ERIC SUCAR staff Emerson Simoes (l) and Jamil Pitts, both of Long Branch, took advantage of the snowstorm by riding down the large hill at Glenwood Cemetery in West Long Branch on Feb. 22. More ... Hearing on teachers' contract set for March Fact-finding hearing postponed, new date set for March 27 BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer       Employees of the Ocean Township school district will continue to work under the terms of an expired contract, since a fact-finding hearing on the matter has been postponed until March. The hearing, initially planned for Feb. 21, was rescheduled to March 27 at the request of the Township of Ocean ... More ... Activists file ethics complaint against DEP PEER: State aide worked too close with developers of Tak. site BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       Environmental activists filed an ethics complaint Monday, charging that a top aide at the state Department of Environmental Protection provided "coaching" to a developer for an oceanfront project in Long Branch. The complaint was filed before the State Ethics Commission by the Public Employees fo... More ... Mon. U fashion show benefits Alyssa's Angels Nonprofit plans to build $300,000 playground in the borough BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer       WEST LONG BRANCH - Funds raised at a fashion-show benefit held by Monmouth University students this month will support the construction of a handicapped-accessible playground in West Long Branch. More ... Assault leads police to sex-assault suspect       LONG BRANCH - A West Long Branch man is facing sexual-assault charges after alleged incidents with two female juveniles. Long Branch Police responded to an Oakwood Avenue residence in West Long Branch for a reported robbery and aggravated assault on Feb. 14, according to police reports. More ... Mon. U's Water Watch to clean up Lake Tak. Volunteers asked to bring gloves, hard-soled shoes on Saturday BY CHRISTINE VARNO Staff Writer       LONG BRANCH - Monmouth University's chapter of N.J. Community Water Watch is expecting over 50 university students and community members to join in the cleanup of Lake Takanassee this weekend. Volunteers are planned to gather at Lake Takanassee from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. More ... Borough rejects measure to renew firm's contract Boro architect misjudges cost of police building project by $100K BY DANIEL HOWLEY Staff Writer       EATONTOWN - Council members failed to adopt a resolution last week to renew a contract with the borough architectural firm. After appointing Kaplan, Gaunt and DeSantis Architects LLC as the borough architectural firm at the Jan. 1 reorganization meeting, council voted 3-2 at the Feb. 13 municipa... More ... Two suspects jump from car       OCEAN TOWNSHIP - Police are searching for two suspects who jumped out of amoving vehicle on Route 35 when an officer was attempting to pull the car over. Ocean Township Police Officer Jeffrey Malone was patrolling in the area of Route 35 and Deal Road when he witnessed a 2003 green Ford Explorer... More ... Police break up keg party       OCEAN TOWNSHIP - An anonymous phone call to the township Police Department led to the arrest of three men who were throwing a party at the home they rent on Beecroft Place. Another 30 partygoers were issued summonses for underage drinking, according to police reports. More ... Teen faces drunken-driving charges       OCEAN TOWNSHIP - A 17-year-old female was arrested last week for driving while intoxicated and three other minors who were passengers in the car are facing underage drinking and drug charges. Ocean Township police received a call from a Lakewood Avenue resident on Feb. 17 at approximately 5:14 p... More ... Raid closes massage parlor       OCEAN TOWNSHIP- Two NewYork women are facing prostitution charges after police raided a township massage parlor on Route 35. An investigation by theOcean Township PoliceDepartment SpecialAssignmentUnit led to a police raid of the My Day Spa massage parlor at approximately 9:15 p.m. Feb. 21, accor... More ...      ERIC SUCAR staff Max Springman of West Long Branch took a ride down the large hill at Glenwood Cemetery in West Long Branch on Feb. 22. More ... Monmouth County launches TV program       Monmouth County is hitting the airwaves with a monthly televised program designed to bring the county's many governmental services directly to residents. Titled "Monmouth In Focus," the show is a televised companion to the county newsletter of the same name and is hosted by Cynthia Scott, a forme... More ... 'That's Entertainment'      PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Left, Kayla Kappmeier performs the Lip Gloss dance during the Ocean Township Elementary School 2008 Fall Follies' "That's Entertainment" held in the Ocean Township High School auditorium on Feb. 21. Right, Ingrid Fenniman and the rest of the Fish Fish Fish perform their da... More ...