New Jersey Nightly News; New Jersey Nightly News 10/18/1978

Happy about. New Jersey monthly. Was the Baucus bill in Trenton Newark. Good evening Clayton is awful this week in the news tonight a state appeals court tells a Nationwide Insurance that it can't pull its auto coverage out of New Jersey. A statewide survey finds thousands of roadside hazards accident causing booby traps on New Jersey's roads and in our continuing series of reports on New Jersey's congressional races. We'll look at how representative Andy McGuire is dealing with some surprising competition. In sports poll Bud Light has highlights of the last game of the World Series Plus a report on a new park or exercise trail in Mercer County.

And we'll take a closer look at the effort to keep New York City officials from getting the pay raise they recently voted for themselves. Nationwide Insurance Company has been trying to dump its seventy seven thousand auto insurance customers in New Jersey since early this year. Today a state appeals court upholding a lower court decision to hold nationwide if it wanted to drop auto policies. It would also have to drop all other business in the state. The company claims it has lost 22 million dollars in the past five years. Virtually all of it from automobile insurance policies. A state insurance commission spokesman says the decision was crucial to the state's effort to block companies from dropping low profit auto policies while making big profits on other kinds of insurance. Nationwide says it most likely will appeal the ruling in the state Supreme Court. There will be even greater pressure from other auto insurance companies for higher premium rates that the results of a daylong survey today of highway hazards across the state. Insurance inspectors determined that some of the very things designed to save your life can kill you.

Jeffrey Hall explains. They're called Roadside hazards highway booby traps that can kill. Trees too close to the roadway unprotected signs telephone poles fire hydrants guardrails with spear like cans that can impale you as easily as they can save you. Two hundred insurance inspectors travel twenty five hundred miles of state highways today looking for roadside booby traps. After just a few hours the inspectors found thirty one hundred of them. That's more than one a mile. Why do these booby traps clutter our highways. Well maybe it's because they were built before there were any safety specifications against them. Or maybe it's because of poor design oversight or neglect. Within 50 feet of where I'm standing on Route 22 in union. There are five roadside hazards. Suppose a car jumped off the road and slammed into this guardrail. Eventually he'd slam into that sign post and the telephone

pole which are both in front of the guardrail rather than. Finding. A head of me there are three other hazards two signposts and a telephone pole all unprotected by a guardrail. The big problem with roadside hazards is that there are so many of them that there just isn't enough money in state local and county budgets to get rid of them. Costs are prohibitive but spaced out over a period of years. With continuing surveillance can be eliminated. And sometimes they can be eliminated very very easily by a properly placed guard rail. When a car becomes a statistic because of a roadside hazard who pays for it you do. The more roadside hazards there are in your area the more you pay for car insurance. In New York I'm Jeffrey Hall teacher strikes continue today in Camden and Lodi striking members of the Camden Education Association prepared

today to tell Judge Peter divide that they cannot afford to pay a $5000 a day fine until they return to work. Camden teachers have been up since October 6th in Lodi and no date has been set for the resumption of talks between the Baro and the union. Atlanta city's municipal white collar workers stayed on the job this afternoon after threats of a walkout did not materialize. The possible job action was averted when 300 members of Teamsters Local 3 3 1 decided to wait and see what would become of their raises the raises were granted some two months ago but the state Division of local government services refused to authorize the 1 and 1 1/2 million dollars needed to pay them. But Lansing City Mayor Joseph Lazarus says the city will go to court to get the raises exempted from the state mandated budget caps. So the raises can be paid without state approval. Ocean City Police have arrested the 25 year old former manager of the Illinois hotel on charges of arson. Yesterday a general alarm fire destroyed the 81 year old seaside structure Ocean

City Police Chief Dominic Longo says Alan bearly the former manager allegedly set fire to the 60 room buildings as revenge over a financial dispute with the owner. Well no one was injured in the blaze the loss was put over $100000. The congressional race in northern Bergen County pits a highly rated Democratic congressman who might like to be governor. Andy McGuire against Marge Rock'em a peppy Republican newcomer who has made surprising inroads as part of our continuing series on the congressional races. Mariama Rosso took a look at what's going on in the seventh district. In New Jersey's Seventh Congressional District the slogan might well be the way a congressman for the last month and a half because the house was in session. But that has left his opponent virtually unopposed in his home district much to the chagrin of campaign aides.

This is Rocket Man has never run for any elected office. Local school board. But she's a born campaigner. I wonder if you look at it and you can talk to your friends all do right. Thank you very. Much. It also helps that Mrs. Rock'em is the Republican candidate in a district that's 40 percent independent but conservative and she's been making herself and her conservative positions better known to the many newspapers she's distributed on commuter trains and buses since the newspaper strike. And through TV commercials. First in the 7th District Marge Rockabye for Congress understanding problems is the first step and it's basically it's basically more moderate to conservative than this excessive liberal voting record. And I also believe that people is for change that the district.

Has always been a Republican district. But I take. Great comfort in the fact that when I'm out campaigning I mean Person after person says I'm a Republican but I voted for you. You're the only Democrat I ever voted for you again. Congress adjourned on Sunday. Campaigning was limited to weekends. This one in Ridgewood invariably brings with him one of the other members of the so-called class of 74 the young congressman Todd a border gate challenge the power in Congress and home. It was one of the one on saving Yes it was on your way. Remember seeing like you know women and men right. It's been in the forefront of the class of 74 attacking oil companies and

railroads unethical congressmen an environmental cancer agents he's highly rated by both liberal and conservative political groups but he's made a number of enemies with what some see as his arrogance and his abruptness. On the other hand he's well-known because he knows how to get publicity mainly by holding Congressional subcommittee hearings here in New Jersey. I'm in the Republican National Committee are hoping that the Watergate tide has it and that tax cuts are the wave of the future. He's standing on his record on Mariam. Further results of that Eagleton Institute poll conducted in late September showed that 71 percent of New Jerseyans want stores open on Sunday and 68 percent of the people in the 10 counties with blue laws on the books want those laws repealed. The state legislature has just approved a bill to keep the blue laws on the books next year. New Brunswick officials are going to begin a crackdown tomorrow want to partner in the city that violate zoning and health laws. One group

of people affected will be Rutgers students who live in private homes that are not zoned for apartment use. There's already a housing crash on campus. And as reporter Michael Norman found out the new get tough policy by the city is straining relations between New Brunswick officials and the university. Just understand this is when dead against rescuers. This is by the salute to address problems of the liver. Do a lot of people in this university town have their own theory of what's behind this housing crackdown. But city officials insist it's just a desire on their part to enforce the health and safety codes already on the books. The law says that no more than three unrelated people may share a house if it's not zoned for an apartment use. Many of the private homes in town violate this law. But for years no one has bothered to check. Then recently the mayor's office set up a housing hotline and the complaints began to pour in overcrowding. No fire escapes and especially no parking. A bone of contention many say really caused the crackdown. So the city is going to start

inspections tomorrow based on the complaints and there's a chance a lot of Rutgers students who rent apartments and private homes will be out on the street. But the housing crunch. A bigger role meant this year they had a lot more students coming in and a lot of problems with housing. If the city cracked down on this apartment saying the landlord told you how to move do you think it a problem get another place. Surely the city is charge university officials with bad planning. But those university officials privately answer that the upcoming May all election might be the real motive behind the crackdown. Still the university just doesn't have any answers. We are over have we normally have those somewhere between 12 and 13000 students and as of this point in time all those housing spaces are filled and we haven't provided temporary housing for another 11 hundred students. So as of this point in time we are over a house by about 10 percent. And these students are

living. Three students to a room that are normally designed for two and five students in apartments that are normally designed for four students. So as of this point in time we really don't have any space to have these additional students. So in other words our students are going to be out on the street to fend for themselves. I don't know what's going to happen. There are about 4000 Rutgers students living off campus. No one knows how many are going to be displaced by the city's tough new housing code. But one thing's for sure when it comes to finding a new place to live. Those students are going to be on their own. In New Brunswick. I'm Michel Martin. Thursday night at 8:00 on New Jersey Public Television a special report on freedom of the press. The reporters have the right to keep confidential sources. The reporters have the right to refuse to

give to a court evidence that is relevant to the freedom of the defendant. Does the shield law really provide protection for a reporter in light of a recent state supreme court against Myron Farber in the New York Times. A panel of journalists and lawyers will discuss these issues phone and your questions Thursday night at 8:00 on New Jersey Public Television. Here's the weather forecast for New Jersey skies will be clear tonight throughout the state. With temperatures in the low to mid 40s tomorrow will be mostly sunny and pleasant. Temperatures in North Jersey will be in the low to mid 60s and a little cooler further south at the shore tomorrow visibility will be five miles or more. The outlook for Friday sunny and seasonable. Last night was the night for Yankee fans if you're not a Yankee fan it wasn't your night. Here's Paul plotline to tell you better because there can be no doubt about it the Yankees are the finest team and baseball. Last night the Yanks wrapped up the World Series with a 7 to 2 win over the Dodgers in

Game 6. Catfish Hunter got off to a rocky start last night giving up a home run to the Dodgers leadoff hitter Davey Lopes. But what's one run to a team that came from 14 games behind to win the pennant. The happiness in Los Angeles didn't last long. In the Yankee second surprising little Brian Doyle double to left center driving in Greg Nettles with the timing run. It was one all Doyle finished with three hits on the night. And then Bucky Dent followed with a single up the middle to score two more the Yankees had a 3 to 1 lead and would never be caught. Bucky Dent also at three hits last night and was named as the series most valuable player. And the Yankee seventh Reggie Jackson at the plate. Good bye. That two run shot to deep right field was Jackson's second home run of the series made the score seven to two and that's the way it stayed. The New York Yankees became the first team ever to win four straight after losing the first two games. On the mound Catfish Hunter pitched seven innings rich Gosset came on and really for the last two

innings he ended it by getting Ron say to pop out the Thurman Munson. The New York Yankees world champions for the second year in a row. Really a terrific team nothing much else you can say about the latest method for achieving physical fitness was just unveiled at Mercer County College. It's an exercise trail. Tricia Gaspar is has a report. Physical fitness is the rage these days. There's all sorts of new innovations popping up to help keep people in shape while here at Mercer County College. They've just built a brand new exercise trail which is rapidly becoming the most popular attraction on campus. The 1.5 mile course winds through the woods on the campus and is modeled after the European park course. It's made up of a three inch thick wood chip question which is very soft for running. But the thing that makes this trio unique is that there are 20 exercise stations at intervals along the way. At the first few station the exercises are simple to help you warm up. But as you approach the end they get more difficult and

more ingenious. Because that instructor Alister brought the tray out of the college after it seen how popular it was in other parts of the country there are salt people exercising on a park course in San Francisco last summer and I thought that it would be an excellent alternative to meeting our fitness need for our local maintenance people with C to help build the trail. And here it is. How do you like about the exercise trail what do you find enjoyable image. Well I like the surface so I like the surroundings I like running through the woods much better than running on the road it's a lot more comfortable Toronto. I run in about three four times a week and really enjoy it. It's much more comfortable for my legs to run and. Run far. Longer distance than I could on the road. It's. Not as hard on my wife. Doctors are already calling the college to see if their patience with running injuries can use the trail they feel that it would be good for rehabilitation because of that soft surface. The trail is open to the public but only time will tell if this is just another

sport fair or a permanent fixture in our quest for fitness. At Mercer County College this is to get press reporting. One high school soccer supporter report from this afternoon James Burke headed East Brunswick Vo-Tech its first loss of the year by a two to one scorer James Burge is now 10 1 in one East Brunswick Vo-Tech is 11 1 and 1 and another item Tomorrow night the Japanese national women's volleyball team will play the U.S. national team at Rutgers. The Japanese team won the gold medal at the Montreal Impact their stop at Rutgers as part of a national tour. That's tomorrow night and that's sports. Rebecca thanks Paul. The State Department of Transportation has been using a computer to match people for carpool since 1976 without much success. Now the Environmental Protection Department is going to take a crack at forming car pools using the same computer bridge Wells has more. Will this General Motors plant change ships at 3:00 pm. Most of the drivers enter and leave the plant in their cars. A lot of them gas guzzlers and in many cases those

drivers are riding alone in scenes like these that state officials would like to see change. The New Jersey Department of Environmental protection plans to play the role of matchmaker with the state's commuters in an attempt to cut down on highway traffic and air pollution. The New Jersey Department of Transportation has been using this computer since 1976 to match the names of people who live and work close to one another so they can carpool. Good idea but never really successful. Well I think maybe as men are a success yet it has been there been some very very good success stories for New Jersey shows that we haven't been able to touch all the companies. The business leaders want to respond the ones I've met with a look on the program very favorably. They want to get involved. They've offered us their services to try to reach the business sector and explain the program. We'd like to use the business men who've actually succeeded with the program to explain the program to other business. So Representatives. The Department of Environmental Protection are going to be traveling around the state telling executives of New Jersey's major industries about the computer's functions and asking

those executives to convince their employees to consider the idea of carpooling. Those environmental officials hope that aggressive promotion of the puter will make the difference. But they know it's going to be an uphill battle. The fact there's no longer a gasoline shortage. Maybe one of the reasons carpooling is never really caught on. And drivers in New Jersey as well as other states seem to be involved in a love affair with their automobile. And if there are there may not be the easiest thing to break up in Trenton. I'm right. Governor Byrne is on his way to Israel tonight. The governor and his wife Jean left New York's Kennedy Airport earlier this evening as guests of the Israeli government and various Garden State Jewish groups during their 11 day visit the Burns will meet with former prime minister he has been and will visit Nazareth and the Sea of Galilee. Oh. Tied to this board bring the latest to your living room

and start at four. If it's interviews with sports personnel. If you want to learn how to play sports we can show you. If you want to know the latest development is sports medicine we can tell you provide you with provocative sports information you'll find nowhere else. Join me all that's a new sport New Jersey Public Television. I. Was.

Besides the 60 public questions that will appear on the November ballot voters in Newark will also consider a controversial plan to give city officials a substantial increase in pay. Recently the Newark City Council voted to roll back some of the proposed salary hikes. But Mayor Kenneth Gibson back to the city council will try to override the mayor's veto. Reporter King has been looking into this highly charged issue. And city council began their new terms of office this past July and the first thing they did was vote themselves a hefty pay raise. The mayor was slated to receive 50 $2500 a 36 percent increase over his current salary. The nine Council members would each receive twenty seven thousand five hundred dollars. That's a 66 percent pay increase. City

administrators would also see substantial hikes in their salaries. The cost to the taxpayer of the entire nearly six hundred thousand dollars a year. Dr. John Donato was a New York physician and sometime politician he leads a Citizen's Coalition which is fighting the pay raises. And as a result of the petition drive sponsored by his group November 7 salary hikes should go into effect. Clearly opposes the raises but six of his colleagues on the City Council presumably favor the increases. However they repeated invitations to join this discussion tonight. Any other time. Takes the position that a debate on the pay raises would only confuse the citizens of New York. The council members told us they felt it would be inappropriate to appear. Why does it seem that City Hall has gone into hiding on this issue

for declining to appear with you. We've contacted. The campaign and after the campaign. What about this matter that increased the salary hasn't been raised since 1965 and $35000 he is grossly underpaid. I don't. Know. As a matter of fact I think that he doesn't deserve it because his irritating people.

What about a 66 percent increase. The council members. As well as a matter of fact 21000 should know they're getting in account and expense account. People are being completely objection. The money itself or the merit of the people who would get the increases. It's a combination of the highest paid particular. Position is already getting the fourth in the council and already it states and I don't think it's going to improve their performance.

On the other hand many people argue including many in the business community that if we don't have salaries for city officials that are competitive with private industry and indeed without a government. That we simply will not get the best people. That's true I would have accepted the position as Mayor for $35000 and the councilman for four thousand dollars. The. Proper determination in fact the position of successfully and I think the question simply public spirit or political ambition in this campaign you're waging there but I think.

The position of the position. I think that someone that has the I may have to make the sacrifice again. What's going to happen on November 7th when voters get a crack at that referendum. Well I think that because. The officials put their interests before those of the people they gave themselves and they gave themselves. Doctor thank you for being with us. Once again our top stories an appeals court has blocked Nationwide Insurance from pulling out of its automobile coverage a New Jersey teacher strikes continue in Camden and in Lodi. The Eagleton poll says a majority of New Jerseyans want the Sunday

closing blue laws repealed and a threatened job action by Atlantic City's municipal white collar workers has been postponed. And that's the new. Jersey joint presentation of New Jersey Public Television.