April 3, 1997

Hidden Christians, who passed their faith down to descendants for four centuries in face of fierce persecution in Japan, are dwindling in numbers amid religious freedom; young people are uninterested in living faith many of their ancestors died to preserve; map; photo (M)

Residents of West Milford, NJ, gird up for the emergence of the black bears in April; about 450 bears now live in wooded towns in northwest New Jersey, compared with fewer than 30 bears 20 years ago; complaints about bears gives state ammunition for a plan it is considering to start a limited bear hunt (M)

New Jersey's 573 lobbyists report spending less money wining and dining legislators (S) (New Jersey Daily Briefing)

Majority of New Yorkers see first day of spring as a call to embark on spring cleaning; stores expect to sell huge amounts of cleansers, mops and brooms in next few weeks; some New Yorkers are more ambitious about cleaning than others, cleaning out closets and bureaus in addition to dusting, vacuuming and scrubbing; photos (M)

Sixteen teen-agers are charged with possession of stolen property in North Babylon, LI, after a scavenger hunt that netted such prizes as stop signs, street signs, public pay phones and McDonald's restaurant straws; hunts are not uncommon in the suburbs, where teen-agers are tempted to believe there is nothing else to do (M)