Advanced Knee Pain Treatment in Middletown, NJ

When I saw this, I had to do a double-take. Did the price per gallon really shoot past the $6 mark?

I know gas prices are going up all throughout the state, but $6 gas is just ridiculous. In fact, it's probably the highest unleaded price any of us will see in New Jersey (as of Mar. 19, 2026, that is).

Look, if gas prices everywhere got to this point, I think it's safe to say most of us will stick to walking and only drive when necessary. There's just no way any of us in the right mind will stop at this station displaying such an astronomical price.

Fortunately for us, you can't fill your tank here (not that you'd want to anyway). Even if you wanted to pay those prices or stop into the convenience stores, you'll never be able to.

That's because this brand new gas station isn't functional. Instead, it was built as a set for a movie shoot that just so happens to be taking place at the old Circle Liquor Store location off of Route 35 in Middletown.

Or, as I refer to it as, the famous evil clown parking lot.

If you don't remember seeing this gas station in Middletown, you're not alone. This movie set was built incredibly fast, and, quite honestly, it looks very impressive considering how fast it went up. I almost wish it would open to the public as I think it would do well here (well, maybe not with those gas prices).

According to Patch, Middletown "cannot reveal any details about who is in the movie, including actors. The production companies are MRC and Truck Stop Productions."

Crews are expected to continue filming through late June. Once filming is complete, it'll go back to the empty evil clown parking lot we're all familiar with.

So for now, it's a mystery. What's this movie going to be about? And more importantly, is it a lens into what our gas prices are eventually going to be? I sure hope not.

If you have a chance, take a ride and check it out for yourself. But please keep in mind that it is an active movie set and filming may be taking place. That's why the lot is closed off... don't trespass.

But the fact that it's right by the evil clown makes it that much more interesting. It legit looks like a fully functional gas station in person. You have to love it when filming like this happens in New Jersey.

The above post reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 weekend host & content contributor Mike Brant. Any opinions expressed are his own.

Big decisions about schools always hit close to home. Recently, a very populated and divided town ended a long and emotional night with a vote that will reshape the local school system for years to come.

After hours of debate, public comment, and some very tense moments in the meeting room, the local board of education voted to close three school buildings as part of a plan to shrink the district's overall size.

The meeting stretched for more than five hours. Dozens of parents showed up, many pleading with the board to reconsider. At one point, the room erupted into chants of “Put children first” as board members prepared to take the final roll-call vote.

It was the kind of scene that shows just how personal these decisions are for families.

It usually comes down to money (of course) and enrollment. In many cases, school districts see student numbers decline, while costs continue to climb.

In this New Jersey school district, officials say the financial outlook is getting worse quickly. A projected deficit of about $3.2 million is expected for the 2026 to 2027 school year. They claim that the number could grow to nearly $14 million within a few years if major changes are not made.

Administrators in this town believe shrinking the district footprint will help manage staffing levels, which make up the largest portion of the budget.

The plan also continues a trend already underway in the district. One elementary school closed back in 2020 after enrollment dropped.

The district at the center of this decision is the Middletown Township Public School District, one of the largest districts in Monmouth County.

Three schools will close as part of the new plan. Leonardo Elementary School, Navesink Elementary School, and Bayshore Middle School will all be affected.

Students from Leonardo and Navesink will move into the current Bayshore building, which will be converted into Bayshore Elementary School.

Middle school students who currently attend Bayshore will be reassigned to Thorne and Thompson Middle Schools.

Once the changes are complete, the district will operate 10 elementary schools feeding into two middle schools.

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According to The Patch, the final vote was extremely close.

Five board members voted in favor of closing the schools, while four voted against the plan. Several members who opposed the closures warned that the changes could lead to overcrowding and questioned whether enough financial analysis had been done.

Others argued the district had no choice.

One board member became emotional while explaining her vote, acknowledging that the decision would be painful for many families but saying delaying tough decisions could make the situation even worse later.

If anything was clear by the end of the night, it was this. For many families in Middletown, the conversation about the future of their schools is far from over.

Here is everything planned, all free and open to the public:

MIDDLETOWN, NJ — The Middletown Township Public Library (MTPL) announced its line-up of adult events for March.

Additional information and registration can be found at mtpl.org. Any questions, please contact the reference desk at 732-671-3700, ext. 320.

Virtual Talk: Humor, Heart, and Reflective Rural Stories with Author Michael Perry

On Wednesday, March 4 at 2 pm, humorist Michael Perry will share humor, heart, and reflective rural stories from his books. Visit mtpl.org to register for a link to the virtual presentation.

Virtual Seminar: Cracking the Code — Affordable College Solutions

On Thursday, March 5 at 7 pm, Carl Barling and Jodi Simon of Cornerstone College & Wealth Solutions will explore ways to pay for college, including financial aid, scholarships, college savings strategies, recent legislation impacting affordability, and ways families at all income levels can reduce costs and preserve their financial future. Visit mtpl.org to register for a link to the virtual presentation.

NJ Author Talk: Paging New Jersey: A Literary Guide to the Garden State

Join the New Jersey Book Club on Friday, March 6 at 1 pm as author James F. Broderick discusses the Garden State's numerous contributions to American literature and shares his own personal experiences writing about New Jersey history. This lecture is part of the library's Community History Project and was made possible by a grant from the New Jersey Council for the Humanities, a state partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

New Jersey Book Club: The Barrens: A Novel of Suspense

Join us on Monday, March 9 at 12 pm to discuss this startling and complex tale by Rosamond Smith (aka Joyce Carol Oates), following a serial killer and the people his crimes touch and transform. Participants may attend in person in the History Room or register at mtpl.org to receive a Zoom link.

Tech Tuesdays: Design with Canva Basics & Internet Basics and Online Safety

Perfect your design and internet safety skills with a Tech Tuesday session in March at MTPL. Join us on Tuesday, March 10 at 2:30 pm to learn the basics of Canva, a free online design platform that makes it easy to create professional-looking graphics. New computer users are invited to the Internet Basics session on Tuesday, March 31 at 2:30 pm to learn how to navigate the internet, use search engines, and explore websites safely.

Virtual Talk: Book Portals and Journeys of Literary Magic with Kate Quinn

On Thursday, March 12 at 7 pm, acclaimed author Kate Quinn will discuss her latest work, The Astral Library, a fantastical novel that poses the question: Have you ever wished you could live inside a book? Visit mtpl.org to register for a link to the virtual presentation.

Emo Music Bingo

Grab your eyeliner and skinny jeans and join us on Wednesday, March 12 at 7 pm for a night of music bingo dedicated to all your favorite emo hits. This program is for adults 18+.

America 250 Lecture: The Continental Soldier — How He Lived, Dressed, and Fought

Part of MTPL’s continuing celebration leading up to the United State’s 250th birthday, Dr. Bill Anania will lead a presentation on Friday, March 13 at 2 pm to discuss and demonstrate the clothing and equipment of the average Patriot soldier during the American Revolution.

Genealogy Club: Researching Your Irish Ancestors

Join fellow researchers on Wednesday, March 18 at 2 pm as Maureen Winski Maloney presents this month's topic, "Researching Your Irish Ancestors."

America 250 Community Read: 1776 by David McCullough

Join us by the fireside at the Grover House, located at 930 West Front Street, on Thursday, March 19 at 2 pm to discuss chapters 5 and 6 of David McCullough's Pulitzer Prize winning account of the events of 1776, the American Revolution, and its effect on communities, soldiers, people of color, Native Americans, African Americans, and women.

Researching Revolutionary War Patriots, Part 3 with the Middletown DAR

Join the Middletown Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution on Friday, March 20 at 11 am for one-on-one help with a Middletown DAR genealogist as you use FamilySearch public trees and the National Society DAR database to identify potential Revolutionary War ancestors. Please bring a laptop — Chromebooks are available to borrow at the Reference Desk with a Middletown Library card (please arrive at least 30 minutes prior to the workshop).

Makers Day: Technology Through the Ages

Celebrate America's 250th anniversary on Saturday, March 21 from 11 am to 2 pm with a special themed Maker Day event featuring demonstrations, games, crafts, and an exploration of how STEM has evolved over the past 250 years.

Virtual Author Talk: America's Failed Response to the Opioid Crisis with Shoshana Walter & Barbara Kingsolver

On Tuesday, March 24 at 2 pm, author Shoshana Walter and special guest host Barbara Kingsolver will discuss Walter's book Rehab: An American Scandal, in which the Pulitzer finalist exposes the country's failed response to the opioid crisis and the corruption plaguing the drug rehabilitation industry. Visit mtpl.org to register for a link to the virtual presentation.

Adult Zining Workshop

Embrace your creativity at MTPL’s Zining group for adults with resident archivist Laura Poll on Wednesday, March 25 at 1 pm in the Makerspace. No artistic skills are needed, and all supplies will be provided.

Demystifying Artificial Intelligence

Join presenter Eddi Khaytman on Wednesday, March 25 at 6:30 pm for an engaging and informative introduction to the world of Artificial Intelligence and its real-world applications. The presentation will explore why AI excites and concerns so many people, its implications for society, and will feature demonstrations of some of today's most powerful AI tools, including ChatGPT, Midjourney, Sora, Perplexity, ElevenLabs, and Adobe Firefly.

Visit mtpl.org to read more or to sign up for upcoming programs. Please contact Jenna O’Donnell at jodonnell@mtpl.org for additional information.

MIDDLETOWN, NJ – As spring blooms and Maker March arrives, the Middletown Township Public Library invites children and teens to explore a season of fun, hands-on, and educational activities.

What's planned for kids:

The Brainy Bunch – Wednesdays at 4:30 pm: Join a weekly STEM-based program for Grade K–5 combining education, experimentation and fun.

Duplo Free Play – Fridays at 11 am: Bring your little builders for open-ended Duplo playtime! Ages 2+ are invited to get creative, build big, and have fun together—no registration needed.

Tween Game Night – Tuesday, March 3 at 7 pm: Bring a friend or make a friend while playing games like Trivia, Bingo, Pictionary, HeadsUp and more. For ages 9-12.

Cards for a Cause – Wednesday, March 4, 3–5 pm: Drop in to make St. Patrick’s Day greeting cards for Middletown seniors. Volunteer Hours will be offered for each card with a limit of 5 cards for 5 hours. For ages 13-18.

Gymboree for Walkers & Crawlers – Thursday, March 5 at 10 am and 11 am: Gymboree of Red Bank will offer gym classes for toddlers and babies.

Dinosaur Storytime and Craft – Friday, March 6 at 10 am: Join Monmouth Museum volunteer Denise Hibell for a story time and craft inspired by the museum’s dinosaur exhibit.

Family Storytime and Craft Spinning Wooden Tops – Saturday, March 7 at 10 am: Join us for a special America 250 themed storytime & craft to learn about wooden tops, one of the oldest toys in history, and a favorite pastime for children during the colonial era, over 250 years ago.

Gymboree for Infants – Tuesday, March 10 at 12:30 pm: Join a special gym class with Gymboree of Red Bank for newborns up to seven months with music, a parachute, bubbles and more!

Tween Book Club – Tuesday, March 10 at 4:15 pm: Tween ages 9–12 will meet to discuss their monthly book selection, enjoy a related activity, and socialize during the second half of the program.

Stuffed Animal Storytime and Sleepover – Tuesday, March 10 at 6:30 pm: Children ages 3 and up are invited to bring stuffed animal friends for a special library sleepover! Enjoy a bedtime story before tucking your plushie companion in for the night, then come back the next day to discover what adventures they got up to.

Teen Catapult Competition – Wednesday, March 11 at 7 pm: Learn how to make catapults out of popsicle sticks and compete against your friends for prizes. For ages 13–18.

Read to a Dog – Thursday, March 12 at 4 pm and Monday, March 16 at 6 pm: Improve the literacy skills of children by reading ten minutes to a certified therapy dog. Four sessions are available on each date. For independent readers in Grades K–5.

Leprechaun Storytime – Tuesday, March 17 at 10 am: Join us on St. Patrick’s Day for a special story time and craft with a leprechaun, co-sponsored by Middletown Parks and Recreation.

St. Patrick’s Day Craft – Tuesday, March 17 at 3:30 pm: Create a craft with Bayshore Family Success Center.

Bookworms Book Club – Thursday, March 19 at 4:15 pm: Join the Bookworms Book Club for grades K–3 to share your love of reading and join the Bookworms Reading Challenge!

Sensory Family Storytime – Friday, March 20 at 10 am: Read, sing, dance, and play, then explore our interactive sensory stations! Designed for ages 0–3.

NJ Makers Day, “Technology Through the Ages” – Saturday, March 21 at 11 am: Celebrate America's 250th birthday with a special Makers Day event! Enjoy demonstrations, games, crafts and learn how STEM evolved over 250 years. All ages welcome.

Teen Anime Club – Monday, March 23 at 4 pm: Join the Anime Club create trading cards featuring your own manga characters! For ages 10+.

Tween Craft Night – Tuesday, March 24 at 6:45 pm: Join a special craft night for tweens to create Yarn Art Masterpieces. For ages 9–12.

Pokémon Trading Night – Thursday, March 26 at 6:30 pm: Join fellow Pokémon fans to trade cards, chat about Pokémon books and movies, and play the Pokémon Trading Card Game. Bring your own deck; best for ages 5+ / Grades K–4.

Community Leader Storytime – Friday, March 27 at 10 am: Celebrate Women's History Month in March with Middletown Committeewoman Kimberly Kratz, who will share stories and talk about what a committeewoman does!

Drop-In Tiny Art Show – Saturday, March 28 at 10 am: Create a tiny art project with The 4-H Kindness Club to add to a month-long display in the Children’s Program Room.

Eyes of the Wild – Monday, March 30 at 2 pm: Meet and learn about another fascinating and entertaining group of animals with handler Travis Gale.

Snapology – Tuesday, March 31 at 2 pm: Join Snapology’s STEAM lab for For ages 5-8 and actively experiment with the principles of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics.

Visit mtpl.org to read more or to sign up for upcoming programs. Please contact Jenna O’Donnell at jodonnell@mtpl.org for additional information.

Feb. 27, 2026Updated March 2, 2026, 12:32 p.m. ET

MIDDLETOWN ― The Board of Education has crafted a plan to close two elementary schools by September, a decision that drew screams and shouts from parents during a school board meeting on Feb. 26.

That evening, a majority of the Board of Education voted to direct school administrators to draft the 2026-27 school budget assuming that Leonardo and Navesink elementary schools are closed.

The district is facing an estimated $3 million budget gap for the 2026-27 school year. All New Jersey public schools must have a tentative, balanced budget prepared by spring.

More than 100 parents protested the move to close schools during the board meeting, which was held at Middletown High School North and lasted through midnight. At times, the crowed yelled and shouted at school board members. Some yelled profanities. Others raised their voices into the microphone during a public comment period. Students lined up to plead for board members to leave their schools open.

Last year, the board raised school taxes 10.1% to eliminate a $10 million budget hole and prevent closing schools. This year, the school is reconsidering that earlier proposal.

A higher "student-teacher ratio is really just gonna create chaos," said Maggie Weikel, a mom with children in River Plaza Elementary who attended the meeting.

Logan D'Alessio, a sixth grader at Bayshore Elementary, worried about how the changes would impact him and his friends. He worried about being pushed into a more crowded school next year.

"I just got to the (Bayshore) school, and I think it's very fun, and I don't want to switch schools in the middle of my middle school career," he said.

In a district restructuring plan shared by NJ.com, students at the Leonardo and Navesink schools would be moved to Bayshore Elementary beginning in September. Bayshore Middle School would be closed in the future and its students moved Thorne and Thompson middle schools.

The Board of Education did not include any mention of closing Bayshore Middle School in its recent resolution on the budget.

Middletown currently has 11 elementary schools in a district that serves less than 8,700 students. For comparison, Toms River Regional School District has 12 elementary schools, but has more than 14,100 students.

However, Middletown school officials are anticipating overcrowding within some of the schools in the southern section of the township. Last month, the school board heard plans to redistrict students at Harmony, Lincroft and River Plaza schools and shift them to Middletown Village and Ocean Avenue in order to reduce future crowding.

Under the most recent plan, district officials are looking to sell or lease Leonardo Elementary and Bayshore Middle School. The district does not own the Navesink school building.

Officials also plan to also hold a bond referendum that would help pay for construction and build classrooms on the remaining schools. Construction could begin sometime in 2028, according to the plan.

By laying off the schools' staffs and eliminating spending on maintenance and repairs of the buildings, the district would save between $3.5 million and $4 million every year, according to the restructuring proposal.

Board President Chris Aveta said that maintaining the status quo and only raising taxes 2% annually ― the maximum allowed under state law without voter approval ― would leave the school district with an ever widening budget gap.

"We'll still face budget deficits of $6.6 million in (school year) '27-'28, $10.2 million in '28-'29, and $13.9 million in '29-'30," he told the school board during the meeting.

That was little consolation for the parents and students who believed the changes would upend their educational experience.

"I am pretty upset about this," said Benjamin Hecht, a Bayshore Elementary sixth grader. "It's hard for me to get adjusted and connected in a school's environment."

The 11-year-old said he felt safe with classmates and staff at Bayshore.

"All the other schools in Middletown are already overcrowded," he said.

Elizabeth Hamill also worried about the future school closures, and said she worried her child's education at River Plaza Elementary would be impacted by the changes under discussion.

"It seems like every year we kind of get a runaround and the same plan… regurgitated to us," she said.

"I think that people move into this community because of our small schools, because of the low student-to-teacher ratio, because when you walk into the school, you can almost recognize everybody by name," Hamill said. "I'm worried about what a closure would do to our community, what it would do to ― most importantly ― our children."

Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 17 years. Reach her at aoglesby@gannettnj.com or 732-557-5701.