City couple fights to keep mini horse as pet Horse owners scheduled to appear in court March 4 BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       ALong Branch couple is expected to appear in municipal court next month after receiving summonses for violations associated with Cocoa Puffs, their pet miniature horse. More ... Transitional home in boro seeking to expand Council to vote on zoning change at Spring House site on March 12 BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer       Atransitional home for single women with children in Monmouth County is expected to undergo an expansion project to better serve the community. Plans to add eight units to the already nine-bedroom Spring House facility on South Street in Eatontown are expected to appear before the Borough Planni... More ... Church to open at new site in Ocean Township Plans call for Greek Orthodox church facility to double in size BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer       OCEAN TOWNSHIP - The six-decadeold St.GeorgeGreekOrthodox Church ofAsbury Park is expected to open at a newsite in Ocean Township. The church opened its doors at 700 Grand Ave. in Asbury Park in 1949 and is planning to move to a new facility in Ocean Township because the current structure no lon... More ... Mon. U president speaks at Vietnam veterans' lecture       WEST LONG BRANCH - The New Jersey VietnamVeterans'Memorial Foundation hosted a lecture and oral-history discussion this month titled "In the Navy, in Vietnam," delivered by retired U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Paul G. Gaffney II, president of Monmouth University. More ... Site of project claimed to be old burial grounds Plans call for 18-unit townhouse complex to be built on Wall Street BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer       WEST LONG BRANCH - Borough residents protested the council entering into a developers agreement, stating concerns that the Wall Street location for the project is a historic burial ground. The West Long Branch Borough Council entered into a developer's agreement with Martin McDonald Development ... More ... Vets: Back from the war but not home Vetwork helps homeless veterans access services BY JENNA O'DONNELL Staff Writer       Twenty years ago, Paul Kozak took a leave from his job to start a program to help fellow Vietnam veterans in Ocean County. Kozak took a one-year leave of absence and never went back. Years later, that program has expanded and become Vetwork, a nonprofit organization that helps American veterans w... More ... Plans approved for park on Long Branch Ave. Manahassett Creek Park will add 20 acres of open space in city BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       LONG BRANCH - The City Council took action last week to approve plans for the estimated $3.5 million Manahassett Creek Park to be constructed on Long BranchAvenue. Council adopted resolution 61-08 at the Feb. 13 municipal meeting, approving the plans that were designed by engineering firmD.W. Sm... More ... Long Branch nonprofit discusses housing needs Survey of homeless shows that 29 locals have no place to sleep BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       LONG BRANCH - Members of the Long Branch Concordance (LBC) gathered at an event last month to conduct a survey of homeless people in the community. T he LBC distributed surveys to 207 homeless people at the St. James Episcopal Church on Broadway on Jan. 29. More ...      DAVID BEALES Stephanie Roddy (l-r), Alexandra McCahill and Nicole Granito, of St. Benedict's CYO, help sort through donated clothing for the less fortunate during the St. Vincent de Paul Society of Holy Trinity Church "Christmas in February" event in Long Branch on Feb. 17. More ... County-wide effort seeks count of homeless people       On Jan. 29, Monmouth County Freeholder Barbara J. McMorrow joined a team of 100 volunteers and county employees at Monmouth County's 2008 Project Homeless Connect event, part of a statewide effort to obtain a snapshot of the homeless citizens. The team worked at four locations to collect informati... More ... Passenger in car arrested following motor vehicle stop       OCEAN TOWNSHIP- A 47-year-old Long Branch resident is facing several drug charges following a motor vehicle stop in Loch Arbour. On Feb. 6 at approximately 8:55 a.m., Ocean Township Patrolman Scott Valenti pulled over a vehicle on Edgemont Avenue, according to police reports. More ... Bridge replacement project under way Historic drawbridge slated for demolition in summer of '09 BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       SEABRIGHT- It's full speed ahead for construction to begin within the week on the Route 36 Highlands Bridge. New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) Commissioner Kris Kolluri announced Feb. 8 that the DOT will replace the 75-year-old drawbridge that spans the Shrewsbury River to connect Sea... More ... Singers sought for Fame Game       Move over American Idol. New Jersey Fame Game, a statewide singing competition to benefit Prevent Child Abuse- NJ (PCA- NJ), is open to all students between the ages of 6 and 22 who live in or attend school in New Jersey. The contest gives participants the opportunity to have fun and showcase thei... More ... Pause before you prune: February       He who would perfect his work, must first sharpen his tools. Confucius, 551-479 BCE Having the right tools always comes first. Don't start pruning before taking a close look at your equipment. You probably rely on tools that have been inherited or accumulated over several years. It pays to ma... More ... Give a child a book, give the gift of literacy Book donation drive provides new books to disadvantaged kids BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer       Literacy for all children is being promoted throughout the area, thanks to the Monmouth County Reading Council's Have a Heart, Give a Book campaign. "It is just a wonderful program that brings books to children who might not otherwise be able to afford them," said MCRC President Michele Mackay. More ...