Category: Independent Opinion

  • Middletown plans for full-day kindergarten

    State budget woes put pre-K expansion on hold BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer The Middletown School District Board of Education presented a plan to an auditorium filled with parents last week to implement full-day kindergarten in all of the district’s schools by the 2010-11 school year. The district held a public hearing for parents on…

  • Mat-Ab scrubs schools after case of H1N1

    BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer MATAWAN — The H1N1 virus, also known as swine flu, has been the butt of many jokes for the past two months, but after a reported case closed a borough school for a day, it quickly became clear that the virus is no laughing matter. According to the Matawan-Aberdeen…

  • BOE not on board with sharing of turf fields

    Three fields would be topped with turf BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer MIDDLETOWN — Members of the Township Committee who attended the May 27 public hearing on a proposed joint venture for three synthetic turf fields between the town and Board of Education left the meeting with a sour taste in their mouths. Mayor Pamela…

  • Grace R. Porco

    Mrs. Porco, 89, of the Shadow Lake section of Middletown, died May 14, 2009, at home. She was a retired an executive assistant at the MTA, New York City. Her husband of 51 years, Frank Porco, 85, died May 29, 2009. She is survived by a brother and sister-in-law, Warren and Florence Van Nosdall of…

  • Donna Marie Magno

    Mrs. Magno, 64, of Middletown, died May 27, 2009, at home. She was a health care worker at Essex County Special Child Services, for 12 years, retiring in 2005. She is survived by two sons, John Magno and Chris Magno, both of Middletown; a sister, Dolores Veneziano of Toms River; a grandson; and a nephew.…

  • Holmdel BOE approves $840K in budget cuts

    BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer HOLMDEL — The Board of Education took the Township Committee’s advice and approved reductions to its failed budget at last week’s meeting. The Holmdel Township Committee unanimously approved $840,000 worth of spending cuts to the Holmdel Township Public School District’s defeated budget. According to a resolution passed at the…

  • ‘Spend-o-crats’ should learn from small towns

    Iread with some amusement a letter in the May 7 Independent, written by Mr. Jim Tobias, that oozed with anthems of praise for our great bearded benefactor and “financial wizard” Gov. Corzine for the wonderful benefits he showers upon us and how we should be grateful for the privilege of paying what may be the…

  • Family thanks community for outpouring of caring

    The Brown family would like to thank everyone for their prayers, cards, phone calls and monetary gifts during the passing of our beloved son and brother, Jawann. The show of love and support from the Matawan and Aberdeen community was something we as a family will never forget. We deeply appreciate everything that was done…

  • Alice W. Mooney

    Mrs. Mooney, 75, of the Lincroft section of Middletown, died May 24, 2009, at Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. She was a staff member at St. Leo The Great School, Lincroft, for more than 45 years, and named “Outstanding Catholic Educator” of 2000. She was predeceased by her husband, John J. Mooney Jr. She is…