ERIC SUCAR staff Kindergartners Victoria Wicklund (l-r), Jack MacCutchen, Sam Fox and Austin Fehley check on their kettle of simmering cranberries, one of the handson activities for students at a Native American Day celebration held at Ravine Drive School in Matawan Nov. 16. More ... Azzolina put political clout behind Dems Local officials dubious on effect of anti-GOP mailing BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       If a picture is worth a thousand words, then a pamphlet distributed township-wide in Middletown is worth $6,000, and may even have cost a Republican Township Committee seat. Former GOP state Sen. More ... Grant to fund upgrades in North Middletown Twp. gets $125K in state funds for revitalization plan BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       Middletown received a grant Oct. 7 that will be used for revitalization projects around North Middletown. The $125,000 award from the state Department of Community Affairs (DCA) is part of the Neighborhood Preservation Program (NPP), a program set up in 1975 as part of the Maintenance of Viable ... More ... Middletown bond rating remains high Mayor credits sound financial management BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       MIDDLETOWN - When it comes to bond ratings in Middletown, the township receives straight A's. Double A's to be exact. Standard & Poor's has reaffirmed Middletown Township's bond rating of AA, with an outlook listed as stable. More ... Scoutmaster's legacy: 50 years, 1,000 Scouts Leader of Troop 110 in Lincroft passes on his duties BY PATRICIA YOCZIS Correspondent       MIDDLETOWN - Andrew Lennert has a new title and is proud of it as he leaves his post of 50 years as scoutmaster of Lincroft's Boy Scout Troop 110. "Before, they called me the 'old scoutmaster,' " said Lennert, 82. "Now, I'm the self-proclaimed scoutmaster emeritus of Troop 110. More ... Uninvited roommates move in … and they bite Senior complex deals with bedbug infestation BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       RED BANK - The saying "Don't let the bedbugs bite" has taken on a new meaning for seniors living in a Wall Street housing complex. Residents living at Wesleyan Arms, a six-story complex with 60 one-bedroom apartments for seniors, have encountered a menacing problem in the building - bedbugs. More ... Red Bank repeals keg registration ordinance ABC director says Legislature should take up issue BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       RED BANK - After having the measure on the books for six months, the borough of Red Bank repealed a keg registration ordinance Nov. 12 at the request of the state division of the Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC). ABC Director Jerry Fischer declined to approve keg registration ordinances Oct. 2, ... More ... Fire aid units to receive lifesaving masks for pets Local 4-H Club and dog day care center donate funds       When fire strikes, family pets can be injured or die from inhaling smoke. Because human oxygen masks don't fit over animals' snouts, rescue personnel can't do much to help. That's about to change. Each of Monmouth County's 60 volunteer fire aid units will soon be receiving a set of specially desi... More ... In the Service       Army Spec. Robert C. Auguste IV has graduated from Basic Combat training at Fort Sill, Lawton, Okla. More ... Bird watchers will head for Sandy Hook Dec. 8       Have you ever seen a snow bunting? How about a northern harrier, a yellow-rumped warbler or a long-tailed duck? These and many other varieties of birds can be seen when the Monmouth County Audubon Society hosts a bird walk on Sandy Hook on Dec. 8. More ... January deadline to sign up for master gardeners       The Monmouth County Master Gardener Program is accepting applications for 2008. The deadline to apply is Jan. 2. Master gardeners are experts in all things related to home gardening in Monmouth County. More ... Future use of housing on base to be discussed       The U.S. Navy has entered into a scoping period as the preliminary process to drafting an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) in order to evaluate the potential impacts of creating an access route to the Laurelwood housing complex at Naval Weapons Station Earle, Colts Neck, in 2010, as required b... More ...      ERIC SUCAR staff Kindergartners Victoria Wicklund and Jack MacCutchen cast their lines in the hope of catching paper fish at a Native American Day celebration held at Ravine Drive School in Matawan Nov. 16. More ... For the Record       The headline on an election story on page 21 of the Nov. 14 issue incorrectly named Matawan as the town where the Green Party might have been a factor in the outcome of municipal elections. The dateline and story correctly named Aberdeen as the town where the election took place. More ... Suspects in drug network indicted Rumson man faces charges for buying cocaine       Two Long Branch men and one Rumson man are among 24 individuals facing various offenses after a yearlong investigation into a cocaine distribution network. On Oct. More ... Native American history needs retelling Thanksgiving portrays stereotypes that some find offensive BY LINDA DeNICOLA Correspondent       November is American Indian Heritage Month and also the month when people across the country remember the Native Americans who are part of the Thanksgiving story. More ... Evocative images at Middletown Arts Center       Aphotography exhibit by Jay Hochheiser will be featured in the main gallery of the Middletown Arts Center through Dec. 2. "Looking West - A New Direction in Fine Art Photography," includes nearly 80 images by the Middletown photographer, many of which were processed using an old and seldom used ... More ...