Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 4

A4 Asbury Park PressMonday, January 27, 1986 ayor got his ears wet in politics as a tot 'f Vv i 'There's a greater appreciation for the responsibility of (public) office. As demanding as his schedule may have been, he has always found the time for family. Now, being in office, I see the difference of being able to manage that type of schedule. It's difficult. Christopher J.

Connors, speaking about his father, Leonard T. Connors Jr. he still holds that title. "Nobody else wants the job," he says with a hearty laugh. Despite the political advantage he could enjoy by being a senator's son, Chris Connors decided not to use his father's name or reputation as a springboard.

When he ran for the governing body in Lacey, the senator avoided most fund-raising and public events involving his son. The younger Connors says he has worked to establish himself as an individual with his own thoughts and goals, and not be his father's political shadow. But Chris Connors still relies on his father for advice and guidance and he's not ashamed of it. "I certainly won't try and hide the fact he's my father. I'm very proud of that and very proud of him." He is quick to reminisce about the time his father decided to teach him a lesson while the two were on a boat in the turbulent waters of Barnegat Inlet.

The elder Connors turned the wheel over to his teen-age son and i political speech in every town boring," the younger Connors admits with a laugh. BY GARRY TRUDEAU disturbing you, Buiitwmtmm WTHE.COHDa&CESOFTl.Emt 5BCCWmRaA95. UB KNOW HOW veoAsev. THANK mcum. WHY', I VUUUKE71 A Closer Look NEWS ITEM LACEY TOWNSHIP Christopher J.

Connors, a year after being elected to his first term on the Township Committee, was sworn in as mayor Jan. 1. About 130 people watched Connors take the oath of office, administered by his father, state Sen. Leonard T. Connors R-Ocean.

By CAROL NAPOLITANO IN 1961, STATE Sen. Leonard T. Connors Jr. was convinced by members of his community, Surf City, to run for the Borough Council. He did and he won.

From then on Connors never stopped winning. He went on to become Surf City's mayor in 1965, a title he still retains, and later served as an Ocean County freeholder. Now, at 56 years old, the Republican is in his second term as a senator, representing more than 180,000 residents in Ocean and Burlington counties. In 1984, Christopher J. Connors of Lacey Township was convinced by members of his community to run for township committee.

He did and he won. This month, after serving one year as a Republican committeeman, the 29-year-old Connors was appointed mayor of Lacey Township. Chris Connors grew up around politics. He was five years old when his father became a Surf City councilman. During his father's campaigns, he did everything from licking envelopes to going door-to-door in Surf City to promote his father.

"When he was running for office I would go from one end of the county to the other listening to the same Doonesbury UZDUKtWTO ftootwc SILVER. UNNG? HOU1COULP nm-pos- A SILVER. UNINbf Weather Monmouth Ocean Rain or snow in the morning, with gradual clearing this afternoon. Highs in the 30s. Winds northwesterly at 15 to 25 mph.

Party cloudy tonight Low in the teens. Mostly cloudy and cold tomorrow. Highs mid 20s. Ocean water temperatures in mid 30s. ctoudy Trenton-Philadelphia Rain or snow today.

High 30s. Lows in the teens. Fair and cold tomorrow. Five-day forecast Fair Wednesday with highs in the upper 30s. Continued fair Thurday and Friday.

Highs both days 35 to 40. Lows in the 20s through the period. I I fit! TIDES High Monday, January 27 AM I km il I HONEY 1 il 1 Philadelphia' Rain 30s. J. ba.li PM told him to get the vessel safel through.

"He had the confidence at tha time to put his big investment his boat and our lives in my hands," the younger Connors says. "He told me just Keep them (waves) breaking in front and breaking in back. and you won't have any problems." For Len Connors, his son's mayoral post gives him a chance to pass on the knowledge and wisdom accumulated during a 29-year political career. "A lot of people feel if you're a senator, or even a mayor, you can do anything," the elder Connors says. He remembers a telephone call from a woman who said her son was in Leesburg State Prison and she wanted him out.

"She said it was his first offense and he was a good boy and she wanted him paroled because she wanted him home." The elder Connors says. "I found out he was in for armed robbery and this was something like his third or fourth offense," he revealed with a smile. "I find you've got to like people. if you don't like people, forget it. That's what keeps you going.

"If you can achieve something in office, if you can do something for one person. you get a lot of satisfaction," he says. "Chris is going to realize he is going to take the troubles of that municipality to bed with him at night. I'm proud that he would be able to shoulder a burden like that. "There is a reward for the whole business and Chris is going to find that out." Chris Connors says his brief political career and its accompanying responsibility has given him a new awareness of how dedicated his father is to their family.

The younger Connors says, "There's a greater appreciation for the responsibility of (public) office. As demanding as his schedule may have been, he has always found the time for family. "Now, being in office, I see the difference of being able to manage that type of schedule. It's difficult." Chris Connors' family includes his wife, Debbie, and three-year-old son, Christopher who already has seen political life. During election time last year, Chris Jr.

got excited whenever Gov. Thomas Kean's campaign advertisements appeared on television. Connors said he wrote to the governor to tell him about his young fan. "I told him next to Mr. Rogers, he was Chris' favorite person on television," Connors says with a laugh.

Kean responded to the letter with an autographed picture of himself for Chris Jr. Carol Napolitano is a staff writer in the Toms River bureau of The Asbury Park Press. 14 cdy 42 clr 14 cdy 37 clr 57 cdy International High Low Otlk Amsterdam Athens Barbados Bermuda Bogota Brussels B'Aires Copenhagen Dublin Frankfurt Geneva Hong Kong Jerusalem London Montreal Moscow Nassau Paris Rio Rome San Juan Stockholm 39 28 clr 59 50 cdy 82 68 cdy 66 62 cdy 64 45 cdy 36 30 clr 98 80 clr 32 30 cdy 43 37 cdy 39 32 cdy 34 28 sn 61 57 cdy 57 41 clr 41 30 clr 09 00 sn 39 36 cdy 78 59 cdy 41 30 clr 97 72 clr 48 37 rn 82 66 clr 23 36 clr ju cir 66 clr -06 cdy 'il cdv 46 clr 40 cdy 39 cdy 01 clr 41 cdy 47 cdy 32 sn 38 cdy as 14 53 clr clr 49 cdy 49 cdy 35 rn 30 sn 46 cdy 35 cdy Trenton Notebook Bob DESANDO Rah! Rah! Jersey best of the rest Listening to Gov. Kean these days, one gets the distinct impression he considers New Jersey the showcase of the nation, if not the center of the universe. But, so far, no one of importance from outside of New Jersey has come forward to say they share Kean's view that our fair state is A-Number One, top of the list, king of the hill.

Not the governor of Wyoming, not Johnny Carson, not anyone. Come on. This is no time to be shy. Our governor is standing out there on a limb. Don't you know the psychological toll your continued silence can take on Kean? Don't you realize what could happen if our biggest booster suspects no one out there believes him when he sings the praises of New Jersey? All those words of praise Kean heaped on New Jersey in his inaugural address and State of the State message this month could come back to haunt him some day: "Let me tell you a story." Hold your horses, governor.

Just lie back and relax. Now, tell me. What's on your mind? "Three point five million New Jerseyans are at work today more than at any other time in our state's history. Our standard of living is higher than 47 other states. We have risen to fifth in the nation in tourism, fourth in foreign investment.

Our leadership in high technology is earning us the title of 'Silicon Valley of the I see. "We put in place the first law to prevent the accidental release of toxic chemicals into the air. We raised our starting teacher salaries to the highest in the nation. We became the first state to take action against the evil that is apartheid." VVTiar do you think all this means? "New Jersey is a leader." What makes you believe that? "The people we represent know it. i ogeiner, we maae iNew jersey a leader in the 1980s." But do you have any independent, corroborating evidence to justify such a claim? "I don't have to talk about New Jersey's educational achievement because others do.

In the past five weeks, four national education meetings convened here. If you want to talk about the future of education in America, you come to New Jersey. No one has done more than we have." That's quite admirable. But education is only one area. Is there any other? "One area in which New Jersey is unquestionably the leader is in the cleanup of abandoned toxic waste sites." How many sites have you cleaned up? "Last year, I stood before you and said that before the year was out action would be initiated at over two-thirds of our Superfund sites.

I am proud to say today that this has been accomplished." Yes, but how many sites have you cleaned up? "More work is going on everyday" Maybe we better move on. "In the last few years, our economy has escaped the doldrums and helped lead the national recovery." So what's your point? "We in New Jersey have lit the way for America. We are a shining example nf the nnihilitv that nnnnrttinitv creates. We are the oroof that it can be done." Really, now. Don't you think you may be exaggerating just a little? "Nonsense.

In most states, that would be hyperbole. In most states, words like those would be laughed off as uiiicdiisui. as a uicam. dui iiui in Mew jersey. New jersey is a special place.

Do you really believe the envious eyes of an entire nation are focused on New Jersey? i ne country is looiung to us ior leadership and, as a governor, I am a -r i Jersey, I say join with me. The nation is ready for our example, and we must lead." That's an interesting notion, governor. But I'm afraid our time is up. We'll talk more about this next week. Bob DeSando is chief of the State House bureau of The Press.

"Trenton Notebook" is published on Mondays. "There always has been an intrigue and interest with me in government," he adds. "Politics and government have always been a significant part of my life." However, he had never planned on entering politics. He graduated from Stockton State College with a bachelor of science degree in business studies and became certified as a municipal finance officer. In 1978, he moved to Dover Township and took his first job with Citizens' State Bank, where he rose to assistant vice president.

In 1982, he took his current position as deputy director of the state Commission on Capital Budgeting and Planning. That's when he moved to Lacey Township. It was there he came under friendly pressure to run for office. After two years of dismissing the idea, Chris Connors conceded. "Perhaps the urge to enter politics was a latent kind of urge for me," he muses.

For Len Connors, politics was just a natural progression from his desire to help people and serve community, he says. "I never entered politics: with any thought of making it a vocation. I was very active in the community. and people started suggesting 1 run for council." His father, Len Connors, was elected mayor of Surf City after one term on the council, and 21 years later I wouldn't want to have been born in another time. But I think there's a lot of anxiety in the (baby) boomers.

We're an anxiety-ridden generation. Kathleen Casey Wilkins, designated by a magazine as "America's original baby boomer. Story, page A3. 99 SATELLITE MAP ma, mmmmmmmmmmmm rn 7r 7 VO I Newark-New York or snow today. High Low 10 to 15.

Party 5 111111 tOI 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 lTn ana cold tomorrow. NEWA Rain or snow today. Winds northwesterly at 20 to 30 knots today. Visibility 5 miles, less rain or snow. Average seas 4 to 8 feet Fair tomorrow.

I Westerly winds at 1 1 i i i i 1 1 1 1 1 i i i National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration 7:30 P.M. Today's satellite photo shows thick multilayered clouds from east of Florida northward to the northeast portion of the country. Atlantic crrvfZ' Block Island to Manasquan To 20 mile offshore 15 to Knots. EU 1 1 1 1 1 1 i i i Blil Lnnij The Asbury Park Prus High Low i 1 just Low: Outlook: National Albany Albuquerque Atlanta Atlantic Manasquan to Cape Kenlopen To 20 mllet offshore Rain or snow with some clearing by afternoon. Winds northwesterly at 20 to 30 knots.

Highs 30s. Lows 20s. Visibility over 5 miles, this afternoon and night. Average seas 4 to 8 feet. Fair tomorrow.

Westerly winds at 15 to 20 knots. Cap Hsnlopen 1 1 iin illinium weather elsewhere Indianapolis Juneau Kansas City Las Vegas Los Angeles Louisville Miami Minneapolis! Nashville New Orleans New York Norfolk.Va. Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Portland.Me. Portland.Or. St Louis St Petersburg San Diego San Francisco Seattle Syracuse Tucson Washington 28 37 29 68 86 33 78 Previous day's low Forecast for today NA: Not available High Low Ollk 34 2fj ciT 53 25 clr 45 35 clr City 51 42 cdy 39 35 cdy 52 30 sn 32 29 sn SC.

52 45 clr Charleston.W.V. 37 34 cdy 19 04 clr 31 19 cdy 29 25 sn 55 35 clr 48 16 clr 26 22 cdy 55 28 sn 32 09 cdy 82 61 clr 56 42 clr -01 54 45 43 65 44 80 35 49 49 32 65 79 70 56 35 79 38 Baltimore Boston Buffalo Charleston, Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Dallas Denver Detroit Hartford Helena Honolulu Houston AM PM AM FM 12 944 J07 344 8:38 9:10 2:22 259 8:54 9:26 2:31 308 9.00 9:32 2:31 308 8:39 9:11 2:23 3:00 11:00 11:32 5:03 5:40 8:52 9:24 2:46 323 11:45 6:27 7:04 9:11 9:43 3:04 3.41 10:17 10:49 4:25 502 9:13 9:45 3:10 3:47 Sandy Hook 8:30 9:02 2:26 3:08 Asbury Park 7:56 8:28 1:41 2:23 Shark River Inlet 8:12 8:44 1:50 2:32 Manasquan Inlet 8:18 8:50 1:50 2:32 Seaside Heights 7:57 8:29 1:42 2:24 Toms River Long Point 10:18 10:50 4:22 5:04 Barnegat Inlet 8:10 8:42 2:03 2:47 Manahawkin Bay 11:03 11:35 5:46 6:28 Beach Haven Inlet 8:29 9:01 2:23 3:05 Graveling Point 9:35 10:07 3:44 4:26 Brigantine (Wreck) Inlet 8:31 9:03 2:29 3:11 Low AM PM Tuesday, January 28 Sandy Hook Asbury Park Shark River Inlet Manasquan Inlet Seaside Heights Toms River Long Point Barnegat Inlet Manahawkin Bay Beach Haven Inlet Graveling Point Brigantine (Wreck) Inlet First FiM ft 2) Moonrisa today 6:44 pjn. Moonset today 23 ua Moonrisa tomorrow 724 p. Moonset tomorrow 8:51 aj Sunrise today ajn. Sunset today 5:09 p.m.

SunriM tomorrow 7:09 aja SUN AND MOON 3rd New Jan. 10th Yesterday's high temperature at Press Plaza, Asbury Park, was 46. Low was 41.