Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: How religious bias disrupted emergency care after a Toms River car crash
Coming up: Mocktails, Mammos, & More: Supporting the Girls! on the Toms River Patch calendar

Good morning Toms River! We're back in your inbox this morning to keep you in the loop with what's happening in and around town. Grab a cup of coffee and read on. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- How religious bias disrupted emergency care after a Toms River car crash
- How JBJ Soul Kitchen in Toms River supports more than just meals
- How far can Toms River South go in the Shore Tournament?
Also on today's calendar: Mocktails, Mammos, & More: Supporting the Girls! and 15 more events.
Today's riddle: Why do some birds fly south for the winter? 🤔 (Answer below!)
- Monday: A stray a.m. shower; clearing, with a high of 74 and low of 53 degrees.
- Tuesday: Sunshine and warm, temps: high: 78, low: 62.
- Wednesday: Very warm and humid, with a high of 82 and low of 59 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
• TOMS RIVER: Patient Refuses Medical Care From Hatzolah and Other Orthodox Jewish First Responders Following Accident (lakewoodalerts.com) — An injured driver in Toms River repeatedly refused treatment from Orthodox Jewish first responders, even after being told some were official 911 EMS personnel. The account, shared by a Hatzolah volunteer, highlights how prejudice disrupted emergency care at multiple points, from the crash scene through hospital admission, and raises concerns about bias toward Orthodox neighbors in local emergency situations.
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• Jon Bon Jovi funded a Red Bank restaurant in 2011 where diners pay what they can or volunteer to eat; JBJ Soul Kitchen has since served more than 275,000 meals (parade.com) — Toms River residents can turn to the local JBJ Soul Kitchen, where anyone can enjoy a three-course meal by paying what they can or volunteering, while also accessing help with housing, utilities, health care, and job skills. The nonprofit restaurant network, launched in Red Bank in 2011, has now served more than 275,000 meals statewide and recently earned recognition from the James Beard Foundation for its impact.
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• Playa Bowls 2026 Shore Conference Girls Soccer Week 7 Top 10 (shoresportsinsider.com) — Toms River South has surged to the No. 4 spot in the Shore Conference girls soccer rankings and will host Manchester in Tuesday's tournament opener, while Toms River East earned the No. 17 seed and faces Manalapan. Several other Shore powers, including Red Bank Catholic and St. John Vianney, secured high seeds and byes as the conference tournament bracket takes shape this week.
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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 ★
- Mocktails, Mammos, & More: Supporting the Girls! →
HMH Ocean University Medical Center, 425 Jack Martin Blvd, Brick Township
5:30 pm - Cooking Class Butternut Squash Soup with the Innkeeper →
Mathis House a Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room, 600 Main St, Toms River
6:30 pm - Midnight Masquerade Murder Mystery Dinner Show →
Mathis House a Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room, 600 Main St, Toms River
7:00 pm - Thomas Mathis Burlesque Dinner Show →
Mathis House a Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room, 600 Main St, Toms River
7:00 pm - Wicked Teatime at the Mathis House Victorian Tearoom →
Mathis House a Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room, 600 Main St, Toms River
3:00 pm - Halloween Name that Tune Tea Time Bingo →
Mathis House a Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room, 600 Main St, Toms River
6:00 pm - Halloween Karaoke Dinner Buffet at The Mathis House →
Mathis House a Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room, 600 Main St, Toms River
7:00 pm - Autumn Lights Festival For Parkinson's →
Huddy Park, 39 E Water St, Toms River
11:00 am - Harvest Victorian Afternoon Tea →
Mathis House a Victorian Bed & Breakfast and Tea Room, 600 Main St, Toms River
11:00 am
Tuesday October 13
Thursday October 15
Friday October 16
Saturday October 17
Sunday October 18
Wednesday October 21
Friday October 23
Saturday October 24
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Autumn Magic & Halloween Whimsy Watercolor with Leona Lavone →
Ocean County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
10:30 am - Drawing with Joseph Rogine →
Ocean County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
1:00 pm - Teen Class with Carol Colvin →
Ocean County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
3:30 pm - Oil Painting Class: All Levels with Debra Kurtz →
Ocean County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
8:00 am - Yoga at the Guild →
Ocean County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
8:30 am - October Children's Classes with Miss Alison Tuesday →
Ocean County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
4:00 pm - 2026 State of the Bay Symposium →
Ocean County College, 1 College Dr, Toms River
8:30 am - Textures of Nature Watercolor with Leona Lavone →
Ocean County Artists Guild, 22 Chestnut Ave, Island Heights
9:30 am - Wellness Wednesdays →
Online via Zoom
12:30 pm
Monday October 12
Tuesday October 13
Wednesday October 14
📣 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:
- Liberty Door and Awning — (732) 286-3667
- Sit Stay And Beyond LLC — (908) 656-4286
- De Lareau Studio — (732) 998-8729
- Insurcomm Restoration — (866) 708-5357
- Graham Behavior Services — (848) 888-3204
- Mathis House Bed & Breakfast and Victorian Tea Room — (732) 818-7580
- Premier Roofing — 7322448588
- Sit Stay And Beyond LLC — 9086564286
- Klarr Transport Service Inc — (732) 905-5100
- Carfagno Professional Painting LLC — (609) 224-0235
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
🪧 Patch Classifieds
- Open House Saturday & Sunday 12pm-2pm TOMS RIVER
🏡✨ OPEN HOUSE THIS SATURDAY! ✨🏡... (More info)
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Update to Ocean County Library's Access to Flipster Digital Magazines —Dan Fitzgerald Read on Patch
- Third Annual LGBTQIA+ Resource Fair Coming to the Toms River Library —Dan Fitzgerald Read on Patch
- I recently started on Medicare and I have parts A and B.
Now I need to pick a medigap plan. I would like to know what everyone is paying for their plans just so I can get some idea of which direction to go… (Nextdoor Holiday Heights) - I need help - my fig tree trunk split in two - I think the deer did it.
It was big - I was able to dig up a root "ball" attached to piece of the trunk - lots of roots. Here is the problem - it is so big I cannot fit it… (Nextdoor Holiday City - Berkeley)
- Burlington Stores posted a job opening for Seasonal Cashier Associate - Part Time in Toms River. Apply here.
- Ocean County Health Department posted a job opening for Building Maintenance Worker in Toms River. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Toms River here.
🗞 Nearby News
Seaside Heights
- Italian Festival, Columbus Day Parade Filling Streets In Seaside Heights (patch.com)
- Who let the dogs in? (silive.com)
- NJ weather: Isaias rain prompts event cancellations (wobm.com)
Brick
- Former Toms River Councilman Terrance Turnbach Springs Accomplice Who Helped Wawa Murder Suspect Escape (shorenewsnetwork.com)
- Thousands of Trump supporters poured into the Oncenter after a decade (localsyr.com)
- Elite Sports PT Shore Conference Boys Soccer Scoreboard: Saturday, October 10 (shoresportsinsider.com)
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: "Why do some birds fly south for the winter?" — Because it's too far to walk..! (Thank you Theresia F. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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