Around Toms River: Road Project Grant Awarded

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Toms River high school students returned to some in-person classes, their first time back in the schools since the shutdown in March due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The move comes as other school districts have had to put their plans to increase in-person instruction on hold amid surging coronavirus cases and hospitalizations in the state and in Ocean County.

Ocean County has moved to "High Risk" on the state's COVID-19 Regional Risk Matrix, and surpassed 20,000 cases as of Sunday, with 20,073, up 1,452 from the 18,621 on Nov. 21. Toms River has 248 new cases in that time, from 2,911 on Nov. 21 to 3,159 as of Sunday, according to the Ocean County Health Department.

Statewide, New Jersey now has more than 306,000 cases since March, including 3,998 new ones on Sunday, according to the state Department of Health COVID-19 website. As of Saturday, 2,563 people were hospitalized due to the coronavirus, with 466 in intensive care and 237 patients on ventilators, according to the state COVID-19 website.

Around town

Toms River has been awarded a $323,000 grant for street elevation work in the Normandy Beach section, part of a joint project with Brick Township. Read more: Toms River Awarded $323K For Normandy Beach Road Elevation Work

The township council is scheduled to meet at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The agenda includes final reading and approval of a $5 million bond ordinance for capital projects, including a federally mandated radio frequency change for the police department and emergency medical services.

The Toms River Regional School District also has announced an expansion of the district's dual enrollment agreement with Ocean County College. The program will allow Toms River high school students to take courses that earn college credit at a lower price while still earning high school credit, giving them a taste of college at a lower tuition price. Read more: Toms River Schools, OCC Offer Dual Enrollment For Students

Township offices will be closed Thursday for Thanksgiving, and public works collections will be delayed one day.

Other headlines:

• Toms River Seniors Can Still Apply For Property Tax Freeze
• Toms River Teen Hurt In ATV-Car Crash On Route 37: Police

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