PHOTOS BY JEFF GRANIT staff The Allentown Pond Dam and Monmouth County's U-12 bridge will undergo renovations later this year, which will force the major thoroughfare in downtown Allentown to close for 18-22 months. More ... A troubled bridge over local waters Allentown dam renovation project has 16-year history BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer       Allentown must weigh the merits of having a detour or a temporary bridge while its major thoroughfare undergoes renovation. More ... Dam bridge project raises host of concerns Parking, business, livelihoods threatened BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer       Allentown residents have expensive taste when it comes to their local commute. Most of those who spoke at the March 18 public hearing about the reconstruction of the Monmouth County U-12 bridge over Doctor's Creek in downtown Allentown said they would prefer a temporary bridge over a detour durin... More ... Wireless facility siting discussed in Millstone BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer       MILLSTONE- The township is trying to regulate how it gets out of the dead zone. As wireless facilities continue to go up around the area, the Township Committee has proposed an ordinance to amend and supplement its land use regulations to set standards, conditions and location limitations for suc... More ... Breza Road preservation enters deed-review stage BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer       UPPER FREEHOLD - Township Attorney Granville Magee gave an update on the preservation of the 145-acre Breza Road tract at the March 20 Township Committee meeting. According to Magee, the title company is now in the process of reviewing the 11 deeds for the acreage submitted by landowner Neil Va... More ... School's new wastewater plan gets OK Allentown facility likely to service Breza Road campus BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer       UPPER FREEHOLD - The township will support the new school tying into Allentown's wastewater treatment plant. More ... For the record       A story titled "A tree for the arts from a Millstone family's heart" in the March 20 edition of the Examiner incorrectly identified Audrey Ferraro, an eighth-grade language arts teacher at the Millstone Township Middle School, as Nicholas Napoliello's mother. Ferraro is Napoliello's aunt.We regret... More ... Three incumbents run uncontested in board race Trent, Shaw and Stampe seek re-election BY JENNIFER KOHLHEPP Staff Writer       ALLENTOWN - All that seems daunting about serving on the Upper Freehold Regional Board of Education cannot deter three incumbents from wanting to serve another three years. More ... Recreation fees increase in Upper Freehold Twp. New members appointed to Rec. Committee BY JANE MEGGITT Staff Writer       UPPER FREEHOLD - Nonresidents who want to sign up for this year's summer camp or tennis lessons will have to pay an additional fee. At the March 20 Township Committee meeting, resolutions for those programs were passed with different fee schedules for residents and nonresidents. More ... Teens feed drug habit from medicine cabinet Marlboro High School to host seminar on emerging issue April 8 BY REBECCA MORTON Staff Writer       MARLBORO - Adults in Marlboro and other area communities may be asking themselves some questions these days. Questions like, "Are my prescriptions running out faster than I expected?" and "Has my teenager mentioned 'pharming' for the upcoming weekend? More ... Four locals charged in alleged mortgage scheme       On March 13, detectives from the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office arrested four individuals as a result of an investigation into a mortgage fraud scheme they say cost mortgage lenders over $4 million in bad loans. More ... Walk MS ready for a new start       FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - The new Wellness Center at CentraState Medical Center will be the new starting location for this year's annual Freehold Walk MS. Participants, those already registered and those interested in registering, are being asked to meet on April 13 at 9 a.m. at the Wellness Center, wh... More ... 180 Turning Lives Around realigns focus Amanda's Easel, safe home to expand; help line to go statewide BY JAMIE ROMM Staff Writer       Administrators of 180 Turning Lives Around announced recently that they will expand some programs, including the agency's teen telephone help line and art therapy program, to better meet the needs of the community. More ... March madness      Jake Arata, 6, reaches for the rebound during the Millstone PTSA's March Madness basketball game on March 19 to raise funds for Millstone Primary School. More ... Tailgating ban set for acts that draw younger crowd BY ERIN O. STATTEL Staff Writer       HOLMDEL - Consumption of alcohol while tailgating at the PNC Bank Arts Center will be limited to older crowds during this summer's concert series. More ... Local air force base hosts expo       The 305th Air Mobility Wing at McGuire Air Force Base in Wrightstown will host the 2008McGuireAir Expo. The special event, which is free and open to the public, will take place on May 31 and June 1. Base officials expect more than 300,000 guests to attend. More ... Lake Topanemus remains popular spot for activities BY CLARE MARIE CELANO Staff Writer       FREEHOLD TOWNSHIP - One of the area's most scenic settings, Lake Topanemus, is ready for another year of use. The lake is owned by Freehold Borough and located on Pond Road in Freehold Township. According to commission Chairman Roger Kane, Lake Topanemus is a beautiful "four-season park" that ma... More ... Beyond: Visions of Planetary Landscapes       View the planets in a Smithsonian Traveling Exhibition at the Monmouth Museum through May 4. "Beyond: Visions of Planetary Landscapes" paints a rarely seen and mesmerizing portrait of our solar system's planets and their moons. More ...