NJN News; Friday July 17, 1998 [Master, Original]

You Does the mob have ties to local police in Bergen County? These letter carriers are armed with more than mail in one Essex County neighborhood. Two lawmakers fuel a plan to fund transportation without hiking the gas tax. South Jersey leaders set their goals for an upcoming empowerment summit. And GPU reaches a deal to sell its three-mile island nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania. NJN News for Friday, July 17th. Major funding for NJN News is made possible by Grants Truff.

The Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, which believes that an informed citizen released to a healthy democracy. The SENG 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 mob and the police.

Federal and Bergen County authorities are investigating corruption inside the Lodi Police Department. Officials are looking into claims linking officers to illegal gambling, prostitution, and the Genevieve's crime family. As Belinda Morton reports, county investigators are helping manage the department during the corruption probe. Federal authorities are trying to determine if members of the Lodi Police knew about gambling and prostitution at an unlisted local massage parlor and also stolen goods at this local gym. The massage parlor's owners are believed to have ties to men indicted for gambling and loan-sharking, headed by reputed Genevieve's couple, Joseph the Eagle Gallo. An unnamed police officer told the Herald News of Paseyak that the cops hang out with the guys who run these businesses and knew what was going on. Federal authorities say John Gatto has run the North Jersey faction of the Genevieve's crime family since his father, Louis Strieke Gatto, was convicted in 1991.

Local officials say the allegations are unfounded, and they welcome the county monitors. Everything that has been going on is really just allegations and conjecture. I couldn't, nothing, there's no charges have been filed. Law enforcement officials would not comment on a camera, however the Bergen County prosecutor in a written statement said. His office is not conducting a takeover of the Lodi Police Department but rather monitoring and assisting in its management, operation and administration. This is not the first time Lodi Police have come under scrutiny. About six years ago, two officers were sent to prison for admitting they accepted cocaine payments from a drug ring that operated out of a local bakery in exchange for looking the other way. Despite misconduct claims, local residents stand behind the police department. A lot of the fellows come from long time families of Lodi, so we respect their family background.

I have to hire a system for all our police officers. I think they do a excellent job in the borough of Lodi. The county monitors will remain at Lodi Police headquarters throughout the federal probe. Belinda Morton, NJN News, Lodi. In Morris County, police say they've cracked several burglary rings operating in North Jersey. 22 men have been indicted on charges of operations that hit a dozen towns. A Morris County grand jury handed up the indictments, which included charges of burglary, robbery, aggravated assault and arson. One group was dubbed the bicycle bandits, because they cased neighborhoods by riding bicycles. Authorities began looking into the operations last fall. Postal workers are going high tech in the name of crime prevention in suburban Essex County. Mail carriers in Maplewood are using cell phones. If they see a problem, they hit a digit that directly ties in to a police dispatcher. It's called the Postal Phone Eye Network, a voluntary program set up in cooperation with the local police department.

So far, 29 mail carriers have signed up. Law enforcement authorities say it's an arrangement that makes sense, because the letter carriers are out and about in the community every day. If they see a crime in progress, they can provide police with vital information quickly. We think that both the postal carriers and the police department, this will be a situation that works extremely well together. It is beneficial for both us and the town and for the post office. Postal workers who participate in the program will be at the ready to report not only illicit activities, but also emergency medical situations, like fires and accidents. Seven-year veteran Nico Niel says the phones are a community investment. Just about a year ago, someone had a heart attack in a business. I walked into the business and he was on the ground. So basically, I had to call up right away. I had to go to a neighbor's house and call up with the phone. It might have been a lot quicker.

The more than two dozen cell phones are being paid for through a law enforcement block grant. Two Republican Assemblymen have a plan to fund state transportation without hiking the gas tax. Assemblyman Scott Garrett and Michael Carroll say the Whitman plan depends too much on borrowing. They propose constitutional amendments, dedicating a half a cent of the sales tax, plus an existing four-cent wholesale gasoline tax to transportation. Their plan would yield $700 million a year, not the $900 million the governor says is needed. Every time we hear from the Department of Transportation, they tell us we have to spend more money. They were always underfunding the program. But when I talk to other people around the state, they question whether the legitimacy of some of these dollars and whether we are maybe at the appropriate level at the 700 figure or even a slightly lower figure at this point. The Assemblyman also proposed cutting the sales tax by a penny because they say the state is rolling in surplus revenue. We reported earlier this week on questions of undue influence

in the awarding of a state contract for a new auto-emission system for New Jersey. Today, the state signed a letter of intent on that $63 million contract with Parsons' technology of California. Parsons was the only bidder. Now that the state's three decade long lawsuit over school funding and poor districts is over, some suburban districts are battling for more money. The Association of Middle-income Districts announced 17 more school systems are joining its lawsuit against the state. The Association, which includes 42 school systems, is suing the state to change the way schools are funded. The Districts want less reliance on property taxes. The state has not yet answered the complaint, but officials believe the current funding law is fair. Leaders from South Jersey met in Atlantic City today to plan strategies for empowerment summit two. The state-wide initiative is designed to provide opportunities for New Jersey's minority communities. As Ken St. John reports, some in Atlantic City are still reaping benefits from the first summit.

The participants were from all over the South Jersey area, representing community, religious, non-profit, state, and development agencies. Governor Whitman, in her budget address, announced a new program that will commit $450 million to minority communities throughout the state to develop economic projects that will empower the people who live and work there. What they do that program does is to buy boarded up buildings. People can buy it and develop businesses there, housing, or small businesses, beauty parlors, and whatever it is. And the community will have a say about it. The focus of this planning session is to make sure that South Jersey is included. All times when we have statewide activities people in South Jersey indicate that their concerns and their issues and the input is not included in the process. Empowerment Summer 2 is a follow-up to summit 1, held in East Brunswick last fall. A lot of things came out of the first summit. One of the things was networking, developing strategies

for various community development, economic empowerment. It's one thing to plan a meeting and develop a strategy for a good community cause. But do these gatherings benefit the people they are designed to empower and help? Bruce Williams thinks so. I think the summit 1 project was a springboard and a spark for this project. And you will be operating your own business here? Yes, I will. We're working with the Economic Development Authority now, and I intend to open up a small breakfast and lunch cafe with small manufacturing capabilities. Williams business will be part of a bigger, retail, and housing project. There are two apartment buildings with six retail stores, 24 apartments. New St. where it will double also as a mini conference center. Expectations are high for Empowerment Summit 2. It will be held in September at the North Performing Arts Center. Can St. John, NJN News, and Atlantic City. And NJN will air a special presentation of the Empowerment Summit as a special two-hour edition of our another view program in the fall on October 18th.

Still ahead tonight on NJN News, a dubious anniversary is remembered today. The wrecking ball hovers over this asbury park landmark. And finding a job this summer can almost be a sure thing. We'll explain. Thank you. A day of mourning today for families and friends

who lost loved ones in the TWA Flight 800 tragedy. In New York, relatives marked the second anniversary of the tragedy at a service on the beach near where the plane blew up. 230 passengers and crew members were killed off Long Island in 1996. Seven of them were from New Jersey. While investigators know the plane's center fuel tank exploded, it's still not known for sure why. Relatives have announced the creation of a new fund to help victims of air crashes. They want the airline industry to help pay expenses like mortgages and education. A federal jury in Miami has awarded a Mammoth County family more than $2 million in connection with an airline crash in 1995. The jury awarded ordered American Airlines to pay Jamie and Lucy Montero of Eaton Town in a case involving the wrongful death of their son. He was flying to visit his parents' homeland when Flight 965 blew into a Colombian mountainside. A judge had ruled the airline was at fault in the crash that claimed 159 lives. A West Orange man whose daughter was killed in a terrorist bombing in Israel

went to Washington today to seek legal help in his fight against Iran. Stephen Flato and Senator Frank Lautenberg met with national security adviser, Stanley Berger. Flato was trying to collect a $247 million judgment against Iran for the death of his daughter Alisha. She died in a suicide bus bombing in the Gaza Strip in 1995. But the U.S. Justice Department is resisting the family's efforts to force the sale of three Washington properties owned by Iran to pay some of the compensation for their loss. After more than 100 years, the Palace of Musements in Asbury Park is slated for the wrecking ball. The landmark funhouse has been an oceanfront fixture and thanks to Bruce Springsteen, a pop culture icon. Marie DeNoia reports the plan destruction marks a sad moment for this struggling city. On the face of it, this is a story about a very old building that is finally given into time, decay, and relentless oceanfront exposure.

Citizens Union said that it should be demolished. That's right. But for some, the decision to demolish this building articulates a different kind of loss, one with greater depth and greater implications. It's, you know, it's just another ending when we should be having beginnings here. Asbury Park has seen its share of beginnings during the last ten years, redevelopment schemes that promise to revitalize a town that can't even attract people through its beach on a hot summer day, schemes that brimmed with hope and expectation. Just don't give up hope. Hang in there. We're going to deliver the building in May of 91. Never happened, nor did at least two other enthusiastic proposals. And the plans keep rolling in. There are some things taking place right now, which I think will start to begin that run as on. For his part, visitor Bob Welling is content to look back. In fact, he has his memories of the palace permanently etched onto his skin.

And when you look at the head, do you always think about Asbury Park? Oh, yeah, I guess so. This is where, like, and the memories were etched in, right? Where fun first began, right? It's also where Bruce Freestein first began. He sang about the palace and born to run. He won't images of it and the city the way it was into so many of his lyrics and his videos. But now the unequivocal smile beams from a building that has been declared a danger to human health. The city engineer says it must come down or risk falling down onto the nearby streets and sidewalk. And while the developer who owns it wants to send in his own engineer for a second opinion, the sad writing is on the crumbling walls. Asbury Park, the place that has lost its lustre as the jewel of the Jersey Shore, must prepare to lose yet another of its claims to fame. Those smiling faces that said fun is still just around the corner or getting ready to fall. Marie DeNoia and JN News, Asbury Park.

Still along the shore, as towns there continue to fill up with tourists ready to spend big bucks on summer fun, some business owners are still looking for seasonal help. Mary Ann Bennett reports that at a mid-summer point, there are still plenty of jobs. We just let we take a chance and we came here and we got in the park and on the Freestein and we had jobs within an hour of nothing. Karen came all the way from Ireland to work on the Jersey Shore. She's not alone. This year I have children from Lithuania, Czechoslovakia, Russia, France, Scotland, England, Ireland. Bill Erwin started hiring exchange workers 10 years ago when finding seasonal help became a real challenge. It's just one of many techniques managers have come up with to fill in the gaps. Most experienced short business owners say they can fill positions in just about any economy because they start looking when they're still snow on the ground, a tactic they learned back in the 80s when they actually had a close shop early because of a lack of help. In February, March, April, we go into the high schools, we do a little pitch there, then we try a couple kids out.

Some seasonal business owners say it's clear that the less experienced managers are struggling for help this summer. My friend has a restaurant up in Point Pleasant area and she's telling me that she put an ad in the paper for like three weeks. She ran an ad looking for like short-order cooks, waitress staff, and people aren't responding. But old pros like Erwin who's been working in the boards for 40 years says dealing with a seasonal business in a fluctuating economy comes with experience and state business analyst Echo Erwin sentiment that one times are good and full-time jobs are a plenty. Managers offering seasonal employment will have to come up with ingenious ways to find workers who can keep their businesses afloat for the summer. Marianne Bennett and JN News see side heights. It's a good job market. Well we're all of the jobs theme here Ken. What have you got for us tonight? Well managed healthcare puts the squeeze on jobs at a Somerset County maker of medical testing devices. And step right up shopping for jeans, jewelry, and a job all in one place. Stay with us.

In tonight's business report, 400 workers in the ortho clinical diagnostics division of Johnson and Johnson are being asked to show themselves the door. JNJ says it needs to reduce the staff and ortho by approximately 400 in the United States to bring down costs to satisfy managed healthcare restrictions. Ortho provides diagnostic blood screening to services. The company says it hopes enough employees will take early voluntary separation packages.

It is offering by October 1st to prevent outright layoffs. JNJ could not say how many of the cuts will be in New Jersey where the ortho diagnostic division has about 800 employees. The merger of Lockheed Martin with fellow aerospace giant Northrop Grumman has been scrapped. Two companies were unable to overcome antitrust hurdles at the Justice Department and the Pentagon to consummate their proposed $8.3 billion marriage. In the end, Lockheed Martin pulled the plug on the deal. Both companies say they'll simply continue business as usual going their own separate ways. Lockheed Martin makes space, military systems, military aircraft and defense related electronics. About 3,000 work on those electronics at the company's Burlington County facility. In addition, Lockheed has about 3,500 employees at eight other sites in New Jersey making for a total employment of about 6,500 here. Northrop has no presence in New Jersey. Morristown Headquartered GPU Energy has found a buyer for its three-mile island nuclear power plant. A joint venture between Philadelphia-based Pico Energy and British Energy will pay GPU $100 million in cash for the only working reactor.

It's on the site where the worst nuclear energy accident in US history occurred in 1979. GPU will still own that ruined reactor number two. The sale is part of GPU's announced plan to get out of the power generation business to concentrate instead on power delivery. Well, so far the deregulation of energy is resulting in higher prices for New Jersey consumers. PSC and G says it needs its second rate increase in a year to cover the rising wholesale costs of natural gas. The utility is seeking a rate increase of 2.8%. PSC and G says for the average natural gas customer, that would amount to about $24. PSC and G says it underestimated how quickly the price of natural gas would rise in the deregulated market. Well, stocks turned in some anemic gains today, but the week was a barn burner. Otherwise, for Wall Street, the Dow today gained only nine and three quarters points to close at the 93-37 level. But for the week, the Dow advanced 232 points or 2.6% of value. The amics composite today rose not quite four and a half, and as that composite hit a new high with an eight and a quarter point gain.

The S&P 500 edged up two and three quarters. Bond prices retreated again today, the long bond off just under three eighths of a point, and as you'll finishing the week at five and three quarters percent. In a tight labor market, recruiters and employment agencies have had to be creative. As you've seen in a previous report here, to seek the eye of catch the eye, that is, of job seekers. Well, now Maureen Duffy tells us of an innovative attempt to get people to browse for a job while they window shop with a local mall. If you shop for clothes or electronics or toys at a mall, why not a job, or maybe even a career? Well, step right up to the future. I like one step, Shaffer. You are looking at the latest tool in employing recruiting, an ATM machine in the midst of an employer of commerce that with the touch of a screen could lead the user to a new job. It gives us the opportunity to tap into some qualified candidates that might not apply at our offices, extend our candidate base and offer more people to our client companies. Adeco, a Swiss-based global employment agency, uses these kiosks, they call the job shop, together applicant information, such as ours, experience, education and salary, a sort of mini resume.

I think it's pretty interesting. You know, it's the blood easier than looking in the paper. Right now, the job shop sends all its information to a regional office, but Adeco says in the next phase, data will be separated by zip code. So even if I'm visiting from California, I can still be looking for a job in my hometown. And why not, the service is free to the candidate, and since Adeco has over 3,000 offices worldwide, who knows where one might land a job while shopping at the mall? It's just high technology, and that's what everything is about today, and it's just an extension of everything else that's happening. Well, Adeco plans to bring another job shop, as it's called to the state in August of the Garden State Plaza, no word can yet, and how many people might actually have found a job through those job shop kiosks. They're kind of clever, though. Very interesting. You can kill time.

Well, how about killing time this weekend? It's going to be a great one to do just that. Outside, we have a great forecast for you coming up just ahead, and we'll have details of how your weekend's going to stack up and a milestone million mile for these bike riders. We'll have that story, too. Some boxing news tonight in an unusual move, heavyweight boxer Mike Tyson will appear before New Jersey's athletic control board later on this month. Tyson has applied for a license to box in New Jersey. Most applicants are evaluated without a formal hearing.

However, Tyson has been barred from boxing in Nevada after biting Evander Holyfield during his last bout there. The hearing is set for July 29th. In word, it was humid today, a warm and sticky day across New Jersey. Some parts of the state had heavy showers amid those warm temperatures that reached into the upper 80s. The National Weather Service says portions of Atlantic and Ocean counties got three inches of rain today. Conditions along the shore weren't much different. This was the scene at Belmar Beach on the boardwalk there as showers drenched the area. Certainly slicker weather, except for these fellas. As far as our ozone watch goes for tomorrow, expect moderate levels across the state. Here's a look at the New Jersey forecast. In the northern part of the state tonight, the chance of a shower then clearing with lows in the upper 60s. Tomorrow, sunny and less humid highs in the mid 80s. In South Jersey tonight, clear and cool with lows in the mid 50s. And tomorrow, lots of sunshine with highs in the mid 80s. Enjoy it.

And finally tonight, they're riding for runaways. And last night, volunteer bicyclists for New Jersey's anchor house hit the 1 million mile mark. It's taken 20 years of pedal pushing to reach this milestone. The millionth mile came just outside Frederick, Maryland. Bikers have ridden in North Carolina and Virginia and will pass through Pennsylvania and then back home. Anchor House's executive director says 70% of the annual rides pledges are rolled right back into the shelter. And it's programs for runaways. So lots of energy and exercise all for a very good cause. Good legs are a problem. I think so. And that's our news for tonight. I'm Kent Matahand for Dick and all of us here at NJN News. Have a good weekend, everyone. We'll see you Monday. You

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