Welcome home, heroes!       U.S. Marine reservists in Headquarters and Service Company 6th Motor Transport Battalion returned home from a seven-month tour of duty in Iraq March 22. Alarge crowd of family members and friends were gathered to welcome the 45 Marines home and celebrate their safe return at the Red Bank Marine R... More ... Town centers in plans for fort host towns Fort re-use vision calls for green industry, open space, housing BY JENNA O'DONNELL Staff Writer       Three town centers linked by trails and public transportation are envisioned for three local towns following the closure of Fort Monmouth, according to plans unveiled last week. More ... S.B. seeks referendum on reg'l school funding Boro pays $80K for each of 27 students at SRHS BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       Sea Bright Borough Council members hope to add a ballot question to the Shore Regional High School (SRHS) September referendum. The borough's School Formula Advisory Committee recommended the ballot question tactic to council as one avenue to try to get tax relief for Sea Bright. More ... Council OKs parking permits for Hudson Avenue Parking will be for residents only from Harding to E. Bergen BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       RED BANK - Residents have taken backHudsonAvenue, as the Borough Council approved a measure to restrict parking on the street. Both sides of Hudson Avenue from East Bergen Place to Harding Road will soon require residential permits at all times to park on the street. More ... S.B. police bust up underage drinking party BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       SEA BRIGHT - About 19 juveniles were taken into police custody for underage drinking at a party when police responded to a disturbance complaint on Ocean Avenue in Sea Bright, according to Sea Bright Police Chief William S. Moore. More ... Sea Bright budget calls for 3.1-cent tax increase Council members look at ways to generate more revenue BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       SEA BRIGHT - The Borough Council discussed a $4.8 million budget March 18 that will increase the municipal portion of the tax rate around 3.1 cents per $100 of assessed value, if the budget remains the same by the time it is introduced in April. More ... R.B. police arrest man on weapons charges       RED BANK - A 23-year-old Little Silverman was arrestedMarch 16 after he allegedly was found to be in possession of numerous weapons, including a loaded 9 mm handgun, according to the Red Bank Police Department. Devon T. Cashes was apprehended by Red Bank police officers after it was reported that... More ... Fleeing suspect leaves car on tracks BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       RED BANK - NJ Transit rail service in Red Bank was disrupted for more than an hour when a vehicle, which belonged to a suspect who eluded police, was removed from the railway, according to the Red Bank Police Department. More ... Oceanport debates impacts of fort reuse plan Mahon: Boro will keep focus on less housing, no train station BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       OCEANPORT - Shared services and the borough's future were debated at the March 20 Borough Councilmeeting the day after plans for the reuse of Fort Monmouth lands were revealed to the public. More ... T.F. affordable housing quota would triple BY JENNA O'DONNELL Staff Writer       TINTON FALLS- With its affordable housing obligation tripled, borough officials have submitted comments to the state Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) regarding revised rules which have increased obligations. More ... Congested intersection to get new traffic signal BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       RED BANK - Commuters may soon get a reprieve from a recurring traffic backup at the intersection of Harding Road and Prospect Avenue. A traffic signal has been proposed for the intersection, which borders Red Bank, Little Silver and Fair Haven. More ... Monouth Cty. appoints new health officer       OCEAN TOWNSHIP - The Monmouth County Regional Health Commission No. 1 (MCRHC) appointed a new health officer in January. Sandra Van Sant, of Little Silver, was appointed to the position, which became available in December when Health Officer Sidney B. Johnson Jr. retired after 30 years with the ... More ...      ERIC SUCAR staff Dressed in costumes, students get ready to march in a "book parade" at Swimming River School in Tinton Falls on Thursday, March 20. More ... 38th Monmouth arts festival       The 38th annual Monmouth Festival of the Arts, New Jersey's largest art invitational, will take place April 5-9 at Monmouth Reform Temple, 332 Hance Ave., Tinton Falls. The event will begin with the Artists Gala Reception at 7:30 p.m. More ... Zoning Board OKs plan to upgrade Chubby's site Project will create 140-space parking shortfall BY MELISSA KARSH Staff Writer       RED BANK - Numerous residents came out to the Red Bank Zoning Board of Adjustment's March 20 meeting to support an application to turn a downtown nightclub into a family-friendly restaurant. The applicant, of 26 W. Front St. More ...