My email is karen.wall@patch.com and I welcome your questions, concerns and news tips. I do my best to answer all reader emails. I cover Brick, Toms River, Manchester, Point Pleasant, Point Pleasant Beach, and Lakewood and do my best to keep readers informed on what's happening in their towns. I have been with Patch full-time since July 2014 but have more than 35 years in journalism, including 20 years at the Asbury Park Press. I love sports and fishing (and yes, I bait my own hook); I was the editor of Hook, Line & Sinker for four years. I have lived at the Jersey Shore since August 1979, with the exception of my college years and an 18-month stint in Northern California. I'm a Brick Township High School graduate and have a bachelor's degree in journalism from Michigan State University.
The man was drunk and had illegal drugs in his system when he hit a man working at an Earle construction site on Route 9, authorities said.
The man was drunk and had illegal drugs in his system when he hit a man working at an Earle construction site on Route 9, authorities said.
As students return to school, Brick Township police say they will be strictly enforcing traffic laws to ensure everyone is safe.
One woman said she was teaching the other how to drive, according to a report.
A North Jersey man had at least four drinks in 2 hours immediately before the Barnegat Bay crash in July, according to the affidavit.
The woman jumped from the ride to help the child who fell; a second toddler had to be rescued from the ride, authorities said.
There will be closures and detours in place, police said.
The 9-month-old baby died Friday after he, his mother and his sister were hit in a grocery store parking lot in Ocean County.
Alcoholic Beverage Control officials and Point Pleasant Beach police investigated a complaint filed by one woman who said she was drugged.
A North Jersey man is charged with vehicular homicide in a fatal July Barnegat Bay crash and is accused of boating under the influence.
The boy's mother and sister are hospitalized; the driver and a second woman have been charged, the Ocean County prosecutor said.
The Brick Township Recreation Department has its programs set for the 2026-27 school year along with the prices.
Mayor Daniel Rodrick named the state AG as a defendant in a lawsuit claiming interference in town affairs by the Ocean County prosecutor.
The fire hydrant flushing is part of regular maintenance of the township's water system.
The Brick man is accused of selling the cocaine to the woman that led to her overdose, authorities say.
Students riding e-bikes to Point Pleasant Boro High School will have to register them with the district, a letter to parents says.
The Brick Township Schools have had a ban on cell phone use in school in place since last September. Here is a reminder of what it involves.
Howell joins dozens of towns around New Jersey that are banning artificial intelligence data centers from being built in their borders.
At least one person told Jackson Mayor Jennifer Kuhn "I hope you die" in the threats that started in recent weeks, according to the report.
An ordinance approved in 2025 is set to be repealed, and data centers banned entirely, Manchester officials said.
