The BRICK Times Vol. 25 - No. 8
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Government Page 8
Community News Page 9-14
Dr. Izzy’s Sound News
Inside The Law Page 19
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Mural Program Brings Art To Life
In This Week’s Edition
Page 16
MICROMEDIA PUBLICATIONS
Harzer said. “I realized how important large scale public work was. You see how economically it transforms a community.” The program addresses the art historical context of public art, concept design, painting techniques, color theory, proposal writing and more. Since its inception, more than 70 murals have been painted in both Brick Memorial and Brick Township High School. The class expands beyond the boundaries of the classroom into public spaces and hallways, while offering students real-world experiences. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the only officially approved high school class Photo by Alyssa Riccardi in the state of New Jersey and possibly The Henri Matisse inspired installation in the library fea- the country, that is devoted to the Art of tures an explosion of color. Mural Making,” Harzer noted. On June 5, Harzer and the mural art By Alyssa Riccardi classes hosted a Mural Tour to showcase all the new BRICK – Students at Brick Memorial High School (Mural Program - See Page 4) have transformed the school environment with their bold and vibrant murals. Nearly a decade ago, Brick Memorial Visual Arts Educator and Art Club Advisor Judy Harzer encouraged her students to paint murals. The artwork quickly gained popularity, bringing attention of the school community resulting in more requests for student work. In 2018, Harzer realized her weekly club could no longer meet the demand and decided to design and propose a curriculum for a comprehensive, hands-on mural making class. “During the pandemic, I started realizing worldwide, [mural painting] was the largest art initiative in the world. I applied for a national fellowship and they sent Photo by Alyssa Riccardi me to Berlin, Brussels, London, Bristol, and I got to Mason Triano with her mural “Influential work with some of the artists who mentored Banksy,” Women in Modern Music.”
Summer Concert Line-Up Promoted By Judy Smestad-Nunn BRICK - The popular Summerfest Concert Series is about to begin, with four concerts planned for consecutive Thursdays in July. This is the 30th anniversary of the concert and fireworks series, which are free to attend and are held at Windward Beach Park on Princeton Avenue. During the June 17 council meeting, Mayor Lisa Crate discussed this year’s line-up, which includes the classic 70s arena band Super Trans Am, who will kick off the series
on July 3, followed by British rock tribute band, Brit Pack, on July 10. A yacht rock group, Suit & Mai Tai, is scheduled to perform on July 17, and the final concert on July 24 will feature Aftershock, a local Jersey Shore band. A food court and beer and wine garden will be open at every concert. Music begins at approximately 7 p.m. Mayor Crate encouraged the public to take advantage of a complimentary shuttle bus (Summer Concert - See Page 4)
June 28, 2025
Local Officials Set Affordable Housing Plan By Judy Smestad-Nunn BRICK - Township municipal planner Tara Paxton presented, and the Planning Board accepted, a plan for Fourth Round Housing Element and Fair Share Plan during a special meeting held on June 11. During the one hour presentation, Paxton explained what Affordable Housing is, how the township arrived at its number of units and how Brick is addressing the plan. Affordable Housing is oftentimes confused with the Federal Program called Section 8, which is subsidized housing for the very lowest income earners. Affordable Housing is a state-run and a state-mandated program run by the Department of Community Affairs, Paxton said. The state program ensures that people are not discriminated against because of their income level. New Jersey’s Fair Housing Act says townships are obligated to create a realistic opportunity for the creation of affordable housing, must create a regulatory program to ensure affordable units remain affordable housing through the implementation of deed restrictions, and create housing in line with the market through zoning, Paxton explained. Some examples of existing affordable housing in Brick include deed restricted single-family homes, age-restricted housing and multi-family housing - which include condominiums, (Housing - See Page 5)
Students Meet Employers At Vo-Tech Medical Career Fair
By Stephanie Faughnan TOMS RIVER – The front lawn of Ocean County Vocational Technical School’s (OCVTS) Toms River campus recently buzzed with energy as more than 250 students mingled with representatives from over 40 healthcare employers during a highly anticipated career fair. While the event focused on opportunity, for some, it was about more than job prospects - it was about purpose. The annual healthcare career fair has grown into a signature event for OCVTS, drawing employers from across Ocean and Monmouth counties looking to meet future healthcare professionals. The fair’s intention is to bridge the gap between classroom learning and (Career Fair - See Page 6)
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