Fall Dining Guide SBHS in GIUIC finals Standing guard Looking for a new dining experience? Vikings to face Bears for The change of seasons Check out this month's selection of conference title is reflected in area restaurants Davidson's Mill Pond Pages 14*15 Page 25 Page 3 Tv~~A co (/• SentineServing South Brunswick l NOVEMBER 5,1998 40 cents VOLUME 6, NUMBER 2 S.B. Dems the big winners Van Hessen lone Republican winner; one Dem seat still too close to call BY CHARLES W KIM While Democratic incumbent Staff Writer Debra Johnson captured the mayor's seat, Democratic emocrats held on to incumbent Mayor Edmund their strong 4-1 munici- Luciano was the top vote-getter D pal government majori- in the nine-way race for four ty Tuesday, capturing the council seats, garnering 4,206 mayor's and three council seats. votes. Voters also gave their stamp Democratic incumbent of approval to the lour incum- Deputy Mayor Frank Gambatese bent candidates, including the came in second, collecting 4,003 lone Republican winner. votes, followed by incumbent The fifth seat on the new Republican Committeeman Ted Township Council — which wilt Van Hessen, with 3,840, replace the Township Commit- Antisell, with 3,756, and Barrett tee in January — is still undecid- with 3,752. ed, with Democratic newcomer The other Republican council Frank Antisell holding a slim 4- candidates, Larry Gildenberg, vote lead over his running mate Joann Kagan and Joe Del and fellow newcomer, Carol Guercio, received 3,535, 3,380 Barrett. Provisional votes, which and 3,349 votes, respectively, won't be available until tomor- followed by lone independent South Brunswick's first elected mayor Debra Johnson makes her triumphant entrance into the row or Monday, could erase that Democrats' post-election party at Pierre's Deli in Dayton Tuesday. Augusto F. Menezes/Qreater Media .margin, Continued on page 6 Johnson victorious Special Report;: The Lattery Democratic incumbent terms win over Monroe 'cool' emocrat Debra Johnson Johnson remarked, as she entered pleased with the campaign and how became the first directly the Democratic election night head- it was run on both sides. D elected mayor in South quarters in the downstairs banquet "I'm disappointed, but not dis- Brunswick history Tuesday, defeat- room of Pierre's Deli on Georges traught. That's the way elections ing her Republican opponent by a Road. go," Monroe said from the Repub- 990-vote margin. The mayor-elect made her way lican headquarters at the Holiday An incumbent township com- through the room hugging support- Inn on Route 1. mitteewoman, Johnson defeated for- ers as the crowd cheered. "We ran a fair, issue-oriented mer Mayor Warren Monroe, 4502 "We're really excited," she said. campaign," he said of his party's to 3512, on Tuesday. The figures "I think it sends a clear message to slate. include absentee ballots. the town on the direction we should Monroe said that he was proud Johnson, a 32-year-old attorney be taking." of the support and dedication of the with the Office of Urban and Johnson will serve a four-year many people who supported the Community Development of the term under the new council-manag- Republican ticket during the cam- University of Medicine and Dentis- er form of government approved by paign. try of New Jersey in New Bruns- voters last year. Under the present "The people have spoken; I can't wick, headed the Democratic ticket committee form of government, argue with the people," he said. which retained its 4-1 majority as Johnson served as mayor in 1997. Monroe, who finished the cam- the township switches from a five- "We worked hard, we prayed paign with a back injury and a bro- member Township Committee to a hard, we anticipated a victory," she ken foot, said, "It was hard." In the second of a two-part series, Greater Media five-member Township Council. said of the Democratic team. The 59-year-old real estate sales- Newspapers takes a look at the history of the lottery, Johnson won re-election to her sec- Republican candidate Warren man said that he didn't know if he how the lottery affects those with gambling problems ond three-year term last year. Monroe expressed his disappoint- would ran again in four years. and how New Jersey stacks up to other states in operat- "This is so cool," an excited ment but also said that he was — Charles W. Kim ing costs and distribution of revenue. See pages 18-21. 2 SENTINEL, NOVEMBER 5, 1998 • '.••,••- •^;.,SaWg||TS PRESENTS... i in: ki:\ i\ B \\\o\ SHOW Monday, Nights Hyatt "New i "'c' .;. jr Join us every Monday night Starting November 9th WCTC's Voice of Rutgers Rutgers Men's Basketball Coach Bruce Johnson Kevin Bannon WCTC Sports presents The Kevin Bannon Show Monday nights throughout the college basketball season, join fttitgers Head Basketball Coach Kevin Bannon, along with WCTC's Bruce Johnson as they broadcast on location from 7pm to 8prn at Draft Picks in The Hyatt Regency in New Brunswick. Game recaps, game previews and your questions and Ray the Prize Guy... All Live.' The Kevin Bannon Show exclusively on H 50AM WCTC. *(No show 12/7, 1/18, 25 & 2/15) show A contests MUST FOR wctc EVERY NEWS TALK RADIO RU FAN! 145O AM Central Jersey's Information Source Thank you To Our Sponsors: Irvingtqn Linoleum & Carpet...Nissan Motor Corporation...Somerset Patriots Baseball Club SENTINEL, NOVEMBER 5, 1998 3 Seating dooms debate Democrats balk at Common Sense plan BY CHARLES W. KIM Staff Writer SOUTH BRUNSWICK —• The only planned debate between the nine Township Council candidates — four Demociats, foui Republicans and one Check out The Entertainer. independent — Friday ended befoie it PageS started because of a flap over the seating arrangement for the candidates. The Democrats said they never agreed to the plan to have candidates seated at random, preferring to sit together. As it turned out, the only issue that was discussed concerned the seating of • Classifieds Page 28 the candidates at the dais. • Editorials Page 12 Sponsored by local citizens' watchdog gioup Common Sense, the debute was sup- • Entertainment .. .Page 8 posed to take place at 7:30 p.m. in the main • Letters Page 12 meeting room of the municipal building. Candidates were to respond to audience • Marketplace . .. .Page 27 questions which were to be posed by mem- • Milestones Page 22 bers of the Princeton League of Women Voters, debate moderator. • Obituaries Page 24 Approximately 20 people weie in the • Police Beat Page 23 audience and the event was being bioad- cast live over local cable television access • Sports Page 25 channel 50, when event chairman Joe Spataro announced the cancellation. "I am sorry," Spatato said, emphasiz- ing that the dispute "was not created by Common Sense." Phone numbers: He did not mention in his remarks Editorial 254-7000 Ext. 8226 which parly was objecting to the format. FAX 254-0486 "We are not going to point fingers," he said. Display Advertising 972-6740 The four Democratic candidates dis- FAX 972-6746 MIRROR IMAGE — A lone bird enjoys the tranquillity of an autumn afternoon at Davidson's Mill Pond in South Brunswick. agreed with the format outlined in an Oct. 21 memo from Common Sense, which Augusto F. Menezes/Greater Media stipulated that the candidates "will be Classified 1-800-660-4ADS seated in a randomly drawn fashion at the Classified FAX 432-0016 dais," with the center seat remaining VFW, Legion to host Veterans Day services empty. Delivery problems? Jo Hochman, the Democratic cam- Call circulation at 254-1755 SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Veterans of The public is invited to attend the ser- paign chairwoman, said her candidates before noon on Friday. Foreign War Posts 9111 of South vice to be held in front of the South had not agreed to the Oct. 21 format and Brunswick and 11219 of Monmouth Brunswick municipal building, Ridge Common Sense had been notified they Junction and American Legion Post 401 Road. would not participate unless the format of Monmouth Junction will host a joint The posts encourage attendance to was changed. Veterans Day service at 11 a.m. on show support for all veterans. "They have gone out campaigning as Wednesday. For information, call (732) 297-6629. a team; they want to sit as a team," said Democratic Municipal Chairman Charles Police to conduct Child ID Day Nov. 14 Carley, explaining why the Democrats Managing Editor Maiilyn Duff preferred to sit together. The South Brunswick Police Department thumb print and instruction on what to do if Spataio said he knew about the Sports Coordinator Lindsey Siegle will conduct its bi-annual Child ID Day on theii child is missing. The card, when com- Executive Editor Gregory Bean Democrats' objections to the seating Nov. 14 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the South pleted, will be laminated and given to the arrangement, but after meeting with fel- Publisher Kevin Wittman Brunswick Senior Center. The event will parent. For information, contact Officer low Common Sense member Keith provide parents with an up-to-date identifi- Scott Williams of the South Brunswick Rasmussen and Princeton LWV President cation card (ID) which will include a color Police Department, Community Policing Ann Zeman, it was decided not to change picture, pertinent physical information, Bureau at (732) 329-4000 ext. 445. A Greater Media Newspaper the seating plan. "We wanted to keep the debate fair," AARP schedules Nov. 13 meeting, food drive Rasmussen said, explaining the reason for the random seating arrangement. I VERIFIED The South Brunswick Chapter of the Security system.