NJN News; Wednesday February 19, 1997

You A Clam Dunk for Governor Whitman. No big apple raw sewage dumping for now. Would you believe 68 degrees record warm temperatures send people to the beach? Public interest groups fire a warning shot about campaign spending and an unsung hero tonight. A World War 2 airmen keeps alive memories of a unique squadron all on NJN News this Wednesday, February

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Forney with Business, and Jerry Henry with Sports. New Jersey wins a big one, good evening. A day after New York officials agreed to hold off on dumping almost half a billion gallons of raw sewage into the East River. The federal EPA is saying it didn't know about the plan until late last week. Environmental Protection Agency officials now say there will be a review of any plans New York officials come up with in the future to repair of Manhattan Pumping Station that would require the release of sewage. New Jersey complained that would foul our state's beaches and contaminate important shell fish beds. At a press conference this afternoon, Governor Widman, who led the charge against the dumping, said New York officials will do a better job alerting New Jersey of its actions in the future. And we are going to be working to ensure that we tighten those kind of notification regulations so that there is proper notification given. And we don't have to come to a crisis situation like this, the very brink of having half a billion gallons worth of untreated sewage dumped into the waterways.

New York officials have agreed to hold off on any raw sewage dumping for at least 10 months in order to conduct a study to determine the environmental impact on area waterways. New Jersey's drunk and driving laws could be in for a big turn. This state is the only one in the nation that considers such offenses, traffic violations, not criminal offenses. Some officials contend that means repeat offenders get off a lot easier. The attorney general will review the need for tougher penalties. New Jersey distinguishes itself in another national statistic as well. The state's auto insurance rates continue at the top of the charts. The latest figures are out for 1995, putting New Jersey's average rate at just over $1,000 compared to the national average of $666. That puts the cost of ensuring a car in this state that year at more than 50% above the national average. What's also well above average? Today's temperatures, they climbed as high as 68 in some places, bringing out golfers and picnickers.

Thousands of New Jerseyans took advantage of the newly-arrived spring weather in a variety of ways. Rich Young joins us now from Hamilton Township and a driving range there with more on the story. Rich? With temperatures in the 60s, you can almost guarantee crowds on golf courses and on driving ranges. Let me tell you that was the case here today. Throughout the day, we found men, women, even children on courses. This was a perfect day to practice your golf swing. At Sumerton Springs in Hamilton Township, the swinging was practically non-stop. If you had an hour today, this was definitely a great place to play. Good weather playing golf? Yes, great, great. Which I was on the course today, but unfortunately the courses were pretty packed today. And that was so true at the Princeton Country Club, all day long, it was a golfers delight. By new nearly 100 players that teed off, this worsened drove down from Jersey City. We know whether it be warmer down here, be less snow and slosh on the ground so we come down the south.

Worth the trip? Oh yeah, having fun. While this group said they had vacation days, there were many, many here who admitted they called out sick. Some golfers hid when they saw our camera. Others, like Rich Rogers, confessed he played hooky. You look fine though. I feel a lot better. A lot better, yeah. I felt a little nauseous coming over here. But as soon as I got on the first tee, I felt a lot better. So I couldn't come out here today without getting in a few practice shots of my own. Second shot, I'm in the sand. Getting out is another story. At the real beach, it was also a day to play. On the boardwalk, lots of joggers and bicyclists. On the sand, a family from Collingswood, who skipped work to play. How do you like this weather? Love it. Love it. How to take a day off just to get it. Elsewhere, if you couldn't golf or sunbathe, it was a great day to stroll. At Palmer Square, some were t-shirts, others shorts. This area was jamming with people eating ice cream and having picnics. Worm enough to picnics outside, you think?

You're beautiful. I think it's 60 degrees at least. Actually, it was 66 degrees at Nork Airport this afternoon. That beat a high of 62 set, 36 years ago. Other highs, 68 in Pomona, 68 in Wrightstown, 68 at the Atlantic City Airport. Now, the temperatures will not be in the 60s, but probably in the 50s over the next couple of days. So, really not bad. This weather's also a delight to the state. So far, this year, just $5 million spent on snow and ice removal. That's compared to $41 million last year. What hell a year makes a difference. For now, reporting from Hamilton Township, I'm Richard Ninja. I'm back to you in the studio. Rich, was that a shovel you were using there in the sand? I need a shovel, I think. I'm giving this up. All right, thank you, Rich. Public interest groups take to the state house with a strong message about the upcoming gubernatorial race. We'll have that story for you. And an unsung hero in New Jersey who was part of an elite group during World War II. Stay tuned. Thank you.

Several public interest research groups banded together at the state house today firing one of the first volleys of the 1997 New Jersey Governor's race. The shots weren't aimed at any one candidate. The groups want restrictions on the amount of money special interest can pour into the upcoming primary and general election. State House correspondent Jim Hooker has more. With Republicans and Democrats alike calling for Torah Selly to drop out of the race, the Torah Selly campaign is in deep trouble. New Jersey voters beware. The negative ads being run by Dick Zimmer and the national Republicans against Bob Torah Selly are a lie. Remember these TV ads mud-slinging Mark last year's US Senate race between Democrat Bob Torah Selly and Republican Dick Zimmer. Now with the governor's race heating up, public interest groups want a short circuit of rerun of a nasty race fueled by special interest dollars.

This is not the type of political campaigns that citizens want. It will only repel voters and decrease confidence in the integrity of the political parties and in their elected officials. The groups want the Democratic and Republican state committees to pledge not to spend independently of the gubernatorial candidates and the taxpayer finance primary or general elections. But neither party is agreeing yet. How dare the candidates take public financing dollars? Agree to spending limits when they file and then not agree in turn to abide by the limits. State party leaders say they're not committing to independent spending on behalf of their candidates but they won't rule it out either. They say they want to leave their options open in case other groups not covered by the pledge start pouring money into the governor's race. One top state official says added party spending would be outlawed in November's election but not in a spring primary. In the primary, the language of our statute in New Jersey is different. Therefore, there is a possibility that in certain circumstances, political parties might be able to make independent expenditures.

But party leaders say they plan to take a close look at campaign spending laws. Jim Hooker, NJN News, Trenton. Now that affordable healthcare is becoming a premium hospice care is gaining ground. Hospice volunteers help terminally ill people and their families through the process of dying. There's an exhibit on hospice that began in Washington, D.C. and is touring the country. Anisa Mahidi reports on the exhibition from the Morris Museum. They're amazingly joyful aren't they? Yeah. It is surprising to see so many smiling faces in this exhibit. Hospice, a photographic inquiry, takes in the full circle of lives, which invariably includes death. It's a lot like the whole change of how babies are born of doing it in nice rooms and it's the same thing. You're coming into life and you're leaving life.

The exhibit is more than photographs. There's a lot to read here about the lives of these people and their families, including the Journal of One Hospice Volunteer, who wrote about the people photographed by Jack Ratcliffe. When you read the journal and find out about it, and you realize that, you know, by the time you died, that was his best option. Death was the best option for a six-year-old with AIDS. With hospice care, his end was a peaceful transition. You see, hospice volunteers mostly join people in their homes. It's a spiritual, family-oriented, dignified way to die. They help people let go and they get people to the point where, you know, they're holding them in their arms saying, you know, it's all right. And then the people die, you know, sometimes within moments. Georgie initially recoiled at the theme of this show. She had just lost her father, who didn't get long-term hospice care. He had two hours of hospice care, which is the lesson I've learned in this, is that people wait too long. She regrets that delay, but being around this exhibit has helped resolve her loss. Yeah, it has. No, it's really put me at peace with it.

That's power and art, isn't it? Yeah. Hospice. Photographic inquiry is at the Morris Museum through Sunday, Anisa Mehdi, NJN News, Morris Town. They're described as some of the best kept secrets of World War II, the Tuskegee Airmen, the first black fighter group to answer the call for their country. The men who fought and died with little recognition also had to overcome racism, both here and abroad. One such unsung hero is a New Jerseyan who spoke with our Kent St. John about the elite group. The Tuskegee Airmen's role in World War II has often been overlooked by historians. They were part of the all-black 1,130-second fighter group and the 477th bomber group. Senior Master Sergeant David S. Hinton was one of the volunteers who left for Dix for Tuskegee Airfield in Alabama. Hinton was part of the ground crew that kept the planes the cadets flew known as the red tails in the air. In their 430 missions, they never lost an Obama crew. Those red tails would protect them, fly them all the way as far as they could to the target where, you know, until they start dropping them off.

The young cadets went through hours of training at Tuskegee and eventually got their wings and were under the leadership of Commander Benjamin O. Davis. Oh, and that was a proud day. To see Benjamin O. Davis standing up and you could see him, he would stand up and then his wife, I don't know whether he was right or his wife, or some of his volunteer would pin those wings on him and boy, that was a proud day. But racism abounded in the segregated military and despite opposition from the war department, Congress did vote to activate the black pilots. They were sent to North Africa and then to Italy. When they got there, they didn't want them to do nothing but laying targets. They was hitting box cars and blowing up airplanes on the ground and this sort of thing. They didn't go immediately into combat. 66 of the Tuskegee Airmen died serving and segregation still made things tough. Even once, you know, when we came back home to get to go to a missile and find that if they had German POWs, they would go in ahead of you.

Henson said the key to their success was something Commander Ben Davis said from the beginning to the end. We had as good a pilot as anywhere in Africa and we probably had some of the worst pilots. But we still proved to the point that we could do it. Ken St. John and Jay are news. What's the latest on inflation? Dick Forney has details coming up in business. And you may get fit, but what's the financial wear and tear for the health club business? The economy is watching Dick, but inflation kind of a snoozer.

It's a clear picture, but it isn't very exciting, is that what you mean to say? Yeah, well, you know, all the reports and inflation recently have been snoozers. Inflation seems tamed nationally and here in the Garden State. In January across the nation, the consumer price index rose a mere one-tenth of a percent. The smallest increase in seven months and less of a hike than had been forecast. Across the country and here in New Jersey, sharply higher natural gas prices powered, what inflation there was, and there were sizable increases in the cost of medical care last month. Here's the New Jersey breakout. In North Jersey, the CPI rose four tenths of a percent. In South Jersey, the inflation barometer was half a percent higher in January than in December 1996. On the corporate front, Precipity-based Century 21 real estate corporation is increasing its international reach. The real estate network says it has signed an agreement to develop its franchise in Taiwan.

Century 21 already has franchise operations in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, and other Asian countries. The New Jersey Economic Development Authority is the latest agency of government to go online with help for businesses. The NJEDA's new website allows would-be borrowers to learn about economic development financing available in New Jersey. It also contains what it calls success stories of businesses which have received NJEDA help complete with pictures. And there's even a preliminary financing application survey online. Stocks supply the brakes. The market story is upcoming and we'll look at the marketing muscle necessary to run a fitness business. Tonight's NJEDA News Business Report is made possible by Core State's New Jersey National Bank, providing financial services to New Jersey families and businesses. Experts say it was probably technical strategy behind the late-day tumble in stocks.

Today, the Dow industrials held its own until near the end of the session when the average slid 47 and the third points. To close at the 70-20 level, the MX composite stayed in positive territory with a one-point gain that as that composite finished nearly unchanged. The standard and poorest 500 shaped off nearly four. Well, by now, you may have slipped on your New Year's resolution to get in shape, but every day of the year, fitness centers around New Jersey work at turning sweat into profit. In part two of our report on the fitness biz, we take a look at how clubs keep fiscally fit. That's about $6,000. How much? $6,000. $6,000 for this one piece of machinery. Multiply that figure, or even a slightly lower one, by the number of machines you see in this room. Then add in the cost of maintenance, which could run somewhere in the neighborhood of $1,500 a month, more for electronic equipment, like treadmills. We'll generally spend between, oh, on an average, I would say, of 4 to 5,000 a month in new equipment over the course of the year.

Maybe 50 to 75,000 per year in new equipment, but believe it or not, that's not a big expense. A lot of money goes out for our equipment, but it is kept up to, we try to keep up the equipment we have. That's very important. People would rather not see equipment in the facility than see equipment without a border sign on it. The overhead required to keep a gym in business is no small expense, and it keeps owners and managers constantly looking for new revenues. Most coming from the sale of new memberships, but to get and keep members, a club must be competitive. Somebody wants something in here, we get enough requests for it, we get it in here and we get it in here fast. Much better equipment for the type of training that I like to do. I'm into intense, heavy, and 24 hour day activity, excuse me, access, and I really was looking forward to a gym that would give that to me. The other facility just didn't fit into my time frame.

Over here, it's more of a neighborhood homey type feel, and everyone here is more customer-oriented, I guess. And if you're a new member, they don't just drop you off, basically, and say, okay, after one or two sessions around your own, you kind of follow up. But fitness centers revenues are not totally dependent on memberships. There are also the fitness accessories, for example, vitamins and nutrients, meal replacement powders and energy bonds, clothing, and workout gear. The supplements and the clothing are actually there just to keep the member happy. We get non-members that get them for gifts and especially on the holidays. People can come here, they can sit at the bar, after workout, they can hang out, they can talk to friends, they can have a shake. It's a full-service holistic type of approach. Well, as with anything else, location is also crucial to the success of the fitness biz, too. While many major clubs, like Bally's Fitness, are free-standing, in their quest for a target 25 to 49-year-old clientele, health club owners tell me, they now seek locations near coffee houses and bookstores. Very clever.

So you could either read a book or get fit, I guess, or both, or have some cappuccino afterwards. Or at least in espresso, less calories. Thank you, Dick. Still ahead tonight, about this terrific weather, is it going to continue? We'll tell you, the forecast is coming up. And in sports, more on that remarkable next trade, stay tuned. Well, Jerry's off tonight, but as we've shown you earlier, Rich Young has been out on the links all day today. In a sports mode right now, Rich, what's happening? You've got the report tonight.

Well, can't first about Biscobal. The net's new players make their debut tomorrow night at the Medellins, when Pat Riley and the Heat Come to Town. The normal survey of NBA general manager shows that the net's cleaned up in the nine-player deal. Coach Calipari is looking forward to the flexibility he now has, especially with Elizabeth native Chris Gatling on his side. It's a fun coach in those kind of guys, because it's, who's hurt? Okay, well, today you play the three. Don't worry about it. You play it. Who's guarding him? And that's how I like to coach. So it gives us some movement, and Chris Gatling is a talented, talented player. And it's a good kid. Comes from a good family. There's a mother and father, Ray and Becky live right down the road here. Season ticket holders already. So we don't have to give them tickets. Well, another NBA news. Orange native Richie Adubato will take over the coaching duties of the Orlando Magic, that after your studies, firing or firing of Coach Brian Hill. In the NHL, the Devils host the Rangers tonight, riding a nine-game home on beaten streak, and an 11-game on beaten streak overall. They are 405 in those games, and with a win or tie tonight, they will tie a 1994 club on beaten record.

A win tonight could put the Devils into second place ahead of Florida. And from the stories that never die. Remember Jeff Frey or Lang? He's the guy who was convicted of throwing a snowball during a 1995 Giants game. Well, Lang is filed a lawsuit against the Giants and the sports and exposition authority, claiming they violated his right to privacy. You might recall Lang's picture was plastered all over the media after the incident. The reward was offered, but the medallins caused the suit frivolous. That's it here from Summerton Springs in Hamilton Township, Iron Rich Young. And back to you and trying for me to go hit a bucket of balls. Go ahead Rich, thank you. And as we've shown you, it was a beautiful day across New Jersey today. Sunshine and temperatures well into the 60s. As far as our air quality goes for tomorrow, we can expect good air quality across the state. And here's the forecast in North Jersey tonight, cloudy with the chance of some rain. Tomorrow, a mostly sunny day with a high of 50, not bad. In South Jersey tonight, clear skies with lows in the 30s and tomorrow's sunny, with highs in the lower 50s.

And finally tonight, it is Black History Month, and we pay special tribute to the history and culture of African Americans during this time. But as Belinda Morton reports, for one gallery owner in South Orange, Black History and Culture are a way of life and work. I've always been like, struggled as an artist. I had a small advertising agency in South Carolina and I displayed my works, did shows, did local shows, did a lot of commission work. And never could really penetrate the industry. It just wasn't enough art happening in South Carolina to really, you know, keep me surviving. Bernard Jackson has struggled as an artist for most of his adult life. He supports himself and his family by doing scenic work on major films and sitcoms like the Bill Cosby Show. His work on the Cosby Show made it possible for him to display his rendition of the legendary Satchel page. The first baseball player from the Negro Leagues inducted into the National Baseball Hall of Fame on the set of the show.

While it hasn't been easy, his struggle hasn't prevented him from giving something back to the community. Three years ago, he opened a gallery where local African American artists could display their work and others could learn about African American culture. We have a lot of sculptures that are done by local artists. We have a lot of originals. We carry a lot of originals that are done by local artists. We do carry books, but we carry specialized books. We search for those books that are out of print. This is actually the only place that took my works in and had a lot of faith in me in my arts. And it's been great ever since. He chose South Orange because he wanted a location that reminded him of home in South Carolina. But his memories of home, which inspired his college series, has gotten him some criticism. In the series, I over accentuated all our features because I find those things to be the most beautiful thing about us. I consider robust women very attractive. Full lips, I love them.

Some African Americans have a problem with those over accentuations, but like said from down south, my parents always told us those things are beautiful. Jackson's fight to keep the gallery going is a continuous struggle. If dreams could come true, Jackson says he'd like to have a Renaissance gallery in every city across the country. Belinda Morton and JN News, South Orange. And that's our news for tonight. I can't mount a hand for Dick and all of us here at NJN News. Thank you for being with us and we'll see you again tomorrow night. .

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