Avon Pavilion Will Stay For 10 Years

Borough, Pavilion reach agreement on terms of new lease for the boardwalk mainstay

It could give you whiplash. The Borough of Avon, after its governing body voted two weeks ago to suddenly revoke the lease of the Avon Pavilion and then defended that position with various and changing reasons despite pushback from Pavilion supporters, voted Monday to reinstate the lease for another 10 years at a heavily attended, standing-room only meeting. The vote of the three-member Board of Commissioners was 2-1 in favor and followed a 20-minute closed session at the top of the meeting. Commissioner Frank Gorman cast the lone vote against. Under threat of a lawsuit from Pavilion owner Robert Fishman, the two sides came to terms over the weekend and have settled their dispute. Under the terms of a new agreement, the Pavilion will …

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Pavilions Demolished, Boardwalk Rebuilt in Avon

Avon-by-the-sea rebuilding after Hurricane Sandy

A tiny seaside hamlet on the north side of the Shark River Inlet, Avon-By-The-Sea boasts a total land area of just 4/10 of a square mile. Beach badges for the season cost $90 for adults and $45 for seniors and young adults (12-18). Children under the age of 12 are free and daily passes can be purchased for $9. Lifeguards will be on the beach on weekends as of Memorial Day Weekend and will be there full time in June through Labor Day. Parking on the street is free with bathrooms available on the boardwalk at Lincoln and Norwood avenues. Food and drink are allowed but alcohol is prohibited. Pavilions were demolished after Hurricane Sandy damage and Avon has rebuilt its boardwalk throughout winter. For more information on availability call …

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Route 71 Bridge Closings Start Monday

Upgrades will close DOT bridge from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. through May 5

Route 71 Bridge Overnight Closings Start Monday

Upgrades will close DOT bridge from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. through May 5

The Route 71 bridge connecting downtown Belmar with Avon-By-The-Sea will be closed during the overnight hours next week while crews work to upgrade the bridge's safety barrier gates, officials said.  The state Department of Transportation, beginning Monday, April 30, will pin the bridge in the open position from 9 p.m. until 6 a.m., repeating the process each night that week, according to a release from the state Department of Transportation.  The project is expected to be completed by Saturday, May 5, at 6 a.m., the release says.  During the overnight hours, traffic will be redirected to the Route 35 bridge just one west of the Route 71 bridge, the release says. The Ocean Avenue bridge, six blocks to the east, is another option.  The …

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Charlie LaPlaca

7:37 pm on Friday, April 27, 2012

We apologize for any confusion. A previous release informed us that the bridge would be closed during daytime hours. Apparently it was wrong. Thanks for your understanding.   more ›

Avon-By-The-Sea: Seaside Hamlet

Beach badge prices, lifeguard hours

A tiny seaside hamlet on the north side of the Shark River Inlet, Avon-By-The-Sea boasts a total land area of just 4/10 of a square mile. Beach badges for the season cost $90 for adults and $45 for seniors and young adults (12-18). Children under the age of 12 are free and daily passes can be purchased for $9. Lifeguards will be on the beach on weekends as of Memorial Day Weekend and will be there full time in June through Labor Day. Parking on the street is free with bathrooms available on the boardwalk at Lincoln and Norwood avenues. Food and drink are allowed but alcohol is prohibited. For more information on availability call 732-502-4510.

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Body of Toms River Man Found in Ocean off Avon

Authorities have confirmed the identity of a man found dead in the water Thursday morning

Authorities have confirmed the identity of a body found near the shore in the Atlantic Ocean off Avon-by-the-Sea this morning. First Assistant Prosecutor Christopher Gramiccioni of the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office confirms that the body of Paul Tran of Oakview Drive in Toms River was recovered from the ocean after a 911 call at approximately 5:27 a.m. The 41-year-old man's death is currently under investigation.

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Election Results: Local Races Recapped

Voters came out to decide on a number of local races on Tuesday

Below are the results of local municipal elections as reported by the Monmouth County Board of Elections. The results are considered unofficial until they can be verified. Winners are marked with a check (√). Election Day was business as usual in the borough of Avon as incumbent commissioners Robert McGovern, Francis Gorman and Robert Mahon, all independents, won re-election in an uncontested election. Robert McGovern (Ind) √ 344 Francis Gorman (Ind) √ 337 Robert Mahon (Ind) √ 365 Republican candidate Jim Bean won a full term on the council while sitting councilwoman Jennifer Nicolay will finish out one year of an unexpired term she is currently filling. Click here to read the full story. James Bean (Rep) √ 711 Concetta Gutierrez (Dem) 689…

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Warrior Challenge Coming to Avon

Event will raise funds to support families of Special Forces

It's not every day that an Army Black Hawk helicopter lands on the beach in Avon-by-the-Sea. Then again, it's not every day that The Warrior Challenge comes to town. On Saturday, July 16, hundreds of athletes will descend up the sand in Avon for the Third Annual Warrior Challenge, a fitness event that will benefit the families of servicemen injured in the line of duty. The event consists of four separate challenges. First, competitors will be tasked with a one-mile deep sand run while carrying a 40-pound sand bag. Next is a maximum pull-up challenge begun from a dead hang position with no jumping or kipping allowed. Then the competitors will be challenged to complete as many burpees as they can in a two-minute period. For the uninitiated, …

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Avon Celebrates Independence

Town gathers to read Declaration of Independence Sunday

A little rain never halted the American Revolution, and it wasn’t about to stop Avon residents from holding their annual Independence Day celebration on Sunday. Inside the town’s borough building, locals gathered to hear a reading of the Declaration of Independence and recognize the 235 anniversary of our nation’s freedom at 6 p.m. The event was moved indoors due to a thunderstorm and heavy rain. Reverend Cook of the Avon Baptist church led the opening prayer and gave a brief history lesson. “The first prayer was said in Congress in 1774, even before the Declaration of Independence was written, as a request for protection by God from the British, who had laid siege on the colonists as punishment for the Boston Tea Party,” said Rev. Cook. …

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A Wild Time in Avon

Avon Public Library lets children get up close with animals

Small animals were on parade at the Avon Pavilion on June 29, as Eyes of the World presented What Big Eyes You Have! Roughly 30 children of all ages – and parents – marveled at the animals, and even got to pet several of them at the free program sponsored by Avon-by-the-Sea Public Library. “We do it every summer.  It’s the annual event that kicks off our Avon Library summer season,” said Sheila Watson, head librarian. The animals – mostly small – were shown to entranced children by wildlife presenter, Kimberly Gruning, Flemington, who even brought along her pet African pygmy hedgehog, Seal.  Eyes of the Wild – owned by Travis Gale, Washington – is an indoor rescue facility, which takes in animals that may have been pets people got and …

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