Where’s the Bison? County Wonders

By JOE ZELNIK COURT HOUSE - Where’s the bison? Two buffaloes purchased for the zoo at the Cape May County Park are still dragging their hoofs. Apparently preferring their home in Bordentown, Burlington County, the buffaloes have resisted efforts to corral them and withstood tranquilizers shot from a dart handgun. Now the county's waiting on a more powerful tranquilizing rifle ordered from Belleplain Supply Co. “THE DART GUN couldn’t penetrate their hides,” explained Dominic Rosselli of Villas, coimty park foreman. The new weapon, he said, "if we get a good shot can penetrate and get 'em'a little dopey so we can lead them onto the trailer.” Due for the zoo is a female buffalo weighing from 800 to 1,000 pounds and car-

WRITE A PAL — Pupils at Middle Township Elementan. School No. 1 sent 506 helium-filled balloons into the sky last week as part of a “Writing Pals Balloon Contest." Each balloon has a message attached, promising a response to the finder if he returns It. Looking pleased with the whole idea are Dannielle Springer, left, 5. and Kelly Sapello, 6. Dannielle is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Springer; Kelly is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Dale Sapello, all of Court House.

News—^— Week's Top Stories Lambert Jailed

ERMA — Louis Lambert, owner of Laura’s Fudge Shops, was arrested at his home, 780 Tabernacle Road, and charged with witness tampering “after investigations revealed he assisted (a) witness in leaving the state,” the county prosecutor’s office reported Tuesday. Lambert, 67, had been arrested in July and charged with illegal possession of weapons and receiving stolen property. He was released on his own recognizance then but this time he’s being held in the county Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail, the prosecutor's office said.

Two Arrested VILLAS — Sandra Lachetti of 300 Woodland Ave., and John Roth, 23, of 113 Pearl St., Cape May, were arrested Monday night and arraigned yesterday for distributing cocaine and related charges stemming from a six-month drug probe that resulted in nine arrests March 16, Assistant U.S. Attorney Marianne E. Murphy reported Tuesday. The two, and 12 other sifspects, including five Cape May County men, were Indicted by a federal grand jury in Newark Monday morning. All the suspects are due for formal arraignment April 4.

Suicide Attempt? PATERSON - Antonio Gambino, 30, of Apartment B, 944 Sewell Avenue, Cape May, tried to kill himself by ramming his (Page 23 Please)

animals.” Rosselli said the park hopes sponsors will donate money for other animals such as a zebra JR* zoo already has a New Jersey oMnestic animals section with birds, rabbits, etc.; a barnyard section with sheep, goats, chickens, turkeys, and a donkey; and an exotic section with four monkeys, chinchilla, kinkajou, and a lion named “Numar.” The eight-acre zoo is part of a 143-acre park open from 9a.m. until an hour before darkness every day of the year except Christmas. The park system has 17 fulltime employes and six persons employed under the work experience component of the Jobs Training Partnership Art.

rying a young due in July, plus her 400-to 600-pound, seven-month-old male offspring. The female doesn’t have a name yet, but the male offspring has been named "Olaf ’ by the anonymous donor who contributed $1,500 to purchase the animals. "I guess he spelled "buffalo” backwards and knocked off a couple letters,” suggested Rosselli. IT WAS ROSSELLI who heard that the buffaloes were for sale by Burton and Carol Sipp who collect animals and nave their own zoo in Bordentown. Rosselli, county parks executive direc: tor Leon Fulginiti and senior zoo keeper Edward Lanza Jr. of Wildwood inspected

the animals — from a distance — Feb. 17 and put down a $500 deposit. But the Sipps had difficulty rounding up the buffaloes in their 50-acre field. Lanza took parks employes Herokl PiiCkatt of Green Creek and Vincent Sonetto of Erma back to the farm three times. Three times they failed. Later last week, Olaf vamoosed out of the field, crossed the New Jersey Turnpike and for 72 hours did whatever loose buffaloes do. But be came back on his own. ROSSELLI IS shooting for a tranquilizer rifle (it uses blank .22 guage shells) later this week and a successful roundup. A 12-foot by 18-foot shelter is ready in a new zoo section for "larger hoofed

County Figures Challenged Wildwood: Water OK

A third Cape-May County municipality — Wildwood — has challenged the county Health Department’s warning of high sodium in its drinking water. Wildwood’s water serves Wildwood, North Wildwood, Wildwood Crest and West Wildwood and comes from wells on the Mainland Robert Bebee, director of the city’s water department, said fMiad its water sampled from wells and the distribution system on March 14 and tested by Century Environmental Laboratory Inc. Its wells ranged from 7 mg/l (milligrams per liter) of sodium to 16.8. The county Health Department sample of Feb. 28 reported a range of from 25.4 to 98. The city’s three distribution system samples averaged 8 mg/l; the county had reported 117.4. Avalon and the New jersey Water Co., which serves Ocean City, also had their own tests done and found sodium levels far lower than the county reported:

“I cannot explain the differences,” Jack Novodoff, director of the academic laboratory and field facilities at Stockton State College, told the Herald this week. His lab tested the county samples. Novodoff said lie has suggested “split samples,” two samples at each location and sent to two different labs. Louis L. La manna, county public health coordinator, said split samples will be taken “for those that have requested it.” That includes Avalon, Ocean City and Wildwood, he said. Lamanna said the municipalities will sample at the same place and same time as the county and send samples to different labs. The samplings will take place this week, be said, with results due next week. “It must, be recognized that sodium levels do not remain constant,” said Lamanna. “We can expect to see fluctuating counts as we go along. Our concern will be if the counts stay above the (state) maximum of 50 mg/i.”

It’s Cheese Time Again

RIO GRANDE - Another distribution of free federal surplus cheese is set for Cape May County's needy. The cheese, in five-pound blocks, will be given next Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, April 4,5, and 6, to persons who meet eligibility requirements. There are two changes this time around. Maximum income level has been increased for persons 65 and older, and preregistration is requested to make lines move faster on distribution days. Sources at Cape Human Resources Inc., co-sponsor with the county Welfare

Department, indicated, however, that persons who can't preregiste^ will not be turned away. The new maximum monthly income level for one person over 65 is $1,000; for two persons, $1,250. Only one person per household may apply An estimated 7,500 count la ns are believed eligible. ^ As usual, all applicants will be automatically eligible if they have cards for one of the following: Public Assistance, food stamps, pharmaceutical msiatsnce, (Page 23 Please)

Schpol Elections Tuesday • t By E. J. DUFFY Voters in nearly all Cape May County school districts will cast their ballots next Tuesday for local school board members and district budgets. In most cases, the non-partisan elections will be held from 5-9 p.m. at the polling places listed below with the candidates and budget ballot questions. Avalon Incumbent president Nancy Hudanich, a teacher, and William G. Burns Jr., a businessman, are unopposed for two seats on the five-member hoard. One seat was vacated when vice president John Sideravage decided not to stand for reelection. Borough voters will also decide if $909,137 in capital expenses and $10,000 in capital outlay should be approved. Polling station: Avalon Elementary School, 3200 Ocean Drive. Cape May Former board president Robert LeMunyon, a retired postal employe who was defeated in last year’s election, is running this year to regain his seat in a field of six candidates for three positions of the ninemember board. Incumbents Perry Collier, owner of Collier's Liquor Store; Joseph B. Fahy, a county Social Services employe; and Libby Forrest-Moore, a writer and part-tirpe legal secetary, are standing for reelection. Challengers, Helene Matthews, a waitress and pastry chef at Peter Shields' restaurant, and Mercedes Gaines, a cashier at Dellas Stores, are also vying for the seats. Budget auestioDS: 1644,260 in current expenses and $15,080 in capital outlay. Polling station: Cape May City Elementary School, 921 Lafayette St. Cape May Poiai President Mary Bennett is standing unon»sed for her third three-yea^ierm on the three-member board. ir^ The district, which does not operate any schools of its own, sends 16 students to either Cape May City Elementary, Richard M. Teitelman (Middle) School or Lower Cape May Regional High School, both in Enpa. Budget questions: $00,785 overall Polling station: Cape May Point fire hall, Yale Avenue. Dennis Township Incumbents Ruth C. Steenland. a homemaker, and John C. Leith, a mason, face Walter J. Trout and Edna J. Payne, an Upper Township School District (Page 22 Please)