56 Herald - Lantern - Dispatch 30 October '85
/Jlf^NEWS Iter/ DIGEST // » / The Week's H H j j Top Stories
■ From Page l sears. with his wife, two daughters, and son. who chip in for tickets each week Mataiueci bought $35 worth at the B&J Deli in Court House, after first ordering a pizza.
Manager Michael Miller. 20. was charged with distribution of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of marijuana Robert Miller and Donna i Kkstrom. both 18. were charged with possession of marijuana under 25 grams. All three live at the store.
h 'iisv on I In' ('.ake COURT HOUSE - County Planner Elwood Jarmfc- met Monday "on an informal basi^wilh Middle Township officials to discuss the problem of increased parking anticipated from a renovated courts complex in 1988. Jarmer said everyone agreed "there will be long-term parking problems to be addressed, it is a collective responsibility, the township wants the courts to stay, and you can't have your cake and eat it too." Everyone apparently did not agree on whether the solution is shared use of the municipal lot. or a site plan variance for the county It will make formal application by the end of next week. That will be considered by the township planning board Nov. 19, Jarmer said. Picky Landlord COURT HOUSE - You think your landlord's tough'.' The county last week accepted the sole bid of Natalie Dorosz of North Wildwood to operate the Grange Restaurant in Historic ('old Spring Village. Lease runs Nov. 1 to Oct. 31 of 1987 with a two-year renewal option. Rent is $10,000 the first year: Sio.ooo plus an adjustment based on the federal cost of living index the second year The tenant pays all utilities and taxes. The landlord ' determines the "season" and hours Tenant and employes must wear colonial , costumes. "No sneakers." adds the lease. Finally, if shopkeepers' children visit "on 1 a regulaFbasis." they "must be in • ; costume." I
\o Show; Din (oi COURT HOUSE Middle Tow nship planners last week denied an application I rum Wawa Markets to build a store at 10 S. Main St. They acted because Wawa hasn't been heard, from since August, when it said it planned to revise the application Some area residents had opposed the store on the grouryJs of aesthetic design and addition:^ traffic, especially near two elementary schools IXo Static J COURT HOUSE - County GOP J chairman Philip R. Mataiueci can broadcast political commercials all he wants ar^*keep his other jobs as county treasurer and state Civil Service Commissioner. Superior Court Judge L. Anthony Gibson ruled last week. He dismissed Democratic Assembly candidate Raymond A Batten's complaint that, by wearing the three hats. Mataiueci exerts too much influence over hundreds of votes Irom county employes Batten alsy argued that Mataiueci shouldn't serve on the Civil Scrvice'commission while he holds a political job.
Baby Whale Dies BRIGANTINE — The pygmy sperm whale baby that beached itself in North Wildwood on Oct 20 died at the Marine Mammal Stranding Center here midnight Oct. 22 An examination found an accumulation of fluid in the whale's lungs but did not determine the cause of death. Final determination will not be made until a microscopic tissue examination is completed in about two weeks. David Skand. a pathologist who performed the postmortem, said. Drug Bust RIO GRANDE — Police confiscated about a quarter pound of marijuana. $650 in cash and a loaded 22-caliber pistol at i Jerry & Jean's Country Store. School i House Lane and Route 47. Oct 22 j
Fire (juts 4 Linda Lee ' SCHELLENGER S LANDING - Investigators suspect an electrical malfunction may'have triggered the Oct. 22 blaze that caused an estimated $300,000 damage to the scallop boat. Linda Lee. Fire gutted the 98-foot steel vessel owned by Jesse Newton of Newbern. N.C.. despite the efforts of firefighters from Town Bank. Villas. Cape May and the U.S. Coast Guard base. They battled the blaze in intense heat fromn 9:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. with 10.000-18.000 gallons of fuel aboard. (irntl Remembers ERMA — Roberta Guare Robinson, a graduate of Cape May High School in either 1928 or 1929. has bequeathed $1,500 to the Lower Cape May Regional School District to be used for scholarships. Stipends of $100 will be awarded to the member of the senior class with the best record in business education under the terms of the legacy Keep on Truckin ' OCEAN CITY — Council failed to adopt on second reading last week a liquor law amendment that would have banned booze deliveries and warehousing here. The proposed amendment was approved on first reading but failed to muster a seconding vote. It was proposed after Superior Court struck down city blue laws against Sunday sales which some ■uno u^uiimi nuiiutiy Mm wiucn some
perceived as a coming assault on prohibitions against selling firewater in town or brown bagging it to restaurants , Cops: Fan the Judge SEA ISLE CITY Vineland police agree with resort Mayor Michael Mcllale's complaint last month that Municipal Court Judge Samuel Serala is too lenient He sits on both city benches Mcllale griped that Serala dismissed valid noise complaints Vineland's 95 member Fraternal Order of Police lodge wants Mayor Joseph Romano to select somebody else for the bench when Serata's term expires there in December The Cumberland cops say he's too easy on criminals and inefficient in court $1.75 Prevents Burnout ? WILDWOOD - Beach Patrol Capt. John McCann told city officials last week he wants 85 instead of 56 lifeguards on resort beaches next year in top-quality uniforms <$40 each), six jeeps and three men slatipns With $1.75 a day each in "incentive pay." McCann said, he might prevent end-of-t he-season burnout that saw many on the l>each patrol quit before 1-abor Day and caused him to close five beaches. He said he saw lack of experience and skill among most of the 1985 lifeguards But no one drowned this year
Testa (letting $ 20,000 SEA ISLE CITY — Lawyer Michael Testa will receive $20,000 from a liability insurance fund for the three resort commissioners to buy him out of his contract as municipal solicitor, according to an out-of-court settlement of his suit against officials. When elected in May. the commissioners decided to replace Testa with Dennis Quinn. Superior Court Judge Philip Gruccio later ruled that commissioners could select whomever they wanted but had to pay Testa for breach of his 1985 contract. Liability insurance will also cover city suit expenses from Quinn and a Princeton attorney.
The Cucurbits Puzzle
Is It a Pumpkin or Squash?
The genetic history of the pumpkin is so intertwined with the squash and the gourd that it's sometimes d difficult to tell them apart Exactly what is a squash and what is a pumpkin? According to Larry Newbold. Cape May County Agricultural Agent, the easiest answer to that question can be attributed to a University of Illinoise professor who said a pumpkin is something you carve, a squash is something you cook, and a gourd is somthing you look at Though its really not that simple, it's also not that difficult. The answer is in the stem. Pl'MPKI N S A N I) squashes and gourds all belong to the same genetic family — Cucurbits Within
that family are several species or subgroups — Curcurbita pepo. Curcurbita maxima and Cucurbita moschata. The pepo species is usually recognized as the true pumpkin. Varieties within this group have bright orange skin and hard, woody, distinctly furrowed stems — like Connecticut Field, Jack-o'-Lantern and Small Sugar, for example But the group also includes gourds, vegetable marrow. Pattypan summer squash, scallop summer squash, gray and black zucchini and summer crookneck squash THE MAXIMA species also contains varieties that produce pumpkin-like fruit but the skin is usually more yellow than orange and the stems are soft and spongy or corky, without ridges and without an enlargement next to the fruit They don't really make good handles for Jack-o - Lanterns Atlantic Giant. Big Max and Show King are often listed as pumpkins but are more properly called pumpkin squash or squash-type pumpkins In any case, they may not be accepted as entries in a largest -pumpkin contest by a county fair board since they aren't true pumpkins Other members of the max ima group are Hubbard squashes, banana squashes, buttercup squashes, and turban squashes - in short, most autumn and winter squash. FINALLY, there's the moschata species. Varieties in this group are usually long and oblong instead of round and have tan rather than orange skin.
The stems are deeply ridged and enlarged next to the fruit. Ironically, a member of this group is used for much of the canned pumpkin sold in this country. Other non-pumpkin members include the squash-like cushaw. winter crookneck squash and butternut squash. And one last bit of information about the Cucurbita family. Summer squash, winter squash, gourds and pumpkins will regularly cross-pollinate each other in the garden if they're members of the same Cucurbita species. THE FRUIT that results from the initial cross will look and taste exactly like the variety that was
planted, but there the resemblance will cease The seeds in the fruit will carry the genes of their mixed parentage If those seeds are planted, there's 1 no telling what kind of a squash -pumpkin -gourd mongrel will result. That's why garden-seed companies recommend that you plant only certified garden seed and not seeds from last year's garden produce Most seek companies, grow their seed crops in isolation so unwanted cross-pollination doesn't occur. That's the only way to assure that the seeds you plant will produce the fruits decribed in the catalog or on the seed packet.
How Apples Get Their Coloring
If you were to ask someone to describe a "fall season fruit." beyond a doubt they would say. a bright red. crisp, succulent apple. Many factors contribute to the red color of apples, according to Larry Newbold. Cape May County Agricultural Agent Besides the apple variety, these factors can include temperature, light, moisture and altitude, as well as pruning practices and soil type and fertility Temperature is a critical factor. For optimum color development apples require a warm-to-hot daytime temperature combined with a cool nighttime temperature This is why apples grown in North Jersey tend to have more color earlier in the season than apples of the same variety grown in South Jersey LIGHT IS affected by the environment as well as a grower's pruning techniques. Red pigment formation in apples requires light, most fruit growers are aware that a single leaf lying on the shoulder of an apple prevents red color formation The poorest colored and smallest fruit come from the most heavily shaded portions of the canopy. On most varieties 30-50 percent full sun is needed to insure adequate red color development and good fruit
size, though some of the new highly colored Red Delicious strains can be fully colored with as little as 10 percent full sun. HOWEVER, you cant completely fool Mother Nature, and the sugar and starch levels of fruit receiving little light are far inferior to those of fruit from well lighted portions of the tree. Dormant or winter pruning is the first step in keeping the tree * open to sunlight. Summer pruning, to remove vigorously growing sprouts from the center of the tree, is another way to increase the light penetration and promote color development Fertilization ^g^directly affects colcHftvelopment If too muni nitrogen is applied, the tree produces excessive vegetative growth and the fruit doesn't color as well THIS IS because the compounds that the fruit uses to promote color development are being diverted into vegetative growth instead If only nitrogen is used and insufficient phosphorous and potassium are applied, apples can also develop poor color. If you are doubtful about the soil level sj^f phosphorus and potassium, a soil test is recommended. Soil- test mailer bags are available from the Cape May County Extension Service for $5.
«>fi V • jjl « » BENEFIT PLANNERS — Conferring on plans for Christmas bazaar and brunch of Stone Harbor Sea Lions for benefit of Helen Diller Home for Blind Children are cochairs Louise Holland, left. Teddy Vinci, and Jane McGrath. Event will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Dec 1 at Whitebrier Inn. Avalon. Tickets will be available at door or can be reserved by calling 368-3587 or 368-5005
Your be st friend is choking, and all you can hear is your own heart pounding. I \cr> second counts Would >ou know what to do? Red Cross will leach vou what >ou need to know about lile-sa\ me. ( all us. We'll help. Will you? + Amnican RadCraaa gl

