NJN News; Wednesday July 8, 1998

You Three cities wage war over where to duck the battleship New Jersey. A public interest group grades state law makers. A group of legislators wants a new net and devil's arena to be built just blocks from Newark's performing arts center. I'm Kent St. John in Atlantic City where a transportation war is brewing and once again Donald Trump is at the center. I'll have that story. And the science of teaching these educators get a special summer course and JN News for Wednesday,

July 8. Major funding for NJN News is made possible by Grants Trust. The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation which believes that an informed citizen released to a healthy democracy. The SCNG committed to serving customers strengthening the business community and investing in New Jersey's future. First union serves the financial needs of individuals and businesses from Connecticut to Florida. HIP Health Plan of New Jersey dedicated to providing quality health care to employees of large and small businesses as well as individuals for two decades. And by Bell Atlantic in partnership with public television, serving to form, enlighten and educate the citizens of New Jersey.

From NJN, the New Jersey Channel, the Emmy Award-winning NJN News with Kent Manahan, Dick Forney with Business, and Jerry Henry with Sports. Good evening. The USS New Jersey is heading to New Jersey, but a battle is shaping up over where to dock it. The famous warship that saw action in World War II and Vietnam is slated to become a floating museum. Both houses of Congress have voted to bring it here, but three New Jersey ports cities want the ship. Michael Aaron has the story. She's the most decorated naval vessel in U.S. history, one of only four so-called Iowa class battleships. The USS New Jersey was used by the Navy for 48 years. Now she's been mothballed and is ready to become a memorial to the naval history she participated in. For more than 20 years, New Jerseyans have been trying to lure her here. The USS New Jersey Battleship Commission has

that task and has raised four million dollars toward it so far, largely through the sale of specialized license plates, but where to put her three cities, water, and made their pitches before the commission today? One is Camden, where the waterfront has undergone significant redevelopment. Historically, Philadelphia has been a shipbuilding capital since the 1700s. In present day, the Camden waterfront has been reborn. There are a number of attractions already on the waterfront. The battleship would add to it. But while the Camden representatives were making their case, the mayors of Bayon and Jersey City were waiting. Bayon has the closed military ocean terminal, which local officials think would allow for a faster and cheaper accommodation than Liberty State Park at Jersey City. At the least, they think it should be in North Jersey. Because of the number of people and the fact that it was the accessibility issue, I think that we've proven that it's more difficult to out in the Camden area, the aquarium's lack of success or some of the problems they have show that this would be the area. Jersey City officials admit they'd have

to dredge to bring the battleship to Liberty State Park, but they're proposing putting it out in the water. I would visiters get there. The same way you get them to the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island. It's also the best way to display the ship. This is a ship, which is a beautiful ship, and it's best, I think, display not at a shipyard or at a cargo terminal, but out in the water. The chairman of the battleship commission is leaning toward one of the North Jersey sites. The area that has the biggest population center that will make this successful. I'm in a supermarket but I only put markets where there are people. As Lena says, the commission will announce in about three weeks whether Camden, Jersey City or Bayon gets the battleship New Jersey. Michael Aaron, NJN News, Jersey City. Opening arguments took place today in the retrial of James Landano on cop killing charges. Landano's conviction was overturned twice, but the state is retrying him for the 1976 murder of Newark police officer John Snow during an armed robbery. Today in court, the prosecutor said the key evidence against Landano would be a hat stained

with the blood of the victim, a hat belonging to Landano. Similar? No, ladies and gentlemen, it is the exact same hat that was recovered from the escape vehicle, and I will prove that, and I will prove it through FBI testimony of analysis performed by an FBI special agent. But the defense argued that the three men associated with the breed motorcycle gang planned and executed the crime and planted Landano's hat in the getaway car. It never was associated with the breed. He didn't know them, he didn't have any contact with them. He's just a much victim, in this case, as police officer John Snow. He has been incarcerated, he has been labeled a cop killer, he has been vilified, and he is not guilty, ladies and gentlemen, he did not do it. The trial is expected to go on for about a month. Tomorrow's court appearance by the so-called prom mom in Mammoth County has been postponed. Authorities don't give any word on why,

and no new date has been set. A source has indicated 19-year-old Melissa Drexler would plead guilty to her reduced charge in the death of her newborn. Authorities charged, she killed her baby, after giving birth at her senior prom last year in Aberdeen. Federal authorities in Newark have charged a Korean man with orchestrating a plan to smuggle 23 Chinese men into New Jersey. The plot went sour when their boat ran aground in bayhead in May. Authorities claim NAM Chik Yo was waiting at the intended drop-off point further north in Belmar. He's charged with alien smuggling. In addition, the captain and three others have agreed to return to New Jersey to face federal charges in the case. New Jersey's 1996 welfare reform law has suffered its first legal setback. The state appeals court today struck down a provision that forced families moving in from other states to accept lower welfare payments. The court says that's unconstitutional. It might be summer, but grades on two subjects are just now coming in for state lawmakers.

The New Jersey Public Interest Research Group today announced scores they've given lawmakers in conjunction with a new website, where the public can get access to information on their legislators. State House correspondent Jim Hooker logs on with this report. The New Jersey Public Interest Research Group unveiled its new website today designed to put New Jerseyans in closer touch with their elected representatives in Trenton. We need tools for citizens to reactivate their ability to contact their legislator, express their opinions. Perg figures those opinions, which can be emailed to lawmakers from the page, may be colored by the legislative scorecards carried on the page. The scores are based only on votes on several environmental and consumer bills. Overall, lawmakers scored an average 78 percent,

with nearly half above that mark, and slightly more than half below it. It has clearly been a mixed bag. However, as you can see from the scorecards, other votes happen that we disagreed with. Democrat Reed Gussierro was one of a dozen assembly members who scored 100 percent. Ten of those are Democrats. In the Senate, five of the eight hundreds were Democrats. Well, I'm honored to get the recognition from Perg. I think that Perg's a good organization that looks out for the consumer, looks out for the taxpayer. But Republican Senator Gerald Cardinali, who with a 40 percent score, was lowest in the Senate, told NJN News, quote, My constituents think I more adequately represent their interests than does Perg. Perg represents a very narrow spectrum of the population of New Jersey, pretty much the spectrum of the left, Democrat or Republican. Perg denies the claim. Those 80 and above scores demonstrate that this is clearly not a left biased positions that were taking their majority health positions by the citizens of New Jersey.

The scores were given for environmental and consumer protection bills that were up before the legislature last year in the last term. Now, all 120 lawmakers are listed in the web pages, but only 103 were scored. 17 lawmakers weren't rated because they weren't in their respective houses at the time. The web pages also carry some campaign spending information. And Kent, for those who don't have access to computers, Perg is still giving out these flyers, door to door if you call the organization. Don't many of the legislators already have their own websites, Jim? They do have websites they're administered by the state. And while those pages talk about bills before the legislature, they don't list the votes. And they also don't have this campaign spending information that Perg carries, something that Assemblyman Gussiura told us he'd like to see on those pages. Now, on their own websites, you can see your picture. They get the pictures there for us, right? Thank you, Jim. Well, a new home for the New Jersey nets. The team has some new owners who want the basketball franchise moved to Newark. Today,

Essex County Senator Richard Cody announced a legislative full court press to bring the nets and the devils to the state's largest city. Cody and a group of other area lawmakers claim an arena in Newark would team up with the performing arts center to further the city's revitalization. I feel a lot of legislators say to me, Dick, you know, my family went down to the art center and thought it was great. So because of the art center, there's a new image out in this state about the city of Newark. And how they went down there, not only did they enjoy the event, the concert, the player, or whatever, but they said, this is a nice site. And if Newark is selected, Cody says construction could get underway in about two years. Some Atlantic City taxi drivers are crying out no fare. Trump properties has contracted with Jitney buses to take patrons from one property to another for free. Taxis claim that that's taking away their customers and could be forcing some of them out of business. Ken St. John has more. That was the ride. Great. You enjoy the convenience?

Oh, yeah. It was wonderful. We didn't have to pay the dollar and a half. This is what the flap is over. Trump patrons getting a free lift to any of four Trump properties. The free shuttles started on Monday to the surprise of cabbys in the city. The Jitney Association contracted with Trump properties to provide the service at $18 an hour. The cabbys say, however, that the service is taking them for a ride. Competition is fine if you aren't an even playing field. It's obviously not an even playing field. If they have free transportation and obviously we can provide free transportation, it's killing our business. And specifically, this is the summer season where a lot of our majority of our money is made. A Trump spokeswoman says, quote, this is a courtesy that we have implemented as an amenity per Trump customers. And they must have a casino card for service. End quote, but all you have to do to get a card is fill out paperwork. Meanwhile, Jitney drivers weren't talking. Do you think you're hurting the cab drivers? I'm working now, my friend. You're going to have to talk to our president association. For their part, the Jitney Association says they are just doing good business. I think the anger is a little misplaced by the Taxi Association.

The problem is direct casino casino shuttling, not that the Jitneys are doing the shuttling. We happen to be low bitter. We had lost out one bid on the showboat to Harris Shuttle. All right, so we decided to take a shot at it and we got it. But not everyone on the Jitney thinks it's fair. Well, for us it is, but like you say, for the cab drivers, it's not. I mean, I like a cab driver personally because I get there quicker. Both sides have agreed to a 48-hour cooling off period. Murray Rosenberg operates 90 cabs in the city. It's my understanding we're going to try to make they are going to try to make some effort to come to an accommodation with a casino is whereby shuttling of any kind, perhaps could be abandoned. We of course would like to see that. Having a good discussions with the taxi people and we expect within a couple days a situation to be amenable. The two sides meet again on Friday at City Hall. Ken St. John NJN News at Lansing City. Moving to a new auto emissions testing system around the state may not be so easy. The DMB admits that its new tougher auto emission system will be confusing. Beginning next month,

the DMV will phase in a two-year inspection cycle. And that means it could be difficult for police to tell who has an expired inspection sticker and who's been granted a one-year extension. Triple A is predicting police will pull over motorists or not do for inspections. The DMV promises it's all going to do what it can to avoid any confusion at all. And from the roads to the rails, a compromise in Washington will give Amtrak some extra money. U.S. Senator Frank Lautenberg says the Senate has agreed to give the passenger railway more than half a billion dollars next year. The appropriation should spare Amtrak from having to take money from its long-term capital improvement account. Those funds are deemed essential if Amtrak is to become self-sufficient by the year 2002. And New Jersey Transit has its first compressed natural gas bus. It's the first of 50 buses the company will buy eventually. It's a prototype that's designed to reduce emissions. The first bus will undergo a test period to examine its durability.

After the kinks have been worked out, the remaining 49 will be manufactured. The buses will replace older diesel months. And still to come tonight on NJN News, there's a new player in town along the boardwalk. The plug could soon be pulled at one of New Jersey's nuclear power plants. And we'll take you to Science High where teachers are getting some down-to-earth lessons. New Jersey Congressman Robert Menendez is asking Congress to push through legislation to fund

dredging projects. The $47 million measure for six waterways has passed the House and is now in a U.S. Senate committee. Menendez says dredging is vital to maintaining business in Port Newark and Elizabeth, where companies like C-Land have threatened to pull up anchor. Once you lose major companies like C-Land and Merst, then it is incredibly difficult to attract that traffic through other companies. Under the bill, money is also being allocated for dredging the Arthur Kill and Perth Amboy and for Port Jersey Channel deepening project as well. It could be lights out at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant. GPU announced today it has not found a buyer. And the company is now saying that from a financial standpoint, it makes the most sense to shut the facility down. As NJN News reported to

you last night, Pico Energy had been talking about possibly buying the plant, but that fell through. GPU says it now has two options, either close the plant or continue to operate until its license expires in the year 2009. As spokesman says closing the facility is preferred. A final decision though is expected next year. In education news tonight, you might think for teachers, summer recess is a time to kick back and relax. Well, as we're about to show you, that's not always the case. On tonight's education agenda, Rich Young spends a day in class with a group of Mercer County teachers who are spending part of their summer in a classroom, learning better science teaching methods. For some, putting food coloring in a petri dish creates only a vivid rainbow, but to these elementary school teachers from three Mercer districts, this simple experiment is science. These are some of the 110 teachers from schools in Ewing Lawrence and West Windsor, who are learning new things about science, new ways to teach it, and new ways to help kids learn.

It allows them to use their critical thinking skills a lot more to really disseminate information. The teachers are enrolled in a summer program called E equals MC squared. Since some teachers find science overwhelming, here they're trying to make the subject easy to learn so that when they're standing in front of a class, they can better relate to what's being taught. A big part of the program is changing the role of teachers, rather than have them act as a preacher, they're more like a guide. No longer to be the sage on the sage, so to speak, but be the guide on the side. No longer to think they have to know all the information and provide all the answers and lecture to students, but allow students or inquiry to develop their own questions and research and hypothesize. Many of these experiments will be sent in kids to classrooms this fall. Organizers believe the kids are turned out to science at a young age that will spur life-long interest. It's going to help them in their problem solving, learning how to formulate hypothesis and not just in science, but in everything. The program partly sponsored by

the National Science Foundation began two years ago, it's currently being emulated statewide. Richeng and Jay and News, Lawrence Township. Coming up in business, two of the state's horse racing tracks could be running with new owners. Stay tuned for that story. The Coney is off tonight. Richeng has moved from the education beat to the business beat.

Night with news about a couple of New Jersey racetracks. Well, maybe a bright light for the state's trouble tracks. There's a deal in the works tonight to sell freehold raceway into Lee's Garden State Park in Cherry Hill. Greenwood racing, their current operators of Philadelphia Park will pay international thoroughbred readers, $45 million for the two New Jersey tracks, and there's a possible additional bonus, Greenwood will throw in $10 million more if the state legalizes off track and telephone betting. Voters would have to approve that in a November referendum. Greenwood President Bob Green tells us that's a critical move if New Jersey tracks are to thrive. The deal is subject to shareholder and regulatory approval. Elsewhere on the betting front, there could soon be more casino competition in Atlantic City. The New Jersey Casino Control Commission cleared the way for board gaming to operate a casino in the shore resort. The Nevada based company, which currently owns 12 casinos in five states, would receive a license once it opens a casino. Wood is now trying to reach an agreement with Mirage to jointly operate a casino hotel in the city's Marina district. The next time you go out to buy Motrin or Tylenol,

look for a new label. Johnson and Johnson is changing the labels of its two popular painkillers. The new versions add warnings, advising people to check with their doctors before taking the drugs if they're also consuming three or more alcoholic drinks. J&J says combining the drugs with alcohol increases the risk of stomach bleeding. Tylenol users were already worn Tylenol and alcohol can cause liver damage. A late rally helped boost an already strong day on Wall Street with several of the markets closing at record levels. The Dow Jones industrial average climbed nearly 90 points to close at the 91-74 level. The AMX gained two thirds. The NASDAQ rose 27 to a record close and the S&P 500 also broke a record after gaining nearly 11-3 quarters. In the bond market, interest rates edged higher. The 30-year treasury dropped 9-30 seconds. It's yielded at 5.62 percent and canters talk of another summer rally earnings reports are starting to come out and it's looking good for many companies. All right, Rich, thank you. Still ahead tonight, a check of the forecast coming up for you. And New Jersey high school

football stars are ready to tackle the Empire State details straight ahead. If you have a comment, call NJN News at 1-8. Jersey 1 for our email address. NJN News at AOL.com Kind of a gray rainy day around New Jersey today. Temperatures mostly in the 70s. The kind of weather, the flower beds here at the Avis Campbell Garden in Montclair thrive on.

It's a place for school groups and those a little older too who are green of thumb to learn about gardening and see beauties like these peach-colored roses. This purple balloon flower. And you can find out the right way to cut blooms like this Lexington Day lily. Why can't all of our gardens look this beautiful? As far as our ozone watch goes for tomorrow, levels are expected to reach the approaching unhealthy range throughout the state. Here's a look at the New Jersey forecast. In the northern part of the state tonight, it will be cloudy with the chance of a shower tonight, a low of 60 degrees. Tomorrow, partly sunny with the chance of an afternoon shower, highs around 85. In South Jersey tonight, cloudy with the chance of some rain, lows around 60, and tomorrow in the southern part of the state, partly cloudy conditions with highs in the mid-80s. And finally tonight, as we told you last night, New Jersey's best high school football players are practicing all this week for tomorrow's first governor's bowl. The game between New York and New Jersey will mean some big time bragging rights for the winning state. And as Mary Ann Bennett reports,

the garden state players say they're ready to take the empire down. It's New Jersey versus New York once again. The latest battle will get underway tomorrow night on the Rutgers University football field. Of course, I mean, the New Yorker fun spanking the way you look at it like that, yeah. And these players know how to give their opponents a good beating. Otherwise, they'd never make it on this field where there's no room for anything less than the best. Everybody on play with this is like the best, you know, this is the best in New Jersey. It's just unreal. I feel honored, you know, now I could sit down and tell my kids, you know, I played with this guy, that guy, you know, when they when they become famous. These players were hand picked by football experts from across the state. The judges check their stats and screen tapes of their high school games before selecting New Jersey's first governor's ball team. And the state's top coaches are calling the shots. The coaches were working with the best, you know, we have three three offense coaches,

three defense coaches. I mean, the best coaches you can have. I feel very confident with New Jersey. I think I think we're going to beat New York. I definitely do. Tomorrow's New Jersey New York Red Iron Battle will become an annual event. Marianne Bennett, NJN News, New Brunswick. And this football footnote to the story, if New Jersey beats New York, the trophy will be kept at Governor Whitman's office at the Capitol. And one more turf war, you might say. Governor, you had a lot riding on this. We'll find out tomorrow night. That's the news. I'm Cat Mattahan for Rich and all of us here at NJN News. Thank you for being with us, everyone. And we hope to see you back here again tomorrow night.