Courier-Post from Camden, New Jersey • Page 1

imMffiiifi 1 Sobering statistics 2 million teens say they use illicit drugs on regular basis: 1D A' SOUTH JERSEY'S NEWSPAPER Kevin Costner Actor takes on role as producer. 2D Tm "TJTTtv 11 A- -'J L1 Japan, Dateline: South Jersey 5 iiIlDlJluBflkySw Last day: The flag flies at half staff above Campbell's Market Courier-Post photo by Ron Karafin Street plant yesterday, the day workers got their last paychecks. ind off an irsi in Camdtein) 1 jum IF By NANCY BLAIR Courier-Post Staff CAMDEN Workers yesterday left Campbell Soup factory here with parting gifts from the company: a photo booklet and a commemorative watch. The employees, exchanging hugs and teary goodbyes, picked up another memento as well their final paychecks. The Market Street plant closed yesterday, ending jobs for 940 workers under a cost-cutting program.

The shutdown of the historic building ended an era for Camden, too. As a U.S. flag flew at half-staff over the complex, workers lingered in the chill outside the plant, talking of the future and sharing memories. "I still can't believe it I'm still a little shaky," said Leola Johnson of Camden, a 21-year employee. "We were just like a family, but you can't sit down and cry that won't help at all," said her friend Jose Morales, opening the plastic case that held his new watch.

The watch depicts the Camden plant with its soup-can water towers looming overhead. The inscription: "Camden Plant, 1869-1990." Workers also received a photo booklet with the factory's history. A soup can pictured on the cover calls the plant workers "Souper Stars." But yesterday was hardly stellar for the factory workers. U.S. off to good start Bush hopes to ease tensions at summit RANCHO MIRAGE, Calif.

(AP) President Bush, opening a two-day desert summit, assured Japanese Prime Minister Toshiki Kaifu yesterday that a cutback of U.S. troops in Asia will not undermine stability or security there, an official said. The two leaders avoided discussing Japan's huge trade surplus and the growing trade tensions between the world's largest economic powers, leaving those subjects for today. "Welcome, sir," a smiling Bush said as he shook hands with Kaifu across a conference table at a posh country club. Despite the economic conflicts, Bush emphasized the positive in his opening remarks, noting, 'There are so many areas of common interest where we have such a strong relationship with Japan." The very fact that Kaifu responded to his invitation for the hastily arranged meeting was an "important display of your feelings about our relationship," Bush said.

"Certainly my inviting you here is a strong indication from us about the importance of this relationship," Bush said. The two leaders met for an hour before gathering again for dinner at the heavily guarded estate of millionaire publisher Walter Annenberg. Emerging from a one-on-one meeting. Bush said, "We had a Please see U.S., Page 2 A Courier won't seek re-election By JOHN T. McGOWAN Courier-Post Staff MORRISTOWN Rep.

Jim Courter, last year's unsuccessful Republican gubernatorial candidate, shocked nearly everyone yesterday with an announcement that he would not seek re-election to Congress this year. "I want to relax and spend more time with my family," he explained. When Courter, 48, recently, announced a change in his position on abortion from basically pro-life to pro-choice it was widely regarded as a move to put behind him an issue that dogged him throughout the governor's campaign. He was decisively defeated by pro-choice Democratic Gov. Jim Florio last November but was favored for re-election to Congress.

The North Jersey congressman announced his decision not to seek a sixth term at a news conference he tried to keep short. He asked reporters not to question him further about his reasons for stepping down after reading an emotional, rambling reminiscence of his time in Congress. Choking up once or twice, he' confided, "Public life has been a heavy burden on my family." Aides told reporters the con-Please see COURTER, Page 2A Trump: The Lawsuit fifed over game A man is suing Donald Trump, saying the businessman swiped bis idea for the board game "Trump: The Game." Walter Brockington III, a 29- ear-old insurance man, filed the awsuit this week in U.S. District Court in Detroit Brockington, who wants more than $50,000 in damages, said he sent a prototype of a board game he calls "Mogul" to Trump. Meanwhile, Trump sued the Mirage Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas yesterday over his right to host a heavyweight championship rematch between James "Buster" Douglas and Mike Tyson.

Story: Page 1C Man held in placing of blades in hot dogs CAMDEN A Lakewood man was arraigned yesterday on a charge of tampering with consumer products for placing broken pieces of razor blades in two packages of hot dogs in an Ocean County supermarket. David Bowman, 23, is being held in the Ocean County Jail on a charge of recklessly endangering lives as a result of the July incident. There is no state law specifically covering tampering with food products. According to the criminal complaint, filed by representatives of the Federal Food and Drug Administration, Bowman purchased two packages of Ball Park hot dogs from a supermarket in Lakewood and inserted broken pieces of a rusty double-edged razor blade. He also inserted pieces of blades into two other packages which were left on the supermarket shelves, according to the complaint Bowman, who has a history of psychiatric illness, ate one of the contaminated hot dogs, causing lacerations to his mouth and tongue.

He then reported the incident to police. On July 25, Hygrade Food Products manufacturers of the Ball Park franks, removed the remaining packages of the product from the store. At that point the two other contaminated packs were found. On Aug. 17, Bowman admitted tampering with the food items and was jailed.

Yesterday, federal public defender Beatriz D'Amico asked U.S. District Court Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to order Bowman committed to a federal psychiatric facility- Assistant U.S. Attorney Howard Wiener opposed the commitment, suggesting a psychiatrist or psychologist be retained by the public defender's office to conduct an examination of Bowman while he is at the Ocean County Jail. Rodriguez set Bowman's bail at $50,000 cash.

Assemblymen seek dock rule for tankers In the wake of two oil spills earlier this week in North Jersey waters, two South Jersey assemblymen are asking the legislature to mandate stricter environmental safeguards for transferring oil to and from barges and tankers. Republican Assemblymen Gary Stuhltrager and Jack Collins, who both represent the -third Assembly district, want the legislature to pass a law requiring barges and tankers to be surrounded by containment booms while oil is being loaded or unloaded from docked ships. Booms are floating barriers extending below the water's surface to prevent oil from dispersing. The state Department of Environmental Protection has asked the U.S. Coast Guard to review its rules governing oil transfers, but no new Coast Guard rule has been proposed.

The third Assembly district covers Salem County and parts of Gloucester and Cumberland counties. Related story: Page 3A Weather Tartar Rain likely EEU Cull rannrt- PflflA 2A Ul Vfwi Inside Bus strike PagelB Ridership low as Greyhound bus union sets up picket lines. Section A Nation-World Section Local-Classified Section Sports-Money Section Living-People Astrology -2D Entertainment 40 Classified 6B Experts 2D Comics 60. Obituaries 3B Crossword 6D People 2D DearAbby 2D Television 3D Editorials 4A Weather 2A StateDelaware Valley: 3A NationWorld roundup: 6A Please see WITH, Page 2A Goodbyes at Campbell Campbell Soup workers bid each other farewell yesterday. Ike Wilson (above) from Philadelphia, gets a hug from grandson Brandon Williams, 6, in the door of a limousine his daughter provided for his last ride home from the Market Street plant.

Doretha Sheffield and Celia Nieves (left), both of Camden, give each other a hug outside the plant doors. Courier-Post photos by Ron Karafin 1 i Court OKs suit against builders of county jail By BILL SHRALOW Courier-Post Staff CAMDEN Camden County got a judge's go-ahead yesterday to sue 10 contractors involved in the botched construction of the county jail. The jail, located at 5th Street and Mickle Boulevard in Camden, was completed in February 1988, more than two years behind schedule, more than $6 million over budget and with numerous construction defects. The county hopes to recover more than $3 million in the suit, Freeholder-Director Robert E. Andrews said.

The project, originally slated to cost $42 million, cost more than $48 million, Andrews said. Formal notification of the suit is expected to reach the defendants in a week to 10 days, after some technical legal proceedings are completed, according to County Counsel Linda G. Rosenzweig. The list of companies the county is suing includes the project manager, the Lisiewski Group of Collings-wood. The company, along with owner Joseph V.

Lisiewski and his family, contributed $10,000 last year to the campaign of the county Democrats. Because Democrats control the freeholder board, the Buit could not proceed without their approval. Lisiewski, a longtime Democratic supporter, could not be reached for comment. "I'm sure Mr. Lisiewski is not going to be too happy being sued by the people he contributes heavily to.

Republican Freeholder Michael J. DiPiero said. The suit charges the contractors with breach of contract and negligence, according to the complaint Superior Court Judge Barry Weinberg ruled yesterday that the county can expand the scope of an existing lawsuit to include its claims as a "third-party" plaintiff. In the original suit, subcontractor Muirfleld Construction Co. Inc.

of Red Bank, Monmouth County, sued the county and several other contractors for harming it financially through construction delays. The county's suit will also include a counter claim against Muirfield, according to the complaint "What we hope to accomplish is that the taxpayers get what they paid for a properly constructed jail Plejse see COUNTY, Page 6A 'lest DONALD TRUMP named in Michigan lawsuit.