St. Bartholomew Columbiettes will host its first Wine-Tasting Social 7-10 p.m. Sept. 19 in St. Bartholomew's Parish Hall, 460 Ryders Lane, East Brunswick. Cost is $10 per person and includes tasting, snacks and dessert. Wine tasting and presentations will be by Marketplace Wine and Spirits, East Brunswick. More...

Iam writing to respond to comments made by local officials at a recent Borough Council meeting and referenced in staff writer Vincent Todaro's article "Resident: More Services Are Needed for Disabled" (Sentinel, Aug. 7). At the meeting I vocalized a request for programs and services for Spotswood's disabled residents. More...

New Jersey Senate President Richard J. Codey (D-Essex) issued a press release last week calling for action to be taken regarding the practice of school administrators who "obtain degrees from unaccredited and questionable colleges and universities. More...

Ihave never met the Rev. Kevin Brown, the guy the city of Long Branch is trying to evict from his apartment and his church so that a group of private developers can tear the building down to make way for the Broadway Arts Center redevelopment. More...

A political discussion between Red State conservative Dave Simpson — a former reporter, editor, publisher and columnist — and Greg Bean, Blue Stater and executive editor of Greater Media Newspapers. More...

Mr. Cushing, 52, of Rahway, died Aug. 17, 2008, in Raritan Bay Medical Center, Perth Amboy division. Born in Bayonne, he resided in South Amboy for 25 years before moving to Rahway two years ago. He was employed by Boilermakers Local 28 in Bayonne, where he worked as business manager for 15 years. More...

PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff Left: Parents and students of East Brunswick's Memorial Elementary School take a tour of the former Corpus Christi School in South River during the open house on Aug. 25. Parents got their first look at the facility, which is being used this year due to the July 10 fire at Memorial. School was scheduled to begin there and throughout the district yesterday. Above: Fourth-grade student Samantha Estenes reads a welcoming note from her teacher to her mother, Jessica, and grandmother, Lorraine Shekon. More...

PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff U.S. Women's Olympic Soccer player Heather O'Reilly signs a ball for a young player at the East Brunswick Soccer Club's Labor Day Tournament Saturday. O'Reilly, 23, who grew up in the township, helped her team win the gold in Beijing last month. She and the U.S. team also won the gold in Athens in 2004. Soccer Club President Ron Bransdorfer said of her visit: "With a smile on her face throughout and encouraging words for the boys and girls lined up to meet her, Heather demonstrated to everyone why we in EBSC are as proud of her graciousness as we are of her remarkable soccer talents." More...