“American Horror Stories” will be filming in South River this month.

The FX series, a spin-off of the hit anthology series “American Horror Story,” will shoot at the shuttered PNC Bank on Main Street.

Filming is expected to begin Feb. 8, Mayor Peter Guindi said, and will occur intermittently for two to three weeks.

Guindi, who started working with the New Jersey Motion Picture & Television Commission about a month and a half ago, said it's a win for the borough.

"I'm looking forward to the film industry coming into town and this is just the start," the mayor said. "This is a big thing for our town. I want everybody in town to understand that this is your town and we're going to put South River on the map. I'm going to make sure South River is back on its feet in a big, big way."

More:Here's where 'It Ends With Us' filmed in Central Jersey

Guindi touted the economic benefits of having a film production in South River.

"One of the things I learned about the film industry is that when they come to a town they utilize the surroundings,” he said, “everything from your delis, dry cleaners and restaurants. It's part of the tax incentive program.”

David W. Schoner, Jr., associate director of the state Motion Picture & Television Commission, told the Borough Council late last month that production spending in New Jersey increased from $67 million in 2017 to $700 million in 2022 when the state hosted more than 619 projects.

More:Here's where 'Mean Girls' filmed in Central Jersey

"Since the revival of the film and TV tax credit, a total of 33 tax credit projects generating over $623 million last year alone happened," Schoner said. "In 2022, the film industry created 8,500 jobs in New Jersey."

Schoner said production companies typically look for a closed bank, police stations, schools and closed hospitals for filming.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

SOUTH RIVER – With voters narrowly defeating Tuesday's referendum asking for $5.5 million to reconstruct Denny Stadium, Superintendent of Schools Sylvia Zircher said the Board of Education and administration "are disappointed in the results."

The referendum proposed a new stadium with an artificial turf field and other improvements.

The project would have cost the average borough property taxpayer $127.56 per year or $10.63 per month.

The referendum lost by a 1,337-to-1,126 margin, according to unofficial results.

"This was a close vote, and we know many of our community members share this disappointment," Zircher said Wednesday. "The intent of the referendum was to increase accessibility by converting the field to a multi-sport coed facility, provide our athletes equal conditions to their peers across the county, and continue to make the stadium a place of pride for the community."

The stadium project called for new bleachers, an updated press box, repairs and expansion of the existing concession stands, new fully accessible restrooms and a new synthetic turf field. The stadium would have accommodated 1,000 fans and been ADA-compliant.

In August Zircher said "after many years of repairs, our Denny Stadium has reached the end of its lifespan."

The stadium would have been slated for demolition. The bleachers, built in 1934, are made of wood and were closed in the spring for "safety reasons," the school district said.

The football team was scheduled to play four home games – Sept. 2, Sept. 23, Oct. 7 and Oct. 14 – at Denny Stadium. But because the bleachers would not be available, the district made other accommodations for spectators.

The failure of the referendum comes on the heels of a similar defeat in January. Then, borough voters defeated a two-pronged referendum that included the new stadium, turf field and a new preschool in its overall $33 million price.

While next steps are still to be considered, Zircher said the referendum's goals are "still priorities for the district."

"We will now explore options to meet these goals," she said.

email: cmakin@gannettnj.com

Cheryl Makin is an award-winning features and education reporter forMyCentralJersey.com, part of the USA Today Network. Contact: Cmakin@gannettnj.com or@CherylMakin. To get unlimited access, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

SOUTH RIVER – The borough violated a drinking water requirement by failing to submit an optimal corrosion control treatment (OCCT) recommendation and a source water treatment recommendation (SoWTR) to the state.

"Even though this is not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened, what you should do, and what we are doing to correct the situation," says a notice on the borough’s website, adding that if this was an emergency, residents would have been contacted immediately.

Water is routinely sampled at consumers' taps for lead and copper, the notice says. The tests show copper levels in the water above the action level, requiring the borough to submit an OCCT and SoWTR recommendation to the New Jersey Division of Water Supply & Geoscience.

The recommendation should have been completed and submitted by Dec. 31, 2022, but it was not submitted on time.

According to a borough official, the tests were submitted on time and the results were forwarded, but the plan on how to address the issue was not submitted on time.

More:South River approves two cannabis manufacturing businesses, another proposed

The test is routinely conducted by a licensed water treatment operator, Agra Environmental and Laboratory Services, a contracted consultant, which is not a borough employee, the official said.

"When we did the original testing there was an issue," Michael Furrey, owner of Agra, said. "It was found the borough was not in compliance between January and June of 2022. We have made improvements to bring the copper level in compliance, but a long-term plan is needed."

Furrey said when there is an exceedance, the state Department of Environmental Protection requires an action plan.

"In this case the Ph was low, so copper leached into the water," he said. "It was only a slight difference. The standard is 1.3 parts per million, but the water tested at 1.83 parts per million."

"The water quality is not something to be concerned about," said Mayor John Krenzel. "The copper levels were only slightly above DEP standards. If it was dangerous, a crisis or an emergency, the DEP would step in and declare an emergency, but they did not do that. According to Agra, the issue with the copper in the water has been resolved."

The recommendation will be submitted to the Division of Water Supply & Geoscience by May 31, the borough’s notice says.

Infants and children who drink water containing lead in excess of the action level could experience delays in their physical or mental development. Children could show slight deficits in attention span and learning abilities. Adults who drink this water over many years could develop kidney problems or high blood pressure.

Copper is an essential nutrient, but some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over a relatively short amount of time could experience gastrointestinal distress. Some people who drink water containing copper in excess of the action level over many years could suffer liver or kidney damage.

To reduce exposure:

For additional information, contact Arthur Londensky at 732-257-1999 ext. 519.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.

The last time Bound Brook tasted this feeling was Oct. 29, 2021.

Complete Box Score »

Two seasons later, the Crusaders are back in the win column. The Somerset County squad rallied off 35 straight points in Friday night’s 35-13 victory over South River, snapping an 12-game losing streak dating back to the 2021 season.

“It means everything for this group,” said Bound Brook head coach Dave LePoidevin. “We have a bunch of young guys who are still trying to figure it all out. We’re going in the right direction.”

It was a difficult stretch for the Crusaders as they went winless a season ago. The opportunity was there against the Rams, who dropped to 0-3.

Bound Brook junior quarterback Jeremiah Norwood found the end zone on a 17-yard run to ignite the scoring, and he connected on a pair of long touchdowns with senior Jarred Wooden, the second on a 95-yarder that put Bound Brook ahead 28-7 in the third quarter.

“It felt like we were together. We had the connection,” Norwood said. “I hate losing. I just hate losing. We just started rolling.”

South River had the early momentum when Gabriel Silva recovered a fumble in the end zone late in the first quarter.

Bound Brook (1-2) responded behind Norwood on the next drive. He found Moses Williams for 23 yards on a 4th-and-7, and from there he powered his way past the Rams defense for a 17-yard TD.

After Bound Brook forced a punt, Norwood went back to work with a 33-yard connection to Lucas Coleman. Amod Dudley got involved in the run game and Kiernan Pareja’s 2-yard score and a two-point conversion between Norwood to Jamile Adoboe had the Crusaders ahead 14-7 with 2:45 remaining in the first half.

The second half was all Bound Brook. Following a South River punt, Norwood found his playmakers in the passing game. An 18-yard strike to Adoboe put the Crusaders in Ram territory. From there, the junior quarterback connected on a deep ball with Wooden for 38 yards to build the lead to 21-7 with 8:16 to go in the third.

Wooden’s second score followed by a long TD run by Dudley assured Bound Brook its first victory in nearly two years. The home crowd had a reason to cheer all night long.

“It’s a great feeling,” Wooden said. “To lose 12 in a row and win one, it’s a great feeling. We just have to keep it going now. This was a great atmosphere. Bound Brook, it’s a great place.”

The Crusaders will look to make it two in a row against Voorhees next Friday night. South River takes on Spotswood next Saturday afternoon.

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SOUTH RIVER - Another cannabis business may be coming to the borough.

The borough's Zoning Board of Adjustment approved two cannabis manufacturers and processors to operate in a vacant warehouse at 141-143 Russell Ave.

Use variances were required because manufacturing is not a permitted use in the R-75 zone.

South River resident Tara "Misu" Sargente, owner of Blazin Bakery, the first legal, woman-owned marijuana edibles company in New Jersey, was approved to open a state-licensed cannabis manufacturing facility in the Russell Avenue warehouse.

Sargente, who also owns Green Alchemy, sought a use variance to run a 4,094-square-foot manufacturing facility in the warehouse.

A use variance also was approved for Cedar Fairmont Health Cultivators, of East Brunswick, to operate a cannabis manufacturing facility at the site.

More:South River puts legal weed shops on November's ballot, but voters don't have full say

An application for another cannabis manufacturing facility has been submitted to the borough by Carlos A. Erba for a property at 190 William St. owned by W./S.C. LLC of Sayreville. That application is scheduled to be heard by the borough Planning Board on May 16.

In October, Noble 1 was approved by the Zoning Board of Adjustment to grow cannabis at 1 Martin Ave., the former site of Ecko Unlimited.

Borough officials applauded the project, saying it would bring much-needed revenue into the borough coffers.

"This is going to help the taxpayers," Councilman Peter Guindi previously said. "We project it will bring about $500,000 a year to the borough. We would be foolish as a mayor and council to say no to something that can help this town in a dramatic way. We talk about how we're going to be business-friendly, here's business-friendly. The faster we bring in businesses, the faster it will help the town, residents, other businesses and our infrastructure."

The new approvals come as the Borough Council approved a referendum that will ask voters in November whether they want businesses that sell marijuana for adult recreational use to operate in the borough.

Email: sloyer@gannettnj.com

Susan Loyer covers Middlesex County and more for MyCentralJersey.com. To get unlimited access to her work, please subscribe or activate your digital account today.