IN THE NEWS IN THE NEWS K e y p o r t P r a c t i c i n g h o u s e f i r e f i r e f i g h t i n g Page 27 P a g e 2 8 JUNE 25, 1997 40 CENTS VOLUME 27, NUMBER 26 Board h it w ith tw o law suits Atlantic Highlands, story structure would contain the re­ maining 49 assisted-living units, plus a coalition oppose 467 medical office and beauty salon. unit senior complex In addition, the complex would offer outdoor recreation facilities including a BY EILEEN KOUTNIK swimming pool, tennis, boccie and shuf­ fle board courts. Staff Writer Atlantic Highlands, which has re­ he Borough of Atlantic tained attorney Ronald Lee Reisner of Highlands and the Lenape Drazin & Warshaw, Red Bank, main­ T Woods Coalition are appealing tains in its June 5 lawsuit that only 25 the Middletown Planning Board’ s recent percent of the units should be designated approval of a 467-unit senior citizen as affordable housing per a 1993 agree­ complex on Route 36 near the Atlantic ment reached between Middletown, Highlands border. Atlantic Highlands and property owner But board attorney Larry Carton be­ Frank A . Vaccaro of Staten Island, N .Y . lieves “the suits will ultimately be dis­ In its approval, the board says the missed because the board did it right,” he application as approved is “ substantially said, referring to the approval process. similar” to the 1993 site plan. The project is scheduled to be built in However, the developer Ocino Inc., four phases on 14 acres of a 24-acre site Fair Haven, needs all 467-units deemed Holmdel High School graduate Edmund Song, 18, switches the tassel on his cap June 17, commemorating the 1997 graduation. For another picture and the story, located a short distance east of the affordable in order to receive financing see page 19. Other photos and stories about local graduations appear on pages 14, Thousand Oaks apartment complex on from the N .J. Housing and Mortgage 15,18 and 23. (Photo by Debra L. Rothenberg) the north side of Route 36. Financing Agency. The plan includes 375 regular units And in its April 28 resolution approv­ and 92 assisted-living units. The regular ing the project, the board asks the state units and 43 of the assisted-living units Council on Affordable Housing (COAH) would be housed in five buildings, not to to designate all the units as affordable. exceed six stories in height. A sixth two- M ataw an budget Continued on page 16 is passed at last Mandeville changes his Mandeville, who voted against amending the budget June 3 because he thought fur­ vote to enable passage; ther cuts could have been made, once again tax to increase by 17 0 cast a negative vote. An d, apparently to everyone’ s surprise, _________ BY BEVERLY McGEE Democratic Councilman James Shea, the Correspondent lone Democrat, also voted against the bud­ get’ s adoption. he 1997 Matawan municipal budget Shea voted against the budget’s in­ was finally adopted last week, but troduction in January, saying at the time, T only after a surprise negative vote “as a member of the minority party, I want­ by one council member and a reluctant ed to make a statement,” but he voted in change in vote by another. favor of amending it June 3. The $3,271,715 budget features a Affirmative votes from Councilmen municipal tax increase of 17 cents per $100 Joseph Penniplede, Jack Shepherd and of assessed valuation. Joseph Wallace, who did not vote on the The increase originally stood at 22 amended budget, brought the tally to 3-2 in cents, but $200,000 in state discretionary favor of the budget’ s adoption. W ith the aid enabled the council to shave off 5 vote short of the necessary majority of the Gov. Whitman waves during a June 18 ceremony at Fort Hancock launching cents. full council, the motion to adopt the budget summer ferry service to Sandy Hook from several locations. For the story, see When the time came to vote on the bud­ page 5. (Jackie Pollack/Greater Media) get’s adoption, Councilman Kevin Continued on page 17 2 INDEPENDENT, JUNE 25, 1997 Saturday, Ju n e 28th from 9 am to 12 Noon •“Early Bird Special” - The first 50 people to •Free Souvenirs for All ■ »Free Surprise Gift - Use our Drive-Up Facilities visit our Middletown Office Lobby will receive While supply lasts! and get a surprise gift, while the supply lasts! a special Free Gift! (Limit, one per family) • Free Senior Citizen Checking! Special Limited Offer 12-Month Bonus CD 6.25* Annual Percentage Yield* If You Open an Advantage PLUSa Checking Account with Us ;; f:F ; “ 12-Month Begular CD • Checking PI ussm • Any CD • Advantage PLUSsm • Any CD Account for for S2,500 Checking Account for $5,000 6 .0 0 $250 or more or more for $1,000 or more or more Annual Percentage Yield Pick one of these Free Gifts... Pick one of these Free Gifts... The Annual Percentage Yields (APYs) are available as of pub­ lication date. 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Tax liability, if any, is sole responsibility of gift •Yardman 6-Speed Mulching Mower • Panasonic 4 Head VCR recipient. • Panasonic 27" Color TV with Remote ‘Huffy 10-Speed Girl’s Bike •American Tourister 5-Piece Luggage Set »Huffy 10-Speed Boy’s Bike • Weber Spirit 500 Gas Grill with • Cordless Phone and Propane Tank Answering Machine Just stop by our new office, fill out an entry blank and drop it in the Sweepstakes Box. You may be a winner! Drawing to be held Friday, July 25th. ANNIVERSARY Count on Our New Middletown Drive-Up Hours: < S * r C o l u m b i a Middletown Office for a Monday - Thursday 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. F r id a y ...........................................8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Savings Bank 24-Hour Drive-Up ATM S a tu rd a y ................................... 9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon 1127 Highway 35 • Middletown, NJ 07748 Machine and Middletown Lobby Hours: Night Depository Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (732) 796-1088 Offices Throughout New Jersey . Plus 2 Drive-Up Windows with Saturday F r id a y ...........................................9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. Hours fOi'yoUr Added" Cdnvertieilcef ‘ S a t u r d a y "9:00 a.m. to 12 Noon Member FD1C Count on Columbia. ™ r h i i w u i H ----------------------------------------- INDEPENDENT, JUNE 25, 1997 3 THIS ISSUE: Monmouth Conservation Foundation celebrates 20 years of preserving the land. Page 32 REGULAR FEATURES • Calendar Page 26 THROW ING TIPS — Ryan Om ark, 10, gets som e pitching pointers from head coach Brock Johnson Saturday • Classifieds Page 44 at the M iddle Road Elem entary School ball field in Hazlet. (Jackie Pollack/Greater Media) • Editorials Page 30 • Letters Page 31 • Milestones Page 35 Prom m other charged • Obituaries Page 36 • Police Beat Page 37 • Real Estate Page 38 • Sports Page 39 w ith m urdering son • Yesteryear Page 34 _________ BY EILEEN KOUTNIK _________ were performed.” he said. A t one point, she told her girlfriend Authorities are unsure how long the that she would be out soon and, at that Staff Writer baby lived after the umbilical cord was cut. point, the girlfriend left the bathroom for a The end of the 6-7-inch section attached to period of time. Phone numbers: A B E R D E E N — Melissa Drexler has the baby was “ragged,” Kaye said. Witnesses whom Kaye would not identi­ Editorial been charged with murder and endangering Although no determination has been fy “audibly and visually heard certain 254-7000 Ext. 223 the welfare of child in the death of her new­ made about what Drexler used to cut the things that were occurring in the stall (that FAX 254-0486 born son June 6 during her senior prom at cord, Kaye said a metal wall dispenser in were) out of the ordinary,” he said.