NOVEMBER 2003

Dreams end in rubble Milmay man perishes in Tropicana tragedy

BUENA VISTA -- Concrete and steel are supposed to be safe bets, even in Atlantic City.

But the Pietrosante family of Milmay knows firsthand how fragile they can be.

On Thursday morning, Scottie Pietrosante and his older brother, John Jr., went to work at the Tropicana Casino and Resort in Atlantic City, where they were helping to raise a new parking garage.

In the instant John Jr. turned away to grab a ladder, five of the garage's concrete stories collapsed and claimed four lives, including his brother's.

It was a tragedy.

But Steven Pietrosante, their uncle, sees it as something more.

It was a crime.

"He was robbed," he said, pointing out how Scottie had his whole life ahead of him.

At 21, Scottie was the youngest of the three victims to be pulled from the rubble. A fourth laborer died at an area hospital.

Scottie was just starting to shape his life.

He was finding independence.

Tony Cinotti rented Pietrosante his first apartment. On Cumberland Road, it was just down the street from his family's home.

He was such a good tenant that he got his entire security deposit returned when he decided to move on.

"He didn't go far," Cinotti chuckled, noting Scottie's reluctance to venture past the Milmay border. "In fact, he moved closer to home."

Cinotti's son, Rudy, attended St. Mary's Regional School with Scottie.

"He was a hard worker," Rudy Cinotti said. "He was working every day."

Scottie started out as a short order cook at a family business, the Milmay Tavern.

Despite the vast and tempting menu, Scottie was hooked on ham and cheese sandwiches, even though his loved ones teasingly tried to bulk up his lanky frame.

As soon as he turned 18, he joined the Bricklayers and Allied Craftworkers Local 2 Cement Masons and Plasterers. Earning a union card was a rite of passage for the Pietrosante men.

At the Milmay Tavern on Friday, there were no Halloween festivities.

A sign taped to the front door informed patrons the bar was closed.

Inside, a television was turned to WPVI Channel 6, which was airing an update on the Tropicana tragedy. It was the first time Scottie's name was broadcast as a casualty.

But to family members inside, Scottie was more than a headline.

On the bar, the family photo album sat open, triggering memories of happier times. Many of the prints captured moments in which Scottie, wrapped in a hug, grins into the camera.

There's a photo of Scottie's prized white Camaro that he eventually wanted to get on the track at Atco Raceway. Building the racecar was a four-year project he was just about to complete.

Scottie had just dropped a racing engine into the car, Steven said. But he never to got to test it.

That's the tragedy as Steven sees it.

It's the unfulfilled dreams.

Steven and Scottie would talk about putting Milmay behind them.

They would find an island and see some blue water.

"We would fish all day," Steven said. "It was just a little dream."

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Chiarello, Kelly get three more years; slide to easy re-election in Buena Vista

BUENA VISTA -- Democrat incumbents Chuck Chiarello and Teresa Kelly won a landslide victory Tuesday, ensuring them three more years on the Township Committee they've already served for a dozen.

Chiarello received the most votes -- 1,072 -- with Kelly following closely at 1,063 votes.

Unsuccessful Republican challengers Judy A. Sabella and Stella K. Hadfield garnered 507 and 493 votes, respectively.

Chiarello, the township's mayor, said the Democrats' wide margin of victory was a vote of confidence for their efforts to serve Buena Vista and its residents -- regardless of party affiliation.

"We have always worked for all the people in Buena Vista," he said. "We can make our community better. People, after a dozen years, recognize that fact."

Kelly said the pair's re-election enables them to continue making the township stronger and embark on new ideas to reduce costs in the face of limited state funds.

The committee will pursue the possibility of shared services with the Buena Regional School District and Atlantic County, Kelly said, to "keep costs down and run a more efficient government."

Sabella, 54, of Richland said Tuesday that she hopes more discourse, openness and accountability will exist in municipal government -- a major plank in her campaign.

Hadfield had no comment, according to her campaign manager.

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State pulls the plug on school plan

BUENA VISTA -- The Buena Regional School District envisioned smooth sailing after the state Education Department approved its design for a new middle school.

School officials were riding high on a wave of confidence that the state would pay for two-thirds of the new facility planned for property next to the district's high school.

Suddenly, however, the tide has turned.

The district has learned the state will commit to only some of that funding because it has deemed the design too large for the estimated 550 students it will house, Superintendent Diane DeGiacomo said. It's a decision that could cost the district millions of dollars and delay the new school by several months.

The unexpected turn of events -- coupled with reports of new housing development in the township and neighboring Buena -- prompted school officials to authorize a demographic study that could demonstrate their need for the 106,350-square-foot structure they were planning.

The study's results are expected this week.

The district last conducted a demographic study about four years ago, DeGiacomo said.

"We want to have the most square footage the state will allow," she said. "Hopefully they will permit that when they see the need based on the expected student enrollment."

Earlier, however, it seemed the state had recognized that need when it approved the original building design, DeGiacomo said. The approval "states that the rationale that we provided for the spaces that we wanted was accepted," she said.

The state's wording left little room for doubt in her mind, DeGiacomo said. "The implication was clear it was approved for funding," she said.

An Education Department spokesman, returning phone messages left Monday afternoon, said Tuesday night that he was unfamiliar with the specifics of the situation and could not comment.

School board member Tobin Nilsen firmly believes the state had committed itself to 67 percent of the full building costs and said he perceives the latest developments as the state's "reinterpretation" of its original commitment.

"If at all possible, I would like to hold the state to its commitment," he said.

DeGiacomo had anticipated the state's approval meant it would cover 67 percent of the building's estimated $19 million price tag, meaning taxpayers would have to chip in about $6 million.

In the last few months, however, the district has learned the state is only offering two-thirds funding for up to 78,000 square feet, DeGiacomo said. That would mean residents' share of the cost would be about $9.6 million.

Asking taxpayers to shoulder the difference is an unlikely option, DeGiacomo said. "That's not the route we want to go," she said.

School officials originally hoped a bond referendum for the school would be held in March, but that could be delayed until September in light of the latest developments, DeGiacomo said.

The district is exploring other avenues to make up for the looming shortfall. One is the anticipated demographic study.

But that may be of limited assistance. Buena Vista grew by only about 25 new homes last year, said Township Administrator Ron Trebing, who said he's unaware of any major incoming housing developments.

In Buena, two new housing developments -- which amount to about 26 homes -- are pending final approval, said Planning Board secretary Valerie Santagata.

Another option available to the school district is to scale back the original design in the following areas:

·  The auditorium. The state model calls for a combined cafeteria/auditorium, but the district's design includes separate facilities. The cafeteria is designed smaller than the state model, but together with the auditorium it adds up to a larger square footage.

·  The gymnasium. The gymnasium is larger than the state model. DeGiacomo is reluctant to reduce the area, however, mostly for safety issues and also because she would like to see the space offered for evening community events.

·  Science labs. The design includes three more than the state model.

·  Classrooms. The design includes three more than the state model's 18 classrooms.

·  Computer labs. The design includes one more than the state model.

Nothing has been decided as the district awaits the results of its demographic study.

"We're still playing with the model," DeGiacomo said. "We'll see what our avenues are."

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Turnpike accident may mean less FoodBank charity

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - The Community FoodBank of New Jersey, Southern Branch, is paying for its good deeds.

At about 9 a.m. Tuesday morning, Jose Baratto, a driver for the Egg Harbor Township food bank, left Hillside in Union County with 17,000 pounds of turkey roasts, chickens and frozen asparagus from the United States Department of Agriculture.

An hour later, two tires of Baratto's truck blew out. Baratto ended up in a ditch on the side of the heavily traveled New Jersey Turnpike. He dangled upside down in the vehicle until help arrived.

Baratto escaped unscathed.

But the state Department of Health condemned the Thanksgiving feast spewed across the highway and even the food still in the truck.

The insurance company is likely to total the truck, which is half the food bank's fleet used to collect and distribute food to charities. On top of everything else, the food bank is responsible for the cleanup, estimated at $12,000, officials said.

But most importantly, unless the government replaces the condemned food, the food bank will not be able to fulfill many of its 6,000 requests from area charities for the holiday dinners, Evelyn Benton, head of the FoodBank of New Jersey, Southern Branch, said.

Benton said Baratto went to a local hospital to be checked out. He also was given a drug test, and it was determined that he was not at fault.

"I was in shock all day. It was our whole month supply," Benton said. "We are already short on turkeys."

The food bank already has 4,000 turkeys to donate to the local charities, soup kitchens and families in need.

But another 2,000 turkeys or chickens are needed. That is why Baratto headed north to get turkey roasters and chickens. The food was to go to supplement food baskets at emergency-food pantries and hot meals for local soup kitchens.

Benton said the roasters are good for soup kitchens. Also, small families prefer chickens rather than large turkeys for their Thanksgiving suppers.

The food bank takes the food and distributes it to charities throughout Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties.

The US Department of Agriculture is sending a representative today to speak with Benton and decide whether to replace the condemned food.

As for the wasted food, Benton said it is unfortunate, but said, "Since the food is government products, the standards are stricter. They (government officials) don't take a chance."

Benton said the food bank backs up The Atlantic City Rescue Mission and Jean Webster's Kitchen, the two major charities in the region. But they can get by without its help.

Other charities are not so well equipped.

Community Pantry, run by the Peace Lutheran Church, is the largest pantry in Atlantic County. They serve all of Egg Harbor Township, Absecon, Mays Landing and other areas in the county.

"They don't have name recognition. They use us a lot to supply the food," Benton said. "They really need us."

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FoodBank needs help after wreck destroys food

EGG HARBOR TWP. -- Soup kitchens and food pantries in Cumberland and Atlantic counties were bracing for the worst Wednesday after a truck carrying a crucial Thanksgiving food shipment crashed.

The refrigerated truck was transporting 17,000 pounds of turkey roasts, chicken and vegetables to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey's Southern Branch here when it lost control Tuesday morning and overturned along the N.J. Turnpike near Exit 8.

FoodBank officials initially thought all of the food, which was earmarked for needy families this Thanksgiving, could not be salvaged. But now the state Department of Health and Senior Services is evaluating the food to see if any could be saved, said Evelyn Benton, director of the Egg Harbor facility.

The accident comes during the busiest time of the year for the organization, she said.

The food was a monthly allocation from the U.S. Department of Agriculture and was ultimately planned for local nonprofit groups, such as Catholic Charities in Vineland.

"With this truck going over, oh brother -- we're in trouble," said John Desparrois, regional coordinator for Catholic Charities in Cumberland and Salem counties.

His organization was planning to distribute at least 280 turkey dinners, complete with trimmings, for local families.

Tuesday's accident, which resulted in only minor injuries, came at what is already a tough time for the FoodBank.

It was facing requests for 6,000 Thanksgiving turkeys but only had 4,000 to give. Officials hoped the turkey roasts and whole chickens on the truck would help bridge the gap.

Now, Benton said, it's unclear how many orders might have to go unfilled. However, the USDA informed the agency Wednesday that it would be able to offer at least some replacement food by taking it from other food banks.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Food bank donations flood in after turnpike turkey spill

EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - Two days after a food bank truck toppled on the New Jersey Turnpike, spilling turkeys all over the road that were meant as Thanksgiving meals for the less fortunate, donations flooded into the nonprofit's local headquarters Thursday.

From a township car dealer, to a Manhattan-based pharmaceuticals company, to people from across the country, Community FoodBank of New Jersey southern branch Director Evelyn Benton said she was astonished at the outpouring of generosity since news broke Tuesday of the accident that ruined plans to supply 2,000 turkeys to the poor.

Support has even come from fans of rock legend Bruce Springsteen, who is also a personal supporter of the local food bank. He and his wife, Patti, sent a check to the township nonprofit organization after urging fans to donate to the charity at his recent Boardwalk Hall concert, Benton said.

"I had 12 calls that said, 'Bruce sent me,'" Benton said Thursday, explaining that news of the turkey spill - which was picked up on a national radio show - also made it to the Web site Backstreets.com, a site dedicated to the Boss' music and that of other New Jersey shore artists.

Chapman Ford also pledged to donate 1,000 turkeys, and pharmaceuticals company Bristol-Myers Squibb gave a $2,500 donation Thursday, the food bank director said.

And that support doesn't include the response the agency got from people who phoned in pledges - about $1,700 worth - or who dropped off turkeys at the facility, which is located at 6735 Black Horse Pike.

The food bank also is trying to raise money to replace the 22-foot-long box truck ruined in the accident, since the insurance payout on the totaled 1984 vehicle isn't expected to go far toward getting a replacement.

To make a donation, call (609) 383-8843 or visit the facility from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. on weekdays or from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

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Community FoodBank calls United Way support important

VINELAND - The Community FoodBank of New Jersey, southern branch, distributed 700,000 pounds of food to 95 nonprofit agencies in Cumberland County last year, a fact that amazed many of the members of the board of directors of the United Way of Greater Cumberland County.

Evelyn Benton, branch director of the Egg Harbor Township-based food bank, expressed her appreciation for United Way support in Atlantic, Cumberland and Cape May counties Monday.

She said that other than the support of the United Way and Progresso Quality Foods, there are very few individual responses in Cumberland County for financial assistance.

Benton indicated that a lot of people do not realize the extent of the agency's outreach in Cumberland County.

Right now there is a need for close to $60,000 to replace the refrigerated truck that was "totaled" in a recent accident.

Benton said the response to articles in The Press was tremendous as far as the immediate replacement of the turkeys for Thanksgiving. Benton is hoping that there will also be a favorable response in the fund-raising effort for a new truck.

Bruce Springsteen has been a big supporter of the Community FoodBank in the past, and a Springsteen fan club recently contributed $1,300 following the accident.

Since the United Way board has many new members, President Martin Hull said he felt they should hear about the Community FoodBank, emphasizing that Benton has supported the various fund-raising and other events of the United Way of Greater Cumberland County.

"This is the busiest week of the year for us, and we have been working seven days a week," Benton said.

Some of the "food facts" highlighted by Benton were that the food bank distributes more than 55,000 pounds of food every week to hundreds of charities throughout southern New Jersey. Annually, it distributes around 3 million pounds of groceries valued at more than $5 million.

More than 300 charitable groups serving the poor and hungry throughout Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and parts of Burlington County benefit from the food provided from the Community FoodBank.

Benton said they include emergency food pantries, community soup kitchens, homeless shelters, day-care centers for children or senior citizens, group homes for the disabled, rehabilitation facilities and disaster relief organizations.

In other matters, Hull reported the United Way Campaign is progressing well. He said he has met with more than 100 coordinators and has made 50 presentations.

Hull said he shows the coordinators the best practices for running a company campaign and also meets with the company's executives.

Chairman Scott Sheppard praised Hull's enthusiastic presentations, indicating that they are making a positive impact. This year's campaign goal is $425,000.

This was the first board meeting held in its new office at 629 Wood St. in Vineland. Previously, the office was in Millville.

The next meeting will be held at the Shirley Eves Center in Millville on Dec. 15, the first of a series of board meetings to be held at the sites of participating United Way agencies.

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Firefighter charged with sex assault on boy

BUENA VISTA -- A longtime member of the Collings Lakes Fire Department is accused of having unlawful sexual contact with a 14-year-old boy, state police said.

Norman W. Devries, 43, of Fern Lane was charged with aggravated criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child, state police spokesman Stephen Jones said.

Devries was arrested Saturday night and taken to Atlantic County jail in Hamilton on $50,000 bail.

A state police investigation concluded that Devries had sexual contact with the teen on multiple occasions in woods within the township, Jones said.

The alleged incidents occurred over a one-year period and ended on Oct. 31, he continued.

Devries had a supervisory role over the child on these occasions, Jones said.

Aggravated criminal sexual contact is a third degree crime, punishable by seven years in jail. Devries was charged with that offense -- instead of the lesser charge of criminal sexual contact -- because the teen was not yet 16 and Devries was supervising him when the alleged acts occurred, Jones said.

The Collings Lakes Fire Department, where Devries has been a volunteer firefighter for seven years, is reeling from the charges.

"We never thought it would happen in a million years," Chief Bill Donnelly said. "Everybody's blown away by what happened."

Devries' status has been suspended pending the matter's outcome.

The incident should have no bearing on the department's reputation, Donnelly said.

"This has nothing to do with the fire department," he said. "This has nothing to do with him being a fireman. He just happens to be a fireman."

The department runs a program to teach the basics of firefighting and emergency medical service to teens who are at least 16-years-old. Children of department members may be admitted at a younger age.

Devries was not involved in the program, which is meticulously overseen by two department members, Donnelly said.

Because the department is a "family atmosphere," interaction normally occurs between children and adults, he added. But the constant presence of members would prevent deviant behavior.

"The opportunity just doesn't arise for that to take place among members' children, between him or anyone else," Donnelly said.

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Borough says no to district's plea for police

BUENA -- The borough has turned down a Buena Regional School District request seeking police assistance in hunting down truant students and children who are illegally attending classes in the district.

Borough Council unanimously rejected the idea this week, the second time in a month it has told the district to look elsewhere for such help. The plan to hire officers for their investigative services could stretch the Police Department too thin, borough officials said.

"We have a small police force as it is," Mayor Joseph Baruffi said. "Council believes that right now it would put a burden on the public safety throughout the town."

Under the proposed arrangement, the Police Department would have been called upon to investigate students who are truant or believed to live outside the district's borders, even though they're attending Buena Regional classes, said Superintendent Diane DeGiacomo.

The district's truancy officer, who retired in June, previously investigated such issues.

The district's reasoning for wanting to go a new route: Who better to fill the position than local police officers with investigative expertise and familiarity with the town and its residents?

"These are people who know how to investigate these things," DeGiacomo said.

A contract with local police could offer significant advantages to hiring an outside investigative agency, which is one alternative the district is now considering.

"Right now there's nobody who knows Buena Borough or Buena Vista Township better than us," said borough Police Chief Doug Adams, speaking for his department's nine full-time and four part-time officers.

Adams, also a Buena Regional school board member, cited his department's familiarity with the community.

"It would be easier for us to investigate, not just because we know the people but because the people know us," he said. "It would be hard for them not to tell the truth when we know their families."

On the other hand, Adams said, residents might be less inclined to discuss such issues with an outside agency.

Adams had proposed following through with the arrangement on a yearlong trial basis to "see how it goes."

The district now has about a half-dozen students who may need to be investigated because they appear to be nonresidents of the communities served by the school system, and thus are attending Buena Regional classes without paying tuition, DeGiacomo said.

Council member Pat Andaloro worried an agreement with the borough would draw its police personnel into other areas because Buena Regional also serves Weymouth, Estell Manor, Newfield and Buena Vista.

"I don't want to see our policemen get taken away," Andaloro said. "We need them here to do their job."

In light of the council's decision Monday, said DeGiacomo, the district will attempt to hire a local retired police officer or detective.

"We always like to hire from the community," she said. "We'd rather the pay stay here in the community."

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Township's mayor elected to board of municipal league

BUENA VISTA -- Mayor Chuck Chiarello was elected Friday to a seat on the N.J. State League of Municipalities' Board of Directors.

A firm believer in the league's mission, Chiarello said his new post on the organization's policy-making arm has been high on his wish list of accomplishments.

"It's one of the most important appointments that exist," Chiarello said. By putting party affiliation aside, he said, "this organization helps everybody."

Created in 1917, the league is a voluntary association of elected and appointed municipal officials advocating the interests of New Jersey's 566 municipalities, said Helen Yeldell, a league spokeswoman.

Chiarello will serve on the organization's 25-member board, which generally is balanced equally among Republicans and Democrats and representatives from urban, suburban and rural municipalities around the state, Yeldell said.

League Executive Director William G. Dressel Jr. described Chiarello as "extremely active" in league work.

"He's committed to public service, to his town, and he's always there for (the league), Atlantic County and the region," Dressel said, calling Chiarello a tireless worker.

He's served on league committees in the past and is a frequent moderator for its forums, including one titled "A Happier Relationship -- Building Better School Board/Municipal Interactions" at the group's 88th annual conference this week in Atlantic City.

Chiarello said his new position won't interfere with his mayoral duties. On the contrary, he thinks the township and county will benefit from it. As a board member, Chiarello said, he'll be on the edge of the latest legislation, grant opportunities and a host of other information.

"The citizens of Buena Vista are getting an elected official that has a statewide focus, and that helps our community," he said. "The more knowledge I can gain, the more knowledge Buena Vista gains."

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Bail for a good cause

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Just in time:  Couple marry between tours

BUENA VISTA -- A veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom undertook the mission of a lifetime Saturday by tying the knot with her Air Force fiance.

Kimberly Corrigan moved to Elmer when she was 8 and left in 2002 to join the military. Little did she know there was more than basic training in store for her.

She met Oregon native Josh Coulter at Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana.

"We met in the dormitory," said Corrigan, a member of the 490th missile squadron. "Our rooms were just near each other."

But the pair's romance was interrupted when Kimberly, 20, was shipped to the Middle East for six months while Josh, 24, stayed on base.

"We began planning the wedding after I got home," Corrigan said. "The wedding planner thought having it at the Buena Tavern would be really nice."

And their nuptials -- conducted by township Mayor Chuck Chiarello -- came just in time.

Coulter is readying himself for a year in South Korea with the 341st civil engineer's squadron.

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Reindeer Brigade seeks gifts for Iraq effort - Out in Force for the Troops

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ATV riders hang on in face of federal report

A federal watchdog agency reported last month that a record number of severe injuries resulted from riding all-terrain vehicles in 2002, but that won't stop local ATV riders from hitting the trails.

Many say the figures are more representative of recklessness and a lack of training among riders, rather than any danger the machines pose themselves.

"These machines aren't dangerous," said Egg Harbor Township Police Sgt. Hector Tavarez, who supervises a local park sponsored by the Police Athletic League for ATVs and dirt bikes.

"It's how people ride them that counts."

According to a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission report, nearly 114,000 people required treatment in hospital emergency rooms and 357 people died in ATV-related accidents last year. The numbers do not include injuries that resulted from the operation of dirt or trail bikes.

Locally, Michael Dooley, a Stafford Township teenager, was killed in September while riding his ATV across the Garden State Parkway from one dirt trail to another. His family declined to comment for this article.

Since 1982, the federal report showed 37 people have died in New Jersey in ATV-related accidents.

However, local riders insist ATVs are safe.

"Most of those accidents occur in unsupervised and unmanaged areas by people with no training and little equipment," said David Pharo, manager of the New Jersey Off Road Vehicle Park in Chatsworth, the area's largest park. "Like in any extreme sport, you have to be careful."

Dozens of riders, on both ATV and dirt bikes, roared over the off-road park's four tracks Saturday, with supervisors keeping watch for anyone who rode recklessly or too fast. Parents, Pharo said, must remain to watch over minors who ride.

For insurance reasons, the park tracks all incidents, including everything from broken bones, or worse, to someone falling off their vehicle with only a scratch. Through Sept. 19, there were 82 such entries in the park's logs, Pharo said.

Most ATV and dirt bike riders there claimed no serious injuries in their past.

"That's just kids who don't have much experience who try to do things that are over their head," said Thomas Daly, 15 of Monmouth County.

Mud-covered after riding his dirt bike over the "expert" course, complete with high-pitched jumps suggestive of the Nintendo video game "Excite Bike," Daly said he has suffered only bumps in the three years he's been riding.

Not far away, at a Stafford Township sand pit renown for ATV riding, Dwayne Martinsen, 42, had a similar take.

Most weekends the Monmouth County native brings his son Stephen, 14, here to ride his four-wheel ATV. Sometimes, he said, there are more than 100 ATV and dirt bike riders there, and he recalled no serious injuries, and only one close call.

"The kid was showing off, doing doughnuts in the parking lot," Martinsen recalled in reference to the practice of riding ATVs in tight circles. "A little kid, five or six, on a training bike was right in back of him. He nearly swatted him down like a fly.

"It's always a few bad apples that wreak it for other people," added Martinsen, a lifelong ATV enthusiast. "If you're brought up where it's family riding and not motocross races, than it's not dangerous at all."

At the Southern Ocean Cycle Center, an ATV and dirt bike retail store in Stafford, the number of ATV-related injuries was enough to keep one family from purchasing a vehicle.

"We're not going to buy an ATV because of the danger," said Sue Larsen of Beachwood, Ocean County, after shopping with 12-year-old son Matthew and husband Dennis. "The salesman said there were a lot of deaths and injuries and based on that we changed our mind."

Later, Claire Begley, co-owner of the shop with husband Edward, shook her head. "See how honest we are," she said, although the salesman, Pat Flanagan, said he didn't emphasize the vehicle's danger.

Nevertheless, Begley, like everyone else, felt that ATVs get a bad rap. "When used properly, they are safe," said Begley, who characterized safe operation with supervision, training and equipment, including helmets, goggles, boots, chest protector and long-sleeved shirts.

"If (children) not supervised and allowed to go off on their own, then they're likely to do something stupid."

The sport's dangerous aspects, she said, were unfairly emphasized by Michael Dooley's death.

Begley said Stafford Police Detective Sgt. Frank Heim, Dooley's stepfather, purchased the ATV on which the teen died at her store. It was a model that only those 16 years old and over can ride, she said.

"He's a very good customer," said Begley of Heim. "We were shocked and very compassionate about it."

Ten years ago, Egg Harbor Township Police, Tavarez said, pushed to open its park, "Ready-to-Ride," partly because of the number of ATV-related injuries officers encountered. Now, members must complete a six-to-eight-hour training course given by a Motorcycle Safety Foundation-certified instructor, and no less than two adults supervise the riding.

Since opening, six injuries have occurred at the park, said Tavarez, and one, he added, involved a police officer who fell while sitting on a parked bike.

"If you did a study of the number of (children) who followed the rules and got injured in proportion to those who get hurt playing football on a given Saturday," said Tavarez, "you'd find the kids playing football are hurt far more often."

On the side of the Chatsworth ORV park's "expert" course, Josh Spivey, 15, of Berkeley Township watched the acrobatics of riders like Daly.

Several months ago, Spivey said he broke both hands and bruised his chest cavity while riding at a Berkeley Township dirt pit.

Asked if the vehicles are unsafe, the now mended Spivey said: "Not all. Just fun."

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