Get 'Broadway Bound' at Library Music Performance

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players coming to Toms River on May 12

Locals are invited to get "Broadway Bound" during a free chamber music performance at Toms River's Ocean County Library branch on Sunday, May 12.  Members of the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra Chamber Players will make a stop at the library, located at 101 Washington St., for a 2 p.m. performance.  The program will feature music from American composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein’s musical "West Side Story," in addition to other Broadway songs arranged for string quartet and well-known classical pieces, according to the symphony.  NJSO violinists James Tsao and Rebekah Johnson, violist Martin Andersen and Assistant Principal Cellist Stephen Fang are scheduled to perform.  Registration for the free program is required and can be completed…

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Toms River Marine Details Trials of Combat in New Book

"Memoirs of an Outlaw: Life in the Sandbox" took Robert Tanner seven years to complete

After years of service in the U.S. Marines, Robert Tanner needed to release some steam. The Toms River native was an infantryman with the Delta Company Outlaws and joined the Marine Corps on a difficult day — he reported to boot camp on Sept. 11, 2001.  After all he experienced, serving in Iraq and around the world, losing his brothers in battle, Tanner returned home and needed to find a way to cope with what he'd been through. So, on the advice of friends, he began writing.  "At first, I never thought it would actually help," said Tanner, 32, who still lives in Toms River with his wife. "But, as I began writing, I could feel a weight taken off my shoulder. Not only did it help me relieve the anxiety I was experiencing but it was great …

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Book Explores Toms River's Toxic History With Industrial Pollution

Author Dan Fagin spoke with Toms River Patch about his book chronicling a dark time in the township's history

Toms River may not seem like a prime example of a town struggling with industrial pollution.  But, over 60 years ago, the Jersey Shore town became home to Ciba-Geigy's chemical plant. In 1971, industrial waste was dumped at the nearby Reich Farm. Both were labeled as Superfund sites, believed to have caused increased instances of cancer in township children.  "The town itself is a town like so many others," said Dan Fagin, who explores the township's dark history with pollution and its health effects in his new book, "Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation." Fagin will discuss the recently released book, and its highly anticipated account of Ciba-Geigy's decades-long impact on Toms River, when he appears at the Toms River branch of …

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Month of the Irish

PHOTOS: 40th St. Patrick's Day Parade in Belmar

Gallery of parade-goers and paraders from today's parade

The parade is over, but the Irish pride and fun continue late into tonight. The 40th annual Belmar Lake Como St. Patrick's Day Parade was cause for plenty of celebration, and we've compiled some photos and video of the parade route. Check out images of the pipes and drums, marching bands, Sons of the Sheleighleigh, fire trucks and floats in the parade, as well as the throngs of parade-goers lining the curb and sidewalk down Main Street. Stay informed of the latest Manasquan-Belmar area news by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter and subscribing to our newsletter.

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Month of the Irish

Belmar Readies for 40th St. Patrick's Day Parade

Sunday parade, but events all weekend to celebrate Irish pride

Now in it's 40th year, the Belmar Lake Como St. Patrick's Day Parade has had plenty of practice getting ready: painting a green stripe down the parade route, approving street vendors, coordinating police presence as thousands of paradegoers swell into Belmar. But while this year's parade features many of the familiar signs of Irish pride and celebration the festivities are known state-wide for, this year also meant readying a borough dramatically impacted by Hurricane Sandy. And despite the continued rebuilding of the borough's waterfronts, boardwalk and infrastructure, Belmar declared it was ready in a special event where the public was invited to cheer staff as they painted the center green stripe down Main Street Friday. Among the …

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Library Accepting Student Films for April Festival

Films must be submitted by March 20

Original film productions from high school and college students are being accepted by the Ocean County Library for its upcoming 2013 Student Film Festival.  Works submitted will be shown at a red carpet event at Toms River's library branch at 6 p.m. on Saturday, April 27, according to a statement. Films — which can be in the categories of animation, commercial, documentary, full feature, news, sports short, public service announcement, short feature, experimental, and music video — must be submitted by March 20 and can be no longer than 20 minutes.  "The festival’s judging panel is comprised of film media educators, artists, librarians and various film industry enthusiasts," the library said in a statement. "Judging criteria is based on …

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Local Theater Company Plans Benefit to Aid Hurricane Sandy Victims

Show Scheduled for Saturday February 9 at OCC

A theater company formed to bring the arts to the local area will raise funds for Hurricane Sandy relief efforts with their production of Broadway For The Beach 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 9 at the Ocean County Arts and Cultural Center on the Ocean County College Campus in Toms River. "We wanted to do something easy and give people a good escape and fun night out," said show producer Sean Openshaw. "Art is an escape for people where they can forget about their troubles for one-and-a-half hours." Twenty-four Exit 82 Theatre Company members, ages 17 to 35, and other local performers will perform two acts of show tunes, some solo pieces and some full-on dance numbers, according to Openshaw.  "The storm impacted so many in the community in so many …

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Algonquin Concert Jan. 5 to Help Rebuild Manasquan

Line-up features variety of musical acts for "A New Day"

Rising above the devastation; it's a new day — that's the mentality behind a concert Jan. 5 to aid Manasquan. Every ticket dollar will translate to rebuilding efforts for Manasquan. The "Manasquan: A New Day" concert is scheduled for Jan. 5 and will donate all ticket and ad sales to rebuilding Manasquan. "The people of Manasquan have chosen not to allow ourselves stay down, but rather rise above and rebuild for a new day. We’ve pulled ourselves up by our bootstraps to get ready for a new year and a better future,” said Manasquan Mayor George Dempsey in a prepared statement. The 8 p.m. concert is at the Algonquin Arts Theatre, working in conjunction with the Borough of Manasquan. The proceeds specifically go toward the “Manasquan Hurricane …

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Hurricane Sandy

Ocean County Charities to Receive Nearly $2 Million From Robin Hood Foundation

121212 Concert beneficiary connected with county services through county's social services department, OceanFirst Foundation

Ocean County charity organizations are slated to receive a combined $1.9 million in aid from the Robin Hood Foundation to help their efforts assisting victims of Hurricane Sandy. The Robin Hood Foundation is the beneficiary of donations from Wednesday night's 12.12.12 Concert for Sandy Relief. At Wednesday's preboard meeting of the Ocean County Board of Freeholders, Freeholder Director Gerry P. Little said the New York-based foundation has awarded grants to a variety of county organizations, from Hometown Heroes to O.C.E.A.N. Inc. to Homes for All, from the FoodBank of Monmouth and Ocean Counties to Community Services, which delivers hot meals and a variety of services to senior citizens. "Right after the storm, the Ocean First Foundation …

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jasper

1:10 pm on Friday, February 22, 2013

right on!!!!!!   more ›

Music's Biggest Names Come Together for Sandy Relief

The lineup for tonight's 12-12-12 concert features Bruce Springsteen, The Rolling Stones, Paul McCartney, Roger Waters, The Who, Kanye West, Dave Grohl, Bon Jovi and more.

One of the most prestigious pop music lineups ever assembled is slated to perform for a Hurricane Sandy benefit concert Wednesday at Madison Square Garden in New York City. Called the 12-12-12 Concert for Sandy Relief, the long-sold out benefit show features a lineup that includes Jersey Shore rock stalwarts Bruce Springsteen and Jon Bon Jovi. Proceeds from ticket sales and donations will benefit the Robin Hood Relief Fund, which has distributed approximately $10.5 million in grants to more than 100 different Hurricane Sandy-related groups. Springsteen and Bon Jovi are being joined by Eric Clapton, Dave Grohl of the Foo Fighters, Billy Joel, Alicia Keys, Chris Martin of Coldplay, Eddie Vedder, Roger Waters, Kanye West, the Who, Paul …

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