February 19, 1997

David Gonzalez, in About New York column, notes that while hundreds of people packed Riverside Church during Pres Clinton's visit on Feb 18, there was room to spare at St Mary's Episcopal Church, where ecumenical clergy group was meeting for one of its periodic discussions about everday issues, like poverty and welfare; maintains that although their congregations share Riverside Church's neighborhood and include many people whose lives will be affected by recent policy changes, most of clergy at St Mary's were unaware that Clinton was in town; contends that like those gathered at Riverside Church, where Clinton was criticized for signing welfare law, they also say things are getting worse (M)

City Clerk Benjamin F Fitzgerald says drive to recall Mayor James Whelan fell 1,714 signatures short of 4,271 needed to place recall question on ballot (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

Quinnipiac College poll finds that Gov Christine Todd Whitman would easily beat any of seven potential rivals in Nov election (New Jersey Daily Briefing) (S)

Marriott International will acquire Renaissance Hotel Group for about $1 billion, expanding presence in hotel business overseas; acquisition will more than double number of hotels run by Marriott outside US; will help it cement relationships with international travelers and make it more competitive abroad with upscale properties of ITT Sheraton and Hilton Hotels Corp (M)

Pathmark supermarket in Bedford-Stuyvesant section of Brooklyn is one of top performers in 144-store Pathmark chain, with reported 1996 sales of $30.5 million and record operating profits of $1 million; it is New York City's seventh-largest black-owned business; economists and supermarket retailers say success of 1977 joint venture between Pathmark Stores Inc and Bedford-Stuyvesant Restoration Corp helped lay groundwork for supermarket industry's slow but steady return over last decade to inner-city neighborhoods; photos (M)