Bomb squad destroys flare on Cape May beach

Manager says ‘pass’ on Ponderlodge

Residents want Lyle Lane closed for band concerts

By CHRISTOPHERSOUTH

Cape May Star and Wave

LOWER TOWNSHIP –Lower Township ManagerJoe Jackson recommendedthe township forget plans forturning a portion of the for-mer Ponderlodge Golf Courseinto a township recreationfacility.

The township had consid-ered leasing about 20 acres ofthe 245 acre site, currentlyknown as the Villas WildlifeManagement Area.

“I recommend you pass on

anything to do with the VillasWildlife Management Area,”Jackson said.

Jackson said the cost ofrehabilitating the deteriorat-ing facilities there would bearound $1.2 million plus andadditional $250,000 to replacea sewage pump in the pumphouse.

He said there were other“unknown” costs, which ifknown would make the cost ofthe project prohibitive.Jackson said when the landwas cleared stumps weredumped into holes andburied. Asphalt tennis and

basketball courts were thenconstructed on top of thesesites and depressions haveformed in the surfaces,apparently from the deterio-ration and settling of theburied debris.

Jackson said it is likelythere is other material buriedthere – some of it potentialhazardous.

“We would have to excavateand we would be responsiblefor what is underground,” hesaid. “And we don’t knowwhat’s back there.”

Township solicitor PaulBaldini told council his expe-

rience was, wherever stumpswere buried, there wasalways other material, even ifit were a couple of cans ofpaint. Baldini said the origi-nal construction was done inthe 1970s, well before today’smore stringent requirements.He said 30 years ago peoplethought little of dumpingwhat today are consideredhazardous materials.

“I’m willing to bet, if thereare stumps, it’s more thanstumps,” he said.

Councilman Wayne

Please see Pass, Page A5

By CHRISTOPHERSOUTH

Cape May Star and Wave

LOWER TOWNSHIP - TheTwo Mile Landing Restaurantwas cleared to reopen afterbeing cleared by the stateengineer.

The restaurant had beenclosed after part of the floorcollapsed in the adjoiningCrab House Restaurant, July7. The floor sunk several feet,

and nine people were injured,none seriously.

Lower Township managerJoe Jackson announced thestate’s decision at Monday’stownship council meetingsaying, “The state hasallowed the Two MileLanding Restaurant to re-open. Their engineer has ana-lyzed the Crab House and theTwo Mile Landing restau-rants, and the constructionofficial has gone over them

with a fine tooth comb.”The Crab House remains

closed, and the state hasrequired certified inspectionsof Two Mile Landing once aweek until the season is over.

Chris Donnelly, aspokesman for theDepartment of CommunityAffairs, said the stateDivision of Codes andStandards confirmed thestate sent a structural engi-neer and an investigator to

the Crab House/Two MileLanding on July 10 becausethey were concerned aboutthe cause of the collapse. Theinvestigators determinedreinforcing bars in the con-crete planks supporting thestructure rusted out due todeterioration from environ-mental conditions. A sectionof the concrete planks brokeand collapsed. Donnelly said

Please see Open, Page A4

By LESLIE TRULUCKCape May Star and Wave

CAPE MAY – Residentsfrom Victorian Towersaddressed City Council July17 concerning the opening ofLyle Lane to traffic duringthe bandstand concerts.

“It just isn’t the same forus,” resident Shirley Stilessaid.

Residents of Victorian

Towers said having Lyle Laneclosed for concerts does notbenefit them alone but alsofor children who enjoyeddancing in the street.Residents explained that it isdangerous for people onwheelchairs to wheel them-selves through the street withtraffic passing through.

“To appease the group atthe Victorian Towers we needto have the road closed,”

Stiles said. Victorian Towers residents

Nena Kowalski, FlorenceChmelko, and Jean Benignospoke in agreement that con-certs are less enjoyable withLyle Lane open to traffic.

“We appreciate the restora-tions being made to the parkand we are not against open-ing the road when the park isfinished but until then wewant the street open for our

accessibility,” Stiles said.“It is a work in progress,”

City Manager Lou Corea saidexplaining that changes inlighting, benches, water fea-tures, and handicap accessare being made to the park.

“I have addressed the bandconcerts since day one, whenArthur Ram was instrumen-tal in getting the Rotary tobuild the bandstand and hav-ing the street closed on

Saturdays for the concerts,”Council Member Neil S.Farve said.

“I saw there were someproblems at the concerts andwe need the street closedfrom traffic but it is not a pol-icy decision and Lou (Corea)has the authority,” Farvesaid.

“Not at this time do I seethem getting the street backbut I am willing to see what Ican do to make it better forthem,” Corea said.

The group at the VictorianTowers anticipates meetingwith City Manager Lou Coreain hopes of resolving this con-flict.

By CHRISTOPHERSOUTH

Cape May Star and Wave

CAPE MAY – It took twoblasts from the Atlantic CityBomb Squad to blow up awhite phosphorous flare thatwashed up near the Cove areaat the end of Beach Avenue,the middle of last week.

On Wednesday, July 11,police cleared the beach andstreet for 500 feet around thelifeguard headquarters

between Grant and WindsorAvenues, while law enforce-ment tried to determine whatto do about what appeared tobe a piece of military ordi-nance. According to FireChief Jerry Inderwies, theobject was cylindrical, aboutthree inches in diameter andabout 18 inches long.

“It looked very similar to amortar. That’s why precau-tions were taken,” he said.

The object was identified asa white phosphorous flare – a

type commonly used by themilitary. White phosphorous,sometimes called “WillyPete” by military personnel,is easily ignited and burns atextremely high temperatures.There are other known healthrisks associated with whitephosphorous.

Cape May CountyProsecutor Robert Taylorsaid last week they did notknow the source of the flare,only that it had washed up onthe beach. Inderwies said

lifeguards transported theflare from the Cove to life-guard headquarters – about ahalf mile away. Asked by theStar and Wave if that was inaccordance with standardoperating procedures,Inderwies said, “That will beaddressed at a later time,”suggesting the lifeguardsshould not have moved theflare.

The bomb squad attemptedto destroy the flare, settingoff an explosive charge at

4:10 p.m. Twenty minuteslater a second, more powerfulcharge was detonated todestroy the flare.

“The Atlantic City BombSquad pretty much took careof the device and it looks likeeverything is clear now,”Taylor told reporters afterthe second blast.

Inderwies said they wouldhave top clean up somedebris from the blast andwould be able to open thebeaches shortly thereafter.

Lower not consideringdog ban on beaches

By CHRISTOPHER SOUTHCape May Star and Wave

LOWER TOWNSHIP – Lower Township Council is not cur-rently considering change local ordinances to ban dogs frombeaches along the Delaware Bay.

Some members of council reported hearing from con-stituents who were concerned the township would prohibitdogs on local beaches after reading an account in a localnewspaper. The report suggested the township was consid-ering banning dogs from May to October.

Councilman Wayne Mazurek said he had a petition deliv-ered to his door signed by year ‘round residents who want tobe able to visit the beach with their dogs.

“I support the petition,” Mazurek said. “But there are dogowners who are not responsible.”

Lower allows dogs on its beaches, but laws requiring own-ers to pick up their dogs’ waste still apply. Some residentshave complained about dog owners not picking up after theirdogs, which led to nine summons being issued over the pastweekend. The township has a Class II police officer whopatrols the beaches on an all terrain vehicle. The city codeenforcement official is also checking the beaches for compli-ance.

Plastic bag holders have also been installed to supply petowners with bags for pet waste disposal.

Township solicitor Paul Baldini said there are also somehorses being ridden on the beaches along the Delaware Bay,to which Mazurek said, “We may have to get shopping bags.”

Mazurek asked residents to call the township if they noticethe bag holders are empty.

“We are asking the good residents to help us keep thebeaches clean,” he said.

Please see Dog, Page A5

Cape Ma WaveStar153rd YEAR NO. 30 CAPE MAY, N.J. 50¢SERVING AMERICA’S NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK CITY

SPORTSCape May Superathlon: aunique spin on lifeguard

competition, B1

AREAFirst case of rabbit feverreported in county, A7

CAPE MAYGroup wants city to be

‘dog-friendly’, A2

THEATERCape May Stage‘Moonlight and

Magnolias’ an intensecomedy, A11

INSIDE

19 12:27 6:05 6:1420 12:28 1:12 6:45 7:0421 1:12 1:59 7:24 7:5822 1:59 2:50 8:05 8:5723 2:53 3:43 8:50 9:5724 3:52 4:37 9:39 10:5625 4:53 5:30 10:31 11:50

JULY TIDE TABLE

HIGH LOWam pm am pm

RELIGION/OBITUARIES....A6OPINION/LETTERS............A8ARTS...................................A10MOVIES..............................A13WEATHER..........................A14SPORTS/OUTDOORS.......B1,2EDUCATION/YOUTH........B3COMMUNITY/LIFESTYLE..B4CLASSIFIED.............B8,9,10,11PUBLIC NOTICE................B11

THURSDAY, JULY 19, 2007

Two Mile Landing open for business

West Cape May is Jersey freshDiane Rea, top left, of West Cape May’s Rea’s Farm, sells corn at the weeklyFarmer’s Market held Tuesdays at Borough Hall. Above, Emaleigh Kaithern,age 14, of West Cape May, jumps up to help a customer pick out a farm-freshzucchini. Left, there is nothing prettier – or tastier – than a fresh peach likethese from Schober Farms in Monroeville. West Cape May’s market opens at3 p.m. and features live entertainment, crafts and food vendors as well asproduce.

Photos by Christopher South