JEFF GRANIT staff Holmdel's Alex Diekmann (No. 20) is fouled by Midddletown North's Laura Mahoney (l) as she drives to the basket in the Bayshore Holiday Tournament in Holmdel on Dec. 26. More ... Shelter warns: Avoid 'free to good home' ads Aberdeen man facing animal cruelty charge BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       There is nothing Ursula Goetz loves more than a litter of cute, cuddly kittens. So when stories come out about animal cruelty, she wonders why people don't just put their pets up for adoption at a shelter as opposed to giving them away for free through newspaper ads. More ... $124M contract awarded for new Highlands bridge Advocates seek injunction to stop demolition BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       Just one day after opponents of the Highlands bridge demolition filed an injunction to stop the bidding process, a contract was awarded to seal its replacement. The state Department of Transportation (DOT) awarded the contract to replace the 75-year-old drawbridge that joins the boroughs of Highl... More ... People Who Make a Difference Bringing the holiday to some special children BY MARIANNE KLIGMAN Correspondent       Fifteen years ago, Susan Tudor and her husband, Barry, welcomed their second child and only son, Jeremy, into the world. At birth, the doctors noted that his head was smaller than the average baby's, but it wasn't until months later, when the infant suffered multiple seizures that they became awa... More ...      From left: Port Monmouth first aiders Jen Cartwright and Tanya Gioia, parents Mary Beth and Timothy Van Orden with their daughter, Lincroft first aider John Cordell and Deputy Mayor Pamela M. Brightbill during the presentation. See story, facing page. More ... Baby boy gets a hand arriving Police, first aid recognized for assist in delivery BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       MIDDLETOWN - Timothy Van Orden Jr., unlike most newborn babies, couldn't wait to be born. Hewas in such a rush that hewas born in a vehicle on the side of Newman Springs Road, thanks to police and first aid personnel fromMiddletown. More ... Hall winds up term on committee BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       MIDDLETOWN - Thomas Hall considers himself to be the elder statesman on the Township Committee as he has served on the committee for the past four years. Hall sat in front of residents in the main meeting room of town hall for the last time as a committeeman on Dec. 17, where he has seen a lot s... More ... Suspect indicted for lewdness at bus stop       OnDec. 28, aMonmouthCounty grand jury returned an indictment against Michael Carlucci, 23, of Holmdel, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. Carlucci was arrested on Sept. 27, 2007, upon being observed engaging in unlawful sexual activity in the presence of juveniles, according to... More ... Polar Bears poised for icy plunge in Sea Bright BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       SEA BRIGHT - Have you ever felt the urge to take a dip in the ocean on a crisp January afternoonwhile raising somemoney for charity? Well, the Sons of Ireland Polar Bear Plungers have, and they have been doing so every Jan. 1 since 2002 to ring in the New Year. More ... Program for at-risk new moms comes to city VNACJ opens Healthy Families program at Broadway location BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       LONG BRANCH - The Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey (VNACJ) has begun operating one of its programs out of a Long Branch building in order to cater to atrisk first-time moms in the area. Healthy Families was started by the VNACJ in the 1980s, but it is "brand new" to Long Branch, Maur... More ... 'New Beginnings 2008' Happy tales = happy tails       Twelve new happy tales, 12 wonderful adoption stories are featured in the 2008 New Beginnings Calendar from the Monmouth County SPCA. This year's photos were taken by photographers Joan LaBanca and Scott Longfield and volunteer Val Craig and highlight 12 heartwarming stories of pets (dogs, cats a... More ... 2007: The year in photos      CHRIS KELLY staff Clockwise from top: A winter storm glazed trees with ice and left plenty of parking spaces open at the White Street lot in Red Bank. Reindeer shadows march down Middle Road during the Hazlet Township Holiday Parade Dec. 1. Children cool off under the spray of a fire hose on a hot s... More ... Antonucci, Sachs leave a changed committee BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       HAZLET - In 2004, when Republicans BridgetAntonucci andMichael Sachs won their seats on the Township Committee, the Republican Party gained full control. With Sachs winning his re-election bid and Antonucci joining the committee for the first time, it looked at the time like it would be a Repub... More ... Women dance their way to fellowship Core of Fire uses the healing power of dance BY LINDA DeNICOLA Correspondent       Memories of when they danced together as young women led Red Bank nativesMargaret RiceMoir and Carol Penn to form a dance company made up of mature women and call it the Core of Fire Interfaith Dance Ministry. More ... Chinese New Year celebration at MAC       Celebrate the coming lunar new year Sunday, Jan. 20, at the Middletown Arts Center with "New Year Blossom," a culturally enchanting performance, sure to be a fun-filled event for the whole family. More ... SICA calls for works       The Shore Institute of the Contemporary Arts in Long Branch is seeking contemporary artworks in all media for inclusion in an exhibition, "Ocean," which will be part of the second annual Ocean Film & Arts Festival. The festival is a collaborative effort between SICA, The Two River Film Festival a... More ...