A year later Families, friends, communities move forward in the aftermath of 9/11 Page 17 Page 13 SentineServing North and South Brunswick l town gets 8400K for more 'Green Acres' Money will help fund The Open Space Committee has a plan to try to purchase prop- future purchases in erty other than the 105-acre Otken North Brunswick farm off Route 130 to take care of the township's deficiency. BY PAVE GOLDBERG "It will be wonderful to have Staff Writer that lakefront area properly pre- orth Brunswick will served to allow easier hiking, jog- receive some assistance in ging or biking while maintaining N its plan to purchase more the wooded environment," Wo- open space with an additional mack said. "The Open Space $400,000 from the Green Acres Committee has a plan for doing Program. just that." "I am very happy that the resi- Womack said he hopes that the dents of North Brunswick will township can succeed with the benefit from the recent boost in Hidden Lake properties. Green Acres funding," said "Consolidation of properties in Councilman Adam Weiss. "The the Hidden Lake Conservation residents of North Brunswick District to allow a large park in the deserve the finest areas for both township's southwestern section passive and active recreation and can also be aided by these Green preservation, and these funds will Acres funds," Womack said. help us advance faster toward the "And we shouldn't forget that in goals set by the town." addition to the Otken farm, there Council President Francis are other farm properties the "Mac" Womack said that town has township would very much like to worked hard to buy much needed acquire after reaching agreement open space in the area. with willing sellers." JERRY WOLKOWITZ The township condemned the Above, South Brunswick Police Chief Michael Paquette "It is extremely welcome," shows the scene where the body of Refugia Olmedo, 36, said Womack. "Under the leader- Otken farm as open space earlier was discovered off Miller Road Sunday night. At right, this ship of Tom Seilheimer, who has this year. The family has gone to home at 192 French St. in New Brunswick is where police done a wonderful job as chairman, court several times since July believe the murder occurred early Sunday morning. the township's Open Space 2001 to attempt to overturn the Committee has an aggressive plan decision. for open space acquisition. There Currently the township owns is still a tendency for everyone to the property due to the ruling of focus on the Otken farm, and state Superior Court Judge James Slain woman's body while it is an important concern, it P. Hurley. is only a part of the total open However, the family is appeal- space picture," he explained. ing Hurley's decision. found in S.B. woods "If the township ultimately The new Democratic council has acquires all or part of that farm, attempted to negotiate a fair price for Police suspect common-law husband the Green Acres funds mean sav- the land with the family through a killed wife in their New Brans, apt. ings to our Open Space Fund. But negotiating committee. The commit- VERONICA YANKOWSKi the Green Acres money can also tee has met several times since the BY CHARLES W. KIM was charged Monday with tor Bruce Kaplan said during a & PAVE GOLDBERG allegedly killing his companion Monday afternoon press confer- help us acquire and preserve land spring, according to Womack, and is Staff Writers along Farrington Lake," Womack still hoping to come to a settlement Refugia Ruiz Olmedo, 36, in ence that Serrano went to the continued. with the family. olice have charged a New their New Brunswick home police station in New Brunswick man with sometime Sunday during the Brunswick at 1:31 p.m. on Pkilling his common-law early morning hours. Sunday afternoon to report his Index Quote of the week: wife and then dumping her body According to investigators, common law wife as missing. in a heavily wooded area off the couple lived at the address in Olmedo worked for the Business 33 «jneve r nac[ fear forTOV OW n life, Miller Road in South the city for four years with their Barnes and Noble warehouse at Classified 36 just for the lives of the dogs." Brunswick. three children, ages 10, 15 and 331 Herrod Blvd. in South Milestones 26 "The biggest part of the 17. Brunswick, according to police. _ . ; Bert Powell investigation was to find out Police said that the couple South Brunswick police °P>nlon !t) Milltown resident how the body ended up here," came to the United States from were notified about Serrano's South Brunswick Police Chief Mexico about 14 years ago, and report, and began to look for the Police Beat 27 Page 12 Michael Paquette said Tuesday. that they do not believe either to woman that afternoon at her Sports 28 Ismael Serrano, 33, of 192 be a citizen. Visit Greater Media Newspapers' Web site www.gmnews.com French St., New Brunswick, Middlesex County Prosecu- Continued on page 25 2 SENTINEL, SEPTEMBER 12, 2002 $ FINANCING $ MAKE YOUR HOUSE A ATTORNEYS In tl( bl? Better, not Bigger. C an'I pa> )om Bills' JI Bankmpti) may be (lie answer. 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Oil Tank Removals & Installation Total Site Remediation Fully Insmed • Tret Estimates DEP Certified #US01009 (732) 747-0432 TO ADVERTISE ON THIS PAGE CALL 1-800-660-4ADS SENTINEL, SEPTEMBER 12, 2002 3 During construction, police focusing on safety, speed limit enforcement BY DAVE GOLDBERG Stuff Wntei NORTH BRUNSWICK — The mutes 1 and 130 inteichangc project, onginally scheduled to be completed in May, might be imishcd even earlier. "I think the project is moving along well," said North Brunswick police Sgt William Kloos "It is moving slightly ahead ol" schedule." The state's $83 million leconstiuclion of the intersection may be neaily com- plete, accoiding to the Depaitment ol Transpoitation (DOT). Constiuction at the site, which includes new budges, noise walls, and impioved dunnage and street lighting is scheduled loi comple- tion by Mcmoiial Day 2003 Kloos said he believes thai the pio|ecl may be finished even eaihei than the DOT's expected completion dale. "In my opinion, as long as the weath- ei holds out, I think they should be tin- ished two to three months ahead o! schedule," Kloos said "Peisonally, 1 think they may be done in Maieh It is all dependent on the weathei " The project has remained veiy safe loi PHOTOS BY DAWNMARIE SANNWALDT workers and motorists during the work Traffic is backed up at 9:30 a.m. last Thursday on Route 1 south at the intersection of Route 130 while construction is being on the highways, according to Kloos done to the Route 130 overpass. "The Department of Transportation is continuing its emphasis on safety," Kloos DOT," Kloos said. "They gave us the said. "I don't know of any incident from approval and responded very last. We the construction. =__________^ i have had a good There have been Relationship with no accidents them on this pioj- related to woik- ect." ers. No one has Although the vol- been hurt while "On Route 1, we have been enforcing the construction ume ol tin flic has working on the picked up, Kloos project." area for quite some time. We said that the drivers The speeding wrote over 100 tickets on are becoming used to traffic on Route Labor Day weekend alone in the situation. 130 has slowed the construction area." "They are adjust- down a bit due to ing well," Kloos the construction, Sgt. William Kloos said. "They know according to North Bums wick Police Department what to expect. Kloos. There aie some "It (the speed- backups, but that has ing problem) is a lot to do with still there," Kloos =^^======= = school. There is said "I think about 25 to 30 per- Route 130 is more active in the construc- cent ol the traffic lhat can be attributed to tion area. It is down to one lane with those driving to and from the schools.