75°F clear sky

RED BANK: YO, ELF, WHAT’S THE OUTLOOK?

Bringing his annual dose of Christmas merriment, the Saxum Elf kept watch over the intersection of Broad and Front streets in downtown Red Bank Thursday.

The elf, who moves around throughout the holiday season as part of a downtown scavenger hunt, might also keep an eye on the sky, with an outdoor Christmas show by the Wag slated for Saturday evening in Riverside Gardens Park.

According to the to the National Weather Service, the forcast calls for sunshine Friday; rain and wind Saturday, but with skies clearing by evening; and sunshine returning Sunday. Check out the extended forecast below. (Reader photo. Click to enlarge.)

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RED BANK: SOME VOTERS HAD OTHER IDEAS

 Five voters wanted former Republican Mayor Mike Arnone, seen here in 2015, back in office. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Billy Portman may have been the only candidate on the ballot to succeed Pasquale Menna as Red Bank mayor in this month’s election, but 94 voters had other ideas, according to data released by the Monmouth County Clerk Tuesday.

Among the non-candidates receiving write-in votes were two former mayors, a rock guitarist and a recent Red Bank Regional High School graduate.

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RED BANK: HOLIDAY CHEER & ‘BUCKS’ IN KICKOFF



red bank nj holiday express light-up concertThe 30th edition of a dazzling Red Bank event, and the first of one helping local businesses compete, kick off the Christmas season Friday and Saturday.

Here’s what you need to know. More →

RED BANK: MIRANDI & JACKSON CLINCH SEATS

Democrats Angela Mirandi and John Jackson at the West Side Community Group candidate’s forum last month. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

As it appeared on election night, Red Bank voters elected Democrat Angela Mirandi and running mate John Jackson to the borough council last earlier this month, according to completed tallies.

Voters also overwhelmingly approved a referendum to change the town’s form of government and election process, and elected political newcomer Billy Portman to succeed Pasquale Menna as mayor, official results posted by the Monmouth County Clerk Monday showed.

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RED BANK: VOTERS FAVOR DEMS… AND CHANGE

Democrats Angela Mirandi and John Jackson at Jackson’s home Tuesday night. (Photo from John Jackson. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank voters appeared to have stuck with Democrats in Tuesday’s election – while also clamoring for both a new form of governance and a wider field of future candidates.

As of midnight, incumbent Democrat Angela Mirandi and running mate John Jackson held strong leads in the race for two council seats, with an unspecified number of mail-in ballots yet to be counted.

At the same time, voters overwhelmingly approved a referendum to overhaul the town’s form of government, and elected as mayor political newcomer Billy Portman, who ran unopposed on a platform pushing for the history-making changes.

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RED BANK: GOP ATTACKS AT RACE’S END

The council candidates, clockwise from top center, are Mark Taylor, John Jackson, Jonathan Maciel Penney and Angela Mirandi. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

See UPDATE below

By JOHN T. WARD

Republicans went on the offensive in the closing days of the race for two seats on the Red Bank council, to be decided in Tuesday’s election.

GOP mailings included some unexpected characterizations: that their opponents are “MAGA” Democrats who “participated in a Trump-like scheme to overturn” the results of the Democratic primary in June.

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RED BANK: HALLOWEEN PARADE SHINES

Kissed by sunshine and warm weather, the 74th annual Red Bank Halloween Parade drew hundreds of costumed celebrants for a joyful march down Broad Street Sunday.

Check out redbankgreen‘s photos from the parade below. 

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RED BANK: MIRANDI Q&A

Council candidate Angela Mirandi. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

In the November 8 election, Red Bank voters will pick three members of the municipal government –  the mayor and two council members – for terms that begin January 1.

But the winners may be in office for only six months, depending on the outcome of a ballot referendum on whether to change the town’s form of government. Adoption would trigger another election in May, 2023, for mayor and all six council seats.

To learn their views of the referendum and other issues, redbankgreen recently sent a set of questions to each of the candidates: mayoral contender Billy Portman, who is running unopposed; and council candidates John Jackson, Angela Mirandi, Jonathan Maciel Penney and Mark Taylor.

Here’s what Mirandi had to say.

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RED BANK: PENNEY Q&A

Council candidate Jonathan Maciel Penney. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

In the November 8 election, Red Bank voters will pick three members of the municipal government –  the mayor and two council members – for terms that begin January 1.

But the winners may be in office for only six months, depending on the outcome of a ballot referendum on whether to change the town’s form of government. Adoption would trigger another election in May, 2023, for mayor and all six council seats.

To learn their views of the referendum and other issues, redbankgreen recently sent a set of questions to each of the candidates: mayoral contender Billy Portman, who is running unopposed; and council candidates John Jackson, Angela Mirandi, Jonathan Maciel Penney and Mark Taylor.

Here’s what Penney had to say.

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RED BANK: TAYLOR Q&A

Council candidate Mark Taylor. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

In the November 8 election, Red Bank voters will pick three members of the municipal government –  the mayor and two council members – for terms that begin January 1.

But the winners may be in office for only six months, depending on the outcome of a ballot referendum on whether to change the town’s form of government. Adoption would trigger another election in May, 2023, for mayor and all six council seats.

To learn their views of the referendum and other issues, redbankgreen recently sent a set of questions to each of the candidates: mayoral contender Billy Portman, who is running unopposed; and council candidates John Jackson, Angela Mirandi, Jonathan Maciel Penney and Mark Taylor.

Here’s what Taylor had to say.

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RED BANK: JACKSON Q&A

Council candidate John Jackson. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

In the November 8 election, Red Bank voters will pick three members of the municipal government –  the mayor and two council members – for terms that begin January 1.

But the winners may be in office for only six months, depending on the outcome of a ballot referendum on whether to change the town’s form of government. Adoption would trigger another election in May, 2023, for mayor and all six council seats.

To learn their views of the referendum and other issues, redbankgreen recently sent a set of questions to each of the candidates: mayoral contender Billy Portman, who is running unopposed; and council candidates John Jackson, Angela Mirandi, Jonathan Maciel Penney and Mark Taylor.

Here’s what Jackson had to say.

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RED BANK: PORTMAN Q&A

Mayoral candidate Billy Portman. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

In the November 8 election, Red Bank voters will pick three members of the municipal government –  the mayor and two council members – for terms that begin January 1.

But the winners may be in office for only six months, depending on the outcome of a ballot referendum on whether to change the town’s form of government. Adoption would trigger another election in May, 2023, for mayor and all six council seats.

To learn their views of the referendum and other issues, redbankgreen recently sent a set of questions to each of the candidates: mayoral contender Billy Portman, who is running unopposed; and council candidates John Jackson, Angela Mirandi, Jonathan Maciel Penney and Mark Taylor.

Here’s what Portman had to say.

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RED BANK: HALLOWEEN PARADE POSTPONED

The 74th annual Red Bank Halloween Parade, scheduled for Sunday, has been postponed because of rain in the forecast, the Parks and Rec Department announced Friday afternoon.

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RED BANK: ‘CIVILITY’ ON VOTERS’ MINDS

The event was held in a room at Triumph Brewing Company restaurant. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Civility was top-of-mind for some of the 65 or so Red Bank voters who packed a room for the first of two candidates’ nights held Wednesday.

Following a late change of heart by two candidates, all four contenders for council seats, as well as the lone candidate for mayor in the November 8 election, were present.

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RED BANK: CANDIDATE FACE-OFFS SET

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank voters will get two chances – or one and a half – this week to size up the candidates in the November 8 municipal elections.

Only one will be in-person. And neither will feature all five candidates.

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RED BANK: DEMS TO SKIP ONE OF TWO FORUMS

Democratic council candidates John Jackson and Angela Mirandi at National Night Out in August. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Red Bank’s two Democratic council candidates have decided to skip the traditional West Side Community Group forum scheduled for this month.

Instead, John Jackson and incumbent Angela Mirandi are expected to participate only in a virtual League of Women Voters’ event the same week, a choice their Republican opponents criticized Tuesday.

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RED BANK: SUNSHINE AS SUMMER WINDS DOWN

A wisp of cloud, or maybe a jet’s vapor trail, crossed the sky behind the former church, now an office building, at 211 Broad Street in Red Bank at dawn Monday.

The final few days of summer 2022 will bring sunshine and daytime temperatures in the mid-80s through Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Autumn begins with rain possible Thursday. Check out the extended forecast below. (Photo by John T. Ward.  Click to enlarge.)

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RED BANK: SEPTEMBER 11 EVENTS SLATED

  1. Red Bank-area residents will mark the 21st anniversary of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on America with memorial events Sunday.

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RED BANK: STORMS SPARE REGION

A storm nearing Red Bank from the southwest lit up the sky late Monday, as seen from Madison Avenue shortly after 10 p.m. But most of the Greater Red Bank Green received little or no rain, according to the National Weather Service.

Early risers awoke Tuesday to dense fog, which was expected to vanish by late morning. The NWS outlook for the rest of the day included a chance of light afternoon rain, with otherwise partly sunny skies and temperatures peaking in the high 80s.

Check out the extended forecast below. (Photo by John T. Ward.  Click to enlarge.)

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RED BANK: SUNNY, WITH POSSIBLE BARGAINS

Paint brushes were out for some sprucing-up in downtown Red Bank as temperatures rose to the mid-80s under sunny skies Thursday. 

Friday’s conditions are expected to be a repeat as the 68th annual Sidewalk Sale kicks off a three-day run. Check out the extended National Weather Service forecast below. (Photos by John T. Ward.  Click to enlarge.)

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RED BANK: HOT AND HAZY DAYS AHEAD

Blurred out by heat haze, an umbrella-toting woman crosses Monmouth Street in Red Bank, as seen from Shrewsbury Avenue Tuesday.

It’s about to get hotter and hazier. Wednesday’s temperatures are expected to peak in the high 80s, and Thursday’s feels-like index may get as high as 104, according to the National Weather Service

Check out the extended forecast below. (Photo by John T. Ward.  Click to enlarge.)

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RED BANK: AUGUST MAY GET DAMP START

Sunday’s majestic sunrise over the Navesink River heralded fair weather to close out July on the Greater Red Bank Green.

August, however, begins under partly cloudy skies with a low chance of rain Monday, according to the National Weather Service. Check out the extended forecast below. (Reader photo. Click to enlarge.)

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RED BANK: MUGGY HEAT BLANKETS REGION


With temperatures climbing to the mid-90s, a road crew laid down tons of hot asphalt to repave Broad Street in Red Bank Tuesday.

The workers hope to complete the job, part of an eight-month streetscape makeover from Harding Road to Front Street, in coming days. In the process, they’ll be contending with heat values as high as 105, according to the National Weather Service

The muggy heat and humidity are expected to linger, with a heat advisory in effect for most of Wednesday and daytime peaks in the 90s through the weekend. Check out the extended forecast below. (redbankgreen photos.  Click to enlarge.)

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RED BANK: PORTMAN READY FOR MAYOR’S MIC

Billy Portman in a scene from the 1994 short film ‘No Time,’ directed by Darren Aronofsky. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

After his mic-drop win in the Red Bank Democratic primary last month, Billy Portman enters the general election campaign as – in all likelihood – the first mayoral candidate in borough history with an IMDB listing and a “filthy” rap record on his résumé.

It turns out the 53-year-old building contractor/cover-band singer has had a long involvement in comedy and films, too.

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