Asbury Park Press du lieu suivant : Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 1

GCL 3-1 mployers facing 11 increase in health care costs next year, study finds. B7g rtoouiirn.ivrR.Eaaiiut.3iJAi,UfcL..lz,UUU 1W A rn 31 HEADS UP ring draw m.Trrr vn I If a i fii 1 a i i 1 I 1 mm nunorousi Residents complain of odors, noise and other problems 1 By LOIS A. KAPLAN STAFF WRITER MANCHESTER Residents of areas near the Ocean County Landfill told local and state officials last night that odors reaching their homes are unbearable, and more should be done to address noise and quality of life issues. Several hundred residents attended a hearing at Manchester Township High School on a proposal to allow the Route 70 facility to take another 9.2 home for the past two months, but he expected them to return. The fill, he said, needs to bj thousands of feet, not 100 2 feet, away from homes.

Nate Schockaky, Dover-suggested highway sound barriers be tried. 'k Reid said the distance issue is being addressed bjr3 moving a berm an addi, tional 50 feet from Oak 4 Knoll homes. He added that the county did an ir i spection in August andlj found no violations. Dover, described the past summer as "horrible." She and her family, she said, could smell the operation four or five days a week. Landfill spokesman Stephen Reid said Castner, who spent two weeks at the facility in August, found no violations.

Several issues brought up by residents, he said, have since been addressed. million cubic yards of waste by increasing the landfill's elevation from 165 feet above sea level to 175 feet. The proposal, which requires state approval, would not expand the 600-acre dump, but would involve only lands already used and approved for sol id-waste management, officials said. Many residents of Manchester and Dover Town bated through the use of sprays, and flares will soon be used to burn off methane. Sea gulls, which have been attracted to the landfill and then leave a mess on the roofs of nearby homes, have been scared away by falcons as part of a program implemented by the facility.

Robert Space, Oak Knoll Drive, said there has been no noise or odor at his ship told John Castner, director of the DEE's' solid waste division, that noise and odors reaching their homes were objectionable. "We live with the smell 24 hours a day, seven days a week," said Dover resident James Saxton, who described action taken in response to residents' concerns as "ambiguous at best." Lynn Cordelia, also of. A Farms help instill holiday tradition Station makes waves, on TVsj cop equipment; 'r mm litHt Mwi.f I 4 By COLLEEN PIATT MANAHAWKIN BUREAU BEACH HAVEN It's not that Borough Administrator Richard S. Crane has a problem with music. But things were getting out of hand.

Everywhere in Crane's Coral Street home, from his living room television to his son Matthew's pocket Game Crane was picking up the rock 'n' roll sounds pulsating from WBHX-FM, Tuck-erton. The radio station's tower, located on Amber Street, about a block from Crane's home, has been the source of some frustration for many in the downtown area since it began broadcasting last year. Downtown Beach Haven lies in a prime interference area for the station. But Crane told a group of residents at the Board of Commissioners meeting last night that a telephone call to the station can get results. In Crane's case, one oT-' the station's supervisors" went to Crane's home and" installed filters on his telev phone and other electrical household items.

The station did the earlier this year for the po-. lice and the town's govern-ing body. The police com- plained that they wereH picking up the station's'-; radio waves on walkie-1 talkies, so the station in- stalled filtration equipjA ment to stop the problem. 5 Borough Clerk Judith Howard also had problems with the station. The equipment she had beeh using to record the Boards of Commissioners' meetings was also recei-r ing the station over the rei-1 cordings.

53 Crane said he has been referring such inquiries to the station's business num-r ber at (609) 597-9497. A representative fronO the station could not be-- reached for comment latS last night. Ai Alan Perry of Yuletide Christmas Tree Farm, Plumsted, THOMAS P. COSTELLOStaff Photographer trims branches on a tree ready to be cut STOGO TREE Computer help TOMS RIVER: Community Medical Center's Lighthouse will hold a program for older adults considering buying a computer. The lighthouse will host "Buying or Upgrading a Personal Computer," 9:30 a.m.

tomorrow at the hospital's Pecora Auditorium, 99 Route 37 West. The program, presented by Chris Butler, the hospital's director of information technology and systems, will provide information on finding a computer that meets the needs of the user. Refreshments will be served. For more information, call the Lighthouse, (800) 621-0096. Holiday contest BEACHWOOD: The Beachwood Holiday House Decorating Contest will be judged Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

Contest applications may be obtained at borough hall, the Ocean County Library's Beach-wood branch, and the Beachwood Sewerage Authority. Applications must be returned to borough hall, 1600 Pine-wald Road, by tomorrow. Awards will be presented at a reception at 7 p.m. Dec. 20 at borough hall.

For information, call the Beachwood Recreation Commission, (732) 286-5245. Poster winners TOMS RIVER: The Ocean County Board of Realtors will host a ceremony honoring the winners of a poster and essay Students were challenged in September to produce posters and essays expressing "What Equal Opportunity in Housing Means to Me." Students in grades 3 through 8 from all parts of the county participated in the contest. The winners will be honored with a breakfast ceremony 9:30 a.m. tomorrow in the community room of the Dover Township Municipal Building. First-, second- and third-place winners will receive cash awards.

For information, call the Ocean County Board of Realtors, (732) 494-4706. Chamber party LAKEWOOD: The Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual holiday party and installation of officers from 5 to 7:30 p.m. today at the Mansion, Georgian Court College, Lake-wood Avenue and Seventh Street. The party will include wine, beer soda, hors d'oeuvres and entertainment. Tickets are $20.

Reservations may be faxed to the chamber at (732) 367-4453. For membership information or for more information on the holiday party, call 1 the chamber at (732) 363-0012. Brick dancers Reid said odors are com- bers. The Rutgers University Extension Service offices in both counties distribute the growers' association list and, perhaps, a few other farms if they know of them. Some Christmas tree farmers would rather not publicize their operations because they already have a viable customer base, said Diane C.

Za-horsky, the horticulturist with the Monmouth extension office. Explaining his farm's cutting procedure, Perry said, "We encourage them to cut their own, get the full experience. But we'll do it (the cutting)." At Yuletide, people can bring their own cutting tools handsaws only or the farm provides them, Perry said. A Christmas tree farm may require its own worker do the cutting for safety and other reasons or a family may be able to cut its own. "A lot of people think See Trees, Page B4 by the "Carin' for Karen" committee and Georgian Court's Sociology Club.

"I got to see Karen (Friday)," said Colin Lewis, a committee member. "She was laughing, talking. Her heart was touched with love that the community was coming together for this (the walk)." Walker Casey Pirnik, 21, of Brick, heard about the walk when Lewis told her Georgian Court sociology See Walk, Page B4 earn top honori THOMAS P. COSTELLOStaff Photographer Perry's brother, John, shapes one of the 1,500 trees the farm has for sale this year. By JOSEPH SAPIA TOMS RIVER BUREAU In the summer, an outdoor activity giving a family a feeling of country quaintness may be picking fruit and vegetables.

Then, in fall, picking pumpkins. Now, with Thanksgiving past and colder weather approaching, another family activity is heading to a nursery and selecting a living tree to be cut down for Christmas. "I feel people want to do what their families did, stick with the traditions they grew up" with, said Fran English, owner of the English Tree Farm on Oak Glen Road, Howell. "Bringing your family out and choosing a tree with the whole family and cutting or watching it cut down could be a tradition the children always remember and do with their The fresh-cut tree tradition "has been around for a while (and) it's been steady," said John Perry 5i in the Pop Warner Pee Wee -j competitions locally, ta- ing second place in the Jer-' sey Shore competition hel(f Oct. 22.

The team took m-j other second place win in-ri the regional competitioiuj held Nov. 19, competing against representatives from five other states. Na- A trophy will be disj played tne i'op warner field house at the Drumrj Point Road Sports Complex- recognizing the national' win, Nazarro said. fi iT- "We will also have a and they each will ge'K 'National Champion' jack' ets. There will also be ar! flag flying at the field that See Dancers, Page B4 By LYNN DUCEY TOMS RIVER BUREAU BRICK Beating eight other teams, out the Brick Pop Warner Pee Wee Dragons Dance Team took first place in a national cheer-dance competition.

The team competed in the Pee Wee Dance Division of the Pop Warner National competition recently held in Orlando, Fla. "It was the greatest feeling I ever felt in the world," said Angela Na-zarro, the team's coach. "Especially because we came in second all along the way. To take first in the nationals, it was amazing. It really was." The 29 girls, ages 10 through 12, first competed it it.

rector. Of the 400, more than 90 percent or roughly more than 360 sell trees at the retail level, said Perry, a Dover Township resident. He said New Jersey growers sell about 600,000 trees annually at retail. The growers' association lists 10 Christmas tree farms in Monmouth County and six in Ocean County. But it is unclear how many more exist that are not association mem walkers took part in the "Carin' for Karen Walk of Faith" at Georgian Court College, Lakewood, raising more than $5,000 toward the experimental treatment that is expected to cost $40,000.

Prior to the walk, less than $10,000 had been raised, said the Rev. Victor Sassano, associate pastor of the Calvary Lighthouse Assembly of God Church in Lakewood, which the Brewer family attends. The walk was sponsored of the Yuletide Christmas Tree Farm, Evergreen Road, Plumsted. Perry has been selling trees for 30 years. He started in Manalapan, before moving to Plumsted a little more than 20 years ago.

In New Jersey, there are an estimated 400 Christmas tree-growers, with about 250 of these belonging to the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers' Association, said Perry, association executive di band Robert. The family has Brewer undergoing therapy in which she breathes pure oxygen in a tank several times a week, for an hour at a time, in hopes of reviving dormant brain cells. But this therapy is not covered by her medical insurance which has already paid for an estimated $400,000 in other treatments because it is considered experimental, Robert Brewer said. On Saturday, about 50 Walk raises fiinds for woman's therapy 1 A fj 1 'i By JOSEPH SAPIA TOMS RIVER BUREAU Almost three years ago, Jackson resident Karen Brewer suffered a stroke and a heart attack, leaving her with a medical progno sis oi lue in a vegetative state. Although quadriplegic, Brewer, 35, has regained her sight and speech, and is making other progress.

The prognosis now is that "she'll never walk again, but we don't necessarily believe that," said her hus MICHAEL SYPNIEWSKISpecial to the Press8 Robert Brewer (left), of Jackson, prays with the Rev. ri Victor Sassano of Calvary Lighthouse Assembly of God Church, Lakewood, at Georgian Court College prior to walk to benefit Brewer's wile Karen, a Quadriplegic..