Just days after the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia dumped massive amounts of rain on New Jersey, a slow-moving coastal storm has pounded the region with more torrential rain.

As of Friday afternoon, some areas of the state have already been soaked with as much as 3 to 4 inches of rain since early in the morning. Almost a month’s worth of rain has fallen in half a day.

With the ground already saturated from Ophelia, which blasted some towns with as much as 5 to 6 inches of rain during a four-day span, heavy flooding has triggered multiple flash flood warnings and road closures, several water rescues of stranded drivers.

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency for the entire state shortly after 3 p.m.

More bad news: Forecasters from the National Weather Service say more rain is headed our way.

“As we go into this evening, another 1 to 2 inches is possible,” the agency noted. “The rain may even extend through the overnight and into tomorrow.”

Here’s a look at how much rain has fallen across different regions of New Jersey on Friday, according to preliminary reports from the National Weather Service and the Rutgers NJ Weather Network. (This includes totals from midnight through the early afternoon in some counties, and through the late afternoon in other counties.)

Worth noting: The bull’s eye for the heaviest bands of rain turned out to be Monmouth County, where a whopping 7.75 inches of rain was measured in Long Branch. That’s about two months of rain in less than one day.

Note: Additional counties and towns will be added to the list above as new information gets reported.

Current weather radar

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With the season on the brink, Hawks put on a show for Homecoming Day crowd and keep their season alive

WEST LONG BRANCH – With their backs literally up against the wall and the season on the brink of imploding, Monmouth University, to a player, dug deep inside themselves and came out firing on all cylinders in Saturday’s 49-7 rout of Lehigh University.

Entering the game at 1-3 on the season after two consecutive excruciating losses, a loss to Lehigh on Saturday would’ve sealed their fate and send them spiraling down a path of no return.

Instead, in front of a packed house at Kessler Field on Homecoming Weekend, the Hawks put together one of their finest all-around performances in recent memory while at the same time giving them a glimpse of what this team is really capable of heading into its bye-week.

And they accomplished this with eight starters or key contributors watching from the sidelines with various ailments.

“Absolutely,” said Monmouth head coach Kevin Callahan when asked if his team entered the game with a sense of urgency. “No one was satisfied with where we were. We had opportunities throughout our first four games to win more than the one we did, but for whatever reason we didn’t capitalize on those opportunities. Today, I think collectively the team made their mind up that we were going to capitalize on it today and we did in all three phases of the game.”

Monmouth racked up an eye-popping 619 yards of total offense and held Lehigh’s offense to a mere 281 yards of total offense, including just 130 yards in the second half.

“Our offense was basically unstoppable today and our defense came up with turnovers and scored a touchdown,” said Callahan.

The Hawks offensive line, which was missing two starters, keyed the offensive outburst. With starting center Tyler Williams and left tackle Jordan Hall out with injuries, fifth-year center Ed Gatling and junior left tackle Kyrik Mason brought their lunch pails to work and kicked some butt. Junior tackle Adrian Hawkins was also rotated in and didn’t miss a beat.

“The offensive line did a very good job, and it was a group we had to put together this week where two starters were out and a third actually didn’t practice most of the week,” said Callahan. “The unit jelled and were able to play well together. We were able to run the ball and they were able to protect our quarterback when he dropped back and threw the ball. So, when your offensive line is playing like that it’s always a good thing. The hidden thing there was that those guys had to step up and play and are now more experienced, more veteran, so that makes our offensive line unit much deeper.”

After being whistled for six false starts in last week’s 28-20 loss to Lafayette, only one false start penalty was called on the offensive line and that was on their second to last possession of the game with most of the starters already on the bench.

And after allowing seven sacks last week, the line surrendered just two Saturday, including one late in the fourth quarter with most of the starters already finished for the day. Then, last but not least, they went the entire game without being called for a holding penalty.

As a unit, they kept the pocket clean all day for starting quarterback Marquez McCray, who had a monster game Saturday putting on a show for the Homecoming Day crowd.

McCray, who’s been a steady influence all season despite some rough patches, completed 22-of-28 passes for 333 yards and four touchdowns without throwing a pick in what turned out to be his breakout performance as a Hawk.

“The offensive line did a great job protecting and I felt comfortable the entire time,” said McCray. “I tried to get everybody involved early and it just kind of clicked from there.”

All-American running back Jaden Shirden had his longest run of the season, taking a handoff from McCray before bursting off left tackle and taking it down the left sidelines for a 66-yard run down to the one-yard line. Sone Ntoh then took it in from the one to give the Hawks a quick 7-0 lead.

Shirden finished with 119-yard rushing on 12 attempts for a 9.9 yards per carry average. Ntoh, a short-yardage specialist for the Hawks at 5-foot-11, 235 pounds, has deceptive speed for a player his size as Lehigh found out.

With the Hawks backed up at their own eight-yard line midway through the third quarter, Ntoh exploded through the line of scrimmage and outran the nearest defender for a spectacular 92-yard touchdown run. It was his second score of the game and his team-leading eighth of the season to put the Hawks up 42-7 with 8:35 left in the third quarter.

A week ago, Monmouth averaged 1.6 yards per carry rushing and Saturday they improved to 6.4 yards per carry, rushing for 257 yards on 36 attempts. The offense averaged a whopping 8.6 yards per play for the game.

One of the points of concern for both the offense and defense so far this season has been its third-down conversion rate. Saturday they were phenomenal at converting on offense and denying on defense. The offense converted 8-of-15 third-down chances for a success rate of 53 percent, which is 10 percentage points above the FCS average. The defense was even better. Lehigh converted just 2-of-13 chances on third down which equates to a 15 percent conversion rate, which is off the charts.

The defense was led by junior linebacker Remi Johnson (9 tackles, 8 solo, 2 TFL), fifth-year senior Tyrece Wright (6 tackles, 5 solo, 2 TFL, FF, PD), graduate student DE Nick White (5 tackles, 3 solo, QB hit), sophomore defensive end Miles Mitchell (5 tackles, 5 solo, 2 TFL) and senior T.J. Kamara (6 tackles, 3 solo, .5 TFL, QB hit), but it was a collective effort from top to bottom.

“We weren’t satisfied coming off our previous four games,” said Johnson of his team’s defensive effort. “I felt like we had so much more in the tank and so much more potential. We were even disappointed with them scoring seven points and we’re going to use this moving forward. Even if a guy missed an assignment we had five other guys coming in to make the play. So, it felt like a really great team effort and I feel like we played a really clean game.”

The secondary came into the game shorthanded with former All-Big South cornerback Eddie Morales III still nursing an injury and their nickel and dime defenders out as well. However, two freshmen, Israel Clark-White and Deuce Lee and senior Jude Umunakwe came to the rescue and shined, in particular Lee.

With the Hawks nursing a 14-7 lead late in the second quarter, Lee intercepted Lehigh quarterback Brayten Silbor and returned it 36 yards for a pick six and a 21-7 lead. Lee flashed his moves on his return weaving his way through defenders on his way to the endzone. Lee also had three tackles, including two solo in his first extended playing time. Clark-White added four tackles, two solo, and a pass defended while Umunakwe had two tackles, including one solo stop.

“I feel like it’s all preparation,” said Wright of his young defensive backs. “It’s in the film room, it’s in the meeting room and the young guys really want it, they want to make plays and they want to get better.”

“A couple of younger guys got significant game-time today and showed that they were the players we thought they were when we recruited them,” added Callahan. “They went in there and held their own and played well.

On Lehigh’s ensuing possession following Lee’s pick-six, the Mountain Hawks drove to the Monmouth 47-yard line, but on fourth-and-10 Silbor took off on a scramble and was brought down by Wright short of the first-down marker turning the ball back over to the Hawks.

With 18 seconds left in the half, McCray then lofted a perfect spiral to Dre Tucker on a fly pattern and Tucker pulled it in in full stride for a 34-yard touchdown and 28-7 lead at the half.

Preseason All-CAA first team wideout Dymere Miller was well, Dymere Miller, with another super game. The sure-handed Miller caught eight balls for 128 yards and two touchdowns giving him four touchdowns in the last two games.

“We just put in the work throughout the week, talking to each other about what we see and how we’re going about it,” said Miller, who is developing great chemistry with McCray. “We’re just really connecting and playing up to the standards that coach wants us to play to.”

Miller’s first score of the game gave Monmouth a 14-7 lead and put the Hawks ahead for good with 6:13 remaining in the first half. On the seventh play of a 74-yard drive, Miller ran a slant into the back of the endzone and McCray hit him in stride for the score. McCray was a perfect 7-for-7 on the drive accounting for all 74 yards. Assanti Kearney had a key third-and-2 reception for 16 yards and first down to extend the drive.

Fifth-year senior Dre Tucker capped a 10 play, 90-yard drive with a 34-yard scoring toss from McCray on a fly pattern with 12 seconds left in the half to push Monmouth’s lead to 28-7.

Monmouth received the second-half kick and didn’t waste any time getting on board marching 77 yards in nine plays with McCray finding Miller on slant as he split the defenders for a 36-yard touchdown and 35-7 advantage.

Sophomore Gavin Nelson closed out the scoring connecting with McCray on a 29-yard scoring play that capped a five play, 85-yard drive for a 49-7 lead. Nelson finished with three catches for 56 yards while showcasing his speed and giving a glimpse of things to come.

McCray spread the ball around all afternoon hooking up with eight different receivers on the day.

Monmouth has a much-needed bye next week before getting into the thick of their rugged CAA schedule hosting Hampton on October 14. Hampton (3-1, 1-0) beat Richmond 31-14 on Saturday so the Hawks have their work cut out for them, but Saturday’s big win will certainly help their mindset as they prepare.

“I think the bye comes at a good time,” said Callahan. “It comes at a time when we have a number of players injured and this gives them an additional week to heal up and get healthy so they can play. Realistically we have two weeks moving forward before we have to go on the field again. Our first objective is to get as healthy as we can and get the guys we can get back, back. We’ll practice a couple of days this week and use those days to try to stay sharp on both offense and defense. We’ll give our younger guys more repetitions in practice to continue to develop those guys because as you get later in the season we’ll have to call on them to play; that’s just how football works; you say that today.”

LONG BRANCH, NJ - Shopping local now has added benefits in Long Branch. The Shop Long Branch program was designed to encourage residents to support local businesses by providing tax credits to residents when they shop local.

Here's how it works. Individuals who sign up for a SHOP LONG BRANCH card will receive discounts at participating businesses in Long Branch. The discounts will be applied directly to the individuals' property taxes or provided in the form of a year-end check for non-residents or those who rent.

The program is more important than ever following the effects of COVID-19 on small businesses. The Shop Long Branch program is mutually beneficial to both the business owners and the residents and the list of participating business continues to grow. Check out the list below of participating businesses.

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SHOP LONG BRANCH:

10PRL (515 Bath Ave, 2nd Fl) Bacon Beach Grille (49 Atlantic Avenue) BBQ & Salad Shack (138 Myrtle Avenue) Bella's Pizza (425 Liberty Street) Bell Liquors (706 Broadway) Butcher's Block Restaurant (235 West Avenue) BR Help Center (489 Broadway, 2nd Floor) Caputo's Italian Pastry Shoppe (444 Ocean Blvd North) Cortez Cigar (23 2nd Avenue) Dancing Through Life (132 West End Avenue) Finer Details (187 Westwood Avenue) Funding Opportunities of America (Online) Leonard P. Kiczek, Esquire (226 Broadway) Long Branch Distillery (199 Westwood Avenue) Max's Bar & Grill (25 Matilda Terrace) Natural Healthcare Center (10 West End Court) New Life Chiropractic (236 Second Avenue) Norah's Irie Jamaican Restaurant (530 Springdale Avenue) Shelly's Jewels (605 2nd Avenue) Sip's Ace Paint & Hardware (700 Joline Avenue) The Butcher's Block (235 West Ave) The Peddler (150 Ocean Boulevard North) V & S Auto Brokers (517 Broadway) The White Chapel Projects Brewery (15 Second Avenue) And More To Come!

If you are a local business and would like to learn more about the program, or to sign up for the program, please contact Richard Thompson of Long Branch's Office of Community & Economic Development at rthompson@longbranch.org / 732.923.2041.

Shop Long Branch cards are available to all residents and city visitors at various locations including: Long Branch Public Library - Main (328 Broadway) Long Branch Public Library - Elberon (168 Lincoln Ave) City Hall - Information Desk (344 Broadway) Community Development Office (228 Broadway, 2nd Fl) Recreation Department (231 Wilber Ray Ave) Chamber of Commerce (228 Broadway, ground level) Finer Detail (187 Westwood Ave)

For more information on the Shop Long Branch program go to: https://www.longbranch.org/departments/OCED/SLB

Here are our favorite pumpkin patches in the Long Branch-Eatontown area:

|Updated Mon, Oct 2, 2023 at 1:01 pm ET

LONG BRANCH, NJ — Signs of fall are everywhere, from cooler nights and turning leaves, to pumpkin spice lattes and other products, and a sea of orange pumpkins in front of the grocery store.

But maybe you want the real deal — an actual pumpkin — in your home this season. Whether you’re planning to bake a pie, carve a jack-o’-lantern or just add some festive flair to your stoop, there are plenty of places to pick up a pumpkin near Long Branch-Eatontown:

Here are a few suggestions:

If you don't mind driving an hour or so north and west:

Find out what's happening in Long Branch-Eatontownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Schaefer Farms Flemington

Snyder's Farm Somerset

Von Thun's Country Farm Market South Brunswick

Fairfield Farms https://www.fairfieldfarms.net...177 Big Piece Rd, Fairfield, NJ 07004Open daily 'till 5:30 p.m. Activities offered this year:

Phone: (973) 227-1011

Brookhollow's Barnyard 301 Rockaway Valley Rd Boonton, NJ 07005 https://www.brookhollowsbarnya...(201) 400-4505

Heavenly Hill Farms451 NJ-94, Vernon Township, NJ 07462Open daily 'till 6 p.m.

It's worth the drive into North Jersey bear country to check out their always-popular Fall Harvest Festival. The Heavenly Hill Fall Harvest Fest includes:

If we missed your favorite pumpkin patch, be sure to share it with readers in the comments section.

And if your pumpkin is destined for a starring role on Halloween night, here’s our guide to carving a perfect jack-o’-lantern. Warren Nash on YouTube also shows a step-by-step process to make the perfect carve.

Pumpkin carving kits will go a long way in getting what you need. They typically include saws, a scooper, a drill and multiple patterns.

If you're looking for the items individually around the house, here's what you could use:

Steps

LONG BRANCH - It appears as if a recently revealed massive Coca-Cola sign is going to be saved, but exactly where its new resting place will be is still to be determined.

The owner of the building at 22 Third Ave., where it was recently discovered, has given it to the city to preserve, Mayor John Pallone said. He said city officials haven't decided yet where they're going to put it, but due to the buzz created by the discovery of century-old painted wall ad in nearly mint condition, the city is going to display it from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the new Health & Technology Center at 131 Bath Ave.

See the sign, grab a Coke and a slice

The public is welcome to come and view the ad, along with free Cokes and pizza, as supplies last.

The Coca-Cola ad was found after Prime City, the owners of 20 Third Ave., demolished the former SICA building earlier this month to make way for new apartment lofts and ground-floor retail. The wall sign was on the adjacent building, but had been covered since at least 1940, when the former building at 20 Third Ave. was constructed.

How it started:Century-old Coca-Cola ad emerges in Long Branch. Can it be saved before it vanishes again?

The location of the building and the future lofts is in the middle of the Lower Broadway Redevelopment Zone and is dotted with late 19th- and early 20th-century architecture that today houses Latin cuisine restaurants, thrift shops, a church and a grandiose U.S. Post Office.

Pallone said there was about two inches of space between the two buildings, which is why the sign is in such good condition after all these years. He said city officials held a Zoom call with Coca-Cola archivists and they believe the ad dates to around 1910 due to the colors used in it, the trademark in the tail and the slogan "Relieves Fatigue," which was in use then.

Long Branch history:U.S. Grant's walnut cabinet now at City Hall

The 1910s is around the time Coca-Cola started spending money for ads on walls. In 1913, Coca-Cola, which was first created in 1886, spent $259,499 on painted wall signs. Pallone said the company's representatives said they had several hundred signs done in New Jersey alone. Just how many of those, if any, are left, is not clear.

Sign 'staying in Long Branch'

"It’s great that it’s staying in Long Branch. It was removed faster than I imagined it would be just a couple of weeks ago," local Red Bank artist Michael White said.

White, who moved to Red Bank from Long Island four years ago, paints old landmarks and has added the Coca-Cola sign to his collection, along with the "evil clown," a Middletown landmark from the mid-1950s used to promote Food Circus, which later became Foodtown.

Long Branch history:Mill House Antiques is really a time machine

White was also alerted to another surviving wall sign at 72 Bridge Ave. in Red Bank. This ad, not nearly as well-preserved as the Coca-Cola sign, is an ad for Wrigley's Spearmint gum. The paint has fused to the brick, White said.

Pallone said Prime City took the Coca-Cola ad down piece by piece and numbered the boards so that it could be easier to put back them together in order when a permanent home is found.

U.S. Grant at the Jersey Shore:In Long Branch, a president slept here

When Jersey Shore native Dan Radel is not reporting the news, you can find him in a college classroom where he is a history professor. Reach him @danielradelapp; 732-643-4072; dradel@gannettnj.com.