Category: Independent News

  • Raritan H.S. grad makes good as an illustrator

    Raritan H.S. grad makes good as an illustrator VERONICA YANKOWSKI Hazlet illustrator Stephen Gassler bookmarks a page highlighting his illustrations in the book Lucy’s Family Tree. 23-year-old artist to do book signing later this month By ELAINE VAN DEVELDE Staff Writer HAZLET — Stephen Garrett Gassler has crafted himself some early success in the colorful…

  • Aberdeen boy, 5, drowns in unfinished backyard pool

    Staff Writer By Alison Granito ABERDEEN — The Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office has ruled the drowning death of a 5-year-old township boy as accidental. According to First Assistant Prosecutor Robert Honecker, Xavier Mahmud managed to slip out of his family’s Reids Hill Road residence while his mother was tending to her two other young children…

  • Hazlet seeks pension plan for first aid volunteers

    Staff Writer By ELAINE VAN DEVELDE HAZLET — Plans are under way in the township to keep current First Aid volunteers and attract new members via a Length-of-Service Award Program (LOSAP). LOSAP is another term for a pension program designed to give those emergency service volunteers a little extra to retire on. The program awards…

  • Optimism over Mat-Ab settlement

    Staff Writer By Alison Granito Optimism over Mat-Ab settlement ABERDEEN — Despite bringing a mediator in early last month, school officials said last week that they are close to reaching a settlement with the Matawan Regional Teachers Association (MRTA). District Superintendent Michael Klavon said that he is "optimistic that a settlement will be reached soon."…

  • Commons at Holmdel to be finished by year’s end Adult community, office component will take longer to complete

    Staff Writer By darlene diebold Commons at Holmdel to be finished by year’s end Adult community, office component will take longer to complete VERONICA YANKOWSKI Izzy Roman of Zann Contracting works on a new Barnes & Noble Booksellers store at the new Commons at Holmdel. The 25,000-square-foot book emporium, which is relocating from the Holmdel…

  • Bicentennial Park group wants plan scaled back Developer needs variance for age-restricted housing

    Staff Writer By ELAINE VAN DEVELDE Bicentennial Park group wants plan scaled back Developer needs variance for age-restricted housing MIDDLETOWN — What’s a swamp to some is a sanctuary to others. There’s an application before the Zoning Board that’s generated much neighborhood angst and fueled a fight that may have only just begun over whether…

  • Traffic study slated for Lincroft Village area Rose Street residents complain shoppers use their street as a shortcut

    Staff Writer By ELAINE VAN DEVELDE Traffic study slated for Lincroft Village area Rose Street residents complain shoppers use their street as a shortcut MIDDLETOWN — The traffic situation on Rose Street isn’t so rosy. The situation also seems to hold true for other streets situated off Route 520 (Newman Springs Road) in the Lincroft…

  • Nike site unsuitable for housing, town tells feds Officials outline their case against Monmouth Housing’s planned use

    Staff Writer By darlene diebold Nike site unsuitable for housing, town tells feds Officials outline their case against Monmouth Housing’s planned use HOLMDEL — The Township Committee finally got what it had been asking for on Aug. 27, when representatives from the federal General Services Agency (GSA) and Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)…

  • Geothermal energy to save Middletown $1.5M

    Geothermal energy to save Middletown $1.5M By Alison Granito Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN — With energy costs soaring these days, many people have seen large increases in their utility bills. Although the problems associated with the $78.4 million 1996 construction referendum to overhaul the district’s two high schools and three middle schools are often discussed, one…