Housing authority workers get prison time Two wrote checks to selves with rental assistance funds BY BRIAN DONAHUE Staff Writer       Two former administrators of the Old Bridge Township Housing Authority were each sentenced to three years in state prison last week for stealing a combined $91,000 from rental assistance programs. More ...       Brothers John and Jeff McBride sing with the choral group Saint Paul Seven at the Old Bridge Public Library Saturday. More ... Szkodny appointed as next police chief To succeed Garbowski, longtime chief who retires in April BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer       After nearly four decades of service to Sayreville, Police Chief John Garbowski will retire in April. Garbowski, who began serving as a patrolman in 1968 and has been chief for the past 10 years, will be succeeded by current Capt. Edward Szkodny. More ... Little Chefs      Above: Three-year-old youngsters Kyle and Leah Barreiro glue pieces to the cake they're creating during the Little Chefs program at the Mickey Sedlak Recreation Center in Sayreville Feb. 15. At right: Maxine Straka, 3, of Sayreville, paints watercolors at the recreation center. More ... Architect defends self in permit controversy Expects to soon have complete permits for school construction BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer       SAYREVILLE - The $47 million high school construction project is continuing with temporary building permits as the state reportedly looks into the matter at the request of the mayor. Construction on the high school additions has been under way since October, though a full building ... More ... Six new officers join Sayreville police force       SAYREVILLE - Six new officers have joined the borough's police force, bringing the squad's total number of sworn personnel to 89. Having graduated from the Cape May Police Academy after 21 weeks of training, the new officers were sworn in during the Feb. 5 Borough Council meeting. They... More ... Recruiting retirees proposed for savings BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       OLD BRIDGE - Plans are in the works to help fund the proposed full-day kindergarten program. Matt Sulikowski, chairman of the Board of Education's Strategic Planning Committee, on Tuesday shared ideas that include bringing back retired teachers in order to create a sizable savings fo... More ... Official wants to stop long-term approvals Large development plans circa the '80s wind up in court today BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       OLD BRIDGE - Citing current and anticipated litigation from three major development companies, a township official wants to repeal the town's general development plan (GDP) ordinance "Now that the fight against overdevelopment has moved into the courtroom, we on the council should ... More ... Same-sex couples sign up for official unions Area mayors say they have no problem performing ceremonies BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       Since the same-sex civil union law took effect Feb. 20, couples throughout the region are signing up to be officially recognized by the state as a couple. Local mayors who perform wedding ceremonies said they see civil unions as all in a day's work. More ... Saint Paul Seven       Debbie Schreiber of the choral group Saint Paul Seven performs with the rest of the ensemble at the Old Bridge Public Library as part of its concert series Saturday. More ... On Campus       Devon Daniel Ostrowski, son of Gail and Daniel Ostrowski of Old Bridge, was named to the dean's list for the fall semester at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, where he is majoring in computer engineering. He is a 2003 graduate of St. John Vianney High School, Holmdel. More ... Corzine demands cut in greenhouse gas emissions Bill similar to executive order is under review in the state Legislature BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer       Gov. Jon Corzine signed an executive order on Feb. 13 that seeks to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the state by 80 percent. The order is virtually identical to a bill introduced in the Legislature in June. Both the bill and the order mandate that greenhouse gas emissions in the ... More ... Girl Scout stresses heart health to younger students BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer       SAYREVILLE - - A local Girl Scout and former student at the Truman School taught second- and third- graders how to live a heart-healthy lifestyle during American Heart Month in February. Sixteen-year-old Anne Skorupski, a junior at Sayreville War Memorial High School, had an idea to ... More ...