Road Work About To Begin—Like The Season COLD SPRING — At long last, work on correcting the longstanding traffic haiard at the intersection of Rt. 109 and Ocean Dr. at the northern approach to the canal bridge here is about to begin. A representative of the state Dept, of Transportation said Monday the project was scheduled to start "within a week,” changing that later to "sometime this week.” However, a spokesman for the contractor who will do the work, Pema Ex(Page 20 Please) Blood Gift

AMONG THOSE CLOWNING around during Saturday’s annual Spring Fair at the ConsotMated School in Cold Spring was this fellow, all decked out to help raise funds for naw playground equipment.

Program Is Hughes Is Optimistic

Under Goal On Coastal Zone Plans

COURT HOUSE - The county blood collection program, conducted by the county chapter of the American Red Cross, is itself suffering a slight case of anemia. The program, as reported by Gertrude D. Yesgosh, executive secretary, achieved only 80 per cent efficienty, with 2,069 donors against a goal of 2,590, in the collection period from last July to the middle of March. THE GOAL WAS exceeded by six groups, including the Coast Guard, which went over quota on two occasions, in August and January. Other sites at which the goal was surpassed were: Burdette Tomlin Hospital, Cape May County employees, Avalon, Lower Cape May Regional High School, and Ocean City High School. Of the 2,363 who volunteered their blood, 2,068 were accepted as donors, including 573 who gave for the first time.

ATLANTIC CITY — Congressman Bill Hughes (D-NJ) said Friday he is optimistic about the future of coastal zone management programs, despite administration attempts to scale back federal participation in state coastal projects. Speaking before an American Bar Association seminar on coastal zone management law, Hughes said "a revolution of sorts is underway with regard to the new administration's coastal and ocean policy programs.” ACCORDING TO the President’s recent budget proposals, federal coastal zone management funds, energy impact grants, the marine advisory service, and fishery assistance programs, are all slated to be cut back significantly. In addressing the group of lawyers, planners and state and federal officials, Hughes noted that the past decade has

been monumental in shaping the government’s view toward oceans and coastline programs. "DESPITE THE occasional conflicts, that have arisen since the inception of the federal coastal zone program, I believe we have made remarkable progress in protecting our fragile coastal resources, while at the same time providing for necessary development activities,” Hughes said. "I have no doubt that the coastal zone program has provided the mechanism for wise decision-making in coastal land use matters, and has given some bite to the planning process.” In looking back over the achievements of the state and federal programs over the past decade, Hughes noted that in reauthorizing the federal coastal Initiatives last year, Congress recognized the need to clarify, expand and redirect (Page 20 Please)

Lower is Highest in People

Final population figures released by the state and federal governments reveal that no less than six of the Jersey Cape’s 16 municipalities showed population gains of more than 50 per cent during the decade of the 1970s. According to the Census figures, Upper Township all but doubled its 1970 population by last year, increasing by 96.7 per cent from 3,413 to 6,713 persons. CAPE MAY COUNTY’S overaU population jumped 38.1 per cent, from 59,554 in 1970 to 82,266 last year — giving the Jersey Cape the third greatest population increase on a percentage basis in the state. Ocean County led the Garden State with a 66 per cent population jump, followed by Sussex with 49.8, then Cape May County. On the other end of the scale in Cape May County were four municipalities where growth increases were under 11 per cent. Each of the 16 municipalities showed populations gains during 1970s, unlike many cities in the state which showed population declines. WOODBINE. WITH 2.8M PERSONS last year compared to 2,625 ten years before, showed the lowest percentage increase, gaining only 7 per cent. West Cape May,

whose population rose by 8.6 per cent ing the past decade, showed the smallest population increase in Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in actual numbers, among the larger the countywide population picture occurmunicipalities, adding only 86 persons dur- (page 20 Please)

—Jersey Cape Municipalities-!

(arranged

in population order)

198# Census

Gain

% Gain

Lower Twp

17,105

6,951

68.5

Ocean Cty

13,949

3,374

31.9

Middle Twp

.11,373

2,648 «

30.3

Upper Twp

6,713

3,300

96.7

Wildwood

. 4,913

803

19.5

Cape May

4,853

461

10.5

N. Wildwood

...4,714

800

20.4

Wild. Crest

4,149

666

19.1

Dennis Twp

.3,969

1,354

51.4

Woodbine

. .. 2,809

184

7.0

Sea Isle

.2,644

932

54.4

Avalon

2,162

879

68.5

Stone Harbor

...1,187

98

9.0

W. Cape May

1,091

86

8.6

W. Wildwood

360

125

53.2

C.M. Point

255

51

25.0

COUNTY Total

82,266

22,712

38.1

Diges Another

The

A. Week's

I To

Top Stories,

Shi

nk

Arises in Middle

MIDDLE TWP. — Municipal officials here, who seem to have almost a running battle with outside plans to use land here for sanitary waste disposal, had another thing to complain about last week — and this time it was more than just an issue. According to officials and some residents of a Rio Grande development, the state-sartctioned dumping of septic waste water on nearby farmlands was literally raising a stink. Authorities, who weren’t informed of the procedure by the state, are considering court action. In the past they've threatened such action against county MUA plans to locate two treatment plants for resort island waste water within the township borders. Condo Too Dense CAPE MAY — Following a four-hour hearing last Thursday night, the local Planning Board voted to deny a variance to developers of a proposed 20ninit condominium at Beach and Readings Aves. Opponents of the project and the trend toward condominiums here spoke out, and the consensus was that granting the variance would lead to too high a density in the area. The late-hour precluded the board’s reviewing a condominium of more than 90 units proposed on Lafayette St. by another out-of-town developer. ‘Cap’ Vote Fails WEST CAPE MAY - For the second time in as many years, voters here last Tuesday rejected the governing body's request to exceed the budget cap.’ This time, an 18-vote plurality turned down the almost $39,000 request. Last ypar a $40,000 cap override was rejected by voters, eventually leading to the temporary disbanding of the police force. Police, fire, rescue, street fighting and employee Insurance are expected to be affected by this year's denial. Authority Eyed WILDWOOD — City fathers here are considering transferring administration of the water and sewer utilities and sanitation departments to a public authority. If such a change takes place, the cost would no longer fall within the municipal budget, since user fees would provide the revenue. Shot Repeatedly WOODBINE - Louie Toro. 38, died in his car after being shot five times following an argument around 11 p.m. last Wednesday, authorities report. According to investigators, Angel Guzman, 19, of Woodbine Manor Apts., was charged with the crime and was being held in county jail. Picket Troubles

WILDWOOD — a total of three men were charged with assault and battery outside*the Menz Food Service plant here in two separate incidents last week where about half the woriters earlier walked off the job following the firing of a fellow employee. No serious injuries were reported. Menz is a non-union food distributor. Riparian Rights BRIGANTINE — State Assemblyman William Gormley (R-AUantic) is seeking to get the ball rolling against the state’s mapping policy of riparian lands. During a 1 p.m. public meeting April 14 in city hall here, the assemblyman is expected to advance his idea for a constitutional amendment aimed at preventing any state riparian claim on land on which taxes have been paid for a period of 60 years. According to Mr. Gormley, anyone with property bdardering a body of water should be interested in the meeting. %