New Jersey Nightly News; 08/25/1978

Ian. New Jersey night. Was. With Rebecca Sobel in Trenton and Clayton Vaughn in Newark. Good evening. In the news tonight New York and New Jersey longshoreman staged a one day strike. Final decisions on state mental hospital layoffs to be made next week. And there's a woman in Nutley with supposedly psychic powers who's been used by police in several mystifying cases. Good evening Rebecca and sports ball bought laundry views tomorrow's international surfing championship

at Seaside Heights. And on a closer look we'll discuss the possibility of divorce reform in New Jersey. Thousands of longshoremen are reporting back to work tonight after striking docks in New York and New Jersey today. The dispute was with the waterfront Commission of New York harbor over the hiring of cargo workers. Jeffrey Hall reports. The nation's busiest port was silent all day today. Dock workers were angry at the waterfront commission for apparently not taking steps to overcome what they say is a chronic shortage of cargo workers. So they walked off their jobs. All of the docks in New Jersey except the military cargo facility in Bayonne were affected docks in Brooklyn Manhattan and Staten Island were also affected. The strike began at 8 o'clock this morning but by noon an agreement had been reached and the men were ordered back to work. Negotiators had achieved a small victory for a longshoreman. The agreement stipulates that the waterfront commission will have to license an additional seven hundred fifty

men to fill a shortage of checkers men who tally cargo. Today's development is seen by union members as part of a long standing power struggle between a longshoreman and the waterfront commission. The commission had recently won a court battle enabling itself to exercise more control over hiring practices on the docks a longshoreman weren't happy with the decision and today tried to restore some of the power they feel they lost. I'm Jeffrey Hall. Texaco announced today it will drill a new well in that same area that produced the first natural gas strike off the Jersey Shore. The company's first well a hundred miles east of Atlantic City yielded small amounts of natural gas and Texaco says it needs another well to determine if there's enough gas in the ocean floor to put the area into commercial production. The U.S. Geological Survey estimates the area the Baltimore Canyon holds 1 billion barrels of oil and more than 13 trillion cubic feet of natural gas. But those are small amounts compared to the nation's annual consumption. The large enough to make a

dent in the amount of fuel the country the country is forced to import. Federal officials say two New Jersey utility companies are using an herbicide contaminated with a chemical which causes cancer. Jersey Central Power and Light of public service electric and gas. Use the herbicide to kill plant life growing on power lines. U.S. environmental officials say the herbicide that's being used is contaminated with a chemical described as one of the most dangerous known to man. The contaminated chemical has been proven to cause cancer and birth defects in laboratory animals. The Department of Human Services will complete the last of its layoffs of medical hospital workers next week. But a report released this week by the state office of fiscal affairs says those layoffs aren't necessary. Mariama Rosso has more on the story. About 30 people will be laid off here at Trenton psychiatric hospital positions ranging from the psychiatry to food service workers. But a report compiled by the state office of

fiscal affairs and made public this week says that Human Services Commissioner and Khan doesn't have to lay them off. That is called could shift funds from other accounts and retain all the mental hospital employees. Dr. Michael wrote off the head of the state psychiatric hospital system attacked that report today. Sometimes in May or June to the Parkman the division and the budget together have established the fact that the division is facing a 5.5 million dollar deficit in salaries and on salary outcomes. And I don't see how this can be disputed. But Edgar salmon executive director of the New Jersey State Employees Association sees the report as ammunition in the fight to save those jobs. They claim that the money is in the budget and this is something that we have been saying for a long long cause it is there. How do you respond to Mrs. Klein's contention that that oh if a report is misleading it's not true. It was totally leaving the workers off has been a protracted process over

a period of more than a month because only one hundred twenty eight employees will be fired statewide. Hundreds of others will change jobs as they exercise their bumping rights under which they claim jobs from other state employees who have less seniority. Paul Cowen the administrator of Trenton psychiatric hospital says employees seem to be accepting this latest budget cut as they have other cuts over the years. The hospital has been in a period of change for the last three years and the layoffs are seen as just one more problem that employees have to deal with in trying to deliver good patient services. One hundred twenty eight Human Services workers won't be officially fired until September 8th. But most of them have already left the job to use up accumulated sick and vacation time. The unions say they'll complain to the public employees Relations Commission but beyond that there doesn't seem to be much sentiment for a strike in Trenton. I Mariama Rosso. A three judge state appeals court giving no reason today refused to allow state attorney

general John Degnan to get involved in the case of New York Times reporter Myron Farber who is still in jail for refusing to turn over his notes on the Dr. X case. Degen will appeal to the state Supreme Court. The attorney general wanted Barbour's case sent back to severe your court for a quick hearing on Barbour's claim of the New Jersey press shield law should keep him out of jail. A study has been set up to try to make a smooth transition to the county executive form of government here in Essex County a three member panel including state budget director and controller of the Treasury Walter White's lawyer has been authorized and will report to the new officials in November. The idea to come up with concepts and ideas for an easy changeover for the new office holders regardless of their political affiliation. Rebecca. The latest revision of the state's proposed no smoking laws includes a ban on smoking in supermarkets. However it would take supermarket managers off the hook by exempting them from enforcement. The enforcement issue is one of the problems with the first proposals which among other things would have banned smoking in set aside sections of restaurants leaving

enforcement up to the restaurant management. The first proposals were shelved after criticism that major changes were being made without public hearings. The Miss America Pageant is facing a crisis a convertible shortage crisis. Pageant officials say they need the topless cars to show the girls off during the ride along the boardwalk. But the cars aren't coming off the assembly line anymore so it's getting tougher and tougher to find them for the pageant. Pageant officials that it's hard enough finding the necessary number for 54 but finding 54 convertibles in respectable shape is almost impossible. Clayton Grimes all the domain of the police when the police get stuck sometimes turn to I'm not a woman who claims to be a full time psychic sleuth so I'm working reports. She says she's just an ordinary housewife but her official citations and honorary badges tell the real story. Dottie Allison is a self-proclaimed psychic. She was even called in on the Patricia Hearst kidnapping and the Son of Sam

murders. And while she had little success with those. There are cases that she says she has solved. Body she's helped locate and killers she's helped finger. Off and going no further than her own Nutley home. When you turn on you get a picture. When a policeman says to. Jane Doe or JOHN DOWD The very minute that a police to me. I get that picture is there you just turned on the knob of the TV. From that point on I think it's keep coming and I get names I get pictures. She says she's received some 7000 requests for help. At least 100 of them from police departments. But she didn't have to look further than her own hometown for a true believer. He says he was sold the first time he turned to her for help. I was looking for a person that had been reported missing. And she had described an area to me. Where he would be found. She even told me. That it would be filed. And they saw it all come true. And.

Not the Allison says she accepts no payment for her services but she has other plans for making her fortune. Allison confide She's writing a book with negotiations for a movie and a TV series already in the works. In Nutley SANDRA KING. Finally to get us all squared away before the weekend here's a rundown on the animal news that baby beluga whale is still so far as we know off the Jersey Shore may have some company in Alice and Shark sightings are up for which we can thank those warm ocean temperatures. Don't worry about you getting attacked however since they say the odds of that happening are about equal to your winning the millionaire's lottery in Atlantic City last night a baby kangaroo got out of its exhibit cage and promptly dive for cover under the boardwalk and of course everybody got hopping mad. And down in Freehold township they're still looking for that 17 foot python that got loose about a week and a half ago. The snake isn't a threat to children but rabbits the Pythons favorite. Better watch out I thought. Get hungry about every 10 days and hold

rabbits. That's about now surfing and the rest of the Garden State Sports News next when the New Jersey nightly news continues. Here's the weather for New Jersey. Variable to mostly cloudy tonight with a few showers possible overnight lows around 60 in the north perhaps 65 in South Jersey and 70 at the shore. Tomorrow some clouds and some sunshine across the state. Highs in the mid to upper 70s most places maybe into the low 80s in the south. Precipitation probability 30 to 40 percent tonight 20 percent tomorrow. Ocean water temperature in the low to mid 70s. And the rain has brought the pollen count down to 12. The outlook for Sunday sunny and mild. Flood zone as Ford brings the latest happening right into your living room every Monday evening at 8:00 and Saturday afternoon at 4:00. It's interviews with sports personalities. We got that if you want to learn how to play sports. We can show you if you

want to know the latest development is in sports medicine we can tell you provide you with provocative sports information you'll find nowhere else. Join me all that's in the sports Mondays at 8:00 and Saturdays at 4:00 here on New Jersey's public television. Good evening. On Sunday the cosmos in the Tampa Bay rowdies will play in Giants Stadium for the championship of the North American Soccer League. The cosmos and the rowdies have played twice before this year the cosmos winning both their most recent encounter July 30th at the Meadowlands. The Cosmos came out on top two to one as Giorgio scored both goals one on this penalty kick. And one on the header. The Cosmos went on to win the national conference the rowdies the American. This afternoon players and coaches from both teams were on hand in Giants Stadium to talk about Sunday's title game. Over the years the cosmos and rowdies have come to be the hottest rivals in the league and there's plenty of talk about animosity between the two teams but the

players say that's all it is talk. According to George there's no hard feelings. I don't think any player in the above feeling towards another player the place from the other team is just a situation the fines create the same owners. Sometimes somebody kick somebody. I just think the top one you know but the players and shows no there's no there's no one emotion. The reality star player is Rodney Marsh the fourth leading scorer in the Liffey according to him the rowdies biggest problem on Sunday will be playing in Giants Stadium. I wish I had the advantage comes in the homefield thing anybody could would not be thought of playing it as a cause most any choice anywhere I want to about players that sing because we are fighting is because most in middle age and it will be hard for it and the crowd will be up for it to a sell out of 76000 Plus is expected Sunday afternoon game time for it.

Australia's Carrie read as advance to the semifinals of the Bergen County women's tennis last week at college. Reid swept past in straight sets this afternoon after that rain cancelled the remainder of the afternoon session to continue tonight weather permitting the top surfers in the world are currently in New Jersey for the Seaside Heights classic which begins tomorrow morning. This contest has been in existence for six years now. In the beginning it was merely a local event with a few dollars of prize money. But now surfers come from every continent to compete for ten thousand dollars. Why a surfing classic off the Jersey coast. Well for one thing New Jersey does have some of the best small rough waves in the east. Today we found a few of the international surfers testing the waves there called the bronzed Aussie from Australia naturally. They compete individually and as a team and are some of the best surfers in the world has already made a name for himself. He's won one competition already this year. And he says he loves the life on the pro circuit and wouldn't have it any other way.

It's a good deal of settling in you right away for a long time. The only flaw is that I miss my mother and the family you know because I'm only home two months but. Like you you find the best ways in the world and have a great time and you're in a bit of money. Tournaments should begin tomorrow. As threaten Major League umpires today called for a better contract and today's only afternoon game an amateur umpiring crew had to work the game between Toronto and Minnesota. Major League Baseball meanwhile is seeking an injunction to force the umpires back to work. Rebecca. Thanks. New Jersey high schools are having their problems. But will adding a fourth tape help contribute. Reporter Dr. David that on tonight sound off. Standards for a high school graduation whose domain whose responsibility

only two questions for consideration. Recently the former president of the state senate and reduced a bill calling for the establishment of statewide standards for high school graduation also include in a bill the required test which may or may not have to be passed before graduation. Well-intentioned and prompted by the popular literature telling about functional literature many of whom possess high school diplomas. The bill does deal with the debatable issue by statute local boards of education are now responsible for setting graduation standards for youngsters attending schools. Our school boards are arbitrarily acting on their own and setting capricious standards you know or high school program already must be approved by the State Department of Education and a change in those programs must also be approved. Or high schools in New Jersey are created by outside agencies. Furthermore school districts are required to submit elaborate management plans or remedial efforts and other reports that state add to all this. The basic skills test and the local standardized testing programs. You have no small

effort already in process. Well the new law at another level of government a process yes. Increased costs yes. Improve what is already being done. I think not. Another issue of importance relates to the youngsters. How long do you keep the youngsters in school before they drop out or quit. No law can solve this problem. Perhaps no school board will either. I'm Dr. David Washington. Festival 70 from

the Grand Old Opry the greatest country music it's time for the first time on national brand the heart and soul. Country music and event that's got the best seat in the house. Watch it Saturday at 8 on New Jersey Public Television. Recent studies indicate that nearly half of all new marriages and divorce divorce can be a costly experience. But now a suggestion has been made that the whole divorce process somewhat less traumatic. Called divorce. This procedure would allow their marriage by simply would declare the marriage dead. Professor James Bost teaches at Seton Hall Law School here in New York. Professor boss favors the concept of out of court divorce. Iman Isaac is chairman of the New Jersey Bar Association's family law section. Like a number of other attorneys Mr Isaac doubts the

feasibility of out-of-court divorce. Professor bosky what advantages in your view would out-of-court divorce offer. I think it offers and I think the primary advantage that it offers lack of expense. You can. If such a system were instituted would serve a great deal of money for the parties and certainly the time for most people when money is available rather than its most available. Secondly I think that in some cases it would provide. Some alleviation of the trauma that is involved in divorce by not requiring people to be involved with the extended process of getting a court hearing going through the court papers and the like. So I think there are advantages in both those areas. Mr. Isaac Professor bonspiel brought up those two seem to be economics and the trauma of going into court. Would you be doing in the car the divorce itself. As far as the economic problem. I don't think so it's a lesson that the economics are caused by the fact that it's very

difficult. For one man's support to families. And whether he goes into court he still face with that. On the other hand the state has an interest in divorce it has an interest. In the marriage and has an interest in children. And until those matters can be protected. A marriage certificate is not going to help. But it seems to me the entire bar is getting something of a black on. I buy the argument that the reason that lawyers want to maintain the divorce proceedings is that they want to maintain their fee schedule. I don't think that's true. I think the lawyer's primary interest. Perhaps that's right. Divorces be. Traumatic. Because such. Forceful. Fisticuffs. Matters. And perhaps in a gentlemanly way. But the fact remains that every lawyer wants to protect the interests of his client. And once he's representing someone

he wants to do the very best. I don't think anybody can really be compensated regardless of the amount of money involved. For the time and effort that he puts in divorce case it's a traumatic experience to a lawyer. As well as to his client. And unfortunately very few cases ever seem to come to an end. There are children there are applications for increased or decreased. Parents want to move away from their former children have problems continue on and on. And it takes a certain type of temperament to be able to have one. And frankly it takes a certain type of judge to be able to handle matrimonial matters. I think this is all that is true. I think there are more cases where the out of court divorce might be appropriate than appears on the first. Certainly a typical case handled by counsel is not appropriate but I've worked for

example with legal services and a large number of divorce cases where there are. Essential sets. And one of the things that we're seeing more now are very young couples. Going into divorce. Couples who marry at 16 18 19. And are divorced two or three years later with no assets. Even if one spouse has been out of the job market for a year or not been terribly severely prejudiced arrangements can be made between the parties. So Professor how do you answer Mr. Isaacs argument that the state court through the judicial branch has an interest in Mary. Has a very limited interest in which this is a basic philosophical question and it's very difficult to deal with in the short context but my feeling has always been basically a matter between the children. I think the state's primary role or perhaps its exclusive role should be for the protection of children.

The parties are able to make an agreement or to work out something on their own. I do not feel that the state has any interest just a testicle one records of the number of marriages and divorces that are going on within its jurisdiction. You have not misquoted me but I have to differ with the professor. I think the state has a vital interest in marriage and always has at attempting to protect marriage but to protect the participants. And many of the cases that you have mentioned where you have. Uncontested divorces. We have to protect at least one of them against usually the wife. Against. Duress or coercion on the part of the husband. Another reason the state has an interest in preventing fraud upon the state itself. And that happens in many cases where. People would attempt to obtain divorces through collusion or other means.

Professor box Thanks for being with us today. Mr. Isaac our appreciation to you sir. Thank you. Once again our top stories. Thousands of longshoremen staged a one day walkout on the docks on both sides of the Hudson River. Texaco says it's going to drill a new well the other one that gave the oil company the first natural gas strike in the Baltimore Canyon. And Attorney General John Degnan was barred by an appeals court from intervening in the New York Times reporter Myron Farber temp case and will appeal. That's the news the address for Viewer Mail CNN 7 7 7 Trenton 0 8 6 2 5 from Stuart beach of Jackson. You gave the impression that New Jersey playwrights have a hard time getting their work produced within the State Community College and Lynn Croft is very interested in producing new plays by New Jersey playwrights. SO INTERESTED IN fact that they reserve one production per year for new plays. And there is this caucus of union. I have tried to push for monorails over the Garden State Parkway for two years and as of this date I understand the casino

area will be the first to get them. We must free ourselves of dependence on the car in a very short time the parkway will be completely backed up and unless we do something we will be trapped with no movement. We must be able to move masses of people in a fast energy efficient mode of transportation. We have very inept people in charge of transportation in this state. Ask any commuter about the quality of Transportation and he will tell all. Good night Rebecca. Good night. Good night for the New Jersey nightly news. Joint presentation of New Jersey Public Television and is

broadcast weeknights at 6:30 on Channel 13 at 7:30 on public television. An updated edition is broadcast at 10 p.m. on New Jersey Public Television. And at seven the following morning on Channel 13 portions pre recorded one. A. And now. Trying to pick it for numbers. I'm not strong.

As you can see.