ERIC SUCAR staff Volunteers with the Brookdale Community College and Monmouth University chapters of N.J. Community Water Watch, along with members of the Middletown and Red Bank Environmental Commissions, participate in the second annual Earth Day Cleanup and Celebration at Poricy Park in Middletow... More ... Holmdel committee will take on fire chief inquiry Attny: N.J. statute gives twp. investigative, subpoena powers BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer       The Holmdel Township Committee will assume the powers of an investigative body, including subpoena power, to investigate charges against the township's fire chief. More ... Visioning the future for a local landmark Charrettes spark ideas for reuse of Bell Labs site BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer       The iconic building on the former Bell Labs site is not such a dinosaur after all. The coalition of architects and engineers dedicated to preserving the 2 million-square-foot Bell Labs building in Holmdel attended a design charretteApril 11-13 in an attempt to discover ways to preserve the Eero S... More ... Radio spot hypes Mid'town mayor's stand on housing BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       MIDDLETOWN - Those turning their radio dials last week, flipping from station to station looking for a favorite song or talking head, heard a commercial extolling a local public official: Mayor Gerard Scharfenberger. More ... Salvation Army honors supporters       RED BANK - The Salvation Army- Red Bank will hold its Annual RecognitionDinnerOn Thursday,May 1at 6 p.m. at the Oyster PointHotel on 146 Bodman Place. The event will begin with a silent auction and background music by The Salvation Army Red Bank Corps' very own Brass Band. More ... Middletown Village students create outdoor mural       Children run and jump and play on a brightly colored mural that decorates the front lawn at Middletown Village Elementary School. More ... Hazlet school budget passes by slim margin BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       HAZLET- When the voteswere finally tallied in the school budget elections late on April 15, 74 percent, of Monmouth County school budgets had been approved by voters. In theHazlet School District, where officials had made a special effort to drum up support for the $47.7million spending plan, the... More ... Earth Day cleanup      The Poricy Park Conservancy hosted the second annual Earth Day Cleanup and Celebration on Saturday, April 19. Organized by N.J. Community Water Watch, the cleanup at Poricy Park, Middletown, involved volunteers with the Brookdale Community College and Monmouth University chapters of N.J. Community W... More ... Democrats' views differ on affordable housing Caliendo calls for town meetings, referendum on issue BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       MIDDLETOWN - The old guard and new of the Democratic Party inMiddletown may have differing views on the issue of affordable housing but agree that through discussion, consensus can be reached. More ... Brightbill, Fiore on Middletown GOP slate BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       MIDDLETOWN - The balance of political power on the Township Committee will be in the hands of the voters now that both parties have announced their candidates for the November election. The Middletown Democratic and Republican committees submitted the names of candidates April 7 by the 4 p.m. de... More ... BOE budget OK'd for 4th year BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer       HOLMDEL - The votes are in, and residents of Holmdel approved the school budget and elected three Board of Education members, two of them newcomers. The budget approved for this school year is $50,051,557, an increase of $2.1 million over last year's budget. Voters approved the tax levy of $45,8... More ... Temple Shalom to display AIDS Memorial Quilt Temple will host social action weekend May 1-4       ABERDEEN - As part of a special weekend devoted to social action, sections of the internationally celebrated AIDS Memorial Quilt - the 54-ton, handmade tapestry that stands as a memorial to more than 90,000 individuals lost to AIDS - will be on view from May 1 to May 4 at Temple Shalom of Aberd... More ... Turf manufacturer: Roggy Field is lead-free BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer       HOLMDEL - Have no fear, the turf field is lead-clear. At least that's what the manufacturer of the turf at Roggy Field at Holmdel High School told the Holmdel School District last week. More ... Penniplede Park gets a garden for Earth Day BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer       MATAWAN - The Matawan-Aberdeen 4-H Club, with an assist from Monmouth County Master Gardeners, added some color and care to Joseph Penniplede Park on Jackson Street April 19. "We have been adopting this park over the past year," said Kris Bradley, one of the moderators of the environmentally foc... More ... Regional school budget continues its losing streak BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer       ABERDEEN - Voters once again defeated the proposed Matawan-Aberdeen Regional School District budget onApril 15. The $63.3 million school budget was voted down by a margin of 232 votes this year. Of a total of 2,438 votes cast, 1,335 voters said no to the budget while 1,103 cast yes votes. More ... Man sentenced for armed robbery       An Aberdeen Township man has been sentenced to 12 years in state prison for the armed robbery of a taxi driver. More ... Cub Scouts pick up paving tips during trip Owners of Hazlet firm welcome Morganville youths to business BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer       MARLBORO - Members of Cub Scout Pack 188 from theMorganville section of Marlboro got up close and personal with paving equipment during a recent visit to the facilities of Eosso Brothers Paving in Hazlet. More ... IN THE ARTS       The Monmouth University Department of Music and Theatre Arts is presenting Stephen Schwartz's "Children of Eden" through Saturday at 8 p.m. in Pollak Theatre on the West Long Branch campus. Tickets are $15 at the box office, 400 Cedar Ave., (732) 263-6889, or www.monmouth. edu/arts. More ... N.J. Emerging Artists: Michalyn Tarantino - Watercolors       The Monmouth Museum is continuing the N.J. Emerging Artists Series, which celebrates the breadth of talent that exists within the state. Six artists working in a variety of media are being showcased. Artists were selected by a panel of 10 jurors. More ... Preserving Monmouth County's written history Joint project puts Red Bank Register's archive online BY LINDA DeNICOLA Correspondent       Most people today don't remember a time when the local newspaper provided the only source of information about what was happening in the community and, to a smaller extent, in the larger world. Newspapers are the repositories of the past, and old issues can remind us of how much we have changed o... More ... NOTES AROUND TOWN       The Matawan Recreation Commission is seeking Veterans, participants and vendors interested in taking part in this year's Memorial Day parade scheduled for May 26. Interested groups or individuals should contact the chairperson for the parade by phone at (732) 290-9344 or e-mail lymurphy1262@ yahoo... More ... Teen suspects arrested in burglary of deli       MIDDLETOWN - Township police responded to a report of a burglary at the Bray Avenue Deli at approximately 6:55 a.m. April 6. According to a press release from the Police Department, the storeowner reported a burglary had occurred overnight. More ... Driver charged in motorcycle crash       HOLMDEL - A Jackson man was charged with traffic violations after crashing his motorcycle Saturday night. George E. Hill, 58, was riding southbound on Holmdel Road on his 2006 Harley-Davidson at approximately 7:39 p.m. when witnesses reported that he failed to negotiate the curve in the road and... More ... Park system wins two awards       On March 4 the Monmouth County Park Systemreceived two awards at the New Jersey Recreation and ParksAssociation (NJRPA) annualmeeting in Atlantic City. More ...