The sidewalks and crosswalks were thick with crowds sauntering to the bars, the clubs, the boardwalk. It was 11 p.m. in Seaside Heights, Sunday of Memorial Day weekend. One day was still left to go, until the first big tourist weekend — a three-day weekend — was over, its end marked by an exodus of cars lining Route 37 westbound. Until then, the crowds were here, in a resort town of Ferris wheels, games of chance, cheese steaks, pitchers of beer, an ocean. At that time, the Boulevard traffic was at a standstill. Streetside parking was filled from Bay Boulevard to Ocean Terrace. Crowds ignored…

If you waited until today to buy a season beach badge, you may have missed a deal. The last day to snag pre-season prices for Toms River was Monday, Memorial Day. Come Tuesday, prices rose by $25. Seasonal passes to Ortley Beach are $35 in the pre-season. The price increased to $50 on May 29. During the summer, season passes may be purchased at 4th Avenue Lifeguard Headquarters in Ortley Beach as well as the Toms River recreation department. For more information, call 732-341-1000 Ext. 8415. Seaside Heights had preseason prices until May 15. Now the cost of a season pass is $45. During the …

Almost 90 years ago, a tradition began in Ocean County to honor Memorial Day with more than summer kick-off events. Volunteers would even go further than a parade and ceremonies to honor Memorial Day. For Memorial Day in Ocean County, what Freeholder Director Gerry P. Little called a "small army of volunteers" began this month to decorate nearly 15,000 graves. Each of the graves are marked with a small American flag, to honor service in the U.S. military.  “Everyone wants to enjoy a three-day weekend, but I hope our residents will take the time to honor both our fallen veterans and those …

Government offices, courts, schools, libraries,  post offices and many banks will be closed Monday for the Memorial Day holiday. All county facilities other than parks will be closed. All branches of the Ocean County Library are closed. Municipal garbage and recycling pickup is canceled today. If your collection day falls on one of these days or after, your recycling and garbage will be collected one day later. This will follow through for the whole week, until Friday's collections are completed on the next day, Saturday.

It may mark the start of a tourist season, but Memorial Day is much more than a three-day weekend. It is a day of remembrance for those who have died in service to the nation. Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day is still commemorated with parades of veterans, and decoration with bunting around Toms River. Here's a gallery of monuments, memorials and other patriotism around Toms River, to help commemorate Memorial Day. To upload your own photos to the gallery, click the Upload Photos button, above.

SATURDAY, MAY 26 Manchester: 7 p.m. concert at America’s Keswick, 601 Route 530 in Whiting. Patriotic choir concert and Keswick Celebration Choir with Diane Susek 800-453-7942. SUNDAY, MAY 27 Toms River: Memorial Day Service, ceremony will be held at 1 p.m. in the Circle of Honor of Ocean County Memorial Park (1722 Silverton Road, Toms River)  The event will be held rain or shine. For more info: John Dodgson, Manager of Ocean County Memorial Park at 732-255-1870 or john@ocmp.org MONDAY, MAY 28 Beachwood: 10 a.m. Services and parade at Beachwood Firehouse, 745 Beachwood Blvd. Services begin at…

All our stories to help you plan your Memorial Day weekend. Events: Nightlife Parades, memorials in Toms River area Around the Jersey Shore Traffic: Live updates Beach and traffic cameras Beach info: Complete beach guide to all beaches Island Beach State Park Seaside Heights Ortley Beach Seaside Park Tide and Surf Conditions Previous News and Features "Benny Go Home" History of Memorial Day "Blessed with Beach Life"

It seems like just yesterday I was hoping for a snow day. And now, Memorial Day is upon us. Last weekend, we were not among the many who attended Bamboozle, my kids are a little too little and I am a little too old. Instead, we hit the Belmar beach on Saturday afternoon and thanks to a breeze from the right direction, got to listen to Bamboozle for free. We ran into a friend on the beach, there with her cousin, who was visiting from Bergen County. We were introduced and the cousin said something like, “It so great that you can do this all the time.” She is so right. Sometimes we forget how …

Seasonal badges for Toms River Township beaches (Ortley Beach and Shelter Cove Beach) are now on sale at the pre-season rate. But, they won't be for long. Beach badges will be available at the pre-season rate of $35 per badge until Monday, May 28. After that, the price jumps to $50. If you are 62 or older, or in the military, the two beaches are free. Those 62 and older will get a beach ID badge.  Beach access for active military members is free upon presentation of a valid military ID card. If you want to pick up a seasonal pool badge for the Toms River's pool in Snug Harbor, those badges …

Ortley Beach. Normandy Beach. Chadwick Beach. Chadwich Island. Ocean Beach. These are but of few of the communities, sections of town and homeowners associations that make up the barrier Island between Seaside Heights and Mantoloking. While some are portions of Toms River, and others are portions of Brick, still others are a separate town: Lavallette, for example. Each have their active, year-round populations, but come May through September it's "The Season," and renters and snowbirds make these communities are more lively place. Check out our gallery of this stretch of the barrier island.

This year's Clark Memorial Day Parade will be dedicated to the memory of Toms River resident and Army Sgt. James Harvey II who was killed by small-arms fire from insurgents in the Ghazni province of Afghanistan on June 20, 2011. Harvey, of Toms River, was a 2005 graduate of Clark's Arthur L. Johnson high school, where he played lacrosse for two years, was well liked, a good student and had many friends. The Harveys moved to Toms River in 2007. Harvey went on to study at Lincoln Tech, work as a mechanic and then as a substation operator for PSEG. But joining the Army was always on his mind. He…

Buckle up. Local police this week will be cracking down on unbuckled drivers and their passengers as part of the statewide "Click It or Ticket" campaign.  Toms River and Manchester Police Departments received $4000 each from the state to run seatbelt enforcement checkpoints and saturation patrols from May 21 to June 3.  The crackdowns come during Memorial Day Weekend, one of the most hectic times to be driving, according to a release from the state Department of Law and Public Safety.  According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA), 22,187 passenger vehicle …

If you're craving a boardwalk, the Jersey Shore has no shortage of boards. Picking the best one, however, may inspire a fierce debate. That was the case between Star Ledger reporter Brian Donohue and Pete Genovese of the Munchmobile, who in this segment itemized why Seaside was better than Wildwood (or vice versa.) The pair visited each boardwalk of Seaside Heights and Wildwood, took in some rides, gobbled some summer fare, and compared the total experience of each tourist destination. Though here in Toms River it's easy to play favorites to our neighbor to the east, Seaside Heights; what do …

Cue the montage of rooftop mini golf and Whac-A-Mole: in this 2010 promotional video the amusements of Seaside Heights are on display. As part of our continued look at tourism along the Toms River-Seaside corridor, Countdown to Memorial Day, we unearthed this 2010 video produced to entice visitors to Seaside Heights with images of the thrill rides, kiddie carousels, "high tech" arcade machines and boardwalk games of chance. Check out the video, which was produced by Seaside Heights Tourism. Although two years old, has much changed along the boards since then? Did this video stand the test of …

It's one of the Jersey Shore's busiest shore towns, and its also where MTV called home for several seasons of "Jersey Shore." Welcome to Seaside Heights. The oceanfront is lined with boardwalk, featuring two amusement piers, games of chance, boardwalk food and bars. Seaside Heights offers seasonal beach passes for $45. Lifetime beach badges for seniors 65 and older are available for $10 and must be purchased at Borough Hall.  Borough Hall is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.  It’s located at 901 Boulevard. Daily passes cost $5, and children under 12 are always free. In …

If deciding on a beach to enjoy on the barrier island, Seaside Park offers  quieter surroundings with a short jaunt to get to rides and nightlife. Head to the boards for a scenic walk. The high dunes and acres of beachfront are there for you to enjoy. On the north end, Seaside Park includes a bit of the amusements leading into neighboring Seaside Heights. Seasonal beach badges for Seaside Park are $50. Seasonal badges for seniors 65 and older cost $20. Badges can be purchased at the Bathhouse on the corner of ‘N Street’ and Ocean Avenue Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Daily …

Toms River has its own oceanfront, in the Ortley Beach section of town. The municipal beach is centered around 2nd and 4th streets, but at the center of the boardwalk, you’ll find Joey Harrison’s Surf Club, a privately owned beach with live entertainment, food, and drinks. Ortley Beach - Municipal Beach Seasonal passes to Ortley Beach are $35 in the pre-season. The price increases to $50 on May 29. Toms River residents age 62 and older are entitled to a lifetime senior beach pass for free. Seasonal and senior passes can be purchased now at the Toms River Recreation Administration Building (…

It's getting down to the wire to get a summer job. But two job fairs hope to corral the hundreds of employees needed locally to staff for the season. One is this Saturday, noon to 3 p.m. on the Seaside Heights boardwalk. A second is hosted by the Toms River branch of the Ocean County Library, and will be held May 9. Seaside Heights On May 5, Seaside Heights will have its job fair, which is hosted by the State Department of Labor and features multiple seasonal employers for businesses there. The jobs, which last from about Memorial Day to Labor Day, often pay minimum wage. Both the Seaside and…

Breakwater Beach Waterpark, the newest addition in Seaside Heights, is looking to its young residents to name the park's new slides. The contest runs until May 5, 2012 and is open to children ages 5 to 13.  To submit an entry email contests@casinopiernj.com and include the child's name and age, parents name and contact information, city and state where you live and entry name for the new slide(s).  Winners will be announced May 14, 2012. Prizes for winning entry include the chance to be the first rider on the slide and a VIP day experience at the waterpark. You and 5 guests will enjoy all day…

Each blade of grass makes a difference, and it'll be the hands of volunteers who dig in the sand and plant among the dunes this weekend as part of Toms River's twice yearly dune planting event in Ortley Beach. Eric Schubiger, Toms River Director of Recreation, said more than 100 volunteers often come out to the morning work of planting dune grass, which is donated by the county. The spring dune planting will take place this Saturday, April 28 between 10 to noon. Volunteers will gather at the Fourth Avenue Beach House in Ortley Beach for the project. "We really try and beautify and preserve …