CHRIS KELLY staff Grace Michlik, 3, of East Brunswick, takes a spin on the carousel with her grandmother, Cutty Borowinski, at the Middlesex County Fair on Tuesday. The fair runs through Sunday at the county fairgrounds on Cranbury Road, East Brunswick. For more photos, see page 3. More ... Bank files suit in Forney House battle Citizens group fighting bank plan is target of complaint BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       Valley National Bank has filed a counterclaim against a citizens group working to save the Forney House in Milltown. The lawsuit comes in response to the group's legal action seeking to stop the bank from razing the 150-year-old North Main Street building and replacing it with a ban... More ... $200K in aid makes small dent in tax hike Council to adopt budget with 15-cent tax rate increase BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       The state aid awarded to East Brunswick last week will reduce this year's municipal tax hike by a penny. The 2007 municipal budget is expected to carry a tax rate increase of 15 cents, instead of 16. This means the owner of a home assessed at $100,000 will pay $150 more in municipal... More ... Baseball team honored for triumphant season SHS varsity boys won their first-ever state championship BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       SPOTSWOOD - Local and state officials honored a varsity baseball team that took its school to new heights and captured the state title. The Spotswood High School Chargers were present at a July 23 Borough Council meeting to be recognized by dignitaries for their unlikely achievemen... More ... Motor vehicle accident      MICHAEL ACKER A gray 2007 Mitsubishi Eclipse rests against a utility pole following a two-car motor vehicle accident on Whitehead Avenue in South River at 6:56 p.m. Tuesday. Another motorist who was turning onto the road allegedly struck the right side of the Eclipse, causing it to spin and strike t... More ... State blamed for hike in municipal tax rate Jamesburg budget suffers from decrease of $150K in state aid BY BRIAN DONAHUE Staff Writer       JAMESBURG - A municipal tax increase is expected this year, thanks in part to a major drop in state aid. Some borough officials said they believe that Gov. Jon Corzine is trying to force small towns like Jamesburg to merge with larger towns, and that the distribution of far smaller... More ... Cops arrest pair at Best Buy       EAST BRUNSWICK - Two out-of-state residents were arrested Friday after they allegedly attempted to steal merchandise from the Best Buy store on Route 18. Police were called to the store at 7:32 p.m. on a report of a possible shoplifter. More ... Fund-raisers       Aug. 11 • Car Wash and Bake Sale, sponsored by Monroe Township Girl Scout Cadette Troop No. 330, 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., at the Monroe Township Recreation Center, 120 Monmouth Road. All donations accepted. Proceeds go to fund Cadette events, including an upcoming trip to Wash... More ... Racing hogs to rubber frogs, it's the county fair Middlesex staple kicks off its 69th year, will run through Sunday BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer       EAST BRUNSWICK - Outside the 69th annual Middlesex County Fair was a large, grassy field swiftly filling up with rows of cars, trucks and sport utility vehicles. While a mass of gray clouds threatened to make life difficult for the hundreds attending the fair's opening day Monday, by abo... More ... Family touched to learn of late father's heroics WWII guardsman from E.B. pulled sailors to safety BY MARY ANNE ROSS Correspondent       Bill Daniels never knew his dad was a war hero.Nine months ago, he was browsing through a box of his mother's old photos and papers when he came across a letter of commendation addressed to his father, Walter C. Danilewicz. The letter, signed by Rear Adm. Stanley V. Parker of the U.S. More ... Residents: Quail Cove presents traffic hazards Builder argues 90 units would have minimal impact on local roads BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       EAST BRUNSWICK - Residents came out in force again last week to voice opposition to a developer's plan to build 90 age-restricted condominium units on Ryders Lane. At the Aug. More ... Movies, lectures, programs on tap at senior center       A variety of upcoming programs will be offered at the Monroe Township Senior Center, 1 Municipal Plaza. For more information and to register for events, call the center at (732) 521-6111, unless otherwise indicated. A Western Film Festival will feature "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance K... More ... Water tower      JEFF GRANIT staff The water tower on Route 522 in Monroe is getting a new paint job inside and out this summer. The National Science Foundation-approved paints are an epoxy coating on the inside and a cloud white acrylic finish on the exterior, Monroe Township Municipal Utilities Authority Executive... More ...