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By JACK SMYTH ERMA — If you spotted a plane last weekend trailing a banner that said something like V4%*4?^4Mi!Mi! ! !, there is a good explanation.

5^g}NEWS~ ffiS/ DIGEST fW/ //"5 / The Week's J J II If Top Stories Good Start If the Memorial Day weekend was any indication, it should be a busy season for the local tourist industry. Motels were filled, restaurants were jammed, boardwalks were crowded and highways were clogged. Give major credit to sunny skies. Wells to EDC COURT HOUSE - Freeholders last week agreed to name Cape May innkeeper Dane Wells to a post on the county Economic Development Commission vacated last December when Robert Laws of Erma declined reappointment. Wells, co-owner with his wife, Joan, of the Queen Victoria, is prominent in the Cape May and county chambers of commerce. Freeholder Herbert Frederick said Wells would serve as a link between the EDC and the chamber. Hope So f Too CREST HAVEN - Water quality in the ocean and backbays was well within acceptable limits last week, the county Health Department reported (see chart inside). "That's what we want," said Public Health Coordinator Louis J. Lamanna. "These are pre season runs and so far water quality is excellent," he added. "Of course, we're hoping it will remain that way during the summer season. Job Stew WILDWOOD - Councilman Curtis Miller criticized personnel director Kevin Yecco on Thursday for hiring Middle Township resident William Effen for a $10,800-a-year job as provisional sewer plant operator. Miller said the job should have gone to a resort resident in keeping with the city's ordinance which gives hiring preference to Wildwood residents. Yecco said no qualified city residents applied.

Hold Your Fire Drought has caused county fire officials to ban all campfires. The worst in (Page 4 Please)

Uncertainties Abound Everlon Taxes ' Tricky '

By JOE ZELNIK ERMA — Multiple choice: The county's purchase of the Everlon plant will cost Lower Township a $3-million ratable and $59,100 in annual taxes. Or, the county's purchase of the Everlon plant will mean more local jobs and more taxes than ever. How about both? INDICATIONS ARE that the township will lose taxes initially, while the building is empty, and gain them bade if and when the county leases space to business and industry. The county definitely will be responsible for taxes from date of settlement to the end of the year, according to Lower Assessor Sandra J. Sharpley. And Lower and the county agree that the I Inside... I HEADACHES: migraine. Health Watch, ■ page 45. ■ HEARTWORMS: test your dog. Pet ■ Patrol, page 12. ■ SAVINGS: 6.5 percent is the best you'll I get. page 59. ■ SHORE rental is crazy, but... Page 70. H MAPS: what a variety! County Library, H page 27. t

building's tenants will have to pay taxes, just as other tenants in the airport industrial park do. But Lower and the county don't seem to agree on the tax status of the building prior to having tenants, nor on who pays taxes on any unoccupied portion of the huge building. "THE TAX-EXEMPT STATUS is based (Page 69 Please)

• ^ A I Doris Ward GROUNDED? — The county has grounded George File, owner of the Winchester Inn in . Cape May, from flying his banner advertising out of the county airport.

County-Banner Plane Dogfight Lands in Court

Two men who fly planes that tpw advertising banners out of Cape May County Airport are more than miffed with the county Board of Freeholders. One of them, Thurman Mason, of Pitman, was mad enought to obtain a restraining order in U. S. District Court in Camden last Friday so that he could continue to fly from the airport. MASON OBTAINED the order from Judge John F. Gerry to counter a move by the county freeholders to halt the towing of advertising banners from the county air field. Freeholder Herbert Frederick, who oversees airport operations, said county officials acted to end the banner towing out of concern for safety. "We have had problems with safety, and under FAA regulations we have the right to terminate anyone creating problems," Frederick said in a telephone interview. Going through our records we found a multitude of near accidents," Frederick said. (Page 4 Please)

Diversion Programs Cited Less Juveniles Going to Court

By GREGG LAWSON Where did all the juvenile delinquents «0? The number of juvenile delinquency cases disposed of in county courts has steadily decreased, from 2,400 in 1981 to 1,530 last year (see chart). According to poliflfr officiate, that drop can be attributed to polled juvenile diversion programs that ghre first-time offenders, or those who commit minor offenses, a chance to avoid court by performing community services. COURTS OFFICIALS Were unable or unwilling to wpiain the phenomena, although Family Court Case Manager Thomas Clark speculated it may be due to a new dorkefing system that eliminates the possibility of counting some cases twice.

Prior to 1984, he said, cases would come in, be counted and then be inactive pending some sort of action. After a review, the case would be reactivated and counted again. . "I don't have an answer for that," Clark said when questioned about the statistics. "There's been no change in the law; I assume it's because we're using a more accurate method of counting." BUT CPL. FRED TEASENFITZ of Middle Township Police said diversion programs started in the last five years have had a hand in decreasing cases. "I think so, because most cases of a minor nature are disposed of before court," Teasenfitz said. "Once you get kids who go through the program, the (return) rate is very low: they very rarely go back and commit a second offense. (Page 69 Please)

Ask County To Rescue Recycling By JOE ZELNIK A month ago this newspaper compared countywide, mandatory recycling to a cat with nine lives. This week we can say we told you so. The county Planning Board agreed last week to ask the freeholders to put the MUA-proposed recycling plan into the county Solid Waste Management Plan. If you're feeling a sense of deja vu, that's because the Planning Board did something very similar last December. Even the vote was the same. 7-1. LAST DECEMBER the move was more direct, with a specific request that the freeholders "mandate participation by all municipalities in a recycling program." But the board never followed up because the MUA program seemed to be on the move. Last week's motion doesn't mention "mandatory." But if one reads the MUA's recycling plan, one finds a "recommendation" that the program "be mandatory through adoption of local municipal ordinances." The "no" vote in December came from alternate Alice Belanger of Dennisville. She was present last week, but not entitled to a vote. Last week it came from Madelyn Calloway of Wildwood Crest who commented, "I'm just against being mandatory; there's too much mandatory." THERE WAS CONSIDERABLE tiptoe ing around the issue of "mandatory" and also around the role of the MUA in the Planning Board request to the freeholders. Presumably the freeholders are not eager to accept responsibility for anything "mandatory." especially if it can be passed on to the MUA. And the MUA clearly ^haVes the reluctance. For example, the MUA was represented at the May 20 Planning Board meeting by alternate board member George Gadsby of Avalon, Solid Waste Manager Theodore O'Neill, and Diane Leonik, assistant manager of administration. But the planners and MUA officials stressed the former invited the latter, only to explain how things are going. AND WHEN CALLOWAY said. "Why (Page 69 Please) SOURCE: Court AdrNnbtrotor's Office