New Jersey Nightly News; New Jersey Nightly News Episode from 05/22/1979 6:30 pm

In in. New Jersey unlikely. I was with the Baucus bill in Trenton and Clayton Vaughn good evening in the news tonight. State officials say that panic buying by motorists could cause a serious gas shortage on the Morial Day weekend. And thousands of construction workers from the forecourt River nuclear

power plant are looking for new jobs. We'll have a report. Your name and we're back on. Board with one of the top runners in the world Bill and all those gone pay. And on a closer look. Part two of our investigative report talking with. Rebecca. There's now a five dollar limit on gasoline sales at the only service station on the Atlantic City Expressway. State officials though say there will be gas available across New Jersey during the Memorial Day weekend. But that optimistic note is balanced on the hope that motorists will limit their driving and avoid any panic at the pumps. More on the gasoline situation here from reporter Jack and I think. The key to the availability of gasoline here seems to rust as much with the perceptions of motorists as it does would surprise if motorists think Shorey and begin topping off their gas tank trying to stay ahead of the game. There could be lines at the pumps by the weekend. It has some state energy officials thinking about a minimum purchase law.

But energy commissioner Joel Jacobson doesn't panic sending his office into action. I don't believe it's going to be necessary. I certainly sincerely hope if there is a void of gasoline I think we're going to make it. But we'll take the Q. Service station operators aren't so optimistic. A lot of people like to just come in and fill it up. And I think. A lot of people. But time may be part of the cure. State officials say refineries are reporting increased gasoline production. The stockpiles of home heating fuel and there should be gas available for the summer months. The heavy driving season is traditional beginning date is only three days away. Sure seems to be improving. Supplies will still be tight this Memorial Day weekend. This service station on Route 3 it's a caucus

nearly 24 hours a day but it will close at noon on Saturday and won't reopen until Tuesday morning. In fact officials expect two of every three service stations here will be closed again this weekend. And even those that are open they have purchased limited and short supplies of unleaded gasoline. So the word is conserve and limit your time behind the wheel this weekend. And be patient. Better farms may be on the way. It's a caucus. I'm Jeff. A new work chemical company that is running its own van pooling program says the state transportation department is only paying lip service to energy conservation and is actually forcing that company to waste fuel rod wells. Arkansas chemical has been located in the Ironbound section of Newark for 35 years. The company produces textile chemicals and employs 85 people. Workers here say labor management relations have been good. And one of the benefits the company offers employees is free transportation to the five mile ride to and from Penn Station. This van

carries 12 people and makes eight of these shuttles every day. The problem is this van has seen better days. It's eight years old and has 70000 miles. And the company wants to replace it. Officials here say they've applied for an interest free loan that the federal government is offering for programs like this. But the company's board chairman. Says the application has been stalled by a lot of bureaucratic paperwork in Trenton. Well a couple of times we were telling it like that. They don't know where it was and I resurrected and now we want to tell them what before we can even tell our the proper application. The New Jersey Department of Transportation said the Arkansas application has been located but they also pointed out that applications like these take time to respond Sternberg claims a bank would have approved a loan like this in 24 hours. And she says she doesn't understand why it takes the state 14 months especially when they're promoting conservation. Later in the afternoon the State Department of Transportation said the New Jersey van pooling office had

approved the Arkansas application has been sent to the federal government and a check should be forthcoming in about three weeks. Arkansas officials say they'll believe that when they see the checks they say they could have been saving a lot of gas with a newer van. Now they say next year's models will be coming out soon and they'll probably have to say 10 percent more than their loan allows. In Newark. The. Legislators in Trenton took action on a number of issues yesterday. The first. New Jersey's auto insurance system a joint legislative committee will hold hearings next month on five bills that would revamp auto insurance in the state. The bills would change the no fault system so that drivers who cause accidents could only be sued if the other people are killed or seriously injured. Right now anyone can sue with their medical bills of more than $200. The bills would also replace the assigned risk pool with an underwriting system that would force bad drivers to pay extra high premiums. The Senate yesterday also said no to so-called combat

zones officially sanctioned districts for adult bookstores an x rated entertainment. The new Criminal Code gives municipalities the power to set up such zones. But the Senate voted unanimously and without a word of debate to block such action. The Senate also voted unanimously to give the state commission of investigation a new lease on life. The SEIU is scheduled to go out of existence this year but the Senate voted to extend the sci's authority for another five years. Meanwhile the assembly voted to give jurors a break. Right now jurors in New Jersey get five dollars for every day they serve. The assembly decided to raise that to $20 a day over the next three years. And the pot on the pocketbook for the operators of New Jersey's privately owned race tracks. Governor Burns signed into law a bill giving those private tracks almost 5 million dollars in tax breaks. That's to help them compete with the Meadowlands racetrack. Well hearings continue today in Newark on the request by Jersey Central Power and Light Company for a 113 million dollar rate hike. That to cover the costs of power the utility now has to

buy after the shutdown of the Three Mile Island nuclear plant. Two bankers testified today that banks are now reluctant to loan money to Jersey central and its parent general public utilities because of the uncertainty of what the State Board of Public Utilities will do. Jersey centrals money troubles caused it to stop construction at its work at River Nuclear Power Plant in Ocean County last month. About 3000 workers found that the jobs they thought would last several years were suddenly over. Steve Taylor reports on how some of them are doing. John Monica is a millwright a man who installs heavy machinery. But he was washing his car this morning. Monica has lots of time for chores these days and he'd like to finish working on his house but he hasn't got money for building materials because he hasn't got a job anymore. I have an appointment this afternoon at quarter to the unemployment office and I'm looking forward to picking up that check. Up until a few weeks ago Monica was helping build the Fort Hood River nuclear power plant. Then came three mile island and Jersey Central Power and Light said the cost of cleaning up that financial

disaster made it necessary to stop work at Fort Hood River. Experts will argue for years about whether radiation hurt anybody in Pennsylvania. But there's no question that Three Mile Island hurt the men and women working here. For good river is part of the Lacey township and not everybody who is laid off lives here. Many commuted from other counties and that's a blessing for Ocean County because it's spread out what would have been economic disaster. Still many of the construction workers moved here just to work on the plant. Well I just bought this house here and I saw the house of Bergen County in Cliffside Park and moved down. If there were you know being down here if it is when do you make it. I just made it three months ago. More than likely I'm going to be commuting between here and north jersey again. Because there's absolutely no work down here. You know should county be Arsenal not construction workers. Delayed and brought it to light their new homes in Ocean County and they hope they can hold out until construction work resumes at Fort Hood River. The power company says that could take a couple of years.

You know you plan on these things you know this job is going to go and you're looking for some longevity there and. Some bucks coming in. So I would have completed that project but now will decide to wait and see what happens if something else turns up really be more than happy to go to it. In Ocean County I'm Steve Taylor. A fishing boat with 11 crewmen aboard caught fire this morning about 22 miles off the New Jersey shore. No one was injured. The Coast Guard reports that the Linda Lee near Barnegat was completely engulfed in flames but was spotted by another ship the PO-R Paraguay. The Paraguay was three miles away at the time but toward the end only put its lifeboats in the water rescued the chrome and the fire aboard the ship was later brought under control. The Casino Control Commission is taking action on two issues that gaming tables and card counters. The commission has voted to increase the number of tables at resorts even though resorts officials say the decision will cost them almost 17 million dollars a year in revenues. But the

commission is also investigating whether card counter should be allowed to bet at the casinos. Card counters are expert blackjack players casino officials say they seriously hurt the casino earnings by winning above average amounts at the gaming table. The commission has begun hearings on the issue. Clayton closing arguments made today in the labor racketeering trial of former New Jersey Teamsters boss Anthony Tony Adams on three of his associates here in New York. They're accused of shaking down trucking company as the case goes to the jury tomorrow. Four gunmen stopped a Moorestown man earlier today drove them around in his car for an hour and a half then went to his house where they beat and robbed him his wife and their 14 year old son. The other two sons in the family woke up early what was going on and hid on the roof. The incident ended when the man struggled with one of the robbers and grabbed this shotgun. Robbers fled in the family car. Man and his wife and son were treated for minor injuries there have been no arrests.

I hope you made the best of today's weather because there won't be much sunshine in the next few days. Tonight fair and cool in the north temperatures in the upper 40s to low 50s in the south. It will be cloudy with temperatures in the low to mid 50s. Tomorrow cloudy as well rain developing later in the day showers continuing throughout the night. Highs will be in the upper 50s to low 60s in the north in the mid 60s in the south. And we might not expect to see any sun on Thursday is going to be cloudy and cool with more rain. I'm with the Lampoon this week in Jersey probably talk about foster care as originally conceived foster care is meant to be a temporary plan for a child whose parents are unable to care for him. Eventually the child has to be returned to his real home. When his parents are able to care for him in theory the plan is an ideal one to learn how it works here in our state. That's

where we discuss the care in New Jersey. Jersey file Thursday at 10:30 on New Jersey Public Television. We're already looking forward to June and here's Paul Budde live. Rebecca there are a couple of brand new events coming to New Jersey next month. An all star football game and an international track meet. Both were the subject of separate news conferences today at Rutgers. First of all the football game on June 30th that's a Saturday the first ever high school statewide All-Star game will be played at Rutgers stadium and it will be the Northcoast by Bill Horry against the South team of both the north and the South will be represented by 40 of the top high school seniors in the state this is the first time for a statewide high school all star football game. There's talk about making it an annual affair. The date again Saturday June 30th at Rutgers. Also coming to Rutgers the New Jersey Olympic Track Classic on Saturday June 23rd chairman Bill Fitzpatrick and made director Les wall again put together an incredible field of world

class athletes. The entry list reads like a who's who of track and field. Brenner Clancy Edwards mile world record holder John Walker high jumper Franklin Jacobs and many more. One athlete at today's news conference Villanova is great runner Don only a junior Don Page is already among this country's premier middle distance men. He recently ran a mile in 356 and will probably go faster like most runners his goals include World Records and Olympic gold medals. A goal like that yes I believe a lot of athletes set goals like that for World Records to win the Olympics. To become the best that one can become. You know all this and I want to do I want to still please done page and I want to be a live within myself that someday I'd like to break the world record if I don't well not everyone can do it believe me. A lot of people compare you to people you've been compared to the next gen and this and that. How much pressure does that put on you. It adds a lot of pressure but it also puts a lot of prestige it makes you feel good that people are saying that you can run like Jim Ryan. Your mind has been

my idol in his day and age he ran 351 which is just phenomenal. That was unheard of. And if I ever come close to what he ever accomplished I'd be very satisfied very happy. A great runner that should be a great track meet the date of the New Jersey Olympic Track Classic June 23rd at Rutgers and tennis today at the German Championships in Berlin. Eighteen year old Terrell install of Livingstone upset top seeded Wendy Turnbull in the first round and in Athens Georgia the Princeton men's team was defeated by Stanford in the quarter final round of the NCAA tournament Stanford the two time defending national champion baseball today it was Lawrenceville against Teddy for the state prep school class a championship and this game played at Princeton University. The both teams scored only of two after three innings. That's the way it stayed until Teddy prep at bat here finally pushed across a run in the eighth to win it three to two. Teddy is now 10 and 3 on the year Lawrenceville 13 and 5 here in the fourth inning Lawrenceville Scotty Siegel had a long triple but pitcher Shawn

la Chapelle was able to get out of the jam without any run scoring. He then went on to pick up the ramp. Today's final again it was heady three and Lawrenceville two petty wins this prep school class a snap. Also today most of Malone of the Houston Rockets was named as the most valuable player in the National Basketball Association. And that's for Rebecca. Thanks Paul. Residents in Sussex County will be able to attend college right in their own area. Obs. college announced it will open another campus in Wantage in Sussex County. College president Rodney Felder says the Board of Higher Education has granted the college permission to do so. The new capice will start off as an extension to the East Orange college instead of as a branch. What's the difference the difference is that it an extension campus cannot award a degree and a branch can the new cafe should be open to students this fall. This to me working in New Jersey Public Schools was judged in enforcing the through an

efficient portion of the New Jersey constitution on public education. This Thursday the expense of education in New Jersey will be highlighted on the New Jersey new special report. Education Commissioner Fred Burke and Judge will discuss the impact of DNA at a town meeting in Montclair. That's this Thursday at 8:00. New Jersey Public Television. Last night on a closer look. We began our special investigative series on conditions within New Jersey's trucking industry. Tonight part two of that report talking with them. In Part 1 of our report we explore the growing use of labor leasing in the trucking industry. How large corporations will rent truck drivers from various labor leasing agents is the same way they rent secretaries and other temporary help. A key figure in the labor leasing business is Eugene Botha Sr. of Hackensack a convicted bank swindler Boffa has established a network of New Jersey based labor leasing companies

Fortune 500 corporations like Crown Court and CEO and the Continental group have all turned to Eugene for drivers ignoring criminal record and warnings that organized crime hopes to use labor leasing as a means to infiltrate the trucking industry. Police drivers working for Eugene companies complain about low hourly wages excessively long hours and conditions that can lead to serious accidents. Yet they usually vocal Teamsters Union has remained suspiciously silent about conditions at affiliated companies. Frank Greco is a member of Project a reform group within the Teamsters Union. He explained to New Jersey Nightly News producer Bill Line run off are the reasons why he feels the Teamsters Union is willing to accept substandard contracts because somewhere in the union somebody saying hands off in my opinion. I just feel that somewhere in the union somebody says hands are off because the union destruction in such a way where they know what's going on. There are enough relatives and. Different associates of different offices on the job so they know everything that's going on. They know what's going on on a day to day basis

and if it's going on they. Have an agreement shall we say where this may happen. Fred Herman is president of Van Brunt's trucking an old bridge firm noted for its integrity. Why should a union leader sell out his own membership. Well the more. Teamster. Drivers that leadership puts them on the road. The more revenue he gets he collects. First he's $15 a month from each driver. Second. Many many times there are payoffs through the guise of an attorney. Or a labor contract or direct payoffs were made to keep these people in business. So he profits. With you under the table. Care to collect. A number of the drivers working for Eugene Volokh are represented by Teamsters Local 560 in Union City. Anthony Tony Pro province on 0 control the local prior to his conviction for murder.

Johnny pro is still believed to control the union through members of his family in particular his brother Salvatore semi-pro Provenzano federal court records may shed light on why the Provenzano was in the Teamsters Union have tolerated the substandard contracts covering the drivers working for Eugene Botha. The documents indicate that a federal grand jury is investigating the links between Eugene Botha a number of high ranking Teamsters union officials and organized crime. Charles Allen an admitted underworld assassin or a hit man from Turner's Ville New Jersey worked for months as a federal informant. Secretly he tape recorded conversations at a high level Mafia strategy sessions based on this and other evidence. Court documents tell of investigations into offenses including but not limited to murder arson interstate travel in aid of racketeering and interference with commerce by threats or violence by the following individuals. Angelo Bruno the reputed czar of Philadelphia area mob activities Anthony Provenzano Sam Provenzano. Frank Sheeran the

head of a Wilmington Delaware Teamsters Local. Russell Buffalo you know now in prison for extortion but believed to still be one of the most powerful criminal figures in the country. And Eugene Boffa Sr. among others offas firms according to investigators may in fact ultimately be controlled by Anthony Provenzano and Russell Buffalo you know with organized crime reaping the profits. In 1974 the wife of Teamsters union official Salvatore Sally bugs were girlie all received thirty thousand dollars from the wife of Eugene Botha. Sally Buggs was a close associate of Anthony Robbins Ana. Jonathan is a nationally known author who is intimately familiar with labor leasing and the career of Salley bugs. Thirty thousand dollars in itself is hardly an enormous amount of money we're talking about much much much larger sums it indicated as well as probably more important than the mere fact that thirty thousand dollars was transferred there was that kind of close

association between. His wife and Salberg and his wife and you've got their stand from one of the two or three people who actually murdered Jimmy Hoffa and whether he did that or not almost certainly murdered a couple of dozen other people over the course of his life. So all was himself killed in the gangland style execution in 1978. Based on growing evidence being assembled by the U.S. Justice Department it now appears that your enterprises are part of an extensive nationwide scheme eventually will drive scores of legitimate trucking companies out of business. In 1970 when we were on strike. And the National massacre it was one of the issues. We were on strike for nine weeks and when we came back. We had the rush. Probably 60 or

70 percent of my business. And we were replaced at this particular one particular account with a carrier who laid a labor contract for. Dominic's and in doing so right you can have tremendous influence over the trucking industry. Fact is a so-called legitimate business may be their biggest source of income. Certainly they're into it very very heavily and when they do get into it they operate with the same they would bring the heroin trade out to cheat steal make money any way they can. Over the past year has been exploring a new area where his leasing services might be used because you know gambling according to tape recordings made by a federal informant Charlie Allen operating with Russell Buffalo blessing made plans this past January to set up a leasing firm in Atlantic City that would rent hotel workers to New Jersey's rapidly growing casino industry. Eugene Volokh has two sons visited Resorts International and offered to provide hotel workers rather than casino

employees to a firm called American labor service resorts turned the offer down. But other boardwalk hotels were interested in that house which hopes to convert to Atlantic City motels into a casino complex accepted the deal turning control of their 400 laxity hotel workers over to American labor service. Penthouse attorney Roy Gutman is quick to point out however that his client ended this relationship when penthouse learned of Eugene by office past and has terminated the relationship because we learned largely through information provided to us by a member of the press. A woman named Mary Jo Meissner who was writing a story on American labor said it was that there was a possible connection between a man named Jean Botha and American labor service. We were advised by this responsible newspaper correspondent that Mr. Botha was in some way linked to grand jury investigations and possibly to organized crime. American labor service has disappeared from Atlantic City for the moment at least. But there's no guarantee it won't

be back perhaps in another form. We tried to reach Eugene Boffa Sr. for comment on this and other subjects but he failed to respond to repeated phone messages. When we visited his office in Elmwood Park the sign on the door said Boss his company had moved while other firms in the industrial complex of 35 Market Street have erected signs. Mr Boffin's office was nowhere to be found and no one we spoke with there had ever heard of him or his companies. New Jersey Nightly News has learned that the United States Justice Department's investigation into Eugene and his business associates is nearing a conclusion. Sources indicate that indictments in this case may well be handed down within the next few months. But even if the Justice Department's suspicions are true if SR is indeed part of a massive scheme to infiltrate the trucking industry simply breaking up Mr. Bott companies won't end this problem. While you may be among the largest and best known labor leaders there are dozens of less famous

entrepreneurs with equally dubious reputations who are getting into the business. In part three of this special report we'll take a closer look at how labor leasing works here in New Jersey and how at least one high ranking Teamsters union official and his family seem to benefit from it. Once again our top stories. State officials say the gas situation for the upcoming holiday weekend isn't bad but it could get much worse if motorists do a lot of panic buying and a boat load of fishermen were rescued today after their boat caught fire off the Jersey coast. And that's the news.