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IT 0130 Pg A1 Yellow Red Blue Black Volume 116 Number 5 THURSDAY, JANUARY 30, 2003 75 Cents 75 cents Report shows decline in town’s crime rate Fiery battle on a bitter day Simple assaults, such as a By Harry Trumbore punch thrown during an argu- of The Item ment, rose from 43 to 48. Only The township’s annual review five instances of aggravated as- of crime statistics may raise eye- sault, an attempt or threat of seri- brows this year. ous physical injury, were record- The crime rate was not only ed last year, the same number as down for 2002, it dropped more in 2001. than 9 percent from the previous Motor vehicle thefts dropped year. from 89 in 2001 to 70 last year. When the report for 2001 Besides crediting his own showed a drop of less than 1 per- force, Boegershausen said the cent, township officials warned a drop in that category was due in decade-long national trend in large part to the Essex Union lower crime rates may be over. Stolen Auto Task Force, which This year, police Chief Paul targets urban areas, but again Boegershausen could not come suggested the drop might be due up with a ready explanation for to any number of reasons. the dramatic drop in crime. “Maybe prosecutors are being “It’s the caliber of the people on more aggressive,” he said. this force,” he suggested. “They’re “Maybe the right people have enthusiastic about their work.” been put away.” A spike in certain violent The most dramatic drop in crime numbers, however, may crime came in the category of cause some consternation. Al- burglary, the crime Boeger- though no homicides or arson shausen said was a concern for cases were reported last year, most residents. Burglaries dou- two rapes were recorded in 2002. bled from 41 in 2000 to 82 in Both cases involved acquain- 2001, but last year fell back to 53. tances who found themselves in Police Capt. David Barber compromising circumstances, keeps a running total of the sta- according to police Capt. Grego- tistics throughout the year, which ry Weber, head of the detective allows the force to release its bureau. Police investigated the crime summary at this time each complaints in both cases, which year. The township sends its tally Staff photo/Anne Malyska were closed without further to the State Police, which com- COMBINED EFFORTS—From the ground and from a was hospitalized with minor Injuries. Although firefighters action, he said. Continued on Page 27 crane, firefighters battled a devastating house fire on Old from surrounding communities joined in the fight, the Short Hills Road Tuesday morning. The occupants were home suffered extensive damage. See more photos on Deer are blamed for safely outside the residence, but one township firefighter Page 28. millions in damage Fire damages Old Short Hills Road home selves placed a 911 call at ap- controlled hunt. By Anne L. Malyska and proximately 10:13 a.m. from a By Harry Trumbore The one-page survey was sent Harry Trumbore of The Item neighbor’s property. Phyllis to 3,975 residents of Short Hills of The Item Stanley said she initially residing north of the Morris and Deer have caused approxi- Fire ripped through an Old thought an upstairs television Essex railroad line and west of mately $2.4 million in damage to Short Hills Road residence set was emitting a burning South Mountain Reservation. landscaping and property in cer- Tuesday morning, injuring one smell. The area is designated in the ap- tain areas of the township, mu- firefighter and severely dam- However, when a smoke de- plication as the township’s deer nicipal officials said this week. aged the place a couple called tector went off, her husband management area. According to a survey sent home for 26 years. opened the door to the finished By Friday, 1,316 (34 percent) Jan. 16 to Short Hills residents— Reportedly originating in a third floor and said he saw of the polled residents returned who officials deemed most af- second floor light fixture, the flames. He called for his wife, their surveys, according to Timo- fected by the resident deer popu- fire burned at the three-story their housekeeper and a friend thy Gordon, township business lation—three quarters of them structure for more than two to evacuate the home. All four administrator. Gordon termed support the township’s deer man- hours before firefighters could adults, along with the family the response “sizable.” Of those agement program. control the blaze. When they dog, made it outside safely. residents responding, Gordon The town is using the survey to did, the roof was gone, leaving Arriving on the scene at said, 73 percent reported proper- supplement its state application only charred wooden beams in 10:16 a.m., firefighters were ty damage from deer eating to conduct a third year of con- its place. confronted with heavy smoke plants, shrubbery and other fo- trolled hunting on township “It was just completely reno- and fire coming from the third liage and placed a dollar amount properties. The Division of Fish vated, new carpeting, new fur- floor. The firefighters attempted on their losses. and Wildlife asked the township niture,” said Charles Stanley of to enter the residence, but were Township officials calculated to prove “significant damage to the 55-year-old residence at 176 forced back when the roof par- approximately $1.3 million property” or document “a signif- Old Short Hills Road. The roof tially collapsed, said fire Capt. worth of deer-caused property icant number of vehicle colli- also was new, he added. James Boyle, who was one of damage. sions” before it decides whether While Stanley, his wife, Phyl- the Millburn crewmembers bat- to renew the application for a Continued on Page 27 lis, and two other people who tling the blaze. were in the house at the time According to Capt. Shawn were uninjured, Millburn fire- Daly of the Millburn Fire De- District map changes Staff photos/Harry Trumbore fighter Andrew Dante sustained partment, approximately 34 OUT OF CONTROL—Battalion Chief Mark Potter, left, and minor injuries to his shoulder township firefighters were at the Capt. James Boyle of the Millburn Fire Department confer and leg and was taken to an area scene. The fire also brought out could affect township on how to attack an intense blaze that began on the second hospital for treatment. a slew of fire departments and The state constitution dictates floor of an Old Short Hills Road home. The fire enveloped According to officials on the emergency response teams By Eveline Speedie municipalities can be divided both the front and back roof, pictured below, before fire- scene, the homeowners them- from throughout Essex and of The Item into two districts if the popula- fighters brought it under control. Union counties. Livingston, Union, Springfield, Summit and A recent appeals court deci- tion is too large for one district. Maplewood fire departments sion invalidating the 2001 leg- The map redrawn in 2001 creat- participated, as did emergency islative map in New Jersey is ed three legislative districts to response teams from Bloom- leaving local party officials to serve Newark and Jersey City. field, Orange and West Cald- wonder what’s in store for their The resulting split left the De- well. candidates in elections to be held mocrats with a decided advan- The fire was brought under in the fall. tage that had a ripple effect control at 12:47 p.m., but Daly “Basically, it’s a mess,” said throughout the state. The De- said firefighters were expected Nicholas F. Romano Jr., chair- mocrats took control of the As- to maintain a watch on the man of the township’s Democra- sembly for the first time in 10 building throughout Tuesday tic Committee. “No one knows years and held an even split in night. Friends in a neighboring how it will end up. It’s the worst the Senate with Republicans. community reportedly took in timing. People are getting ready According to Romano, the ap- the Stanleys temporarily. to run for office. This impacts peals court decided a bipartisan By Wednesday morning, in- fund-raising.” committee selected to draw the vestigators from the township The ruling follows a lawsuit map in 2001 will now have to police and fire departments brought by Republican Assem- “return to the drawing board.” working along with the arson blymen Kevin O’Toole and Paul Romano said the panel would investigation unit of the Essex DiGaetano, both of Essex remain the same—five Republi- County prosecutor’s office de- County, in mid-2001 challenging cans, five Democrats and one termined the fire began on the the redrawn map of New Jersey’s neutral member. second floor in a ceiling light 40 election districts following “In making this ruling the ap- fixture, Daly said. the 2000 Census. A three-judge peals court said the constitution The county fire investigators panel of the U.S. 3rd Circuit really matters,” Romano said. were on the scene as part of the Court of Appeals ruled Jan. 21 “This could go to the state routine investigation of a fire of the new map was unconstitution- Supreme Court. Republicans this magnitude, according to al because it divided two cities, shouldn’t be too happy just yet. police Det. William Pollack, the Newark and Jersey City, into This whole thing could change Continued on Page 28 three legislative districts. Continued on Page 27 Please recycle. At least 15% recycled paper. Inside : Collision injures resident, on Page 2.