Getting ready Sydney bound S.B. officials had their hands full preparing North Brunswick's Tim Howard joins for a presidential visit Olympic soccer team Page 4 Page 26 AUGUST 24, 2000 Sentinel Serving North and South Brunswick S.B. rolls out its presidential carpet Ridge Road, where they boarded buses to President comes to town the Major Road middle school. to give Congressman "I'm thrilled, and excited," Mayor Debra Johnson said of the visit. "It is a Holt's campaign a boost great boom for our town." Johnson also said that the education BY CHARLES W. KIM issue is important. Stall Writi't "It is hard to balance taxes with the [needs of the] school system," Johnson resident Bill Clinton visited said. "The students' environment and facil- Crossroads Middle School in South ities are important." PBrunswick Wednesday to illustrate The Crossroads Jazz Band greeted the need for federal help with school con- Clinton with "Hail to the Chief." struction. "They only practiced Tuesday," said "Talk to your friends and neighbors. I Gary Wesalo, the father of band saxophon- need your help" to get school construction ist Beth Wesalo, 13. "She is pumped up," legislation passed, Clinton told the approx- he said, pointing at his daughter. imately 900 people present. Accompanied by Holt, Clinton arrived The president is proposing the use of at the school by Marine helicopter at about federal dollars to provide tax credits equal 1 p.m. The crowd rose to its feet as four lo the interest on new school construction, choppers set down on the athletic field and grants and loans to renovate older next to the school. buildings (hat are wearing out. Clinton was greeted by Johnson, This was the first lime a sitting presi- Stewart and other township officials. dent had visited the township. Before addressing the crowd, the presi- Clinton toured a trailer classroom dur- dent then visited for about 15 minutes with ing his visit, one of several stops in central six students and two teachers inside one of New Jersey to show support for Democrat the 21 trailer classrooms which are used Congressman Rush Holt (D-12), who throughout the district because of over- faces former GOP Congressman Dick crowding. Zimmer this November in a race that has Incoming South Brunswick freshman claimed national attention. Malaika Carpenter introduced Clinton, and Following Clinton's stop in South gave the audience a firsthand view of Brunswick, he traveled to a fund-raiser for attending classes in a trailer for two years. Holt in Hopewcll, and later to a campaign "It is half the size of a regular class- stop to support Cherry Hill's mayor in her room. It raised a whole new set of issues," bid for re-election. Malaika said, explaining that many stu- The White House announced the trip on dents in those temporary classrooms felt Friday afternoon, making officials scram- isolated and cut off from the rest of the ble to prepare the township. population. "We arc very excited and are pleased he There were also problems with weather has chosen to come here," Schools and gaining computer access, she said. Superintendent Samuel Stewart said. Also, she said teasing by other students set Stewart said 50 Crossroads Middle those in the rooms apart from the other School students were picked at random to students in the main building. attend the special event. Every 50th stu- "Believe me, we are not excused from JERRY WOLKOWITZ dent alphabetically was invited. President Clinton alights from a helicopter Wednesday at Crossroads Middle School class because of rain or snow," she said. in South Brunswick, where he spoke to teachers, students and residents (below). The school board also invited the 100 Clinton said that it was appropriate to new teachers who will be starting this fall. consider this issue as the nation's students The White House also invited 125 peo- and teachers prepare to return to their ple to the speech, Stewart said. classrooms. Those invited were instructed to go to the South Brunswick High School on Continued on page 7 ••'•fj^k •••*<••'* 1H! i Si Index Classified 30 Quote of the week: • .p ••» .:• ifLi W i ,.••••;••»••-.». i|ij Editorials 16 "This must be a national priority. Entertainment 21 There is no better way to spend the •fly ' 5"Wtr Letters 16 money," "•"•• 19k • Marketplace 28 Obituaries 25 President Clinton Police Beat 24 Cover story Sports 26 Visit Greater Media Newspapers' Web site www.gmnews.com 1 NS 2 SENTINEIi, AUGUST 24, 2000 ?ss COMPLETE COLORFUL LINE OF PANSSES SHRUBBERY $1OX RHODIES& BASKETS AZALEAS WUHMUMS FLOWERING CABBAGE & KALE LARGE SELECTION OF FALL BOWS ALL COLORS 24" WINDOW 18" URNS POTS FOR BOXES WITH MUMS W/MUMS 99 OVER 100,000 TOP QUALITY 14 EACH MUMS TO CHOOSE FROM!! 99 1L 5 FOOT OPEN 7 DAYS • MON-SAT 9 am-5 pm • SUNDAY 9 am-3 pm SCARECROWS • OPEN LABOR DAY GIGANTIC FEDERAL ROAD • MONROE TOWNSHIP TERRA-COHA :ACH CALL FOR SIMPLE DIRECTIONS 732-446-9205 EARTH POTS . V ALBERTA .99 •""••'•.• • SPRUCE 6 f.ACH • DECORATIVE STONE O LARGE BALES 3 GAL. CONTAINER CEDAR MULCH 50 LB BAGS OF STRAW 99 NUGGETS ,R&r~ 1ST QUALITY LARGE 3 GAL. 3 FACH 4 DA(ao .TOPSOIL AZALEAS 2 FOR $700 ONONLLY -POTTING SOIL $ LARGE BALES ,00 •• COW MANURE OF PEAT MOSS + tax 3«* $10 PEAT HUMUS 3.8 CU. FT BAGS PINE BARK MULCH (40 LB BAGS) 0 (3 CU. FT. PER BAG) RED Large Bunches CEDAR MULCH CENTER PIECE Of Corn Stalks %29t MUMS 00 NS SENTINEL, AUGUST 24, 2000 3 Heritage Award to go to late GOP chair NORTH BRUNSWICK — The late GOP Municipal Chairwoman Mary Slye will be honored posthumously at this yeat's Heritage Day Festival. The 18th annual township-sponsored festival is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 16, at Noith Brunswick Township High School. The rain date is Saturday, Sept. 23. Recipients of the Heritage Awaid aie selected from nominations submitted by residents, according to Leslie Golden, director of Human Services. Slye, who died Sept. 31, lived in the township for more than 40 ycais and was a member of the Board of Education tiom 1970 to 1975. Accoiding to a biog- uiphy, she was instiumental in the devel • opment ol the current high school. She .seivecl as president ol the Lions Club ol Noah Biunswick, the fust woman to hold that position, and treasurer of Hank's Buddies Inc. (Help a Needy Kid) She was honored in 1998 by the Noah Brunswick High School Social JEFF HUNTLEY Studies Club during Women's History Month loi her efforts on behalf of the GONE FISHING North Brunswick resident Ken Phelps tries his luck fishing Tuesday at Farrington Lake in North Brunswick. school district and community. The daylong Heritage Day event, a celebration of cultural heritage, staits al noon. Evening entertainment will begin at 7 p.m , followed by fireworks. The Heritage Day Committee Ls still S.B. board keeps high school .seeking craft, iood, activity and business participants for the festival, a fall tradi- tion at the high school. So iar about 100 dilfeicnt vendors of booths have signed on, according to class ranking system for now Golden. eliminate the present ranking system at the the new policy would make the jobs of Entertainment will include the Members split on high school. admissions personnel harder. Dalton Express Country and Western The policy change was introduced for "There are profound implications for Band, the American Indian Thundcrbird tabling policy change first reading on July 10, and a public hear- .students," Shaw said, adding, "It is im- Dancers, Jukebox Heroes and the North to eliminate system ing on the policy was held July 31. portant to think of the consequences." Brunswick High School cheerleaders Supporters of the policy believe that Shaw said that without a student's rank, and marching band. Hoi air balloon BY CHARLES W. KIM eliminating ranking will make it easier for admissions workers have to rely on guess- rides will also be offered. itaff Writer students to get into colleges. Colleges work and formulas to see if a student is eli- New vendors and organizations inter- would not be able to automatically elimi- gible for admission, which may hurt better ested in receiving an application pack- SOUTH BRUNSWICK — South nate students, for example, if they fell into students. age should contact the Department of Brunswick High School will continue class the middle third or bottom half of the class. "It hurts students at the top of the Human Services at (732) 247-0922, ext. rankings, at least for now. 475. Schools Superintendent Samuel School officials also believe that elimi- class," Shaw said. Stewart asked a split Board of Education nating the ranking system would allow stu- Shaw also said that he was concerned Monday night to withdraw a policy change dents to take more stringent courses with- that such a policy would also eliminate the that would eliminate the ranking system. out worrying about losing their position in traditional selection of class valedictorians N.B. department "It needs more work," Stewart said after the class. and salutatorians. board members split 4-4 on tabling a final "It seems that a segment of the commu- "Those positions are important. You heads 'retreating' vote on the new policy. nity was not informed. There is a percep- have earned the right to speak at gradu- Board President Harry Delgado and tion that there was no public input," Watts ation," Shaw said. NORTH BRUNSWICK — Mayor board members Bryan Laurita, Daniel said, because no one from the public com- School officials said that those posi- David Spauldtng has scheduled quarterly Watts and Gail Barcelo supported sending mented at the July 31 public hearing.