Hub’s Top 10 stories of 2011

1. Fort Monmouth gates locked

A large crowd gathered around the flagpole at Cowan Park at Fort Monmouth on Sept. 15 to watch as the American flag was lowered for the final time before the fort’s gates were officially locked. The retreat ceremony marked the end of a daily tradition that has occurred at Fort Monmouth for the past 94 years. The flag was to be displayed at the base’s new location at the Aberdeen (Md.) Proving Grounds (Hub, Sept. 22, 15, July 28, June 30, 23, May 19). With the federal government’s approval of the fort redevelopment plan, the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Authority began seeking buyers for parcels of fort property, beginning with the Charles Woods area in Tinton Falls (Dec. 1, 15, Sept. 29, June 23).

2. Monmouth Park will have 2012 season

While the state prepares to seek new bids for a private operator for Monmouth Park, the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority will continue to operate the Oceanport racetrack in 2012. The bid process is being restarted after an agreement with businessman Morris Bailey for a five-year lease to operate the track fell apart in December when the state and the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association couldn’t find a middle ground on various issues (Dec. 29, 22, 15, 8, Nov. 3, July 7, May 19, 12, April 21, March 10, Feb. 10).

3. Mother Nature shows who’s boss

Mother Nature asserted herself throughout 2011, sending a blizzard, a hurricane and a rare East Coast earthquake. The effects of the Dec. 26, 2010, blizzard were felt well into 2011 as towns struggled to dig out and clean up after the snowfall that blanketed the area with up to 3 feet of snow and sent municipal budgets into red ink due to cleanup costs. Gov. Chris Christie declared a state of emergency while towns turned to social media to keep residents informed of the storm’s track and cleanup efforts. Next was a 5.9 magnitude earthquake felt from its epicenter in Virginia throughout the Northeast as far as Maine onAug. 23. Next up came Hurricane Irene in late August, which, while downgraded to a tropical storm, sent 1 million New Jerseyans to shelters. Collateral damage included extensive power outages, widespread flooding, washouts and road collapses (Sept. 29, 22, 15, 8, 1, Aug. 25, 11, July 28, March 24, Feb. 18, Jan. 20, 13, 6).

4. Soul Kitchen: Living on a prayer

Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi launched the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation Soul Kitchen in Red Bank on Oct. 19. Soul Kitchen, located at 207 Monmouth St., hopes to empower patrons who come in for a nutritious meal.

“We are not a soup kitchen,” the rock star said at the opening. “Here, we look to empower individuals who just need a hand up and enable someone who just needs to lend a hand.” The cost of meals is a voluntary donation and people unable to pay are asked to volunteer in the kitchen or at Lunch Break, which the kitchen benefits (Oct. 27).

5. RiverFest returns to Red Bank

Riverfest returned to its roots in 2011, with local restaurants taking a larger role. The three-day festival featured culinary offerings from 24 local restaurants, in addition to live music at Marine Park June 3-5. With the rebirth of the food and music fest, organizers once again made local dining the main course, with music as a pleasant side dish. The return to its origins was led by local restaurateur Danny Murphy, an original founder of RiverFest in 1980 (June 2).

6. Suzy Castleman leaves behind Little Silver ‘family’

When Mayor Suzanne Castleman passed away on July 29, she left behind two children and four grandchildren and more than 6,000 other family members — Little Silver residents who were at the forefront of Suzy’s mind for the 27 years she served the borough as mayor and councilwoman. Castleman, who was 76, had served as mayor for 17 years and was remembered as a devoted public servant. The Little Silver Borough Council selected Councilman Robert C. Neff to succeed her as mayor (Sept. 1, Aug. 11).

7. Unity Walk rallies west side community

A parking lot behind Calvary Baptist Church in Red Bank was the staging area for the Community Unity Walk on Oct. 6 when west side residents gathered to promote a message of nonviolence and kindness to one another. Walkers stopped at the Bank Street memorial where Larry Yarbrough Jr. was killed Aug. 7 and on Locust Avenue, where two men were shot and killed in July 2009. “We want to remember there has been violence in our community, but it’s through our community coming together that we can make a difference,” the Rev. Terrence K. Porter, pastor of Pilgrim Baptist Church, said to those gathered in the church, who joined hands in prayer before the walk (Oct. 13).

8. GOP savors election victory

Despite a redistricting process weighted in favor of Democrats, Monmouth County Republicans had plenty of reason to celebrate as they swept the Nov. 8 elections for the Board of Chosen Freeholders and the state legislative delegations. GOP candidates bumped the lone Democrat freeholder and held on to Senate and Assembly seats.

Sen. Jennifer Beck, formerly representing the 12th District, took home nearly 57 percent of the votes in the 11th District, which is now the state’s first all-female legislative district represented by Assembly members Mary Pat Angelini and Caroline Casagrande serving along with Beck. Assemblyman Declan O’Scanlon, also formerly representing the 12th District, was elected to a seat in the 13th District, where he joins Assemblywoman Amy Handlin and state Sen. Joseph Kyrillos (Nov. 17, April 14).

9. DEP rewrites beach access rules

An outcry from environmental groups and other stakeholders led to a revised set of beach access rules issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection that would give the state greater oversight over the way municipalities provide access to the waterfront. The revised draft regulations circulated by the DEP to environmental groups provide for greater public input, a priority for public access advocates. Under the proposed regulations, the DEP would oversee municipal public access plans and have the ability to revise or revoke plans (Nov. 10, March 17).

10. Red Bank district pilots teacher evaluation

The Red Bank Public School District is one of 11 districts in the state chosen to participate in a teacher evaluation pilot program during the 2011-12 school year by the state Department of Education.

Superintendent Laura Morana said the district applied to be part of the pilot program, for which it received a $57,000 grant.

Out of 31 applicants, the 11 chosen districts will implement multiple measures of teacher and student performance using critical input and feedback for teachers (Sept. 15).