School budget and bond both defeated Council will decide how much to cut, if anything, from the budget BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer       Call it sticker shock, call it overreaching, but for the second straight year, the Edison School District's budget and its ambitious $79 million bond proposal were both defeated by voters on April 17. More ...       Seven-year-old Elizabeth Lawson of Metuchen helps to discard some garbage littering the ground on Earth Day. Lawson and many other youngsters visited some of Metuchen's more littered areas to clean them up on Saturday, April 21. More ... Melanie McGuire found guilty of murder Judge called crime 'horrible and brutal,' revoked bail BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer       NEW BRUNSWICK - After 13 hours and 57 minutes of deliberation, the nine-woman, three-man jury found Melanie McGuire, the 34-year-old former fertility clinic nurse, guilty in the first degree for killing her husband, William McGuire, and later dismembering his body in their Woodbridge Ce... More ... 2 students arrested in separate incidents One arrested for yelling 'he has a gun' in hall, possession of box cutter BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer       EDISON - Two township students were arrested and charged this week with possession of a weapon on school grounds at two separate schools last Wednesday and Friday, police said. Saul D. Jimenez, 18, was arrested at Edison High School at 11:05 a.m. on Friday after a teacher overheard... More ... Borough P.D. to get two new recruits Hiring brings total up to the recommended 28 officers BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer       METUCHEN - Two new police officers were sworn in at the Borough Council meeting last week, making the police force into what Police Chief James Keane and Capt. Robin Rentenberg called the department's "optimum" number of 28 officers. More ... Earth Day       Matthew Obszarny of Metuchen helps to discard some garbage littering the ground in honor of Earth Day near downtown Metuchen on April 21. Groups of people were scattered throughout Metuchen to help clean a few of its wooded areas. More ... Vahalla to make a primary challenge for mayor Will face party-endorsed Dacey for Democratic nod for mayor BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer       METUCHEN - Longtime Councilman Thomas Vahalla announced recently that he would vie for the Democratic Party mayoral seat in the Democratic primary in June against Councilman Timothy Dacey, who was given the party's endorsement in March to run for mayor in November. More ... Water main break causes closure of seven schools Area residents had low or no water pressure early Monday morning BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer       EDISON - A water main break early Monday morning on Brunswick Avenue in southern Edison left area residents and businesses without water and closed seven Edison district schools. According to Edison police spokesperson Sgt. Robert Dudash, a water main burst around 2 a.m. on Brunswi... More ... Attorneys get last chance to sway McGuire jury In closing, defense says investigators narrowed on McGuire too quickly BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer       NEW BRUNSWICK - With family and friends of both William and Melanie McGuire sitting in the courtroom, the prosecution and defense made their closing arguments last week, each lasting over three hours. More ... In dining, mind your manners and butter knife Etiquette course teaches professionals to dine with class BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer       EDISON - The tables were set with care. Carefully folded cloth napkins were settled serenely on the immaculate cream tablecloth with freshly polished silverware flanking oversized soup bowls. The only thing that wasn't perfect were the guests. More ... South Plainfield to share use of twp. animal shelter Agreement could save both towns$30K, mayor says BY TOM CAIAZZA Staff Writer       EDISON - Mayor Jun Choi announced on Thursday that South Plainfield will share use of the Edison Animal Shelter. The shared-services agreement between the two municipalities will garner a cost savings to both towns of more than $30,000 per year a piece and would provide a central l... More ... Clinton praises team's response to Imus remarks Senator draws praise, protest during speech at Rutgers University BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer       NEW BRUNSWICK - Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton last week used the Rutgers women's basketball team as an example of how far the country has come in overcoming discrimination as well as how far the nation still needs to go. During a Friday speech in New Brunswick, Clinton praised the te... More ... Tamarack Hollow land to be preserved BY VINCENT TODARO Staff Writer       Fought by residents, denied by East Brunswick and ultimately approved in court, the Tamarack Hollow development will never be built after all. Township officials and Middlesex County will purchase the roughly 230 acres located on four separate parcels off Fresh Ponds Road and Church L... More ... Trinity owners prepare for the first supper Renovations well under way at site of former church BY KAREN E. BOWES Staff Writer       KEYPORT - Like St. Patrick of Ireland, Charles Merla has brought a new kind of trinity to Keyport. Along with co-owner Marc Castaneda, Merla, older brother of former Mayor John Merla, has succeeded in transforming a historic church on Broad Street into an elegant and entirely uniqu... More ...