Notes Around Town Renaissance Gardens at Seabrook in Tinton Falls presented dog walker Carol Smith with a plaque this month in recognition of her dedicated effort to keep a friendship going between a resident and the dog he could no longer care for. Smith was hired to walk Louie, a miniature poodle belonging to Glenn Rodman, who was without a doubt his best friend. Rodman adopted Louie from the Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown when he was only 7 weeks old. "I never saw a person love a dog, or a dog love a person as much as in the case of Mr. Rodman and Louie," said Smith, Neptune City. Smith was hired in 2005, when Rodman became unable to take the dog out for his usual stroll due to health problems. When Rodman's health declined and he could no longer care for Louie, Smith took the small dog into her home and kept the friendship going between the two. Each day, she brought Louie to visit Rodman, right up until Rodman passed away in March. Former Long Branch High School student Stephen M. Ellis received two awards at the National Capital Chesapeake Bay Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. A 1998 graduate, Ellis was recognized in the Best Promotional Campaign category June 16 at a ceremony in Washington, D.C. Currently residing in Baltimore County, Md., Ellis received the award for "Simpsons Theme Weeks" and "Friends: Inside the Music." His artwork and animations can be viewed at www.beautifulrust.net. ***** Joshua E. Throckmorton, 11, Long Branch, recently received a perfect score in mathematics on the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge (NJ ASK) test, according to a press release from the Long Branch Public School District. "I was stunned, because some of the questions were very hard," said Throckmorton last week. "I like figuring out mathematical equations in my head," he said, adding that someday he hopes to use his skills in marine biology. The NJ ASK is a statewide assessment of student achievement in language arts, math and science that was implemented in 2003 under the state Department of Education's No Child Left Behind Act. Joshua scored a perfect 300 in mathematics on the NJ ASK while attending the fifth grade at the Amerigo A. Anastasia School. He also scored a 243 on the language arts literary section of the test. He will be entering the sixth grade at the Long Branch Middle School in September. ***** The Ocean Township Branch of the Monmouth County Library is holding a series of "Book Sale Tuesdays" July 10, July 17, July 24, July 31, Aug 7 and Aug 14. This is a great opportunity to stock on summer reading material. Donations of books have continued to pour in and, as a result, the library has thousands of hard- and soft-cover books for sale including many children's books. Nearly all books are priced at $1 or less. Sale hours are 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. at the branch, 701 Deal Road, Ocean. ***** The Monmouth County SPCA in Eatontown has received a check for $2,004 from the Petco Foundation. The funds were collected locally for Petco's "Spring a Pet" campaign. The campaign allows each Petco store to select an adoption group that celebrates the human-animal bond. The donation will be used by the MCSPCA to help care for the animals housed in the facility. This includes food, medical expenses and supplies to keep these animals comfortable during their stay at the shelter. ***** Plans for the 2008 New Jersey Marathon kicked off last week with news that one of the world's leading automated timing and scoring systems will be used for the 12th annual racing event to be held next year in Long Branch. Marathon organizers teamed with CompuScore to bring the internationally recognized ChampionChip System to the 26.2-mile marathon and its two companion events, the Long Branch Half Marathon and the four- and three-person Marathon Relay to be held May 4, according to a press release from the New Jersey Marathon organization. To learn more about the marathon, including volunteer and sponsorship opportunities, call (732) 578-1771 or visit www.njmarathon.org.