Westfield:
 Council Agrees To Introduce $37.9-Mil. Budget
 Board OKs Irrigation Pond at Echo Lake Club
Scotch Plains/Fanwood:
 FW Municipal Budget Woes Remain In Spotlight 
 Malool, Glover to Run for Mayor
 Mahr, Walsh: Daily Parking Rate is Same for All
 Council Increasing Rest., Pool Licensing Fees
 Zoning Bd. OKs Garage, Delays House Hearing
Mountainside:
 BOE Names Jeanette Baubles as CSA
 Mayor Plans to Reduce Spending by $305,000
Garwood:
 Council Defends Recreation Budget Increase
Area:
Races Set In FW, GW; Eight Vie for Congress
 UC Prisoners Now Going to E. Orange General
 
Cartoon 

CENTRAL CRASH...Two cars collide early afternoon on Tuesday in Westfield at the intersection of Central and North Avenues. Police redirect traffic as rescue squad members and fire department personnel place the injured person on a stretcher for transportation to the hospital.

Editorial: Which Is Better - Free Speech, Silence or Stifled Information?...Some officials and candidates choose to express their views by writing regularly to you in letters to the editor. Others almost never write or they use surrogates.

Editorial: Getting the Thugs Off the Streets...We applaud the roundup of 91 street gang criminals last Thursday in Plainfield by State Police, Plainfield police and the Union County Prosecutors office.

CONTINUING THE OFFENSIVE PRESSURE...Blue Devil A.J. Murray, No. 15, steps to the plate with the bases loaded in the second inning. Mike Melillo, on third, gets to trot home to score when Murray draws a walk.

Sports: Softball Raiders Rally in 5th, Sack Villa Walsh Vikings; Blue Devil Nine De-Feathers Cardinals in 5 Innings; Blue Devil Golfers Eradicate St. Benedict's Prep; Baseball Win over Cougars Is Big Boost for Blue Devil Nine; Blue Devils Rally in 7th, Top Immaculata Softballers; Raider Tennis Boys Look To Make Things Happen; Blue Devil Track Girls Topple Blue Knights; Devil Boys Fall; Blue Devil Lax Girls Crunch Clifton Lady Laxers; MS Youth Baseball Marches to 55th Season:  Photos

PLAY BALL...The Scotch Plains Fanwood Youth Baseball Association hold a well-attended season opening at Booth Field last Saturday. The kids, parents, coaches and mayors were all on-hand to play ball.

Devil's Den: Top WHS Catchers: Olsen Joins the List

Government Reform Thought: Local towns are proposing fee and fines increases such as parking tickets, charges for community room, licensing fees for restaurants and private pools. With the fiscal crisis, municipalities may need to consider salary reductions at the top and have employees take additional vacations without pay to offset deficits and avoid layoffs.  See Year-to-date Reform Thoughts.