OLD BRIDGE – A Dollar Tree and a restaurant are coming to a new strip mall along southbound Route 18 Oak 18 LLC received amended major preliminary and final site plan approval at the April 24 planning board meeting to construct the 9,479-square-foot building with 8,232 square feet of retail and 1,247 square feet of restaurant space at 1451 Route 18 The approximately 1.1-acre irregularly shaped and undeveloped wooded lot Located southeast of the site is an undeveloped wooded property owned by Middlesex County Oak 18 received township approval in 2021 The new project layout is generally the same but a loading space was added on the northwest side of the building to service the Dollar Tree and act as a holding place for the trash enclosure A second trash enclosure would be for the restaurant The footprint of the building increased slightly from 9,340 square feet to 9,479 square feet There will be a maximum of four or five employees during any shift for a total of 15 employees Dollar Tree deliveries will be made by tractor-trailer twice a week in the early morning hours before the businesses open There will also be small bi-weekly vendor deliveries Concerns were raised about the parking needs for businesses where 37 parking spaces were proposed and 80 required and the developer agreed to provide 44 spaces The restaurant will have 32 seats with 24 of them inside Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com please subscribe or activate your digital account today The Eagles (11-3) built what seemed like a comfortable 10-1 lead heading into the bottom of the sixth inning before the Knights (7-11) erupted for eight runs in the frame to make it a one-run game Smith not only led Middletown South’s offense but also pitched effectively striking out 14 batters and walking three while allowing just one run over 5⅓ innings before giving way to Celia Collings Middletown South did most of its damage in the second inning and a hit-by-pitch while scoring twice and stealing a base Aileen Henderson added two hits and two RBI for the Eagles while Reilly Connolly went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base Old Bridge’s Alexandria Hunt led the Knights’ comeback effort with a home run Danielle Flores contributed two hits and two RBIs while Cira Limaldi added a double and a single with an RBI Middletown South has now won five of its past six games The N.J. 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices 2025 at 10:38 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Stock photo (Shutterstock)OLD BRIDGE NJ — Five people were injured and four cats died in an Old Bridge apartment fire Monday night in a ground-floor apartment at Building 3 on Rellim Drive at the Madison Arms apartments in Old Bridge the flames spread rapidly and a total of 10 apartments were destroyed in the fire The fire rose to fourth-alarm status and there were calls of multiple people trapped inside burning apartments Five people were hospitalized and one police officer was treated for smoke inhalation, according to News 12 “It was bad. It spread quick. I heard screaming from the tenants who live on the first floor, nice people, all of them are nice people, and the flames were shooting out," one resident told News 12 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. two officers and a firefighter were injured in a four-alarm apartment fire Monday night Township police and firefighters responded shortly before 9:20 p.m to the blaze on Rellim Drive at the Madison Arms Apartments where they found part of building three fully engulfed in flames Officers worked quickly to evacuate neighboring apartments while firefighters fought the blaze Four residents were taken to local hospitals with non-life-threatening injuries with one taken to a local hospital for smoke inhalation and the other was treated on scene A firefighter also suffered smoke inhalation but was treated on scene The fire was put out in a little under an hour thanks to firefighters from Cheesequake The cause of the fire does not appear to be suspicious and remains under investigation and the American Red Cross is helping the displaced residents Email: alewis@njpressmedia.com Alexander Lewis is an award-winning reporter and photojournalist whose work spans many topics .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaAsher Holland drove in two RBIs leading Millburn to an 8-7 home victory over Old Bridge in nine innings Millburn (8-8) opened up a 4-1 lead in the fourth inning Old Bridge (9-8) responded with five unanswered runs with Millburn scoring twice in the bottom of the seventh to force extra innings Another two-run inning from Millburn in the ninth secured the win Jonah Toubes drove in two RBIs for Millburn and Peter Lawrence had a multi-hit ballgame Both teams will play a home game on Monday with Millburn facing Livingston and Old Bridge matching up against College Achieve Paterson Dylan McCoy can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! OLD BRIDGE – The township’s longtime schools chief is leaving for Passaic County Old Bridge Superintendent of Schools David Cittadino will depart after this school year to become the next superintendent in Wayne Cittadino was appointed by the Wayne school board at a special public meeting Wednesday night He will succeed Superintendent Mark Toback who is retiring on Aug Wayne approved a four-year contract with Cittadino details of which were not immediately available Thirty-two people applied for the position and Cittadino was among the final five candidates interviewed In a video message announcing his departure Cittadino said that serving “this remarkable community for the past 20 years has been the greatest honor of my professional life” and offered thanks for “overwhelming support “We’ve built a school system that fosters independent lifelong learners and developed an educational product that stands well above where we began,” he said “These accomplishments are not mine alone but are the result of our shared commitment to excellence and the unwavering dedication of an incredible staff." Cittadino, whose accolades include being named NJPTA State Outstanding Superintendent of the Year in 2024 and Middlesex County Superintendent of the Year in 2020 had expressed his desire to remain in Old Bridge which saw a recent transition in its membership offered him just a one-year contract extension Recent school board meetings saw a swell of support for him to remain in the township Cittadino, currently the Middlesex County Association of School Administrators’ president began his career in education in Elizabeth schools in 1997 and has spent most of his time in Old Bridge More: These are the Central Jersey school superintendent salaries by district, NJ's 10 most paid Old Bridge implemented a full-day kindergarten program and navigated years of declining state aid which he went to Trenton to push for equity Wayne’s student population of about 8,000 is similar in size to Old Bridge email: cmakin@gannettnj.com Cheryl Makin is an award-winning feature, news and education reporter for MyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or @CherylMakin please subscribe or activate your digital account today Justin Hascup (29) of Old Bridge pitches in the bottom of the seventh inning to close out the game for the Knights during the GMC Championship baseball game between Old Bridge and South Plainfield at East Brunswick Magnet School in East Brunswick NJ on 5/18/24.Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Reed Becker | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comOld Bridge scored five runs in the second and sixth innings to pull away from South Brunswick in a 13-0 win in Monmouth Junction Justin Hascup pitched five scoreless innings while allowing just two hits Chris Crosta went 1-for-2 with two runs and an RBI Old Bridge (9-7) will travel to face Millburn on Saturday while South Brunswick (2-13) will host Trenton on Friday Reed Becker can be reached at rbecker@njadvancemedia.com Years ago brothers Demetri and Kosta Rexinis were kings of Middlesex County nightlife The former Branchburg residents co-owned Club Abyss and Deko Lounge in Sayreville where beats pumped and liquor flowed from the 1990s into the 2000s They’ve since expanded their hospitality prowess to Monmouth County Holmdel and Fair Haven alongside restaurateur Frank Brusco and co-own The Gramercy at Lakeside Manor with Dean and Nicholas Kakounis But now they’re home and with a new restaurant co-owned with Brusco that pays homage to where they came from how they’ve evolved and the town of their new venture After two years of conceptualization and construction a 200-seat contemporary American restaurant opened April 3 in the Shoppes at Old Bridge Until 1975 Old Bridge was known as Madison Township “It’s a tribute to Old Bridge and people who have been there for a long time,” Demetri said “People appreciate that we are paying homage to what the area was called Madison Modern Social features a modern and sleek supper club vibe that includes black-and-white flooring oversized chandeliers and plush emerald seating “Nightclubs have become the new restaurants,” Demetri said “Madison Modern Social is staying true to vibe dining but when I come through these doors I feel like I’m sipping on a cocktail on the Mediterranean.’“ which reflects the co-owners' Mediterranean backgrounds − the Rexinis’ are first-generation Greek and Brusco is first-generation Italian – as well as the Rexinis’ storied nightclub experience New additions: Char Steakhouse, with locations in Raritan and Red Bank, opening third NJ restaurant “We are playing everything from new disco to jazzy house to Mediterranean vibes,” Demetri said “It’s a little of everything and we want to take our guests on a bit of a ride.” Items include housemade pastas like spicy lumache with spicy mezcal sauce chili crisp and shiso; raw bar items like oysters with rotating mignonette; and small plates like house bacon with maple caramel and popcorn creme as well as fried rice arancini with pickled carrots with rolls like coconut shrimp and lobster surf & turf Local food news: A new Caribbean fusion restaurant and bar is now open in Carteret daily and after Easter Sunday brunch with live music will be offered Seeing the restaurant come to life has been the pinnacle of Demetri's career “It’s probably the best decision that we have made,” he said “We wanted to do something different and more elevated and put our best foot forward This restaurant benefits from our experience − the good bad and the ugly − and that’s what we’re excited about.” Go: 3801 Route 9, Old Bridge, at the Shoppes at Old Bridge; 732-242-9392, madisonmodernsocial.com Contact: JIntersimone@MyCentralJersey.com 618 Restaurant has brought contemporary eats fiery cocktails and a trendy flair to Freehold in its rustic-chic space owner Matthew Borowski has upped the ante of his own cutting-edge taste with his new Old Bridge restaurant opened at 292 Route 516 in Old Bridge — the former home of The Breakfast Club — on April 14 sugar skull murals cover the walls that surround a 10-foot tree and plush booths Built-in water misters that look like flames are spread across the 30-seat bar “We wanted you to walk in and not feel like you’re in New Jersey,” said Borowski of the interior that was designed by Vanessa Deleon Associates Miami.’ The vibe is next level and for New Jersey Tables are now booking two to three months out Borowski suggests that customers opt for bar seating as last-minute cancellations sometimes provide availability “People want something different,” Borowski said “This is one of the first hybrid vibe dining restaurants in New Jersey.” International eats: A new Caribbean fusion restaurant and bar is now open in Carteret The menu offers high-end steakhouse staples with Mexican twists for $39 per ounce; a $200 40-ounce tomahawk taco platter for two; a $200 surf and turf tower that makes Mezcal one of the few restaurants in the country to serve both hot and cold items on the same tower; and a $99 caviar service “We want people to try things they never have before,” said Borowski but items like Japanese A5 wagyu is something everyone should try once.” Other items on the menu include Spanish octopus that’s Chef Christopher Dutka’s favorite dish at the restaurant; lobster paella; and Mezcal’s signature spinalis platter featuring a 10-ounce Spanish rib cap To those familiar with 618’s innovative cocktails the drinks at Mezcal are as much of a draw Bar manager Corinne Miller developed the bar programs at both restaurants Food news: Nightlife veterans’ sleek new restaurant brings Mediterranean vibes to Middlesex County “Mezcal has everything from drinks for two people to cocktails served with smoke or lights but they’re well-balanced cocktails,” Borowski said The restaurant also offers over 100 tequilas chosen by the Mezcal team after they sampled thousands to decide which made the cut Ultra-rare tequilas to some of the best in the world grace the list’s pages Borowski originally hoped to open Mezcal a year ago "We wanted to create something that was different Go: 292 Route 516, Old Bridge; mezcalnj.com OLD BRIDGE – The developer of a strip mall along southbound Route 18 has switched gears Oak 18 LLC is seeking amended preliminary and final major site plan approval to construct the 9,479-square-foot building with 8,232 square feet of retail and 1,247 square feet of restaurant space at 1451 Route 18 Oak 18 received township approval in 2021 for a 9,340-square-foot building with 6,305 square feet of retail and 3,035 square feet of restaurant space is next to Dunkin’ and near Wawa and other businesses More: Decades-long quest to build 1,000 homes off Route 9 in Old Bridge nearing fruition Variances are required for minimum lot area of 1.1 acres where 3 acres is required and 15.8-foot rear yard setback where 50 feet is required Variances are also requested for parking and signage A public hearing on the application is scheduled for the 7:30 p.m OLD BRIDGE – One of the largest and longest-awaited housing developments in the state will be returning to the township Planning Board on March 27 with minor revisions to build more than 1,000 townhomes at Route 9 and Schulmeister Road The Oaks at Glenwood will have 1,056 townhomes and 256 single-family homes The application before the Planning Board centers on the townhomes which are proposed for 124 buildings The single-family homes are not part of this Planning Board action eight townhouses are called for while two of the buildings will have nine townhouses which will require a variance from the township's zoning ordinance the plan proposes 62 stacked townhouses but only 60 are permitted More: Here's what Old Bridge residents can expect on their 2025 tax bill 918 will be market-rate units and 138 will be affordable is also asking for a waiver for the town's landscaping rules The ordinance requires at least 3,198 shade/ornamental trees and 6,397 shrubs The developer is proposing 1,524 shade/ornamental trees and 1,275 shrubs Waivers are also asked for parking space sizes and lighting in the parking areas The project dates to 2001 when the developer filed the first application for the project which was denied by the township setting off long and convoluted litigation which did not end until 15 years later in 2018 An amended developer's agreement was eventually finalized in 2020 The full build-out of the project is expected to take several years The Planning Board's public hearing on the proposal is scheduled for 7:30 p.m OLD BRIDGE - The township is taking the first steps to plan for a transit-oriented development along the Route 9 corridor in the area of the Old Bridge Shopping Plaza and Walmart after a study was conducted “This is just the beginning," Township Planner Veena Sawant said in a presentation at the Jan The benefits of transit-oriented development along Route 9 include that it will provide the basis for better bus service reduce travel times and provide safer pedestrian and bike access to the bus stops along the highway a consultant for the state Department of Transportation The study provides a new vision for the "struggling" Old Bridge Shopping Plaza and opportunities for a variety of housing options near high-quality mass transit The study also recommends extending Westminster Boulevard across Route 9 and a street network that reimagines the shopping center with new connections between Downing Street and Route 9 In the 21-mile corridor from Old Bridge to Howell there are about 150 acres of potential development sites on both sides of Route 9 The properties contain a mix of retail and residential uses but there is an opportunity to create transit-oriented development around the availability of the transit More: Seabra's Market will open its first Middlesex County location later this month particularly those in nearby apartments to the east of the Old Bridge Shopping Plaza The shopping plaza has limited pedestrian access and many streets do not extend to the highway Sawant said the idea is to enable people to walk to the transit stops Almost three years ago, NJ Transit received a $470,000 Federal Transit Administration grant to develop a comprehensive Route 9 transit-oriented development study The Theodore Roosevelt Bridge that connects D.C to Northern Virginia is set to get a $127 million upgrade beginning next week The renovation project will take an estimated three and a half years Department of Transportation officials are hoping to minimize the traffic impact The 60-year-old bridge carries nearly 95,000 vehicles a day and functions as a key point of entry and exit in and out of the city DDOT Director Sharon Kershbaum said the bridge is in pretty rough shape and has needed repairs for years “This is the first major restoration project on that bridge So there’s a number of structural improvements and we’re going to be upgrading the deck there’s also going to be some great aesthetic improvements that are very much needed,” she said and not befitting an entry corridor into our beautiful city.” But much more than just repainting will take place and the bridge will be widened for more pedestrian and cyclist use Also planned are extensive structural repairs including upgrading traffic barriers and railings along with replacing signage and sign structures DDOT said there are several key impacts on traffic in and out of D.C The traffic agency is making the following recommendations to motorists and others who use the bridge: Kershbaum said the bridge will look much different and be more functional for cars “We’re going to be widening the north sidewalk by 10 feet so the sidewalk will actually jut over the existing footprint and make it far more inviting for pedestrians and for cyclists,” she said We are doing everything we can to both expedite the project and also keep as many lanes open as we can.” The federal government will be footing 90% of the multimillion dollar check Kershbaum said no lane changes are planned for the bridge and it will continue to operate with seven lanes — three inbound and three outbound and one reversible with that being inbound in the morning and outbound in the afternoon The Roosevelt Bridge opened during the early years of Lyndon B. Johnson’s administration. Since its opening 60 years ago, it has been maintained by DDOT, and the most recent repairs took place in 2022. Located near the Kennedy Center and the National Mall as well as near Arlington National Cemetery and numerous monuments the bridge also serves as a major connection point on the D.C Evacuation Route and the National Highway System Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area Weekend anchor Dan Ronan is an award-winning journalist with a specialty in business and finance reporting OLD BRIDGE - The state School Ethics Commission has cleared a Board of Education member of allegations that he violated state regulations by making a slur at a board meeting and liked social media posts that were "anti-teacher." Though the Commission ruled that Salvatore Giordano did not break any ethics rules the Commission wrote in its decision that school officials throughout New Jersey should be "mindful" of their posts "in the ever-growing number of social media platforms." The Commission also found that the complaint filed by Ceane Bentzley against Giordano was not "frivolous" and rejected Giordano's request for sanctions against her claiming that Giordano violated ethics rules by using the phrase "the LGBTQ and the rest of the alphabet" in a board discussion on the health curriculum in February 2024 Bentzley claimed the phrase was "dismissive and offensive." Bentzley charged that Giordano had liked posts on X which she said included "a significant number of anti-transgender and anti-LGBTQ+" and "derogatory and offensive" posts about teachers Bentzley said that Giordano had "liked" posts that said "the only way to fix education in the US is school choice" and that teachers with "summers off But the School Ethics Commission ruled there was "insufficient nexus" between Giordano's personal X page and his membership on the board "such that a reasonable member of the public would not perceive that (Giordano) is speaking to his official duties." do not mention Giordano's school board membership More: Wife of ex-NJ school board member placed on probation for stealing from PTA, sports group there is no factual evidence that the statements/likes on his X account were made in his capacity as a member of the Board," the Commission decided The Commission also ruled that "Giordano is permitted to have his own views" and "taking different positions on issues concerning teachers does not equate to underming compromising or harming school personnel in the proper performance of their duties." The Commission also found that Bentzley's complaint was not frivolous because there was no evidence the complaint was filed "in bad faith or solely for the purpose of harassment delay or malicious injury." OLD BRIDGE - A plan to build 529 residential rental units two office buildings and a three-story parking deck will return to the township Planning Board this month After resolving a lawsuit filed against Old Bridge will ask for approval for the first phase of project on Matawan Road off the Garden State Parkway The nearly 95 acre-property has frontage on both Laurence Harbor/Matawan Road and Biondi Avenue and borders the Parkway The developer proposes 423 market-rate units and 106 low- and moderate-income units in 16 buildings that would have both apartments and townhomes The proposal calls for 203 one-bedroom units 304 two-bedroom units and 22 three-bedroom units According to the developer's community impact study the development at maximum could add 2,391 residents to the township's 68,000 population The study also found that no more than 72 school-age children would be living in the community The project also proposes 1,304 parking spaces including 1,148 surface spaces whith 156 garage/driveway spaces for townhouse residents Access to the community will by one driveway off Matawan Road directly across from the Garden State Parkway northbound on/off ramps There will be a traffic light at the intersection The plan proposes a common area in the site's western portion several "Neighborhood Parks" in the site's northern portion and one "Neighborhood Park" in the site's southeast portion according to documents filed with the township 'We were abandoned:' Old Bridge forced to borrow $7 million to settle Superfund lawsuit The community will help meet Old Bridge's affordable housing goal The township has a prospective need of 618 affordable housing units according to the state Department of Community Affairs The developer took Old Bridge to Middlesex County Superior Court in May 2023 arguing that the township's denial of the proposal in December 2022 was illegal Alfieri-Old Bridge Associates argued that the township's "slow walking" of the case violated "its unambiguous legal obligation to expedite the review and hearing process." The developer had submitted the application on Jan but the first public hearing was held on Oct The public hearing is scheduled for 7:30 p.m OLD BRIDGE - The residential building boom in the township is continuing consistent with the Old Bridge Township Crossroad Redevelopment Plan which includes 14 affordable units and a clubhouse building on Texas Road near Route 9 The state Department of Community Affairs has said that Old Bridge has a prospective need of 685 affordable housing units with a present need of 318 units The proposal calls for 70 apartments in two buildings which will be occupied for the superintendent The 39.65-acre site is located in the township's PRC Zone The property fronts the eastbound side of Texas Road (County Route 690) west of the Route 9 intersection in the southeast portion of the township The Madison Crossing multifamily residential development is to the south and west of the property while retail commercial development along Route 9 borders the eastern side of the property There are extensive wetlands to the east and west of the property Vacant land and wetlands are across from the property along the westbound side of Texas Road More: Old Bridge will hear plan to demolish 6 homes, build 76 townhomes The original public hearing on the plan was scheduled for the March 25 The Planning Board's public hearing is now scheduled for 7:30 p.m 27 in the Old Bridge Township Municipal Complex Courtroom Shake Shack is set to open its Old Bridge restaurant this week The drive-thru restaurant in the Glenwood Shopping Center on Route 9 will open at 11 a.m The first wave of guests will receive custom Shake Shack tote bags featuring art from acclaimed muralist and the restaurant will donate $1 for every sandwich sold on opening day to Old Bridge Food Bank supporting their work to assist families and individuals fight food insecurity More: Here's what's replacing shuttered restaurant on Route 9 in Old Bridge Guests can order via the Shack app and online at order.shakeshack.com in the coming weeks Gregorys Coffee will open Sunday OLD BRIDGE - The wife of a former township Board of Education member has been placed on five years probation for stealing more than $50,000 from a township PTA and a youth sports program Dana Marchetta, the wife of former Old Bridge Board of Education Member Leonardo Marchetta was also ordered by Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone to pay $52,517 in restitution and have no contact with PTA members or serve on a PTA during her probation 30 in Middlesex County Superior Court to third-degree theft by deception The charges against Leonardo Marchetta were dismissed More: Old Bridge school board member's wife pleads guilty to theft by deception The couple was charged in April 2024 by police in connection with the theft of $41,067.90 from the Grissom School PTA and its vendors and $12,417.16 from the Rebels Football and Cheer Program had been involved in the Grissom and Salk PTA organizations and the Rebels program and allegedly misused her positions in the organizations for her own financial benefit Dana Marchetta was charged with seven counts of forgery theft by failure to make required disposition of funds More: Arrested Old Bridge school board member shows up for meeting. Here's what happened Police also alleged that some of the stolen funds were then deposited into her husband's personal accounts Her husband was charged with seven counts of passing a bad check whose term on the Board of Education ended at the end of last year OLD BRIDGE - Seabra's Market a supermarket with an emphasis on Portuguese and Italian products is opening later this month on Route 516 and Gaub Road 27 in a 20,000-square-foot space in the Browntown Shopping Center "We're excited to open our newest location in Old Bridge," said Omar Rodriguez vice president of operations at Seabra's Market "We've been looking to expand and Old Bridge is the perfect location We're a family-owned business with family values and Old Bridge fits perfectly with that The residents also appreciate good food and that's what we offer." "Our demographics fit their model and this is a great addition to our township and the community It helps with job creation," said Steve Mamakas executive officer of the Old Bridge Mayor’s Office of Economic Development 27 grand opening celebration will include food tastings The site was previously occupied by SuperFresh and Walgreens Walgreens relocated to the front of the site several years ago SuperFresh closed months after opening in June last year which will have a variety of European specialties The market will also offer online shopping The store will initially employ about 60 full-time and part-time workers Future plans include opening a liquor store adjacent to the market Seabra's Market has other locations in Newark More: 71 more apartments may be built in Old Bridge Seabra's Market is looking to open other locations in southern New Jersey 7-Eleven and Wendy's in the shopping center Rodriguez said Seabra's Market is not affiliated with Seabra Foods Seabra Foods will be opening at Port Plaza a redevelopment project that includes the former Laffin Chevrolet site on the corner of Main and Reid streets OLD BRIDGE – Township taxpayers are expected to see a slight increase in the municipal portion of their 2025 tax bill under the proposed budget an average home assessed at $157,373 would see a municipal tax increase of $27 the township's chief financial officer said The budget was introduced and approved on first reading at the Feb A public hearing is scheduled for the April 8 meeting Business Administrator Anahita Feltz said the township has seen a significant increase in the cost of non-discretionary items including health benefits and pension obligations The township's new three-year recycling contract with the county is increasing about 39% over the previous contract "Despite these challenges we have worked diligently to control expenditures where possible explore cost saving measures and seek alternative revenue sources to lessen the impact on taxpayers," Feltz said "Our goal is and continues to be to ensure that we continue providing quality services while maintaining long term financial stability." More: Old Bridge school board member cleared of ethics violations for social media posts Mayor Debbie Walker said she thinks this is "a pretty good budget considering all the obstacles we faced with the many increases that are totally out of our control." The total general appropriations, excluding the municipal library, is $69,309,994 compared to $68,885,255 in the 2024 budget as modified, Swoboda said. That does not include that $7 million emergency appropriation for the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site litigation The proposed tax rate for municipal purposes for 2025 is estimated to be $1.030 per $100 of assessed value The mayor noted local government is service industry and employee-related costs comprise just under 64% of the budget The budget includes funding for two new full-time positions - a patrol officer in the police department and a laborer in public works – as well as capital improvements More: Old Bridge seeking transit village designation along Route 9 The Township Council approved a bond ordinance providing an appropriation of $75,000 for various arena utility improvements and the issuance of $71,200 in bonds or notes for financing part of the appropriation A bond ordinance providing an appropriation of $6,105,000 for various improvements and authorized the issuance of $5,086,600 in bonds or notes was also approved Public hearings and a final vote on those items are also scheduled to be held April 8 The township has scheduled three budget subcommittee workshops and March 26 in meeting room 201 in the Municipal Complex A discussion on individual department budgets will be reviewed but no formal action will be taken .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaNicolette Ampania homered and drove in three runs for Old Bridge which used a three-run fifth inning to edge Monroe 13-12 at Mannino Park in Old Bridge Old Bridge built a 10-2 lead through two innings but Monroe went ahead with four runs in the third and six in the fourth three RBIs and two runs and Gianna Velez went 2-for-3 with a double two RBIs and three runs for the Knights (3-1) Brianna Bukowczyk went 3-for-4 with a triple, The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! OLD BRIDGE - The township Zoning Board of Adjustment is scheduled to hold a public hearing later this month on a proposal to build 76 townhomes The hearing on the proposal by 335 Green Street LLC 335 Green Street bought the nearly 10-acre property in September 2023 from Slate Equities 335 Green Street is seeking a conditional use variance to construct the townhomes in 11 separate buildings that will have from four to eight two-story units More: New development may bring nearly 2,400 new residents to Old Bridge 335 Green Street will then seek preliminary and final major site plan approval for the project The approximately 9.97-acre wooded property is developed with six single-family homes next to Camp Bethel Church The property is located within the township's R-12 Medium Density Residential Zoning District According to plans filed with the township improvements would include a new driveway along Green Street drainage and stormwater management facilities OLD BRIDGE - The Township Council has reluctantly approved borrowing $7 million to finance the cost of a settlement in the Raritan Bay Slag Superfund site litigation but for Old Bridge taxpayers it's a lot of money," Mayor Debbie Walker said "I'm really disappointed in the state and federal government for not helping Old Bridge." Last year, it was announced that Old Bridge may have to pay $21.1 million to the federal Environmental Protection Agency as its share in the $151 million cleanup of the Superfund site the source of the slag that was produced at its Perth Amboy plant will pay $56.1 million to settle the litigation brought by the EPA; the State of New Jersey will pay $25.3 million; and $48.6 million will be funded by the federal government The money will cover the past and future costs of the cleanup of the site which extends for 1.5 miles on the Sayreville and Old Bridge shoreline along Raritan Bay The parties have been identified as potentially responsible for the site Because the township was in the chain of title the municipality was deemed a potential responsible party "We had no choice but to deal with this and pay $7 million for something that happened 40 years ago which was under the permission of the federal government," Councilwoman Dr "If the federal government didn't give permission for that lead to be placed there So to me that we have to go out and bond for this She also said if it had been cleaned up years ago The council had no choice because it wants to do right by the town and clean up that area More: Old Bridge may owe $21.1 million Council President Mary Sohor said "this can has been kicked down the highway" for a long time and as a result the cost of the cleanup has escalated "We appealed to everyone to please try and help us." She said she really thinks "we were abandoned in this one." Roselli said of the $21.1 million for which Old Bridge is responsible insurance carriers are paying almost $15 million and the township is responsible for the rest but I think it will be less than that," he said He said the state's Local Finance Board has approved the financing it's a lot better than where we could have been," Roselli said Councilman Erik DePalma urged residents to reach out to Rep Bonnie Watson Coleman and Senators Cory Booker and Andy Kim to voice their displeasure that the federal government is not coming to Old Bridge's aid The Raritan Bay Slag Superfund consists of the Seawall Sector a seawall about 2,300 feet long in Old Bridge; the Margaret's Creek Sector a 47-acre wetland immediately east of the Seawall Sector; and the Jetty Sector nearly a mile west of the seawall in Sayreville The contamination dates to nearly a century ago when NL purchased United Lead Co in Perth Amboy in 1928 and operated the plant through 1975 The facility extracted and processed lead from many materials The process generated furnace slag that contained lead and other materials NL hired Liberty Trucking of Fords to dispose of the waste Liberty then took the materials to its property on Route 35 in Old Bridge where they were disposed in the Margaret's Creek and Seawall sectors and the western jetty in the Superfund site The 2,300-foot seawall and the 760-foot jetty were constructed with slag from NL's smelting operations in the late 1960s and early 1970s The slag resulted in high levels of lead contamination along the seawall and in the sand of a recreational beach west of the seawall The EPA issued a cleanup plan in May 2013 to excavate and dredge material contaminated with lead at the site It addressed the three sectors of the Superfund site in a specific sequence to prevent recontamination of cleaned up areas The EPA completed the Margaret’s Creek Sector cleanup in September 2018 which involved removing about 15,775 tons of soil and 1,802 tons of slag from that portion of the site and cost about $7 million After becoming concerned about the quality of the engineering work being conducted by NL Industries for the Seawall Sector, EPA took over that work, which was completed last fall OLD BRIDGE - A New York City-based coffee shop with a drive-thru is opening its first location in Middlesex County in the Glenwood Green Shopping Center Gregorys Coffee will open March 12 at 2070 Route 9 which will be the sixth location in New Jersey The first 100 customers in the drive-thru line will get free coffee and a swag bag of Gregorys goodies and items from local partners A ribbon cutting will be held in the morning Gregorys also offers free milk alternatives The business was founded by namesake Gregory Zamfotis who opened the original shop in Manhattan in 2006 Gregorys Coffee has more than 50 cafes nationwide Shops are expected to open later this year in Manalapan and East Hanover Go: 2070 Route 9, Suite 102, Old Bridge; opens March 12; gregoryscoffee.com OLD BRIDGE – The township was recognized by the New Jersey Recreation and Park Association (NJRPA) with the Excellence in Design – Multi-Use Facility Award for Cottrell Farm Park The award was presented by Awards Committee Member Jason Hazelton at the NJRPA Annual Awards Banquet held Feb Cottrell Farm Park stands as a remarkable example of what can be achieved when local and state agencies collaborate to preserve history while meeting modern recreational needs was saved from commercial and residential redevelopment through a partnership between Old Bridge Middlesex County and the state Department of Environmental Protection Green Acres Program The result is a dynamic public space that seamlessly blends green space preservation historic conservation and active recreation Cottrell Farm Park integrates both passive and active recreational elements ensuring that the site remains true to its agricultural roots while providing diverse opportunities for community engagement it is truly the perfect marriage of preserving the past while preparing for the future of recreation and park programming," Hazelton said during the award presentation The NJRPA is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to promoting parks and recreation; enhancing the professional development of its members; advocating sound policy and stewardship related to parks and leisure services; and increasing awareness of the value of play and preservation of the environment to interested citizens and the public The purpose of the association’s awards program is to honor and identify dedicated leaders and volunteers in the field of Parks and Recreation and to recognize the state’s outstanding Recreation and Park agencies for excellence in programming OLD BRIDGE - Two buildings with a total of 30 apartments have been proposed on Jake Brown Road off Old Bridge Matawan Road Northwood Manor at Old Bridge LLC is seeking the township's Zoning Board of Adjustment approval to build the two three-story buildings One building would contain eight apartments and 20 parking spaces and the second building would have 22 apartments and 51 parking spaces The property is in the R-120 Low Density/Severe Environmental Constraints Residential Zone Variances are requested for building height where 2.5 stories are permitted and three stories are proposed and for maximum permitted density where 0.3 dwelling units per acre are permitted and 4.83 dwelling units per acre is proposed April 3 Zoning Board of Adjustment meeting which will be held in the Municipal Courtroom of the Municipal Complex WOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP — The term “five-tool player” gets bandied around often but rarely does a player get to demonstrate their full repertoire in a single afternoon Quinn Boyd put her full tool kit on display Monday and the result was a fifth consecutive win for the unbeaten Woodbridge High School softball team with a 7-2 verdict over Old Bridge Boyd showed off her hitting and speed with a second-inning double followed by a two-run homer in the fourth that broke a 2-2 tie She ranged far and wide for the six flyballs she hauled in in center field and ended the game by making a diving catch then firing to first base for a double play “It definitely really felt good today to get on the ball again I was having a little trouble at the plate but I think I finally got it out of my head,” Boyd said “The home run was nice but the catch at the end of the game was definitely my highlight.” More: Softball roundup: Daily results and links for Skyland Conference, GMC, area Union County The teams traded runs over the first three frames as Woodbridge (5-0) took a 1-0 lead in the first inning as Holly Casaliggi notched a leadoff single and scored on a grounder to second by Gia Pedde Old Bridge equalized in the top of the second inning on doubles by Katie Gallo and Cira Limaldi The Barrons regained the lead in the bottom of the inning as Boyd doubled and scored on Macie Mastrola’s sacrifice fly The Knights (3-4) then knotted the score 2-2 after Amanda Jupinka walked and scored on a single to center by Danielle Flores beating a rocket throw Boyd unleashed to the plate That throw may have been Boyd’s most impressive play of the afternoon With Kylie Rackett aboard following a fielder’s choice the lefty-hitting Boyd turned on a 1-1 delivery and sent it over the right-field fence for the third home run of her career -- but her first on her home field -- for a 4-2 Woodbridge edge The Barrons tacked on another run that inning when Mastrola doubled and scored on single by Riley Vazquez and added a pair of insurance runs on Casaliggi’s two-run triple in the sixth inning I was thinking I could definitely get on the ball,” Boyd said entered the contest with a .222 batting average and hadn’t had a hit since the opening game of the season She commands the outfield and when she comes to bat she has settled in a bit as the season’s gone on,” said Woodbridge coach Mike Jago “She had a little bit of trouble to start the year but I’m hoping today’s her coming-out party She was great today and we needed every bit of it.” Jupinka led off the seventh inning with a single for Old Bridge and Mastrola made a spectacular grab in left for the first out Boyd made an even better play on the very next pitch ranging to her left to deny Flores of a third hit in the contest then came up throwing after her diving grab to double Jupinka off of first The Barrons got another strong and resilient outing from Madelyn Brenner (5-0) Woodbridge continues to sparkle in the field “They’re such a great group and they’re together it doesn’t matter who’s on the field and who’s off the field,” Jago said OLD BRIDGE – Phenix Salon Suites has been approved to set up shop at Old Bridge Gateway Shopping Center on Route 9 LLC applied to the Zoning Board of Adjustment for preliminary and final site plan approval to re-tenant a 7,724-square-foot space to a salon suite use operated by Phenix Salon Suites at the shopping center The salon would consist of 46 individual stations constituting a “mini-suite” as recognized by the New Jersey State Board of Cosmetology and Hairstyling No exterior changes to the shopping center were proposed More: Newest store at Mid-State Mall in East Brunswick set to open next week Phenix Salon Suites, a salon suite franchise, offers an innovative approach to small business ownership by inviting professionals to operate their business in a beautifully designed suite, the website says The brand subleases/licenses individual suites within the premises to individualized licensed beauty and barber professionals according to the application filed with the township Phenix Salon Suites was founded by Gina Rivera, who is well known in the world of beauty, the website says Phenix Salon Suites has more than 400 locations worldwide Services provided at the suites include hair as well as makeup and lash services and waxing John Smith (10) of Old Bridge pitches during the baseball game between Old Bridge and Don Bosco Prep at Carl Sundberg Middle School in Old Bridge NJ on 4/5/24.Scott Faytok | NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By John Lewis | For NJ Advance MediaJohn Smith allowed just one hit over 6 1/3 innings as Old Bridge Smith struck out eight and walked four before he gave way to Noah Balbuena who allowed one hit over 2/3 innings and walked one Chris Crosta had a pair of hits and drove in a run for the Knights Justin Hascup and Matt Chin also drove in runs South Brunswick fell to 2-12 with its sixth straight loss John Lewis can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comXavier Diaz went 2-for-3 with a homer and two RBI a double and a homer to lead Woodbridge in a 10-7 win over Old Bridge The Barons (10-2) led 5-3 after the fifth inning and scored five runs in the sixth Powered by ATC Online LLP OLD BRIDGE – A 34-year-old township woman was severely injured when she was struck by a pickup truck driven by a township man charged with driving while intoxicated The woman was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick where she is being treated for her injures Police said the driver of the pickup truck a 32-year-old township man whose name has not been released was arrested at the scene and charged with assault by auto driving while intoxicated and reckless driving The circumstances of the crash remain under investigation by law enforcement officials Suzanne Russell is a breaking news reporter for MyCentralJersey.com covering crime 2025 at 9:58 am ETA rendering of how one of the four-story apartment buildings will look Planning Board)Where The Green at Old Bridge will be located NJ — Plans have been revived for The Green at Old Bridge a massive apartment complex of 20 apartment buildings (529 apartments total plus two additional office buildings and a parking garage off Matawan Road The developer is Alfieri-Old Bridge Associates All documents and plans for The Green at Old Bridge have been submitted to the Old Bridge Planning Board, and can be viewed here The Planning Board will be asked to approve the first phase of the project at their meeting next Thursday night It will be brought up for a first vote and public discussion at that time The Green at Old Bridge will be located on a 94-acre property on Matawan Road bordering the Cliffwood section of Aberdeen directly across from the on/off ramps for the Parkway north The property is expected to bring in $9.8 million a year in property taxes to the town of Old Bridge (page 14) The development will also bring more students into Old Bridge public schools the increase in school students was determined to be "negligible" by that Community Impact Statement and the amount of taxes generated by The Green will far offset any additional costs to the school district The Green is estimated to bring in 406 preschool-aged children and 72 school-aged children according to predictions from the Community Impact Statement 106 will be set aside as affordable housing is trying to ensure that at least 13 percent (14 units) of those affordable apartments will be designated as very-low-income reserved for households that make 30 percent or less of the New Jersey median income The developer also plans to construct one 4-story office building, one 2-story office building, a separate clubhouse (see renderings of the clubhouse here page 16; it will have an indoor gym) and outdoor pool plus a three-story parking garage and outdoor parking lots there will be 2,171 parking spaces (132 outdoors It is not immediately known if the parking garage will be available for use by the public The developer will also build one large public green in the site's western portion several "neighborhood parks" in the site's northern portion and one "neighborhood park" in the site's southeast portion four stormwater basins and a sanitary pump station on the property Here are the boundaries of The Green at Old Bridge: Get the full proposal here: #12-2022P Alfieri-Old Bridge Associates, LLC MyCentralJersey reports the Old Bridge Planning Board first rejected The Green in 2022; in response Alfieri argued the town's denial was illegal as Old Bridge is required to have a certain number of affordable housing units in town and The Green would have affordable housing Alfieri argued Old Bridge was shirking its affordable housing quota Such a lawsuit is what some in New Jersey call "builders' remedy" suits: Critics argue developers use affordable housing quotas from the state to force towns to approve lucrative developments counter that it's important to have affordable housing in New Jersey .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comJohn Smith went six innings while Harry Denney pitched an inning in relief to help throw a three-hit shutout for Old Bridge in a 9-0 win over St walked two batters and allowed a pair of hits while Denney struck out one and allowed one hit for Old Bridge (5-4) Old Bridge scored four runs in the top of the third inning and a run in the top of the fourth to take a 5-0 lead Akhil Penkala went 3-for-4 with two RBI and two runs scored for Old Bridge Logan Ring and Kris Almanzar each had a hit for St Anthony Gabbianelli can be reached at agabbianellli@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now!Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) The wife of an Old Bridge school board member is scheduled to be sentenced in February after she pleaded guilty in connection to the theft of more than $50,000 from a township PTA and youth sports program Dana Marchetta, 43, the wife of Old Bridge Board of Education Member Leonardo Marchetta 7 before Middlesex County Superior Court Judge Joseph Paone Charges against Leonardo Marchetta are pending according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office The potential penalty for a third-degree crime is a prison term of up to five years if the defendant has no prior criminal record there is a presumption of a probationary term instead of a prison term A conviction can be expunged from a person's record after five years More: Old Bridge man sentenced to 10 years in prison for running over, killing Wawa employee The couple were charged in April by township police in connection with the theft of $41,067.90 from the Grissom School PTA and its vendors whose term on the Board of Education is up at the end of this year Marchetta is serving as the chairman of the school board's Athletics and Extracurricular Committee please subscribe or activate your digital account today.