Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Man Who Shot At Bicyclist In Toms River Sentenced
Happening soon: 2-DAY EVENT: 3rd Annual Fall Rummage Sale & Book Sale on the Toms River Patch calendar

Hi there, Toms River! We've got your morning read ready! Read on to stay connected. ☕️️
In today's newsletter:
- Six-year prison term in Toms River bicyclist shooting case
- How missing Toms River laptops could cost taxpayers millions more
- See what's finally rising at Ortley Beach's old Surf Club site
Also on today's calendar: 2-DAY EVENT: 3rd Annual Fall Rummage Sale & Book Sale and 12 more events.
Today's riddle: When geese fly, one side is longer than the other. do you know why that is ? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Thursday: Humid with clouds and sun, with a high of 84 and low of 68 degrees.
- Friday: Periods of clouds and sun, temps: high: 83, low: 62.
- Saturday: Partly sunny and not as warm, with a high of 73 and low of 61 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
1. Man Who Shot At Bicyclist In Toms River Sentenced (patch.com) — Toms River residents are learning that a man involved in a 2024 neighborhood shooting at a bicyclist has been sentenced to six years in prison, with most of that time to be served before parole eligibility. The incident, which drew multiple 911 calls near Camino Medio and Camino Verde, left the bicyclist unharmed but led to serious charges for both the shooter and his accomplice, whose own sentencing is still pending.
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2. Toms River faces punishment over missing computers in Orthodox suit (app.com) — Toms River is under pressure in a long-running federal religious discrimination case, with missing township laptops and phones prompting a new request for sanctions and legal fees. The township has already exhausted $2 million in insurance coverage and is fighting for more, meaning taxpayers could shoulder future settlement or trial costs while zoning rules for Orthodox shuls remain under scrutiny.
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3. First Look: Construction Begins on New Jersey's Newest Boardwalk in Ortley Beach (shorenewsnetwork.com) — Construction has finally begun on Toms River's long-awaited new boardwalk and pavilion at the former Joey Harrison's Surf Club site in Ortley Beach, closing a glaring post-Sandy gap along the oceanfront. New pilings, dune-friendly design, and a rebuilt public parking lot will turn the once-vacant, storm-ravaged property into a permanent public space funded largely through state Blue Acres money.
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4. $509 Million Parkway Overhaul Could Transform Travel to and From one of the Jersey Shore's Most Popular Destinations (shorenewsnetwork.com) — A proposed $509 million overhaul of Garden State Parkway Exits 80–83 would significantly change how Toms River drivers use Route 37, local ramps, and nearby bridges, while clearing nearly 30 acres of forest in town. Residents can weigh in at a public hearing at the Ocean County Library's Toms River branch and submit written comments on traffic, property, and environmental impacts.
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📸 Around Toms River
Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!
🗓 Upcoming Events in Toms River
Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!
★ Featured events ★
- 2-DAY EVENT: 3rd Annual Fall Rummage Sale & Book Sale →
Girl Scouts Of The Jersey Shore, 1405 Old Freehold Rd, Toms River
1:00 pm - Flea Market →
Whiting United Methodist Church, 55 Lacey Rd, Manchester Township
8:00 am - Friends of the Library Book Sale →
Ocean County Library, Toms River, 101 Washington St, Toms River
12:00 pm - Avoid Elder Exploitation and Elder Trafficking →
St. Stephen's Episcopal Church of Whiting, NJ, 180 County Rd 539, Manchester Township
1:00 pm - Daughters Of The British Empire Bake Sale Fundraiser →
St Stephen's Episcopal Church, 180 County Rd 539, Manchester Township
9:30 am - Speaker Series - 'Privateers and Pine-Robbers' →
22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
7:00 pm - Reading + Restorative: An Extra Cozy Silent Book Club →
Pink Moon Yoga & Wellness, 1776 Hooper Ave, Toms River
6:00 pm
Friday September 18
Saturday September 19
Sunday September 20
Monday September 21
Tuesday September 22
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Bingo →
9:00 am - Beyond the Browse: A Guide to Deer-Resistant Native Plants →
Beach Pavilion & Classroom, 659 Ocean Ave, Lakewood
10:00 am - LiDARescue Cat Adoption →
34 Main St, Toms River
6:00 pm - Teirs for Cheers by Dawn Be Stamped at the Mathis House →
Mathis House a Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room, 600 Main St, Toms River
6:00 pm - Mini Collage Workshop →
Ocean County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
10:00 am - Ching-Yi Lin, piano →
The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts, 1 College Dr, Toms River
2:00 pm - Innovative Kids 3D Printing Program with Nexplore & Toms River Township →
Toms River Twp Youth Services Department, 1505 N Bay Ave, Toms River
5:30 pm - ABBA Immersive Dinner Show →
600 Main St, Toms River
7:00 pm
Thursday September 17
Friday September 18
📣 Toms River Shout Outs!
Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!
Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.
Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Toms River PatchAM possible:
- Insurcomm Restoration — (866) 708-5357
- Carfagno Professional Painting LLC — (609) 224-0235
- Liberty Door and Awning — (732) 286-3667
- Sit Stay And Beyond LLC — 9086564286
- Klarr Transport Service Inc — (732) 905-5100
- Sit Stay And Beyond LLC — (908) 656-4286
- Mathis House Bed & Breakfast and Victorian Tea Room — (732) 818-7580
- De Lareau Studio — (732) 998-8729
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Explore New Jersey's Health and Human Service Resources at the Lacey Library —Dan Fitzgerald Read on Patch
- Invisible and Essential: Learning LGBTQIA+ Histories —Dan Fitzgerald Read on Patch
- Hear the Real, Historical Horrors of the Salem Witch Trials at the Ocean County Library —Dan Fitzgerald Read on Patch
- Courage, Choice, and What Comes Next with Dystopian Icon Veronica Roth —Dan Fitzgerald Read on Patch
- FanNation: Costume Collection and Giveaway at the Ocean County Library —Dan Fitzgerald Read on Patch
- Enjoy your Wednesday....
Fill it with love, laughter, and kindness! Wednesday, 09/16/26 (Nextdoor Holiday Heights) - The correct way to dispose of a 9V battery.
Cover the terminals with tape so they don't come in contact with anything metallic in the garbage and start a fire. (Nextdoor Mule Rd)
- Olive Garden posted a job opening for Dishwasher in Toms River. Apply here.
- Popeyes posted a job opening for Popeyes Team Member - Toms River, NJ in Toms River. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Toms River here.
Ok Toms River! 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: because there are more geese on that side (Thank you jo L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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