OUR 108th YEAR – ISSUE NO. 32-98 FIFTY CENTS 232-4407
The Westfield Leader — Serving the Town Since 1890 —
Thursday, August 6, 1998 USPS 680020 Periodical – Postage Paid at Westfield, N.J.
Published Every Thursday
INDEX INDEX INDEX INDEX INDEX
Business ........ Page 17 County .......... Page 2 Editorial ........ Page 4
Mountainside Page 3 Obituary ........ Page 10 Religious ....... Page 9
Social ............ Page 6 Sports ............ Page 13
Local Scientist Produces Laser 1,000 Times Stronger; Predicts Many Practical Uses By JEANNE WHITNEY
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
Picture, if you will, the metal flashlight you took camping as a kid. Let’s say you drop the flashlight on the driveway before you even get started and it gets a good-sized dent.
Then, experimenting, you rig the flashlight up with electricity so that when you plug it in, it lights up, surprisingly bright. Say... a thousand times brighter. You can now shine that same flashlight all the way down the street into your friend’s window from your yard.
Even though scientific minds may cringe at this analogy, Westfield resident Dr. Federico Capasso, working at Lucent Technologies Bell Labs in Murray Hill, recently discovered that if he, in effect, squashed the circular containers that light rays travel through, he could produce laser beams that are at least a 1,000 times stronger any others.
Stay with us here, and you’ll discover something about lasers. For example, the word “LASER” is an acronym for Light Amplified by Stimulated Emission of Radiation. So, if regular old light is charged up with electricity, for example, and sent through something like a “hall of mirrors” — reflecting back and forth repeatedly, it eventually pops
out at the other end as what we call, a laser.
But what Dr. Capasso and his team of four international scientists have discovered is that simply by changing the shape of the mirrored chamber that the light travels through, into a less than perfect shape — an asymmetrical shape — that the light will bounce around in the pattern of a “bow tie” and emit more powerful lasers in four directions, instead of only one direction.
Imagine lasers emanating from the center of the tie, in the form of an X and beams shooting off the four “corners” of a conventional bow tie (see photo.)
This is what is indeed, novel, about Dr. Capasso’s discovery — firstly, the unusual bow-tie pattern of light created by deforming the reflective chamber or resonator, and secondly, the release of four powerful and directional lasers, when it exits the resonator.
So, how do we use this laser discovery? Today, when we talk on the telephone to someone in say, California, our voice is first converted into electrical charges and then into light waves that bounce (reflect) through fibers or wires (semiconductors) across the country, before being turned back into electrical pulses and then
WAVE OF THE FUTURE...Surrounded by fellow scientists at Lucent Technologies Bell Labs, Westfield resident Dr. Federico Capasso, center, displays an illustration representing the team’s recent discovery that laser light waves in “bow tie” shapes are 1,000 times more powerful than conventional disk-shaped laser light waves. Dr. Capasso’s colleagues, pictured left to right, are: standing, Dr. Debbie Sivco and Dr. Claire Gmachl and, seated, Dr. Evgenii Narimanov and Dr. A. Douglas Stone. All sported fabric bow ties in honor of their discovery.
into your voice again, at the other end of the line.
This describes the “fiber optics” in modern communication; “optics” referring to the light used in transmission, and “fiber,” referring to the lines for transmission. This is where Dr. Capasso’s “bow tie” discovery fits in – more control and more powerful lasers can enlarge the capacity for fiber optic communication .
Consider the example of the everyday garden hose. Water coming out
of the hose with more force can be sprayed over to the farthest flower bed, while a drizzle of water from the hose will probably only soak the shoes on your feet.
The more powerful “bow-tie” laser, or microlaser (smaller version of a laser) has the advantage of being more directional – or easily steered in the desired direction.
Dr. Capasso also pointed out that it is the shape of the resonator, not
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Miss New Jersey Tells Area Youngsters Importance Of Preserving, Crusading for Arts in Public Schools By MICHELLE H. LePOIDEVIN
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
Imagine how dismal your life would be without the vibrant masterpieces of Vincent Van Gogh, the melodic symphonies of Mozart or the provocative and moving theatrical performances on Broadway’s Great White Way.
Miss New Jersey, Stephanie Ferrari, encouraged crowds of area children at the Westfield Summer Workshop to preserve and crusade for the importance of arts education in their present and future lives during a visit on July 31.
Miss Ferrari, who acquired her title as Miss New Jersey in Ocean City on June 21, chose the platform to keep arts education in our school systems as it is a topic that is very close to her own heart.
According to Denise Bellog, Special Events Coordinator for The New Jersey Workshop for the Arts, Miss Ferrari graduated from Ithaca College in New York in 1996 with a degree in Music Performance and Education. She sings, plays the piano and is involved with work in the theater.
As part of her mission, Miss Ferrari devised a game entitled “Thou Art in
Jeopardy” which she used to demonstrate what it would be like if the world was without music, art and the ability to express oneself through these venues. She stated, “This is my project. It demonstrates the significance of fine arts in our lives and in education.” An auditorium stage filled with workshop students played “Thou Art in Jeopardy” during the morning’s program, picking questions from pockets with topics ranging from math to science to physical education.
The students learned the importance of rhythm in jumping rope, singing the alphabet and counting numbers by whistling.
Before she concluded the game, she explained to the children that arts education gives them an opportunity to express themselves and it is a representation of nature.
As for music, “it is written from the heart, expressing a love,” she said. “A world without the arts would be depressing.” She told them to always advocate the importance of arts education to everyone because it is always the first program to be cut in schools.
In an interview with The Westfield Leader, Miss Ferrari said that if she
is crowned Miss America on Saturday, September 19, in Atlantic City’s Convention Hall, she will continue to strive for the preservation of arts
education by traveling across the country utilizing her board game to encourage people of all ages to note
Road Projects Pick Up Steam
By PAUL J. PEYTON
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
Private contractors are busy repairing Westfield’s streets. When all road projects are completed the town will have spent over $400,000 this year.
“We have several projects in the hopper,” explained Town Administrator Edward A. Gottko.
Paving should be completed by the end of the week on Quimby and Prospect Streets in the downtown, and on Brightwood Avenue down to Newton Place.
Officials have said the repaving of Prospect and Quimby completes the paving of all streets in the downtown over the past few years.
All three projects are part of a state aide package awarded last year as part of a request to the Department of Transportation’s Transportation Trust Fund, according to Town Engineer and Director of Public Works Kenneth B. Marsh.
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Gretchen Bowman for The Westfield Leader
SAFETY FIRST...The Town Council’s Public Safety Committee announced that the New Jersey Department of Transportation’s Bureau of Mobility Strategies approved the town’s request for Local Bicycle and Pedestrian Planning Assistance. Pictured, left to right, are: Assemblyman Richard H. Bagger, Sara Strohecker, Westfield Councilwoman Gail S. Vernick, Westfield Councilman Neil F. Sullivan, Jr., Lauren Shub, Westfield Mayor Thomas C. Jardim. Please see a story on Page 3.
Board Hears Testimony On Antique Store Bid By KIMBERLY A. BROADWELL
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
The Westfield Planning Board met on Monday evening to hear testimony on behalf of Conjoe Realty, which is seeking final site plan approval to create parking for an antique store at 530 South Avenue.
The future antique store, to be located on the former site of Andrea’s Furniture, will consist of retail on the first and second floors, with the third floor to be used for storage. The applicant has already removed one building to arrange for the parking area.
Lengthy testimony was heard from Kenneth Fears, a traffic expert who testified that “although changing the applicant’s driveway to allow for two curb openings would enhance the
safety of the site, the Department of Transportation (DOT) will probably not allow it.”
He went on to say he would recommend that the application should go forward without the curbing, so that the applicant would not have to go before the DOT. Mr. Fears stated that there were other measures to ensure safety, such as well defined access points with signs.
Mr. Fears said he felt the DOT would not grant a waiver because the waiver would remain in effect even if the business did not last He also stated that if the Westfield Circle were eliminated in the near future, which is currently part of Governor Christine Todd Whitman’s State Highway Projects, the DOT would
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David B. Corbin for The Westfield Leader
SUPPORTING THE ARTS…Miss New Jersey Stephanie Ferrari, center, visited Edison Intermediate School in Westfield last Friday, where she encouraged youngsters in the Westfield Summer Workshop to preserve and support arts education. Joining Miss Ferrari, pictured left to right, are: Mayor Thomas C. Jardim, Denise Bellog, Special Events Coordinator for The New Jersey Workshop for the Arts (NJWA), through which the Summer Workshop is presented; Debbie Schmidt, Executive Director for the Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce; Kitty Schlosberg, and Dr. Theodore K. Schlosberg, founder and Executive Director of the NJWA. Dr. Federico Capasso’s
‘Bow-Tie’ Laser Gains Recognition in Science
By JEANNE WHITNEY
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
Westfield resident and scientist Dr. Federico Capasso, was recently hailed by Lucent Technologies Bell Labs for a discovery that produces lasers at least 1,000 times stronger than other lasers.
The discovery was featured on the cover of the June 5 Science, the weekly magazine of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Nick-naming the discovery “bowtie” lasers, a team of international scientists, including Dr. Capasso, found that electrically charged light inside an oval shaped mirror-like chamber (a resonator) bounces around in a “bow-tie” pattern to create the more powerful lasers.
Dr. Capasso, heading up the Semiconductor Physics Research Department at Bell Labs, worked with Claire Gmachl, Alfred Cho, Deborah Sivco and Jerome Faist through the Murray Hill labs of Lucent Technologies and Douglas Stone, Evgenii Narimanov and Jens Nockel of Yale University’s physics department.
During the course of the research, Scientist Faist moved to a teaching position in Switzerland and researcher Nockel went on to the Max Planck Institute in Germany.
“This work was born out of different backgrounds,” Dr. Capasso said, referring to the range of scientific expertise connected with the project, “and we have people from three separate continents.”
“This is how modern science is done,” Dr. Capasso pointed out, “the language of science is international.”
Discoveries come about, Dr. Capasso explained, with research and development. Manufacturing is where discoveries find a practical use.
“All practical things are started in research,” he said.
“Science is creative in nature, even the technical world is unpredictable. The key is to fund research – to let high-quality people loose.”
The research workplace is made up of laboratories and personal computers.
“We make our own (computer) programs,” Dr. Capasso said.
The journey toward “bow-tie” lasers began about two years ago, according to Dr. Capasso, when he was reading a book that described how a baseball hit in a stadium would bounce around the walls. How would light travel in a stadium-shaped container? What would happen? What
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HIKE IN METER FEES REJECTED; RULES FOR NEWSRACKS ON TAP
Council Committee Supports Revised Mix For Downtown Parking Spaces By PAUL J. PEYTON
Specially Written for The Westfield Leader
Two and a half years after a task force appointed by former Mayor Bud C. Boothe presented a detailed report on parking in conjunction with a national consulting firm, the Town Council’s Transportation, Parking and Traffic Committee has presented its findings which are expected to be acted upon by the full council by this fall.
The committee supports a reallocation of spaces in the downtown, along with a pilot program for a gated lot where motorists could pay for parking as they exit the lot.
This would replace recommendations generated from a 1996 report by a Parking Task Force, appointed by former Mayor Boothe, which pro
posed the doubling of short-term meter fees to 50 cents an hour. The committee also rejected the notion of a parking authority which would have employed a parking manager and received revenue generated from meter and permit fees, as well as parking fines.
Third Ward Councilman Neil F. Sullivan, Jr. who chairs the committee, called the parking plan “a very positive step in the right direction.”
As a long-range goal, the committee has authorized Town Administrator Edward A. Gottko to prepare a report on the options available for the town for building a parking deck, garage, remote lots connected by jitney, or some sort of transportation into the downtown to reduce the number of motorists circling the town
looking for parking spaces. Along the same lines is a proposal for a shuttle bus service to transport commuters from the parking lots to the train station.
In an effort to provide a shopperfriendly environment, the committee has supported the establishment of a courtesy parking program whereby persons who park over their meter limits would receive added minutes with a courtesy notice placed on their windshields.
The committee supports a targeted effort to eliminate meter-feeding, a process where motorists put change in the meters after parking the limit of two hours. Meter-feeding is illegal in Westfield.
In a nutshell, the plan will create 26 additional short-term spaces and 40 more long-term spaces simply by reallocating the current parking configuration in the downtown. To accomplish this, the committee has recommended that the 88 spaces in the Elm Street lot, located adjacent to Trader Joe’s, be converted from a permit lot to one for short-term parking.
In addition, the current 24 twohour spaces at the South Avenue Train Station lot would be converted to 12 short-term and 12 eight-hour spaces.
“I think it is important to merchants and to employees that there is an availability of parking (in the downtown),” Councilman Sullivan said.
Mayor Thomas C. Jardim, who serves on the committee, said he would have preferred having 18 longterm spaces for commuters.
The lot behind Baron’s Drug Store on East Broad Street, which cur
rently has 70 short-term and 70 longterm spaces, will be converted to create 110 eight-hour spaces.
It was also recommended that downtown employees and other persons looking for long-term parking avail themselves of the lot behind the Christian Science Church, located across the street from the Municipal Building on Elm Street.
The lot has 40 spaces which Mr.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 10
Page 10 Thursday, August 6, 1998 The Westfield Leader and THE TIMES of Scotch Plains – Fanwood A WATCHUNG COMMUNICATIONS, INC. PUBLICATION
Cigar Vault 2x2
Sweeney Roosevelt Honor Roll
Includes 309 Students
The names of 309 students who earned Honor Roll standing during the fourth marking period at the Roosevelt Intermediate School in Westfield were announced recently by Principal Kenneth Shulack.
In the sixth grade 62 students, or 33.33 percent of the 186-member class, were named to the Distinguished Honor Roll which requires an “A” in all major academic subjects and no grade below a “B” in any minor subject.
Sixty-two students, or 33.33 percent of the class, were named to the Honor Roll which requires an “A” or “B” in all subjects, major or minor.
In the seventh grade, 46 students, or 24.86 percent of the 185-member class, were named to the Distinguished Honor Roll. Seventy-three students, or 39.46 percent of the class, were named to the Honor Roll.
In the eighth grade, 11 students, or 7.01 percent of the 157-member class, were named to the Distinguished Honor Roll, and 55 students, or 35.03 percent of the class, were named to the Honor Roll.
SIXTH GRADE DISTINGUISHED HONOR ROLL Stephen Adamo Jeremy MacKechnie Kimberly Adams Victoria Maffey Katherine Albino MaryKate Maher Brooke Austin Danny Mahoney Rebecca Bellovin Justine McGowan Sabrina C. Bengal James McGrath Bradford Cantor Brandt N. Miller Dorothy Chou Cassandra Miller Paul J. Cobuzzi Katherine J. Nicol Jessica Conner Jeffrey Nuzze Alex C. Crawford Ryan E. Palumbo Elizabeth M. Cullen Brian J. Pirot Tyler G. Deieso Erica S. Raiff Alexandra Devlin Katherine L. Re Sagiv Edelman Amanda C. Reider Elizabeth Fetissoff Margaret Reynolds Claire M. Ganley Catherine A. Rimondi Angela M. Garone Matthew F. Rowe Katherine Geenberg Meredith Rucinsky Amanda J. Glickman Laura Shelman Erin G. Goldberger Caroline Sheridan Gianna E. Guasconi Anne J. Tabachnick Carolyn E. Harbaugh Miranda Vargas Sarah M. Hoban Emily J. Warren Michael K. Huber Kate Warren Peter Itz Eric Weinberg Elizabeth Joyce Eric C. Whitman Jack H. Joyce Allison Wicks Daniel Kim Christine V. Wicks Jared Leung Laura M. Yee Jourdan Loffredo Jordan Zakarin
SIXTH GRADE HONOR ROLL Stephen Anderson Robert J. McHone Ryan M. Bartholomew Lauren M. Meriton Katherine M. Brown Jacob Mirsky Victoria Brynildsen Celine Mogielnicki Thomas Bryne, III Margaret M. Molnar Sarah M. Caprario Emily Mortenson Matthew Carlin Andrew Moscowitz Lydia S. Carson Lauren C. Musacchia Steven Cheah Theresa Nowicki Matthew F. DeSantis Yasmin Nozari Jonathan Dickstein Danielle Palentchar Clifford L. Evans Laurie Pellicano Patrick J. Farley Alexander C. Persky Maxine Fertig-Cohen Andrew Price Lily Flast Gregory J. Psomas
Cory Foote Aurora Rivendale Lauren Gale Tyler A. Seeger Mark Gately Adam D. Sharpe Alyson D. Goodman Michael N. Sheflin Kirsten A. Hall Rita N. Shehady Sarah L. Hansen Ella Shuster Erika L. Hasenfus William Sims David Hedman Andrew P. Sinnenberg Christian F. Heinen Shari B. Thomashow David C. Hewit Jr. Rasmus E. Thomsen Taylor L. Hogarth Lee J. Tomasso Maria C. Hove Kristen G. Valla Alec I. Jaslow Charles Vickers Hrvoje Landeka Alex Wright Kevin Lantz Ashley A. Yarusi Sarah Liebowitz Keith Zemsky
SEVENTH GRADE DISTINGUISHED HONOR ROLL Francine D. Agnone Albert Lin Joseph C. Amato Michele H. Madorma Gil Arbitsman Orlee J. Maimon Alison Bennett Alexandra Maus Ryan A. Cahill Christina McCabe Kimberly Cernak Bryan J. McDermott Kelli Cocuzza Eric W. Meder Sean M. Devaney Jenise Morgan Lauren R. Federgreen Bom Park Jason M. Fertakos Kaitlyn M. Patella Ashley Flood Jacqueline Ramalho Christopher Ford Lucy Rayner Vivian J. Futran Tracy Rood Mara Ganz Katlyn M. Ropars Pryce T. Gaynor Andrew K. Ruotolo, III Timothy Heine Douglas E. Shineman Katie Hollenbach Emily N. Suda Andrew Janney Juhie Tamboli Daniel R. Kane Andrew J. Tucker Angela W. Kim Patricia Veltri Heather A. Lane Jordan Warner Marisa K. Lau Sean Wright Darren J. Levy Alison Yuhas
SEVENTH GRADE HONOR ROLL Brigid Abraham James Kennedy Wade C. Anthony David M. Koeppel Matthew J. Azzara Whitney Laird Michael Babetski Allison N. Lemberg Lauren Bannworth Andrew Lessner Sean M. Baran Benjamin A. Masel Sarah Bhagat Kathleen Mc Crea Alexander Bilowitz Kelly Ann Monahan Keith Bodayla James R. Nelson Jacquelyn M. Born Scott E. Nuzzo Andrew R. Bridgman Darcy O’Brien Karen L. Castaldo Sean P. O’Neill James Charatan Jihae Park Shelby E. Cherin David A. Perez John J. Chiesa Christine J. Pirot Matthew G. Cleaves Amanda C. Prunesti Caitlin Connolly Trevor Putnoky Megan Connors Angela M. Ricci Zachary J. Coppa Alexa Rose Michael H. Cornell Corie A. Rosenberg Gregory Engel Jaclyn Rosenberg MaryAnne Garry Matthew Rothstein Peter J. Gately Kathleen Salmon Eileen M. Gessner James Scariati Ali Goldstein Jordan A. Seagull Corrie L. Gosko Kathryn Seib Laura Green Andrea Strauchler Thomas J. Greene Martha Strickland Jason W. Gundrum Christopher Thayer Amanda Noel Haddad Julianne M. Vanarelli Richard Harris Alexa Vantosky Samantha Hermann Matthew J. Velderman Toby L. Hershkowitz Lisa Venezia Gabriela E. Izmirlian Kathryn A. Wade Allison Jacob Amanda M. Wilhelm Emily Kahn Christopher Williams
Susan E. Williams EIGHTH GRADE DISTINGUISHED HONOR ROLL Alexandra S. Brill Shannon E. Kunath Erin E. Cockren Elizabeth A. Madresh Kevin J. Cutro Erin M. McClellan Rachel Falcone Megan McGowan Elizabeth B. Heisler Benjamin P. Ruskin
Ziad A. Shehady EIGHTH GRADE
HONOR ROLL Dania K. Aguero Joshua Ludmer Kristin Anton Jeffrey P. Luker Joshua M. Bengal Mary M. Lygate Matthew Brinkmann Kristin L. Mann Sarah A. Burke Katie Massenzio Daniel J. Caprario Brittany L. Miller Michael Charney Theresa B. Murphy Tara Christakos Ashley Nemec James M. Donovan Molly Rose Orbach Kathleen Dura Neil Owens Gregory R. Elliott Michael Panza Alexandra F. Fetissoff Morgan Pearlman Heather B. Fishberg Elizabeth A. Perrella Bret Fleming Marian Pomann Christopher Freisen Kevin M. Riley Jessica Gordon Christine Romano Sarah Heitner Sarah E. Round Matthew Hesner Elisabeth P. Salemme Elizabeth V. Imbert Daniel B. Seeger David A. Kane Margaret M. Smith Alan E. Kantz Gregory Stewart Cameron D. Kelly Rebecca M. Swenson Katherine R. Kreil Charles P. Tortorello Morgan B. Lang Melanie L. Totams Megan A. Lesko Marie B. Tracy Brian J. Levy Kaitlin Valla Matthew K. Lowenstein Pieter W. Van Iperen
Rachel M. Wagner
WESTFIELD POLICE BLOTTER
WESTFIELD FIRE BLOTTER TUESDAY, JULY 28
· Jade Harris, 19, of Plainfield was arrested and charged with shoplifting several tank tops valued at $66.47 from a North Avenue department store. Bail was set at $275.
· A resident of Mountain Avenue reported that someone flattened her tires.
· Police reported that someone threw eggs and sprayed foam on a motor vehicle on Rahway Avenue.
· A 1998 Lincoln was reported stolen from an automobile dealership on South Avenue following a test drive. The vehicle had not been recovered as of August 4, police said.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29
· A Tudor Oval resident reported the theft of clothes, shoes and miscellaneous items, valued at a total of $825, from the porch of his home.
· Jonathan Faggins, 37, of Plainfield was arrested on Summit Avenue and charged with possession of burglary tools and three counts of theft in connection with a bicycle which had been taken from the train station that day.
Police had conducted a stakeout of the area in response to several bicycle thefts which had occurred recently at the train station, authorities said.
Faggins, who was also charged with a warrant out of Plainfield, was transported to the Union County Jail. He was being held on $2,000 bail.
· A bicycle valued at $180 was reported stolen from a back yard on Ripley Place.
THURSDAY, JULY 30
· George Clapp, 56, of Westfield was arrested at Central and Hardwick Avenues and charged with driving while intoxicated, according to police. He was released after posting bail.
FRIDAY, JULY 31
· Authorities reported the theft of two plastic display cases containing
$475 worth of scratch-off lottery tickets from a South Avenue convenience store.
Police currently have no suspects in the case and the merchandise itself has not been recovered.
· Michelle Weinstock, 29, of Cranford was arrested and charged with shoplifting $85 worth of jewelry from a North Avenue department store, according to police. Authorities confirmed that she posted $275 bail.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1
· Laura Amey, 38, of Edison was arrested in the 600 block of Central Avenue and charged with driving while intoxicated, according to police. Amey was released on $375 bail.
· Police reported the theft of $1,000 worth of jewelry from a residence on Glen Avenue.
· James Wiskowski, 57, of Somerville was arrested at Mountain and East Dudley Avenues and charged with driving with a revoked license, according to police.
Wiskowski was also wanted on three outstanding warrants from the North Hampton County, Pennsylvania Sheriff’s Department; Warren County, and the Somerville Municipal Court, authorities said.
MONDAY, AUGUST 3
· A cellular telephone valued at $450 was reported stolen from a car parked on First Street.
· Police reported that someone forcibly entered a residence on North Avenue, West, and stole an undetermined amount of jewelry.
· A Woodbrook Circle resident reported the theft of a bicycle valued at $160 from a municipal lot in the downtown area.
MONDAY, JULY 27
• Seven hundred block of Winyah Avenue — smoke condition.
• Fifteen hundred block of Lamberts Mill Road — system malfunction.
TUESDAY, JULY 28
• Fifteen hundred block of Lamberts Mill Road — false call.
• Eight hundred block of Cranford Avenue — arcing wire.
WEDNESDAY, JULY 29
• One hundred block of Golf Edge — system malfunction.
• Ten hundred block of Central Avenue — emergency medical call.
• One hundred block of Prospect Street — system malfunction.
• One hundred block of Cacciola Place — smoke removal.
• Four hundred block of Poe Avenue — gas grill fire.
• Five hundred block of Westfield Avenue — power line down.
• Nine hundred block of Summit Avenue — electrical short.
THURSDAY, JULY 30
• Three hundred block of First Street — unintentional alarm.
• One hundred block of Elm Street — smoke odor investigation.
• One hundred block of East Broad Street — water condition.
• One hundred block of Woodbrook Circle — lock out.
FRIDAY, JULY 31
• Two hundred block of Clark Street — unintentional alarm.
• One hundred block of Palsted Avenue — service call.
• Five hundred block of Sherwood Parkway — power line down.
• Two hundred block of Walnut Street — lock out.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 1
• Five hundred block of Westfield Avenue — carbon monoxide detector activation.
• Eight hundred block of Dorian Road — unintentional alarm.
• Ten hundred block of Central Avenue — assist police.
necessarily the composition of it that is the crux of the discovery. This opens up the field for the use of a wider range of materials in laser development — materials with different characteristics that can lead to still other developments.
The fiber materials used in creating lasers are usually synthetic and called semiconductors. Dr. Capasso explained that semiconductors are materials that are somewhat of a hybrid of metals, that conduct, and insulators, that block transmission.
In other words, a semiconductor is like a new house and furnace that comes complete with double-paned storm windows and other weatherproofing in place — it is everything you need, to do the job of keeping the important role which the arts
plays in all of their lives. She also told The Westfield Leader that her high school music teacher was a “tremendous inspiration” to her during her years of education. She visits with her regularly and actively serves as a substitute teacher for the high school’s music program.
Later in the morning program, Miss Ferrari was proudly introduced by Founder and Executive Director of The New Jersey Workshop for the Arts, Dr. Theodore K. Schloberg.
Miss New Jersey, adorned by her crown, told students and program coordinators, “The arts changed my life. They made me who I am today. Without them, I don’t think we would have the quality of life that we do.” She then sang a beautiful rendition of “My Heart Will Go On” from the movie, Titanic, and was applauded for her demonstration of the importance of music
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Board Hears Testimony On Antique Store Bid
have to conform the existing driveways to new requirements.
The traffic expert speculated that only one access point would be permitted following elimination of the circle.
He stated that he felt the DOT would not want to “bear the burden of having to modify the site because of the circle project.”
Despite Mr. Fears’ recommendations, the Planning Board decided to ask the applicant to go before the DOT to ask for the proper permits. Planning Board Chairman Martin Robbins stated that “the matter should be brought before the DOT instead of making speculations about what the outcome would be.”
He also stated that what was proposed was “below the standards of the Planning Board,” and that the applicant was asking the board to agree to do things members “do not feel comfortable doing.”
“Having a single public entrance and having it stay all asphalt is something that the board doesn’t want to see,” he noted.
Mr. Fears said it would take 30 days to submit the very long application, with another 30 days to receive a response, and concluded that the applicant would probably not be back with an answer on the permit until October.
In other business, the testimony from Lee Honecker and his grandmother, Stella Lekas, who owns the erstwhile Excellent Diner property at 222 North Avenue, was postponed due to the late hour of the meeting.
A special meeting on the matter has been scheduled for Monday, August 10, at 7:30 p.m. in the Community Room of the Westfield Municipal Building. Mrs. Lekas is applying for final site approval with variances to construct a three-story building plus a basement for retail and office use.
Finally, the board heard testimony from John Oswald of 535 Highland Avenue and Michael Hering of 547 Highland Avenue concerning a fence that sits on Mr. Oswald’s property.
Mr. Oswald had sought the board’s approval to retain his fence, which exceeds the permitted four-foot height in the front yard, and six-foot height in the side and rear yards.
The applicant stated that he did not know theses specifications before he installed the fence, and that if he had known, he would have complied with the regulations. Mr. Oswald also stated that taking the
fence down to size it to the specifications would be very costly, adding he had already spent a considerable amount of money on the fence itself.
Mr. Hering told the board that he had concerns with the fence, most importantly, the lower section of the fence that was closer to the driveway. He stated that, because of the fence, it was hard to see his children playing in his driveway, which adjoins Mr. Oswald’s.
The board unanimously decided to grant Mr. Oswald a wavier for the five-foot and six-foot portions of his fence, but ruled that he remove the four-foot section of the fence which is closer to the house, in consideration of the Hering family.
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Local Scientist Produces Laser 1,000 Times Stronger Miss New Jersey Crusades
For Arts in Public Schools
through song. Students from the workshop performed special tributes of their own to the value of arts education by singing “Do Re Mi” from The Sound of Music and using sign language to communicate song during “The Star Spangled Banner.”
A native of Glen Rock, Miss Ferrari will now have one month to prepare for the Miss America Pageant in September. Sally Johnston of Scotch Plains, who serves as Miss Ferrari’s traveling companion, explained that they will depart on Thursday, September 3, for the pageant which is hosted by Disney World.
She noted that, if Mss Ferrari obtains the title of Miss America, her title will take her to New York and around the country. If she does not win, she will then travel throughout New Jersey and continue to speak at schools promoting the arts education platform.
the house warm. This is the advantage to semiconductor fibers, they are a package deal — one fiber does it all – conducts as well as insulates itself.
“Bow-tie” lasers and microlasers are also a more efficient use of the energy used to produce them. The result is more being done with less, and smaller products. In years past, the phenomenon was called “miniaturization.” Thus, we now have the microlasers.
Dr. Capasso called the “bow-tie” discovery, “a nice marriage of theory and experiment,” in that some scientists, for example, considered the nature of light while others created the parts and materials. (See related story.)
Road Projects Pick Up Steam
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Westfield received $110,000 to complete these projects as part of its 1997 allocation. Mr. Marsh noted that since the project came in significantly under bid at $71,000, the town has decided to extend the paving of Prospect down to Newton Place. The project was originally to have stopped at Brightwood Avenue.
The town received another $133,000 in its 1998 state aide allocation to pave Prospect from Brightwood to Madison Avenue.
In addition to these three roads, the town received a Community Development Block Grant of $60,000 from the state to pave Grandview Avenue from Windsor Avenue to Grove Street.
Mr. Marsh noted the town has also received block grant funding to pave roads in the neighborhood of Cacciola Place next year.
The town will also be paving parking lots at Tamaques Park for an additional $71,000, a project budgeted for in the town’s capital improvement plan.
In addition to the state-funded projects, the town has included $150,000 in the municipal budget to fund road improvement projects on 14 local streets in town and for curb improvements on roads. The curb projects, which are expected to be up for action at the council’s Tuesday meeting, include property improvement assessments.
Town Administrator Edward A. Gottko said that since 1984, the town has spent over $4.4 million in road improvements, averaging $330,000 a year.
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Sullivan noted are only partially filled during the day.
One interesting concept the committee has recommended is a pilot program for the holiday season in which a pay-per-use system would be put into use for the Elm Street or Citgo lot. A gated, ticketed entry would be added and manned by personnel at a booth at the exit of the lot.
Mayor Jardim said he does not want to see employees working the gate should the system be implemented as a permanent program in the town.
Councilman Sullivan, who said workers are only proposed for the pilot program slated for November and December, noted that the gated ticket machines would cost the town $200 each.
The committee has instructed Mr. Gottko to deliver a report on implementing such a program. A gate system will also be considered for the Shell Lot on North Avenue as part of the council’s deliberations on its 1999 capital improvement budget program.
In that regard, the committee recommends that the lot be retained for permit-use. The Parking Task Force had recommended that the lot be converted to all meters.
“The use of satellite surface lots would be invaluable to the proper parking of employees during the peak shopping season as well,” according to the committee’s report prepared by Councilman Sullivan.
Also recommended by the committee is the establishment of a single permit for all inbound commuters to replace the current system at the Shell and Citgo lots, where permit holders pay different rates. The new permit could also be used in the South Avenue outbound lot after the tentatively set time of 10 a.m.
The committee has also recommended that the Elm Street and Prospect Street lots be combined to create a few extra spaces.
While not agreeing with all the recommendations in the committee’s report, Mayor Jardim said the report is “something real” that will help “improve the parking situation in Westfield.”
In other business, the council was given a brief overview of a proposed ordinance to regulate the placement
and maintenance of newspaper vending machines in the downtown.
Fourth Ward Councilman and Chairman of the Laws and Rules Committee, Lawrence A. Goldman, noted there are 134 machines in the central business district, 108 of which are for paid newspapers, with the remainder for free or “throwaway” publications.
Twenty-three newsracks are located in front of the Westfield Post Office on Central Avenue, the most of any location in town. Another 10 are located in front of Trader Joe’s on Elm Street, with nine more situated in front of the Westfield Diner.
Assistant Town Attorney Paul Strauchler noted that a number of communities have such regulations in place. He cited Haddonfield, which has “somewhat of a cutting edge” ordinance.
Councilman Goldman noted that while the town does not intend to interfere with the freedom of the press, at some point this right must give way to “safety concerns” over the condition and placement of the machines. Council members have expressed concerns on the number of racks in town, especially when many are placed together at curbside.
Officials recommended that all publications with newsboxes in town be contacted for input so that the final ordinance does not generate lawsuits.
The council briefly addressed the issue of the sunset provision on the special improvement district (SID). Under town ordinance, the SID will expire at the end of next year unless the entity is renewed by the council.
After listening to council members, Mayor Jardim said the governing wants to hold an open meeting on how the SID can be improved, and that there was no intention to eliminate the entity.
Mr. Sullivan said a number of board members on the Downtown Westfield Corporation, which operates the SID, have expressed criticisms of the ordinance which created the SID. He said these and other concerns could be brought before the council during the hearing.
The SID was created in 1996 as a means to improve the downtown, both appearance-wise and through programs which promote the business district.
Council Committee Supports Revised Mix For Downtown
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kind of lasers would result? “When I had the idea, I had no ideas about ‘bow-ties,’” Dr. Capasso said. So, the questions led to research and experimenting. Researcher Claire Gmachl played a key role in the discovery of the unusual light pattern.
Research out of Yale’s Physics Department demonstrated that through dyed drops of water, light rays would behave differently, and two teams of scientists began to collaborate.
Familiar uses of conventional lasers include compact disks, television remote controls, telephone communication and surgery.
Dr. Capasso said that lasers can also be used to monitor pollution, in a process that uses identification through “optical fingerprints.” There were hints that one of the big three American car manufacturers was looking for a deal down the road for the use of laser technology
in connection with catalytic converters.
“Four years ago, this was completely ‘pie-in-the-sky’ research,” Dr. Capasso said, and now they are looking for ways to use it.
Reportedly, research is often five years ahead of application of a discovery, and can be as long term as 10 to 20 years ahead.
According to a report in the Bell Labs News, Dr. Capasso reflected on his discovery, noting “Sometimes these things happen. This work is an example of how serendipity and research across interdisciplinary boundaries can produce unexpected results.”
His other work has led to the development of the QC or quantum cascade laser.
Dr. Capasso came to Bell Labs in the mid-1970s with his family, from Rome.
“But I liked it so much that I decided to stay,” said Dr. Capasso.
Dr. Capasso’s ‘Bow-Tie’ Laser Gains Recognition in Science
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