New Jersey Nightly News; New Jersey Nightly News Episode from 01/05/1977

Jersey public television this is Channel 50 W when serving northern New Jersey from Montclair. This is the New Jersey news report for Wednesday January 5th. I'm not a hand. And I'm Jeffery HALL Good evening. An explosion ripped through a small embroidery platen fair of you in Bergen County today killing one person and injuring four others. Betty Adams reports the intersection of Main Street in John and Fairview is a shambles. Broken glass carpeting the streets windows and I don't want to go home. That was the Abbey embroidery factory. The edges of what's left of the structure. Five hours after the predawn explosion that leveled the factory two adjacent houses and blew out windows for a. Square block area. For the factory. What were you doing when the explosion happened. I just got back in but again no glass came down on me I

have my husband in the fold down there laid up and carried him out. We ran out. What it look like when you get out the straight. I don't know I can't explain how much damage to your house. I don't know I was. Fine before I was approx. Went on far. Good.

Yes kind of unusual for people to be in a factory at thirty four o'clock every morning. Great to be the owner of the embroidery factory. Today and work crews to repair what was thought to be they were not able to complete work. Now the owner of the plant was burned in the explosion. He reported he is reported in critical condition. Another oil tanker registered in Liberia ran aground in the Delaware today.

No one time the ship was refloated when the high tide came in. Hundred and Twenty four foot ship universe leader ran aground when it had to swing out of the river channel to avoid a collision with another tanker. They had to pump out some of the oil on to barges to get the ship afloat again filled and continued on its way to the Pennsylvania. For public service later this week. The plant was shut down on Monday after more than 2000 gallons of water leaked from a pipe in the unit. None of the employees there were exposed to the radiation. The plant was the site of the tour today reports. The tour was arranged for governor Byrne in the press. The governor was snowbound in Washington and was given a private tour later. Assemblyman Martin Herman arranged it. Many of the safety procedures like an evacuation plan in the event of a disaster should have been approved before the

plant was started up. What I want to accomplish today is to make the governor aware of what some of the potential problems may be. What are the area concerns because the concerns of the citizens of Salem County in this given situation will certainly be the concerns of citizens in other areas where these facilities may be located in the future. I think his coming here is certainly in my opinion a show of state overall state concern. For citizen safety as well as to assure that hopefully will be of great benefit to the citizens of New Jersey will also be of great detriment. And I think his visit can do that here today. A public hearing on the safety procedures here at the Salem generating plant is going to be held in lower Alloway township on Monday. Company officials have said on the tour today that

they are interested in compassionately meeting and providing answers for all of the objections and all of the questions that might be raised about safety procedures here at the generating plant. This is documented reporting for New Jersey news. More than a thousand dead birds have been found in a cornfield in Cape May County. Scientists believe they fed on a toxic substance sprayed on the corn that is designed to kill only black birds but a variety of species were killed including Hawks Cardinals sparrows and a handful of ducks hunters in the area are warned not to eat any game birds they may have shot for fear they too might be contaminated. School officials in Monmouth Counties Howell township plans have been made to remove the ceilings in six elementary schools. The ceilings have been labeled a potential cause of cancer by state officials. Assistant school superintendent Walter looked told Dave Straker of the latest plans.

Well tomorrow evolution work will start in four of the schools. Crews will be into four schools simultaneously to be taking the best the ceilings and they estimate that be completed within a week. And schools to be open. But we have to not open on Thursday because to our knowledge they have no respect is in the. Schools altogether. The other two that are unaccounted for have smaller amounts of the space in them and we have the specification for these as yet so that the architect is doing those now as soon as those specifications are complete. We'll be going out and close. So hopefully within a couple of weeks those also will be ready to go. What is the anticipated final cost of the demolition work. Well approximately $30000 to remove the ceilings and bury them in a designated place that's a certified is safe and we don't know yet because we have those specifications through and we have only guesstimates of how much it will cost. Because we're talking about 40000 plus square feet a ceiling that must be replaced. At least one student in the forty five hundred pupils school district has become ill

reportedly because of his supposed fibers in the air. While the parents of children attending the Howell township schools are worried over the U.S. must scare some of those same parents have been facing a different health crisis for months. A small section in the middle of that Monmouth County community has had to put up with contaminated water since last spring. Silver Nitrate from a nearby chemical recycling firm polluted the shallow wells of the local residents and this resulted in the hospitalization of at least one individual. Today Dave Stryker visited that area and filed this report. Since October about 15 families here have been drinking water brought in by tanker and some in bottles. Now although the State Department of Environmental Protection says the contamination is on the decline but people are still wary of their water supply. We still have 13 of them that are restricted as to their water consumption. And I feel that a situation

is dissipating but we never know if it may recur again. We have to be prepared for a recurrence of this event. What are officials at the town of Howard doing to protect people in this area at the present time all we can do is supply them with clean drinking water which is being done through the bottled water. We are negotiating to purchase the company and if that doesn't become a reality we may speak to the owner of the Adelphi water company towards extending down to this area. This happens to be in his franchise area and presently being delivered in gallon jars in cases and we also have a delivery tank outside that we get water out of for bathing in those kind of purposes. As you know the DP said about a month ago that the water was good and could be used for anything except cooking and bathing. Do you trust the writer now. Well actually I don't trust the word for anything yet since a writer still has a very large

chemical odor to it when it's taken out of the tap. So we're still using horribly exemplary methods instead of our drinking water or drinking water. How was your life changed since the pollution was first discovered late last summer. Well I'd say the last five months have been a nightmare for one thing and definitely has changed our lives to the fact that it's come to a standstill. We haven't been able to conduct our business as we've been in the past. I've been a general contractor for a number of years and without being able to work right the business has fallen off to a standstill at this time and the people of how say they are still worried. The waste matter from the recycling plant is being trucked away. But some of it falls off the trucks. It discovers the ground that it brings the threat of more contamination when the snow melts and the chemicals seep into the groud. Now even if the contamination ceases State officials say it will be a long time before the natural writer here is free from contamination in how they've Straker for a New Jersey news. Teachers walked off the job today in the school district near Atlantic City

and contract talks broke off in South Brunswick with no progress reported. Classes were called off for 11 hundred students into our elementary schools and 60 teachers are demanding a contract clause that would allow binding arbitration in future contract disputes. And in South Brunswick the 400 teachers who have been out since Monday were served with a back to work order. But officials report that no teachers returned immediately. And in another job action off duty police officers in the Cumberland County community of Bridgeton have dropped their picket lines and will resume negotiations. A policeman have put up roadside picket since Monday. The Bridgeton City Council late last night agreed to resume contract talks that ended in the middle of last month. The head of the FBI in New Jersey says he's in favor of casino gambling in Atlantic City. Louis Jovan Eddy thinks it will do a great deal to revitalize that shore resort even though he's aware organized crime figures are already moving into the area. Well today Betty Adams asked him if that means he'll need more FBI

agents in Atlantic City. Well we weren't anticipating doing just that. We have made I have made a recommendation to our Washington headquarters that we had two additional agents to our staff. Our present staff at Atlantic City for just that purpose and I have every expectation that we will be adding to in the very near future. If a person who has associations with the so-called organized crime buys property in Atlantic City. It's not much the FBI could do about that as long as it was done in a legal proper manner there is absolutely nothing that we could do. What would you be watching out for them. Well we're watching at this point more or less from an intelligence standpoint so that we can provide the proper state authorities with the intelligence that we are receiving from throughout the country as to what groups or what individuals are vying for for position at this early point in time so that they then can take whatever action they deem necessary.

He says he sees nothing wrong with gambling so long as state lawmakers write stiff regulatory legislation to control the prices on the New York Stock Exchange dropped again today continuing the week New Year showing so far. Volume told of 25 million shares and active trading the Dow Jones Average closed down almost 10 points and 9 7 8 and an average share of common stock lost 29 cents. Well the latest development in the coffee price story is a call for a congressional investigation into the skyrocketing prices. Brooklyn Congressman Fred Richmond on the Agriculture Committee charges the coffee producing nations with exploiting other countries. And he wants a full scale investigation. Coffee drinkers in New Jersey must also feel exploited. But as Betty Adams found out they are reacting in different ways. The high cost of a coffee break may make it less than a break in the days ahead. The prices of some brands are already about $2 in 90 cents a pound or is that another way. What used to retail at a dollar twenty nine a pound a year and a half ago is expected to cost

well over $3 as soaring prices are passed on to consumers. What happened well the coffee importers blame the new increases on a freeze that destroyed almost all of Brazil's crops for this year. Plus civil war in Angola and coffee exports stopped completely. See that. Too much rain or not enough in a coffee producing countries. The result of a boycott is brewing a boycott of America's top selling Beverage Commission along. Can a consumers boycott. Actually bring prices down. Of coffee or any other product. Well I think a boycott if it is sustained can bring prices down but it's got to be sustained in a non fresh product. In other words if it were me a short boycott would be very effective with coffee. It is important for it to be over a long period of time so that the coffee piles up on the docks and the producers and the wholesalers understand what's happening. This Stage Door Deli and you worked as a land office business in takeout orders and in-house orders at both breakfast and lunch time. Coffee now costs 25 cents a cup plus a penny tax.

This is their coffee prices are going up. Your prices will probably go up. What is that going to mean in terms of what you charge your customers. Well that would just raise our prices a nickel more in a container and we're still holding firm in the dining room the same price our coffee is $3 and 10 cents a pound as of last Monday. We're paying all sales. Do you think you'll be able to hold the price for the customer you're now charging. As far as going no inside they still get the same price at 25 cents plus tax. Do you think people in New Jersey are going to boycott coffee. No they're not. Why. Because coffee is part of America and they love their coffee and they'll spend they spend 70 cents for a pack of cigarettes today which they said they would never spend that. A coffee boycott in New Jersey is only just getting under way because consumers have not yet felt the full impact of the soaring prices and wholesale costs. As for me I'll continue to enjoy while I can still afford it. I'm Betty Adams for New Jersey. With today's soaring coffee prices you may be hard pressed to find a good five cent

cup of coffee. But you don't have to go any further than the fireplace diner in Edison to find a good ten cent cup of coffee. Many restaurants charge as much as 40 cents for a cup. They've Straker had a dime so he stopped in for a cup of coffee. He asked the manager why he advertises this outdated price. We're trying to get the people to come in here to see where they can get coffee for 10 cents because we're like a steak for 10 cents you know like a united sense is for a steak sandwich and a cup of coffee. So you can't get anywhere else if coffee prices go much higher. You think you will have to raise the price of that 10 cent cup of coffee. Oh I have to raise it yeah but it will be much you know it'll probably go up there well it's 20 cents to go out right now because they're paying for the cups and all that to go. It won't go up to much more as you know it. It's bringing in business for us. And for any supermarket and you'll see the price of coffee nearing $3 a pound. But at least at the

fireplace diner you can still have a 10 cent cup of coffee. And here in New Jersey public television you can still have a two bit sports announcer Here's Ron gold prices going up some more football honors were handed out today by United Press International. Pittsburgh Steeler middle linebacker Jack Lambert and Chicago Bears tackle Wally chambers have been named defensive players of the Year Will Scarlet Knights of Rutgers meet the Nittany Lions of Penn State tonight. Nick Landis is there with this report. With me is Bob Smith the sports information director here at Rutgers. And his office has compiled a rather. Lengthy dissertation. On all the undefeated teams three undefeated other great seasons. Over the last couple years it seems at Rutgers right now who's really riding high. In the undefeated category. What is it people like to know about these teams when they're winning.

Oh no not a great deal of help. I'm on. The. Team. As last year when we had the great basketball season and everything was wide open. Tom Young as a coach for allowing the number writers to come in and meet the players almost any day now of course he did have some restrictions during the game day but more often than not he let the writers people come in to see practice talk to the players and the one thing I think that people may not know about an undefeated season is that the great pressures that are on the believable pressure to maintain the winning streak as we did last year 31 games in basketball and of course this year in football the same kind of pressure is on the football players. And Frank Burns again I did not try to screen his players. The press or proton the public have heard. I've debated came across with a woman swimming team deck and I know that we probably didn't do as much for them as we did for football and basketball

but that was a tremendous achievement also. OK you guys have been busy I thought. Frank I had a 16 woman squad I finished first in the east and 15th in the nation. And of course now a currently is running a 23 contest winning story. They have not lost a loss since the tape was written. Well Bob you've put together quite an interesting package here of all the stats and so forth that has been a great year a great couple of years here at Rutgers. And maybe it will continue and we thank you Bob very much. Back to you. Mercer County Community College of suburban Trenton rank nationally earlier in the season head south to compete in the Pensacola News Journal tournaments. The Vikings have lost two of eight games an oddity from Mercer. They're not used to losing but Coach Allen landed feels the team is finally on the right track. I think that they're learning their whereabouts on the court. Andre Logan is one of our outstanding players and was a little scared at first coming out of high school and now

I think that with with Andre and Lonnie like at our little mention all Merican possible margin this year I think that we basically are coming on strong because the fact that these kids have worked hard and I think the fans are really going to see some good baseball coming from Mercer County Community College where fastbreak is there the rebounding is there and I just look forward to a good season now. Dave Butler of Burlington County Community College is currently second in the nation in scoring. He's averaging over 35 points a game. Dave the other day and ask him of all those points would help land a scholarship to a four year school. I think it helps as far as when the nationalists come out to school see who the who are leading the nation. And it's the recognition factor and just for your schools finding out who you are helps Dave what are you going through right now do you have a lot of for your coaches contact you. A tough decision to make a lot of pressure.

It's starting now. I really kind of like it right now because I know I have I'm not used to it but I haven't gotten any really firm offer so I talk to a lot of schools but nothing's funny of course brought in county colleges not national power. Do you think that if you went to Mercer or another junior college power you would have gained more recognition or maybe more national recognition at Mercer because they're in the spotlight all the time. But the reason I went to Burlington was I wanted to have some fun. I went to a four year school and I didn't have that much fun. So I left and I came to Burlington and I'm having some fun there. I think that's more important but it's got to change when you go to a four year school where it becomes more serious. Well yeah that's true. There's more pressure on you there's more money involved in the whole thing. They're going to pay if they're going to pay for my schooling that I should have. But right now it's just one day but every should be a good one.

That's it in sports. Now back to Jack. Thank you Ron opticians in New Jersey will have to wait and see if the attorney general thinks it's OK for them to advertise the price of glasses. The director of Consumer Affairs has asked for the ruling to clarify a recent U.S. Supreme Court decision that law said it was not illegal to advertise prescription drug prices. The question that needs clarifications are eyeglasses prescription drugs. John Horn the acting commissioner of labor and industry wants employees of a say or Bill paint manufacturing plant to wend an 11 month walkout and return to work over a thousand workers at ale industries walked off their jobs last February over a contract dispute. Horn wants their union to accept the fact finders recommendations. Assembly Minority Leader Thomas Kane says the assembly is legislative record last year was dismal. Cain says the lower house was convened more times than ever in recent years but accomplished very little. The only bill of merit an act that in 1976 he said was the oil spill

liability fund. The events of the ten crucial days are now history and unless additional funding is made available the commission which put together the happenings during those days will soon be history too. But Dave Erling project director of the New Jersey bicentennial Committee is hoping that that won't happen. He told Paul Springle that he wants to go on and there's still a lot to do. Well the. Just just taking this year the 77. October 1077 will be the 200 anniversary of the battle at Fort Mercer. Read that. Which was a major major battle of importance not only from the standpoint of of the fight for the Delaware and keeping the British backward also because of some of the people who were involved. We've just gone through 10 days of large troops battling one another but at Redback I think you had 600 Americans. Holding off. An entire Hessian army of about 3000 and they actually defeated them. Flights of Redbank.

Major significance a battle of moments coming up in June of 78 the last. Major battle between the British and American forces in the north. Prior to the shift of the War of the South. The battle of Springfield 1780. There are any number of other. Maybe major battles but but events of significance that took place across the state of New Jersey. The Commission estimates that more than 50000 people saw the events of the 10 crucial days here in New Jersey alone and thousands more across the country. Well tonight at 10:30 and I will be talking with Dave and a special retrospective look at those crucial days. A collection of album quilts at the square gallery in Princeton is adding a domestic side to the New Jersey's continuing celebration. Nearly 200 residents from surrounding Mercer County communities worked thousands of hours on these quilts the works represent historic sites and local landmarks ranging from our colonial heritage to contemporary events album

quilts are made up of numerous blocks harmonized together into a larger theme. These treasures depicting the many aspects of American life will be on display until Sunday. Our own rich cats with the weather rich. And I'll display a big toothy grin because what else can you do when you miss right. OK the storm that we expected in this evening is just about an hour to the south of the state and some light snow falling from it in Washington D.C. earlier and dropped quite a bit of snow in Virginia but will get very little out of it. The extreme southern portion of the state may get an inch to an inch and a half but that's about it. The rest of the state just some flurries. The secondary storm down in the Gulf did not form. It is starting to form now and that could give us a little snow tomorrow night but we'll have to wait and see on that. As far as today's temperatures the only place in the state that made it up to freezing was New York everyone else right around 30. And the air quality was generally on satisfactory with only the western portions reporting acceptable air quality. So for tonight in the south look for some light snow possibilities of an inch to an inch and a half in the extreme southern portions of the north generally mostly cloudy maybe a light snow flurry or two. Temperatures

dropping down into the lower 20s for tomorrow a partly cloudy day with some increase late in the afternoon and evening temperatures 35 to 40 and then on Thursday snow coming in out of that cloudiness turning over to rain in the afternoon once the highs get up into the mid 30s after a low about 20. After that another sunny day. Cloudy day looks like we're in for a lot of fast changes over the next few days. We'll just have to stand by and grin and bear it. That's the weather. And that's the news for tonight. Coming up right after the pick of lottery drawing records Penn State basketball game. Have a good evening.