Your Local Connection October 4, 2007 North Brunswick • South Brunswick 500 Baroni vs. Singh A look at the candidates for state Senate in the 14th Legislative District Page 3 Entertainment Check out this week's Just Go! Page 25 Quote of the week: "We're not in this race to be SCOTT FRIEDMAN spoilers, we're in it to win Timbo the Clown high-fives the crowd while riding his mini-unicycle at North Brunswick's Heritage Day festival Saturday at Babbage Park. See page 16 for story. and regardless, we will affect who becomes the next Assembly people." — Lou Jasikoff Sides debate cause of 3'year-old's death Libertarian Party campaign manager Page 7 office attributing his death to blunt force trau- Although the prosecution said that ~ Trial begins ofN.B. ma. Reports showed that the toddler had been Knutsen, then 30, claimed the boy suffered from man accused of beating punched twice, causing his back to break, his a violent seizure, Pappas said the medical head to fall back to his hamstrings and half of reports show that the child died a slow, painful his godson to death his blood to leak into his stomach, according to death, and she alleged that Knutsen abused the Index Assistant Middlesex County Prosecutor Seana boy, then let his cries fall down to whimpers until Classified 33 BY JENNIFER AMATO Staff Writer Pappas. he could not verbally express what had hap- Crossword 26 "He was an angel. He was very sweet, very pened, at which time Knutsen decided to call for Editorials 12 he aggravated manslaughter trial has lovable, not really temperamental. He was an ambulance. Entertainment 25 begun against Robert Knutsen, the for- really the best kind of child you could ask for. "The truth is that the evidence will prove to Obituaries 22 mer North Brunswick resident who is Police Beat 15 T He was my world," Rosol said. you that Robert Knutsen is guilty of aggravat- accused of beating his godson to death. On Tuesday, the trial began at state ed manslaughter," she said. Real Estate 29 On Nov.. 30, 2005, 3-year-old Nikolas Sports 27 Superior Court in New Brunswick in the court- Chavez was taken to Robert Wood Johnson room of Judge Dennis Nieves. Pappas began Jealousy, frustration named as University Hospital in New Brunswick her opening statement saying, "This case is possible motives because he was not breathing, according to tes- about death and disappointment. A Greater Media Newspaper timony by his mother, 27-year-old Nicole Disappointment because Robert Knutsen let Rosol and Knutsen began a romantic Rosol. At 3:09 p.m. that afternoon, he was pro- www.gmnews.com | down the one person in the world he promised nounced dead, with the medical examiner's to protect: his godson, his spon-to-be stepson." (Continued on page 23) I -ffi ' % NO ONE ELSE COMES CLOSE www.ProvidentNJ.con> :,,, 2 SENTINEL, October 4, 2007 NS www.gmnews.com OPEN 7 DAYS Mon-Sat 9-5 Sun 9-3 FARM & GREENHOUSES Home OUR BEST FALL OVER Grown Mix CROP EVER!! 100,000 & Match Shrubs LARGE FIELD GROWN TOP QUALITY AZALEAS, RHOWES J t MUMS TO ALBERTA SPRUCE CHOOSE FROM!! 3FOR MUMS GOID THREAD CYPRESS 3 GAL. 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Gaskos is (approx. 3 miles on right) | www.gaskosfamilyfarm.com www.gmnews.com NS SENTINEL, October 4, 2007 Senate hopefuls call for leaner, cleaner government Baroni says pork spending ject's next trial run, money," Singh said. since many legisla- Singh: State can save "Energy is big, and corruption are costing tive districts decide through energy efficiency and as ratepayer New Jersey taxpayers big their true candidate advocate, I always not during the gen- and renewable energies observed that mov- eral election but ing into more re- BY CHRIS GAETANO during the primary Staff Writer BY CHRIS GAETANO newable energy race. Second, inde- Staff Writer sources, making ssemblyman Bill Baroni, of Hamil- pendent candidates our offices more en- need to be treated ton, is the Republican contender for eema Singh, a South Brunswick res- ergy efficient, that equally — under the state Senate seat in New Jer- ident and former ratepayer advocate could lead to major A th th the current pro- for New Jersey, is vying for the 14 sey's 14 legislative district. It is Baroni's S cuts." gram, they are only District's state Senate seat on the Demo- belief that the state must address govern- She said the av- eligible to receive cratic ticket. It is Singh's assertion that ment spending, ethics reform and infra- erage homeowner half the funds of taxes, health care and ethics reform are structure, especially with regard to road can save up to 15 construction and traffic problems. Bill Baroni major party candi- the most pressing concerns facing the Seema Singh dates, even though state this election. percent on their en- The Assemblyman frames his view of they must do the same amount of work. ergy bills simply by government spending within the context Singh believes the tax rate in the state Third, he said that competitive districts conserving. This ties into another issue of living within one's means. He empha- has grown out of control, and while she receive too much money, and said the that Singh feels is very important, namely sized that he is a supporter of a great thinks that the last round of property tax funding formula needs to be changed to the environment, which she also links many government programs, because they relief enacted by the Corzine administra- prevent $500,000 coming in just to fuel with health care and energy independ- do good things for the people of New Jer- tion was a good start, a more permanent someone's campaign. Besides these three ence. sey, but says that, regrettably, the state solution is needed. modifications, though, Baroni believes the "I see them all as extremely important, cannot afford them. "I really believe that it is time for the FACE program was a success. because I connect them together with our "We need to be able to restrain spend- Legislature to turn property tax relief into environment pollution, which deteriorates ing. It's going to involve getting rid of all "At the same time, this program is a real property tax reform," Singh said. our health," Singh said. the pork spending, including things I sup- worth every penny. It truly does take the This means supporting a constitution Singh believes that to this end, New port and are good things, but we can't con- special interest money out of politics," Ba- ally guaranteed property tax rebate, Jersey should continue to be a leader in tinue spending the way we have," said roni said. "The changes we need to make which taxpayers would receive every year, developing and promoting alternative en- providing a "substantial" amount of relief, Baroni. "Like $1 million on a poetry group to the '07 program are very small, but very ergies. She would like to see the state be- something families would be able to rely — these are good things, but we can't af- important." come fully energy independent, and said on, she said. ford them." For Baroni, infrastructure, particularly that the state government can definitely When asked for specifics, he rattled off roads and traffic This rebate, play a role in this, citing the Board of Pub- a vast list of projects he believes need to and how they re- though, must also lic Utility's rebates for solar panels as one be either reduced or cut entirely. They in- late to civic plan- be tempered with example. clude things such as Abbot Rim District ning, is another more effective con- Another environmental issue that Aid ("this was a giveaway"), the Bergen important issue trols in.