Growling Bears When autumn leaves^ 'Weedeliver' promotes begin to fall... Brearley crushes reading at Walnut Ave. School Bound Brook in football See tbjs week's .*• See Sports, page B-l Story, photos on page A-8 Thursday, October 17, 1991 Vol. 98, No. 42 A Forbes Newspaper 50 cents CRANFORD • GARWOOD • KENILWORTH Candidates face Students, officials Scenes from an Italian off at forum By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL disagree on cause festival THE CHRONICLE The annual Jaycees Forum brought Republican Robert Hoef-' fler and Democrat Norman Albert,' of discord at CHS opponents for the lone Township ' By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL discuss . something that is not Committee seat, together last .THE CHRONICLE there," he also said police, in con- junction with school administrators Thursday. Is ^ there racial discord at Cran- . Hoeffler, attempting a second try ford High School? and clergy, "are "addressing the problem:" When asked to explain at a governing body seat after los-\ Police and school officials con- ' ing last year, focused his opening tinue tq deny reports of racial dis- what the "problem" was, he re- fused to elaborate or confirm any remarks on the future of Cranford,: harmony at CHS or within the the responsibility of the school sys- township, attributing any, incidents details received by the Chronicle from students, parents and teach- tem to students and taxpayers; occurring as "kid related,".not rar long-term public safety, and the cially motivated. However, the ers, except to'say'"The facts ypu have are wrong." control the state has over the town- Chronicle continues to receive tele- ship. He faulted the state for tak- phone calls from students, parents On Tuesday, Wilde said police ing away most of Cranford's rev- and teachers who say the problems had investigated an Oct. 5 High enue, and said the Democratic- have been brewing since the begin- Street incident and found it did controlled, state government had ning of the school year. "not meet the criteria we (the po- caused a fiscal crisis. Uniformed police are reportedly lice department) use to determine Albert targeted . his .opening still in the high .school, although an incident racially motivated." statements at the public safety de- both police.and school officials in- High school students calling the_ -partmeht arid education, with em- sisted the Chronicle does not have Chronicle have emphasized the phasis on single-hauler garbage re- "the facts." Attempts to get the fact that racial unrest surfaced in moval via resident taxes, the im- facts have been repeatedly stone- September. Students said intensi- portance of the new state- walled. • - • . fying racial problems in school and mandated ethics law, taxes and On Friday when Police Chief out prevent teenagers from going flooding. He also stressed a need to Harry Wilde was asked to clarify out alone. One 17-year-old who coordinate efforts between the the situation, he declined doing so called the Chronicle last Thursday Board of Education and the Town- saying, "There was, a lot of misin- said it was dangerous to walk ship Committee. formation in the article, and I downtown alone. He maintained a Hoeffler did not indicate how he won't comment on misinforma- core of about 15 students persist in would help alleviate the problems. tion." He did say, however, if there causing problems in school and He voiced his support of the re- was a problem it was no different out. cently established public safety de- "than any other problem we have Calls to CHS principal Robert partment, supporting continued ex- had each year" at the high school. Seyfarth on Friday and Tuesday pansion, and explaining the town- When asked to comment on po- were unanswered at press time. Lt. Pure fun! ship could not continue the same lice and detective presence in and Milt Mason of. the Cranford police police and fire services without it. Juvenile Division said Tuesday he About 15,000 people He advocated a per-bag garbage outside the high school he said, and 70 vendors turned "This js part of the 1987 state- could not answer ques^ons unless disposal system based on the mandated Drug Free Zone pro- it was cleared through Chief Wilde. out for the Italian Fes- amount of solid waste generated. • gram." According to Wilde, police In the interim, the Chronicle re- tival, sponsored by the • Hanson Park. When asked his routinely patrol schools, CHS in- ceived more calls from CHS stu- Cranford Chamber of stand, on Hanson Park, Hoeffler cluded, as part of the state pro- dents -commenting on an Oct. 5 . Commerce, this past said the township should do a min- gram, making it safe for youth to fight on High Street According to Saturday. imum of work on the Springfield come and go from school without their reports, the 16-year-old youth One youngster, Avenue river side respite,, but cen- being victimized by drug dealers. • who received injuries after the re- above, seemed to tered the majority of his comments "It is not unusual for them (po- ported altercation with another on the removal-of weeds in the enjoy having his face back of Hanson House. -lice) to be in the high school," said youth did not provoke the attack. painted. At right, se- the chief, who angrily maintained The father of the youth-^wh'o was Albert emphasized the township^ "had "bought the park with~Grecn ~"^KcYe~ts~~ho raciarpT6T5IeffT"artFie~ injured on High Street responded their heels for a high school." to the article in last week's paper, Acres funding and should be left ' Although Wilde said, "how can I (Please turn to page A-7) square dancing exhibi- passive, He suggested eliminating tion. And below, the gravel walkways and picnic bench- many visitors peruse es, stressing, "We do not need to wares set out by local spend $258,000 to create enhance- School officials won't merchants. ment" • Flooding. The subject of flood- Funds raised will go ing was broached by a resident to the Chamber's who feared the effects of a pro- release promised report scholarship fund. The posed 66-inch express pipe to al- By CHERYL MOULTON HEHL "communicating with parents and festival was held In leviate Columbia Avenue flooding. ,; kids," suggesting the board "tell THE CHRONICLE. v order to promote Albert said the consultant for Co- ' School superintendent Robert the Chronicle the facts." With this downtown Cranford, lumbia Avenue indicated the ex- Paul and Board of Education presi- Paul said he would "talk to Mr. provide residents with press pipe would not create ad- dent James Van Horn refused to Seyfarth and see about stopping a better sense of ..com- ditional flooding, and would in fact release confidential information on these rumors." munity, and utilize create less of a problem down- discord at CHS after publicly stat- Board members remained silent, stream. with only Tom Bonhag asking Eastman Plaza and the ing at a Board of Education work- newly-constructed Hoeffler, however, questioned shop that they would do so. about the "reports" Paul had men- the consultant's proposal. He said — Both-Paul-arrchVan-Horn stated tioned. Paul, told Bonhag , the- re? sections of the the current sewers are old, with too at the meeting Monday night that ports from Seyfarth and Mason Streetscape program. many bends and turns, so an ex- the information would be released were "in his Vpacket" he received press pipe, while carrying water di- for publication after a Cranford res- on Thursday. rectly to the river, could activate an ident pointed out the release of the A parent suggested any reports overload and cause downstream actual facts from CHS principal should be released to the Chronicle flooding. ' Robert Seyfarth and township ju- so rumors in town would subside. • Ethics. Hoeffler, when asked venile officer Lt Milt Mason would Van Horn said he would "pro- if he agreed with Republican defuse rumors of racial unrest. duce a copy of this for the Chroni- Mayor Ed Force's refusal to file fi- cle," to the audience of 20-25 teach- nancial disclosure forms as re- During the meeting Van Horn ers and parents. quired by law, said "The mayor is a said he was "disgusted at the cow- On Tuesday morning, when the person, he can do as he wants, but boy journalism" of the Chronicle, Chronicle requested the copy from if I am elected I will file my forms contending "We obviously have to the day they are due,!' separate the articles in the Chroni- the Board of Education office, Paul cle from fact. This type of journal- said "I never said we would do Albert presented the only chal- ism we have seem lately has got to that. I don't know what Mr, Van lenge of the evening when he re- stop." Horn said but I said we would eval- futed Hoeffier's staternent saying, uate the reports from Mr. Seyfarth "I don't believe the mayor has the Van Horn's comments were in • and Lt. Mason and puttaEether a right to do what he wants. He took ^response, to remarks 'from three -letter tO"1Hp:a^s^l^-c1wbnici^ an oath of office to abide by the parents who voiced concern over will receive the information when laws." Albert said he had filled out recent rumors of racial unrest. One it is ready." a financial disclosure form and de- parent said it was "alarming to see When asked why this in- livered it to the Chronicle, and pre- that many detectives and police at formation differed from the in- sented Hoeffler with a blank ethic the high school," asking if the formation at the meeting, Paul (Please turn to page A-7) board could "do something" about would not comment He did say dealing up the rumors.