News Updates As of 28 May 2009

• Cliffwood Beach man loses firefighter friend to cancer, according to MyCentralJersey.
• Cliffwood Beach man kicked and stomped in Woodbridge, again per MyCentralJersey.
  
• Aberdeen Matawan Regional School District could gain an estimated $160,000 towards energy efficiency if the Green Schools initiative passes the Congress, per the Independent.
• Grounds Keeper Inc, 798 Route 34, Matawan, will offer a seminar on aquatic plants on 30 May 2009 at 11 am, according to the Sentinel.
• Pop Warner tryouts for football and cheerleading will be held at the Matawan Regional High School gym on 20 June 2009 from 9am to noon, per the Asbury Park Press.
• MRHS students received awards at the Annual Spring Luncheon of the Art Society of Monmouth County on 21 May 2009 at Shore Casino on the waterfront in Atlantic Highlands, per the Atlantic Highlands Herald.
• Matawan man charged with drug possession in Sparta, per the Daily Record's Police Blotter.
• Brookdale's softball team came in sixth place in the NJCAA Division III Women's Fastpitch National Championship. Matawan's Danielle Davenport hit .429, according to the News Transcript.
• 27 statewide finalists will compete at Rock'n Music Idol 2009 at the VFW Hall in Cliffwood Beach on 7 June, per MyCentralJersey.
• The Monmouth-Ocean-Middlesex commuter line concept has devolved to a MOM Lite series of proposals that at long last do not include a Matawan option, according to APP. NJ Transit is encouraging the counties to take smaller steps if they want to get anywhere. It doesn't exactly surprise me that NJ Transit sees the public as a bunch of lobsters that need their pot to be heated slowly and steadily.
  
• The mystery meet mentioned in my News Update of 24 May was the Central Jersey, Group 2 meet at Monmouth Regional in Tinton Falls, per NJ.com.
  
  Senior Kyle Robinson amassed 36 points and propelled Matawan to its first sectional title since it won back-to-back titles in 1994-95, as Matawan easily outdistanced nemesis Somerville, 125-60, at the Central Jersey, Group 2 meet at Monmouth Regional in Tinton Falls.
  
  Robinson won the 110 high hurdles in 14.29 and the long jump at 21-11¾. He was runner-up to Dave Brown of Ewing in the 400 hurdles (55.81 to 57.40) and also second in the high jump at 6-0 behind Alex Smith of Rumson at 6-2.
  
  Matawan won three other events. Johnathan Bartlett broke a meet record in the pole vault at 14-7, Derek Garland won the shot put at 48-3½ and Ian Carter the discus at 136-10.
  
  ``The big thing was Kyle staying consistent in the hurdles," coach Sam Turner said. ``Somerville has been a great program and we've been second to them too many times. I'll never forget 2003 when they beat us, 114-113. We had Erison Hurtault, who is now an Olympian, with four wins in that meet and still lost.’’
  
  The Asbury Park Press also covered the event in detail.