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Religious freedom battle erupts as New Jersey town attempts to turn church property into pickleball courts

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Religious freedom battle erupts as New Jersey town attempts to turn church property into pickleball courts


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A New Jersey town has moved to seize a 10-acre church property and turn it into recreational space, outfitted with pickleball courts and soccer fields. 

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Christ Episcopal Church in Toms River, New Jersey, found itself at the center of a highly charged legal battle after its leaders moved to expand outreach to the area’s homeless population and proposed a 17-bed overnight shelter.

“It didn’t take long for neighbors to become concerned,” Harvey York, the church’s attorney, told Fox News Digital. 

On April 30, the Toms River Township Council placed an ordinance on its agenda to condemn the church’s 10-acre site, which includes the parish house, auditorium, school, sanctuary and deacon’s residence, under its eminent domain power. 

CHURCH FIGHTS NEW JERSEY TOWN OVER PLANS TO SEIZE PROPERTY AND TURN IT INTO PARK

Christ Episcopal Church in Toms River, New Jersey, where the town is moving to seize the congregation’s 10-acre property. (Good Maps)

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The town’s plan is to turn the congregation’s property into a recreational area.

“Any governmental agency has the right to condemn property for governmental purposes. That’s clear. However, the township has never thought of this as a recreational site,” York said. “For them to say they need recreational land flies in the face of the facts and their master plan.”

York and his legal team argue that the move to seize the property is the township’s direct response to the church’s shelter initiative. 

“It is clear that this is being done in retaliation for the church making an application for a homeless shelter,” he said, pointing to both the constitutional protections for freedom of religion and the federal Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act. 

“I don’t know that you’ll find a lawyer who will say, ‘Oh, yeah, they have every right to do this; they’re going to win.’”

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On April 29, 2025, less than 24 hours before a Toms River Township Council meeting, a concerned community member alerted the leadership of Christ Church that its property had been added to a proposal for an eminent domain ordinance. (iStock/Getty Images)

Despite rising community support, from local congregants to offers of amicus assistance nationwide, reactions remain mixed within the New Jersey town. 

“There are people that are thrilled that the mayor is going to condemn the property,” York said, but he believes “the majority of the community is shocked and dismayed.” 

BUSINESS OWNERS TAKE ON CITY THEY SAY IS PLAYING ‘MUSICAL CHAIRS’ WITH PROPERTY IN EMINENT DOMAIN CASE

The property of Christ Episcopal Church in Toms River, New Jersey.

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As for the church’s next steps, litigation is certain. 

“The plan will be decided by the diocese,” York said. “But they certainly will litigate the issue, and I believe it will be successful.”

The church’s attorney said the government should “mind their own business and stay out of the religious affairs of the community.” 

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Five or six hearings have taken place, and the next zoning board meeting is scheduled for May 22. Fox News Digital has reached out to the Township of Toms River for comment on the pending litigation and the hearings.

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The church originally applied in July 2023 to operate an outreach center for the homeless, an effort that was approved. According to York, their application for the shelter fully complies with local and state regulations.



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New Jersey

Monmouth County high school among best schools for athletes across NJ

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Monmouth County high school among best schools for athletes across NJ


New Jersey has many schools that offer a great education for students interested in sports.

Student-athletes seeking the best schools with leading sports programs have options in the Garden State, says Niche.com.

The online platform for rankings and review rounded up the top New Jersey schools with the best high school sports programs based on analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education.

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In addition these rankings based on the number of state championships, student participation in athletics and the number of sports offered at the school.

One school from Monmouth County made the list in the number 6 spot.

Red Bank Catholic

Red Bank Catholic is a private Catholic high school in Monmouth County and offers students extracurriculars that include an award winning athletic program with 28 varsity sports. The institution also ranked in the top 5 list for Best Private High Schools in Monmouth County.

Here’s why RBC made the list:

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  • Sports: grade A+
  • Clubs & Activities: grade A+
  • Academics: grade A
  • College Prep: grade A minus
  • Teachers: grade B+
  • Diversity: grade B minus

Red Bank Catholic overall Niche grade: A

Top 10 High Schools for Athletes

This list is was compiled from Niche.com and includes private and public schools across New Jersey.

  1. Delbarton High School
  2. Bergen Catholic High School
  3. Seton Hall Preparatory High School
  4. Saint Peter’s Prep
  5. Don Bosco Preparatory High School
  6. Red Bank Catholic High School
  7. Haddonfield Memorial High School
  8. Westfield Senior High School
  9. Ramapo High School
  10. Northern Highlands Regional High School



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New Jersey

Isolated snow showers, wind gusts up to 35 mph in N.J. forecast for Sunday

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Isolated snow showers, wind gusts up to 35 mph in N.J. forecast for Sunday


Rain will continue through tonight across New Jersey before a cold front passes through Sunday morning, followed by wind gusts up to 35 mph and the chance of isolated snow showers.

The heaviest rain tonight is expected along the southern portions of the state where 1 and 1.5 inches rainfall totals are possible, according to the National Weather Service.

Most other areas of New Jersey should receive around 1 inch of rain, with the northwest portions of the state picking up 0.5 to 0.75 inches.

Heavy rain is expected to soak New Jersey through most of Saturday with rainfall totals up to 1.5 inches expected in the southern half of the state.National Weather Service

Once the rain ends between 6 and 9 a.m. Sunday, conditions should remain cloudy and foggy until a cold front passes through late Sunday morning into early Sunday afternoon.

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Temperatures will drop into the upper 30s to low 40s Sunday morning as cold air moves in behind the first cold front.

A secondary cold front will cross New Jersey late Sunday afternoon accompanied by a period of rain and snow showers.

The isolated snow showers are possible mainly from 7 to 11 p.m., the weather service said. Snow accumulations are not expected in New Jersey.

Winds of 15 to 20 mph on Sunday afternoon are expected to increase to 25 to 35 mph by sunset.

Monday’s forecast calls for mainly clear skies with temperatures in the upper 30s to low 40s and winds gradually diminishing.

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Tuesday will be milder with above-normal temperatures and mainly clear to partly cloudy skies, with a slight chance of some rain showers possible.

Wednesday’s temperatures will remain above normal with partly cloudy skies and a slight chance of rain showers as a cold front approaches from the west.

N.J. weather: Snow from costal winter storm possible next week
Forecasters are tracking the potential for a coastal storm that could bring snow to New Jersey late next week, or veer out to sea.AccuWeather.com

A potential coastal storm could impact New Jersey with snow on Thursday and Friday, though significant uncertainty remains regarding the exact track and timing of the system, the weather service said.

Some forecast models suggest a significant winter storm while others indicate the system will remain offshore.

N.J. weather: Snow from costal winter storm possible next week
Forecasters are tracking the potential for a coastal storm that could bring snow to New Jersey late next week, or veer out to sea.AccuWeather.com

A colder air mass is forecast to move into New Jersey by late next week and into the following weekend.

Current weather radar



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NJ officers surprised with Eagles playoffs tickets for saving boy who fell through ice

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NJ officers surprised with Eagles playoffs tickets for saving boy who fell through ice


Officers in Gloucester County, New Jersey, got a big surprise on Friday morning.

A representative from Dunkin’ gave them free tickets to this weekend’s Eagles playoff game as a huge thank you for their courageous actions last weekend.

It was a tense scene in Woolwich Township when officers used ropes and went into a frozen body of water to save a child who had fallen through the ice.

“As soon as he started screaming that he couldn’t feel his hands, I just went out there and tried to go get him,” Sgt. Joseph Rieger said. “Immediately thought of my own son and what I would have done with my own son- just go out and get him as soon as I could.”

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The boy was screaming and was not able to grab onto the rope that the officers had thrown to him.

“I try to get him the rescue rope but he can’t hold it because his hands aren’t working. So I go to grab him out of the awter and we both go into the water. So I was able to stand up and throw him on top of the ice and start breaking my way back,” Rieger explained.

The team was able to get the 13-year-old out of the frozen water with no one getting hurt.

Then, Dunkin’ showed up to the police department for Law Enforcement Appreciation Day and praised their actions by giving them tickets to Sunday’s Eagles playoff game against the 49ers.

“This is my job. It was what I signed up to do so getting this kind of attention, I’m not used to it. I’m very appreciative and very excited,” Rieger said.

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The officers said that if there’s anything to take away from this story, it’s to stay off of the ice.

Thankfully, the boy they saved is doing just fine and stopped by the police department earlier this week to thank them.

“It was awesome. It was nice to see that he was safe. He learned his lesson. He was very appreciative,” Rieger said.



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