🏖️ Jersey Shore Throwback: This week in 1869, President Ulysses S. Grant visited Long Branch with his family for the first time. Grant spent all eight summers of his presidency in Long Branch, making it a popular vacation destination.  He was famous for racing his team of horses at breakneck speed up and down the beach.

In today’s Beyond the County Line, we share that U.S. News ranked 859 New Jersey cities from highest to lowest for this year's Best Places to Retire list. Our crew thinks they need to spend more time in the Garden State. Which Monmouth County location would you pick as the best for retirement? Reply to this email to let us know.

365> Red Bank: The Borough’s Community Energy Plan, which outlines the strategies it will pursue over the coming years to reduce emissions associated with energy, will be presented at the July 22 Planning Board meeting at 7 pm. (Zoom Link)

365> Freehold: Did you recognize Monmouth County grass on the World Cup stage? A 200-acre farm, Rutgers University’s Plant Science Research and Extension Farm that was established in 1962, provided turfgrass for 10 of the 16 North American stadiums in use this summer for the FIFA World Cup. (More)

365> Brielle: Councilman Paul K. Nolan announced his resignation for personal reasons at this month’s council meeting. Nolan, who was reelected in 2024, ran unopposed and would have ended his term in 2027. (More)

365> Hazlet: Mayor Michael Sachs and the Township Committee recognized Lieutenant Joseph Forgione in honor of his retirement from the police force after 25 years of dedicated service. (More)

365> Manasquan: Local restaurateurs Jim and Craig Miller have taken over the iconic beachfront restaurant known as Gee Gee’s, a Jersey Shore staple since the 1960s. (More)

365> Spring Lake Heights: New pickleball courts are now open at Joseph E. Robertson Park, completing a municipal improvement project the town funded through a $100,000 county grant. (More)

365> Red Bank: Developers Incredible Oz. LLC, owned by Maryellen and Ermenegildo Santopadre of Holmdel, withdrew a plan before the Zoning Board to build 14 new apartments on Shrewsbury Avenue, opting to revise their designs. (More)

365> Sea Girt: The Police Department and borough council welcomed Patrick Bilello as a new probationary patrolman. (More)

365> Ocean Grove: Nagle’s Apothecary, one of the Shore’s most nostalgic ice cream spots, reopened last month after being closed for six years. Nagle’s is now owned by Kelly Ryan, who you may know as the owner of The Boondocks Fishery in Red Bank. (More)

365> The Uncommon Thread, a Morris County nonprofit, is changing the amount of time it takes a family to get an autism diagnosis for their child from one year to 30 days. (More)

365> McDonalds is introducing a new tangy Caesar-style sauce to select county locations starting tomorrow. Does anyone remember McDonald’s Pizza from the 90s? (More)

365> U.S. News ranked 859 New Jersey cities from highest to lowest for this year's Best Places to Retire list. (See List)

What team are you rooting for in the World Cup Final?

Argentina: 46%
Spain: 43%
Don’t care: 11%

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Have information you’d like us to add to an upcoming edition? You can always email us at: [email protected]. See ya out there!