Art Murphy, at far right, high-fives running mate Mike DuPont on their re-elections to the council in 2009. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
By JOHN T. WARD
Red Bank Council President Art Murphy plans to resign next week, according to a published report.
Murphy told Art Gallagher of More Monmouth Musings that he’ll make it official at next Wednesday’s council meeting, and that he won’t stand for re-election in November.
Murphy’s departure creates an opening for borough Republicans to take control of the governing body.
A video posted on YouTube shows Red Bank Council President Art Murphy deriding the customers of the former Lucky Break Billiards at a party. Below, Murphy and Lucky Break partner James Hertler square off at a November, 2013 council meeting. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
[Update: Within 25 minutes of this article’s posting, the YouTube video had been removed, but a redbankgreen reader sent us a downloaded version, posted above.]
By JOHN T. WARD
A video posted on YouTube Monday shows Red Bank Council President Art Murphy mocking the customers of a now-closed billiards hall as “hippie mother****ers dying for a ****ing quarter” who wouldn’t pay for parking, leading to the demise of the business.
“They don’t want to put the money in the meter,” Murphy insists to a group of young men surrounding him at a social event. The business, Lucky Break Billiards, would still be ****ing open” if the clientele had more money, he insists to one.
Murphy called the YouTube posting evidence of “a cynical world.” James Hertler, a Lucky Break partner who alleges local officials forced him out of business, said it shows a “command performance” by Murphy.
Jeff Regen, a partner in Lucky Break Billiards and Café, gets ready for some eight-ball. The gaming parlor, with five pool tables and a shuffleboard table, opens to the public Saturday night. Lucky Break is at 14 West Front Street in Red Bank. (Click to enlarge)
Though no exterior changes are planned, Lucky Break Billiards will feature 19th-century decorative touches inside, the owners say. (Click to enlarge)
By JOHN T. WARD
A billiards parlor that serves coffee and desserts to players could be open in downtown Red Bank by December, the owners say.
Borough resident James Hertler and a partner in Lucky Break Billiards racked up quick, unanimous approval from the town’s zoning board Thursday night for a use of the storefront at 14 West Front Street that’s not otherwise permitted.
Also approved: the conversion, over the objection of neighbors, of a building on Wallace Street back to the two-family residence it had been for more than a century before the same board allowed office use four years ago.
The prospective tenant of a West Front Street storefront that’s been vacant for more than three years is proposing to create a pool hall there, redbankgreen has learned.
The mayor says entertainment ventures could help fill empty storefronts. Above, two long-time vacant spaces on West Front Street. (Click to enlarge)
Citing a surplus of vacant storefronts and not enough for visitors to do after-hours, Red Bank Mayor Pasquale Menna on Monday called for law changes to allow more nightlife attractions downtown.
Menna got the ball rolling on what he said would be a process to come up with zoning changes to allow such ventures as billiards parlors, small movie theaters, and places offering “digital entertainment” in the district.
“People say, ‘we love coming to Red Bank, but after we have dinner and drinks, we want to do more,'” he said.
Art Murphy, at far right, high-fives running mate Mike DuPont on their re-elections to the council in 2009. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)
Red Bank Council President Art Murphy plans to resign next week, according to a published report.
This edition of 
