• The Jackson Township Municipal Utilities Authority will hold its public meetings at 5:30 p.m. in its administrative offices at 135 Manhattan St., Jackson, on the following dates: Jan. 22 (public meeting) and Feb. 5 (reorganization meeting). Details: 732-928-5171.
• Self-defense classes for women and girls ages 12 and up will be held at the Toms River library, 101 Washington St., 7 p.m. Jan. 22 and Jan. 29. Walter Miller will teach defense methods against the most common street attacks and personal assaults. Registration is required for each event separately. Call 732-349-6200 to register.
• A Comedy Knight hosted by the Howell-Jackson Knights of Columbus Council 6201 will take place Jan. 24 at the council home on Bartley Road in Jackson. Tickets are $30 per person and include dinner and performances by three comedians. Doors open at 7 p.m. and the show will start at 8:30 p.m. after the meal. Details and tickets: 732-278-9959.
• Judie Jensen, proprietor of Expressions and Reflections, will present her sixth annual student recital on Jan. 25 at 2 p.m. The recital will be held at Vanity Fare, 1600 Route 70, Lakewood, and is open to the public. Participation by the New Jersey National Guard color guard is anticipated. Later in the program, servicemen from Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst will participate in a student presentation. Tickets at the door will be $15. Details: 732- 901-5964.
• “Let’s Talk Real Estate” will be presented by representatives of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, 4201 Route 9, Howell, 1-3:30 p.m. Jan. 25 (Snow date: Feb. 8). Details: 732-367-1300.
• Holy Family School, Lakewood, will host an open house 12:30-2 p.m. Jan. 25. (meet the principal) and 9-11 a.m. Jan. 27 and Jan. 29.. Holy Family is a Catholic elementary school with a full-day kindergarten program, sports program and before-school care and extended-day programs. Details: 732-363-4771, ext. 13.
• The Sierra Club will review the past year’s events and issues and discuss those for the coming year at its open meeting at 7 p.m. Jan. 26 at the Skywalk Café in the Ocean County administration building, 129 Hooper Ave., Toms River. To prepare for the upcoming Alaska Wilderness League’s Wilderness Week, “Visions of Wild Alaska” will be presented. In addition, a guest speaker from the Wilderness Society’s New Jersey Outreach office will discuss H.R. 39 — the Arctic Wilderness Act. Details: 732- 451-9220 or 609-242-9304.
• Jackson Senior Center, 45 Don Connor Blvd., Jackson, will host a seminar on reverse mortgages at 11 a.m. Jan. 27. Lunch and refreshments will be served. Gateway Funding will present the seminar. Details and registration: 732-928-2313.
• Cattus Island County Park, Toms River, will offer a bird feeding program 10:30-11 a.m., an up-close look at turtles and snakes 11-11:30 a.m,. and a turtle feeding program 1:30-2 p.m., on Saturdays and Sundays during February. Details: 732-270- 6960.
• Deep Cut Orchid Society’s 12th annual show and exhibit will take place all day Feb. 5-8 at Dearborn Farms, Route 35, Holmdel. The American Orchid Society will have certified judges who will give awards to the best exhibit and the best individual plants. Free admission and parking. Groups are welcome and personalized lectures and tours will be provided if advance arrangements are made. Details: 732-536- 6215.
• L’Aura L. Hladik, founder and director of the New Jersey Ghost Hunters Society, and author of “Ghost Hunting: New Jersey,” will present a program about ghosts, Bigfoot, Ouija boards, séances, crop circles, spontaneous combustion and more at 2 p.m. Feb. 7 at the Jackson library, 2 Jackson Drive, Jackson. Adults and teens age 13 and older are invited to attend. The program is free and open to the public. Details and registration: 732-928-4400 or www.theoceancountylibrary.org.
• The New Egypt Elks Special Children’s Committee will hold a Comedy Night on Feb. 7 at the New Egypt Elks Lodge. Tickets are $30 per person. Buffet dinner starts at 7 p.m., show starts at 8:30 p.m., and there will be music until 1 a.m. Details: 609-758-8563, 609-758-4845, or send e-mail to [email protected].
• Celebrate the sound of Motown at 7 p.m. Feb. 9 at the Plumsted library, 119 Evergreen Road, Plumsted. This program will be part performance and part lecture. Learn about Motown and its contribution to American music. Details and registration: 609-758-7888.
• “Consumer Awareness — Identity Theft,” a free three-part program, will be presented to the public by the Department of Banking and Insurance at 10 a.m. Feb. 13, 20 and 27 at the Jackson library, 2 Jackson Drive. Through the use of video segments based on actual cases of fraud, participants will learn the problems caused by identity theft and effective preventive measures. Details and registration: 732-928-4400.
• Jackson Senior Center offers a free fitness program four times a week. The “It’s a Fun Workout!” class meets Monday, Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. Beginning in February, a seated chair workout presented by Clark Fitness will be added on Fridays at 10:45 a.m. Registration: 732-923-2313.
• The Howell Optimist Club meets Wednesday mornings at the Golden Bell Diner, Route 9 south, Freehold Township. Meetings begin at 7 a.m. All are invited for a free breakfast and to learn more about the club and its organization. Details: e-mail [email protected].