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FRIDAY 07.04.14

VOLUME 135

NUMBER 159

SINCE 1879

ADVICE Jersey Alive!

BUSINESS A10

CLASSIFIED D1

COMICS Jersey Alive!

LOCAL A3

LOTTERIES A2

OBITUARIES A11

OPINION A14

SPORTS C1

WEATHER C8

Hurricane Arthur is expected to cruise past NewJersey well over 100 miles offshore today, but the stormwill likely spawn high surf and life-threatening rip cur-rents, forecasters said.

Though the skies were expected to be generally dryby tonight, the storm threat led some towns to postponefireworks until Saturday or Sunday. That’s when fore-casters expect the weather to be quite good.

“We’re not going to be feeling the direct effects ofArthur when it comes to strong winds and heavy rains,”but Arthur may help bring more moisture into the re-gion, said David A. Robinson, the New Jersey state cli-matologist at Rutgers University.

Still, a high surf advisory was in effect from 8 a.m.today to 6 a.m. Saturday, and the risk of dangerous ripcurrents will increase to high through Friday, accord-ing to the National Weather Service. Waves and surf

Beachgoers huddle together at Wrightsville Beach, N.C., onThursday. ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jersey Shorekeeps waryeye on ArthurRain should clear out by tonight,

but rip currents will pose danger

By Todd B. Bates @ToddBBatesAPP

See ARTHUR, Page A7

NEPTUNE — After a persistent, dogged fight, thenewly constructed Ocean Grove boardwalk is open tothe public.

“We’ve waited so long for this day. We’re thrilled thatit’s finally here,” said Dale C. Whilden, Ocean GroveCamp Meeting Association president. “It has been 613days since Hurricane Sandy, and we here in OceanGrove have been counting those days.”

The Ocean Grove beachfront was mobbed by hun-dreds who turned out on a sweltering morning forThursday’s ribbon-cutting and the official opening of

Ocean Grove opensits rebuilt boardwalk By Dan Radel @DanielRadelAPP

See GROVE, Page A7

GOVERNOR TAKES A LOOKScan the QR code for a video of Gov. ChrisChristie in Ocean Grove. He also signed aboating law in Point Pleasant. Story, A12

200 YEARS OF THE STAR-SPANGLED BANNER PAGE 1B

BRICK — The mystery unfurled here over eight months in the Midstreams neighborhood,

beginning on Carroll Fox Road, then up Ernestine Place and eventually out to busy Jordan

Road heading north to its end at Route 88. ¶ There were these flags. They kept popping up

each week on utility poles, two at a time, the stars and stripes flapping overhead and creating

a sort of boulevard of cryptic patriotism. ¶ Passersby were curious. Some neighbors even got

a little irked; by law you weren’t supposed to have anything on the utility poles, after all. ¶

Where were these flags coming from, and why?

About 7,000 miles east, Marine Lance Cpl. MarkHentges was patrolling Helmand Province, Afghan-istan, and oblivious to any of the covert operationsback home. But it turns out the flags were for him —or, half of the 60 or so flags raised in the neighbor-hood were.

“He is definitely our local hero,” said his mother,Lori Hentges. “We might not be able to celebrate ev-erybody, but you can do one. So the whole two flags

STARS AND STRIPES GALORE IN BRICK

OLD GLORYTHANK YOU

Marine Lance Cpl. Mark Hentges returned to his home in Brick and found his neighborhood covered with Americanflags. Hentges and girlfriend Marissa Telerico look over a decorated bench. DOUG HOOD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Lance Cpl. Mark Hentges of Brick says he’s thankfulpeople cared about him enough to take part in the flagdisplay. DOUG HOOD/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Back from Afghanistan, Marine is greeted by multitude of flags

By Dustin Racioppi @dracioppi

See FLAGS, Page A9

A MARINE’S RETURNScan the QR code for a video of the flagdisplay for Lance Cpl. Mark Hentges.

TENT CITY’S LAST DAY

HAPPY

FOURTH

OF JULY!

Homeless advocate Steve Brigham packs up, moves out. A3

Weather forecast alters

schedule for : reworks. A6