Chiropractor in Allenhurst, NJ

From just a single nesting pair in the 1970s and 1980s to more than 220 as of 2021, bald eagles are one of New Jersey's greatest wildlife management success stories.

That includes an accelerated increase in their numbers in the past decade alone, according to Kathy Clark, supervising zoologist and certified wildlife biologist for the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife Endangered & Nongame Species Program.

However, the habitat of these fowl is changing, just as the human contingent of the Garden State continues to evolve.

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In the early part of their recovery, most new bald eagle nests were found in rural areas and among farmland, Clark said, especially in South Jersey along the Delaware Bay.

That's not the case anymore.

"As the population has increased, we are finding them nesting statewide — in fact, they're in all 21 counties now — and there are more pairs that are nesting in suburban and urban situations," Clark said.

Living amongst more people can have its advantages for these birds, according to Clark.

"Some of these older trees that make good nest trees are actually in residential areas, so that can actually work out well," she said.

But there exists a heightened potential for disturbances. These are big specimens, Clark said, but they are vulnerable and need their space, and mostly want to be left alone.

So manmade threats — which make up almost all of the most severe bald eagle dangers, according to Clark — need to be watched and managed as closely as possible.

These include electrocution, vehicle strikes, rodenticides, and lead poisoning.

Not all can be tackled equally easily. For instance, the Division of Fish & Wildlife works with New Jersey's power companies to install equipment that can reduce electrocution risk.

"Some of the other things are going to take more time to help solve, like outlawing certain kinds of rodenticides because they make their way into other species' populations," Clark said.

Know the signs and signals of a bald eagle habitat, Clark said. If they are perched along a lake or other body of water, it's likely they are hunting ... and again, should be left to their own devices.

"Enjoying eagles is a great thing," she said. "You do want to keep your distance from eagles. If they're perched in a particular area, it's because there's something there that they need."

Injured bald eagles can and should be reported to the NJDEP hotline, 877-WARN-DEP.

Three Monmouth County beach towns — Deal, Allenhurst and Loch Arbour — will get new beach sand in a $24 million project to start next month.

There is an option to place fill in the Elberon section of Long Branch, which is still under review.

Rep. Frank Pallone, D-N.J., said the federal investment in the project is $16.9 million, which is 65% of the total cost. He said state and local funds will make up the remaining cost.

The beach replenishment project, which will be carried out by the Army Corps of Engineers, will restore more than 1.1 million cubic yards of sand to the towns’ beaches. The amount of fill is equivalent to 51 football fields.

The work is scheduled to be completed by the end of March if there are no weather or mechanical delays.

Beach access conflict: No permit-only parking on Deal beachfront streets — for now

Pallone, who has been a longtime advocate for beach replenishment along the Jersey Shore, called the projects critical to protecting the beach and local communities.

“After Hurricane Sandy made landfall in New Jersey nearly nine years ago, coastal restoration projects like beach replenishment ensured that our beaches would remain resilient to bad weather events," Pallone said.

This new round of beach fill is part of a federal beach renourishment project from Manasquan Inlet to Sea Bright that started in 1994 and finished in 2001.

That project was restarted following superstorm Sandy, using 8 million cubic yards of sand.

In 2015, the areas from southern Deal to Loch Arbour, which weren't included in the original project, were filled. Pallone said the beach replenishment projects are repeated every six years on average where needed.

2015 project: Deal to Loch Arbour beach replenishment to begin

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.

@smfalk

ALLENHURST – The Allenhurst Beach Club dyed the Atlantic Ocean lime green Sunday — as it has on the day before Labor Day every year since 1943 — but this year was a little different.

By this time next year, the lagoon at the northern end of the beach, built after the 1916 shark attacks in Matawan, will be gone.

"This year is kind of historic," Jack Lehmann, one of the organizers, said before the ceremony in the borough just north of Asbury Park. "That cove over there that we've been using to dye in over the years ... That's all going, as part of beach replenishment."

Lehmann said the federal government is conducting the replenishment because of damage from superstorm Sandy. He said the area from Loch Arbor to Elberon has never been replenished. The storm also damaged the restaurant at the Allenhurst Beach Club. The restaurant is currently being renovated, Lehmann said.

"They basicially want to create a buffer," Lehmann said. "It doesn't really make us happy because we're losing some of the things that we cherish. It's just another kick in the pants from Sandy. Everything's changing."

Lehmann, who is an Allenhurst native and resident, said this year's dye — created with a greenish-yellow dye known as uranine dye — was dedicated to the lagoon.

Several hundred people gathered in the cove of the borough's beach for a photograph Sunday as a nearby bagpiper played "Amazing Grace." Attendees wore T-shirts that read: "Old Memories Never Dye."

Still, one thing that will not change is the dyeing of the ocean, attendees said.

The event was started by Robert Fountain, the grandfather of Gail Matarazzo, who is also an organizer of the event.

"We believe he (started) it on what would have been my mom's first birthday," said Matarazzo, of Allenhurst. "He just put it in as a lark. Then, everyone seemed to enjoy it so much we continue to do it every year."

Matarazzo said Fountain would use different people each year to help out with the event. The first person to help out was Ernest Lass, who was publisher of the Asbury Park Press when the Press' offices were on Mattison Avenue in Asbury Park. She said Lehmann's father was the second person to help Fountain with the event. Lass and Lehmann's fathers were both members of the Allenhurst Beach Club.

Jack Lehmann and Matarazzo have been organizing the dyeing for about 15 years, Matarazzo said.

"It's actually become the biggest event at the beach club," Lehmann said.

"It's the unofficial end of summer," Matarazzo said.

When the dye was actually placed into the water on Sunday, young children raced to swim in the dye. Lehmann said three to four generations of families in Allenhurst have swam in the green dye over the years.

"A lot of them feel like it's good luck. They bottle it up and take it with them, until next year," Matarazzo said.

Staff writer Steven Falk: 732-643-4267; sfalk@app.com

If you are ever looking for Chris Mumford, check the garden behind his Allenhurst home.

Chances are good you will find him among the rows of lettuces, destined for the kitchens of local restaurants, and heirloom tomato plants, asparagus, peppers, Brussels sprouts and herbs of all kinds. He moves from one plant to the next, pointing out that the parsley needs nitrogen to mend its yellow leaves, and the tomatoes could use some warm weather.

Two beehives buzz nearby; honey will be ready in the fall.

Mumford, who gardened long before his 30-year career owning farm-to-table restaurants in Monmouth County, has turned his passion for growing food into a business. Hay Mumford launched last year, three years after closing Cafe Mumford's in Tinton Falls.

The 61-year-old grows more than 200 plants, including 74 varieties of tomatoes.

"It's a lot of work, but I'm ok with it," he said. "It's a joy. I'm just reinventing myself."

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Potted fig trees pepper the garden; Mumford uses cutting from one plant to grow another. Any plants leftover after the season become compost.

"I come from the school where I don't throw anything out," he said, pointing to a bucket filled with rhubarb in need of a little TLC.

On Saturdays in May and early June, Mumford opens his home garden to the public. They buy leek, eggplant, onion, squash and beet plants for their own gardens, and maybe a bag of compost. He also sells his plants, which are grown from seed, at Asbury Fresh farmers markets in Asbury Park and Holmdel.

"Lots of commercial growers don't have this stuff," he said, flipping through a book he made to teach people about the tomato varieties they purchase: Indigo Kumquat, Lucky Tiger, Citron and Hillbilly, among them.

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"... I'm trying to educate at the same time," said Mumford, whose shed is lined with buckets of worm castings and fish meal he'll give to customers whose gardens need help. "If I can get them to grow more, if I can get them to compost, if I could influence people to grow a little bit..."

Orders can be placed at facebook.com/HayMumfordFarm or instagram.com/haymumfordfarm. For more information, visit haymumford.com.

Sarah Griesemer joined the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey in 2003 and has been writing all things food since 2014. Send restaurant tips to sgriesemer@gannettnj.com, and for more Jersey Shore food news, subscribe to our weekly Jersey Shore Eats newsletter.

A few weeks ago, I put together a list of 10 Jersey Shore restaurants that I still need to eat at. Beloved eateries like Grandma's Meatballs in Manasquan and Anjelica's in Sea Bright are on the list. One of the top suggested spots on the list was The Butcher's Block in Long Branch, New Jersey.

People literally go crazy for this place. Many will say that they offer the best steak not only at the Jersey Shore, but in all of New Jersey. The reviews are incredible, and somehow someway my girlfriend was able to make reservations for six. The other night It was me, my girlfriend, my cousin, his fiancé, my best friend and his girlfriend. For all six of us, it was our first time ever eating at The Butcher's Block...

It's pretty simple, The Butcher's Block is incredible. I am giving this Monmouth County restaurant 5 solid stars. First, the newly renovated building is fantastic inside and out. The ambiance is top of the line. Before even talking about the food, I want to give a shoutout to The Butcher Block workers. It was one of the best dining experiences I ever had. The service was incredible, you can really see that the workers take pride in what they do.

Now the food, to be honest, I don't even know where to start. For appetizers we got the steak tartare, margherita pizza, and a Caeser salad. All of the starters were tremendous, but I think the best thing was the wagyu rigatoni Bolognese. Good god almighty, it was easily the best Bolognese I ever had.

After that we got a couple of steaks. We ordered the wagyu tomahawk and the ribeye. Just two steaks, but they are so big that they can easily feed a hungry table of six. Hands down some of the best steaks I ever had. I think I would have asked for it to be cooked a little more next time, but I know I know, that would be insulting. All in all, an A+ meal.

The Butcher's Block is located at 235 West Ave, Long Branch, NJ 07740. I highly recommend you trying to get reservations for a special night out. Is it expensive? Yes, but it's totally worth it! The six of us already made reservations to go back in September. I can't wait!! SEE YOU THERE.