Dog obedience classes at Thompson start July 8      The Monmouth County Park System will offer basic dog obedience classes for dogs age 4 months and older at Thompson Park, Newman Springs Road, Lincroft section of Middletown. Cost of each session is $40 per person. More ... Spyro Gyra at Count Basie Theatre July 6      The Count Basie Theatre, 99 Monmouth St., Red Bank, is hosting several shows this summer, continuing with Spyro Gyra July 6 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $35, $30,$25 and $20. More ... Track to host first Tom Kavendek Memorial Day      Monmouth Park Racetrack, Oceanport, will host the first Tom Kavendek Memorial Day July 4 at 11:30 a.m. The event has been established to honor the memory of Tom Kavendek, Tinton Falls, who died of a heart attack at age 43. More ... Business Briefs ‘Excellence in Nursing Award’ winner named      Diana Waltz, R.N., Leonardo section of Middletown, was recently named the winner of the 2002 Excellence in Nursing Award by Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank. The annual award is presented to a Riverview nurse chosen by her peers as exemplifying the nursing profession. More ... 7-year-old saved from drowning      TINTON FALLS — What could have been a tragedy was averted because of the actions of a group of alert adults last week. More ... Navesink Garden Club named garden club of year      The Navesink Garden Club, Red Bank, was recently honored at the annual meeting of the Garden Club of New Jersey, and received the Katherine Cutler Award for best junior garden club of the year in New Jersey. More ... Auditions for ‘Heaven Help Me’ set July 2-3      First Avenue Playhouse, 123 First Ave., Atlantic Highlands, will hold auditions for Heaven Help Me July 2-3 from 7-9 p.m. at the playhouse. For more information, call the theater at (732) 291-7552. More ... Police frustrated by lack of info on lewdness offenses      A Holmdel resident was recently exposed as a repeat lewdness offender. Meanwhile, the law designed to track such violators is being viewed as flawed by Tinton Falls and Hazlet police. More ... Fans Watch Sopranos Filming By JERRY WOLKOWITZ      Fans watch the filming of an episode of the HBO TV series The Sopranos in Sea Bright on Monday. More ... ~ Notes Around Town ~      Monmouth Park Racetrack in Oceanport will host St. Patrick’s Day in July and offer a chance to win a trip for two to Ireland. If you’re blessed with the luck of the Irish, come out July 7 from 11:30 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. Grandstand admission is $2 and clubhouse admission is $4. More ... correction      In last week’s front-page story on Fair Haven’s plan for a World Trade Center memorial, Law-rence Quigley was incorrectly attributed as saying that placing the memorial at Fair Haven Fields would make it a target for vandals. More ... Red Bank Catholic High School graduation By FARRAH MAFFAI      Caitlin Marie Krakower leaves her seat to sing “Here Comes Tomorrow” with the Red Bank Catholic Doo-Wop Choir during the Red Bank Catholic High School graduation, held at Brookdale Community College June 7. More ... Shore Regional High School’s graduation PHOTOS BY Chris Kelly      Oceanport’s Lindsey Widdis (top) receives her diploma from Board of Education member Ted Szczurek at the Shore Regional High School’s graduation ceremony on June 24. More ... Rumson-Fair Haven High School graduation ceremony By JERRY WOLKOWITZ      Mike Kroon twirls his honor tassels while waiting for the Rumson-Fair Haven High School graduation ceremony to start June 21. More ... Programs, screenings slated at learning center      Monmouth Medical Center will offer several free meetings and programs at SCAN Learning Center, Eatontown, during July. The Monmouth Easy Breathers adult pulmonary support group will meet July 2 from 2-3:30 p.m. More ... Levy, Cohen to display at center July 10-28      The Monmouth Beach Cultural Center, 128 Ocean Ave., will exhibit works by Karen Cohen, West Long Branch, and Monmouth Beach resident Linda Levy July 10-28. An opening reception will be July 13 from 5-7 p.m. More ... ‘Art from My Heart’ to open at gallery June 29      The Guild of Creative Art, 620 Broad St., Shrewsbury, will present works by Long Branch resident Clara Gee Stamaty June 29-July 24. An opening reception will be June 30 from 3-5 p.m. More ...