Sep 1978 - On-Line Newspaper Archives of Ocean City

editorials
Night in Venice study has come at a prudent time
event as popular and colorful as the gala Night in
Venice boat parade.
By the same token, there has been considerable
comment in the last few years that the July bayfront
extravaganza has gotten out of hand. Tne parade
brings some 120,000 people on to this island, most of
whom head for bayfront or on-the-water parties.
Unfortunately, the overindulgence in alcoholic
beverages combined with the congestion, both on
land and on the water, creates a volatile situation
and this year the bomb did explode when two boats
collided after the parade and two people, a young
man and a young woman, were killed.
In nearby Stone Harbor, a similar event, the
bayfront Festival of Lights, was called off a few
years ago when it started to become unmanageable.
While officials there said "lack of interest" forced
them to halt the affair, the real reason was that
residents rose in opposition to what had become a
threat to the safety and welfare.of the community.
In the wake of this year's accident, the same fate
could have felled Night in Venice if council had not
acted swiftly, openly and intelligently.
Immediately following the tragic collision, council
President William H. Woods courageously announced
that he was calling for an investigation with
the intent of developing guidelines for controlling
future events. He was criticized severely in some
circles but, ironically, there is little doubt that his
action was needed if the perpetuation of the parade
were to be guaranteed.
features
.*„ ^~^j officials and residents alike were
ready to call for a total abolition of the parade if some
restraints were not placed on the congestion and the
late-night revelry.
Woods, along with fellow investigators Cbuncilmen
Henry S. Knight and Jack Jones, developed four
requirements, which must be met, and eight
recommendations for future parades. Their findings
will be aired at a public meeting of council Thursday
at 7:30 p.m. in council chambers on the second floor
of city hall, 9th St. and Asbury Av.
The four requirements include a stipulation that
the parade must begin promptly at 6 p.m. to insure an
early conclusion; the closing down of streets perpendicular
to and adjacent to the bay from 9th St. to
Arkansas Av. at 5 p.m. to aflow access by emergency
vehicles; an increase in marine police patrols, and
increased communications between council and
parade personnel.
The eight recommendations include requests for
aid that can only be met through cooperation with
state and federal agencies.
The committee's report seems to be a fair one and
one which can insure the continuation of the popular
Night in Venice without undue risks to people and
property.
School starts, watch for children
School starts tomorrow and it's time again for
motorists to strip away the lazy, hazy attitude of
summer driving and hone their senses to the dangers
of children in the streets.
Because of the density of traffic all summer long in
shore resorts and adjacent mainland communities,
the relief of seeing some open space after Labor Day
often brings on the temptation to increase speeds.
Unfortunately, it's this same tune that hundreds of
kindergarten youngsters are leaving their homes and
boarding buses for the first time in their lives. The
excitement of this can often overrule the cautions
that mothers and fathers have been issuing for the
past several weeks and can lead to dangerous
situations on the roadways.
Motorists have to be careful all year long while
school is in session, but the first few weeks are
critical. Neither the driver nor the student is quite
aware of inherent dangers after a summer of
relaxation and cautions can be lax.
The Sentinel-Ledger urges all motorists to slow
down during the next few weeks and remember that
youngsters are back on the road and anxiously
looking forward to a bright future and not one in
which they are crippled by a careless or less-thanalert
driver.
Cancer cannot be understood without gene controls
Cancer research takes many appears to be a system of last new things about bow the SOS deal most frequently with a and at frequent meetings. It's a determining in great detail
farms in laboratories around resort, activated when damage system works in bacteria, we group of about six laboratories very cooperative spirit, not at bow the SOS system is con-
the world. Dr. Evelyn Witkin, a is too severe to be repaired by pass the information along, scattered around the world, all like the competitive feeling trolled. She feels that any real
Rutgers University geneticist, the other three systems. But which generates ideas for where work of this kind is going you sometimes hear about in advance in understanding gene
is deeply Involved in the in- unlike the other systems, which experiments at (heir level. on very intensively.
science, and it's been a great regulation — how genea are
ternational cancer research repair the damaged DNA ac- "One interesting aspect
deal of fun for that reason." turned of for on—is relevant to
effort, although her work is curately, the SOS mechanism about the way we're operating "We are usually in very dose In her own laboratory, she the problem of what
with bacteria.
makes many genetic mistakes is its international quality. I touch, sometimes by telephone, plans to concentrate on wrong in cancer.
"Hie overall problem I'm in its repair work and is
concerned with is how cells referred to as "error prone."
A glimpse of Ocean City's past
respond to damage in their Each mistake is a mutation
genetic material, or DNA," — a permanent change in the
said Dr. Witkin, a professor of composition of a gene.
biological sciences at Douglass "SOS repair is a mutagenic
College, the state university's repair mechanism," said Dr.
By CATHERIN M. BOWEN
women's college. "We are all Witkin., "We have found that
Social Editor
exposed dally to radiation and SOS repair is responsible for all
chemicals that can cause such radiation-Induced mutations From June to November is the hurricane season in the Atlantic
damage."
detectable in the bacteria we and for the past week all eyes have been glued to reports on the
DNA fdeoxyribonucleic add) work with.
activity of the flfthoffidalstcrmof the season,Ella.
molecules carry the genetic "Once a mistake or mutation This powerful lady, packing winds up to 120 miles per hour, came
code, the code by which gets into the DNA, all the DNA sailing right up the coast to a site off Cape hatteras where she took
inherited characteristics are made from it from then on will up residence for several days.
handed from generation to have the same mutation. Some With everyone keeping alert for new of this storm, it seems
generation.
mutations are relatively timely to recall several other storms which have passed through
A pioneer in the study of DNA harmless, but others may cause Ocean City.
repair, Dr. Witkin has focused serious defects or diseases.
her research on understanding There is considerable evidence
how bacterial genes, damaged
by radiation, repair themselves
:;WS:::::::w^^
and how mistakes in the repair
process sometimes lead to
mutations. Tuesday Since there is a correlation of
at least 90 percent between
agents that cause cancer in
mammals and agents that
cause mutations in bacteria,
she believes the results of her
experiments may well have a
significant impact upon human
cancer research.
"I believe that we cannot
understand cancer until we
understand the controls that
govern genes and mutations,"
said Dr. Witkin, who was
elected last year to the National
Academy of Sciences in
recognition of her distinguished
career in research.
"In my laboratory we work
with bacteria, because of the
ease of handling large
populations and the speed of
getting results and the
sophisticated genetics that we
can do with bacterial cells,"
she said. "But we do fed that
what we learn is relevant to
mammalian cells and to human
ceUstandour ultimate goal is to
understand how damage to
genetic material is related to
cancer.
"We never assume that what
is true of bacteria is necessarily
true of human cells, but we do
know that genes are chemically
very similar in all forms of life.
Other scientists are now trying
to duplicate in human cells
what we are doing here in
bacteria."
By means of ultraviolet light,
Dr. Witkin and her student
assistants Induce molecular
damage in the genes of bacterial
cells. Her work centers
on the enzyme systems that
operate to repair the damaged
DNA and enable the ceDs to
survive.
Three different types of
ensyme repair systems,
"Wff""*' to bacteria and man,
were identified by scientists in
(teUtelMOs. Inl«72 Dr. Witkin
discovered the existence of a
fourth repair mechanism,
«bkh is now known as the
"306" repair system, because
ft to activated by a chemical
datrtM signal from badly
asjnagi DRAT
the 108 mechanism, which
to OBmant in healthy cells.
i
SEPTEMBER 5.1978 I
This second photo shows one of the many old tree* on the
Tabernacle grounds which was uprooted. Notice at the left comer
auditorium.
Another bad storm to be recored in Ocean City was the northeast
storm of March s, 6 and 7 in 1983. This was not a hurricane but a
northeast gate with high tides. The winds were clocked at 60 miles
an hour. However, more damage was done by the flood tide than by
the wind.
At least 300 homes wered damaged with 100 completely ruined.
Six had disappeared without a sign. Two fishing piers along the
ocean, along with the 10th St beach patrol headquarters were
destroyed. Damage was greatest in the south end of Ocean City,
however, the entire island was isolated from the mainland for two
days because the flood tide had put the roadways underwater.
X
In October of 1903 there was a storm which pounded Ocean City's
beaches and oceanfront. The first photo shows the storm-tossed
waves beating against the boardwalk and the second photo shows a
that mutations in various body boardwalk building, presumably bousing several stores, being
cells may contribute to thebattered
by the flooding storm tide.
origin of cancer."
The distress signal that ac- One of the most vicious storms to hit Ocean City was the
tivates the SOS system also hurricane which came through on September 14,1044. Her winds This first photo waa taken at 40th St. and Central Av. looking
activates latent viruses that were recorded at 74 miles an hour and, after she departed, in- south. This shows several bouses moved into the middle of Central
normally cause no damage to spection showed nine houses and eight businesses completed Av. plus pilings and other lumber from homes which
the host cell. For many years, destroyed, limorehousessufferedseveredamage and many boats destroyed.
Dr. Witkin said, there were two were wrecked. More than 50 percent of the buildings in Ocean City
opposing theories of the causes suffered some damage. Four blocks of the boardwalk in the nor-,
of cancer — the cell mutation them end were demolished and never rebuilt
theory and the virus theory. These next two photos were taken at the Tabernacle grounds
Her discovery that the same after the hurricane did her damage and departed for the northern
signal activates both SOS states.
repair and certain dormant
viruses suggests the theories
might not be contradictory —
that either cell mutation or
viruses or both may cause the
onset of cancer, and the
common signal is related to
severe ONA damage.
Her findings are presently
being translated into work with
tnroap cells by scientists to
other laboratories around the
world, who have now reported
some evidence for an SOS-like
response in human ceDs.
"I'm working very closely
with several groups who are
This last photo shows the ntaratcnen of lath ft. and Ocean Av.
dbreetly dsaUnf with cancer in
with rubbtotrom the taardwattaawenasotneratiiaUiam
human cells," she said. 'It's
rally been a rather fruitful This first photo thows the aid Tabernacle audtorttsn TmsfetbewayttvMm.Ocauatjfeaowinfttraoftn*
collaboraaon. When we find o* waQs which the storm had demohahed.
Where to go
What to do
Special events
Free nightly concerts with the Ocean City Pops Orchestra
8p jn. on theMusic Pier through Friday. Final concert of the
season Friday.
Concert by the Delaware County Choral Society, 8 pjn.
Sunday on the Music Pier.
MiOville Organ and Opera concert; 8 p.m. Monday on the
Music Pier.
Exhibits
Cultural Arts Center, 409 Wesley Av.,open 10a.m. to 4 p.m.
and7 to 10p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10a jn. to 4 pjn.
Saturday.
Ocean City Historical Museum, 409 Wesley Av. Open
Monday through Saturday, 10 ajn. to 4 p.m. Guides will
explain points of interest in each section and answer
questions. '
Blscayne card party, 7:30 pjn. every Monday at the
Btocayne Hotel, 812 Ocean Av., benefit Cape May County
Rescue Squad.
Match Point Duplicate Bridge game every Thursday at
7:30 pjn. in the American Legton Hall, 14th St. and Haven
Av.
Jolty Bidders card party for those with less than SO master
potats,7:ao pjn. Tuesdays in the American Legion Hall, 14th
St. and Haven Av. For information call 399-4M3 or 39M277.
Ocean City Card dub games, 7:15 p.m. Mondays in the
Youth Center, Atlantic Av. between 5th and 6th stsT
Matinee Duplicate Bridge game dub tournament, 12-30
pjn. Tuesday in the American Legion Hall, Mtfa St and
Haven Av. Light lunch served 11:45 a.m.
Sports
Ocean aty Golf Course, i7th St and Bay AY, open seven
dtysa week9a jn. U>7 pjn. Twelve hole course.
fibufflebotrd Courts, sth Si. and boardwalk, open every
day.
Ocean City tennis courts open 7:30 ajn. to 10 pjn. at ttb SL
and Atlantic Av.and7:»ajn.toduskatlBth8t. and Bay Av.
IS per court hour. No phone reservations. "
SquMre dsndng
U17 Simpson Av..
at I p Jn. m the Youth '
We*
dandof Thursday at •:» pjn. in tha> Longton
Av., and Friday at *:» pjn. tntbeVeodl
caUag.
i
TUESDAY. SEPTEMBER 5.1978 OCEAN CITY (N.J.) SENTINEL-LEDGER PAGE 7
Laary-WoMfarth photo
With the summer break comhig to a close, youngsters play one of their
last volley ball games on the beach.
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Budget limit doesn't apply in township
UPPER TOWNSHIP — An
"austerity attitude" has caused
the township committee here to
take advantage of the state's
budget cap laws although the
township is exempt from the
law's spending limitation,
explained township Treasurer
Charles Pessagno.
The township is one of the 108
municipalities in the state that
does not have to follow the five
percent spending limitation
because of its low local purpose
tax.
The New Jersey Taxpayers
Association reports that under
the local cap law, enacted in
1978, municipalities with a local
purpose tax rate of $.10 or less
per $100 assessed valuation are
not subject to the law. In 1979,
the number of municipalities
eligible for exception will increase
to 113, more than 20
percent of the state.
According to the taxpayers
association. Upper Township is
typical of the municipalities
exempt from the caps. It
describes most municipalities
with low local purpose tax rates
as "sparsely populated rural
communities which provide
only limited services" and
"municipalities which receive
proportionally large amounts of
revenue such as utilities gross
recepits and franchise taxes,
and business property
replacement taxes."
The local taxpayers
association will hold a special
meeting Thursday at 8 pjn. at
the Middle School to discuss
changes in the toning ordinance,
especially the
reduction of lot sites in the
agricultural residential (AR)
zone. The public is invited to
attend.
Nine city employees are given the ax
(continued from page 1)
public works laborer was the
result of a civil service finding,
McCarthy said, while the
rehiring of the acting court
derk is the result of "an
agreement with her attorney."
The acting court clerk Limea
Z. Thompson, was replaced by
Ann Young. Young had been
involved in litigation to get her
Job back, after resigning last
fall and then being fired, Mc-
Carthy said. Although there has
been no civil service ruling in
the case, Young has been
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