Notes Around Town

Assemblyman Sean T. Kean (R-11) will host a town meeting in Long Branch Wednesday, Feb. 28 , at 7 p.m. at City Hall, 344 Broadway. Kean will be available to answer questions about state issues and listen to comments and concerns and invites all interested Monmouth County residents to attend.

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Alhaji Papa Susso, master kora (African harp-lute) player and oral historian from The Gambia, West Africa, presented a program in the Student Center at Monmouth University last week. The event was sponsored by the Wayne McMurray School of Humanities and Social Sciences. Susso hails from a long line of griots, traditional oral historians, of the Mandinka people. Papa Susso is a goodwill ambassador traveling around North America to share his culture with others and will give classroom presentations and formal concert performances where he recounts the history of his country and his people, discusses the role of griots in West African culture and performs the classics songs of the griot repertoire. For more information, contact Doris Spinks at (732) 286-5616.

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"Opening the Veil," a workshop led by Karla Lee LaVoie will be held Sunday, Feb. 25, 12:30 - 3:30 p.m., at Unity Church by the Shore, 3508 Asbury Ave., Neptune. The experiential workshop will focus on the soul's journey, the sacred contracts that are made along the way and how our loved ones may be communicating with us. Suggested donation $20. For more information, call LaVoie at (732) 918-3395 or Unity church at (732) 918-3395.

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The Greater Ocean Township Chamber of Commerce will host an evening of nibbling and networking at the Ninth Annual Culinary Classic/ Membership Drive Monday, March 5, 5:30-8 p.m. at The Renaissance, 1110 Valley Road and Route 35 South. Food samples will be prepared by some 35 local eateries and the event will include a culinary contest. The categories will include best table display, and tasters' choice for entrees, appetizers, hors d'oeuvres and desserts. Any business that joins the chamber at the event will receive 25 percent off the 2007 membership fee. Ticket price is $30. For more information, and to purchase tickets, contact the chamber office at (732) 660-1888.

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The Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, in association with Monmouth University, will host "Ethics in Government" tomorrow from 9-11 a.m. at Wilson Hall Auditorium in West Long Branch.

Attorney General Stuart Rabner will be the keynote speaker and Monmouth County Prosecutor Luis A. Valentin and Monmouth University President Paul Gaffney II will host the event. The theme of the program will be "Maintaining Honest Accountable Government at Municipal, County and State Levels."

The symposium will address methods and approaches in preventing, detecting and punishing official misconduct and public corruption. Officials invited include state legislators representing Monmouth County, freeholders, mayors and council members and law enforcement personnel. Participation at the event is by invitation only.

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The Long Branch Department of Recreation and the Long Branch Housing Authority are hosting its annual "Get on the Bus" college tour for high school students from April 2 - 6. The cost is $400 per student, payable in three installments. The tour will include visits to colleges in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland and Virginia. To make a contribution to this endeavor or for more information, call Carl F. Jennings at (732) 571-6545 or Brenda Anderson at (732) 222-3747 ext. 108.

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Monmouth Medical Center on Second Avenue in Long Branch will host a community blood drive in conjunction with the American Red Cross Feb. 19 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Community Meeting Room. The process of donating blood takes approximately 45 minutes, which includes registration, laboratory testing for anemia, monitoring of vital signs, drawing of blood and recovery. For more information or to register for the blood drive, call (732) 923-6670.

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The Children's Hospital at Monmouth Medical Center is celebrating its first birthday with a Children's Carnival Feb. 24 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the Sea Breeze Café on the first floor of the medical center, which is located on Second Avenue in Long Branch.

The event is open to the public and families and children are encouraged to attend. The event will feature entertainment, children's games and prizes and special guests Lu Lu the Clown, along with children's recording artist Miss Sherri and the Animal Band.

The carnival is free, but space is limited and reservations are requested by calling 1-888-SBHS-123 or e-mailing to mmcevents@sbhcs.com. For more information, call (732) 923-7250 or visit www.saintbarnabas.com.