Toms River is a

township A township is a kind of human settlement or administrative subdivision, with its meaning varying in different countries. Although the term is occasionally associated with an urban area, that tends to be an exception to the rule. In Australia, ...

in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. Its mainland portion is also a

census-designated place A census-designated place (CDP) is a concentration of population defined by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes only. CDPs have been used in each decennial census since 1980 as the counterparts of incorporated places, suc ...

of the same name, which serves as the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US ...

of Ocean County.New Jersey County Map
New Jersey Department of State. Accessed July 10, 2017. Formerly known as the Township of Dover, in 2006 voters approved a change of the official name to the Township of Toms River, adopting the name of the largest unincorporated community within the township. Located at the heart of the Jersey Shore region, the township is a

bedroom suburb A commuter town is a populated area that is primarily residential rather than commercial or industrial. Routine travel from home to work and back is called commuting, which is where the term comes from. A commuter town may be called by many o ...

New York City New York, often called New York City or NYC, is the List of United States cities by population, most populous city in the United States. With a 2020 population of 8,804,190 distributed over , New York City is also the L ...

in the

New York metropolitan area The New York metropolitan area, also commonly referred to as the Tri-State area, is the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban area, urban landmass, at , and one of the list of most populous metropolitan areas, most populous urban agg ...

and a regional commercial hub in

central New Jersey Central Jersey is the central region of the U.S. state of New Jersey. The designation of Central New Jersey is a distinct administrative toponym. Geographic area and descriptions While the State of New Jersey is often divided into North and ...

. As of the

2020 U.S. census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to off ...

, the township had a total population of 95,438, with the township ranking as the eighth-most-populous municipality in the state in 2020, the same ranking as 2010 and the second most-populous municipality in Ocean County behind Lakewood Township, which had a population of 135,158.The Counties and Most Populous Cities and Townships in 2010 in New Jersey: 2000 and 2010
,

New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development is a governmental agency of the U.S. state of New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north ...

. Accessed May 26, 2017. The 2020 population increased by 4,199 (+4.6%) from the 91,239 counted in the 2010 Census, which had in turn increased by 1,533 (+1.7%) from the 89,706 counted in the 2000 census. Toms River is featured in various TV and news media, including

MTV MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...

's ''

Made Made or MADE may refer to: Entertainment Film * ''Made'' (1972 film), United Kingdom * ''Made'' (2001 film), United States Music * ''Made'' (Big Bang album), 2016 * ''Made'' (Hawk Nelson album), 2013 * ''Made'' (Scarface album), 2007 *''M.A.D.E.' ...

'' and '' Jersey Shore'' (seasons 1, 3, and 5), HBO's ''

Boardwalk Empire ''Boardwalk Empire'' is an American period crime drama television series created by Terence Winter and broadcast on the premium cable channel HBO. The series is set chiefly in Atlantic City, New Jersey, during the Prohibition era of the 1920 ...

'' and the original '' The Amityville Horror'' movie. In 1998, Toms River East Little League won the

Little League World Series The Little League World Series is an annual baseball tournament for children—typically boys—aged 10 to 12 years old, held in the Eastern United States. Originally called the National Little League Tournament, it was later renamed for the Wor ...

. The township has what is said to be the second-largest Halloween parade in the world. In 2006, Toms River was ranked by

Morgan Quitno Press Morgan Quitno Press is a research and publishing company founded in 1989 and based in Lawrence, Kansas. The company compiled annual reference books of US state and city statistics. Its primary volumes included State Rankings, Health Care State Ra ...

as the 15th safest city in the United States, of 369 cities nationwide. In 2007, Toms River was again ranked as the 14th-safest city in the United States of 371 cities nationwide.

History

Founding and early history

Much of the early history of the settlement of Toms River is obscured by conflicting stories. Various sources list the

eponym An eponym is a person, a place, or a thing after whom or which someone or something is, or is believed to be, named. The adjectives which are derived from the word eponym include ''eponymous'' and ''eponymic''. Usage of the word The term ''epon ...

of the township as either English captain William Tom, or farmer and ferryman Thomas Luker. In 1992, as part of celebrations commemorating the township's 225th anniversary, official recognition was granted to the tradition that the "Tom" in "Toms River" was for Thomas Luker, who ran a ferry across Goose Creek (now the Toms River)."Toms River Community Profile"
, Ocean County Library. Accessed May 26, 2017. "Most believed it was named for Thomas Luker, who came to the area around 1700 and married Princess Anne, daughter of the local Indian Chief. Only in 1992, with the dedication of a small footbridge in Huddy Park to his memory, was Thomas Luker officially recognized as the source of the 'Tom' in Toms River. Over 40 of Luker's direct descendants and their families attended the ceremony where Ocean County Historian Pauline Miller laid to rest the other stories." During the 19th century, Toms River became a center for shipbuilding, whaling, fishing, and iron and lumber production. The settlement and the river were usually spelled "Tom's River" in its early days, though its current spelling has been standard since the middle of the 19th century. Toms River was located in the southern section of the Township of Shrewsbury that obtained a royal charter to secede in 1767 and form Dover Township. During the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, Toms River was home to a strategically important salt works that supplied colonial militias, as well as a base for privateer vessels that plundered British and Tory ships off the coast. In March 1782, a group of British and loyalist soldiers attacked a blockhouse along the river that housed the colonial militia and captured Captain Joshua Huddy, who was later hanged at

Sandy Hook Sandy Hook is a barrier spit in Middletown Township, Monmouth County, New Jersey, United States. The barrier spit, approximately in length and varying from wide, is located at the north end of the Jersey Shore. It encloses the southern ...

. Also destroyed were the salt works and most of the houses in the village. The incident greatly complicated the tense relationship between the British, loyalist, and colonial and was a factor in prolonging the peace negotiations that were then in progress in Paris until 1783. The village of Toms River is listed on both the national and state registers of historic places. Dover Township was incorporated as one of New Jersey's first 104 townships by the Township Act of 1798 of the New Jersey Legislature on February 21, 1798. Portions of the township were taken to form Jackson Township (March 6, 1844), Union Township (March 10, 1846, now Barnegat Township), Brick Township (February 15, 1850), Manchester Township (April 6, 1865), Berkeley Township (March 31, 1875), Island Heights (May 6, 1887), Lavallette (December 21, 1887) and Seaside Heights (February 26, 1913).Snyder, John P
''The Story of New Jersey's Civil Boundaries: 1606–1968''
Bureau of Geology and Topography; Trenton, New Jersey; 1969. p. 202. Accessed February 15, 2012. The township's original name was for

Dover Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maids ...

, England, and was changed to Toms River Township based on a referendum passed in 2006.

Mid 19th and 20th centuries

In 1850, Toms River became the county seat of the newly created Ocean County when it was formed out of southern Monmouth County. During the second half of the 19th century and the early decades of the 20th, many new towns were carved out of Dover Township, including Brick, Jackson, Lakewood and Berkeley. The Village of Toms River attempted twice—in 1914 and 1926—to secede from Dover Township, but residents were unsuccessful. The part of Toms River on the south side of the river stretching down to Berkeley Township incorporated as South Toms River in 1927, but the core of the original village on the north side remains part of the wider township to this day.History of Dover Township
, Ocean County Historical Society. Accessed August 3, 2006.

Mid and late 20th century

In the last two decades of the twentieth century, the demographics of the township changed substantially, adding over 20,000 residents just in the 1990s alone. While the village is still the center of municipal and county government, the population in the area exploded in the decades after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

, due in part to the completion of the Garden State Parkway. Whereas the village was the largest and most densely populated section of the township for over two centuries, the vast majority of residents now shop and work in other sections of the town. Toms River made national headlines in the 1990s with their Little League Baseball team, nicknamed "Beast from the East", which competed in the

three times in five years, winning in 1998 when they defeated Japan by a score of 12–9. More than 40,000 people lined Route 37 for a parade following their victory over Kashima, Japan. Toms River Little League made it to Williamsport in 2010 giving Toms River its record fourth Mid-Atlantic championship, returning there as regional runners up in 2021. Toms River is also home to many National Champion

Pop Warner Glenn Scobey Warner (April 5, 1871 – September 7, 1954), most commonly known as Pop Warner, was an American college football coach at various institutions who is responsible for several key aspects of the modern game. Included among his inn ...

Football and Cheerleading titles. 1996 Toms River Raider Jr. PeeWee Football team won a National Championship. Cheerleaders from the Toms River Little Indians, Toms River Raiders, and the Toms River Angels (formerly the Saint Joe's Angels) have won many National Titles. The first National Championship title was won in 1993 by the Toms River Little Indian Midget Cheer squad. In 2001, 2002, and 2003 the Toms River Angels brought home national titles resulting in the nations second ever three peat (meaning they brought home three national titles on the same level). In 2005, The Toms River Little Indians brought home two more national titles, and the Toms River Raiders won one. In 2006, The Toms River Angels Midget Large Advanced Cheer Squad and the Toms River Little Indians Midget Small Intermediate Cheer Squad won two more National Titles. In 2007 The Toms River Angels brought home one and the Indians brought back two more to add to their history.

Superfund site

In the mid-1990s, state and federal health and environmental agencies identified an increased incidence of childhood cancers in Toms River from the 1970–1995 period. Multiple investigations by state and federal environmental and health agencies indicated that the likely source of the increased cancer risk was contamination from Toms River Chemical Plant (then operated by Ciba-Geigy), which had been in operation since 1952. The area was designated a

United States Environmental Protection Agency The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is an independent executive agency of the United States federal government tasked with environmental protection matters. President Richard Nixon proposed the establishment of EPA on July 9, 1970; it ...

Superfund site in 1983 after an underground plume of toxic chemicals was identified. The following year, a discharge pipe was shut down after a sinkhole at the corner of Bay Avenue and Vaughn Avenue revealed that it had been leaking. The plant ceased operation in 1996. A follow up study from the 1996–2000 period indicated that while there were more cancer cases than expected, rates had significantly fallen and the difference was statistically insignificant compared to normal statewide cancer rates. Since 1996, the Toms River water system has been subject to the most stringent water testing in the state and is considered safe for consumption. Dan Fagin's ''Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation'', the 2014 Pulitzer Prize winning book, examined the issue of industrial pollution in detail.

Toms River Township

"Toms River" at one time referred only to the rural farming community of Toms River, a small part of the vast Township of Dover that included several other distinct settlements. With the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the ...

's adoption of Toms River mailing addresses for Dover Township, coupled with demographic changes in the other sections, those inside and outside began referring to all of mainland Dover Township as Toms River. In the 1990 Census, the

called "Toms River" only included the downtown village area that included fewer than 8,000 residents in 1990. Due to complaints of confusion, the CDP was broadened to include all of mainland Dover Township to better reflect the more common usage for the area. Over the years, confusion over the name of the township had become an issue for many residents. A movement organized around the Dover Township Name Change Committee, founded by Mayor Paul Brush and supported by the Ocean County Chamber of Commerce, collected signatures to put a name change question on the ballot in November 2006. On Election Day, November 7, 2006, over 60% of residents voted to approve changing the name from the Township of Dover to the Township of Toms River. The name change campaign featured the slogan "Toms River YES", signifying a yes vote for the name change, and the name was officially changed on November 14, 2006.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the township had a total area of 52.89 square miles (136.98 km²), including 40.55 square miles (105.03 km²) of land and 12.34 square miles (31.95 km²) of water (23.32%). Toms River is south of

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

and east of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

. While most of Toms River is on the mainland, Dover Beaches North and South are situated on the

Barnegat Peninsula The Barnegat Peninsula, also known as the Island Beach Peninsula or Barnegat Bay Island and colloquially as "the barrier island", is a long, narrow barrier peninsula located on the Jersey Shore in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, that div ...

, a long, narrow barrier peninsula that separates Barnegat Bay from the Atlantic Ocean. Dover Beaches South adjoins the independent municipalities of Lavallette to the north and Seaside Heights to the south. Dover Beaches North (2010 Census population of 1,239), Dover Beaches South (1,209) and Toms River CDP (88,791) are

s and unincorporated communities located within Toms River Township.New Jersey: 2010 – Population and Housing Unit Counts – 2010 Census of Population and Housing (CPH-2-32)

, August 2012. Accessed January 2, 2013. Other unincorporated communities, localities and place names located partially or completely within the township include Andrew Point, Andrews, Bay Shore, Cattus Island, Cedar Grove, Chadwick, Coates Point, East Dover, Gilford Park, Gilmores Island, Green Island, Long Point, Normandy Beach, Ocean Beach, Ortley Beach, Pelican Island, Pine View, Pleasant Plains, Shelter Cove, Silverton, Tilton Point, West Dover and White Oak Bottom. Toms River includes the ZIP Codes 08753, 08754, 08755, 08756, 08757 and 08739. Ortley Beach (Dover Beaches South) shares ZIP Code 08751 with Seaside Heights. Manchester Township does not have its own Post Office, and parts of Manchester use a Toms River mailing address under ZIP Code 08757. Toms River Township borders the Ocean County municipalities of Berkeley Township, Brick Township, Island Heights, Jackson Township, Lakewood Township, Lavallette, Manchester Township, Seaside Heights and South Toms River. The township is one of 11 municipalities in Ocean County that are part of the Toms River

watershed Watershed is a hydrological term, which has been adopted in other fields in a more or less figurative sense. It may refer to: Hydrology * Drainage divide, the line that separates neighbouring drainage basins * Drainage basin, called a "watershe ...

Climate

Toms River has a humid subtropical climate, with significant rainfall throughout the year. The

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

of the area is ''Cfa''. The township was severely affected by Superstorm Sandy in October 2012. Many low-lying areas of the township, including Silverton and the downtown area, saw their worst flooding ever when the

storm surge A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...

overwhelmed the Barnegat Bay up and down the Jersey Shore. The barrier islands, just across the bridge, suffered even worse devastation from the storm surge brought by the hurricane. Extremes range from a record high of 105 °F on both July 19, 1999, and August 9, 1896, to a low of −24 °F on January 16, 1988.

Demographics

2010 Census

The Census Bureau's 2006–2010 American Community Survey showed that (in 2010 inflation-adjusted dollars)

median household income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways ...

was $71,934 (with a margin of error of +/− $2,094) and the median family income was $83,924 (+/− $2,842). Males had a median income of $59,860 (+/− $2,733) versus $42,192 (+/− $2,081) for females. The per capita income for the township was $33,423 (+/− $926). About 4.5% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 7.4% of those under age 18 and 4.6% of those age 65 or over.

2000 Census

As of the

2000 United States census The United States census of 2000, conducted by the Census Bureau, determined the resident population of the United States on April 1, 2000, to be 281,421,906, an increase of 13.2 percent over the 248,709,873 people enumerated during the 1990 c ...

there were 89,706 people, 33,510 households, and 24,428 families residing in the township. The population density was . There were 41,116 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the township was 93.57%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White ...

, 1.75%

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.13% Native American, 2.46% Asian, 0.02%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the Pacific Islands. As an ethnic/ racial term, it is used to describe the original peoples—inhabitants and diasporas—of any of the three major subregions of O ...

, 0.95% from other races, and 1.12% from two or more races.

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to viceroyalties for ...

or Latino of any race were 4.54% of the population.Census 2000 Profiles of Demographic / Social / Economic / Housing Characteristics for Dover township, Ocean County, New Jersey
,

. Accessed January 2, 2013.DP-1: Profile of General Demographic Characteristics: 2000 – Census 2000 Summary File 1 (SF 1) 100-Percent Data for Dover township, Ocean County, New Jersey

. Accessed January 2, 2013. There were 33,510 households, out of which 31.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.1% were married couples living together, 10.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.1% were non-families. 22.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.62 and the average family size was 3.09. In the township the population was spread out, with 23.3% under the age of 18, 7.2% from 18 to 24, 27.2% from 25 to 44, 25.1% from 45 to 64, and 17.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.1 males. The median income for a household in the township was $54,776, and the median income for a family was $62,561. Males had a median income of $47,390 versus $30,834 for females. The per capita income for the township was $25,010. About 4.0% of families and 5.7% of the population were below the poverty line, including 6.7% of those under age 18 and 6.1% of those age 65 or over.

Economy

Toms River has many shopping malls including Ocean County Mall (the only enclosed mall in Ocean County) and Seacourt Pavilion, located across Bay Avenue from the Ocean County Mall. It is home to the corporate headquarters of EGM Green, as well as the headquarters for OceanFirst Bank.

Arts and culture

The

RWJBarnabas Health Arena The RWJBarnabas Health Arena (formerly known as the Ritacco Center, Poland Spring Arena, and Pine Belt Arena) is a 3,208-seat multi-purpose arena in Toms River, New Jersey. Opened in 2003, the facility hosts various local concerts and sporting eve ...

(formerly Pine Belt Arena), a 3,500-seat public arena connected to Toms River High School North, is used for concerts, sporting events, and some small local events throughout the year to raise money for the school district. Starting in January 2018, the name was officially changed to the "RWJBarnabas Health Arena" after the district signed a five-year deal with

RWJBarnabas Health RWJBarnabas Health is a network of independent healthcare providers in New Jersey, based out of West Orange. Members include academic centers, acute care facilities, and research hospitals. The goals of the network include collaboration on educ ...

under which the district will be paid a total of $637,500 for the naming rights. Toms River Fest has been held during the summer in Toms River, bringing many people from in and out of the area, with 25,000 attendees at the 2008 event. Joshua Huddy Park is located in Downtown Toms River and is host to a replica constructed in 1931 of the Revolutionary War fort that was once standing near the site. The town played host to a short skirmish during the Revolution in which Captain Joshua Huddy was captured by a group of Loyalists while defending the Toms River Blockhouse and hanged without trial. The trail of Captain Huddy can be followed throughout the town.

Media

The '' Asbury Park Press'' provides daily news coverage of Toms River Township, as does

WOBM-FM WOBM-FM (92.7 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station known as "Ocean County's Hometown Station," licensed to Toms River and serving Ocean County, New Jersey. It airs an adult contemporary radio format. From late November until December 25 each y ...

radio. The government of the town provides columns and commentary to ''The Toms River Times'', which is one of seven weekly papers from

Micromedia Publications ''Micromedia Publications'' is the publisher of seven weekly newspapers based in Monmouth/Ocean County, New Jersey. The newspapers cover Howell, Jackson, Toms River, Manchester, Brick, Berkeley Township, Lacey Township, Barnegat, Stafford T ...

Sports

The John Bennett Indoor Athletic Complex is one out of three indoor athletic complex's in Ocean County and one of the largest in New Jersey. It was severely damaged as a result of Hurricane Sandy, reopening in January 2013 after repairs were completed.

Government

Local government

Since 2002, Toms River Township has operated within the Faulkner Act (formally known as the Optional Municipal Charter Law) under the Mayor-Council form of New Jersey municipal government.''2012 New Jersey Legislative District Data Book'',

Rutgers University Rutgers University (; RU), officially Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a public land-grant research university consisting of four campuses in New Jersey. Chartered in 1766, Rutgers was originally called Queen's College, and was ...

Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, March 2013, p. 53. The township is one of 71 municipalities (of the 564) statewide that use this form of government. The governing body is comprised of the Mayor and seven-member Township Council. The council includes four members who each represent one of four wards of the township and three who are chosen

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather than ...

. The mayor and the seven council members are chosen on a partisan basis as part of the November general election in odd-numbered years to serve four-year terms of office on a staggered basis, with the mayor and three at-large seats elected together and the four ward seats chosen simultaneously two years later. , the Mayor of Toms River is Republican Maurice "Mo" B. Hill Jr., whose term of office expires December 31, 2023.Mayor's Office
Township of Toms River. Accessed April 10, 2022. Township Council members are Council President Kevin Geoghegan (R, 2023; at large), Council Vice President Matthew Lotano (R, 2023; at large), David Ciccozzi (R, 2025; Ward 4), Josh Kopp (R, 2023; at large), Justin Lamb (R, 2025; Ward 1), James Quinlisk (R, 2025; Ward 3) and Daniel T. Rodrick (R, 2025; Ward 2).Township Council
Toms River Township. Accessed April 18, 2022.Township of Toms River
Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed April 18, 2022.''2022 Ocean County & Municipal Elected Officials''
Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated April 1, 2022. Accessed April 18, 2022.2021 General Election Official Results
Ocean County, New Jersey. Accessed January 1, 2022.2019 General Election Official Results November 5, 2019
Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 15, 2019. Accessed January 1, 2020. In February 2016, Kevin Geoghegan was appointed to fill the vacant Ward 2 seat expiring in 2017 of Brian Kubiel, who won election to an at-large seat in the November 2015 general election; Geoghegan served on an interim basis until the November 2016 general election, when voters chose Geoghegan to serve the balance of the term of office.2016 General Election Official Results November 8, 2016
Ocean County, New Jersey Clerk, updated November 16, 2016. Accessed January 30, 2017. In December 2017, the Township Council appointed

Don Guardian Donald A. Guardian (born June 12, 1953) is an American Republican Party politician who has represented 2nd Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly since taking office on January 11, 2022, when he became the first openly gay Re ...

, the former Mayor of Atlantic City to replace Paul J. Shives; Guardian will be paid an annual salary of $175,000, while Shives had been paid $223,000.

Federal, state, and county representation

Toms River is located in the 4th Congressional District2022 Redistricting Plan
New Jersey Redistricting Commission, December 8, 2022. and is part of New Jersey's 10th state legislative district.Municipalities Sorted by 2011-2020 Legislative District
New Jersey Department of State. Accessed February 1, 2020.''2019 New Jersey Citizen's Guide to Government''
New Jersey League of Women Voters. Accessed October 30, 2019. Ocean County is governed by a

Board of County Commissioners A county commission (or a board of county commissioners) is a group of elected officials (county commissioners) collectively charged with administering the county government in some states of the United States; such commissions usually comprise ...

comprised of five members who are elected on an

basis in partisan elections and serving staggered three-year terms of office, with either one or two seats coming up for election each year as part of the November general election. At an annual reorganization held in the beginning of January, the board chooses a Director and a Deputy Director from among its members. , Ocean County's Commissioners (with party affiliation, term-end year and residence) are: Commissioner Director John P. Kelly (R, 2022, Eagleswood Township), Commissioner Deputy Director

Virginia E. Haines Virginia E. "Ginny" Haines (born June 6, 1946) is an American Republican Party politician from New Jersey who serves on the Ocean County Board of County Commissioners. She had served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992 to 1994 and had ...

( R, 2022, Toms River), Barbara Jo Crea (R, 2024, Little Egg Harbor Township) Gary Quinn (R, 2024, Lacey Township) and Joseph H. Vicari (R, 2023, Toms River). Constitutional officers elected on a countywide basis are County Clerk Scott M. Colabella (R, 2025, Barnegat Light), Sheriff Michael G. Mastronardy (R, 2022; Toms River) and Surrogate

Jeffrey Moran Jeffrey W. Moran (born December 23, 1946, Winfield Township, New Jersey) is an American Republican politician, who served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1986 to 2003, where he represented the 9th Legislative District. Biography Moran ...

(R, 2023, Beachwood).

Politics

As of March 23, 2011, there were a total of 59,987 registered voters in Toms River Township, of which 11,617 (19.4%) were registered as Democrats, 15,749 (26.3%) were registered as Republicans and 32,592 (54.3%) were registered as Unaffiliated. There were 29 voters registered to other parties.Voter Registration Summary – Ocean
New Jersey Department of State Division of Elections, March 23, 2011. Accessed January 2, 2013. Among the township's 2010 Census population, 65.7% (vs. 63.2% in Ocean County) were registered to vote, including 83.6% of those ages 18 and over (vs. 82.6% countywide). In the 2016 presidential election, Republican

Donald Trump Donald John Trump (born June 14, 1946) is an American politician, media personality, and businessman who served as the 45th president of the United States from 2017 to 2021. Trump graduated from the Wharton School of the University of P ...

received 64.7% of the vote (28,545 cast), ahead of Democrat

Hillary Clinton Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton ( Rodham; born October 26, 1947) is an American politician, diplomat, and former lawyer who served as the 67th United States Secretary of State for President Barack Obama from 2009 to 2013, as a United States sen ...

with 32.4% (14,287 votes), and other candidates with 3.0% (1,315 votes), among the 44,147 ballots cast by the township's voters. In the 2012 presidential election, Republican Mitt Romney received 57.0% of the vote (22,773 cast), ahead of Democrat

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...

with 42.0% (16,776 votes), and other candidates with 1.0% (408 votes), among the 40,235 ballots cast by the township's 62,614 registered voters (278 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 64.3%. In the 2008 presidential election, Republican

John McCain John Sidney McCain III (August 29, 1936 – August 25, 2018) was an American politician and United States Navy officer who served as a United States senator from Arizona from 1987 until his death in 2018. He previously served two te ...

received 57.2% of the vote (25,881 cast), ahead of Democrat Barack Obama with 40.8% (18,439 votes) and other candidates with 1.3% (600 votes), among the 45,215 ballots cast by the township's 62,909 registered voters, for a turnout of 71.9%. In the 2004 presidential election, Republican George W. Bush received 60.7% of the vote (26,203 ballots cast), outpolling Democrat

John Kerry John Forbes Kerry (born December 11, 1943) is an American attorney, politician and diplomat who currently serves as the first United States special presidential envoy for climate. A member of the Forbes family and the Democratic Party, he ...

with 38.1% (16,467 votes) and other candidates with 0.6% (360 votes), among the 43,170 ballots cast by the township's 59,544 registered voters, for a turnout percentage of 72.5. In the 2017 gubernatorial election, Republican

Kim Guadagno Kimberly Ann Guadagno (; ''née'' McFadden; born April 13, 1959) is an American lawyer and politician who served as the first lieutenant governor and 33rd secretary of state of New Jersey from 2010 to 2018. Guadagno was the Republican nomine ...

received 62.3% of the vote (15,744 cast), ahead of Democrat Phil Murphy with 35.3% (8,929 votes), and other candidates with 2.3% (593 votes), among the 25,266 ballots cast by the township's voters. In the 2013 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 74.5% of the vote (19,317 cast), ahead of Democrat

Barbara Buono Barbara A. Buono (born July 28, 1953) is an American politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 2002 to 2014, where she represented the 18th Legislative District. She served from 2010 to 2012 as the Majority Leader in the Senate, succ ...

with 24.2% (6,269 votes), and other candidates with 1.3% (330 votes), among the 26,470 ballots cast by the township's 61,593 registered voters (554 ballots were spoiled), for a turnout of 43.0%. In the 2009 gubernatorial election, Republican Chris Christie received 66.8% of the votes (19,906 ballots cast), ahead of Democrat Jon Corzine with 26.7% (7,948 votes), Independent Chris Daggett with 4.6% (1,372 votes) and other candidates with 1.0% (283 votes), among the 29,782 ballots cast by the township's 61,578 registered voters, yielding a 48.4% turnout.

Education

Students in

pre-kindergarten Pre-kindergarten (also called Pre-K or PK) is a voluntary classroom-based preschool program for children below the age of five in the United States, Canada, Turkey and Greece (when kindergarten starts). It may be delivered through a preschool ...

through

twelfth grade Twelfth grade, 12th grade, senior year, or grade 12 is the final year of secondary school in most of North America. In other regions, it may also be referred to as class 12 or Year 13. In most countries, students are usually between the ages of 17 ...

attend the Toms River Regional Schools, a regional public school system (centered primarily in Toms River Township) that is the largest suburban school district in New Jersey. In addition to students from Toms River, the district also serves the adjoining boroughs of Beachwood, Pine Beach and South Toms River. It is the largest suburban school district in the state, and the fourth largest school district in New Jersey (after Newark, Jersey City and Paterson). It is also the largest school district in the state that is not an Abbott District. As of the 2018–19 school year, the district, comprised of 18 schools, had an enrollment of 15,472 students and 1,171.6 classroom teachers (on an FTE basis), for a student–teacher ratio of 13.2:1.District information for Toms River Regional School District

National Center for Education Statistics The National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) is the part of the United States Department of Education's Institute of Education Sciences (IES) that collects, analyzes, and publishes statistics on education and public school district financ ...

. Accessed April 1, 2020. Schools in the district (with 2018–19 enrollment data from the

) are Beachwood Elementary School (with 480 students; in grades K–5), Cedar Grove Elementary School (889; Pre-K–5), Joseph A. Citta Elementary School (569; K–5), East Dover Elementary School (702; Pre-K–5), Hooper Avenue Elementary School (720; K–5), North Dover Elementary School (519; K–5), Pine Beach Elementary School (435; K–5), Silver Bay Elementary School (637; Pre-K–5), South Toms River Elementary School (320; K–5), Walnut Street Elementary School (757; K–5), Washington Street Elementary School (369; K–5), West Dover Elementary School (383; K–5), Toms River Intermediate East (1,420; 6–8), Toms River Intermediate North (1,191; 6–8), Toms River Intermediate South (1,113; 6–8),

Toms River High School East Toms River High School East is a comprehensive four-year public high school, the third high school built in Toms River in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States, serving students in ninth through twelfth grades as part of the Toms River Reg ...

(1,416; 9–12), Toms River High School North (2,052; 9–12) and Toms River High School South (1,402; 9–12). Seats on the district's nine-member board of education are allocated based on the population of the constituent municipalities, with six seats assigned to Toms River. Donovan Catholic High School, Ocean County's only

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

high school, operates under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Trenton. The diocese also operates St. Joseph's Grade School for students in Kindergarten through 8th grade. Ocean County College, a two-year college that offers four-year options in cooperation with other New Jersey colleges and universities, is located on Hooper Avenue in Toms River. In May 2014, The Jay and Linda Grunin Foundation announced a $5.7 million donation to establish The Jay and Linda Grunin Center for the Arts, the largest single donation received in OCC's 50-year history.

Infrastructure

Transportation

Roads and highways

, the township had a total of of roadways, of which were maintained by the municipality, by Ocean County, by the

New Jersey Department of Transportation The New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) is the agency responsible for transportation issues and policy in New Jersey, including maintaining and operating the state's highway and public road system, planning and developing transportat ...

and by the

New Jersey Turnpike Authority The New Jersey Turnpike Authority (NJTA) is a state agency responsible for maintaining the New Jersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway, which are two toll roads in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The agency is headquartered in Woodbridge T ...

. Toms River is crisscrossed by several major roadways, including the Garden State Parkway and

U.S. Route 9 U.S. Route 9 (US 9) is a north–south United States highway in the states of Delaware, New Jersey, and New York in the Northeastern United States. It is one of only two U.S. Highways with a ferry connection (the Cape May–Lewes Ferry, between ...

, as well as Route 35, Route 37, Route 70, Route 166, County Route 527, County Route 530, County Route 549, County Route 571. Two of the most congested roads are Hooper Avenue and Route 37, which sees extra traffic from travelers to the Jersey shore during the summertime, due to it being a main artery to the shore from the Garden State Parkway at interchange 82. The township is also home to one of the state's only at-grade cloverleafs, at the intersection of Hooper Avenue and County Route 571 (Bay Avenue). The New Jersey Turnpike Authority proposed in 1971 to build the

Driscoll Expressway The Driscoll Expressway was a proposed tolled limited-access highway that would have connected the New Jersey Turnpike with the Garden State Parkway in the U.S. state of New Jersey. The road was proposed in 1971 to alleviate traffic in the are ...

which was to start from exit 80 of the parkway and end north of exit 8A of the New Jersey Turnpike in South Brunswick Township. This project was killed in 1980.

Public transportation

The major bus station in Toms River is located downtown, off exit 81 of the Garden State Parkway. The township is served by NJ Transit bus routes 67 (to Newark and Journal Square), 137 (to the

Port Authority Bus Terminal The Port Authority Bus Terminal (colloquially known as the Port Authority and by its acronym PABT) is a bus terminal located in Manhattan in New York City. It is the busiest bus terminal in the world by volume of traffic, serving about 8,000 bus ...

(PABT) in

Midtown Manhattan Midtown Manhattan is the central portion of the New York City borough of Manhattan and serves as the city's primary central business district. Midtown is home to some of the city's most prominent buildings, including the Empire State Buildi ...

319 __NOTOC__ Year 319 ( CCCXIX) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display the full calendar) of the Julian calendar. At the time, it was known as the Year of the Consulship of Constantinus and Licinius (or, less frequently, year 1 ...

(PABT in New York City and the Atlantic City Bus Terminal), and 559 (to the Atlantic City Bus Terminal). Ocean Ride local service is provided on the OC1 Whiting, OC1A Whiting Express, OC2 Manchester, OC3 Brick – Lakewood – Toms River, OC3A Brick – Point Pleasant and the OC10 Toms River Connection routes. There are a number of taxi services around and within Toms River. Fares vary depending on the service. The Central Railroad of New Jersey and Pennsylvania Railroad ended service to the township in the late 1940s. The nearest rail station is the terminus of the North Jersey Coast Line in

Bay Head Bay Head is a borough in Ocean County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the borough's population was 968,Lakehurst on the proposed Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex Line. The Robert J. Miller Air Park, a public-use airport, is located in Berkeley Township, southwest of the central business district.

Health care

* Community Medical Center, with 587 beds, had been the state's largest non-teaching hospital. Community Medical Center became a teaching hospital in 2021, after being approved by the

Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) is the body responsible for accrediting all graduate medical training programs (i.e., internships, residencies, and fellowships, a.k.a. subspecialty programs) for physicians in the ...

and beginning with a group of 27 residents.

Community

* Toms River has been featured in television, including MTV which filmed three episodes of the show ''

'' and scenes from MTV's '' Jersey Shore'' there. * The toxic dumping that occurred in Toms River in 2001 was the subject of the 2013, Pulitzer Prize winning book '' Toms River: A Story of Science and Salvation'' by Dan Fagin. * Toms River is home to many beaches located along the Jersey Shore, including Ortley Beach, Normandy Beach, Monterey Beach, Ocean Beach, Chadwick Beach and Silver Beach. * The New Jersey Chili and Salsa Cook-Off, as well as the New Jersey Ice Cream Festival are held in Toms River. * The Toms River Branch of Ocean County Library is the headquarters of the Ocean County Library system and the largest public library in Ocean County. In January 2006, a renovation project was completed that doubled the size of the facility. * Toms River is home to Artisan's Brewery. * The 1979 movie '' The Amityville Horror'' was filmed in Toms River, rather than Amityville on

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated island in the southeastern region of the U.S. state of New York, part of the New York metropolitan area. With over 8 million people, Long Island is the most populous island in the United States and the 18 ...

. Local police and ambulance workers played extras. The Toms River Volunteer Fire Company Number One was used to provide the "rain" during one of the exterior scenes. If you look closely, you can see that it is sunny and not "raining" in the background, the next street over. * Downtown Toms River hosts many community events, including festivals such as Toms River Pride and the second largest Halloween parade in the world. The official logo is a 'T' with a river, forming an 'R', through it. The slogan is "Great Places. Familiar Faces." * Toms River gained some notoriety in 1984 when local businessman Robert O. Marshall was charged with (and later convicted of) the contract killing of his wife, Maria. The case attracted the attention of true crime author Joe McGinniss, whose bestselling book on the Marshall case, '' Blind Faith'', was published in 1989 and adapted into an Emmy-nominated 1990 television

miniseries A miniseries or mini-series is a television series that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. "Limited series" is another more recent US term which is sometimes used interchangeably. , the popularity of miniseries format ...

starring Robert Urich and Joanna Kerns. * Several surrounding municipalities are served by Toms River mailing addresses, including South Toms River, parts of Manchester Township and parts of Berkeley Township.

Notable people

People who were born in, residents of, or otherwise closely associated with Toms River include: * Platt Adams (1885–1961), athlete who won a gold medal in the

standing high jump The standing high jump is an athletics event that was featured in the Olympics from 1900 to 1912. It is performed in the same way as high jump, with the difference being that the athlete has no run-up and must stand still and jump with both feet t ...

and a silver medal in the

standing long jump The standing long jump, also known as the standing broad jump, is an athletics event. It was an Olympic event until 1912. It is one of three standing variants of track and field jumping events, which also include the standing high jump and ...

at the

1912 Summer Olympics The 1912 Summer Olympics ( sv, Olympiska sommarspelen 1912), officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad ( sv, Den V olympiadens spel) and commonly known as Stockholm 1912, were an international multi-sport event held in Stockholm, Sweden, b ...

in Stockholm * Corey Albano (born 1975), former professional

basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...

player * Casey Bahr (born 1948), soccer defender who played one season in the

North American Soccer League The North American Soccer League may refer to: *North American Soccer League (1968–1984), a former Division I league *North American Soccer League (2011–2017) The North American Soccer League (NASL) was a professional men's soccer league ba ...

and Major Indoor Soccer League, and was a member of the U.S. soccer team at the

1972 Summer Olympics The 1972 Summer Olympics (), officially known as the Games of the XX Olympiad () and commonly known as Munich 1972 (german: München 1972), was an international multi-sport event held in Munich, West Germany, from 26 August to 11 September 19 ...

* Darian Barnes (born 1980), former NFL fullback * Alex Blackwell (born 1970), former NBA forward for the Los Angeles Lakers * Rachel Bolan (born 1966), bass guitar player and main songwriter of the

metal A metal (from ancient Greek, Greek μέταλλον ''métallon'', "mine, quarry, metal") is a material that, when freshly prepared, polished, or fractured, shows a lustrous appearance, and conducts electrical resistivity and conductivity, e ...

band Skid Row *

Tom Brown Jr. Tom Brown Jr. (born January 29, 1950) is an American naturalist, tracker, survivalist, and author from New Jersey, where he runs the Tom Brown Jr. Tracker School. In his books, Brown claims that, from the age of seven, he and his childhood frien ...

(born 1950), naturalist, tracker, survivalist and author * Mike Bucci (born 1972), semi-retired professional wrestler best known for his appearances in Extreme Championship Wrestling as Nova, Super Nova, and "Hollywood" Nova and in

World Wrestling Entertainment World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and var ...

as Simon Dean * Andrew Campbell (born 1984), yachtsman who represented the United States in

Laser A laser is a device that emits light through a process of optical amplification based on the stimulated emission of electromagnetic radiation. The word "laser" is an acronym for "light amplification by stimulated emission of radiation". The ...

sailing competition at the

2008 Summer Olympics The 2008 Summer Olympics (), officially the Games of the XXIX Olympiad () and also known as Beijing 2008 (), were an international multisport event held from 8 to 24 August 2008, in Beijing, China. A total of 10,942 athletes from 204 Nat ...

* Sean Cashman (born 1987), baseball coach in the Texas Rangers organization who was head coach of the Saint Peter's Peacocks during the 2013 season *

Michael Chack Michael Chack (born August 25, 1971) is an American former competitive figure skater. He won gold medals at four senior international events, Nebelhorn Trophy, Karl Schäfer Memorial, Piruetten, and Winter Universiade, and one bronze, at the 199 ...

(born 1971), former competitive figure skater who finished third at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 1993 * Syma Chowdhry, television news reporter in Philadelphia at KYW-TV *

Danny Clinch Danny Clinch (born 1964) is an American photographer and film director. Biography Born in Toms River, New Jersey, Clinch graduated from Toms River High School East in 1982. After attending Ocean County College, he attended the New England S ...

(born 1964), photographer *

Chris Connor Mary Jean Loutsenhizer, known professionally as Chris Connor (November 8, 1927 – August 29, 2009) was an American jazz singer. Biography Chris Connor was born Mary Loutsenhizer in Kansas City, Missouri, to Clyde Loutsenhizer and Mabel Shir ...

(1927–2009), jazz singer *

Christopher J. Connors Christopher J. Connors (born June 26, 1956) is a New Jersey Republican Party politician, who has served in the Senate since January 8, 2008, where he represents the 9th Legislative District. He served in the General Assembly from January 9, 1 ...

(born 1956), member of the New Jersey Senate since 2008, where he represents the 9th Legislative District *

John Cudia John Cudia is a classical singer and a musical theatre actor who has played many of the biggest roles in musical theatre on Broadway. Born on September 21, 1970, Cudia was raised in Toms River, New Jersey. He graduated from Monsignor Donovan High ...

(born 1970), Broadway actor and singer * Marguerite de Angeli (1889–1987), writer and illustrator of children's books including the 1950

Newbery Award The John Newbery Medal, frequently shortened to the Newbery, is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC), a division of the American Library Association (ALA), to the author of "the most distinguished contr ...

winning book ''

The Door in the Wall * '' The Door in the Wall'' is a short story by H. G. Wells * '' The Door in the Wall and Other Stories'' is a 1911 short story collection by H. G. Wells * ''The Door in the Wall'' (novel) is a 1949 children's novel by Marguerite de Angeli * ''The ...

'' * Jerry Dipoto (born 1968), former professional baseball player and an executive who is the general manager of the

Seattle Mariners The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) West division. The team joined the American League as an expansion ...

* Ryan Doherty (born 1984), professional beach volleyball player who had been the first seven-foot-tall player in Minor League Baseball history * Howard Dvorkin (born 1965), chairman of debt.com, author and businessman * Frankie Edgar (born 1981), former UFC Lightweight Champion * Jazmyn Foberg (born 2000),

artistic gymnast Artistic gymnastics is a discipline of gymnastics in which athletes perform short routines on different apparatuses. The sport is governed by the Fédération Internationale de Gymnastique (FIG), which designs the Code of Points and regulates ...

who was the 2014 US Junior National All-Around and Uneven Bars Champion * Marlene Lynch Ford (born 1954), politician, prosecutor and jurist who served in the New Jersey General Assembly * Jeff Frazier (born 1982), former professional baseball player for the

Detroit Tigers The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...

and

Chicago Cubs The Chicago Cubs are an American professional baseball team based in Chicago. The Cubs compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as part of the National League (NL) Central division. The club plays its home games at Wrigley Field, which is locate ...

, brother of Todd Frazier * Todd Frazier (born 1986), professional baseball player for the

New York Mets The New York Mets are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of Queens. The Mets compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) East division. They are one of two major lea ...

, 34th overall draft pick in the 2007 Major League Baseball Draft, brother of Jeff Frazier, Olympic silver medalist *

Julio M. Fuentes Julio M. Fuentes (born February 16, 1946) is a Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit. Fuentes is the first Hispanic judge to serve on the Third Circuit. Early life and education Born o ...

(born 1946), Senior United States circuit judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit, who is the first Hispanic judge to serve the Third Circuit * Mia Galeotalanza, contestant on '' Survivor: Vanuatu'' * Brian Geraghty (born 1974), actor, '' We Are Marshall'' (2006), ''

The Guardian ''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers '' The Observer'' and '' The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the ...

'' (2006), '' Bobby'' (2006) '' Jarhead'' (2005) and '' Chicago P.D.'' (2014) *

Jared Gertner Jared Gertner is an American actor best known for his work in the American musical theater, including a co-starring role in the first touring and London productions of ''The Book of Mormon''. Life and career Gertner was raised in Toms River, New ...

, stage actor who played a co-starring role in the first touring and London productions of '' The Book of Mormon'' * Frank Giannetti (born 1968),

defensive tackle A defensive tackle (DT) is a position in American football that will typically line up on the line of scrimmage, opposite one of the offensive guards, however he may also line up opposite one of the tackles. Defensive tackles are typically the l ...

who played in the NFL who played for the Indianapolis Colts * Ted Gillen (born 1968), former professional soccer player * Erin Gleason (born 1977), short track speed skater who competed in three events at the

1998 Winter Olympics The 1998 Winter Olympics, officially known as the and commonly known as Nagano 1998 ( ja, 長野1998), was a winter multi-sport event held from 7 to 22 February 1998, mainly in Nagano, Japan, with some events taking place in th ...

Melissa Gorga Melissa Ann Gorga (née Marco; born March 21, 1979) is an American television personality, author, singer, designer and businesswoman. She is a member of the cast of ''The Real Housewives of New Jersey'', joining the show in its third season in ...

(born 1979), reality television personality, author, singer, designer and businesswoman, who joined the cast of ''

The Real Housewives of New Jersey ''The Real Housewives of New Jersey'' (abbreviated ''RHONJ'') is an American reality television series that premiered on May 12, 2009, on Bravo. Developed as the fourth installment of ''The Real Housewives'' franchise, it has aired twelve seaso ...

'' in its third season *

Alf Goullet Alf Goullet (5 April 1891 – 11 March 1995) was an Australian cyclist who won more than 400 races on three continents, including 15 six-day races. He set world records from two-thirds of a mile to 50 miles, and the record for the distance r ...

(1891–1995), Australian-born cyclist who won more than 400 races on three continents, including 15 six-day races * Bob Grant (1929–2013), radio host *

Sheree Gray Sheree Monique Gray (born December 12, 1985) is an American soccer defender who represents Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer. She signed for Sky Blue in July 2011, having previously played for Saint Louis Athletica in the 2009 Wom ...

(born 1985), soccer defender who represents Sky Blue FC of Women's Professional Soccer *

Lori Grifa Lori Grifa is a judge of the Superior Court of the State of New Jersey, assigned to the Family Court Division of the Essex County vicinage. She was nominated by Governor Phil Murphy to the position on December 13, 2021 and confirmed by the New J ...

, attorney who served as Commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs from 2010 to 2012 *

Tom Guiry Thomas John Guiry (born October 12, 1981) is an American actor. He is best known for his lead performance as Scott Smalls in the cult coming-of-age film ''The Sandlot,'' which he held at the age of 12, and his role in NBC crime drama ''The Black D ...

(born 1981), actor who is best known for his lead performance in the cult coming-of-age film '' The Sandlot'' *

(born 1946), politician who serves on the Ocean County Board of chosen freeholders and had served in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1992 to 1994 and as Executive Director of the New Jersey Lottery from 1994 to 2002 *

Brian Hanlon Brian Hanlon is a classically trained master sculptor and founder of Hanlon Sculpture Studio. He has created over 400 public and private art pieces since 1987. Hanlon is a nationally acclaimed artist from Toms River, New Jersey, specializing in com ...

, master sculptor and founder of Hanlon Sculpture Studio, specializing in bronze sculptures * Judith Hird (), ordained as the pastor of the Holy Cross Lutheran Church in Toms River in 1972, making her the first woman pastor of a Lutheran church * James W. Holzapfel (born 1944), member of the New Jersey State Senate from the 10th Legislative District *

Anthony W. Ivins Anthony Woodward Ivins (September 16, 1852 – September 23, 1934) was an apostle of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) and was a member of the church's First Presidency from 1921 until his death. Early life and fa ...

(1852–1934), an apostle of

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Christianity, Christian church that considers itself to be the Restorationism, restoration of the ...

(LDS Church) and a member of the church's First Presidency from 1921 until his death *

Jeff Janiak Jeff "JJ" Janiak (born November 4, 1976) is an American/British singer and songwriter best known as the lead vocalist of hardcore punk band Discharge. He was also the vocalist for Broken Bones, Dead Heros and Wasted Life. Janiak has contributed ...

(born 1976), vocalist of the punk rock band

Discharge Discharge may refer to Expel or let go * Discharge, the act of firing a gun * Discharge, or termination of employment, the end of an employee's duration with an employer * Military discharge, the release of a member of the armed forces from ser ...

Stone, Drew. "The NYHC Chronicles LIVE! Ep. #58 Jeff "JJ" Janiak (Discharge / Broken Bones / Dead Heros") ''YouTube'', uploaded by stonefilmsnyc, Streamed live on 9 Sept 2020, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oExCPVUjUYk . Acsessed March 26, 2021 *

Marty Jannetty Fredrick Martin Jannetty (born February 3, 1960) is an American professional wrestler who has worked for promotions including the World Wrestling Federation/Entertainment (WWF/E), the American Wrestling Association (AWA), World Championship Wres ...

(born 1962), professional wrestler, best known as one-half of The Rockers in the

World Wrestling Federation World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and var ...

Gary Jobson Gary Jobson is a sailor, television commentator and author based in Annapolis, Maryland. He is a Vice President of the International Sailing Federation. Gary has authored 19 sailing books and is Editor at Large of ''Sailing World'' and ''Cruising ...

(born , class of 1969), sailor, television commentator and author who is Editor at Large of ''Sailing World'' and ''Cruising World'' magazines and President of the National Sailing Hall of Fame * Pavle Jovanovic (born 1977), Olympic

bobsled Bobsleigh or bobsled is a team winter sport that involves making timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sleigh. International bobsleigh competitions are governed by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Fede ...

competitor *

Chris Konopka Christopher Konopka (born April 14, 1985) is an American professional soccer player who plays as a goalkeeper. Konopka played for Toronto FC in Major League Soccer from 2013 to 2015 bringing the team to their first ever playoff appearance in cl ...

(born 1985), MLS player for the

Philadelphia Union The Philadelphia Union are an American professional soccer club based in Chester, Pennsylvania. The Union compete in Major League Soccer (MLS) as a member of the Eastern Conference. Founded on February 28, 2008, the club began playing in 2010 ...

* Stephenie LaGrossa (born 1979), contestant on '' Survivor: Palau'', '' Survivor: Guatemala and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains, under the ''Heroes'' tribe'' * Al Leiter (born 1965), former Major League Baseball player who pitched for both the

and

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. They are one ...

Mark Leiter Mark Edward Leiter (born April 13, 1963) is an American former right-handed pitcher in Major League Baseball who had an 11-year career from to and in . Leiter grew up in Toms River, New Jersey. Leiter graduated from Central Regional High Sch ...

(born 1963), former Major League Baseball player * Mark Leiter Jr. (born 1991), pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies * Shulem Lemmer (born 1990), singer and entertainer *

Leonard Lomell Leonard G. "Bud" Lomell (January 22, 1920 – March 1, 2011) was a highly decorated former United States Army Ranger who served in World War II. He is best known for his actions in the first hours of D-Day at Pointe du Hoc on the coast of No ...

(1919–2011), U.S. Army Ranger who destroyed German gun emplacements on D-Day *

Tom MacArthur Thomas Charles MacArthur (born October 16, 1960) is an American former insurance executive and politician. He served as the U.S. representative for from 2015 to 2019. A Republican, MacArthur served on the city council of Randolph, New Jersey, ...

(born 1960), businessman and politician who was the member of the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives, often referred to as the House of Representatives, the U.S. House, or simply the House, is the lower chamber of the United States Congress, with the Senate being the upper chamber. Together they ...

for

New Jersey's 3rd congressional district New Jersey's 3rd congressional district is represented by Democrat Andy Kim of Moorestown who has served in Congress since 2019. It is one of seven districts that voted for Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election while being held by ...

from 2015 to 2019 * Gia Maione (1941–2013), singer and wife of singer Louis Prima * Ron Marinaccio (born 1995), professional

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

pitcher In baseball, the pitcher is the player who throws ("pitches") the baseball from the pitcher's mound toward the catcher to begin each play, with the goal of retiring a batter, who attempts to either make contact with the pitched ball or dr ...

for the

* Robert O. Marshall (1939–2015), businessman whose 1980s conviction for the contract murder of his wife was the subject of a controversial 1989 book and 1990 television miniseries * Demetri Martin (born 1973), comedian, featured on '' The Daily Show'' and '' Comedy Central Presents'' * Thomas A. Mathis (1869–1958), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate and was the Secretary of State of New Jersey from 1931 to 1941 * W. Steelman Mathis (1898–1981), politician who served in the New Jersey Senate from 1941 to 1942 and 1947 to 1966. * Gregory P. McGuckin (born 1961), politician and former Toms River council member who has served in the

New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...

General Assembly A general assembly or general meeting is a meeting of all the members of an organization or shareholders of a company. Specific examples of general assembly include: Churches * General Assembly (presbyterian church), the highest court of pres ...

, representing the 10th Legislative District since 2012 *

Robert The name Robert is an ancient Germanic given name, from Proto-Germanic "fame" and "bright" (''Hrōþiberhtaz''). Compare Old Dutch ''Robrecht'' and Old High German ''Hrodebert'' (a compound of ''Hrōþ, Hruod'' ( non, Hróðr) "fame, glory ...

and

Michael Meeropol Michael Meeropol (born Michael Rosenberg on March 10, 1943) is an American retired professor of economics. He is the older son of Julius and Ethel Rosenberg, convicted communist spies. Born in New York City, as Michael Rosenberg, Meeropol spent ...

(born 1947 and 1943, respectively), sons of convicted spies

Julius and Ethel Rosenberg Julius Rosenberg (May 12, 1918 – June 19, 1953) and Ethel Rosenberg (; September 28, 1915 – June 19, 1953) were American citizens who were convicted of spying on behalf of the Soviet Union. The couple were convicted of providing top-secret i ...

* Tony Meola (born 1969), former soccer

goalkeeper In many team sports which involve scoring goals, the goalkeeper (sometimes termed goaltender, netminder, GK, goalie or keeper) is a designated player charged with directly preventing the opposing team from scoring by blocking or intercepting ...

who represented the United States men's national soccer team at the

1990 File:1990 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1990 FIFA World Cup is played in Italy; The Human Genome Project is launched; Voyager I takes the famous Pale Blue Dot image- speaking on the fragility of humanity on Earth, astrophysicis ...

1994 File:1994 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The 1994 Winter Olympics are held in Lillehammer, Norway; The Kaiser Permanente building after the 1994 Northridge earthquake; A model of the MS Estonia, which sank in the Baltic Sea; Nels ...

, and 2002 World Cups, and from 1996 to 2006 played in Major League Soccer * Andy Messersmith (born 1945), former MLB pitcher who played for the California Angels (1968–1972),

Los Angeles Dodgers The Los Angeles Dodgers are an American professional baseball team based in Los Angeles. The Dodgers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) National League West, West division. Established in 1883 i ...

(1973–1975 and 1979),

Atlanta Braves The Atlanta Braves are an American professional baseball team based in the Atlanta metropolitan area. The Braves compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East division. The Braves were founded in ...

(1976–1977) and the

(1978) *

Kurt Metzger Kurt Metzger (born May 24, 1977) is an American stand-up comedian, writer and actor. He won an Emmy Award and a Peabody Award for his work on the television series ''Inside Amy Schumer''. Early life Metzger was raised in Toms River, New Jersey. ...

(born 1977), stand-up comedian, actor as well as a writer, producer and occasional actor on '' Inside Amy Schumer'' * Joe Michelini (born 1988) musician, singer, songwriter and frontman for the indie/folk rock band River City Extension * Jane Moffet (1930–2018), former utility player who played from 1949 through 1952 in the

All-American Girls Professional Baseball League The All-American Girls Professional Baseball League (AAGPBL) was a professional women's baseball league founded by Philip K. Wrigley which existed from 1943 to 1954. The AAGPBL is the forerunner of women's professional league sports in the Uni ...

* Steve Mormando (born 1955), fencer who competed in the individual and team

sabre A sabre (French: �sabʁ or saber in American English) is a type of backsword with a curved blade associated with the light cavalry of the early modern and Napoleonic periods. Originally associated with Central European cavalry such as t ...

events at the 1984, 1988 and 1992 Summer Olympics * Rocco Neri (1919–2011), politician who represented the 28th Legislative District in the New Jersey General Assembly from 1974 to 1976 *

Beth Simone Noveck Beth Simone Noveck (born 1971) is New Jersey's first chief innovation officer, at Northeastern University where she directs the Burnes Center for Social Change, the Governance Lab and its MacArthur Research Network on Opening Governance. She is a ...

(born 1971), New Jersey's first Chief Innovation Officer * Sergey Padyukov (1922–1993), architect, engineer, sculptor and human rights activist, best known for his work designing churches and other houses of worship * Scott Palguta (born 1982), head men's soccer coach at Colorado College who played for the Colorado Rapids of Major League Soccer * Piper Perabo (born 1976), stage, film, and television actress who has her breakthrough role in the 2000 film '' Coyote Ugly'' * Ruth Polsky (1954–1986), pioneering booker and music promoter *

Sam Porcello Samuel J. Porcello (May 23, 1935Samuel J Porcello in Toms River, New Jersey; ''U.S. Public Records Index'' – May 12, 2012) was an American food scientist who worked at Nabisco for 34 years. He is particularly noted for his work on the modern Or ...

(–2012), food scientist who developed the

Oreo Oreo () (stylized as OREO) is a brand of sandwich cookie consisting of two biscuits or cookie pieces with a sweet creme filling. It was introduced by Nabisco on March 6, 1912, and through a series of corporate acquisitions, mergers and splits ...

cookie's creme fillingHinckley, David
"Man who developed Oreo cookie filling dead at 76; Sam J. Porcello was known at Nabisco as 'Mr. Oreo'He died Saturday at 76, and worked at Nabisco for 34 years"
'' New York Daily News'', May 20, 2012. Accessed January 25, 2015. "That's not all that Sam J. Porcello of Toms River, N.J., did. But if it had been, that would have been enough. This obituary had me at 'Oreo.'" * Maria Ressa, Filipino-American journalist and author who is best known for co-founding Rappler as its chief executive officer * Charles E. Rosendahl (1892–1977), Admiral in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

, who was commanding officer of Lakehurst Naval Air Station * John F. Russo (1933–2017), former politician who served in the New Jersey Senate and was Senate President * Norton A. Schwartz (born 1951), retired

United States Air Force The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Si ...

general who served as the 19th Chief of Staff of the Air Force from 2008 until his retirement in 2012 * Joe Scott (born 1965), former men's head basketball coach for the United States Air Force Academy and

Princeton University Princeton University is a private research university in Princeton, New Jersey. Founded in 1746 in Elizabeth as the College of New Jersey, Princeton is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and one of the ...

; current head coach at University of Denver *

Jason Snelling Jason Michael Snelling (born December 29, 1983) is a former American football running back. He played his entire career with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Falcons in the seventh round of the 2007 NFL D ...

(born 1983), NFL running back for the Atlanta Falcons * Cheryl Spector (1958–2007), gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender activist * William N. Stape (born 1968), screenwriter and magazine writer who wrote episodes of '' Star Trek: The Next Generation'' and ''

Star Trek: Deep Space Nine ''Star Trek: Deep Space Nine'' (abbreviated as ''DS9'') is an American science fiction television series created by Rick Berman and Michael Piller. The fourth series in the ''Star Trek'' media franchise, it originally aired in syndication from ...

'' * Keith Stokes (born 1978), professional Canadian and American football wide receiver * Noël Valis (born 1945), writer, scholar and translator who is a Professor of Spanish at

Yale University Yale University is a private research university in New Haven, Connecticut. Established in 1701 as the Collegiate School, it is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States and among the most prestigious in the w ...

Albert W. Van Duzer Albert Wiencke Van Duzer (July 15, 1917 – November 27, 1999) was bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, serving from 1973 to 1982. Biography Van Duzer was born in Newburgh, New York, the son of Albert Barton Van Duzer and Clara Helen Wi ...

(1917–1999), bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey, serving from 1973 to 1982 * Nick Werkman, former basketball player for the

Seton Hall Pirates The Seton Hall Pirates are the intercollegiate athletic sports teams representing Seton Hall University, located in South Orange, New Jersey. The Pirates compete as a member of the NCAA Division I level (non-football sub-level), primarily compe ...

who set the team record for career points with 2,273Staff
"Renewed Pride for Seton Hall"
''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'', April 3, 1989. Accessed October 12, 2015. "On Saturday, Werkman had 100 people in his home in Toms River, N.J., to watch the Pirates defeat Duke in the semi-finals. He has also become a recognizable figure again, even if people do not remember that he is Seton Hall's leading career scorer with 2,273 points."