ERIC SUCAR staff Colts Neck High School's Alex LeRoy reaches up to try to block a shot during a Shore Conference A North Division volleyball match against Howell High School on May 8 in Howell. The Rebels defeated the Cougars in two sets on their home floor and claimed the division title. More ... Tax increase eliminated as town cuts school tab Officials lament voters' failure to participate in April election BY ELANA ARON Correspondent       School taxes in Freehold Township will remain virtually unchanged in 2008-09 after the Township Committee cut $923,369 from the $53.9 million general fund local tax levy that was rejected in the April 15 school election. The Freehold Township K-8 Board of Education sought approval of the tax levy... More ... Historic panel honors Freehold homeowners BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer       The borough of Freehold is known for its character, its small-town ambiance and its historic homes. The Freehold Borough Historic Advisory Commission annually honors families that have gone above and beyond the norm in the care and maintenance of their older homes. The commission presents a Resto... More ... Supt. plans to present report on ice hockey Parents, players have been lobbying for sport's approval BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer       On May 19, Freehold Regional High School District Superintendent of Schools James Wasser will present the Board of Education with a report on the feasibility of sanctioning five interscholastic ice hockey teams in the district. More ... Yard sale will support Catena teacher's family BY ELANA ARON Correspondent       FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - What began as a small project to help a beloved Freehold Township elementary school teacher has blossomed into a full-fledged communal outpouring of love. More ... Orleans lays out plan for adult community Wildflower at Marlboro will include 2 buildings of affordable rentals BY MARK ROSMAN Staff Writer       MARLBORO - A proposed 168-home age-restricted adult community has been unveiled for the Planning Board and members of the public. Attorney Kenneth Pape, representing Orleans Home Builders, began presenting an application for Wildflower at Marlboro during the board's meeting May 7. More ... Spring Valley is expected to be repaved BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer       MARLBORO - People who drive on Spring Valley Road can finally look forward to improved conditions on the street, which has been in a state of disrepair following the installation of a gas main in the road by New Jersey Natural Gas (NJNG) in 2007. More ... New rules established as Kruise Nite returns May 29 marks first of four car shows to be held in Freehold BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer       FREEHOLD - A series of meetings among Freehold Borough officials and representatives of the Freehold Center Partnership produced an agreement that will allow Kruise Nite to resume beginning May 29. The event's operation will be reviewed after each date, according to officials. More ... Youth production raises money for church fund BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer       MARLBORO - The children of St. Gabriel's Church, Route 79, lent their talents to raisemoney for the St. Vincent de Paul fund by performing the musical "Godspell Jr." over the weekend of April 19. The St. Vincent de Paul fund is a church organization that providesmoney to parishioners who are exp... More ... Freehold H.S. grad slain on Throckmorton Street Cops seek killer of former football player Rodney Keys BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer       FREEHOLD - Although the motive for a homicide that occurred in Freehold Borough on May 3 has not yet been revealed, the bottom line is that Rodney Keys is dead. The Freehold Borough native left behind three children. Keys, 39, who most recently lived in Asbury Park, was the victim of a shooting ... More ... Board ratifies new deal with FRHSD teachers BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer       The Freehold Regional High School District Board of Education has approved a new contract with the Freehold Regional EducationAssociation (FREA), which represents teachers in the district's six high schools. More ... First aid expenses discussed Councilman says present system is costing Howell a significant amount BY TOYNETT HALL Staff Writer       HOWELL - A call goes out for one of Howell's emergency medical services (EMS) units to respond to an incident. The first responders on the scene happen to be a volunteer first aid squad. These volunteers administer first aid care before handing off the patient to a paid EMS squad for transport to... More ... Errant bull makes for a special 'Moo'ther's Day BY JANE MEGGITT and AMY ROSEN Staff Writers       Sharon Gaboff has four children but spentmost ofMother'sDaywith a bull. A part-time animal control officer for Manalapan, theMillstone resident was unexpectedly called to duty May 11 when what was thought to be an errant cow was discovered wandering in the vicinity of Woodward Road in Manalapan. More ... Seniors' talents on display at Freehold Twp. art show BY NICOLE M. ANLLO Staff Writer       FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP- Works of art created by local senior citizens took center state at the Freehold Township Senior Center, Jackson Mills Road, on May 6. The senior center hosted the sixth annual Senior Art Show, featuring work by students who have been taking instruction from artist Susan Winter... More ... School changes explained Manalapan-Englishtown superintendent proposes five grade 1-5 buildings BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer       MANALAPAN - About 75 people, including teachers, showed up for the first of three planned public meetings that Manalapan-Englishtown Regional School District officials have scheduled to gauge public feeling about the idea of creating neighborhood schools. More ... Authority chair sounds alarm about rate hikes Legislation, new pipeline could have an impact on MTMUA customers BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer       MARLBORO - A bill that is waiting for action in the state Legislature and a proposed project planned by the MiddlesexWater Company could leave customers of the Marlboro Township Municipal Utilities Authority (MTMUA) seeing an increase in their water bills. More ... Essay winners announced       FREEHOLD - The Sunrise Optimist Club of Freehold has announced the winners of this year's essay contest. First-place honors went to Samantha Sisskind, Freehold Township High School; second place honors went to Julia Pugachevsky, Colts Neck High School; and third-place honors went to Donna Olsen,... More ... High Tech High School offers enrichment courses BY NICOLE M. ANLLO Staff Writer       High Technology High School on the campus of Brookdale Community College in Lincroft will host a series of summer courses for middle school students. The Summer Enrichment Program for academically motivated students is available to children who will be entering the sixth, seventh and eighth grad... More ... 'Wandering Golfer' lands at Monroe country club       Golf enthusiasts may recognize Gia Bocra, the new instructor at the Forsgate Country Club in Monroe Township. After all, she has spent the past year crisscrossing the globe, accompanied by television cameras all along the way, and has been featured in numerous golf magazines and programs over the... More ... Council trims $67,000 from school tax levy BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer       FREEHOLD - The Borough Council has cut $67,000 from the 2008-09 general fund local tax levy that the Freehold Borough Board of Education sought to collect from property owners. Acting on May 5, the council certified a tax levy of $7.73 million for the coming school year. Voters in the April 15 s... More ... Pupils discuss global warming       FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - Through the week of April 21, students at each of the Freehold Township School District's eight schools recognized Earth Day and Arbor Day with various activities including writing and reciting poems, creating posters, writing environmental messages with sidewalk chalk, and ta... More ... Builder moving ahead on three communities K. Hovnanian projects are transforming rural side of Manalapan BY KATHY BARATTA Staff Writer       MANALAPAN - With construction having been under way for two years and still going, developer K. Hovnanian is making its mark in the southern end of Manalapan. The firm is building three communities off Woodward and Millhurst roads and Route 33. More ... WMUA readies ambitious capital improvement plan BY MARK ROSMAN Staff Writer       MANALAPAN - With much of its infrastructure now in a fourth decade of operation, officials of the Western Monmouth Utilities Authority (WMUA) are planning a $7.3 million capital improvement project that will replace and upgrade various parts of the operation. More ...