🏖️ New Jersey History: On this day in 1831, the locomotive John Bull operated for the first time on the Camden and Amboy Railroad.

Tuesday Thought: “Keep your face always toward the sunshine―and shadows will fall behind you.” - Walt Whitman

365> Neptune: An anonymous donor has given Hackensack Meridian Health $125 million to expand Jersey Shore University Medical Center, the largest gift in the health system’s history. The donation honors the late John K. Lloyd, former Meridian Health leader and Hackensack Meridian co-CEO, with a hospital pavilion to be named in his memory. (More)

365> Long Branch: The Route 36 bridge over Troutmans Creek is now closed and will remain so for several months as part of a bridge replacement project that the New Jersey Department of Transportation expects to complete by spring 2027. (More)

365> Rumson/Middletown: County officials have scheduled a Sept. 29 public meeting on the planned replacement of the Oceanic Bridge, which carries Rumson Road over the Navesink River. (More)

365> Lincroft: Monmouth County's Fall Job Fair will bring employers and job seekers together on Wednesday, Sept. 16, at Brookdale Community College. The free event at Collins Arena runs through 1 pm and includes employers from a variety of industries. (More)

365> Highlands: Brew by the Bay has been rescheduled for Saturday, Sept. 26, 12-5 pm, after being postponed from its original date. The annual waterfront event features craft beer, live music, and food overlooking Sandy Hook Bay. (More)

365> Five of the 10 Best Jersey Shore Italian Restaurants are in Monmouth County, according to Best of New Jersey. (See List)

365> Governor Mikie Sherrill signed the Garden State Balcony Solar Act to allow residents to use portable, plug-in solar panels up to 1,200 watts without utility approval or local permits. (More)

365> Proposed legislation is gaining sponsors in Trenton and would create an 11-member panel to study New Jersey’s role in slavery and recommend possible compensation and other reparations. (More)

365> Check your freezer and fridge. Prime Line Distributors, based in Florida, and Ferrarini USA, based in New Jersey, have recalled approximately 1,513 pounds of imported ready-to-eat pork products. (More)

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365> Voters can hear directly from candidates running for Board of Education positions throughout the county during virtual forum nights hosted by The League of Women Voters of Monmouth County. They begin tonight with Little Silver. Advance registration is required. (See List)

365> Mike Steele, a lower school librarian at the Ranney School in Tinton Falls, released his debut middle-grade novel, Not Lucille. Set in 1931, the story explores neurodivergence and friendship through a young protagonist as she navigates her local community. (More)

365> Red Bank Catholic High School opened a new mental-health Wellness Room on its Broad Street campus in partnership with Conscientia Health. The space includes a private consultation area, space for peer support groups and workshops, and a self-guided check-in tool that connects students directly with a clinician. (More)

365> Monmouth County's High Technology High School began the school year as the nation's No. 1 STEM high school, according to the 2026–27 U.S. News & World Report rankings. The county vocational school was also ranked the No. 1 high school in New Jersey and No. 28 nationwide. (More)

365> Freehold Regional High School District opens applications for its magnet programs on Wednesday, Sept. 16, with completed applications due Nov. 2 at 11:59 pm. Individual programs will also hold open houses where prospective students can meet teachers and students and learn about the curriculum. (More)

365> Awesome Autumn Amble explores Clayton Park in Upper Freehold Wednesday, Sept. 16, at 10 am. A Monmouth County Park System naturalist will lead the free walk through the trails while pointing out seasonal plants, wildlife, and other signs of autumn. (More)

365> It Hurts When I Do This: An Illustrated History of Quack Medicine comes to the Monmouth County Library Headquarters in Manalapan on Wednesday, Sept. 16, from 6–8 pm. Denny Daniel of the Museum of Interesting Things explores some of history's strangest medical treatments, inventions, and questionable cures. (More)

365> Middletown Ramblers Open House Square Dance takes place at Thompson Park's Activity Barn in Lincroft on Friday, Sept. 18, from 7–9 pm. The free event gives beginners ages 14 and older a chance to try square dancing, with no previous experience required. (More)

365> Fall Native Plant Exchange takes place at Deep Cut Gardens in Middletown on Saturday, Sept. 19. Participants can bring established Mid-Atlantic native plants from 8:30–10 am, with the free plant exchange beginning at 10 am. (More)

365> 1890s Accordion Music fills Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel Saturday, Sept. 19, from 1 – 3 pm. Visitors can listen to music from the late 19th century while exploring the working historic farm. Admission is free. (More)

365> Preserving the Harvest takes visitors back to the days before refrigeration at Historic Longstreet Farm in Holmdel on Sunday, Sept. 20, from 11 am – 3 pm. The free demonstration shows how 19th-century families preserved food through salting, pickling, drying, and jelling. (More)

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