42°F clear sky

RED BANK: TRIAL BIKE LANES ASSESSED

Cyclists gathered at Canal Street and Hudson Avenue, above, and pedaling along East Bergen Place, at right, during the Red Bank Porchfest townwide music festival Sunday. 

In addition to numerous pedestrians moving from stage to stage, the event appeared to bring out several hundred cyclists, many of whom used temporary bike lanes set up with assistance from the transportation nonprofit EZ Ride to get around town.

Earlier this week, redbankgreen did an email Q&A about the experiment with Councilwoman Nancy Facey-Blackwood, who helped coordinate the temporary lanes. Below are excerpts.

More →

RED BANK: YOUR GUIDE TO PORCHFEST II

Chamber music, metal, “stoner folk,” jazz, a bit of standup comedy and more: Red Bank’s second annual Porchfest townwide music festival promises a cornucopia of melody Sunday.

But who’s playing, when and where? Here’s a handy guide to help you plan an itinerary.

More →

RED BANK: BIKE LANES SET FOR PORCHFEST

Red Bank’s second annual Porchfest townwide music festival is shaping up to be bigger than the first, organizers said last week.

To encourage attendees to bike between the more two dozen “stages,” this year’s event will feature temporary bike lanes. 

More →

RED BANK: TREE REMOVALS AT ISSUE

A view down South Street on August 3, above, and a century-old tree being removed Monday. (Photos by John T. Ward, above, and Kenny Katzgrau.  Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

The abrupt removal of nine trees along South Street in Red Bank this week was “unavoidable,” according to interim borough Manager Darren McConnell.

Residents, though, said they were in the dark about the plan until it was too late to change it.

More →

RED BANK: COUNCIL ADDS ACCESS HOURS

Couuncilmembers Nancy Facey-Blackwood and Ben Forest inaugurated the council access time at the Senior Center last week.

Expanding a program launched last week, Red Bank’s borough council has added evening hours, during which residents can buttonhole an elected official with concerns, questions and suggestions.

More →

RED BANK: NOVEMBER ELECTIONS ADVANCE

Municipal elections would revert to a November schedule if approved by the council later this month. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topicTwo months after their victory in the May 9 election, Red Bank’s new mayor and council moved to restore future elections to November Thursday night.

At its first regular meeting, the freshly reorganized government also “spitballed” a suggestion to add a social worker to the police department.

More →

RED BANK: LOTTERY SETS NEW COUNCIL TERMS

Councilwoman and Deputy Mayor Kate Triggiano at Thursday’s meeting. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topicTwo key drivers of the overhaul of Red Bank’s government that began this week will get to serve on the borough council for four years, following a lottery held Thursday night.

Councilmembers Kate Triggiano and Nancy Facey-Blackwood drew terms twice as long as their four council colleagues.

More →

RED BANK: PLASTIC FILM PICKUPS CONTINUE

Though a vendor contract ended eight months ago, Red Bank’s public utilities department is continuing to collect plastic film waste for recycling, said Councilperson Nancy Facey-Blackwood.

That means Wednesday morning’s monthly pickup is still on, she told redbankgreen Saturday.

More →

RED BANK: NEW GOVERNMENT TAKES OFFICE

Mayor Billy Portman with Governor Phil Murphy at the ceremony. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topicNew Jersey Governor Phil Murphy helped launch a new era in Red Bank government, swearing in Billy Portman for his first full term as mayor Saturday.

At an open-air ceremony held outside borough hall, Murphy also mildly roasted Councilwoman Kate Triggiano, the local Democratic party chair who helped engineer the change.

More →

RED BANK: ROSI LISTING RUSHED THROUGH

An aerial view of the Red Bank Senior Center property, located at 80 Shrewsbury Avenue. (Photo from Google Maps. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njFollowing what one critic called “the old switcheroo,” Red Bank’s soon-to-be-unseated council pushed through a measure to include the Senior Center property in a state conservation program Wednesday night.

The 11th-hour, unadvertised move was opposed by Mayor Billy Portman and at least four members of the council that’s slated to take office July 1, setting the stage for possible reversal.

More →

RED BANK: PORTMAN ‘LISTENING’ TO MANDATE

Mayor Billy Portman meeting with a borough resident during his weekly open hours Monday night. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

hot topic red bank njComing off a slam-dunk win in the May 9 election, Red Bank Mayor Billy Portman says he and his council running mates are gearing up to use the ‘mandate’ given them by voters.

That includes setting new priorities, he told redbankgreen in an interview Monday night.

More →

RED BANK: PORTMAN SLATE’S WIN OFFICIAL

Incumbents Billy Portman and Kate Triggiano led a slate that swept all seven offices on the ballot. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

It’s official: incumbent mayor Billy Portman won re-election with nearly 61 percent of the vote in Red Bank’s May 9 election.

Borough Clerk Laura Reinertsen certified the win by Portman and his Red Bank’s Ready slate of council candidates Wednesday.

Riverview Medical Center President Tim Hogan garnered just 38.5 percent of the vote, marking Portman’s third consecutive victory since getting into politics 13 months ago.

More →

RED BANK: PORTMAN SLATE SWEEPS RACES

Billy Portman, with mic, and the Red Bank’s Ready slate celebrating victory at Triumph Brewing Company. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

By JOHN T. WARD

Incumbent mayor Billy Portman and his slate of council candidates sailed to victory in Red Bank’s history-making election Tuesday.

Portman’s “Red Bank’s Ready” team met little resistance, crushing a lineup led by Riverview Medical Center President Tim Hogan, as well as a council bid by independent candidate Suzanne Viscomi.

More →

RED BANK: WHO TO VOTE FOR? THIS MAY HELP

Thirteen candidates for Red Bank council, and two for mayor, crowd the May 9 ballot. (Photos by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

See UPDATE below

With a record 15 candidates to select for seven seats in the historic May 9 election, Red Bank voters may feel a bit like they’re looking at the menu of a Jersey diner: overwhelmed.

So to help voters decide who they want to establish a new form of government July 1, redbankgreen invited all 13 council candidates and both mayoral contenders to offer information about themselves and their positions in written Q&As.

More →

RED BANK: VISCOMI Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Suzanne Viscomi. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Suzanne Viscomi said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: FACEY-BLACKWOOD Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Nancy Facey-Blackwood. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Nancy Facey-Blackwood said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: MURPHY Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Sean Murphy. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Sean Murphy said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: HOGAN Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank mayoral candidate Tim Hogan. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have two candidates to choose from when they elect a new mayor May 9.

Here’s what candidate Tim Hogan said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: JACKSON Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate John Jackson. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate John Jackson said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: FOREST Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Ben Forest. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Ben Forest said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: JANNONE Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Laura Jannone. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Laura Jannone said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: TRIGGIANO Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank council candidate Kate Triggiano. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have 13 candidates to choose from when they elect six council members May 9.

Here’s what candidate Kate Triggiano said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →

RED BANK: PORTMAN Q&A

On the ballot May 9: Red Bank mayoral candidate Billy Portman. (Photo by John T. Ward. Click to enlarge.)

Red Bank voters will have two candidates to choose from when they elect a new mayor May 9.

Here’s what candidate Billy Portman said in response to a questionnaire sent to all by redbankgreen.

More →