BELMAR, NJ — Thanks to an extremely generous community, the Clothes Closet in Belmar is brimming with all the essentials for keeping warm this winter.

Coats, jackets, sweaters, sweatshirts, flannels, shoes, hats, gloves … you name it and you’re sure to find it in the shop — and in every size and style, and for adults and children. In the Food Pantry, donations by ...

BELMAR, NJ — For one group of Belmar Elementary School students, toys took a back seat to technology today when they received a special holiday gift from Fran and Jeannie Hines. And the children couldn’t have been happier about it.

Through their Colton and Friends foundation, the Hines donated eight Chromebook laptop computers to two classes where 24 kindergarten through ...

BELMAR, NJ — Do you have overdue books or movies borrowed from the Belmar Public Library? By returning them by December 29, all fines will be forgiven with one catch — make sure to bring a nonperishable food item with you.

For this year’s Food for Fines program, the library is partnering with the Food Pantry at the Belmar Community Center and Library Annex at 503 Seventh ...

BELMAR, NJ — For Sportsnut Cards & Collectibles owner Ted Henschel, time is certainly on his side.

Now located at 1102 Main Street in Belmar, his store boasts one of the largest selections of quality cards and collectibles in New Jersey — timeless treasures that feature athletes whose achievements span the decades in a full spectrum of sports.

In fact, Henschel is highly ...

BELMAR, NJ — Salon Marsal is once again is offering something extra with the purchase of its holiday gift certificates.

Every certificate includes a “bonus” amount in services added to the total value of the card. And the larger the gift card amount, the more bonus services the gift card recipient receives, ranging from $25 to $100. Here’s the bonus ...

BELMAR, NJ — For the history buffs on your holiday shopping list, gifts that reflect on Belmar’s past are now available at the Belmar Historical Society museum.

A sampling of items is currently on display in the Sixth Avenue lobby of the Belmar Municipal Building, 601 Main Street. Here’s a look:

“Memories of Belmar” is a two-volume set featuring oral ...

BELMAR, NJ — Santa is on his way, and for many of us, so is the stress associated with the holiday season.

Lynette’s Healing Touch has a way to help those you love soothe the mind, body and soul — and give you a little stress relief, as well.

Massage therapist Lynette Coppola is offering holiday gifts cards for two 50-minute classic massages at a price of $85. And when you ...

OCEAN GROVE, NJ — Featuring a diverse array of handcrafted items, unique merchandise and one-of-a-kind treasures, Serenity by the Sea is your go-to destination for everyone on your holiday gift list.

Recently opening at 53 Main Avenue, this “little shop of wonder” is the creation of Sarah Taylor Izzo, who moved from Belmar to a bigger and brighter location in the heart of ...

BELMAR, NJ —As nearly 200 Belmar seniors enjoyed a holiday luncheon at the Taylor Pavilion today, a group of St. Rose Grammar School students sprinkled their own Christmas cheer into the festivities.

Assembled at the front of the pavilion’s reception area overlooking the Belmar beachfront, the school’s chorus added to the sun’s warmth by beginning the traditional event ...

BELMAR, NJ — Several hundred people gathered in Pyanoe Plaza on Friday night for Belmar’s traditional tree lighting — a twinkling holiday scene as children got their chance to meet with Santa and to climb aboard a fire truck for a ride through town.

It was mostly the younger children who wanted a minute with Santa, as their parents snapped photos for the family scrapbook. And ...

LAKE COMO, NJ — In Lake Como, the annual holiday tree lighting is more than turning on a switch.

While the traditional celebration tonight included illuminating the tall evergreen outside borough hall, it also featured a host of children’s activities inside, including ornament-making, a story about Santa’s visit to the Jersey Shore read by former Mayor Brian Wilton and the ...

BELMAR, NJ — As the second light was added last night to the towering menorah in Pyanoe Plaza, the community came together to celebrate the eight-day Festival of Lights through prayer and song.

Shortly after sundown on December 3, several dozen people joined Rabbi Cy Stanway and Cantor Marnie Camhi of Temple Beth Miriam of Elberon for the official lighting of the ...

AVON-BY-THE-SEA, NJ — Christmas has certainly arrived at The Macaroon Shop, where a wondrous array of cakes, cookies and other baked goods offers so many delectable choices for the holidays.

The full-service bakery at 107 Main Street in Avon-by-the-Sea is brimming with novelty creations and traditional offerings that are sure to delight young and old during the most wonderful time of the ...

BELMAR, NJ — Main Street Donuts in Belmar is going beyond the single doughnut with specially decorated creations for the holiday season.

Freshly based doughnuts are being arranged into pull-away cakes crafted into holiday trees, candy canes, wreathes and bright red holiday ornaments — tasty gifts and great conversation pieces for holiday gatherings.

The festive themes and colors ...

We found some of the best places to get doughnuts in New Jersey.

While one of the most recognizable global brands, Dunkin’, is dropping the “Donuts” from its  name, smaller doughnut shops in New Jersey are seeing rise in demand for the tasty treats.

Jessica Dreyer, a fourth-generation farmer at Dreyer Farms in Cranford, said that doughnuts have ...

BELMAR, NJ — In a world dominated by online and big-box shopping, the Belmar Arts Center is making this holiday season a bit more personal — by offering the gift of art from a medley of artists through several upcoming events.

Affordable Art: A Holiday Sales Exhibit, to be held through December 22, showcases the artwork that is both affordable and appealing to general audiences.

ASBURY PARK, NJ — Now in its 14th year, the Beach Music Studios Holiday Party keeps on going, and even more importantly, it keeps on giving.

A standing-room-only crowd enjoyed an afternoon extravaganza on December 2 at The Stone Pony that featured a toy drive to benefit area children, a scholarship award to a deserving student, as well as the makings of any memorable festive event ...

BELMAR, NJ — The northern end of Belmar’s beachfront is quietly making a comeback that will please Mother Nature.

Piping plovers have returned to nest in the natural beach area near First Avenue, and the rare seabeach amaranth plant is sprouting along a strip of sand along the boardwalk between Third and Fourth Avenues. Both are federally endangered species that were recently ...

MANASQUAN/CAPE MAY, NJ — The U.S. Coast Guard, with help from the Manasquan Fire Department, rescued three men and a dog from a sinking commercial fishing vessel in the Manasquan Inlet early this morning.

The Coast Guard Sector Delaware Bay reported that it received notification at 2 a.m. on December 8 that the 44-foot Miss Kathleen struck the northern Manasquan Inlet jetty and was ...

TRENTON, NJ — New Jersey seniors and individuals with disabilities now have an online tool to see if they're entitled to a host of health- and household-related benefits and savings.

The Department of Human Services’ (DHS) Division of Aging Services has launched NJSave, a new online application to help qualifying New Jerseyans save money on Medicare premiums, prescription costs ...

TRENTON, NJ — Belmar and Lake Como’s three state lawmakers are calling on Gov. Phil Murphy to reduce spending and provide tax relief to New Jersey residents.

In a recent letter to Murphy, District 30’s Assemblymen Sean Kean (R-Monmouth), Edward “Ned” Thomson (R-Monmouth) and Sen. Robert Singer (R-Monmouth) said that “residents want us to make our state more ...

WALL, NJ — Two residents from Long Island are facing a multitude of drug and weapons charges, following their December 6 arrests during a motor vehicle stop in Wall that led police to raid their Route 35 motel room, according to police.

At about 5 p.m., Anthony Miccio, 30, of Islip, N.Y., and Ashley Schroko, 23, of Huntington, N.Y., were arrested on New Bedford Road near Route 138 by ...

BELMAR, NJ — The owners of a Belmar beachfront concession will receive a $130,000 rent reduction over the next five years and another $15,000 in deposit funds on prior leases, under a settlement reached with the borough in a breach of contract lawsuit.

Hilary and Trent Colanduoni of Neptune, who now operate Shore Break Grill in the new Rowland Pavilion at 10th Avenue, were seeking ...

TRENTON, NJ — A $10 million federal lawsuit by bar owners Timothy and Matthew Harmon against Belmar on claims borough officials deliberately prevented them from opening an outdoor bar has survived its latest legal challenge.

U.S. District Judge Peter Sheridan has ruled the lawsuit can proceed on First Amendment grounds that Belmar’s denial of a liquor license transfer to Salt, the ...

BELMAR, NJ — Departing Planning Board Chairman Ed Windas was honored by the Belmar Council for serving in that volunteer capacity for more than 20 years.

At the governing body’s December 4 meeting, Windas was presented by Mayor Brian Magovern with a proclamation recognizing his tenure of service in leading the nine-member board, which reviews applications for land use in accordance ...

FREEHOLD, NJ — Explore Monmouth County's cultural, environmental and historic heritage through a just-released virtual tour series that covers all 53 towns and nearly every corner of the county.

The Monmouth County Division of Planning has launched its Cultural and Heritage Virtual Tour series that allows online visitors to explore a variety of points of interest in eight distinct ...

LAKE COMO/BELMAR, NJ — Photographer Paul Spennrath calls these snapshots his “tale of two lakes.”

Taken on the afternoon of Friday, November 23, he captured the contrasting appearances of Lake Como and Silver Lake, particularly when the days turn colder and grow shorter. And many of those differences center around the types birds that color their pictureque landscapes.

On ...

Gardeners know the benefits of digging in the soil. It elevates a person’s mood, improves mental and physical well-being and the outcome is always good — added beauty or tasty nutritional food. 

But many of us are stuck indoors for the winter, have a lack of space to garden outdoors or just can’t get enough of this healthful activity. Adding greenery indoors expands our ...

BELMAR/LAKE COMO, NJ — TAPinto Belmar/Lake Como is the only all-online, objective newspaper that serves residents, organizations and businesses in both municipalities, reporting news at it happens 24/7.

Accredited by the New Jersey Press Association, it is the official electronic newspaper of both municipalities and is part of the TAPinto network of 75 locally owned and operated online ...