Is downtown ready for a rebound? With new stores set to open, some see positive signs in Matawan BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer       With a fistful of new businesses ready to open within a year, now just may be the perfect time for downtown Matawan's fiscal comeback. A 2.3-square-mile town with a population of about 9,000, Matawan is by no means unique in its struggle to re-establish a struggling downtown. Throu... More ...       The race was on as members of Cub Scout Pack 137 gathered for their annual Pinewood Derby at the Hazlet Middle School on Saturday. More ... A rocky start for new Middletown committee Lone Democrat, GOP majority failing to see eye to eye BY DAN NEWMAN Staff Writer       MIDDLETOWN - As the newest member of the Middletown Township Committee, Patrick Short said he just wanted to feel like part of the team. He wanted a chance to make his mark on a committee that has been solely run by Republicans since 1990. More ... Keyport nonprofit has big dreams for rescued pets Castle of Dreams matches area owners with animals facing euthanization BY TAMMY McKILLIP Correspondent       KEYPORT - Jackie Hastings needs a bigger castle. The financial analyst and founder of the nonprofit Castle of Dreams Animal Rescue organization says that she has outgrown the two-bedroom Wayside Street home she currently shares with five dogs - three of her own, plus two she is fo... More ... Hazlet merchants critical of lockbox ordinance Say new requirement was poorly communicated BY DAN NEWMAN Staff Writer       HAZLET - Six months after an ordinance was adopted mandating the placement of lockboxes outside of local businesses, business owners have taken a stand against it. Last week, local business owners attended the Township Committee meeting to let the group know of their dissatisfacti... More ... Change of government unlikely anytime soon Hazlet officials share thoughts on direct election of mayor BY DAN NEWMAN Staff Writer       HAZLET - In the township's form of government, voters elect residents to serve on the Township Committee, which eventually chooses one person to be the mayor and another to be the deputy mayor. More ... Osprey nest: If they build it, will they come? Verizon offers $500 rebate to local towns for nest-building BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer       KEYPORT - With Valentine's Day a month away, the borough is looking ahead in trying to lure lovers back to the waterfront. At the Jan. 9, Borough Council meeting, Councilman Joseph Sheridan suggested building an osprey nest near the bay as a way to lure the birds into mating and ne... More ... Officials offer proposals for making schools safer BY DAN NEWMAN Staff Writer       MIDDLETOWN - School and political representatives from throughout Monmouth County came out last week to a forum to unveil initiatives on school safety for the new year. The forum, held Jan. More ... Armed men pose as cops, rob home BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer       KEYPORT - Three armed men posing as police officers invaded a Second Street home last week, duct-taped the hands of two victims, then stole cash and other items, according to police. The incident took place on the evening of Jan. 7 around 11:30 p.m., according to Detective Capt. Thom... More ... From the Vault       Rosemarie Peters is backed by a cheering section of fellow Republicans in one of the first of her six successful campaigns for Middletown Township Committee. After 18 years on that body, Peters stepped down earlier this month to take over the Monmouth County Surrogate's Office. The date of th... More ... Verizon ready to offer cable television service BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer       Cable television competition is now available in many New Jersey communities. Verizon has launched its new FiOS service with the promise of "incredible picture and sound clarity" for prospective customers in the 106 Garden State municipalities in which the service is now available. More ... On Campus       Lauren Igneri, Aberdeen, was named to the dean's list for the fall semester at Rutgers University, Piscataway, where she is pursuing a doctor of pharmacy degree and enrolled in the honors program at the Ernest Mario School of Pharmacy. A 2004 graduate of Matawan Regional High School, she is t... More ... Fate of Sea Bright-Highlands Bridge pending DOT decision Historic Sites Council: DOT didn't show rehab was not a viable option BY LIZ SHEEHAN Correspondent       A decision on an application by the N.J. Department of Transportation (DOT) to replace the 74-year-old drawbridge that joins the boroughs of Highlands and Sea Bright is expected to be made later this month by Lisa P. Jackson, commissioner of the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection... More ...