New Jersey Nightly News; 01/26/1982

New Jersey with Don Torrance and can't lend a hand. Good evening Senator whoreson Williams underwent surgery today delaying sentencing for his Abscam bribery and conspiracy conviction. Losses for Seton Hall and Rutgers Bill Perry will have the basketball highlights tonight in sports that will take a closer look at an occupational hazard confronting more and more teachers. Not a Canton Newark following a fall yesterday Senator how Rison Williams underwent surgery for an incarcerated hernia today at Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in New York delaying his sentencing on Abscam bribery and conspiracy charges which had been scheduled for 1:30 this afternoon. Dr. Philip we Dale who performed the surgery this afternoon described the senator's condition following the procedure as excellent. He will be out of bed tonight this evening. But the question on everyone's mind. Was it just coincidence that the senator's condition which doctor we Dell says has existed for a year and in fact was supposed to be surgically taken care of months ago would suddenly become an emergency today the same day Williams was

to be sentenced on Abscam bribery and conspiracy charges. Are you saying his condition was life threatening. It would have been life threatening infant if the hernia had become strangulated rather than just incarcerated. Doctors say the senator's hernia was the most common kind. The reason surgery was necessary was because if the hernia continued to pour trued there was the possibility of strangulation of the hernia and eventually circulation could have been cut off in the intestinal area. Williams lawyers had asked U.S. District Court Judge George Pratt to delay sentencing to investigate published reports of misdeeds by and former Melvin Weinberg during the Abscam investigation. Judge Pratt had refused the request at today's news conference Dr. wee Dell said the senator's hernia condition became aggravated when he fell on Monday. That happened here at the Williams Bedminster home as the senator was walking in his driveway. He was brought to the medical center right away. Doctor we did I was able to reduce the hernia during the night but it became enlarged again today. Mrs. Williams made no

comment as she arrived at the hospital this afternoon just minutes before her husband went into the operating room. Meanwhile Judge Pratt who was to have sentenced Williams today has postponed the proceeding until February 9th. The US Senate was supposed to begin debate on whether or not to expel Williams next Tuesday. Late today a spokesman told us that no decision has been made on when those hearings will now take place. Dr wee Dell says that he will probably recommend that the senator stay at home for a week to continue recuperation once he is released from the hospital. Senator Williams could be home by the end of this week or possibly by the weekend. Just about the same time that Senator Williams was undergoing surgery his codefendant in the Abscam case Alexander Feinberg was being sentenced. Sandra King was in Uniondale for that sentencing and she's here now with a report. Sandy and there were no delays for Alex Feinberg Williams Cotto. Long time friend. His sentence is in jail and a $40000 fine. That despite

his attorney's pleas for leniency on the basis of bad health and old age. Alex Feinberg will be 74 next month. He's blind in one eye and since his conviction with Williams Last May he suffered three heart attacks. One says his lawyer was nearly fatal. But Judge George Pratt wasn't buying pleas for mercy from Feinberg attorney Harry Batchelder. He said the sentencing would proceed without regard to health or age or the unlikelihood that Feinberg would break the law again. BATCHELDER had argued that his client was already a beaten man stripped of his law career his savings his reputation. A man who in a bachelor's words had been wronged by the system. Incarceration said the lawyer would amount to a death sentence for Alex Feinberg. But Feinberg was the middleman in the senator's Abscam with Williams on the incriminating FBI and Abscam prosecutor Thomas Puccio today argued that Feinberg was as culpable as Williams. Your sentence

should reflect the fact that conduct such as His cannot be tolerated. We guard less of his agent told the judge that drew an angry blast from Batchelder who charged whatever his client had done had been orchestrated by Puccio in concert with the FBI. And when it was all over with Feinberg facing concurrent terms that could jail him for up to three years left without Batchelder his bitterness showed once more leverage in his no money into finding $40000. That's crazy too. General deterrence theory. We've really come a long way in this country. After the sentencing but Feinberg told reporters only what he had already told the judge. I said and I'll say it again as God is my judge committed no crime. I'm looking for a way that this day will come and soon when I shall absolutely prove my innocence beyond any doubt whatsoever.

With the U.S. Court of Appeals. But the second circuit won't get to this Abscam case until it's disposed of earlier appeals by seven others convicted in Abscam. Among them a former Camden mayor Angelo era Kitty and one time Trenton Congressman Frank Thompson. The appeals court will hear their arguments that Abscam was illegal and that their convictions should be overturned. In about three weeks. And Sandy I'm very curious what was the reaction today in the courtroom when the jury was told that Senator Williams was in the hospital that he would not be in the courtroom today. What was Judge Pratt's and the jurors reaction to that. Well of course the jury is long out of it by this point but the prosecutor was certainly there to go and the judge and both seemed to be displeased neither of them made direct statements but it was dripping with sarcasm when he told reporters when a defendant gets sick on the day of sentencing I usually have no comment and I won't depart from

that tradition today. Meanwhile the judge cried and rescheduling the William sentence said that next time of the sedative fails to appear and I quote I'm sure will have an appropriate application at least said the judge something more than phone calls. Just very briefly Sandy can you tell us in looking at Feinberg's 3 year sentence which he drew today what does that say about what Senator Williams might get once he is sentenced in a couple of weeks. Well. There's no way to know but there is speculation that since Senator Williams is a public official and the highest public official prosecuted in Abscam that he will possibly draw more than three years but remember his potential jeopardy here of almost 30 years. Thank you Sandy. And now back to Don in Trenton. Thank you kant and Sandy in other news tonight there was a spill of radioactive water at the Oyster Creek nuclear power plant in Ocean County on Sunday. But it wasn't revealed until today. A thin pipe used to monitor water levels in an outdoor storage tank burst after apparently freezing. Engineers don't know how much water leaked out but they describe its radioactive level as low and insist the leak poses no danger. There was another revelation about another of the state's nuclear blast today

Salem one in Salem County tubes similar to those that burst at the DNA nuclear plant in upstate New York have also been deteriorating at Sanam one trying to allay fears an official of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission said the erosion of the Salem tubes quote does not mean they are anywhere close to rupturing. But we don't know how close unquote the tubes it bursted been a forced a venting of contaminated steam into the air. Eight thousand gallons of radioactive water out of the floor of the reactor building and the evacuation of plant workers. State Banking officials today announced the merger of the first savings and loan association in New Brunswick with Citi Federal Savings and Loan Association in Elizabeth. But the action came after the New Brunswick savings and loan became only the second SNL taken over by state banking officials. Since the Depression banking commissioner Angelo B Yockey said the merger created no housing for first savings depositors who now become depositors of city federal first savings was losing one million dollars a month recently with one thousand eighty one losses of 9 million. The Arche took possession of her savings because he determined it was in an unsound condition to transact

business. The merger was approved by the Federal Savings and Loan insurance group. The Arche said there was no reason for concern about the solvency of other savings and loans in the state. Kent. The Hackensack Meadowlands Development Commission says that the Regional Plan Association is wrong about potential traffic problems in its development plan. The RPA a Manhattan Bay civic group recently released a report recommending that the Meadowlands agency drop plans for the Barrys Creek shopping center in the Meadowlands area. The RPA. Here's. The thing. Justin which would be unbearable. But they add a development commission meeting today commissioner said the conclusions were wrong. Commission spokesman Bob Grant said that the report was a quote thoroughly flawed document. He said the commission does not plan to alter its master plan for development of the Meadowlands as a result of the report Don. President Reagan is expected to decide in the next few weeks whether to try to deregulate natural gas prices on an accelerated basis this year. Today South Jersey gas company announced

results of a study it shows most Americans don't want the control of natural gas that Hobson has the story. Today's announcement is further evidence of natural gas distributors like South Jersey gas have only just begun to fight the regulation. South Jersey sponsored a Stockton State College study of the cycle social and economic effects of gas price decontrol. But the Stockton study only looked at people already using natural gas. So to no one's surprise the study showed overwhelmingly that gas customers opposed a price increase expected to accompany decontrol. But South Jersey gas claims a study proves people in general oppose deregulation. Both sides of the question do have convincing arguments. Companies like South Jersey gas would lose business because they'd have to pass on higher costs to their customers perhaps 50 percent higher. They say it would lead to inflation and fewer jobs as companies left the northeast to find cheaper energy. And as they cut production to cope with the higher costs they're especially opposed to proposals to link natural gas prices to other higher gas or fuel oil prices.

If we were assured that the marketplace would be able to respond to the supply initiatives and tell the supplier that this or that this is the price we can afford which is the general economic theory that would be fine the deregulation that we hear about today has no resemblance to that kind of activity. There are too many artificial factors built on on the other side of the coin petroleum and fuel oil producers and distributors say they're losing out in competition with natural gas to do its part officially lower prices. They talk about how the control would spur conservation and exploration and allow free market forces of supply and demand to determine prices. And they have their studies showing decontrol would lead to lower natural gas prices. I'm quoting the studies now and also university studies that show that when gas becomes totally decontrol by 1985. Because of the increased production because of the increased competition at the free market aspect of the controlled prices will be in the long run. The free

market will keep the price of natural gas lower than it would be under controls. Congress decided three years ago to decontrol most natural gas by 1985. The questions remaining are whether all gas should be controlled. Should it be done sooner and should its price be linked to other fuels. S. officials here say they will be listening very closely to Ronald Reagan's State of the Union speech tonight. He mentions gas deregulation. They say they'll leave immediately upgrade their efforts to lobby against it. If he doesn't mention it they say it means he will have given up on the idea at least until this year's elections are over. In Folsom Atlantic County I'm Dan HOBSON. Governor Kaine today named his former campaign finance chairman excuse me John Hanson of Rock Lee as chairman of the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority. Hansen who was appointed to the authority last month by Governor Byrne with Cain's approval will replace William Highland a Democrat. Island will remain a member of the authority but said he stepped aside as chairman to give the new governor a freer hand in helping set authority policy during his term. The job of chairman is on salary but is considered extremely

prestigious and influential. Can't. You get what you pay for or least you should assuring the quality of products is a big business and one company in Hoboken has made that business pay off. Susan the more. What did the strength endure ability of plastic helmets by dropping a 1 pound weight on it. Then there's this machine to measure the effect of another the U.S. testing company and company to get an objective evaluation of how standards that are published by government agencies such as the Consumer Product Safety Commission Safety and Health Administration and the Food and Drug Administration. These primarily are safety standards. If a manufacturer wants to

find the durability of this product when it comes to a company such as more than 900 employees many are assigned to one specific area. For example in the chemistry measuring the different brands of cigarettes. One of the most unusual tests involves this hosiery flex machine. Anyone who wears stockings knows how annoying those unsightly runs can be especially in a new pair of hose. This device checks your ability in order to pass the material must be able to withstand 10000 stretches roughly equivalent to a week of walking. And most pass. US testing has been in business for 101 years and it's likely to be around for many more because there's an independent agency that's able to assure product quality and safety to satisfy manufacturers and hopefully most consumers in Hoboken. I'm Susan East boss.

And here's a look at our weather forecast tonight will be clear and very cold again temperatures dipping into the single numbers. They'll be partly sunny skies tomorrow daytime highs in the upper 20s to low 30s. And the outlook for Thursday warmer with a chance of showers. It traditionally Labor unions have concerned themselves almost exclusively with the material well-being of their members. But one union the New Jersey Education Association

has begun a unique effort to help members deal with their emotional needs. I am. It wasn't all that long ago when Lerone joined us was probably the chief occupational hazard facing teachers. But times change and for teachers this has meant the appearance of a much more serious problem something that has acquired the name teacher burnout and the ultimate burnout of course is death. Death is nature's way of finally saying slow down. Now what we're to talk about is how you can not only prolong life but how you can increase the quality of life by using positive stress to help you when you need that energy. And we're going to talk about not only how to identify the stressors but we're going to talk about coping mechanisms that we don't sow as majority as the next person teacher burn out and the New Jersey Education Association the state's largest teachers union is so concerned about this problem that it has set up a special task force to help teachers deal with burnout. Today they're

holding a workshop at Rahway Junior High School in rock with it. I know when I go to workshops people say to me I don't have any stress. A lot of folks say that. And some people say I've got lots of stress can you help me get rid of it. And I have to answer to those of you who ask me that question. Only the dead do not have stress. But I want you to consider the alternative before you get rid of it. I do know that there are days when you seriously consider the alternative. How many of you have two jobs. Raise your hand. Homemaking is a job how many have two jobs. You know when do you get a chance to relax between this job and your second job. Over the years when I was teaching in New York. When Malcolm X was shot Martin Luther King was shot. Those impacts in a normal school system. Somewhat similar to the shooting of John Kennedy and then the shooting of Robert Kennedy. And as soon as there is an impact like that on the street even before the news reports it.

You feel an impact in your classroom and you have to deal with it. It's difficult to say just how widespread a problem burnout here is but one study asked a cross-section of teachers if given the chance to change their lives would they still go into teaching. More than 40 percent said no burnout isn't limited just to teachers though the same study also called school administrators and a staggering 50 percent said that if they could start all over again they would choose different careers that may help explain why administrators like Principal Herman Sherman of Rahway junior high invited the NJCAA to hold workshops on burn up at their school. I say this workshop will show all of us who are telling the whole story. There are maybe a few others will show us that stress can be something that can happen in the young as a new teacher under stressful conditions. Psychologists say most people because of day to day. Stressful at least once in their lives. Face the problem. Many of the self-help strategies offered in NJ workshops can prove useful not just

to educators but to anyone who wants to tackle the problem of stress. Some people don't want to practice yoga or transcendental meditation because of the religious aspects associated with it. Well medical science says discovering that. You don't need all the information you can just use the breathing exercises and use a word or a sound that helps you relax and that kind of thing. And you can get relaxed from your daily activities. Children get a lot of exercise but very often parents don't get the appropriate amount of exercise or teachers don't get the exercise. And here we are dealing with these high energy people. I'm not talking about the kind of exercise where you go out and try to break the four minute mile. Fact in the area in which I live Princeton Junction there are many many oriental people. And I notice on the way to work. Sometimes you'll see these folks out on their driveway doing tai chee you know stretching exercises and they're built for a while and they may have a

rule about that. I think I mean while I see some of the Anglos coming down the street with a bulbous abdomens and a sneakers in the sweat suits and they're the ones the police bring home and say we found your spouse out on a road together you know. The United States government has a minimum recommendation for your daily diet. If you're in a high stress job like teaching. That minimum. Balanced diet is not enough. You must supplement with additional nutrition. And that means you've got to take some kind of nutritional supplements like fresh vegetables fresh. Fruit during the course of the day and cut down on the caffeine a little bit. Cut back on the nicotine as much as you can. If you take nicotine and caffeine it robs your body of the opportunity to assimilate certain vitamins. So if you're a smoker and a heavy caffeine you have to supplement even more than the ordinary person. So in the end it will be up to individual teachers to put into practice the techniques they learned at workshops like

this. Yes most of the teachers we spoke with seem to feel the workshops are valuable. Well I think you brought a lot of things up that. I think a lot of us maybe were aware of or. And don't think about or thought about in the collective. Right. I think if Basically I think if a lot of this is. Throughout the country for just educators period I did spend a little bit more time thinking about themselves and possibly relaxing a little bit more. I think education on the whole would be a lot better. Teaching has never been an easy profession. Yet it seems the pressures faced by educators today are greater than ever. Workshops like those sponsored by the NJT a go a long way towards helping teachers recognize the symptoms of burnout. Both in themselves and others. That's important because it is only after a problem is identified that it can be attacked. More than 25 thousand teachers have attended the union sponsored workshops on burnout since they were begun several years ago. In fact the seminars have become so popular that there's actually a waiting list of schools

were anxious to have the NJCAA hold programs for their teachers. Work. And here's Bill Perry with tonight's Sports Bill. OK think you done college basketball tonight Princeton five and seven Idol since January 9th Tigers playing at Colgate St. Peter's 10 and seven host Marrissa last night Seton Hall lost its sixth in a row the final 91 85 to St. Johns from

a 9 1 start the hall is now nine and seven. Dan Cowan twenty two first half points freshman Chris Mullin. Tough for St. Johns It was 44 all at the half second half Callen drove finished with a career high and Biggie single game record 38 points in the halls up fifty four fifty to three minutes in after two free throws to tie it. St. John's got a three point play off the steal David Russell 57 54 23 for Russell Mollen who had a career high 29 hit off the steel St. John's raced to an 89 71 lead Seton Hall then ran 14 straight points to get close calendar 0 hits. Next Danny with the feed for Sir John Collins. Nate Rogers completed the run to make it eighty nine eighty five with seven seconds left. But St. John's won it 91 85 to go 13 in three red men a for him to win the Big East. Seton Hall one in five in conference. Rutgers Meanwhile lost its second straight Eastern 8 game last night 30 to 29 That's right 30 to 29 at St. Bonaventure Clarence Kohlmann hit his first five shots 10 quick points. That was it for Clarence he finished with 10 that lead Rutgers Knights up 10

2. Thanks Clarence but the bodies came back Norman Clark hit outside then you will see Norman with the three point play Bonnie's right back in it 20 to 18 records by only two at the half St. Bonaventure court records of 24 all off the break. Rob Samuels will hit baseline then the body is played stall ball in the next nine minutes only four points were scored. Mark Jones have the two field goals Bonnie's led 28 24. Roy Hanson had his only field goal for 56 left right here 28 26 on the off chance of boards the other way. My current thirty twenty six nights down by four. After Henson hit one of two with the line Darrius Griffin hit to make it 30 29 153 left Rutgers with a chance to win but off the inbounds Brian Ellerby to Chris Ramli Ramli couldn't convert Raptors now 11 5 4 and 2 in the Eastern 8. Twenty nine point four Rutgers was their lowest point total since 1959 pro ball nets playing Utah tonight. If New Jersey wins they would move into fourth place into right fourth place tie with the next and the Atlantic Division the cosmos 3 and 9 Be Toronto tonight at the Meadowlands Arena in an NASL indoor match Giorgio was my guest on

Cosmos close up last night Giorgio told me he may not retire after the upcoming outdoor season after last season. He said 1982 would be his last year I also talk to you about the coach and his wife's Wyler. What about the coaching situation of the situation I don't think anybody knows what's going on you know you made some headlines not to express my opinion sometimes right sometimes wrong. But the same token you know we lost the championship win but the people the coaches probably have. Expressed my opinion. If you comes back or doesn't make any difference to me I have to do my job out in the field on the team and the coach doesn't come on the field you know the players go in the future than they have to think that it's possible to like of course like anybody else at one time you had said if it comes almost kind of you don't want to push the organisation to do something about it. The. Unfortunate unfortunate didn't work but that's OK that's fine. That's Giorgio It's taken back to Newark and can't.

And once again our top stories tonight Senator Harrison Williams underwent surgery today delaying his sentencing on Abscam charges. His codefendant Alexander Feinberg was sentenced receiving a three year jail term and a $40000 fine Don. Now that's the news for Kent Batman and Sandra King in New York and Bill Perry with me here in trying to get that from all of us of New Jersey. New Jersey of the New Jersey 30. The program is broadcast weeknights at 6:30 7:30. 10:00 pm at work the following morning on Channel 4.