The Hub's top news stories of 2008

Sea Bright election results challenged

Maria D. Fernandes was sworn in as mayor of Sea Bright last Jan. 1 even as the validity of her election win was challenged. The longtime Democratic councilwoman's victory was upheld after a Dec. 4 mayoral election recount that gave her the mayor's seat formerly held by Republican incumbent Jo-Ann Kalaka-Adams by a three-vote margin. Kalaka-Adams challenged the outcome by contesting the election results in state Superior Court, claiming both that people attempted to vote but were not permitted to and that people voted who do not have a primary residence in Sea Bright. In May, the court denied Fernandes' motion to dismiss the challenge. (Jan. 10, June 12)

Bridge demolition goes on as planned

Despite protests from residents, a local grassroots group and elected officials, demolition of the Highlands Bridge that connects the boroughs of Sea Bright and Highlands began this summer. Federal and state courts refused requests by the borough of Sea Bright and Citizens for Rational Coastal Development to block the New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) from dismantling the historic bridge that connects the boroughs of Sea Bright and Highlands. The struggle to save the 75-year-old bridge from demolition included the revelation of documents allegedly forged by a DOT employee. The replacement bridge will be a fixed span 30 feet higher than the historic drawbridge. The project is scheduled for completion in 2009. (Feb. 7, Aug. 7)

John P. Curley

Curley's hat in ring for freeholder

Former Red Bank Councilman John P. Curley declared his candidacy for the Monmouth County Board of Chosen Freeholders on Jan. 24. Republican Curley said he wanted to bring a fresh face and voice to the county. He won the Monmouth County Republican Party endorsement March 26 and resigned his council seat after moving to Middletown and announcing his candidacy. Together with incumbent Republican Freeholder Lillian Burry, who ran for re-election, Curley ran against Dem- ocratic candidates Glenn Mason and Amy Mallet for two three-year terms. Burry held onto her seat, but it took more than two weeks to tally the final votes. Before the final absentee and provisional ballots were counted, Curley was behind by only 18 votes. After two weeks, however, with the counting of these additional ballots, the final count gave Mallet a lead of nearly 350 votes. (April 3, Nov. 26)

Emilia Siciliano

Shrewsbury Boro mayor bows out

Shrewsbury Borough Mayor Emilia Siciliano resigned her post effective Dec. 31, citing health concerns. Siciliano, 82, a Republican, has served as mayor since 1999 and began her service to the borough in 1968. Prior to being elected mayor in 1999, Siciliano served as a council member from 1968 to 1973, when she resigned to accept an appointment as the first director of the Monmouth County Department of Consumer Affairs. She was appointed to council again in 1993 and served until finishing two and half terms as mayor. The Republican Party was to submit three names to fill the mayor's unexpired term, and the council will choose her successor. (Dec. 4)

Blessing of Navesink begins centennial

Red Bank's centennial year was inaugurated Jan. 19 with the ritual blessing of the waters of the Navesink River. The tiny congregation of the 98-year-old Russian Orthodox Church of St. Nicholas on Pearl Street was chosen to host the first event in the borough's centennial celebration on the Feast of the Epiphany. In keeping with custom, there was a procession from the church to the Navesink River led by the Rev. Serge Lukianov, church rector, who lowered a cross into the river and blessed the waters. Additional centennial events were also planned, including a Memorial Day parade. (Jan. 17).

Lunch Break loses pantry chief, founder

Lunch Break sustained the loss of two pillars of the Red Bank soup kitchen in 2007. Katherine "K.C." Couslar, 81, an integral part of the Lunch Break team, serving as the organization's pantry director for almost 15 years, passed away Jan. 29. Through her work, she touched and helped thousands of people, making sure they left Lunch Break renewed and well fed. Shortly after, Norma Todd, Lunch Break director and co-founder, died April 3 at the age of 87. Todd was born on Oct. 6, 1920, in Long Branch and was raised in Red Bank. Gwendolyn Love took over as Lunch Break director in October. (Feb. 14, Oct. 23)

Gwendolyn Love

IROC series bids farewell with weekend auction

Ready. Set. Stop. After more than 30 years of racing, the International Race of Champions (IROC), the all-star auto racing series, came to a halt due to economic pressures. The contents of the auto shop were auctioned off at IROC's facility in Tinton Falls. Everything from cars to engine parts to memorabilia was up for grabs. Racing legend Roger Penske started the series in the 1970s, with the idea being to have the best drivers compete in head-to-head races at different raceways throughout the South. In all, there were 21 winners of the IROC series throughout its 30-year history, including Mario Andretti and the late Dale Earnhardt. (March 6)

Little Silver community mourns loss of principal

Grief counselors were dispatched to Markham Place School in Little Silver as well as other district schools to help students and teachers cope with the loss of the school's beloved principal, Don E. Merce.

Merce was killed in a May 6 car accident that occurred at 7:02 a.m. in the area of the east gate to Fort Monmouth in Oceanport, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. A candlelight vigil was held in honor of Merce, who was principal at the school for the past 19 years. Dennis Morolda was named to succeed him. (May 15, Aug. 7)

Dolphin pod off Sea Bright dwindling

A small pod of bottlenose dolphins made a home for themselves in the Shrewsbury River in Sea Bright.

When first sighted in June, between 12 and 15 dolphins, including a few juveniles, had been in the river system for about a week, according to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center, Brigantine. Efforts were made to protect the dolphins from intrusive boaters, but experts decided not to attempt to move the dolphins, who, they said, appeared healthy. However, over the past few months, several of the dolphins have died.

(June 26, Oct. 30)

Oceanport has bragging rights as top N.J. town

Oceanport residents didn't appear surprised to learn that their town had been named the fourth-best place to live in the state of New Jersey, indeed the best address to have in Monmouth County, according to New Jersey Monthly magazine, which ranked the borough high on the publication's 2008 list of the "100 Best Places to Live" in the state.

"Now everyone knows what we already knew," Councilman Joe Irace said about the borough's No. 4 rank among the state's 566 municipalities.

Location, active sports, volunteer and senior programs, and a "vibrant sense of community" were noted for Oceanport's high ranking. (March 6)

Veterans' clinic to remain after fort closes

Although Fort Monmouth is due to close in 2011, the Department of Veterans Affairs' clinic located on the fort grounds will continue to provide medical services to more than 10,000 veterans and military retirees. Freeholder Director Lillian Burry, the county's representative on the Fort Monmouth Economic Revitalization Planning Authority, which is planning the reuse of the fort property, launched the campaign to keep the clinic open and brokered a public/ private partnership that will allow the clinic to continue to see the approximately 120 patients per working day who use its services, mainly for ambulatory and preventive health services. The facility was opened and dedicated in 1958. (Oct. 9)

Sea Bright referendum on regional school funding

Sea Bright tried unsuccessfully to add a nonbinding question about the Shore Regional High School funding formula to the November general election ballot. The county clerk denied the ballot question, and the borough now hopes to add a question to the SRHS September referendum in its quest to change the mechanism for regional school funding, which the borough wants to be based on per-pupil costs and not the current system, which is based on property value. Under the current system, Sea Bright pays $80,976 per student to educate 27 students, equating to a tax levy of about $2.1 million.

(March 27, Sept. 25)

Red Bank designates new historic district

The Red Bank Historic Preserv ation Commission (RBHPC) was at work this year establishing a new historic district in the res ident ial portion of the borough. The proposed historic district is the oldest part of Red Bank developed starting in 1850, creates a quadrant shape, and includes Washington Street to Spring Street, up to Wallace Street, across Wallace to Mechanic Street and Mount Street. Some 106 properties are included in the Washington Street Historic District, which was approved by the Borough Council on Aug. 11. (March 13, Aug. 21)

Wallace Street is now Dorn Way

The Borough Council renamed Wallace Street as Dorn Way and installed a new sign atop the old street post at the corner of Broad Street. The name change was made to honor Daniel "Chief" Dorn Sr., who founded Dorn's Photo Shop on Wallace Street in 1937. During his career, Dorn, who died in 2005, acquired a collection of historical photos and glass plates dating as far back as the 1890s from various sources, and he, his staff and family members added to Dorn's Classic Collection over the next 60 years. (July 3)

Libraries open new chapters

After 16 months of renovations, the Red Bank Public Library reopened at 84 West Front St. on Jan. 22. Work expanded and upgraded the library facilities and brought the building up to ADA (Americans with DisabilitiesAct) standards. While the project was under way, the library operated out of a temporary space on East Front Street. (Jan. 31) The expanded Eastern Branch Library of the Monmouth County Library System in Shrewsbury was dedicated July 20. The library's 10,000-square-foot addition was begun in 2004, and the library remained open throughout most of the project. The $10 million expansion and renovation project transformed the library into a state-of-the-art information center. (July 17)

Red Bank goes for the green

Environmental issues were prominent on the Red Bank Borough Council agenda as the council passed an ordinance to curtail the use of plastic bags from stores and voted to add a waterfront lot to the open space inventory.

After almost a year of debate, the borough will start recycling plastic bags June 1. The effort to ban the use of plastic bags in the borough was spearheaded by Councilman Michael DuPont. The council voted down an outright ban after plastic bag advocates and local business owners opposed the ordinance.

Plans to sell one of the last boroughowned riverfront properties on the east side to help offset a tax hike drew the opposition of environmentalists. Led by advocate Cindy Burnham, a grassroots group advocated for the need for access to the river and possibly using the vacant lot, which is situated along the Navesink River at the foot of Maple Avenue, as a small boat launch ramp. (April 3, Dec. 11)

T. Thomas Fortune legacy celebrated

A special exhibit during Black History Month celebrated the legacy of T. Thomas Fortune, a black journalist and activist who resided at 94 Drs. James Parker Blvd. in Red Bank from 1901 to 1908. Fortune founded the Afro American League in 1881, the precursor to the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP). An exhibit of memorabilia from the Fortune house, including his papers and photographs, was on display at River Street Commons. In conjunction with the exhibit, members of the borough's preservation community began a campaign to preserve the Fortune house, which has National Historic Landmark status and was listed for sale. Preservation New Jersey named the T. Thomas Fortune House as one of the 10 Most Endangered Historic Sites in New Jersey in May 2007. (Feb. 21)