Advanced Knee Pain Treatment in Ocean, NJ

Mayor Daniel Rodrick insists Ocean County officials are exaggerating the homelessness issue and are making downtown unsafe in the process.

Karen Wall, Patch Staff

|Updated Tue, Apr 8, 2025 at 8:04 pm ET

TOMS RIVER, NJ — Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick reiterated his belief that Ocean County officials are "dumping" homeless people into the township to exaggerate the number of homeless people in the county and creating a safety issue in the process.

"They are dropping dozens of mentally ill and drug addicts downtown even after they said they would stop," Rodrick said Tuesday afternoon, after his comments calling the JBJ Soul Kitchen's pop-up cafe a "soup kitchen" that was drawing homeless downtown drew a response from the JBJ Soul Foundation and its founders, Dorothea and Jon Bon Jovi.

The JBJ Soul Kitchen opened a pop-up cafe in the Ocean County Library in February, under an agreement with the Ocean County Board of Commissioners. The cafe is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays.

On Tuesday, Rodrick said there have been repeated incidents downtown involving homeless people, including one Tuesday afternoon where a homeless man attacked a News 12 New Jersey cameraman and another in recent days where someone overdosed on the steps of the Ocean County Library.

Rodrick blamed Ocean County Deputy Commissioner Frank Sadeghi and Commissioner Robert Arace, saying they had promised him in January that the county would no longer bring homeless individuals to the downtown area. "Then in February they approved the soup kitchen," Rodrick said.

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"They are trying to create a notion of a homeless problem," he said, alleging the goal is to pave the way for a project that Rodrick alleges would benefit a local developer.

Arace, in response Tuesday, said Rodrick has refused to engage with Ocean County officials on any meaningful long-term solution to assist those who do not have permanent housing.

He acknowledged a discussion with Rodrick regarding the Code Blue warming center on Route 9 that the county opened in the wake of Toms River ending its cooperation with Just Believe Inc. Just Believe had operated a Code Blue center at Toms River's Riverwood Park building for seven years until there was a falling out between the township and Paul Hulse, Just Believe's CEO, last summer.

The county shelter, operated by Collaborative Support Programs of NJ, served 220 people and was open 88 nights during the Code Blue season, Nov. 1 through March 31, a county spokeswoman said.

Arace said Rodrick is refusing to acknowledge the larger problem of the homeless population, which has increased throughout New Jersey.

"This hasn't been going on for three months or a year," Arace said. "This has been going on for 10, 15 years."

According to Monarch Housing Associates, which works to address homelessness across the state, the number of unhoused people rose 28 percent in Ocean County from January 2023 to January 2024, from 434 in 2023 to 556 in 2024. The number of homeless in Ocean County has risen 61 percent since 2020, when 344 homeless people were recorded during the Point In Time count.

Of the 556 people recorded in the Point In Time count on Jan. 23, 2024, 27 percent — 150 — were children under the age of 18, and 19 percent — 105 — were adults 55 or older. There were 72 people who were victims of domestic violence. There were 5 veterans counted among the unhoused, and 43 percent of those lacking permanent housing had one or more disabilities, according to the Point In Time count summary.

Homelessness has been growing across the state in part because of escalating rent prices. According to a recent analysis by Zillow, rent prices in Ocean County have risen to more than $2,900 for a "typical" rental, which it describes as residences in the 35th to 65th percent of the market.

Ocean County officials had been historically unwilling to address the issue of homelessness, and the county has never had a year-round facility to provide shelter, one of the only New Jersey counties without one.

Changes in the board of commissioners led to the creation of the Ocean County Homelessness Trust Fund, where a fee for each document recorded with the county goes to the fund. Some of that money was used to fund the county's Code Blue shelter this winter.

Toms River is the county seat and hosts county offices including Social Services, along with nonprofits that assist those in need, and concerns about homeless people downtown have been an issue for years as well.

The Red Carpet Inn, demolished in 2019, had been a site used by the county to house people in need. Its demolition drew opposition from those who believed the building should have been turned into a shelter, while others opposed putting a shelter downtown, seeing it as a deterrent to creating a vibrant downtown scene.

Arace said the reality is there are people in need of assistance who are homeless through no fault of their own, and said county officials are looking for a long-term solution but said Rodrick has refused to participate.

"He thinks he can just send people away to other towns," Arace said, referring to the dissolution of the homeless encampment in Winding River Park last October.

"I put dozens and dozens of people into housing," Rodrick said of that effort.

Arace disputed those figures, saying Ocean County paid for 40 percent of those who were moved to housing. Of those who used the Code Blue facility on Route 9 over the winter, 37 percent were residents of Toms River., he said, with the rest from other towns in Ocean County.

"We need to sit down and talk about what can be done, but he had no interest in participating," Arace said. He said the county has created a homelessness task force, but said Toms River has not sent a representative to any of the meetings.

"We are still looking for him to participate with us on a solution," Arace said. "What is really the long-term solution here?"

"A time like this calls for leadership, not finger-pointing," he said. "We expect Toms River to be an active part of the solution. Unfortunately, to date, they have shied away from meaningful engagement— choosing political convenience over progress. Toms River officials, like all of us, are elected to represent the values and needs of their constituents."

"We invite Toms River and its leadership to step up, join us at the table, and help craft a real, lasting solution — instead of skirting their obligations for political gain," Arace said.

Rodrick reiterated his belief that the county is bringing people who are not from Toms River into town.

"Mr. Arace should stop trying to distract attention away from the fact that he’s creating a public safety concern where our children visit the library," Rodrick said. "Maybe if he weren't a 30-year-old kid and had some kids of his own he would be a little more understanding of that. He needs to get his head out of his ass."

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Even more Big Lots stores in New Jersey are set to close as the big-box retailer continues its bankruptcy process; and a few additional locations in the Garden State may still have a little life left in them.

In addition to over a dozen Big Lots closing in New Jersey — adding to a growing list that began last year — three additional Garden State locations that were on the chopping block may be saved by deep discount retailer Ocean State Job Lot.

The Rhode Island-based retailer is expected to snap up 15 former Big Lots stores across the country and joins Pennsylvania-based retailer, Ollie's Brand Discount, who is snagging 40 Big Lot stores of their own.

The news comes amid Big Lots' filing for bankruptcy protection on Sept. 9, 2024, with the company blaming inflation and high interest rates as the reason the company has struggled to keep business as usual, according to a news release last year.

Big Lots and Gordon Brothers Retail Partners of Boston struck a deal to keep hundreds of Big Lots stores open after a previous deal with Nexus Capital Management to acquire the company fell through.

What other Big Lots stores are closing in New Jersey? What Big Lots stores are being purchased by Ocean State Job Lot? And is Ollie's Brand Discount taking over any stores in New Jersey? Here's what to know.

What Big Lots stores are closing in NJ?

Gordon Brothers posted a list of stores that were set to close, unless otherwise leased by Feb. 17. It was not immediately clear if any of the below Big Lots locations were picked up by another retailer, but as of now, they may close:

Those would add to the list of already-closed or expected-to-close Big Lots stores in New Jersey, that were announced in October 2024. That list is:

Job Lot taking over Big Lots

Ocean State Job Lot is looking to acquire three Big Lots leases in New Jersey, said Bill Read, executive vice president of Retail Specialists, a commercial real estate firm that specializes in retail properties. Read cited court records and shared a list of stores on LinkedIn. Here's the three locations:

Is Ollie's taking over Big Lots in NJ?

Ollie's Brand Discount, based in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, announced in a press release on Feb. 27 it would acquire 40 Big Lots locations across the country. While Ollie's did not say what locations they were acquiring, Read posted the list on his LinkedIn, which do not include any New Jersey locations as of now.

Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.

Four-minute read

Asbury Park Press

The long-awaited Northern Ocean County beach replenishment project is likely to begin this winter after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. has been awarded a $73.5 million contract to complete the work.

Stephen Rochette, spokesman for the Corps' Philadelphia District, said the work is likely to "be ongoing in the winter and early spring months." Rochette said he expects more information about scheduling should be coming soon from the Houston-based contractor.

"We're all very excited," Toms River Mayor Daniel Rodrick said of the contract award. "It's a long time coming!"

The federal government will pay 50% of the cost of the replenishment project, with the state and county expected to pick up the rest of the cost.

Toms River's Ortley Beach section is slated to receive 426,000 cubic yards of sand, and the shoreline is expected to be redesigned in an effort to help prevent the constant wave scouring that happens during severe storms. Toms River has paid $1.3 million to shore up beaches in Ortley over the last several years, since the Army Corps finished a massive beach replenishment project in northern Ocean County in 2019.

Bay Head and Point Pleasant Beach are slated to receive 495,000 cubic yards of sand. Most of that will be in Bay Head, with a smaller amount tapering into southern Point Pleasant Beach.

Mantoloking will receive 392,000 cubic yards; Brick, 227,000; Seaside Heights, 219,000; Lavallette, 184,000; northern Toms River beaches, 135,000, and Seaside Park, 27,000, which will taper in from Seaside Heights.

"After several contracting delays, this long-awaited project to restore our beaches that have suffered considerable erosion over the past years is finally ready to move forward," said U.S. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J. Smith lobbied to get $30.2 million in infrastructure funding in 2022, to pay the federal share of the beach repair work.

The timing of the work will be of keen interest to barrier island beach communities that are heavily reliant on summer beach tourism.

Smith said that while the work schedule is yet to be finalized, he is hopeful that the project will be completed quickly.

"I am confident that the Army Corps will work closely with the contract awardee to help see that this important operation, now finally awarded, is not derailed again,” he said.

The Army Corps finished a nearly $130 million, 14-mile-long beach replenishment project in northern Ocean County in 2019. The project added sand to beaches in Ortley and other areas that took the brunt of Superstorm Sandy's record-setting surge and also built dunes along the beachfront.

Ortley Beach, the site of an inlet called the Cranberry Inlet in colonial times, has long been vulnerable to erosion. Superstorm Sandy caused catastrophic damage in Ortley in 2012.

The Army Corps finished a nearly $130 million, 14-mile-long beach replenishment project in northern Ocean County in 2019. The project added sand to beaches in Ortley and other areas that took the brunt of Superstorm Sandy's record-setting surge.

As part of that project, the Corps agreed to return to the area to make repairs for 50 years on a regular basis, and on an emergent basis after severe storms.

Dunes and wider beaches provide a buffer for oceanfront homes and businesses during storms, helping to protect property from pounding waves. While the dune line has been damaged several times, there have been no breaches in Ortley or other parts of the northern Ocean barrier island which could have allowed ocean water to reach homes and businesses.

Two bid protests blocked award of a contract for the beach replenishment work for many months.

Since 1922, more than $2.6 billion has been spent to shore up New Jersey's fragile coastline. Over $500 million of that was spent in Monmouth and Ocean counties since Sandy struck in 2012.

Anglers argue that beach replenishment is wrecking local fishing grounds, as sand for the beachfront is pumped onto the shore from dredge pits offshore. Others say that dumping sand on the shoreline only encourages more development in vulnerable spots that New Jersey should be encouraging people to leave.

But tourism in Monmouth and Ocean counties, driven in large part by the Shore's beaches, generates billions in revenue annually: nearly $9 billion in 2023. And oceanfront communities generate large amounts of tax revenue as well.

Mayor Rodrick said he would still like to try additional ideas for beachfront protection in Ortley, including the possibility of piloting a nearshore reef project. Such reefs are constructed offshore to mitigate wave action, and can also create additional fishing grounds. "They have been very successful in other parts of our country and the world," the mayor said.

He said, "We need to pursue new and innovative strategies for Ortley Beach, as this is only a temporary fix."

Jean Mikle covers Toms River, Seaside Heights and several other Ocean County towns. She's also passionate about the Shore's storied music scene. Contact her: @jeanmikle, jmikle@gannettnj.com.

If I ask you to say the first thing that pops in your head when I mention Outback Steakhouse, you will probably say either steak or a "blooming onion," both of which are very tasty. The good news is that another Outback Steakhouse is coming to New Jersey, and it's going to be located in Monmouth County.

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A recent press release I received had some of the details about the new Monmouth County Outback location that is coming to Ocean Township, New Jersey.

"Outback Steakhouse is bringing a taste of the Aussie spirit to Ocean Township with its newest location opening on April 15. This exciting addition not only offers a taste of the Down Under but also creates 120+ jobs in the community and supports two important local causes, New Jersey Veterans Network and Heart of Surfing."

The Grand Opening of the New Outback Steakhouse in Oakhurst will take place on Tuesday, April 15th. Looks like it will be a fun and tasty day as the bloomin' onions come to Ocean Township. It will be a full day of festivities at the new Outback Steakhouse.

New Restaurant Highlights:

The new Outback Steakhouse will be located in Ocean Township at the intersection of NJ-35 and West Park Avenue.