JEFF GRANIT staff Omer Alishah, 7, of Sayreville, goes headfirst between the legs of counselors on the slip-and-slide at a summer parks program sponsored by the Sayreville Recreation Department at Burke's Park Tuesday. More ... Lead contamination stalls boardwalk plan Resident says area should be left in its natural state anyway BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       Plans to build a boardwalk in the Cliffwood Beach section of Old Bridge have been put on hold because of lead found in the Margaret's Creek area. More ... Boro gets more time to pay back $37M loan New stipulations give county greater say in Nat'l Lead matters BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer       Middlesex County officials have agreed to again extend the deadline for Sayreville's payback of a $37 million loan. The borrowed money, used to condemn the 400-acre former National Lead site in 2004, was to be repaid by this week but will now be due in four months, on Dec. 1. More ... County fair kicks off Monday in East Bruns. Elvis tribute, circus, pig racing among this year's attractions       Nearly 60,000 people had some fun in the sun at last year's Middlesex County Fair, and organizers are hoping to see even more revelers this year. "That was a great year," said Kirk Bonamici, public relations director for the county fair association. "We had fantastic weather. It was t... More ... Local youth gives time, money to animal shelter Girl, 11, collects donations for homeless animals BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer       SAYREVILLE - A local animal shelter is finding that large contributions can come from little advocates. Eleven-year-old Heather Sootkoos has been raising funds for the animals of the Sayrebrook Pet Adoption Center for over a year. She told the Suburban that it is important that peo... More ... Coaster fan offers teens summer full of thrills E.B. man makes it his business to tour theme parks across the U.S. BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       Going to multiple amusement parks in the course of a week or two no longer has to be confined to a child's imagination. East Brunswick resident Ira Gordon has made sure of that, with his 3-year-old business, ThrillCoaster Tours, which is based on Route 9 in Woodbridge. More ... Effort being mounted to reclaim park Workers dismantle large ATV course in 1,700-acre expanse BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       Middlesex County officials have set a course to stop the frequent use of all-terrain vehicles in Jamesburg Park, and to clean up some of the destruction left behind. Part of that effort took place last week, when the county's Conservation Corps spent several days working to combat t... More ... Invasive weed threatens plant life in county park BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       Off-road vehicles are not the only ecological menace impacting Jamesburg Park, according to Rick Lear of the Middlesex County Parks and Recreation Department. "In Jamesburg Park, there were a number of threats," Lear said. "It's a combination of things. It's like a jigsaw puzzle. More ... Fundraisers       Aug. 3, 4 & 5 • Amnesia: The Musical, a revue written by Michael Costa, presented by the East Brunswick Young Adult Charity Players, a nonprofit organization created to provide theatrical productions to raise money for the Daisy Association and other charities in East Brunswick, A... More ... Board agrees to keep more detailed minutes Gov't watchdog found its minutes read like 'a table of contents' BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer       SAYREVILLE - The Board of Education pledged to include more details in its closed-session minutes after an open government advocate threatened it with a lawsuit recently. More ... Middlesex top recycling county in New Jersey       Middlesex County has been named the top recycling county in New Jersey, according to the latest data from the state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). With a recycling rate of 62.3 percent, Middlesex County ranked No. 1 among the 21 counties for a third time since 1995, the f... More ... Cool ride      JEFF GRANIT staff Julia Fedor, 7, of Sayreville, slides down the slip-and-slide at the Recreation Department's summer parks program at Burke's Park Tuesday. More ... Ex-teacher's 7th book a 'spellbinding' thriller Seewald, of O.B., mixes mystery and romance in many of her novels BY MARY ANNE ROSS Correspondent       OLD BRIDGE - Readers who enjoy romantic thrillers sprinkled with a touch of the occult and lots of local color may want to put township resident Jacqueline Seewald's "The Inferno Collection" on their summer reading lists. The story is set in a college town similar to New Brunswick. More ... Concerns raised over use of town's mobile stage Investigation sought into decision to lend stage to concert venue BY MICHAEL ACKER Staff Writer       SAYREVILLE - The borough's mobile stage is at the center of a dispute, as local Republicans claim that it was lent to the Starland Ballroom without proper authorization. Ronald Green and Kenneth Olchaskey said that as taxpayers in the borough, they were concerned when they saw the ... More ... Companies told they'll bear costs of cleanup Lead contamination in Margaret's Creek traced to 3 companies BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       OLD BRIDGE - The state Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) identified three companies who played roles in contaminating the Margaret's Creek area, and told them they will be responsible for getting the lead out. The parties named by the DEP for financial responsibility a... More ... Man, 41, shot himself accidentally, police say       SAYREVILLE - A Morgan man accidentally shot himself last week after finding a gun near his house and taking it home, police said. John Mosinak, 41, of North Morgan Avenue, was walking along the railroad tracks in the Morgan section when he found the .22-caliber revolver and brought it ... More ... Salt Water Day set for Aug. 11 at beachfront       Old Bridge Salt Water Day is set for 4 p.m. to dusk on Aug. 11 at the Laurence Harbor beachfront, Laurence Harbor section of Old Bridge. The event is a joint venture of the Laurence Harbor First Aid Squad, the township of Old Bridge and the Middlesex County Parks Department. More ... Shelter expansion should break ground in September BY JESSICA SMITH Staff Writer       OLD BRIDGE - Though the cats and dogs have had to wait longer than they planned for an expansion of the Old Bridge Animal Shelter, their wait will not have been in vain. Town officials have expanded the scope of the project, which will more than double the size of the shelter from i... More ...