SCOTT FRIEDMAN Shawn Hoskins, of Monroe, enjoys a jog in Thompson Park Saturday, a perfect spring day with sunny skies and warm temperatures. More ... Coach can't bow head, take knee as team prays Judges: Borden's history would signal religious endorsement BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       Afederal appeals court has sided with the school district in prohibiting East Brunswick High School football coach Marcus Borden from participating in team prayers, but the legal decision may not be the last in a case that has received national media attention. More ... Ground broken on school in park BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       Some thought it could not be done. Others tried to prevent it. Still others were driven to make it a reality. For all of these groups, Friday was a big day. School, Monroe Township, county and state officials, along with students and residents, gathered to take part in the groundbreaking for the... More ... Let's go fly a kite      PHOTOS By SCOTT FRIEDMAN Left: Marshall Kletzkin tries to get his kite airborne while daughter Kayla, 3, chases behind during Monroe Township's Go Fly a Kite event Saturday at Thompson Park. Above: Cameron Carpnito, 4, prepares to launch his kite. The free bring-your-own-kite event was sponsored by ... More ... Judge says Monroe law violates builders' rights Township attorney defends ethics measure; recommends appeal BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       MONROE - A state Superior Court judge ruled April 17 that the township must do away with one of its seven ethics ordinances. A dispute with a builder prompted the court's decision, which deemed the ordinance that deals with disclosure of applicants' political contributions is unconstitutional. More ... Monroe denies veteran board member, budget School tab with 7.3-cent tax-rate hike goes down by vote of 2,273-1,932 BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       MONROE - Township voters said no to the school budget, and ousted a longtime Board of Education member to make room for a newcomer April 15. Joe Homoki, a 13-year board veteran, lost his seat to second-time candidate Ken Chiarella. More ... Voters give a rare OK to Spotswood budget Tab keeps taxes stable; provides new bathrooms, teachers BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       SPOTSWOOD - Though there was no tax increase proposed this year, school officials couldn't rest easy until they actually saw the budget approved at the polls. After all, the borough's school budget had been defeated in each of the past 14 years. Only one had been approved in the past 20 years, a... More ... E. Bruns. school tab suffers narrow defeat Simmens, Spiegler, Shamy win in five-way race for board seats BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       EAST BRUNSWICK - Though it included the smallest school tax increase in many years, the 2008-09 budget was defeated at the polls lastweek, andwill be sent to the Township Council for possible cuts. The budget lost by an extremely small margin, with 2,350 voting no and 2,319 voting yes. More ... Voters go with Wyluda, England, Turner-Smith BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer       SOUTH RIVER- The Board of Education reorganized this week after voters elected two incumbents and one newcomer to three-year terms. Also in the April 15 election, residents approved the 2008-09 school budget by a vote of 567-363. The proposed budget brings no increase in school taxes, thanks in p... More ... Two boro men arrested; one on drug distribution charges       SOUTH RIVER - Police arrested two men on drug charges at an Arlington Avenue residence last week. Officers fromthe South River Police Department, along with the Narcotics Taskforce of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office and New Jersey State Police, executed a search warrant that yielded a n... More ... Fun in the sun      PHOTOS BY SCOTT FRIEDMAN Derek Pugh tries to avoid a tag by David Haney during a game in Monroe's two-hand touch football league Saturday in Thompson Park. Below: Paul Holzinger, of Jamesburg, tries for a catch in the lake at the park. More ... Cost estimate of $2.6M prompts more questions BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       EAST BRUNSWICK - A Township Council majority is demanding better answers fromthe administration regarding the cost of the community arts center being built at Heavenly Farms. At anApril 14meeting, councilmembers David Stahl, Catherine Diem and Nancy Pinkin peppered the administration with questi... More ... Helmetta voters say no to school tax increase       HELMETTA - Voters here have overwhelmingly rejected a proposed school budget that would raise taxes by an average of $180. Residents voted 103-29 to defeat the Board of Education's 2008-09 school budget in the April 18 election. More ... Four get voters' OK, but not the budget BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       JAMESBURG - Board of Education President Don Peterson was reelected last week, but he was not in much of a celebratory mood. Peterson and other school officials were disappointed by the defeat of their proposed school budget, which went down 143- 114 during the April 15 election. More ... 5K celebrates memory of East Brunswick native       The Jersey Shore Running Club will host its fourth annual Lake Como 5K Run Saturday, and as in the past two years it will honor the memory of the late East Brunswick resident Grania Maggio. Maggio, who was a member of the running club, was hit by a car and killed after attending a Dave Matthews B... More ...      Helmetta Mayor Nancy Martin and Jamesburg Mayor Tony LaMantia flank New Jersey League of Municipalities President Bob Bowser, mayor of East Orange, as he speaks out against the municipal aid cuts proposed by Gov. Jon Corzine April 17. The bipartisan group of over a dozen mayors visited Trenton to dr... More ... Chamber seeks vendors for wellness, fitness expo       Vendors are being sought for the East Brunswick Regional Chamber of Commerce's fourth annual Healthy, Wealthy and Wise Expo set for 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on May 10 at the Brunswick Square Mall, Route 18, East Brunswick. The East Brunswick Health Advisory Council and the East Brunswick Recreation Depar... More ...