Good morning to you Middletown! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: 2026 awards for Raritan, Communication and Middletown North students and 12 more events.
And lastly, we have a post from a neighbor, Andrew O.!
Today's riddle: Why did the chicken cross the road? 🤔 (Answer below!)
Weather forecast:
1. Harmony Elementary School Wins First And Second Place In American History Door-Decorating Contest (patch.com) — Students at Middletown’s Harmony Elementary School swept first and second place in the Middletown Township Historical Society’s America 250 Door Decorating Contest, earning $250 in prizes for their creative history-themed classroom doors. Local leaders, including Mayor Tony Perry and school officials, visited the winning classes to congratulate students and highlight how the project connects Middletown’s young people with the nation’s and town’s heritage.
2. Closing Schools Is Officially Off The Table This Year In Middletown (patch.com) — Families in Middletown can breathe easier this year, as the superintendent has withdrawn the recommendation to close Leonardo and Navesink elementary schools and reconfigure Bayshore Middle School. The Board formally rescinded its earlier closure authorization and will instead restart strategic planning discussions in June, even as Superintendent Jessica Alfone prepares to retire at the end of that month.
3. Monmouth Revolutionary War Hero Joshua Huddy's Complicated Past (1057thehawk.com) — Middletown’s Revolutionary-era connections take center stage in a deep dive on controversial local militia leader Joshua Huddy and his rival, Colonel Tye, tied to Sandy Hook and the Bayshore. The story highlights a VR exhibit at Middletown’s Taylor-Butler House running through July 25, 2026, and points residents to America 250 events and local historians bringing Monmouth County’s complicated past to life.
4. Owner of 3 N.J. supermarkets says stores are not closing despite reports of empty shelves (nj.com subscription) — Shoppers in and around Middletown may be watching Foodtown closely after social media posts showed empty shelves, but the owner insists his Monmouth County supermarkets are not closing and blames a dispute with their main supplier. A TikTok video comparing conditions to the former Foodtown in Port Monmouth, where bare shelves preceded closure, has fueled local concern while negotiations continue.
5. A senior's cutback run with 80 seconds left sent her team to the SCT flag football semifinals (nj.com subscription) — Middletown South’s girls flag football team kept its Shore Conference title hopes alive with a last-minute touchdown and PAT in a 7-6 quarterfinal win over Pinelands in Middletown. Senior Kaleigh Kapler’s cutback run and a clutch conversion capped the comeback, while a strong defensive effort now sends the Eagles to next week’s SCT semifinals.
📸 Hello Big Guy —Andrew O.
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Ok Middletown! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: To show the opossum how its done! (Thank you Mary Lynn S. for sending it in!)Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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