Taking control      CHRIS KELLY staff Middletown firefighter Tom Burke lays a hose out during a 1-into-2 skills competition at Sea Bright Firemen's Field Day on Sept. 30. More ... Library project add-ons total over $100K Change orders add up, but project is within budget BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       After numerous change orders for renovations to the Red Bank Public Library that cost the borough more than $100,000, the Borough Council balked at approving an additional $8,467 change order at last week's council meeting. The total cost of the change orders to date is $144,231, according to pro... More ... RiverCenter welcomes new executive director With broad experience in downtowns, Adams sees post as a good match BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       RED BANK - - Political aspirations and downtown revitalization goals are two of the qualifications of Red Bank RiverCenter's newly named executive director. Nancy Adams, of Maplewood, took the helm of the downtown alliance that oversees the borough's business district Oct. 1 and was introduced a... More ... Walk to feed the hungry       The 27th Crop Hunger Walk in the Red Bank Area will take place Sunday, Oct. 21, starting at Red Bank Regional High School, through Fair Haven, Red Bank and Little Silver, to raise funds for 15 local hunger-fighting partner programs in Monmouth County. More ... Fort Monmouth honors military retirees       Fort Monmouth will host its annual Military Retiree Appreciation Day Saturday, Oct. 13. Admission is free and military retirees from all services and their families in Monmouth, Middlesex, Union, Morris, Warren, Essex, Hudson, Bergen, Sussex, Hunterdon and Passaic counties are invited and encoura... More ... Boro mayor will face challenge       SEA BRIGHT - Mayoral and Borough Council elections will take place in the borough in November, with three incumbent office holders facing challenges. Incumbent Mayor Jo-Ann Kalaka- Adams, a Republican, will be challenged in the race for mayor by Councilwoman Maria Fernandes, a Democrat. More ... No contest for council seats       FAIR HAVEN - Incumbment Councilman Jonathon Peters and newcomer John M. Lehnert are running for the two seats up for election on the Borough Council in an uncontested municipal election this November. Peters, of Park Avenue, is seeking his second three-year term on the all-Republican six-member ... More ... Celebrating Jamie for a job well-done Ocean Place fetes employee for 11 yrs. of service BY AMANDA BELING Staff Writer       LONG BRANCH - Known as the "hardest working man" at his Arc of Monmouth group home, Jamie Kiernan is no ordinary Joe. More ... Sea Bright at work on flood plan Hazards, ways to mitigate flooding being studied BY AMANDA BELING Staff Writer       SEA BRIGHT - - As part of its Smart Growth planning, the governing body has a flood mitigation plan in the works. At a workshop meeting Sept. 27, Mayor Jo-Ann Kalaka-Adams and members of the Borough Council discussed the process of formulating an individual flood mitigation plan for the borough. More ... Brookdale offering free job training to local businesses       MIDDLETOWN - As a participating partner of the Basic-Skills Workforce Training Program, Brookdale Community College is offering basic skills training to employees of Monmouth County businesses at no charge, thanks to a $1.88 million grant from the New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Deve... More ... Elected officials' public jobs come under scrutiny Panter, Mallet would push for close look at legislators' other jobs BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer       Democratic state Assemblyman Michael Panter and his running mate Amy Mallet have vowed to focus on the practice of elected officials holding non-elected public jobs and receiving public contracts. According to Mallet, "We're going to do the right thing here. More ... In the Service       Coast Guard Seaman Matthew D. McDonough has graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Recruit Training Center, Cape May. During the eight-week training program, he completed a training curriculum consisting of academics and instruction on water safety and survival, military customs and courtesies, seam... More ...