CHRIS KELLY staff Dan Haaren and John Venino, lifeguards at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park in Long Branch, try to control their boat during the boat relay race portion of the Monmouth County Park System's annual lifeguard tournament held at the county park Aug. 3. More ... Park system bid for fort parcels advances Golf course, marina, gyms, open spaces on county's wish list BY LINDA DeNICOLA Staff Writer       The Monmouth County Park System is moving forward with its application for Fort Monmouth properties despite a firestorm of questions by state and local public officials over the cost of moving the fort to Aberdeen, Md. More ... Unger proposes historic preservation ordinance Measure calls for commission, historic inventory BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       An ordinance that would help preserve the city's historic structures and establish a Long Branch Historic Preservation Commission is in the works. Long Branch Councilman Brian Unger is planning to introduce an ordinance that would designate and regulate historic sites within the cit... More ... Local charity honors parents for a triple Feat BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer       MATAWAN - As the proud parents of 10-month-old triplets, Jennifer and Jay Adamo go through about 24 diapers a day. "We make formula by the gallon," joked the new father, bouncing baby Alexis in one hand and grasping a three-seated stroller in the other. More ... House OKs $33M more for programs at fort Increased funding for key Army intelligence programs approved       The 2008 House Defense Appropriations bill passed July 27 by the Appropriations Committee contains $33.6 million in additional federal funding to support key intelligence programs and other activities at Fort Monmouth. According to Rep. Rush Holt (D-12) and Rep. Frank Pallone Jr. (D-... More ...      CHRIS KELLY staff A group of children from Long Branch helps out Steve Woyce duirng a children's magic show held at the Long Branch Public Library on Aug. 3. More ... Bridge advocates call on state to repair span Group claims repairs would extend life of bridge for years BY LIZ SHEEHAN Correspondent       The state should begin repairing the drawbridge that connects Sea Bright and Highlands, local group Citizens for Rational Coastal Development said in a press release issued Aug. 2. Shirley Olman, co-chair of the bridge advocacy group, said in the statement, "The state has refused to... More ... Legislation would rein in runaway BRAC costs       New Jersey's U.S. senators, Democrats Robert Menendez and Frank Lautenberg, are keenly aware of some of the wildly inaccurate cost estimates used in the BRAC process, since the closing of Fort Monmouth is now expected to cost almost twice its original $780 million price tag. More ... Benefit for Church of Presidents restoration BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       LONG BRANCH - - The Long Branch Historical Museum Association (LBHMA) will host a cocktail reception Aug. 16 at the Ocean Beach Club on Ocean Avenue to benefit the restoration of the Church of the Presidents. The event will be run from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. More ... Campaign launched to preserve Fortune House Preservation group calls for museum and cultural center BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       RED BANK - Preservationists, including members of the borough's west side community, have launched a letter-writing campaign to preserve the T. Thomas Fortune House as a cultural center and museum. The T. More ... August: Act III begins       Have you ever dreamed of glorious spring and summer flowering bulbs, a garden awash in color and unique shapes? Now is the time to look at your bulb catalogs and devise a planting strategy, which offers the most varied show imaginable, with a minimal effort on your part. Order your bulbs by m... More ... On the brink of the sixth extinction Going organic could help threatened bees and butterflies BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer       The fate of many major food crops hangs in the balance of what biologists are calling the "sixth extinction." Humans are currently living during a time of species loss as great as the meteor-caused disaster that exterminated the dinosaurs, according to organic gardener Manuela McCus... More ... Monmouth Beach mulls curfew BY LIZ SHEEHAN Correspondent       MONMOUTH BEACH - Prompted by complaints from residents about noise and groups of youths gathering in some sections of the borough, the Board of Commissioners is considering enacting a curfew for those age 16 and under. Police Chief Richard White said Tuesday that in addition to the c... More ... Oceanport looks to stem pollution of waterways Chaump: Causes include racetrack runoff, geese BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       OCEANPORT - - Borough and state officials are seeking solutions to the pollution of local waterways. According to Oceanport Mayor Lucille Chaump, corrective plans are in the works to address pollutants in at least three of the borough's waterways. More ... Notes Around Town       The Wave of Hope Foundation raised $26,000 during the annual "Wave of Hope" walk in June sponsored by the Long Branch Public School District. The walk takes place annually to raise money for research and education programs at The Cancer Institute of New Jersey Foundation, New Brunswick. A che... More ...       Nancy Di Lauro, family and consumer sciences teacher at Ocean Township High School, Oakhurst, was recognized as an adviser mentor at the 2007 National Leadership Meeting Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) held last month in Anaheim, Calif. The program recognizes teacher... More ...       More than 300 international interns from Goldman Sachs, New York investment banking and securities firm, participated in a beach sweep at Sandy Hook recently. The Clean Ocean Action sweep was one of four beach cleanups by more than 650 Goldman Sachs employees and interns. More ... Saving lives      PHOTOSBY CHRIS KELLY staff Clockwise from top: Michelle Kantor, lifeguard at Seven Presidents Oceanfront Park in Long Branch, races out of the water during the rescue board relay portion of the county's annual lifeguard tournament held Aug. 3 at the county park. Seven Presidents lifeguards Paul Keg... More ... Wiesel to speak in Lakewood       LAKEWOOD - Georgian Court University, the Strand Theater and the Jewish Federation of Ocean County will present "Against Indifference," an afternoon with Nobel Prize winner Elie Wiesel on Nov. 4 at 1:30 p.m. at the Strand Theater. More ... Search warrant leads to three arrests       LONG BRANCH - The Long Branch Street Crimes Unit executed a search warrant that resulted in the arrest of two city women and a Red Bank man. On July 27, the police unit arrested and charged Susan Gilliard, 44, and Latanya Gilliard, 24, both of Rockwell Avenue, and Michael Bradley, 36, ... More ... White Water Evening to raise autism awareness       SEA BRIGHT - The Surfers' Environmental Alliance (SEA) is organizing the first surf paddle around the island of Manhattan. The invitation-only, 28-mile paddle will take place Monday, Aug. 13, and will be completed by about 50 participants, including some of the biggest names in surfin... More ...