To si o the Record-Press, the areas best source for local news, call 1-800-300-9321 WESTFIELD SCOTCH PLAINS FANWOOD Vol. 12, No. 29 Friday, July 25,1997 50 cents Woolworth's saying goodbye Jazz performances set in downtown "Sweet Sounds Downtown" Downtown Westfield fixture are being provided through the courtesy of the Downtown is leaving after 68 years Westfield Corp. Live jazz performances are ByTMAGUAMNO "I feel like crying, I just hate to scheduled 6-8 p.m. every RECORD-PRESS see it go out of business because Thursday through Aug. 14. it goes wuy back," said Ms. At least three jazz bands "If I don't see you before our Nicholson of Westfield, who has will perform simultaneously in favorite place closes, here is my shopped at Woolworth's since she the central business district number. Call, we can meet for was a child. beginning July 31, In case of Junch" "Years ago you had a lot of rain, shows will be canceled. This was the note Shirley five-and-dimes. This isn't one ,i ,The concert program is the Nicholson received from her anymore, but the economy isn't first promotional event for friend Jeanne Helioff when she five-and-dime either." WestfielcTs new special went into her favorite place — "Woolworth's to me is home- improvement district. Woolworth's — last Friday, the town America," said Dotti Sobin, day after the news hit. Betty, the who has lived in Westfield and Rosemary Topar waitress at thw ____________ been a customer store's coffee of the store for excelling in violin shop, had held it the past 30 years. for her. Come back to Main Rosemary Topar of "I think you Westfield is said by some to be The 68-year- Street U.S.A. before it's get the best buy a 'rising star" among sym- old store nestled too late. See editorial on for your dollar phonic musicians. among the Page A-4. and the service is The 13-year-old violinist has newer specialty always above nnd been concert-mistress for the stores of down- _____________ beyond no matter Westfield All-City Orchestra town Westfield is if you are at the since 1995. one of the 400 Woolworth stores counter hero or buying a pot and *"' Rosemary performs with nationwide that will Boon close. pan," she said. the Westfield Family String Woolworth Corp. announced July Ms. Sobin said she is in tho Ensemble, the New Jersey 17 it will close its stores that store for lunch about once every have dominated downtowns two weeks, but is in and out for RANDALL MILLER/RECORD-PRESS Intergenerational Orchestra, The Wbolworth's More In WattfMd Is going out of business after 68 years. the New Jersey Youth throughout the country for 117 little things all the time. Symphony and the Greater years. About 9,200 people will be "God, I'll miss it like crazy," Newark Youth Orchestra. laid off. she said. first lipstick at the store in she said. "And now when my Helen of Mountainside, who preferred not to give her last She also tutors violin stu- Seventeen people lined the "A lot of nice people come in Pennsylvania where she lived as grandchildren visit we come in counter at the coffee shop that here for lunch. Lailn and Betty n little girl, horo. So it is reully three genera- name, said she goes to tho store dents at the Westfield Summer three or four times a week. Workshop and performs at Friday for n menu that offers make you feel comfortable," Ms. "I grew up with Woolworth's," tions." street fairs in downtown burger combos, sandwich combos, Nicholson said. "You can't go in n she said, Ms, Nicholson auid "1 have friends here. Wo sit Westfield during the spring fish filets, golden fried shrimp, lot of places alone, but you Ms. Nicholson carried the tra- Woolworth's is a good place to go nnd tnlk. Wo hnvo our lunch and fall. old-fashioned banana splits, always feel comfortable here." dition into adulthood. for bargains and convenience, here," the 20-year patron said. layer cakes and of course, good Her earliest memory of "I had three children and I'd "Pd rather go to my local "It's a hangout, that's what it Rosemary, who will enter old American apple pie. bring a car full of children over stores then go to the mall," she the eighth grade at Edison Woolworth's is going to get her (Continued on pngo A-2) Intermediate School in here when they were 11 and 12," added. September, began her violin study in kindergarten*.' - She has been awarded the Solicitors Ruth Vincent Memorial Scholarship and the first grant of the Ruthsell Memorial Scholarship. must be ; Free T'ai Chi instruction offered registered, Shu Hua Chao is offering a free practice of T'ai Chi Ch'uan and Chi Kung (Qi Gong) at police say Tamaques Park 9-10 a.m. Sundays. ByTINAQUAftINO There are aiso free karate and self-defense lessons offered by Dean Ansari. His WESTFIELD — Tho doorbell lessons are 8-10 a.m. Sundays, rings. A stranger is tit your door T'ai Chi is an ancient tolling you ho is collecting money Chinese martial art that takes for tho police department's, anti- an internal rather than exter- drug campaign. But is he really? nal approach to health and The police department wtinla well being. to alert residents to people who Using graceful, fluid solicit under fal.su pretenses. motions, T'ai Chi focuses on Also, they wrtnt to inform solici- •channels" through which an tors of the process to legitimize individual's energy rhythms their solicitation. flow. "We've had a lot of inquiries People who practice T'ai Chi from our residentH about this are said to see a reduction in (Holicitors in town)," WoHtfiold stress levels and an increase in Police Chief Anthony Scutti told energy levels. the Rv.viii'd-Pro.Hx, FV>r more information, call He said people havo a right to Mrs. Chao at 889-4310. solicit in.'town IIH long as they go through tho proper procedures. In the ptist, charities worn Bagger's office allowed to solicit in town an long is open tomorrow as they find n federal identifica- tion number. In 1995, charities The legislative office of RANDALL MILLER/RECORD-PRESS Assemblyman Richard Bagger were required to register witli (R-22nd Diat.) will bo open for Kathleen Hlntze of Westfield checks out one of the trees that was uprooted last week. Law and Public Safely, Chief constituents 9 a.m.-3 p.m, •Scutti said. tomorrow at 203 Elm St., Once tho churitioH art) nigiH- Westfield. torod, they receive a registration number and then are allowed to Mr. Bagger's district Fierce winds, rain pound area solicit in town. includes Westfield, Scotch "Wo had a difficult problem Plains and Fanwood. ByTTNAOUAMHO ance adjuster to come out to locating the responsible pnople," For more information and assess the damage. UECOKDPHESS Chief Scutti said, "Now we can regular hours, call 232-3673. "The impntionts I planted find out through Luw mid Public It seemed darker than it around tho trees are «til! Safety records." should have been at 7 p.m. last imbedded in tho soil even Chief Hculti said tho rrjgintni- Friday, Kathleen Hintze aaid. though tho tretsa came out," tion procedure legitimizes tho She stood in the kitchen holding Mrs. rlintzo said. "I'm going to solicitors and .suves the police tho her cnt Baby as the rain fell and find another homo for them problem of checking into it. the wind blew. somewhere in the yard," "Wo want to miike resident/I "I saw the wind blowing so The storm blow through aware that if someone com OH to Inside fast and I thought, 'Oh my northern and central Now their door, don't be afraid to iisli gosh, these trees look like they Jersey with winds gusting up to for proper ID," Chief Scutti said. are going to fall.' " 6fi mph. "If they Htill foul uncomfortable Commentary .. ..A-4 They did, Three of her 60- "I couldn't oven try to guoss nnrl (hey think that .Honmlhinf,' foot-high black wninut trees how many calls wo had," may be wrong, don't hewitato to Community Life ..A-6 enmt) crashing down. On« of tho Wostfield Police Chief Anthony (five UH a cull and we will chuck trees crushed part of the deck Scutti Maid, "Needless to any the pernon out to make mire they A-17 and the furniture on it. The our switchboard WIIH lit up." iire legitimate." drninnge pipe mid gutter wore RonidontH called in about Police Haid although the many Weekend Plus . .A-14 ripped from the hou.so. Tho trot; property damage to hoiiHfiH, nonprofit anil charitable Krotipo just miHHod the bay window by RANDALL MILLER/FIECORD-PRESS vehicles nnd alnnns going of!'. that Holicit funda within tho Automotive ... .B-1 n qunrter of an inch. Kathleen and Stephen Hlntze look over their yard. "Even though we kniiw it WIIH Town nf Westfield are legitimate!, Tho backyard of her Floral "It's just incredible what foot wide. Shrubs and bushes most likoly duo to th« power are not. Real Estate ... .B-16 Court homo in Westfield WUB Mother Nnturo can do. It looks wero destroyed, MXH. Hintze outage, we Htitl hiivo to In order to protect re.tidentH, transformed in minutes. respond," he said. Classified B-1 like « jungle out there." Haid she hopes the sprinkler I groupw soliciting or flelllntf "I was in shock, It juat hap- The roots came right out of system wns not damaged, (Continued on pngo A-2) hd in residentinl nrean pened 80 fust," Mrs, Hintze unid.