Category: Independent Opinion

  • Failed school budget now heads to committee

    HAZLET – Although all five incumbents were re-elected to their respective positions on the Board of Education, the school budget ended up failing for the second consecutive year. After getting defeated last year by a 2:1 ratio, this year was a much closer defeat, 992-779. At stake was a $30,987,424 local tax levy, which was…

  • Keyport school budget defeated by 25 votes

    BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer BY KAREN E. BOWESStaff Writer KEYPORT – Voters narrowly rejected a proposed $17.09 million education budget on April 17 by 25 votes, 255 to 230. In the Board of Education race, newcomer Daniel Smith Jr., 37, won a three-year seat with 321 votes. Incumbent Joanne Staeger, 52, will begin…

  • Mat-Ab budget fails, but most incumbents retain

    BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer BY KAREN E. BOWESStaff Writer ABERDEEN – Voters soundly rejected the Matawan-Aberdeen Board of Education’s proposed $62 million school budget by over 60 percent, 1,365 to 844, on April 17. Among Aberdeen candidates in the race for school board, newcomer Thomas Gambino, 37, was the lead vote-getter with 844,…

  • Board candidate says race was too political

    Flamm feels Dems acted improperly by allowing opponent to use resources BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer BY KAREN E. BOWESStaff Writer MATAWAN – The local school board race is traditionally considered a non-partisan affair. At least it’s supposed to be. On April 17, Matawan candidate Sheila Flamm lost 425-298 to incumbent Larry O’Connell for…

  • Obituaries

    John Incandela Mr. Incandela, 96, of Middletown, died April 21, 2007, at home. Born in Brooklyn, N.Y., he resided in Middletown the past 45 years. He was a mechanic and welder at Broadway Maintenance, Long Island City, N.Y., for 35 years, retiring in 1976. He enjoyed working on cars and lawnmowers. He was predeceased by…

  • Coda

    Even the old news dogs are learning new tricks Greg Bean My first month in the news business, I fell into the middle of a technical revolution that was making the old news hounds miserable. That month, the publisher (a squinty-eyed fellow with a heart the size of a pea) decided to throw out the…

  • Hazlet town hall is now a political football

    Knock, knock, please let us in. The Hazlet Democrat majority has decided to use delay tactics in opening the new town hall to its residents. Since the postponement of the ribbon-cutting ceremonies in December due to a mechanical unit malfunction and improper insulation installation – which has all been corrected some time ago – the…

  • Middletown Twp. Committee plagued by poor practices

    In response to Middletown Committeeman Tom Hall’s letter (“Committeeman fed up with Democrat’s ‘grandstanding,’” April 11), I strongly object to his argument that Democrats are being unfair to the committee in town. Mr. Hall’s committee colleague is Democrat Patrick Short, who won election last year. Committeeman Short questioned an item on the bill list recently…

  • Survivor urges others to attend Go Red event

    I am a daughter. I am a wife. I am 29 years old. I am a sudden severe headache with no known cause. I am a stroke. I am laughter and love. I am a horse lover. I am a stroke. I am sudden confusion and trouble speaking. I am a stroke. I am a…