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CAPE MAY COUNTY

Vd. 17 NO.39 l9*JS»owOv*Cofp Allf.*hNf*»*rv*d

September 29,1982

Pum ISM| 0 I VI M> *VI ONI SOAV H* IM| M A*VA I

A Burning Question Is Arson a County Epidemic?

By Jacob Schaad, Jr. COURT HOUSE - Has an arson epidemic been spreading through Cape May County in recent years? Ia,the torch mightier than the sword? The questions seem reasonable in light of the $1 million or more conflagration on the Wildwood boardwalk last week and other recent fires. Beneath the rubble, however, are answers that are not so obvious. Representatives of the Cape May County prosecutor's staff contend there actually has been a 38 per cent decrease in arsons their men have investigated from 1978 to 1981. They attribute this decline lo more sophisticated ways of probing fires, increased expertise among police and fire' personnel and stiffer jail sentences that are serving as deterrents. A CONTRARY view comes fronj a voluminous State Police book that reports arsons in Cape May County went up from 38 in 1980 to 57 last year. The same report has North Wildwood leading the county with 20 in '81 and 14 the previous year. Ad-

ding doubt to its reliability are figures for Wildwood, showing only two arsons last year and three the previous year. There are probably no two law enforcement officers closer to the arson scene in Cape May County^than Courtly Detective Chief William B. Matthews and Todd Pierce, his specialist in arson investigation. k "Jf it seems that there are more arsons, it's only because more are being discovered now than a decade ago,” Matthews explains. The big push to uncover the cause of fires began in Cape May County in 1978 when an arson awareness committee was formed. It consisted of fire and police chiefs, members of the prosecutor's staff

Inside

2ND IN SERIES on Vintage Homes features a family adventure in restoring “The Brass Bed”...Page 14. HERB RECIPES will add spice to your cooking...Page 31. HI HI) WATCHERS efe migrations on Cape Page S.

NewSv

-- Weeks Digest Top Stories

and representatives of the independent insurance agencies. ^ A SUBSEQUENT $10,000 grant from the state paved the way for an arson training program attended by 150 fire and policemen. As a result of this program the county now has 10 intensive arson investigators, five of them policemen, five firemen, from OceaaCity to Cape May "Ten years ago the firemen's goal was only to pill out a fire," said Matthews, a former Cape May police chief. "Now the thinking is completely turned arourtd. Even when a car is on fire, the fireman looks for arson possibilities " Indictive of the progress made is the discovery of the arson motive in the (Page 32 Please)

FRANK BROWN, Mid 11 end. raught several ke> thers' 20-0 win over brought him to the gn successful try on this Samuels stands over hii

page).

Dorn Ward

Jr Township's 6-:t passes in the Pan-’ Buena. Tackier* ■» und after another play. Buena's Al i n. (Story on sports

Whale of a ALMOST EVEftYV mystery in Cape May < where the noise that wt county carrte frt)m. Mtin; shaking, rocking and ro and no one seems to kno it an earthquake'’ Was I underwater explosion" under the Cape May Cc possibilities are intrigutij

Noise HERE The big >unty these days is heard around the iy residents were ling last Thursday what it was Was a sonic boom'’ An Was it a whale ention HallflThe. IK * >

Bridge-Tunnel Talk

r bridal

ON THE WAX T0 c seemed to be some mo’

the talk to build

ween Delaware and Downey, executive dire: City‘Casino Hotel Assoc i 6d a meeting.with A; Wildwood Mayor (Juj discuss the possibility Downey said the bridii [very helpful to Atlantic opening up a whole ac

southern market

Saunders Support

VPE MAY-^CJhtc ivjemcnt this week in

[e and tunnel bet May. William

•tor of the Atlantic lation. has arrang/’issernblyman and

F. Muziarn to

C ipe I

[e-tunnel would be City "in terms of •ess route for the

Oorii Ward EQUIPMENT USED in arson investigation is inspected by Todd Pierce. speciaHst in arson investigation, who is a member of the county prosecutor's staff. ^ The County Clerk’s Race -—

MIDDLE TOMfNSH tion supporting suspenjh Raymond Saunders is the county chapter- of a m. on October 5. A Memorial Field and wi I the township court

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P A demons! ra led Police Captain being planned by the NAACP for 10 narch will liegm at terminate mitside building where

lease)

GOP Incumbent Cites Efficiency, Savings

Dem Opponent Charges Victorian Era Office

By Bob Shiles When incumbent county Clerk Angela Pulvino was first elected to office in the early 1970’s, her predecessor, Richard Anderson, told her that no matter how long one serves in the county's chief administrative post, it's impossible to learn everything about the many duties and responsibilities delegated to the county clerk. That was ten years go. But today, according to Pulvino, Anderson's analysis still holds true. Government is constantly changing and the Clerk’s Office is always taking on more responsibilities,” she said. "This is a pressure office.. It's very diversified. That’s why I like it. There^s always something different. Always a challenge." She says the best phrase to describe the "multitude" of responsibilities delegated county clerks in New Jersey is "Keeper of the Records.” She said the duties are "diversified," pointing out that they include: registering all land transactions in the county; serving

as Deputy Clerk of the Superior, District, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations courts; handling eleetjon matters such as canvassing primary and general election votes, printing ballots, and drawing up absentee ballots; processing applications for passports; issuing identification cards, and selling fishing and hunting licenses. "Being the Deputy Clerk of the Superior, District and Juvenile and Domestic Relations Courts comprises about 50 percent of my work," the official explained, pointing out that all administrative work having to do with the courts is handled throught her office. ASKED WHICH of her duties she

by Bob Shiles "I'm the type person that gejs in there, rolls up his sleeves and gets the job done." That’s how Democratic county clerk candidate Edward Rosenberg says he's always approached a job, whether it's been tending bar, coaching athletics, teaching school, or conducting his bread distribution business. And now the self-proclaimed "jack'-of-all-trades" wants to bring his "creative" skills and "organizational" capabilities to the Clerk’s office — an office he believes needs to be run more efficiently and provide improved services to county residents.

The Herald Interview

perceives to be most important or challenging, the clerk responded, "At this time the courts are because we're going through changes with the court system." She added, however, that the (Page 17 Please)

"I believe there's a need for improv ed services," he charged. "I-think the big problem right now. as far as my perspective is concerned, is that there is a big efficiency problem in getting things done for the residents of the

county I’ve gone kno< king on doors throughout the county md its really surprising to hear fron people that they've applied for this 4r that (copies of deeds, mortgages, legal papers i and it's taken weeks when should have taken only a couple of diys I’d cer*

Clerk’s offied no isconcerni

tainly like to make the more efficient as fa): as ti cd,” the candidate said

i P<H’

ROSENBERG PtN.NTED out that an

Atlantic County official

Mlpptk

himthat Cape May is referred to by adj joining counties aS the "V ictoriart Coun-

ty " The same official int i(

Torts should be taken to bring the counj ty clerk out of the "Vieui-ian Age " "I'd like to find out whbt that mean«i

and do something about i Rosenberg said he is s

son," tty kind of individual he believes is besTsuited to hold a public relations oriented position such as! county clerk In addition to enjoying Work with the public, Rosenberg emphasized that hei feels a qualified clerk mjust also have

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recently told