Protect rights of
kids, not sex offenders 8/25/05
The Buena Vista Township Committee decided to wait on a proposed law because
of fear of lawsuits claiming civil rights violations on behalf of pedophiles.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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Buena, Buena Vista take different roads to block pedophiles 8/24/05
Buena Vista Township Committee is sending a resolution to Atlantic County to
suggest a model ordinance that would stand the test of litigation.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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Buena Vista delays
limits on sex offenders 8/23/05
BUENA VISTA
TOWNSHIP - The township decided Monday to delay approving an ordinance that
would restrict where convicted sex offenders against children could live in the
area, largely due to legal concerns.
Solicitor Joseph Gindhart said he was worried about extreme measures taken by
many surrounding townships that severely limit where tier one offenders, or
those not susceptible to repeat crimes, could live.
He cited the case of Steven Elwell, a Middle Township resident and former
teacher who pleaded guilty to having sex with a student who has now hired a
high-powered attorney to determine whether the ordinances violate the
Constitution.
Buena Vista Township's proposed policy would prohibit any previous sex offender
from living within 2,500 feet of any school, park, playground or day-care center
- places where children usually congregate. The township will revisit the topic
at the next meeting on Sept. 12.
"We want to make sure we can pass an ordinance that both protects residents and
isn't susceptible to a legal challenge," Buena Vista Township Mayor Chuck
Chiarello said. "Overall, we want to adopt this legislation. We just don't want
to have some of the extreme measures some other townships have taken."
Gindhart and Chiarello say they don't want to be like some areas that have
prohibited offenders from living within 2,500 feet of any given bus stop, for
example.
When asked how much space Buena Vista Township could afford for offenders, given
that a large part of the township is undeveloped due to Pinelands restrictions,
Chiarello said, "We'll be looking into that."
Limits on where sex offenders could live have cropped up in many cities and
towns in southern New Jersey in the past few months. Recently, Vineland adopted
an ordinance similar to what Buena Vista Township is considering, along with
Lower Township, Egg Harbor City, Galloway Township and Brick Township.
"I think it's just on people's minds, right now," Chiarello said.
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Region Briefs ~
Squirrel causes power outage 8/20/05
Friday morning power outage that affected about 2, 800 customers was caused
by a squirrel that ran into a transformer and caused a short circuit.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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DANCING CHEEK TO CHEEK: Summer concert series strikes up the band 8/18/05
On Wednesday, August 24 Buena Vista Township will hold
their final concert of the season. Joe Luisi's One-Man Band will begin at
7:00 pm at the Michael Debbi Park in Richland. This is a FREE concert.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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Vineland first in area to
write law 8/15/05
The City of Vineland has introduced an Ordinance regarding sex offender laws.
Buena Vista Township Officials are reviewing the various sex offender ordinances
and plan to introduce it at a later date.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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REMEMBERING THOSE WHO CAME BEFORE: Local museum 'Russian' to save history
8/10/05
Anthony Sienczenko is the curator of the New Kuban Historical Museum.
The New Kuban Museum is off Weymouth Road in Buena Vista. Admission is
free.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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LOVE AND CHARITY IN A FARAWAY LAND: Couple dedicate lives to Ghana's poor 8/8/05
Local residents Georgene Walker and Attu Mensah help
less fortunate of Ghana. They established a nonprofit charitable fund
named Warababa, after Attu's hometown in Ghana.
For complete details go to:
www.thedailyjournal.com
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Local long shot runs with leaders before fading in Haskell 8/8/05
OCEANPORT - John Petrini had hopes of his prized Richland-bred horse, Joey P.,
winning the $1 million purse at Sunday's 37th running of the Haskell
Invitational at Monmouth Park, but he knew that was a long shot.
"To tell you the truth, I just want this all to be over with," Petrini said two
hours before the race.
"As long as he tries his best, then I'll be happy."
So when the gelding crossed the finish line dead last - seventh behind the Bob
Baffert-trained favorite Roman Ruler - Petrini didn't show any signs of
disappointment.
Instead he turned around with a smile on his face and asked, "So what do you
think?"
The eventful day for the 71-year-old Vineland resident and owner of Richland
Carpets, began at 10 a.m. when he packed four cars with 16 family members and
friends, including wife Jean, his four children and eight grandchildren.
"We got here at noon," Petrini said. "Meaning we've been here too long already."
The family took control of two luxury boxes on the third floor of the Monmouth
Park Parquet and spent much of the afternoon joking with each other, betting on
races and playing scratch-off lottery tickets.
Petrini's 16-year-old granddaughter, Kathryn, was the family's big winner on the
afternoon, winning $100 on a scratch-off ticket.
"Maybe I can finally get those shoes I wanted," she said.
The family was less successful betting on horses.
"I came here with a thousand dollars and I have four left," Petrini said just
before the Haskell went off. "Hopefully we'll have some luck in the next race."
And as the family made its way to the paddock area to see the Haskell horses
parade before the race, its patriarch opened the doors to a sea of bright orange
hats (which were given away at the gate) that erupted as soon as they saw
Petrini.
"Let's go, Joey P.!" "Come, Joey!" "All right, Joey P!"
Petrini took a step back, entirely surprised by the reception that his family
and his horse were getting.
"Can you believe this," he asked. "Just goes to show you that people love an
underdog."
With Petrini in the lead, the family made it's way through the crowd. Some of
them waved to the crown. Others were in awe of the masses.
"Look at all the people. It's amazing," Petrini's oldest grandchild, Megan, 19
said while walking through the crowd.
As Petrini stood with his son, Joe Sr., in paddock, he admitted that he was
finally getting nervous. But then he broke up the monotony by showing one of his
tricks for beating the heat.
"See this tie? It's a clip-on, I don't mess around," he said, while standing
only two feet from Baffert, who was covered from head to toe in designer
clothing.
Then as the horses made their way to the starting gate, Petrini's youngest
grandchild, Jay, 10, summed up the mood of the entire family by saying, "Here we
go!"
Joey P., a sprinter bred in Richland from Close Up, won his first five races,
including the Grade 3 Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes on the Fourth of July to
earn an invitation into the prestigious but much longer Haskell.
The nine-furlong (1Æ 1/8 miles) race was the longest of Joey P's career. After
winning the five shorter races, Joey P. finished third in a mile test on July
22. And an early afternoon rain Sunday made the long course slower and even more
difficult for the gelding.
Joey P. got a tremendous start out of the gate, sitting in second behind Sun
King, and he stayed there until the horses headed into the stretch. But he then
quickly fell back into last place.
"I'm disappointed because I kind of expected him to do at least a little
better," Petrini said. "But what can you do? I actually thought he was against
the rail. I didn't know that he had fallen back that far."
And Petrini's 15-year-old grandson Joey - Joey P's namesake - who plays tennis
for Ocean City High School, said that he wasn't disappointed at all that his
horse lost.
"My grandpa told me that if he was in second around the last turn then we would
be good, but he just had nothing left," he said. "Everyone in this family has a
horse named after them, and I am just glad that mine was able to make it to the
Haskell. I have never been to a sporting event this big before. Hopefully we'll
be able to come back."
And Jean Petrini - John's wife - looked at the loss as a positive crossroads for
the horse.
"Some horses are just made to race a certain way," she said. "Now we know what
direction we have to go in with Joey. This isn't the end of the road for him. We
will win more races with him."
Besides, Joey P.'s run with the sport's elite wasn't even the most memorable
part of Jean's day.
"When someone today me earlier that I had a beautiful family, that made my day,"
she said. "We had such a wonderful day together. So whether Joey won or lost, I
felt like I was already a winner."
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Richland-bred horse ready
for Haskell 8/7/05
OCEANPORT - As the sun began to peek over the top of the grandstand at Monmouth
Park on Friday morning, the stable area was filled with its usual morning hustle
and bustle.
Stable workers did their daily chores, trainers checked up on their prized
crops. Exercise riders worked out their horses.
But at Stable 26 there was a much different scene as a half-dozen media members
stood with cameras in hand, eagerly waiting to see Richland's Joey P. for the
first time.
With a graceful swagger the Richland-bred horse, which is owned by Vineland's
John Petrini, casually glided out of the stable, barely noticing the flashing
cameras and ESPN camera crews that were inches from his face.
As the horse - who will be racing in the 37th annual Haskell Invitational at the
racetrack today - made his way to the track for his workout, the buzz around the
horse and its trainer Frank Costa began to increase.
"How's he looking today Frank? Is he going to be ready for the Haskell?" someone
asked.
"We'll see," Costa answered softly only after taking a moment to remove a cigar
from his mouth.
And when Joey P. finally took the track, he gave the crowd exactly what they
wanted to see - a great workout during a two-lap gallop.
But what everyone really wanted to know was if Joey P. would be able to last the
Haskell's nine furlongs (a mile and 1/3), after making his name as a sprinter.
The gelding by Close Up went undefeated in his first five races dating back to
last year as a two-year old.
But after he set a race record in the Grade 3 Jersey Shore Breeders' Cup Stakes
on the Fourth of July, Joey P. was invited to compete in the much longer
Haskell.
To get used to the distance, Costa ran Joey P. in two turns for the first, and
only, time in a mile race on July 22. He finished third behind older horses.
"We've been running him a mile and a half, and a mile and three-quarters," said
Costa, who became a trainer 30 years ago after a 20-year career as a jockey. "I
think he'll be OK, because this isn't just any other horse."
"He won his first five races. I think that he can do it."
Costa's experience around horses has taught him to be patient when training a
horse for a different style of race than it's accustomed to.
"There isn't a blueprint for how to train a horse," said Costa, who has to get
to his stables at 5:30 a.m. daily to give each of his horses individual
attention. "Each horse is different and each day is different. We look at how
the horse is that day and we take it from there.
"(Friday) we did some galloping and (Saturday) I'd like to breeze him out a
little bit. Then the day of the race we might get him out there for a little
bit, but nothing is set in stone right now. We'll figure it all out as we go,
you have to do it like that when you're working with horses."
One person who is keeping an extra close eye on Joey P.'s workout is Petrini,
who made the trip up from Vineland for the early morning workout.
"I don't want him to get tired," said Petrini, who plans to have another horse,
Jay's Wish, racing in an earlier race today. "I want him to be fresh as fresh
can be."
Petrini, the owner of Richland Carpets in Richland, is also anxious to see what
the final page of this story is going to be.
"There are some good horses in this race. We're 15-1 right now, an underdog," he
said. "So if we lose with all of this hype around us we will look like goats.
But if we win ... we'll be heroes.
Then he turned to look at his horse as it headed back into the stable and asked,
"So what do you think?"
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