January 26, 2012 RSS feed / Front Page

E.B. municipal taxes going down in 2012, mayor says

Stahl: Work over past three years will allow for tax cut
BY CHRIS ZAWISTOWSKI
Staff Writer

When he took office in January 2009, Mayor David Stahl pledged to responsibly reduce spending, restructure township government and set East Brunswick on firm financial ground in the midst of national economic turmoil. More...

Monroe firefighters pass on raises to avoid layoffs

Union, commissioners agree to concessions that will save district $300K
BY JAMES McEVOY
Staff Writer

The potential layoffs of up to eight firefighters were avoided through concessions reached between the union and commissioners of Monroe Township Fire District No. 3. More...

Tinitigan named acting police chief in South River

Police veteran of 16 years sits in for Bouthillette, who is retiring
BY JACQUELINE DURETT
Correspondent

SOUTH RIVER — The borough has a new man in charge of the police force. Mark Tinitigan, fresh off his December graduation from the FBI National Academy, has been appointed to serve as acting police chief. More...

Middlesex County budget to cut spending by more than $1M

Restructuring plan began at beginning of 2011
BY DEANNAMcLAFFERTY
Staff Writer

The Middlesex County Board of Freeholders announced its proposal for a $404,234,000 operational budget for 2012 during a meeting on Jan. 17. The operating budget cuts spending by more than $1 million from last year and $2 million from 2010. More...

Photo

Vegetable Growers Association of New Jersey President Joseph Marino (r) honored Jim and Sue Giamarese of Giamarese Farm, East Brunswick as “Vegetable Grower of the Year” on Jan. More...

Tickets on sale for Valentine’s Dance

AValentine’s Day Big-Band Dance, featuring music by the Imperial Dance Band, is set for 7:30-11 p.m. Feb. 18 at the Imperial Music Center, 48 Appleby Ave., South River, across from the South River Public Library and the firehouse. More...

Letters

Why waste paper on unnecessary calendars?

I recently received my recycling and solid-waste calendar from East Brunswick. It is a wellconceived document. It contains a great deal of information for most residents. More...

Crackdown on fraudulent contractors applauded

Following the freak October snowstorm of 2011, as well as Hurricane Irene, tens of thousands of New Jerseyans suffered significant property damage requiring extensive repair. More...

Charter school faced board, won

I n regard to the recent article about the East Brunswick school board once again using hundreds of thousands of our taxpayer dollars by pursuing a never-ending and losing lawsuit against the Hatikvah International Charter School of East Brunswick, I More...

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Columns

CODA

No more Twinkies? Now that’s a real nightmare
GREG BEAN

Here are three stories you might have missed due to the 24/7 coverage of the South Carolina Republican primary and Newt Gingrich’s marital peccadilloes last week. We start with Zingers and Ding Dongs: More...

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Obituaries

Judith Gomberg Lissy

Mrs. Lissy, of Boynton, Beach, Fla., formerly of Philadelphia, Old Bridge and Monroe, died Dec. 22, 2011. More...

Samuel Degutz

Mr. Degutz, 99, of East Brunswick, died Jan. 12, 2012, in Summer Hill Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Old Bridge. He was predeceased by his wife, Sylvia, in 2005. More...

Irene L. Semasko

Ms. Semasko, 85, of Sayreville, died Jan. 7, 2012, in Golden Living Center, Old Bridge. Prior to her retirement, she was employed as a seamstress and material cutter for Tonettes Dress Co., South River. More...

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Sports

EB swim teams both sport winning records

BY JIMMY ALLINDER
Correspondent

I f you attend an East Brunswick High School boys or girls swimming meet, don’t expect to see too many Bears capture first place in the various events. More...

Chargers working through injuries as they look to make playoff run

BY JIMMY ALLINDER
Correspondent

I n Jill Harkins’mind, there’s no question that the Spotswood High School girls basketball team she coaches will qualify for the Central Jersey Group II playoffs in late February. More...

Photo

Monroe High Schoool’s Demi Rousseau tosses up a shot over a North Brunswick defender during the Falcons’ Jan. 19 game in Monroe. More...

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Photo

Neha Avadhami, 10, of East Brunswick, leads a traditional Indian dance during the first session of “Glimpses of India,” a three-part series that began Jan. More...

Full-day kindergarten coming to E.B. schools

Program will allow for more in-depth coverage of topics, officials say
BY CHRIS ZAWISTOWSKI
Staff Writer

Dr. Susan Karp said she’d been waiting 27 years for the moment. It was one of the main reasons that drove her to run for the East Brunswick Board of Education in the first place. And during a board meeting on Jan. More...

Photo

Monisha Aghazaden-Alavi, 15, Pooja Patel and Pooja Adur, all of East Brunswick, wear traditional Indian wedding dresses during the bridal fashion show portion of “Glimpses of India,” a th More...

Golden Triangle project takes a step forward

E.B. Planning Board OKs subdivision that developer says will pave way for site plans
BY CHRIS ZAWISTOWSKI
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK — The Golden Triangle redevelopment project took a small step forward on Jan. 11 when the township Planning Board unanimously approved a subdivision of the Route 18 property. More...

PBA contract in place, amid questions

BY JAMES McEVOY
Staff Writer

JAMESBURG — The local Police BenevolentAssociation is seeking an interpretation of the new collective bargaining agreement it signed in December after reaching an agreement with borough officials. More...

Animal control service at center of Jamesburg debate

Council majority approves ACO salary as borough returns to an in-house service
BY JAMES McEVOY
Staff Writer

JAMESBURG — Despite having appointed Joseph Intravatola as animal control officer at their prior meeting, officials continued debate over the nature and costs of the service during the Jan. 18 Borough Council meeting. More...

Four cars involved in Rt. 18 crash

EAST BRUNSWICK — Four vehicles were involved in an accident Jan. 17, resulting in the left lane of Route 18 southbound near Icker Avenue being closed for an hour. More...

Lecture to shed light on holistic methods

Dr. Bryan Berger of Innovative Wellness Center will present a lecture titled “A Holistic Approach to Better Health” noon Feb. 9 at Waterside Villas, 1 Overlook Drive, Monroe. More...

Spaces available at 4-H Craft Fair

4-H of Middlesex County is looking for crafters and vendors of new items to take part in a Craft Fair set for 9 a.m.-3 p.m. March 3 at the 4-H Center, Cranbury Road, East Brunswick. More...

Bulletin Board

‘Wild New Jersey’ author to discuss nature in E.B.

The Friends of the East Brunswick Environmental Commission will present an “Option Green” lecture by David Wheeler, author of “Wild New Jersey: Nature Adventures in the Garden State,” and the founder of the daily nature blog WildNew-Jersey.tv. More...

Donors sought for Feb. 5 blood drive

Congregation Etz Chaim Monroe Township Jewish Center will conduct a blood drive 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Feb. 5 at the temple, 11 Cornell Ave., Monroe. Appointments are preferred. More...

Scouts schedule cookie booth sales

Milltown Girl Scout Cadette Troop No. 80037 will hold several cookie booth sales in the coming weeks. The schedule is as follows: • Feb. 4, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. —Acme, 300 Ryders Lane, Milltown; More...

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Opinion

Political Cartoon

Full Story

for the record •••

The Sentinel has no evidence that any enrollment figures reported to the state Department of Education by the Hatikvah International Academy Charter School of East Brunswick were misrepresented, as was indicated in a statement made by an East Brunswi More...

DINNIGAN’S DIVERSIONS

‘Ground zero’ tourism, then and now
LIZZ DINNIGAN

The morning the Towers fell, I was commuting from Brooklyn to my east midtown office building. More...

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Schools

E.B. school board moves annual election to Nov.

Shift means residents will only vote on budgets that are over the 2% cap on tax levy hikes
BY CHRIS ZAWISTOWSKI
Staff Writer

EAST BRUNSWICK — Goodbye, April. Hello, November. The township Board of Education voted 8-1 to move the annual school election to coincide with the November general election during its Jan. 19 meeting, just two days after Gov. More...

Monroe board majority approves election shift

BOE president: District stands to save $60K with move to November
BY JAMES McEVOY
Staff Writer

MONROE — A divided Board of Education approved a resolution last week to move its annual elections from April to the general election in November. The board voted 6-3 to approve the move at its Jan. 18 meeting, just one day after Gov. More...

Milltown students commit to work for positive change

Kilmer school takes part in program inspired by teen killed at Columbine
BY KATHY CHANG
Staff Writer

MILLTOWN — Although the Columbine High School shootings happened more than a decade ago, officials at Joyce Kilmer Middle School have found in its aftermath a valuable lesson for students. More...

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