Category: Independent Opinion

  • Superintendent makes a big first impression

    Barbara Duncan wasted no time making her presence felt in the Holmdel School District. Just a few weeks into her term as the new superintendent, Duncan saw to the reversal of several controversial teacher transfers and the termination of the person some blamed for them, Holmdel High School Principal Cheryl Swider. Duncan inherited a nasty…

  • Slim solves the mystery of New Jersey politics

    Greg Bean Coda If you want a job harder than the one Hercules had when he cleaned out old King Augeas’ stables in a day, you ought to try explaining New Jersey politics to a bunch of dyed-in-the-wool Red Staters. That’s the task I found before me on my recent trip to Wyoming, when I…

  • For the Record

    Although no definitive head count was taken at Matawan’s SharkFest last week, some members of the Borough Council say the overall attendance was significantly smaller than the figure of 2,000 provided by a Matawan Alliance official and reported in last week’s edition. One of those council members, Neil Mendelsohn, said the event was not one…

  • Obituaries

    Myrtle M. Hock Mrs.. Hock, 82, of the Port Monmouth section of Middletown, died July 17 at Care One at Middletown. Born in Newark, she resided in Port Monmouth, and Middletown, most of her life. She was a teacher’s aide at Harmony School, Middletown, for 20 years, retiring in 1999. She was a volunteer at…

  • Column insulted tirelesss work of band

    Mr. Joseph Fenimore’s guest column on July 19 (“Matawan Regional field improvements a waste of money”) regarding the installation of lights and artificial turf to the Matawan Regional High School football field contained several inaccuracies. Throughout the summer months the Matawan Regional High School Marching Huskies practice in the evenings. In the month of July…

  • Mat-Ab board needs dose of financial reality

    My husband and I have lived in Aberdeen nearly 25 years and have paid taxes to support its school system. I applaud Joseph Fenimore’s guest column in your July 19 issue, for I believe the Matawan-Aberdeen Board of Education could use a dose of financial reality. Are their expenditures warranted? I don’t think so. I…

  • Music students to rock for fire, police depts.

    BY DAN NEWMAN Staff Writer BY DAN NEWMANStaff Writer HAZLET – For years, John Albino has helped local kids show their talents through music, and this coming Sunday will be no different. From 2-5 p.m. at the North Centerville Fire Company, Absolute Music will be sponsoring a music recital with the proceeds going to the…

  • Don’t mandate streets with war connections

    The Middletown Township Committee’s proposed ordinance to mandate that all new street names be chosen from names of Middletown residents who were killed in action in a foreign war may be well intended, but the list of names should be suggested not required. In addition to free speech issues, how do you define a war?…

  • On Campus

    Kerry J. O’Brien, Middletown, received a bachelor of science degree in mechanical engineering at the spring commencement exercises at Manhattan College, Riverdale, N.Y. He is the son of Susan and Kevin O’Brien. Kevin R. Schmidt, West Keansburg section of Hazlet, received a bachelor’s degree in computer science, with honors, at the spring commencement ceremonies at…