~ Notes Around Town ~

CHRIS KELLY Campers of Seashore Day Camp, Long Branch, dance at the end of West End Avenue during the camp’s Mardi Gras parade Aug. 8.

West Long Branch Police Chief John Demaree became a grandfather for the first time when his daughter Betsy Deboer of Westmont gave birth to Adam John, who weighed in at 9 pounds, 3 ounces. The proud papa is Dr. Kevin Deboer.

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The Monmouth Beach Firemen’s Fair opened on Wednesday and runs through Friday at the firehouse on Beach Road. The fair will be open from 7-11 p.m. and features rides, games, food and drinks.

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Long Branch’s Gabriela Lugos, 7, creates sand art while attending the city’s National Night Out festivities at Slocum Park Aug. 5.

The number of available home sites at the Tradewinds oceanfront development in Sea Bright have dwindled down to a precious few. Sixteen of the 20 homes to be built by Kara Homes have been spoken for. Ten of the 11 oceanfront home sites, which abut the sea wall, and six of the nine oceanview home sites, which abut Ocean Avenue, have been sold. Prices also have gone up since the houses were put on the market. The oceanfront homes were initially offered at $2.4 million and up and now the lone remaining oceanfront home is priced at $3.65 million. The three remaining oceanview homes, initially offered at $1.4 million, are now $2.1 million to $2.5 million.

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Monmouth Museum will hold the Wahoo Medicine Show and Phydeaux’s Flying Flea Circus for youngsters age 6 to 12 on Sunday, Oct. 19, from 2 to 4 p.m. The fun will includes hayrides, games and prizes. Advance registration is required and space is limited. The cost is $25 per member’s child and $30 per nonmember child. For reservations or information, call (732) 747-2266. The museum is located on the campus of Brookdale Community College in the Lincroft section of Middletown.

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The New Jersey Environmental Federation (NJEF) announced today that it is launching a door-to-door organizing drive throughout Monmouth County over the coming weeks to increase protections for the area’s drinking water as well as generate support for the "BIG" (Blueprint Intelligent Growth) map.

Environmentalists will begin their campaign in Belmar, Avon, Bradley, Tinton Falls, Eatontown and Neptune.

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The city of Long Branch needs your help to cultivate the community gardens on Liberty Street, Sairs Avenue and Seventh Avenue. Those interested in volunteering can do so by contacting the Long Branch Chamber of Commerce. For more information, call Jacob L. Jones at (732) 923-2043.

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Lovers of Italian food can indulge their taste for gourmet pizza and help fight hunger at a Sept. 15 fund-raiser for the FoodBank of Monmouth & Ocean Counties. "Take a Slice Out of Hunger" will take place Sept. 15 at Front Street Trattoria, 31 W. Front St. in Red Bank. The event will have two seatings at 5:30 and 8:30 p.m. and will include wine and entertainment by Sonny Kenn. Tickets are $50 and may be reserved by calling Trattoria at (732) 747-9569 or The FoodBank at (732) 918-2600.

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Because of a few rainy Tuesday nights, two of the movies scheduled for Red Bank’s "Movies in the Park" series at Riverside Gardens Park on West Front Street have been rescheduled. On Aug. 12, the James Bond flick Die Another Day will be shown; the film on Aug. 19 will be the Steve Martin comedy Bringing Down the House. Movies begin at 8:45 p.m.

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The annual Red Bank Street Fair will take place Sept. 7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. The event will stretch along Broad Street, from Front Street to Peters Place, and along Monmouth Street to Maple Avenue. The event is a fund-raiser for the Red Bank Volunteer Fire Department. Street Fairs Inc. is the new event management firm hired to coordinate the event. Red Bank businesses will pay a fee of $100 to participate. For more information on the street fair, contact Darryl Walker (908) 654-1400.

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Parents may register their preschool age children for the popular story time at the Red Bank Public Library beginning Aug. 21. Identical programs will be held each Tuesday and Wednesday at 10:30 a.m., beginning Sept. 9 and extending through mid-May. Parents can register in person or call the children’s room at (732) 842-0690.

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The AARP Bereavement Outreach Program of Monmouth County will present "Who Am I?," a two-hour interactive workshop, Sept. 19 at the Eastern Branch of the Monmouth County Library, Route 35 in Shrewsbury. The free workshop, which will run from 2-4 p.m., will be led by Kathleen Amitrani, life coach and career consultant, and Nina Johnston, an advanced practice nurse and bereavement counselor. The bereavement program is designed to create a one-to-one outreach service for adults who have lost a loved one. Refreshments will be served. For information, call Sylviette Pressman at (732) 747-3438.

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Preservation New Jersey will sponsor a public forum on the benefits and tools of historic preservation Sept. 6 at the Berkeley Carteret Oceanfront Hotel in Asbury Park. "The Past in Asbury Park’s Future: The Role of Historic Preservation" will provide members of the public with a forum to express ideas regarding successful preservation of Asbury Park’s rich stock of commercial and residential buildings. Speakers will include Donovan Rypkema, principal of Place Economics, Washington, D.C.; Janet Foster, assistant director of the Historic Preservation Program at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture; Meredith Bzdak, immediate past president of the National Alliance of Preservation Commissions; Adrian Scott Fine, senior program officer from the National Trust for Historic Preservation; and Ron Emrich, PNJ executive director. The fo­rum will begin at 12:30 p.m. and run through 4:30 p.m. An optional bus tour of historic sites in Asbury Park will begin at 10 a.m. Preregistration is advised by calling Penny Pollock-Barnes at (609) 392-6409 or by visiting www.preservationnj.org.

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The Arc of Monmouth announced the opening of its 10th group home, making the dream of greater independence a re­ality for four women with developmental disabilities. Construction of The Arc of Monmouth Newman Springs Home was delayed by inclement weather and un­certainty over continuation of state fund­ing for group homes. But pressure from the public and legislators resulted in the reinstatement of funds for new group homes that were near completion, and the occupants of the new home moved in last month.

The Arc, which serves individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, has announced the ap­pointment of Victoria Stelmach as di­rector of development. Stelmach, who has been assistant director of develop­ment, succeeds Kay Grady who has re­tired.

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The New Jersey Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial Foundation will host a lecture and slide show by Vietnam veteran James D. Nelson, author of Vietnam War Paintings: Art by James Davis Nelson, Narratives by Participants. The program will be held at the Vietnam Era Educa­tional Center in Holmdel Aug. 16 at 1 p.m. A donation of $5 per person is sug­gested. Attendees are asked to R.S.V.P. by calling (732) 335-0033. The Memo­rial and Education Center is located ad­ja­cent to the N.J. Vietnam Veterans’ Memorial off exit 116 of the Garden State Parkway. The center is open Tuesday-Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free for veterans and ac­tive-duty mili­tary, $4 for other adults, $2 for seniors and students, and free for children under age 10.

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Registration for the Red Bank Primary School will be held Wednesday mornings July 30, Aug. 13, and Aug. 20 from 8 a.m. to noon.

Please bring verification of resi­dency, medical records, and previous school records. For more information, call (732) 758-1530.

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Attention dancers age 15 and up: Dance Challenge 2003, a scholarship and performance competition, will be held Sunday, Aug. 17 at 10 a.m. at the Count Basie Theater on Monmouth Street.

Dancers are required to bring 30 sec­onds of music on CD or tape and demonstrate their very best dance se­quence. Selected finalists will have an opportunity to be showcased to New Jersey’s top choreographers, win a $1,000 scholarship, and participate in a workshop on how to break into Broadway.

For more information call lau­rie@phoenixredbank.com.

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A Bunco Party with raffles, prizes and refreshments will be held at the Red Bank Elk’s Lodge, 40 W. Front St., Aug. 10. The event is sponsored by the ladies auxiliary. Fee is $7. For tickets, reserva­tions, and donations, call Ann Nill at (732) 741-6964 or Dolores Ryan at (732) 842-1884.

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Monmouth Reform Temple, 332 Hance Ave., Tinton Falls, will hold an open house on Sept. 8 and 10 from 6-8 p.m. For more information, call (732) 747-9365.

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Disney’s American Teacher of the Year Ron Clark will be leading an edu­cational discussion at the Trinity Episcopal Church, White Street, Aug. 18 at 9 a.m. For more information, call (732) 450-2092.