Asbury Park Press from Asbury Park, New Jersey • Page 22

PAGE LOCAL NEWS ASBURY PARK PRESS THURSDAY, FEB. 17, 2005 ii' Man admits he attacked mother Tax collector on leave; city mum on reason But he says he stabbed neighbor in self-defense "There's been so many mistakes made is that one of the reasons?" Rita Morano, city resident and businesswoman The tax collection office has been criticized at public meetings at times for billing mistakes. "There's been so many mistakes made is that one of the reasons?" Morano asked Reidy. "I've given as much He's not a calm drunk." After DeRusso left the apartment, Giove said he turned himself in to township police. Assistant Monmouth County Prosecutor Jason Volet questioned Giove's account, asking why Giove recalled many details but was vague when describing assaulting his mother and stabbing DeRusso.

Giove admitted he didn't reveal to authorities every detail regarding the assault of his mother because he was ashamed of what he'd done. He said he didn't remember what happened between the time when DeRusso held his neck and the stabbing. The trial, before Superior Court Judge Patricia Del Bueno Geary, resumes on Wednesday. Karen Sudol (732) 462 6509 or By NANCY SHIELDS COASTAL MONMOUTH BUREAU ASBURY PARK Pamela D. Lipira, the city's tax collector since 1994, has been on administrative leave since Monday, but Ciry Manager Terence Reidy said Wednesday night he could not comment on why.

The City Council Wednesday night approved the appointment of Dorothy Ruth, a licensed tax collector who has worked in the collection department for three years as acting collector. During the public session. Rita Morano, a resident and city businesswoman, asked Reidy how long Lipira will be on leave. He said he did not know. When Morano asked if Lipira is ill, Reidy said, "It is a personnel matter, which is as much as I can say publicly." turned with DeRusso, Giove said, who smacked a cellular phone out of his hand and picked him up by the neck.

The next thing he recalled was stabbing DeRusso in the chest in the hallway by the kitchen. DeRusso and Lawrence-Barkaszi have testified that Giove ran into the kitchen as DeRusso was leaving and stabbed him by the door. Giove testified Wednesday he didn't remember going into the kitchen and didn't know how he escaped from DeRusso to do so. When asked what he was thinking when DeRusso entered the apartment, he said: "I'm so scared of him. He's big; he's drunk.

I know he's violent. By KAREN SUDOL FREEHOLD BIREAU FREEHOLD A Freehold Township man tearfully admitted assaulting his mother but said he acted in self defense when stabbing a neighbor who confronted him about the assault. "Did you hit her?" defense attorney Matthew Reisig asked Justin Giove, referring to Giove's mother, Michele Law-rence-Barkaszi. "Yes, I did," Giove responded. When asked why, Giove said: "It was wrong.

I don't know why." Giove is accused of assaulting his mother and Joseph De-Russo, who Lawrence-Barkaszi had sought help from after the attack sometime during late Nov. 15 and early Nov. 16, 2002. Giove was 19 at the time. Giove is charged with two counts of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Giove acknowledged he "wrestled" with his mother and slapped her after forcing his way into the Stonehurst Boulevard apartment. Lawrence-Barkaszi had locked him out of the house when she discovered Giove had had dinner with his stepfather, with whom she had argued earlier in the day and kicked out of the apartment. Giove said his mother was calm when she left the apartment after the assault; he assumed she was going outside to have a cigarette. But she re information as I can." he said. Lipira could not be reached for comment Wednesday night Reidy described Ruth as "very qualified" for the acting position.

Nancy Shields: (732) 643-4229 or shieldmapp.com Birders help scientists from their own back yards 'li )rv A-' Tfy) l. In this February 2004 file photo, bird-watcher Unda Zucaro of Tinton Falls scans ths Manasquan Reservoir in Howell for birds as part of last year's Great Backyard Bird Count. (PRESS RL PHOTO) IF YOU PARTICIPATE By TODD B. BATES ENVIRONMENTAL WRITER Even if you've never done it, consider watching the birds this weekend. The eighth annual Great Backyard Bird Count takes place Friday through Monday, and Bonnie Z.

Strand, a birdwatcher since 1979, is looking forward to it. The count "just opens people's eyes to the environment, which I think is good," said Strand, a 62-year-old retiree who lives in Holmdel. "It gets a lot of eyes in a lot of places" where scientists don't normally collect data, she said. "It's a lot of fun," said Janet S. Smith, a 57-year-old retiree and Little Egg Harbor resident.

"Upkeeps me in tune with nature. Actually, you feel like you participate in something that's greater than yourself." The four-day event encourages people to count birds in their back yards, a wildlife refuge or anywhere else, and to submit the information at www.birdsource.orggbbc according to information on the site. People who don't have Internet access but want to participate can try their local library, and many Wild Birds Unlimited store owners who have Internet access will be accepting observations made by customers, including the store on Route 35 in Middletown, according to he Monmouth County Audubon Society Web site. The Great Backyard Bird Count, one of the world's largest volunteer efforts of its kind, is overseen by the Cornell Lab of Ornithology and the National Audubon Society, with sponsorship from Wild Birds Unlimited store owners. The Monmouth County Audubon Society will monitor bird feeders at the Manasquan Reservoir Environmental Center in Howell from 10 a.m.

to 3 p.m. Friday through Monday. The public is welcome to help, ask questions and learn more about the bird count and birding in general, according to the Audubon Society. The society will accept bird checklists for those without Internet access. WHAT: Eighth annual Great Backyard Bird Count WHEN: Friday through Monday HOW: Count and identify birds in your back yard, at feeders, in a wildlife refuge.

WHY: The count helps answer questions about how winter influences bird populations, the migration and movement of songbird and waterfowl species, the location SAVE! yXT to 1 -i if TICKITIO PWCI of some bird species. THE DATA: The data will be combined with Christmas Bird Count and Project FeederWatch data to give an immense picture of winter birds. Sourct: www.birdsourct.orggblx Great Backyard Bird Count reports help researchers better understand bird population numbers and distribution across North America, according to a statement e-mailed to the Press. During last year's count, participants submitted 42,499 checklists totaling more than 4 million birds of 554 species, according to the BirdSource Web site. The reports documented regional declines of the American crow that may be caused by the West Nile virus and other changes, the e-mailed statement says.

Researchers hope that by learning more about birds and habitats in their back yards, families will decide to become part of Project FeederWatch, a winterlong survey of birds that visit feeders, according to the BirdSource Web site. The project has helped researchers discover a new avian disease: mycoplasmal conjunctivitis, or house finch eye disease. Strand, who participates in Project FeederWatch, said she thinks the back yard bird count is "a very good way for fami lies and kids to get interested in nature." "It's very easy to do," she said. "You just need to get something that shows the pictures of the common birds" and see if you recognize them, and go from there. Smith, another Project FeederWatch participant, said she will spend maybe two to three hours a day watching for birds during the four-day back yard bird count She would expect to see cardinals, chickadees, titmice, nuthatches, white-throated sparrows, mourning doves, goldfinches, yellow-rumped warblers, downy woodpeckers, flickers, blue jays, Carolina wrens and house finches, she said.

"There's a very small number of ornithologists," Strand said. "By having thousands and thousands of people all over the U.S. (look for birds), they really get a much better idea of what's going on." Todd B. Bates: (732) 643-4237 or tbatesapp.com ii i li iil kii 7ij iitv isjiiii iTi Li r.rn i II ti Visit our Web site, www.app.com and click on the Web Extras button for a link to: More Information about the Great Backyard Bird Count uwnncamm fj Woman couldn't have lifted grate, prosecutor says I iiiri fm 1 1 1 i i ii I -MVl II 'Hi 3 if? lift! m. mm viewing about 80 em-p 1 working at the Passaic Valley Water Commission asm iis I 1 By JUSTIN VELLUCCI KEYPORT BUREAU A Passaic County prosecutor said a Holmdel woman found Feb.

9 in a Totowa water plant tank probably could not have lifted the grate to the tank because she was wearing a sling on her left arm. "I think under the best of circumstances, absent some kind of a tool, it was veritably impossible to lift that grate," Passaic County Prosecutor James F. Avigliano said Wednesday. A medical examiner has ruled the death of Geetha J. Angara, 43, of Qenterville Road a homicide caused by drowning.

Authorities now are inter dition in her shoulder, Avigliano said. During the investigation, detectives found that a section of the grate that covered the tank had been pulled away, creating enough space through which a person could fall. Avigliano described the grate last week as an half-inch thick steel plate that would have to be removed in order to get to the tank. It was unclear whether the grate had been moved by police and dive teams who were the first to respond to the scene or previously. This article contains material from the Associated Press and previous Press stories.

locmon the day Angara, a chemist at the facility for 12 years, disappeared. Investigators believe a co-worker could be responsible for her death. Angara was last seen alive on Feb. 8, conducting water quality tests for the plant Her body was found inside the tank the next day, about 100 feet from where she was last seen, authorities said. She was wearing the sling due to arthritis or a similar con OtlLY! Jill.