Campaign News & Issues | Bernie Daus for Middletown BOE

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate Middletown is one town, but it is really a collection of about a dozen distinct communities, each with its own schools, neighborhoods, history, and identity. I grew up here, so these communities aren’t unfamiliar to me. My childhood friends were scattered across town, and many of these neighborhoods hold memories from different stages of my life. As part of my run for the Middletown Board of Education, I decided I wanted to experience e

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate My 26.2-mile Community Run through Leonardo took me through Bill Kunkel Memorial Park and Kunkel SK8 Park, past Quick Stop, the Post Office, First Aid Station, Leonardo Beach, the lighthouse, the State Marina, Brevent & Community Firehouses, Beacon Hill Country Club, and the American Legion. I also made my way through Croydon Hall, past Bayshore Middle School and Leonardo Elementary School, and, of course, plenty of side streets in betwe

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate My Community Run through Navesink took me past Hartshorne Woods, Huber Woods, the Navesink Library, the Red Store, Navesink School, the firehouse, Stone Church, Hillside Park, and a few waterfront spots along the Navesink River. In between were the residential side streets that connect it all, with plenty of hills to make me earn the views. This place has a rare combination: a historic village, varied waterfronts, and hundreds of acres o

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate My 26.2-mile Community Run through Belford took me past two firehouses, an active fishing port, the ferry terminal, Monmouth County’s waterfront park at Compton’s Creek, the Post Office, a World War I memorial, the Elks Lodge, and Naval Weapons Station Earle. I also passed Bayview School, Church Street Park, Belford Park, Fisler’s Landing, and plenty of side streets in between. Somewhere along the way, I thought: Belford means business!

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate My 26.2-mile run through the New Monmouth section of Middletown took me past High School North, New Monmouth Elementary School, Chanceville Park, Evergreen Park, Mater Dei Park and track, the Post Office, our Public Library, Tindall Park, and mile after mile of quiet residential streets. My son joined me, following on his bike, for much of this journey. Somewhere along the way, a thought occurred to me – New Monmouth puts the “Middl

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate My 26.2-mile Community Run through Port Monmouth took me past the old Port Monmouth School, VFW, the Korean War Memorial, the Post Office, the firehouse, the First Aid Squad, neighborhood parks, the marina, the old train station site, Henry Hudson Trail, Bayshore Waterfront Park, Pews Creek Pump Station, the “Spy House,” and plenty of side streets in between. Port Monmouth is not simply a community near the water. It is a historic mariti

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate Over one weekend... my Community Marathon adventure took me through North Middletown, or East Keansburg, to many people who know the neighborhood well. My son joined me on his bike for my first 6.2 miles; I finished the final 20 solo (17 miles one day and 3 miles another day). I started at Ideal Beach and tried to use my 26.2 miles of running to visit every block. I passed Ocean Avenue School, the firehouse, the first aid station, Roose

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate My 26.2-mile run through the Harmony section of Middletown took me through Countryside Park, past Crystal Pond, Harmony Elementary School, around Thorne Middle School, Target on 35 & Palmer, and mile after mile of residential streets, cul-de-sacs, and suburban neighborhoods. Somewhere along the way, a thought occurred to me – “Congratulations, Harmony residents. You appear to be living the American dream.” Mile after mile, street by str

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate My 26.2-mile run through the Fairview section of Middletown gave me another look at how much variety can exist within one community. In a relatively short distance, I found quiet suburban streets with sidewalks, older homes, newer neighborhoods, open land, farms, and some impressive estates. Fairview has a little bit of everything. I made my way through Bodman Park, Fairview Elementary School, Corporal William A. Schulz Park, and Shorec

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate My 26.2-mile run through Middletown Village felt different from some of the other community runs I have completed. This is one of those parts of town where Middletown’s history, government, transportation, schools, neighborhoods, and everyday life all seem to overlap. I started exploring the area around Dorsett Park and Village Elementary School, then worked my way toward some of the places that give this section of town its historic i

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate My 26.2-mile run through the Nut Swamp area was more than another community run. In many ways, it brought me back to where my running story started. Freshman year at Middletown High School South, I joined the cross-country team. I can still vividly remember some of those first training runs. We would leave High School South, run through Brasch Farms, over toward and through Four Winds... make a right onto Dwight Road, transition onto

Bernie Daus – Middletown BOE Candidate Don’t let the Red Bank zip code fool you – River Plaza is a great Middletown community! River Plaza is familiar territory for me. Growing up as a Leonardo kid… I always vibed with the River Plaza kids. They all seemed to fish like me, and they had numerous fishing holes. They had saltwater & freshwater spots like Shadow Lake, Poricy Pond, Navesink River, Swimming River, and all the little backwaters. Their community centered around t

Bernie Daus Running for BOE: Lincroft