The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 39

UJ nil qj flfn fm I Coufief Nems Sporting chance New Galyan's store in Wood bridge focuses on outdoor adventures Page D-1 SECTION! FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 2003 Ex-guard facing assault charges in other materials, including information on prior lawsuits and institutional files. Solari plans to file a motion for additional evidence on Grier, she said. According to the indictment, Grier took nude photos of a second inmate and had sex with her in East Brunswick, where she was living, between March 2002 and May 2002, the indictment said. The woman was enrolled in the state Intensive Supervision Program, which indictment handed up by a Hunterdon County grand jury May 1. At a July hearing, Grier's defense attorney requested grand jury transcripts from the indictment, which charged that Grier took nude photographs of an inmate, sent her money and performed oral sex on her in January 2002.

Hunterdon County Assistant Prosecutor Dawn Solari said Thursday that defense attorneys also requested By GIOVANNA FABIANO Staff Writer A former prison guard accused of sexual assault involving three inmates will appear in Superior Court today. Ralph W. Grier, 44, of Trenton, a former guard at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women, was charged with two counts of second-degree sexual assault and three counts of second-degree official misconduct in an the books Grier was employed by the Department of Corrections since 1982, and his salary was $64,662. He is free on $50,000 bail. This is the third time in less than three years that one of the prison's guards has been charged with a sex offense.

Stewart Sella, a former corrections officer and Lebanon Borough councilman, was sentenced to three years in state prison after pleading guilty in 2001 to sexual assault By BILL BOWMAN Staff Writer READINGTON Ignore your customers and they will go away, a group of Hunterdon County business people was told Thursday. Providing excellent customer service "is the factor which will differentiate you from the competition, no matter what business you are in," Rod McNealy, director of Johnson Johnson's Marketing and Advertising College, tqld about 100 people gathered at the Hunterdon County Chamber of Commerce's second annual Futurist Conference. "You have to compete with customer satisfaction," McNealy said. "It's all about relationships." The conference, held at the Stanton Ridge Country Club in the township's Whitehouse Station section, featured addresses by McNealy, Dennis M. Bone, president of Verizon New Jersey, and a panel of other prominent business people, all giving their takes on the emerging importance of good customer service.

A key to providing high levels of customer service, McNealy said, is knowing all about your customers, your competition's customers and what they expect from you. The last part may be tricky, McNealy said, because customer needs change rapidly. "The world is changing rapidly," he said. "What STAFF PHOTOS BY KATHY JOHNSON Judy Purcell quietly reads a driving booklet Thursday during a driver safety course at Hunterdon Medical Center. The courses, specifically geared to senior citizens, help reinforce drivers' knowledge of road regulation and safety.

Courses help seniors brush up on road rules vc-nxom allows inmates to serve sentences at home under supervision. Grier allegedly asked to take nude pictures of a third inmate and have sex with her on Oct. 10, 2001, and Jan. 16, 2002, but she declined, the indictment said. Chris Carden, spokesman for the Corrections Department, had said Grier was fired in March 2002 for "undue familiarity" and "conduct unbecoming an officer." with concerns about changes in their health," said Linda Bryant, director of senior services at the hospital.

"Some are not able to get around like they used to, or they are worried about their failing memory. For others, depression, weight loss and medication schedules are major issues." She said geriatric sessment helps answer questions for both the patient and caregiver and provides valuable resources to help the patient lead a healthier and more independent life. For more information about the AARP Driver Safety course, call (908) 788-6373. For more information on geriatric assessment, call (908) 788-6373. Pamela Srohacan bemachedat(908) 782-2300 NEW 2003 MERCURY jmdlc l3 rtLmium.

i DR. Vo, oul, ot bather Includa $4000 hmory retwl, $750 mi- krv oppTMiotton Mm, I $400 colbg grail resoM if quo). 'ft recent college grad rebate II you have the choice: make final it nun must fi II II balloon court and official misconduct. He admitted to having sexual contact with an in-mate while on duty in 1998. Regina Dozier, a corrections officer, was charged with official misconduct and improper sexual contact three years ago after she allegedly had sexual contact with four inmates at the prison.

GiovannaFabianocan bereachedat(908) 782-2300 worked for you in the past may not work for you in the future." Bone said rapid changes in technology in the communications business and the intense competition make providing good customer service even more important than usual. "Think of all the bundled services in the (communications) marketplace," he said. "Customer servicfe has been the for us." I Robert Wise, president Hunterdon Healthcare Systems, said, "consumers will take their business elsewhere without a second thought if they don't believe they are getting value. "Our customers want perfection from us because this is their health," he said. Employers must also remember that their employees are their customers, too, said Deborah Stout, an assistant vice president at Commerce Bank.

"Take care of employees that are really producing for you and are taking care of your customers," she said. Chamber President Suzanne Lagay said the conferences are a good way to explore what might be in the offing for Hunterdon County businesses. "Last year's conference was based on what we think will happen in Hunterdon County in the next 10 years," she said. "We like to do an annual program that casts a net out over the next five to 10 years." Mi' 39A 0.5X ww SIOOO Ei, 1' i- 1. i wrf r3- ii 3A DIM irvilor nrices based on trade in.

pymt OR simply return vehicle. ig '8. Back to 1 Safety Program, graduates are eligible for a state-mandated multiyear discount on their auto insurance premiums. Other topics covered include vision and hearing changes, the effects of medication, changes in reaction time, left turns and other right-of-way situations and new laws and how they affect hazardous driving situations. The course also highlights vehicle maintenance as a priority and tells seniors to regularly check brakes and brake fluid; tires and tire pressure; fan, alternator and air conditioning belts; engine fluids, such as motor oil, transmission fluid and coolant; lights; and wiper blades.

Brian Virostek of Raritan Township is taking the course to learn about the changes in the law from the last time he took driver's education. "It's interesting," he said. "You get to learn new things." Theresa Ravenburg of Union Township's Patten-burg section wants to learn about child-safety laws since one of her two grandchildren lives out of state. "I'm not sure what the laws are in that state," she said. "I also want to get a point reduction." "It's a good refresher," said Ellen Incontrera, a Flemington resident.

"The safety topics, child restraint system and anti-lock brake system, I am interested in." riEW 2003 CHRYSLER Craft show offers sense of autumn The annual Touch of Autumn craft show sponsored by Rutgers Cooperative Extension of Hunterdon County will take place from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday at the county extension center on Route 31 South, Flemington. In addition to the crafts displays, there will be activities for children, a petting zoo and fall plants and baked goods for sale. Proceeds from the $1 admission (kids younger than 12 admitted free) will benefit the county 4-H program.

Laurie Levoy History society to hold meeting KINGWOOD-The King-wood Township Historical Society will hold its monthly meeting at 7:30 p.m. Thursday to discuss "The Natural History of Kingwood." The meeting will be held at the Old Fairview School, 12 Fairview Road. For more information, contact Kingwood Township historian Sal DeSapio at (908) 996-4851. Christa Segalini Program geared to caregivers Rutgers Cooperative Extension will offer "Caring for You, Caring for Me," a five-week program that will provide support to caregivers. Linda Bryant of the Hunterdon Medical Center and Kathleen Shimo-mura, a Rutgers Cooperative Extension Family Consumer Sciences educator, prepared the course, which will teach methods of coping with the stresses and strains of being a caregiver.

The first session will be held from 12:30 to 4 p.m. All other sessions are scheduled to take place from 1:30 to 4 p.m. The course will be held Wednesdays in October; there is no fee. To register, contact Maggie at (908) 788-1342. Christa Segalini Milford to host its Fall Festival MILFORD Guests will be able to browse through a variety of handmade crafts, go on a carriage ride and paint their own pumpkins at the Milford Fall Festival next month.

Running from 11 a.m. to dusk Oct. 1 1, the festival will also include a bake sale, pig roast and children's games. Parking will be available at St. Edward's Church on Water Street.

For more information, call (908) 995-7888. Pamela Sroka GOT A TIP? For questions or comments, you can e-mail us at or call (908) 707-3121. THISSECTI0N Designed and edited by Chris Gregory, Chris Hermosilla, Jennifer Merkel, Todd Ritter and Brooke Sample. Pay Lass. Gat Mora.

Price excludes tax, tags regisation tMust finance through Chrysler Credit. Purchase plans includes 1ZK mi. per nyjJ Arr7 i if vr. The course helps seniors by alerting them to certain conditions that can affect older drivers, such as decreased vision, slower reaction times and shorter attention spans. 8-hour course focuses on defensive driving.

By PAMELA SROKA Staff Writer RARITAN TOWNSHIP As the number of older drivers increases and states take a closer look at driving requirements for seniors, Hunterdon Medical Center is offering them driver safety courses. The eight-hour driver refresher course is taught in a pair of four-hour sessions spanning two days and costs $10. The course is intended to help drivers refine existing skills and develop safe, defensive driving techniques. There are no tests. New Jersey doesn't require retesting for older drivers.

To find out if their driving skills are still satisfactory, more and more people are flocking to such courses, said Arlene Suy-dam, an instructor with AARP, the advocacy group for people 50 and older. Trie organization favors better tests rather than age limits for drivers, according to its Web site. Some conditions that can affect older drivers' performances are shorter attention spans, failing vision, an inability to see well at night or in the rain, slower reaction times and decreasing abilities to do more than one thing at a time. Upon successfully completing the AARP Driver Shop Llccardi. i i ii I I.

tees. Prices include all rebates, discounts ttU AfK available to well qualified "It's Interesting. You get to learn new things." BRIAN VIROSTEK, taking senior driving course Suydam also explains that even though a driver might have the right-of-way, they need to still be alert. "No one owns the right- of-way," she said. "You need to be aware." The Hunterdon Medical Center offers additional programs for senior citizens in collaboration with the hospital's senior services department.

The department's geriatric assessment team evaluates all areas of seniors' health, which include health habits, medications, social support, physical abilities, emotional health and health environment. "Many older adults and their families come to us of S179 "tm i i STAFF PHOTO BY MARY IUVONE Thomas Nash, left, an employee at Hunterdon Medical Center, receives an award Thursday at the second annual Futurist Conference in Readington. rv-rr-n TOWN COUNTRY- 2003 MERCURY Ms ran ran, rvwMng uwai 23 wmb par nw. apt pucdios hnaf 74M mo boKoon 9 Ji ij '-4 mli no tornnn Moon a ton bom. $7S0 MeraY Mn $4000 Iwi cell, umon wvwiT mam ft rm LyM ahvgnci, $4000 km ail, $1000 gum loyalty nlmtit $400 roHmtt qrnd refaft If mnl it mm it t.

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