BASEMENT WATERPROOFING IN Shrewsbury township

RED BANK-SHREWSBURY, NJ — There is no shortage of things to do in the Red Bank and Shrewsbury area to get the winter holiday season off to a rollicking good start.

Christmas and Hanukkah, the eight-day Jewish festival of lights, intersect this year, with Hanukkah running Dec. 18-26. Christmas, of course, is on Dec. 25, but you don’t have to wait to start taking in all the sights and sounds of the holidays.

Holiday tree and menorah lightings in the Red Bank and Shrewsbury area include:

Red Bank: Westside Tree Lighting is Friday, Dec. 9, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Johnny Jazz Park Friday, There will a be a special visit from the North Pole, too. The park is at 270 Shrewsbury Ave. Contact: 732-530-2782 or email Parks and Recreation.

Red Bank: T. Thomas Fortune Cultural Center Holiday Bazaar, Dec. 4, 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., 94 Drs. James Parker Blvd., Red Bank. Stained glass artist Ras Scott; free crafts class; light refreshments; free admission. Vendor tables are $25. Email [email protected] to reserve vendor space.

Red Bank: Various holiday events kicked off Friday, Nov. 25, but you can enjoy them all season long. The Red Bank Christmas tree in Riverside Gardens Park makes for a pretty photo op, and the borough thanks the Ortiz Family for the donation. Holiday Harmonies will be in town through Dec. 18. Nov. 27 look for Holiday Mannequins. Visit redbank.org for more information on downtown events.

Shrewsbury: Shrewsbury Borough was to have its 14th annual tree lighting, Saturday, Nov. 26, at 4 p.m. at Borough Hall. The menorah lighting is Dec. 20. Socks are being collected for Holiday Express.

Holiday lighting displays are another holiday favorite. Some to catch in Monmouth County are:

In Holmdel:PNC Bank Arts Center: Magic of Lights show through Dec. 30. See website for tickets and times.

In Wall:

Allaire Community Farm: Christmas Light Spectacular fundraiser for a sanctuary farm in Wall. There is also a large dreidel display this year. Take in the twinkling lights surrounding the farm as seen from our tractor-pulled holiday wagon as you spend the evening with family and friends. Tickets are $17 for anyone over age 2 and must be purchased online. No walks ups will be accepted. Christmas plants, baked goods, hot chocolate, hot cider and more will also be available for purchase inside the market; 1923 Baileys Corner Road, Wall.

More holiday tips:

Look here for suggestions for nearby places to visit Santa. And check out this Patch story to see where to get fresh Christmas trees.

A bond referendum Thursday, Oct. 6, asks residents to consider a $22.5 million capital improvement plan for the Shrewsbury Borough School.

SHREWSBURY, NJ — The Shrewsbury Board of Education is reminding residents to vote on Thursday, Oct. 6, in a bond referendum that, if approved, would fund safety and security upgrades, "critical maintenance" and an addition to Shrewsbury Borough School.

Voter approval also means the state would pay approximately 21 percent of the project costs, bringing back to Shrewsbury money that residents have already paid to the state through taxes. the school district explained in a statement to the public.

The Shrewsbury Borough School District earlier this month hosted several in-person and virtual meetings, including a tour of the school, to learn about projects that would be funded by the Oct. 6 bond referendum.

Now voters will consider one ballot question to provide funding for these projects.

Voter approval of the bond referendum would give the school district a "strong, financially smart path to enhance security, maintain the school’s small class sizes, and expand the school’s pre-Kindergarten program to eliminate the long waitlist and generate revenue for the district," the district said in the news release.

“My husband and I bought our home in Shrewsbury in 2006 and have been proud residents ever since,” said Board of Education President Jessica Groom. “I care deeply about SBS and want to see the children of Shrewsbury thrive in a building that is secure, well-maintained, and has adequate space for them to learn and grow. As a Board of Education, we analyzed multiple options and are confident a bond referendum provides the smartest financial path for preserving and enhancing our school.”

Residents can vote at their regular polling location on Oct. 6 from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.:

Visit the state’s polling place search and use your home address to determine your polling location. Those voting by mail must mail their ballot on or before Oct. 6 for it to be counted.

If the bond referendum is approved by the community, the school will be allowed to borrow $22.5 million, with the state covering 21 percent of those project costs, or $4.7 million. This state aid is earmarked for school districts with voter approval, so if Shrewsbury voters don’t approve of the bond referendum, those state tax dollars will go to other schools in New Jersey, the district noted.

For a home assessed at Shrewsbury’s average of $580,785, the net tax impact is estimated to be $44 per month. This is the "net tax impact" because the district will finish paying off debt in 2023 from the last bond referendum and will simultaneously take on new debt if the bond referendum passes. Visit sbs-nj.org/vote for a tax impact calculator and more information.

These funds would be used to pay for:

The addition would include:

“None of these projects are cosmetic upgrades or nice-to-have items,” said board member and Chair of the Board’s Facilities and Finance Committee Chris Jannuzzi. “The plan before the community is critical to preserve and enhance this extremely valuable asset to our town.”

The Board of Education encourages every resident to learn about the bond proposal by visiting sbs-nj.org/vote and sending questions to [email protected].

SHREWSBURY - Sweetgreen, the popular salad chain, is coming to the Jersey Shore.

The restaurant is expected to open its first Monmouth County location this summer at The Grove at Shrewsbury, the lifestyle shopping center on Route 35. With other spots in Hackensack and Jersey City, it will be Sweetgreen's third operation in New Jersey.

"We have always wanted the category at the shopping center," said Chris Cole, managing partner at Metrovation, the Grove's owner. "We've had a lot of requests over the years from people who maybe don't want to sit down at a full-service restaurant, to get in and get something quickly, that's healthy, and go. We thought Sweetgreen was without a doubt the best in that category,"

A spokesperson for Sweetgreen said the company did not have any information to share at this time.

Looking to eat better? Here are 8 area restaurants to try

Sweetgreen is leasing 2,713 square feet, part of what was formerly Victoria's Secret. The remaining is leased to Madison Reed, the hair color and hair care company, and is targeted to open in May.

The new Sweetgreen is one of at least 35 restaurants the company expects to open this year. As of the end of 2021, it had 150 locations in 13 states and Washington, D.C. Founded in 2007 by three college students, it's now the nation's largest salad chain, according to Technomic, a Chicago-based consulting firm.

Its competitors include Saladworks, Chopt and Freshii. Sweetgreen has benefited from the return of workers to offices in late 2021, said Kevin Schimpf, director of industry research and insights at Technomic. Sales have rebounded.

Shrewsbury and Ocean Township:NJ health food market chain Dean's gets new name, new owner but same philosophy

"Prior to the pandemic, there had been lots of growth in this space," Schimpf said. "However, many of these chains have locations in concentrated in urban centers and are highly dependent on lunchtime traffic from office workers, so the pandemic tapered growth to a large extent with so many workers going remote."

Cole said Sweetgreen was a "good choice" for the Grove. "The way they treat their customers in just exceptional. Their brand, the Grove's brand, were really well aligned," he said, noting the Grove's focus on health and fitness.

David P. Willis, an award-winning business writer, has covered business and consumer news at the Asbury Park Press for more than 20 years. He writes APP.com's What's Going There column and can be reached at [email protected]. Join his What's Going There page on Facebook for updates.

14 towns in Monmouth County's 11th Legislative District are collecting items for the Jersey Shore Dream Center's food pantry.

TINTON FALLS, NJ — One of the missions of the Jersey Shore Dream Center in Neptune is to combat hunger and food insecurity, and a food drive has been organized in the 11th Legislative District to help the center's work.

Assemblywomen Kim Eulner and Marilyn Piperno, both R-Monmouth, with offices in Tinton Falls, are partnering with several municipalities in their district to collect food items.

The food drive will run through Oct. 2, with donations scheduled for delivery on Oct. 4 to the Jersey Shore Dream Center. Donations can be dropped off at each municipality's town hall or administration building, the district office says.

"We are thrilled to join efforts with The Jersey Shore Dream Center, whose mission to give hope to the hopeless, food to the hungry, clothes to the needy, and freedoms to those bound by addiction and life-controlling issues is inspiring," the legislators said in a joint statement.

"Food insecurity is an issue plaguing too many families around our district, the state, and the country," they said.

Participating municipalities are: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township and Tinton Falls.

According to Fulfill, the food distribution center that supports Monmouth County food pantries, one in every four or five homes must pay half their income or more just for housing, leaving many to choose between paying for enough food, housing, heat, utilities or medical care in Monmouth or Ocean counties. In 2020 alone, an estimated one in eight Americans were food insecure, equating to over 38 million Americans, including almost 12 million children.

"It is so encouraging to see us all come together for such an important initiative that allows us to say, 'help is on the way' to one more child, a family, or a deserving adult struggling with hunger," Eulner and Piperno said.

Here are items that can be donated:

Assemblywomen Eulner and Piperno represent the 11th Legislative District in New Jersey's General Assembly, comprised of the following municipalities in Monmouth County: Allenhurst, Asbury Park, Colts Neck, Deal, Eatontown, Freehold Borough, Freehold Township, Interlaken, Loch Arbour, Long Branch, Neptune City, Neptune Township, Ocean Township, Red Bank, Shrewsbury Borough, Shrewsbury Township, Tinton Falls, and West Long Branch.

If you require assistance or have any suggestions or ideas to help the district, contact the 11th Legislative District Assembly office at 732-268-8968 or email [email protected].

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Patch is asking municipal candidates to share their views on the issues. Republican Jonathan Maciel Penney presents his ideas.

RED BANK, NJ — Republican Jonathan Maciel Penney is one of four candidates seeking two full-term seats on the Red Bank Borough Council in the Nov. 8 general election.

In these profiles, candidates provide voters with background about themselves and their positions on the issues. Patch will publish individual profiles leading to the election.

In Red Bank, voters also be asked to decide on a referendum to change Red Bank's government to a nonpartisan, Council/Manager form.

Penney said the first priority of his campaign is passage of the referendum as a way to alleviate partisan politics on the Borough Council. He also wants to make the government more inclusive and diverse, he said, noting his Chicano heritage.

Read more from candidate Jonathan Maciel Penney:

Name: Jonathan Maciel Penney

Age: 38

Town of residence: Red Bank

Position sought: Borough Council

Are you an incumbent or previous governing member? No

Party affiliation: Republican

Family: I have a lovely wife, Liza Penney, and a new rescue dog named Eddie

Education: I have B.A. from Northeastern University and a J.D. from Ave Maria School of Law, Fla.

Occupation: In-house counsel for a major insurance company

Name the top issues currently facing your town and how you plan to address them:

Identify one or more specific goals or ideas you have to enhance life in your town:

My primary goal is to assist in creating a new more productive, nonpartisan culture of government here in Red Bank. We need to pass the charter review question first and foremost. Once that happens, people will be more free to focus on issues rather than party affiliation. The time for partisanship is over in Red Bank. Now is the time for leaders who are willing to work with anyone and everyone willing to help make Red Bank a better place to live for its residents.

What in your experience or background prepares you for election to office:

As an attorney of 11 years, I believe I have the requisite professional knowledge to handle the duties of being a member of council. I know what it’s like to work hard on complex issues. I also understand what it is to fight for people of all walks of life and represent them with a voice they may otherwise not have had. That’s what I’m most looking forward to as a member of council.

But on a more personal level, I believe that as someone who grew up a dual-citizen with a multicultural background, I can bring a unique perspective to the Borough Council it has long lacked. I believe my Chicano heritage can serve well the diverse tapestry of residents we have in Red Bank.

Candidates for Red Bank Mayor and Borough Council:

Mayor (Full Term, Vote for One)

Borough Council (Full Term, Vote for Two)

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