Petition gets beach club renovations onto ballot BY LIZ SHEEHAN Correspondent       MONMOUTH BEACH — The controversial borough plan to issue bonds to pay for $2.7 million in estimated renovations at the borough beach club’s pavilion will now be placed on a ballot for voter approval. More ... Indictment alleges bribes paid by firm’s founder       The founding member of a major New Jersey civil engineering company was indicted Dec. 14, accused of paying bribes to former Ocean Township Mayor Terrence Weldon and another former official to gain favor and influence in securing and maintaining contracts for the engineering firm, U.S. Attorn... More ... Towns asked to support changes to GSP, Rte. 18 Local councils urgedto act during NJDOT public comment period BY LAYLI WHYTE Staff Writer       Representatives from the Middletown-based civic group, Lincroft Village Green Association (LVGA), recently appeared before several local councils asking for support of a plan that would divert heavy truck traffic from local roads. More ... Community Sing      PHOTOS BY CHRIS KELLY staff Top, West Long Branch Historical Society President Tom Cameron leads singers in the West Long Branch Christmas Sing held at Woolley Park, Dec. 17. Above, Alyssa Norman, 10, and Morgan Garifine, 8, raise their voices in song. Below, Arthur, Paige, 4, and Bridget Green join... More ... Legislature tweaking clean elections process Changes being made based on lessons of 2005 pilot in District 13 BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer       Fair and clean elections in New Jersey? Perhaps it’s not so far-fetched after all. In the Garden State, where wheeling and pay-to-play are still part of the day-to-day political landscape, an updated version of FACE, or the Fair and Clean Election Project, aims to make the campaign ... More ... Coalition seeks commission on affordable housing City officials say 2,000 affordable units created BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       LONG BRANCH –– Advocates for affordable housing are asking the city to provide more housing opportunities for low-income residents. “There is a concern on the difference of affordable housing and low-income housing,” a member of the Concerned Citizens Coalition said at a special mee... More ... Zoners turn down Monmouth’s MAC center Application for 4,000-seat arena fails to get needed votes BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       WEST LONG BRANCH –– Monmouth University’s application for a sports arena came up one vote shy of approval by the West Long Branch Zoning Board last week. At the Dec. 14 meeting, board Chairman Rocco W. Christopher made a motion to grant several use and bulk variances required fo... More ... Wedding bells ring at Riverview Medical Center Groom’s mother too ill to attend, so staff arranges ceremony       RED BANK — Wedding bells were ringing at Riverview Medical Center on Saturday, Dec. 9, when Rob Monto and Ginny Klug said “I do” amid a room filled with loved ones and hospital staff members. More ... Notes Around Town       “While I Was Gone” by Sue Miller will be discussed by the Adult Book Club of the Ocean Township Branch of the Monmouth County Library, 701 Deal Road, on Jan. 22 at 7 p.m. The novel, an Oprah Book Club selection, is a study in familial crime and punishment. Books are available to be borrowed f... More ... Public hearing on salary ordinance Dec. 29       LONG BRANCH — The City Council will hold a special meeting next Friday to vote on an ordinance to establish salaries of city employees for the year 2006. The salary ordinance will set minimum and maximum salaries of certain municipal positions, according to Ordinance 40. More ... In the Service       Air Force Airman Luis J. Molina has graduated from basic military training at Lackland Air Force Base, San Antonio, Texas. He is the son of Angel Molina of Ocean. Army Pvt. James M. Desmond has graduated from the Ammunition Specialist Advanced Individual Training course at Redston... More ... Tours Ft. Monmouth scheduled       The Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority (FMERPA) in conjunction with the Fort Monmouth Garrison Commander’s Office will conduct a series of tours of the fort property over the next 10 weeks. More ... Vigil planned in wake of murder Keith Mason shot to death in home, was LBHS star athlete BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       Plans are being made for a march/vigil to call attention to acts of violence in Long Branch in the wake of the third murder in the city in four months. “I really think the time to stop being quiet is now,” said resident Tonya Badillo. More ... CHRIS KELLY staff Matthew Giurlando, 19 months, Long Branch, gets an early Christmas present during a Breakfast With Santa sponsored by the Italian American Memorial Association Dec. 17 in Long Branch. Read the Story...