NJN News; Wednesday, July 5, 2000

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The governor signs a bill requiring fire safety sprinklers and all-college dormitories. The sister of a Thomas Trentino murder victim speaks out the day before the state supreme court considers his release from prison. The New York monorail is getting repairs, we'll tell you what it means to travelers, environmentalists are concerned about the state's new water rules, and to notion city sculptures are created one grain at a time, NJN News for Wednesday, July 5th. From NJN Public Television, New Jersey's only statewide television newscast, NJN News with Kent Manahan. All New Jersey colleges must now install dormitory sprinklers. Governor Woodman signed the legislation today at Seton Hall, the scene of a deadly dorm fire that killed three students and ignited a call for improved fire safety on campuses. Zachary Fink has more.

This cover plate will fall off, this little sprinkler deflector will come down, and the water will spray out. The new lawn requires all dormitories in the state to be equipped with sprinklers within four years. That includes all public and private universities in New Jersey and residential halls in secondary or boarding schools. Today, however, we try in our own way to bring some meaning to that tragedy, to ensure that some good comes out of what has been for all of us really a terrible event. In the early morning hours of January 19, the fire on the third floor of Boland Hall at Seton Hall killed three students. 58 others were injured in the blaze along with four emergency personnel. Although authorities had said the fire was deliberately set, no one was ever indicted, and a spokesperson for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office would only say that the investigation is ongoing. Under New Jersey's previous law, newly built dorms were required to include sprinkler systems, but the law was not retroactive, and Boland Hall was built before the law took effect. We just still feel as though it should have been number four. Three people should have had to die before we had sprinklers.

After the January blaze investigators found over 3,600 fire code violations at colleges and universities around the state. Governor Whitman threatened to pull state funds from any institution that did not install the required sprinklers. The number of violations has since been significantly reduced, and many schools began to push ahead with their own safety standards. At Rutgers University, sprinklers began to be installed long before the deadly Seton Hall blaze. All high-rise buildings are currently sprinklered. 151 still need to be fitted, and the new law speeds up that timetable. At Rowan installations began after May 22nd. Four buildings are already equipped with sprinklers, and all buildings are expected to be fitted in about a week and a half. And at true, installations began four to five years ago. 16 halls are fully sprinklered. Their timetable was not made available. Many of the colleges have already been on an aggressive program. As I mentioned, College of New Jersey has been on an aggressive program. Rutgers has been on an aggressive program. Rowan's been on a program. So there's many of these schools that have partial suppression in many other dorms already.

Seton Hall says the installations are ongoing, but the work is a little bit more difficult in buildings like Bowen Hall and others, simply because the structures are so old. Nevertheless, Seton Hall officials say they plan to fit every single dormitory with sprinkler systems before the next year's freshman class arrives. Zachary Fink, NJN News, South Orange. The State Commission of Investigation and the Attorney General have issued a final report on threats posed by computer-related crimes in New Jersey. It identifies an increasing number of crimes connected to computers, the internet, and other technologies. They include child sexual abuse, fraud, theft, and hacking. The two agencies call for strengthening New Jersey's computer and technology crime laws, as well as better law enforcement training and coordination to deal with computer crimes. The agencies also recommend more effective and prevention education measures. The chairman of the SCI says, while the internet is proven to be an available education and research tool, it is also evolved into an illicit forum for abuse and exploitation. The report comes after a series of public hearings last year.

Tomorrow, the State Supreme Court will conference on whether to grant parole to Thomas Trantino. The longest serving in New Jersey has been in prison 37 years for the murders of two Lodai police officers. Today, Patricia Tedesco, the sister of one of those victims, explained why, in her family's opinion, Trantino should never be paroled. Michael Aaron has this report. Gary Tedesco was 21 years old when he was killed. His sister Pat was 11 at the time. She remembers Gary as the person closest to her and everybody's favorite in the family. When he was murdered, the nucleus of the family was over. It was gone. My dad cried every night until he got a massive coronary and died and he fought and fought this case so hard until he killed him. My mother still wears black after 37 years. She has never and will never get over this. Tedesco and officer Peter Voto were killed responding to a call in a bar. Thomas Trantino was sentenced to die for the killings. His partner in the crime died in police custody.

But when the US Supreme Court ended all death sentences in 1972, Trantino was resentanced to life in prison and under the laws of that time, entitled to parole someday. Nine times he's come up for parole and nine times been denied, in part because law enforcement officers and the families of the victims were so revolted by the brutality of the crime. They had them stripped at beg for their lives and get on their knees while they, you know, and they ask Gary who he was because he wasn't in uniform and he said he identified himself as a police officer. And I think he had to know he was they were going to be dead. These guys were in it for the hell of it. They were, they were celebrating an armed robbery. I mean, he was on parole when he committed the murder. Tedesco was such a rookie cop. He'd never worn the uniform. His was still being fitted. Can you imagine my mother having to see her son in uniform the first time in a casket?

Trantino says he's been rehabilitated. His attorneys portray him as a model prisoner, but pat Tedesco calls him a career criminal who's exploited technicalities in the law. And wonders why he wasn't resentance to die once capital punishment was reinstated. I remember Trantino once saying that he needed a chance to live his life. Gary needed a chance to live his life. He was 21 years old. He never gave him that he doesn't have a second chance. Why is Trantino getting a second chance? What particularly goals are is that Trantino has become in her words a celebrity. Why are we able to live our lives without seeing Trantino in front of our faces all the time? You know, when people lose a loved one from a natural cause, I'm not discounting the pain of that and losing a child. But when you lose a loved one like this and you have to see his face in front of you and it never goes away. We're never done with this. Tomorrow, the state Supreme Court conferences in private on whether Trantino should go free after 37 years and appeals court last month ruled he should.

The three judges held the state parole board was acting arbitrarily in continuing to deny parole to a man entitled to it. State Attorney General John Farmer appealed that to the Supreme Court. The question now, will the high court take the case and set a date for oral argument or turn it down and in essence set Trantino free? State officials are bracing for the possibility of Trantino's release. Governor Whitman today, among others, reiterated her opinion. Trantino should remain behind bars. Rich? Okay. Thank you, Michael. A state superior court judge has dismissed most counts in a lawsuit filed by former state police superintendent Carl Williams. But the judge says Williams may proceed with his defamation suit against Governor Whitman, the New York star ledger and a state assemblyman. Williams was fired for remarks he made in a star ledger interview, linking minorities with drug trafficking. In the lawsuit, he says he was unfairly dismissed from his position. Stapoli, say New Jersey's roads were more deadly this holiday weekend than a year ago. Between Friday and Tuesday at midnight preliminary reports show 11 people died in nine fatal accidents around the state.

That's three more deaths than in 1999. The crashes happened to date counties with two in Gloucester County. Three people died in a crash on Monday, on Route 42 in Gloucester's Washington Township. Authorities say of the nine crashes, alcohol played a role in one. Five other accidents are still under investigation. Expect delays throughout the summer at North airport's Montereyle. The port authority announced the system will soon undergo a major overhaul. It will lead to shutting down the Montereyle for three months. Belinda Morton, is that North airport now with details? Belinda? Rich, yes. As you know, bad winter weather costs a major problems of rusting and other problems on the Montereyle. And port authority officials had to actually temporarily shut down the system because of that. Officials say the only way to correct the problems is to scale back service and close the system for repairs. Starting Saturday, July 8th, Newark Airport's Montereyle service will be cut back. Both ends of the $400 million system will be shut down.

The Montereyle will operate on a reduced schedule between terminals A, B, C and station D1. No service will be available at stations D2, D3 and E. Some 500 bright orange signs are in the process of being placed throughout the airport, advising travelers of Montereyle alternatives that will connect them to terminals, parking lots, car rental agencies and hotels. We're going to be providing on five minute frequencies to ensure that passengers don't have to wait long for the trip. And also all the buses are going to be clearly marked with destination signage and also painted white and with the Lotus Montereyle bypass bus on those buses. Airport officials are advising travelers to arrive at the airport 30 minutes earlier than the time recommended by the airlines. It's going to slow us down a lot, gridlock here. We don't need that doing. It's tough enough to come over from the Atlantic, I mean from Europe and that's going to be a very long haul.

Terminals C and E for the Montereyle on your right. An additional 80 customer service representatives wearing bread have been brought on to help provide quick and courteous service to passengers. The Montereyle will be shut down after Labor Day and is expected to remain closed through the end of the year. We can maintain the interterminal portion of the system in operation throughout the peak summer. It allows us to shut down the two ends of the system and to protect the production rate. Officials say bus routes have been designed to deal with congestion caused by existing construction. Most of the shuttle buses and vans will operate in the courtyard areas away from the most congested parts of the terminals. In an effort to ease some of the frustration that Montereyle travelers may experience while this whole process is getting underway and taking place. Airport workers will be giving out these orange complimentary tickets that will enable Montereyle travelers to a free non-alcoholic beverage at any food service area in terminals A, B and C. I'm Belinda Morton reporting from Newark Airport. Rich back to you. OK, Belinda, thank you. And there's more ahead on NJN News.

Why some environmental groups are against the state's new water management rules? Stay tuned. If you have a comment, call 1-800-Jersey-1 or our email address. NJNNews at NJN.org. If you have a comment, call 1-800-Jersey-1 or our email address at NJN.org or our email address at NJN.org. Environmentalists issued a critical report today on the Whitman Administration's new proposal to protect water quality and reduce unwanted development in New Jersey. Three of the state's largest environmental groups claim the proposal could actually weaken water protection. Environmental reporter Ed Rogers has the story.

The Whitman Administration says the new rules would require a stricter environmental analysis of development outside any existing sewer service area before allowing new construction. The environmental groups disagree. Saying the proposal is too vague and fails to control development in 300 to 400,000 acres of open space. When you go through this entire rule, nowhere in this rule can you really find the words no. The opposition is not surprising. Environmental groups held a number of press conferences earlier in the year criticizing draft proposals. They also claim sewer treatment plants will be allowed to increase discharges and that the new rules do not protect environmentally sensitive areas. You have to do more analysis and more work, but it doesn't mean that you're not going to be able to extend sewer is there, that you're not going to be able to continue the same sprawl patterns of the past. The environmentalists also say the new rules may not meet federal clean water standards.

State environmental officials say the environmentalists are wrong and plan to introduce new surface water quality regulations in the next few months. Water quality is improved in the state steadily for the last 30 years. There's no backsliding accommodated in this rule. The debate over the impact of the new rules will last for months. State environmental officials worry that the environmental groups may be undercutting their efforts to encourage smart growth. The special interests that are served best by the status quo are lobbying quietly and very vociferously against this rule. And they're allowing the environmentalists for their own agenda to salvage it in public. And our big concern is that this unintended alliance might actually succeed in thwarting this rule. Ed Rogers, NJN News, Trenton. Well, there may be some good news about the status of one important species of fish in the Delaware River. Fish game and wildlife officials say preliminary areas to show the number of shad making their annual run up the Delaware were closer to normal this year.

Officials say about 350,000 shad were counted at a sonar counting station north of Lamberville this spring. There have been some concerns about shad and the Delaware after fewer than 25,000 fish were counted in the spring of 1999. Governor Whitman was down on the farm today. Whitman went to Halix, you pick farm in New Egypt, Ocean County, where she picked some squash and promoted the preservation of the state's farmland. Sheed again, emphasized the importance of garden in the garden states, stressing her goal to preserve 1 million acres over the next 10 years. There are more than 130 pick your own farms in 18 of the state's 21 counties. Still to come in business, a new report shows some working women making salary advances and just how hot was business along the shore during the holiday weekend will show you next. You

Here's tonight's business news, shore merchants were smiling this weekend up and down the Jersey coast. What turned out to be a four day holiday weekend for many met yet another day of bringing cash registers on the boardwalk. Here in Ocean City, plenty of opportunity for business as vacationers lingered on the beach during the day and then spent the night on the boards. The owner of one ice cream shop here says it was one of his best holiday weekends ever. A new survey shows women salaries are starting to catch up with men and in some cases women even surpass their male counterparts. The survey and working woman magazine says overall men still benefit in the salary gap but the gap is closing.

The report found in May women are in 76 and a half cents on the dollar compared to men. That's up slightly since 1998 but 14 cents higher than 1979. Women are earning more in some industries including advertising. The report says in that field women CEOs earn about $275,000 a year compared to $253,000 for men. In business briefs, farmers nationwide are dumping milk to protest low dairy prices. Hundreds of dairy farmers from 11 states including New Jersey have pledged to withhold at least a half million pounds of milk for market. Many farmers say price controls are making it impossible to stay afloat. Princeton based internet telephony company ITXE announced it's expanding its relationship with China Telecom. Phase 2 of the effort will enable China Telecom to handle 8,000 calls over the net at the same time. And analysts say Saudi Arabia's plan to increase oil production will lead to a decrease in prices for gas and heating oil. Analysts expect gas prices to fall as much as 11 cents a gallon but not until late summer when the peak summer driving season comes to an end. On Wall Street, concerns about corporate profits especially in the tech sector sent stocks mostly downward.

At the close, the Dow industrials lost 77 points ending the session at the 10,483 level. Among the broad markets, the IMX dropped 21, the Nasdaq fell nearly 129 points, the S&P 500 lost 23. Among the treasuries, the 10-year note is off 230 seconds, it's yielded at 5.97%. Still ahead on NJN News, a check of the forecast and Jerry's here now with sports. We've got to look at specialized training for athletes looking to make it to the next level. Sports now, so you're an athlete and you think you can run. Check that says one fitness expert who has found that many young athletes may be cheating themselves out of a shot at the next level.

280-pound lineman Seth Pearson only thought he could run about three years ago. That was before he started these drills with speed guru Chuck Mound. Fact is, back then, Pearson may have been passed up by most Division 1 schools because of his lack of speed. Now in his senior year at the Del Barton School in Maristown, Pearson has managed to shave seconds off his 40-yard dash time. And several Division 1 schools are now knocking at the door. I'm getting pretty heavily recruited right now for by a lot of Division 1A schools. I've been offered a scholarship to rockers. I started working with him on a more personal basis after my freshman football season. And, you know, immediately I think every year I've just progressed and it's started which is learning the right way to run. Mound calls himself the speed doctor. He has written a book called Winning with Speed. Mound developed most of his training techniques while he was an athlete at Rutgers University, where he also studied exercise science in FizzEd. In 92, Mound cut his own 40-yard dash speed from a 4.37 to a 4.21 world-class speed.

The whole program is based upon learning at a young age, mechanically, how to run. Just like it's speed as a skill, just like shooting a basketball, hitting a baseball. You want to be able to learn the skill at a young age, so this way that you're really programming yourself. Like a computer, you're programming yourself on how to mechanically run and putting yourself in the right position. Mound works with athletes ranging from the very young to professionals. Sessions like these only last about 40 minutes, but he says after applying them over time, the results could mean the difference between a pro contract and a disappointing trip home. Ten years ago, you took a look at the NFL line and I'm sure we're about, you know, 62-260. Nowadays, they're 66-280, but they all can move. They can move, and that's the biggest thing. It's the difference, the speed of the game. And he's quite busy this time of the year, the summer camps, all over the place. But the folks we talk to says it really works. They say it really works. Incredible. Okay, Terry, thank you.

Well, it was a beautiful day across the state with less humidity. Temperatures were mainly in the 80s. Now, folks who didn't get a chance to see Opsale 2000 up close this weekend got a clear view from the ships. From Weehawken's Hamilton Park, where spectators were enjoying breathtaking views today. What a sight it was. As far as our ozone watch for tomorrow expect moderate conditions in the northwest and southwest. Elsewhere expect good levels. Here's the New Jersey forecast. And North Jersey tonight, clear with a low of 60. Tomorrow sunny and a bit cooler with highs in the lower 80s. And South Jersey tonight, clear with lows in the mid 50s. Tomorrow sunny and pleasant with a high of 80 degrees. The weather for the Hudson River Fireworks last night was just about perfect. Thousands of New Jerseyans lined waterfronts to take part. And the Opsale 2000 Fireworks, extravaganza. The America birthday bash in New York Harbor was topped with some 150 tons of explosives. And for some New Jersey communities, the holiday continues. Tonight, a number of New Jersey towns, including Hamilton, Lacey Township, Manisquan, and Atlantic Highlands, will put on their holiday fireworks displays due to rain out. The New York City competition or simply a July 5th schedule.

Finally, the beaches in Ocean City today were turned into an art gallery. The city's held its 20th annual sand sculpting contest. And it was a day for the young and old to just play in the sand. Ocean City's beaches today seemed like a miniature golf course. This is just one of dozens of big and small sculptures erected from the resort's sandy beaches. Dozens of gritty works of art filled nearly two blocks. It was a day for enthusiast of sand art to show their stuff, including Mark Gibson from Indiana, who built his hole in one with the help of sand and seaweed. Part of our design criteria was we wanted to make it functional. So when we build it, we build it up with a castle shape and made it so that it ran out into the green. And then basically into the hole. While the golf course won in honorable mentions, several other sandy creations are definitely worth mentioning, including this sandy snowman made white with the help of baking flour and a pretzel with little piles of sea salt. Top honors went to a Pennsylvania family who created this Egyptian sphinx and pyramid.

The family used shovels and buckets and lots of imagination. It's something I've done a couple other times on the beach. And I think with the sand it goes with the sand. The city has sponsored this contest for nearly three decades. Unfortunately, a good wave often wipes out the artistic creations. But that's okay. There's still plenty of raw material to work from. Well, the sculptors get about two hours to build their creations. Now, if you missed this exhibit, the city is planning a second contest on August 2nd. Officials tell us the sculpture is usually last for about a day, depending on the tide. And we saw some video earlier. Some of these were washing away already. So they'll be back on August 2nd. And that's the news for tonight for Jerry Henry and all of us here at NJN News. I'm Rich Young, have a good night and we'll see you tomorrow. .

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