The Courier-News from Bridgewater, New Jersey • Page 13

CoufiefNems): Contact us: Metro editor: Caryn Shinske Phone: (908) 707-3121 Fat (908) 707-3252 E-mail: On the Web: Visit for the latest breaking news from Central Jersey. G)uriefNeu c-nxom WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 2007 YOUR LIFE Conversations with the Chefs visits the executive chef at Fusion in Flemington, Page E-1 POLICE dLU 1 1 til Hop: ill ivei 1 Ferguson says measure securing $500,000 for Hunterdon Medical Center headed to Senate, White House for final approval. and maternal and child-birth facility in the county, Hunterdon Medical Center receives the majority of high-risk patients. The hospital estimates that 1,400 babies are born annually at Hunterdon Medical Center. During his visit, Ferguson chatted with hospital officials, toured the maternity center and met with employees, officials said.

Ferguson received a special briefing on the hospital's plans to improve its maternity equipment so it can meet the needs of babies, women and children in Hunterdon and surrounding counties. "Hunterdon Medical Center makes a significant and positive impact on the lives of Hunterdon County residents, especially new mothers and their children," Ferguson said. "With state-of-the-art equipment and technology, the hospital's newborn and maternal health initiative would enhance care for preterm babies born at the hospital." Hospital officials said Hunter-don County's population is growing at nearly double the rate of the rest of New Jersey and many of the new residents are babies. As the only hospital legislation is sent to the White House expected to happen this fall hospital officials said the funds Ferguson asked for will help with the purchase of vital equipment, including neonatal cardiac monitors, advanced infant care diagnostics, electronic fetal monitors and infant ventilators. Robert Wise, president and CEO of Hunterdon Healthcare System, said in a statement that the upgraded ventilators "would aid premature and newborn babies who cannot breathe on their own because their lungs have not fully developed." Staff report Hunterdon Medical Center officials Tuesday heralded Rep.

Mike Ferguson for securing $500,000 in federal funding for the hospital's Newborn and Maternal Health Initiative. Ferguson, R-New Providence, visited the Raritan Township facility Tuesday morning to announce that the funding he requested was included in the annual bill that finances the departments of Labor, Education and Health and Human Services. That bill won House approval in July and still must be reconciled with the Senate's version of the legislation, hospital officials said. Though the funding amount for Hunterdon Medical Center could change before the final Parents travel overtime to catch sons' competitions 1 i 1 'i 1. 14 i ttfi (7 DAVID LAZARUSCOURIER NEWS Brian Hessemer plays soccer for Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School.

CLINTON TOWNSHIP MARIJUANA, DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED, 1 a.m. Aug. 13: Police stopped a car driven by Elvis Garcia-Quillot, 25, of Reading, on Route 31 near Hal-stead Street for making an illegal U-turn. According to a police report, the officer during the stop confiscated a bag of marijuana and two marijuana joints as well as an open container of an alcoholic beverage from inside the car. Police said the officer also learned Garcia-Quillot was a suspended driver.

As a result, Garcia-Quillot was charged with possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, operating a motor vehicle while in possession of a controlled dangerous substance, driving while suspended, having an opened container of alcohol and illegal U-turn. He was released on his own recognizance. CIVIL CONTEMPT, DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED, 11:45 a.m. Aug. 1 1 Police stopped a car driven by Frederick Gilbert, 33, of High Bridge after an inquiry found he was wanted on a warrant from the Hunterdon County Sheriff's Department for failure to pay child support as well as a suspended driver's license.

The police report states that as a result, Gilbert was given a summons for driving while suspended before being taken to Hunterdon County Jail in default of the $887.72 owed for back child support. WARRANT, 1:15 p.m. Aug. 12: The police report states an officer stopped a car for speeding on Stanton-Mountain Road. During the stop, police said they learned the driver, Alan Bilbee, 52, of Lebanon had a suspended driver's license and an $878 motor vehicle warrant from North Hunterdon Municipal Court.

Bilbee was given summonses for driving while suspended and for speeding before being taken to Hunterdon County Jail in default of bail. A passenger, Kathleen Bilbee, 52, of Lebanon was found to have approximately $870 in motor vehicle warrants from Readington and from North Hunterdon Municipal Court, police said. She was taken to Hunterdon County Jail in default of her bail. DRUNKEN DRIVING, DRIVING WHILE SUSPENDED, 11:10 p.m. Aug.

11: Police stopped a car driven by Gary Zambek, 43, of Baptistown on Stanton-Lebanon Road (County Route 629) near Valley Crest Road for erratic driving. The police report states that during the stop, the officer learned Zambek had a suspended driver's license. Police said the officer soon determined Zambek was intoxicated and observed an open container of beer inside the car. Zambek was arrested and a subsequent breath test revealed his blood-alcohol concentration was above the legal limit, according to police. Zambek was given summonses for drunken driving, driving while suspended, consumption of an alcoholic beverage in a motor vehicle, failure to maintain lane and failure to signal turn.

He was released to a family member. His car was towed and impounded. DRUNKEN DRIVING, 1:30 a.m. Aug. 12: The police By DAVID LAZARUS Correspondent Phil and Roxanne Hesse-mer were no ordinary soccer parents as they nervous-lyglanced at their watches while watching the Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School soccer team battle Vernon in the dwindling sunshine of a cold October afternoon.

As the game involving their younger son Brian headed toward overtime, they had to decide whether to miss the final exciting moments so they could leave for the 60-mile drive to West Point, N.Y., where they would watch older son Michael play for Lehigh University against the U.S. Military Academy. They managed to stay until the final whistle as the game ended in a 2-2 tie, then high-tailed it up the Garden State Parkway in time to catch Michael's team defeat Army 4-0. It is a drill the couple will repeat for another year as the two boys complete their final seasons at their current schools and, similar to last year, serve as co-captains on their teams. But Michael, despite a distinguished high-school career, almost skipped playing college soccer.

STORYCHAT I -K "During the college application process, I remember looking at Lehigh solely for what it had to offer academically and socially," recalled Michael, who is expected to graduate next spring with a degree in mechanical engineering. "All of the schools that contacted me about soccer didn't really appeal to me, and the coaches at the schools I was interested in were difficult to get in touch with." But after contacting Lehigh's coach, Hessemer was allowed on the team as a late addition to his recruiting class. Michael moved right into the lineup as a freshman and, as he describes it, "the rest just seemed to fall in place." His junior season ended spectacularly as the Moun-tainhawks advanced to Sweet 16 in the NCAA tournament, where they fell at top-seeded Duke. It was one of the best seasons in the DAVID LAZARUSTOURIER NEWS See ATHLETES, Page B-4 Mike Hessemer plays soccer for Lehigh University. Bridge between llillsboro, Branchburg set to reopen alter restructuring work Cops: Identity of woman found dead in S.

Plainfield lake remains a mystery By MARTIN CBRICKETTO Staff Writer HILLSBOROUGH After about 16 months of work, a revamped Elm Street Bridge is expected to reopen Thursday to drivers. The bridge built in 1896 connects Hillsbor off site, then brought back and put together like a big Tinker Toy job." The work included strengthening trusses, repairing the substructure, replacing existing decks and stringers, floor beams, hanger assemblies and concrete abutment seats, im What you can do: Anyone with information about the dead woman found Aug. 8 in Spring Lake Park in South Plainfield is asked to call the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at (732) 745-3332. ough and Branchburg over the South Branch of the Raritan River and is part of the Neshanic Station STORY proving the west approach roadway and repainting the structure, according to pre ceremony this year. In March 2006, the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority awarded a $5,339,190 contract for the work to Ferreira Construction, based in Branchburg.

Mary Weiss, who has operated the nearby Neshanic Flea Market in Branchburg for 37 years, said she heard from contractors that the bridge could open as soon as Wednesday. Weiss is hoping to be one of the first people to cross the new bridge with her grandchildren. While Weiss said the bridge closure has led to some flea-market-goers getting lost, she also said she was happy work on the structure preserved its historic qualities. "I'm so excited about it reopening," Weiss said. "It's gorgeous what they have done." the tips have dried up.

"Other than that first day, that was basically it," Parker said. "I was a little surprised, personally. You would think that someone would call on that." Parker said investigators have been looking through missing persons reports to try to match the body. But he said that's a difficult task because the body is badly decomposed. Parker said the lack of tips was particularly surprising because the body was found in a high-traffic park.

"A lot of people walk in there, and that's what's a little bit unusual," he said. Spring Lake Park is part of the Middlesex County Park System. The 121-acre facility, with its five-acre ByJARED KALTWASSER Staff Writer SOUTH PLAINFIELD -One week after a body was discovered floating in Spring Lake, borough police say the woman's identity and the details surrounding her death remain a mystery. At 9:36 a.m. Aug.

8, a borough police officer found a nude female body floating in Spring Lake. The park was closed for the morning and authorities called the Middlesex County Medical Examiner to perform an autopsy. South Plainfield police Lt. James Parker said investigators received a few phone calls about the case immediately after the news broke. Since then, however, Spring Lake, is open from sunrise to sunset every day.

The park is just a block east of the South Plainfield Police Department. A spokesperson for the Middlesex County Prosecutor confirmed the lack of progress Tuesday, saying, "There's nothing new." JaredKaltwasser can be reached at (908) 707-3137 or jkaltwassegannettcom. vious reports. Officials had said the rehabilitation was needed because of the poor condition of the bridge and what one county engineer called its "inadequate load-carrying capacity." Amorosa said the bridge would reopen to the public Thursday, probably near the end of the day. He added the span likely would be rededicated during a Historic District.

The project that began in April 2006 included a total rehabilitation of the truss structure, according to County Public Works Director Michael Amorosa and previously published reports. "It was taken all apart, pieces that were damaged or worn out from age were refabricated," Amorosa said. "It was taken apart and shipped POLICE BLOTTER continued on Page B-4 TH1SSEGTI0N You can e-mail us at fax the newsroom at (908) 707-3252 or call Michael Deak or Caryn Shinske at (908) 707-3121. Designed and edited by Joseph P. Dynan, James Reid, Dave Siminoff and Felecia D.

Wellington..