the stained-glass windows a little more than an hour before sunset.

A little zombie is all wrapped up in the old Press delivery wagon on view at the James J Howard Transportation Center in Asbury Park.

The Friends & Citizens of Wesley Lake has put out a call for volunteers to help with the annual fall cleanup of the lake on Saturday, Oct. 28. The group will meet at 9 a.m. at the Asbury Park side of the western footbridge, across from the Biergarten. Cleanups generally run from 9 am.to noon. For more information, follow the Friends & Citizens of Wesley Lake on Facebook, www.facebook.com/FriendsofWesleyLake.

Crisply delineated panels of alternating shadow and light give this view of Ocean Grove's Boardwalk Pavilion the appearance of a modern-art painting.

South Asbury Park is reflected in windows of Ocean Grove's North End Pavilion about two hours after sunrise on Oct. 10.

Yes, today, Oct. 10, really is the birthday of Elwood H. Stokes, considered a "founding father" of Ocean Grove. Born in 1815, Stokes was a Methodist minister from Philadelphia who was president of the Ocean Grove Camp Meeting Association from the Grove's founding in 1869 until his death in 1897. His statue is on Ocean Pathway east of the Great Auditorium.

The National Weather Service has issued a forecast that sounds more like mid-summer than mid-October: mostly sunny, with a high around 80. Enjoy it while you can. Showers and a low of 58 are in the works for tomorrow. Pictured: Clouds over Ocean Pathway, Ocean Grove, around 9 a.m.

A house which appears to hover in the night sky is actually firmly situated on the banks of Wesley Lake in Ocean Grove.

Frames for tents around Ocean Grove's Great Auditorium reflect thee desolation of the weeks before Halloween.

You can bring your dog to the Manasquan beach now instead of waiting until Oct.31. A recently approved borough ordinance opened the doggie beach season on Oct.1 and extends it through April 15, two weeks beyond the old ending date of April 1. Dogs must be leashed and are not allowed on the walkway except for crossing, officials said in a statement on the borough website. Also, owners are required to pick up doggie deposits. Police will patrol the beach for the first two weeks of October and document the names of individuals violating the ordinance, according to the statement.

Clouds from former hurricane Nate, downgraded to a tropical depression, began scudding into the region yesterday evening, presaging the storm's arrival today. The National Weather Service is calling for a 50-percent chance of rain and thunderstorms throughout the day, with an unseasonable high of 77. Tonight's low will be around 66. Pictured: a view of Ocean Grove from the Asbury Park side of Wesley Lake.

This haphazard group suggests the variety of costumes seen in the Tenth Annual Asbury Park Zombie Walk on Saturday, Oct 7. Organizers had expected a crowd of 10,000 to turn out for the walk, which began at Convention Hall on the Asbury Park boardwalk and processed west on Cookman Avenue, stopping across the street from the James J. Howard Transportation center on Main Street.

A sepsis-slathered surgical team closes in on spectators along Cookman Avenue during the Tenth Annual Asbury Park Zombie Walk on Saturday, Oct. 7. They weren't so undead that they forgot to pack monetary provisions for the after-party.

Two of the ersatz undead in the Tenth Annual Asbury Park Zombie Walk along Cookman Avenue on Saturday, Oct. 7, assume poses that suggest a scene from Ingmar Bergman's "The Seventh Seal" interpreted by hallucinatory Dutch artist  Hieronymous Bosch.

This zombie of a Girl Scout lived up to (sort of) the Girl Scout motto "Be prepared" by packing a handy snack for the Tenth Annual Asbury Park Zombie Walk on Saturday, Oct. 7. Behind her are the Three Blind Mice. The boy in front has the look you get when you don't want people to know you're with somebody.

Cookman Avenue's blacktop was perfect for showing off little black dresses in the Tenth Annual Asbury Park Zombie Walk on Saturday, Oct. 7.

The sky over Wesley Lake on Saturday afternoon helped put Asbury Park in the mood for the Tenth Annual Zombie Walk, which dragged its collective undead feet  up Cookman Avenue shortly before 5 p.m.

The Asbury Park Zombie Walk's "Thriller" dance team rehearses the Michael Jackson classic in preparation for the performance that will signal the formal start of the tenth annual walk at 3:30 this afternoon. A second performance will take place on Cookman Avenue at the end of the walk this evening. The zombies began assembling for pre-walk activities on the boardwalk at 10 a.m.

Ocean Grove's Fall Harvest Fest kicked off at 10 this morning with more than 200 vendors along Main Street and in the square next to the Great Auditorium. The event, sponsored by the Ocean Grove Chamber of Commerce, runs until 4 p.m. and includes food and live music, as well as arts and crafts and local merchants.

A dragonfly lands on an Ocean Grove sidewalk looking like the helicopter of the insect world.

The living undead will celebrate a milestone on Saturday, Oct. 7, when the Tenth Annual Asbury Park Zombie Walk kicks off (sort off) at Convention Hall at 10 a.m. If you're thinking of going dressed in your ghoulish best or as an innocent victim--er, spectator--here's a rundown of the day's events: 10 a.m.: The Zombie Walk Information Booth and Merchandise Stand opens in the Grand Arcade of Convention Hall. Makeup artists will be available to zombify your beloved facial features for a fee. 1 p.m.: A workshop for the Zombie Walk's signature Thriller dance will be held in front of the Paramount Theatre, near the boardwalk. 2 p.m.: The Jell-O Brains Eating Contest will be held outside the Paramount Theatre. Seating is limited. 3 p.m.: Costume judging begins as judges mill around the mob of undead on the boardwalk. 3:30 p.m.:  The first Thriller Dance takes place in front of Convention Hall. The second and last dance will take place at the end of the Walk, on Co...

If you fancied yourself going to the Tenth Annual Asbury Park Zombie Walk this Saturday bearing theatrical arms and armor and other gear for slaying the pretend-undead and the living, hold your horses. Zombies might be among the height of make-believe, but organizers are banning anything that looks like a weapon. "Leave the weapon props at home," the Asbury Park Zombie Walk posted on its Facebook page. Organizers said the decision to ban the props was made in conjunction with the City of Asbury Park, the Asbury Park Boardwalk, the Asbury Park Chamber of Commerce, and the Asbury Park police and fire departments. Organizers in their statement asked participants to respect the decision. "Leave the weapon props at home. We want to continue the great relationship we've always had with our City by the Sea--and be welcomed back for an 11th Annual Zombie Walk next year." The decision to prohibit the weapon props follows the mass shooting at a country-music festi...

The rising sun washes part of Ocean Grove's Main Street in the light that marks the "golden hour" surrounding sunrise and sunset.

The clouds at sunrise on Thursday, Oct. 5, went from the ornate brush swirls seen in Baroque oil paintings (above) to the crisper forms depicted in modern realism (below).

Not so long ago, this alley in the "tent city" around Ocean Grove's Great Auditorium was filled with bicycles, skateboards, and laughter. Now the place is empty and silent, except for dead leaves skittering along the bricks on the wind.

This row of frames and closed-up cottages suggests what the rest of Ocean Grove's "tent city" looks like after the tents have been removed and put in storage for the winter. 

It might be the first week of October, but some cottages around the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove are still occupied and still show the historic district's favorite way of saying someone is home: the flag flying from the porch.

Neptune Township is seeking a full-time deputy municipal court administrator. Salary is $33,500 per year. Applicants must be certified as municipal court administrators according to state law, or be accredited or eligible for accreditation within six months of hire. The position requires experience in all aspects of court administration, knowledge of and compliance with laws, ordinances, rules, regulations, and procedures pertaining to municipal court operations. Knowledge of ATS/ACS, MACS, PageCenter, and other applications also is required. Applicants must be available for on-call rotation, and have customer service, writing, and communication skills. Being detail-oriented, and having organizational skills, self-motivation, and a great work ethic are "a must," according to the township's posting, which can be viewed online at http://www.neptunetownship.org/articles/job-openings-township-neptune-businesses-county-and-state. Candidates should send a resume to St...

This little shed on the Ocean Grove beach was among the last to be moved into winter storage.