Chris Kelly Annie Siegel, 6, Monmouth Beach, tries to decorate a handmade Valentine’s Day card at the Monmouth Beach Public Library Feb. 6.
In Oceanport, the First Aid Department is collecting donations for the Shaw family, who recently survived a devastating fire, which consumed their entire home on Sagamore Avenue. Carole Conner, a borough resident and first-aider, has requested that donations for the Shaw family be sent to: P.O. Box 76, Oceanport 07757. At this time, Carole requests no material goods should be donated because Donna Shaw and her daughter, Allyson, are living with friends and would have no place to store the items. "They lost everything," said Carole. "She (Donna) has been such a giving and generous person, and we want to give that back to her." She has been a member of the first aid squad for over 15 years and has been known to take care of pets of borough residents, who needed to be hospitalized.
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In Oceanport, bids for roof work for Borough Hall and the Department of Public Works building are decided. The bid has been awarded to G & M Inc., Hackensack, which came in as the lowest bidder at $158,000. The work is scheduled to begin in April after the bonding is in place for the project.
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CHRIS KELLY Construction on the addition to the Monmouth Beach School is proceeding as planned.
The Long Branch Exchange Club has selected Detective Sgt. William Magarino and officer Sam Tomaine, a patrolman, (also the current fire chief) to each receive the Policeman of the Year Award. A dinner in their honor will be held on Feb. 22 at 7 p.m. at the Old Orchard Country Club. Tickets for the event cost $40 and must be reserved by Feb. 14. For more information, call (732) 222-4379.
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In celebration of Black History Month the Off Broadway Cocktail Lounge on Fourth Avenue will sponsor a book reading by Dwayne D. Birch author of Shattered Souls. The event will be on Feb. 17 from 4 to 7 p.m. Refreshment will be served and there is no cover charge.
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Chris Kelly Serving food at Eatontown Memorial School’s 30th annual Italian dinner are (l-r) Sue Hartman, school nurse; Gail Danielson, the principal’s wife; and Rosemarie Boratto, school secretary. The dinner was held in the school’s all-purpose room Friday night.
The Long Branch Senior Center, 85 Second Avenue, will be offering two new beginners classes in square dancing and mixed media art. Dancing instructions begin at noon Feb. 14 (Valentine’s Day) so bring a sweetheart to dance with. The art classes begin on March 4 at 10 a.m. and are free. Donations for the dance classes must be paid to the instructor. For more information or to register, call (732) 571-6542.
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The Long Branch Exchange Club will kick off its "Stand up America" membership drive on Feb. 28 at Tuzzio’s restaurant 224 Westwood Ave. The event is from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The club is comprised of a group of men and women working together to make our local communities a better place to live.
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The Oceanport Garden Club will meet on Feb. 28 at the Old Wharf House on Main Street. Elizabeth Littlestone a master flower show judge will speak on "preparing horticulture for a standard show." Guests are welcome to the program which starts at 1 p.m.
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The Long Branch Housing Authority in conjunction with the Long Branch Department of Recreation will host its annual "Get on the Bus" college tour April 2-5, visiting colleges in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. The cost is $425, which can be paid in five installments. For more information, school counselors will be on hand, or contact Tara Jennings-Bruce at the Long Branch Housing Authority at (732) 222-3747, ext. 117, or Carl Jennings at the Long Branch Recreation Department at (732) 571-6545.
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The Downtown Business and Professional Association in Long Branch will be having a monthly meeting at the Brookdale Learning Center, 213 Broadway, 8:30 a.m. Feb. 20.
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Oceanport Recreation is sponsoring a trip to the Philadelphia Flower Show on its opening day March 3 from 8:15 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The cost is $36 for adults and $22 for 2-, to 12-year-olds. The cost includes bus transportation, show admission and driver gratuity. For more information, call Christine Smith at (732) 380-9540.
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A committee of the West Long Branch Borough Council has been working to draft an ordinance placing parameters on political signs. When Councilman William J. Boglioli reported on progress at the Feb. 6 council meeting, and said the committee would be looking at similar ordinances in Oceanport and Highlands as it develops the restrictions it will propose on the size and dates for the signs, Councilman Joseph Delisa remarked that he thought the borough regulated the dates now. When told that it doesn’t, Delisa, who was campaign manager for the Democratic council candidates in November’s election, sighed and said, "Gee, I wish I knew that three months ago."
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Eatontown Schools Superintendent Robert J. Soprano commended all those involved with reacting to the gas main rupture at Grant and Richardson avenues Jan. 31, which resulted in the evacuation of the nearby Memorial and Margaret L. Vetter schools for the afternoon. But, he said at Monday night’s Board of Education meeting, the experience showed that better communication is needed to deal with such emergencies in the future. He said he knew of a school district that has equipped all key personnel with Nextel phones with walkie-talkie components. "We’re going to be looking at a better communication system. We’re investigating it now," he said.
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In the course of building the addition onto the Monmouth Beach School, floor tiles in two rooms and a hallway where the new construction will adjoin the existing building were discovered to contain nonfriable asbestos. To deal with the problem, the Board of Education got a quote of $3,537 from Finishing Touch Asbestos Abatement Corp., Oceanport, to take up and remove the tiles. The board planned to award a contract to the company if a check by a board member determined the quote was a fair price for the work. Superintendent of Schools Neil Frankenfield said nonfriable asbestos is the solid kind — not dusty — which won’t get in the air and become air-borne. The two rooms in the 1975 wing of the school, which were found to have the floor tiles with asbestos, were the Spanish room and the faculty room. Frankenfield reported construction of the addition continues to be ahead of schedule and remains in budget. He said the hot tar roof has been finished.
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Jerold L. Zaro, Ocean Township, has been designated chairman of the New Jersey Highway Authority by Gov. James E. McGreevey. Zaro, president and managing partner of Ansell, Zaro, Grimm and Aaron, the Ocean Township based law firm of Long Branch City Attorney James Aaron, was first appointed a commissioner of the Highway Authority by former Gov. Jim Florio in 1991, and has since served as the authority’s treasurer and vice chairman before being named chairman. On Monday McGreevey announced that the Highway Authority, which oversees the Garden State Parkway and the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel would be combined with the Turnpike Authority and the Atlantic City Expressway Authority to help the state deal with its budget deficit.
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Anyone looking to get rid of an old obsolete computer need go no further than Staples on Route 36 in West Long Branch. The office superstore chain is holding a two-day recycling event nationwide Feb. 17 and 18. The old Commodore 64 that may be hidden away in the basement can be recycled for parts and newer PC models can be rebuilt and reused for a worthy cause. Through a partnership with Gifts in Kind International, the world’s leading charity in the field of product philanthropy, computers will be refurbished, where possible, and donated to organizations across the country that provide job skills and education for disadvantaged youth.
Rather than charge for this recycling service, Staples will reward individuals for their contribution. In exchange for their old computer, consumers will receive a coupon worth $100 towards the purchase of any new computer with an Intel Pentium 4 processor from Staples during the two-day event. Those not shopping for a new computer will be given the option of receiving a coupon for $20 off any in-store product purchase of $100 or more.
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The Monmouth County SPCA Thrift Shop will hold a "$5 Bag of Clothes" sale on from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 23 at the shelter, 260 Wall St., Eatontown. The thrift shop has beautiful clothes in all sizes for men and women. Whatever a shopper can squeeze into a bag is theirs for only $5.
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The 21st annual Rosebud Gala Dinner Dance will be held by Cerebral Palsy of Monmouth and Ocean Counties Inc. March 16 at the Sheraton Eatontown Hotel and Conference Center on Route 35, Eatontown. This year’s gala celebrates the 50th anniversary of the agency. Barbara Falotico, a parent, and Tom Hayes, director of consumer and community relations of New Jersey Natural Gas Company, are co-chairs of the event. There will be both a silent and a live auction with Howard Cross, tight end for the Giants football team, as the live auctioneer. There also will be a $100 a ticket cash 50/50 with two chances to win. Reservations for the black tie optional gala are $175.
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The PTA of the Woodmere School, Eatontown, will host a program on "Parent and Family Involvement in Education" at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 20 in the Woodmere School library. The speaker will be Wendi Webster O’Dell, who has worked as a teacher, school administrator and advocate for children and education for the past 20 years. The PTA noted that National PTA research shows that when parents are involved, students have higher grades, test scores and graduation rates, better school attendance, lower rates of suspension, decreased use of alcohol and other drugs, fewer instances of violent behavior and greater enrollment rates in post secondary education.
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Clean Ocean Action will hold its 12th annual Spring Brunch from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. March 24 at the Waterview Pavilion, Belmar. The gathering will feature a variety of entertainment, including a fashion show by Sport Spot, Shrewsbury, and live music from the Forrestdale Senior Choir. There also will be a gift auction and games for participants of all ages. JD, "the DJ of Manasquan," will provide music. Proceeds from the event will benefit the continual efforts of Clean Ocean Action, a Sandy Hook-based coalition of environmental organizations, to preserve New Jersey’s coastal waters and to educate the public on nonpoint source pollution. The cost is $45 per person, $80 per couple and $375 per table of 10. Children, 12 and under, are $20. For questions or reservations, call Clean Ocean Action at (732) 872-0111.
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Safety concerns and nuclear power plants — how safe are they from terrorist attack — will be the topic of discussion at a meeting of the Sierra Club, Jersey Shore group, 8 p.m. Feb. 25 in the Old Wharf House, Old Wharf Park, Main Street and Oceanport Avenue, Oceanport. Willie deCamp, one of the founders of Jersey Shore (formerly Oyster Creek) Nuclear Watch, will present the history of, and dangers associated with, the Oyster Creek nuclear generating station in the post-Sept. 11 terrorist attack world. For directions or more information, call Mary Lanko at (732) 462-2199.