The Gazette of Really Small News

  COVID-19 vaccinations will be available at the Grand Arcade on the Asbury Park boardwalk tomorrow and Sunday between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. both days. The shots are part of the state's "Shots at the Shore" program this Memorial Day Weekend. Stations will also be set up on Sandy Hook and at the Pier Village Gazebo in Long Branch, and operate during the same hours. Governor Phil Murphy announced the program this afternoon in Asbury Park. The Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson & Johnson vaccines will be offered. Only the Pfizer vaccine has been approved for ages 12 and up. The Moderna and J&J vaccines are for ages 18 and up.

  The curled line in this laughing gull's mouth indicates the bird is hooked. How this happened is unknown. The gull was seen flying off Wesley Lake and into the Carousel building parking lot with the bobber and fishing line hanging from its mouth. The photographer tried to catch the gull in order to remove the hook, but it flew back to the lake. (The Gazette of Really Small News)

  Have some free time today? The forecast is for heat and humidity, with temps stretching toward 90 inland and 80 at the coast. So get out. Take a hike in a local, state, or county park. Or, if you're okay with crowds of other heat-and-humidity escapees, go to the beach or boardwalk. Beach admission is still free, though lifeguards aren't on weekday duty yet. Wherever you go, the Neptune Township Office  of Emergency Management (NTOEM) says to keep an eye to the sky. There's a potential for strong storms with high winds and periods of heavy rain to develop this afternoon and into the evening.  NTOEM recommends staying informed about weather and other events by getting text alerts which include weather alerts from the National Weather Service. To subscribe, text "NeptuneAlert" and "NeptuneWeather" to 888777. Says NTOEM: "If you're a boater or beachgoer, local or visitor, this is strongly recommended to ensure you're not surprised by storms th...

  The Neptune Senior Center will hold a drive-by food drive on Wednesday, May 26, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the center, 1607 Corlies Ave. The drive is in collaboration with  Fulfill  food bank in support of "Communities of Strength," the month of May's national theme for older Americans. Monetary donations are welcome.

  The Stone Pony's Summer Stage seen at sunset in this file photo from 2018. (The Gazette of Really Small News) What's this Tuesday's must-do on the to-do list? Get tickets to live shows at the Stone Pony! After more than a year-long pandemic-forced hiatus, bands return to the legendary Asbury Park site on Memorial Day Weekend, with The Nerds on Saturday, May 29, and Waiting on Mongo on Sunday, May 30. Both bands will play the Stone Pony South Side.  Summer Stage season kicks off Thursday, August 5, with Billy Strings. Jason Mraz plays the Summer Stage on Saturday, August 14. Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes will perform there Saturday, September 4. Other bands slated to appear on the Summer Stage include Almost Queen, Primus, Blackberry Smoke/Allman Betts Band, Deftones, and Yacht Rock Revue.   Click here  for the complete schedule. You can order tickets  here. The Stone Pony is at 913 Ocean Avenue in Asbury Park, across from the boardwalk and in sight of ...

  Small dog Yappy Hour at  The  Wonder Bar  in Asbury Park starts at 4 p.m. And yes, really: small dogs only. Wonder Bar is at 1213 Ocean Ave., across the street from the boardwalk and in view of Convention Hall. Dogs must be neutered and have a current rabies tag or dog license, and owners are asked to please be diligent about watching their dog's behavior. For more info, check out the  Wonder Bar Yappy Hour   page on Facebook.

  You vote. You see your town in the news. But have you really seen your local leaders in action--and what it takes to keep a town running? Tonight's your chance. The Neptune Township Committee holds its regular public meeting at 7 this evening at the municipal complex, 25 Neptune Boulevard. The meeting will be preceded by a workshop meeting at 6. There is no public participation during workshop meetings, but the public can step up to the mic at the end of the 7 p.m. meeting or during segments that require public input. It depends on the agenda. Tonight's agenda contains first readings and final readings of ordinances (local laws) for a variety of nuts-and-bolts municipal business.  Among the final readings are a $400,000 bond ordinance for road reconstruction and drainage improvements to Myrtle Avenue, and an ordinance for appropriating $380,000 for improvements to township parks (including developing South Riverside Park and installing playgrounds and parks equipment at Brad...

  The carnival has come to Asbury Park in time to kick off Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer. Now through Memorial Day, Monday, May 31, you can catch up with Campy's Blue Star Amusements at Bradley Park, across the street from Convention Hall.  Hours are Monday through Friday, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., and Saturday and Sunday, 1 p.m. to 10 p.m. Tickets are $10 each. Rides require from four to eight tickets.

  Heading for the beach today? The National Weather Service has a bit of advice for you: "Stay out of the surf." A high risk of dangerous rip currents combined with beaches that aren't staffed with lifeguards and the water temperatures in 60s -- which the NWS describes as "quite chilly" -- are a potentially lethal mix. "Rip currents can sweep even the best swimmers away from shore and into deeper water," the NWS said in a daily statement. Also, time spent cold in 60-desgree water can make swimming itself difficult. The  National Center for Cold Water Safety   calls water between 70F and 60F "dangerous," saying, "Controlling your breathing and holding your breath becomes progressively more difficult as water temperature falls from 70 [degrees] to 60 [degrees]." If caught in a rip current, don't swim against the current but relax and float, the NWS says. If possible, swim in a direction following the shoreline. The NWS expects the...

 You can view the Monmouth County Historical Association's collections online free of charge 24/7. The eMuseum includes county-connected paintings, historical clothing, furniture, and everyday objects like toys and boxes. Click here  to begin your visit with history.

Photo from August 3, 2020, of a bike abandoned along Wesley Lake in Asbury Park. (File Photo/The Gazette of Really Small News) Worried about your bike being stolen? Or worse: not getting it back? The Neptune Township Police Department says registering your bike with them could help return it to you if it ever does fall prey to sticky fingers. Officers frequently recover bikes but often are unable to locate the owners, the department said in a post on social media. The secure online registry will allow police in Neptune and surrounding towns to identify and return bikes that are in the possession of a suspect or that have been abandoned. Registration is voluntary and can be done  here.   Owners are also encouraged to photograph their bike's serial number, and to save receipts or other documented proof of ownership.  Meanwhile, Neptune police suggest preventing theft by keeping your bike indoors. If you can't keep it indoors, you should keep it in a well-lit area, secured w...

Tighten your table umbrellas. Experts say we have a 60-percent chance of another above-normal  hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) foresees what it calls "a likely range" of between 13 and 21 named storms, with six to 10 turning into hurricanes--and three to five of those becoming major hurricanes with winds greater than 111 m.p.h. The amount and severity of the activity depends on several factors, according to Matthew Rosencrans, lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. These factors include warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic the Caribbean, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds, and an enhanced west African monsoon. The hurricane season starts June 1 and lasts through November 30, but experts are tracking a system, northeast of Bermuda, that could develop into the first named storm of the season. Despite the chance of an above-normal hurricane season, NOAA said ...

Monmouth County will hold a special Pfizer Covid-19 vaccination clinic at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, for young people between the ages of 12 and 18 on Saturday, May 22, from 8 a.m. until noon. The clinic is open to those who live/go to school/work in the county. Appointments may be made on  the county's website . Minors must be accompanied to their appointment by an adult.

Today marks the start of Rip Current Awareness and Beach Safety Week. It comes days after the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) launched the first rip current forecast model designed to do just that: predict rip currents. The model can predict the probability of rip currents by the hour up to six days out. Forecasters previously could predict rip currents on a large section of the ocean only a day or two in advance, according to Gregory Dusek, the NOAA scientist who developed the model. "The earlier prediction has potential to substantially increase awareness and reduce drownings," Dusek said in a release on NOAA's National Ocean Service website. On average, rip currents cause around 100 deaths in the United States every year, Dusek said. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), in  2020,  four deaths in New Jersey's surf zone  were associated with rip and other currents. So far in 2021, rip currents have caused five deaths in the surf zon...

Today is National Dog Rescue Day! A mammoth THANK YOU!!! to The Wonder Bar for helping to find homes for shelter and rescue pups. From 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. today their popular  Yappy Hour  will feature pups from Husky House , a rescue and shelter for stray, abandoned, and unwanted animals in the tri-state area. The event also will raise funds for the rescue, which is in Matawan. The Wonder Bar  is at 1213 Ocean Ave. in Asbury Park, across the street from the boardwalk and Convention Hall. Telephone is 732-455-3767. For more info, email debbiedelisa@hotmail.com

 Not sure what to do in your spare time? We've got a couple of suggestions. For starters, try ZUMBA in outdoor classes at the Gables School tennis courts. Sessions start Tuesday, June 1, and will be held Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6:15 p.m. to 7:15 p.m., and Saturdays at 9 a.m. Each session is $5 per person. Bring water and sunglasses. Walk-ins are welcome, but you can register  here   The Gables School is located at 1 Gables Court, and the classes are sponsored by Neptune Township.  Then there's daily YOGA with Steven Russell of Becoming Sound, which we found by way of the  Monmouth County Library. The free, half-hour sessions are viewable  here  .

Do you have a child age 12 or older in the Neptune Township school system? You might be able to get them an appointment to receive the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine at Neptune High School on Tuesday, May 25. Reservations are going fast and can be made  here . Pfizer's vaccine is currently the only one approved for minors ages 12 and up. Neptune High School is at 55 Neptune Blvd., near the intersection of Neptune Boulevard and State Highway 33 West.

Time to plan for the weekend! Not sure what to do? Here are some suggestions: GET TICKETS to Spamalot , Monty Python's lusty skewering of the King Arthur legends, now entering its final weekend at the Spring Lake Theatre Company, 300 Madison Avenue, Spring Lake. Dates are May 21, 22, and 23. For information or  reservations, call the box office at 732-449-4530.  TAKE a walk. TAKE  a hike. TAKE PICTURES!!! May is National Photography Month. Whatever you do, wherever you are, even if you're in the parlor, get out the camera. If you take pictures at one of the Monmouth County parks, you can even see if the county will include one of them in a photography exhibition at Deep Cut Gardens or the Manasquan Reservoir. Details and entry forms are  here.  Good luck! PREPARE for hurricane season, which starts Tuesday, June 1.  Not sure where to begin? The National Weather Service has a site devoted to the topic  here.   EAT. And drink. Local bars and eateries...

Sunset gilds the air over tents around the Great Auditorium in Ocean Grove. Summer residents have begun to settle in for the season.

The Spring Lake Theatre Company will hold open auditions for the 1934 Cole Porter musical "Anything Goes" Thursday, May 20, and Monday, May 24 at 7 p.m. at the Spring Lake Community House & Theatre, 300 Madison Avenue. An accompanist will be provided. If you're going to audition, the company asks that you prepare between 16 and 32 bars of a selection from the golden age of musical theater (bring the sheet music), and be prepared to change into dance attire for the dance audition. You should also expect to be "carded." Not for drinking. For full vaccination against COVID-19.  "You need to be fully vaccinated to audition," the company said in its audition notice, adding, "Please make sure to bring your vaccination card." Performance dates are July 15, 16, 17, 18, 22, 23, 24, and 25. For more information, call the theater at 732-449-4530, or email info@springlaketheatre.com The Spring Lake Theatre Company's current production of Spamalot...

Small dog Yappy Hour at The  Wonder Bar  in Asbury Park starts at 4 p.m. And yes, really: small dogs only this time. Wonder Bar is at 1213 Ocean Ave., across the street from the boardwalk and in view of Convention Hall. Dogs must be neutered and have a current rabies tag or dog license, and owners are asked to please be diligent about watching their dog's behavior. For more info, check out the  Wonder Bar Yappy Hour   page on Facebook.

What looks like a cliff face is really part of a sand dune, next to the Ocean Grove boardwalk, that's been eroded by a combination of weather, high wind, and high tide. (Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of Really Small News)

Neptune Township will hold a free rabies clinic for dogs and cats on Saturday, June 12, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Neptune Public Works, 2201 Heck Ave. At the same time, the township will also accept pet license renewals. Please bring the renewal letter and payment for the license. The township stipulates that animals brought to the clinic must be healthy and can be safely restrained by owners. Also, owners must wear a mask at all times and practice social distancing. Gloves, masks, and hand sanitizer will be available. For more information, contact the township's vital statistics office at 732-988-5200 ext. 223.

May 28 is the last day to register for "Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs," Neptune Township's fishing contest for children and adults. The event will take place from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, June 5, rain or shine, at the Hamilton Fire Company pond, 10 Jumping Brook Road. Prizes will be awarded for the three longest fish caught by youth participants. The township asks all participants to wear face masks. Children under 12 must be accompanied by an adult. Participation is free but registration is required and can be done  online  For more information, call Neptune Recreation at 732-869-1202.

  Mama fox keeps watch as a growing kit snuggles up in the sand at Ocean Grove's north end. The foxes are part of a family that have been using the space beneath the site of the North End Pavilion, which burned down in April 2019 and has yet to be replaced. The site is enclosed by chain link fencing on which authorities have posted signs warning against feeding "wildlife." (Photo: Gev Sweeney/The Gazette of Really Small News)