Celebrating MLK's birthday      Hollis Cooper leads the crowd in singing "We Will Overcome" at the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Observance Ceremony at the MLK Memorial Park in Long Branch on Jan. 21. More photos, page 3. More ... Teachers 'boycott' event for incoming freshmen Meeting planned for Feb. 21 to negotiate teachers contract BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer       School district employees in Ocean Township are continuing to work without a contract, and as a result, the annual curriculum fair for incoming high school freshmen was canceled this month. More ... Unger requests show on access cable Channel 20 Councilman calls for public meetings to be aired on TV, Web site BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       Councilman Brian Unger is awaiting a response from the city's cable commission on whether he can host an interview program on the Long Branch cable access Channel 20 (LBC20). Unger submitted a written request to the commission Jan. 4 seeking approval to interview community members on historic pre... More ... Mobile park sale could force residents to move Boro offers relocation advice to residents of Circle Mobile Home Park BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer       EATONTOWN- Residents of the CircleMobile Home Park on Route 35 learned last week that the site where their homes are located is being sold to a new owner. Plans for the 6-acre lot could call for the new owner to shut down the mobile home community and develop the land for a commercial use, accord... More ... Homeless survey to draw public awareness The Project Homeless Connect 2008 event planned for Jan. 29 BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       LONG BRANCH - The New Jersey 2008 Project Homeless Connect program is planned to be held thismonth in an attempt to gather information and ultimately end homelessness throughout the state. Communitymemberswho lack a permanent residence or who are homeless are invited to participate in the progra... More ... Police charge 30 youths with underage drinking       OCEAN TOWNSHIP - An anonymous call to township police led to the arrest of 30 people for underage drinking at a house party near the Monmouth University campus. Another three men are facing charges for providing the alcohol at the party, according to police reports. More ... Police uncover $75K worth of stolen goods       LONG BRANCH- Two city men were arrested last week for a string of burglaries and thefts, as the result of an investigation by Long Branch police. On Jan. More ... Jury convicts man for attempt to lure minor City cop poses as 14-yr.-old girl on Internet to capture predator       LONG BRANCH - A Nutley man was convicted last week on attempted sexual assault charges for trying to engage in a sexual act with someone he thought was a 14-year-old girl in Long Branch. On Jan. More ... Italian American Assoc. to open center Jan. 31       OCEAN TOWNSHIP - The Italian American Association of the Township of Ocean (IAATO) is celebrating the grand opening of its Cultural Center on Route 35 with a free lecture series on Jan. 31 at 7:30 p.m. The event is open to the public and will showcase the facility's Resource Center, meeting rooms... More ... Volunteers will train to help victims of domestic violence       180, Turning Lives Around will be conducting a 40-hour training for Domestic Violence Response Team(DVRT) volunteers. The volunteer advocates, whose identities are kept anonymous, work in conjunction with the police to provide support, information and referrals to victims of domestic violence at p... More ... County generates electricity from methane gas at landfill       Workers at the Monmouth County Reclamation Center in Tinton Falls have begun turning methane gas - produced naturally from decomposing waste - into money-saving electricity to offset costs associated with operating the landfill'sMaterials, Processing and Recovery Facility (MPRF). More ... Three 'kings' talk local, world news on cable TV 'Real Talk' news show broadcasts to local audience BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       MIDDLETOWN - Ladies and gentlemen, meet the self-proclaimed "Kings of Local Access." The three "kings," known on air asAndy, Eddie and Savy, or in the other 167.5 hours of the week as Steve and Jim Perri and Savino Cuppari, are hosts of Comcast cable network's "Real Talk" television show that ai... More ... Adopt a Pet       Adoption fees: Adult dogs - $100; puppies up to 4 months - $140; adult cats - $60, or two for $90; kittens up to 4 months - $120; purebred adult dogs and cats - $150; purebred puppies and kittens - $180 (All fees include: spay/neuter, ear cleaning, nail clippers, More ...