ERIC SUCAR staff John A. Bednar (l) and James Kukor stand during the opening prayer at the Veterans Day monument service held by the American Legion post at Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home in Edison on Sunday. More ... Democratic slate wins Township Council vote State legislative races also go to Democratic Party BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer       Election Day in Edison ended with a Democratic victory in the race for four seats on the Township Council, with an 895-vote difference between the Republican with the most votes and the Democrat with the least. According to figures from the Middlesex County Clerk, about one-third of Edison's 49,00... More ... Republicans win two Metuchen council seats Dem Thomas Vahalla bests GOP rival Shapiro for mayor BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer       Metuchen will have a new mayor and two Republican councilmen on the council dais in January. Longtime Councilman Thomas Vahalla, 58, received 2,555 votes while Republican mayoral candidate Steven Shapiro, 51, received 1,233 votes. More ... Metuchen pharmacy to reopen under new ownership Former owners to oversee day-to-day affairs BY JAY BODAS Correspondent       The oldest business on Main Street, Metuchen now has a new owner, along with a touched-up interior. "We did some remodeling, and we figured this is a good time to introduce ourselves to the community," said pharmacist Gerard Bargoud, one of five partners who bought Boyt Drug Store from the Belafs... More ... Honoring those who served      PHOTOS BY ERIC SUCAR staff Top: James Kukor stands at ease during the Veterans Day monument service held by the American Legion post at the Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home in Edison on Sunday. Bottom: Denise Cannarella salutes the American flag during the service. More ... Open space funding OK'd for one more year Groups will continue search for long-term funding solutions BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer       New Jersey residents voted to borrow $200 million for open space and farmland preservation programs this Election Day. While the initiative's success was widely hailed by conservation groups across the state, the cash injection was viewed as a stopgap measure to keep the Garden State Preservation... More ... Police use dog to catch suspected cat burglar BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer       EDISON - Edison police apprehended three people thought to be responsible for a monthlong string of burglaries throughout the north side of town. Using a police dog named Lucky, authorities were able to track the alleged burglar and his two cohorts just moments after an evening robbery on Savoy A... More ... Chief Mieczkowski files retirement papers Edison police chief could retire by Dec. 1 BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer       EDISON - Edison Police Chief George Mieczkowski has filed his papers for retirement with the state pension office, effective Dec. 1. While it is possible that such paperwork could be reversed beforehand, a spokesman with the New Jersey Treasury Department said that this is unlikely. More ... County freeholders remain Democratic Incumbents Dalina, Rafano and Valenti given another 3-year term BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer       NORTH BRUNSWICK - Stephen "Pete" Dalina, Christopher Rafano and Blanquita Valenti were re-elected to the Middlesex County Freeholder Board, defeating their Republican counterparts Geoffrey Champion, Daniel Kerwin and John Rucki during elections on Nov. 6. More ... For the Record       The rumors of Peter Barnes Jr.'s demise have been greatly exaggerated. In a previous issue of the Sentinel, it was stated that Peter Barnes III filled the state Assembly seat of his father, Peter Barnes Jr., due to his father's death. The elder Barnes actually left his office in the Legislature du... More ... Wards initiative defeated BY CHRIS GAETANO Staff Writer       EDISON - Edison voters rejected a pair of initiatives that would have increased the number of council members by two and split Edison into five different wards, each with its own representative on the Township Council. The other four seats on council would be at-large representation, as they are ... More ... Marines celebrate the Corps' 232nd birthday BY KATHY CHANG Staff Writer       WOODBRIDGE - Marines young and old around the nation, whether it was with the Avenel Detachment Marine Corps League at the Forge Inn on Route 9 over the weekend or on a mountaintop in Iraq, celebrated the Marine Corps' 232nd birthday on Saturday. More ...