New Jersey Nightly News; New Jersey Nightly News Episode from 08/02/1978

Yeah that's all right I want to say that yes and I'm great liking. New Jersey nightly news. With Rebecca Sobel in Trenton and Clayton Vaughn in Newark. Good evening. In the news tonight another Supreme Court justice has again postponed the jailing of New York Times reporter Myron Farber. It may get tougher to graduate from New Jersey high schools. Some new state standards are in the works and officials from other states interested in casino gambling come to see how Atlantic City is doing.

Quite. Good evening Rebecca. And sports Paul bottom line has a cool summertime report about an ice skating school in West Orange. And on a closer look we'll have an interview with the central figure in the nation's current Free Press fair trial confrontation. Myron Farber. Fiber today got two more days of freedom. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall granted the stay and father's indefinite jail sentence until noon Friday. Farber an investigative reporter for The New York Times faces criminal and civil contempt charges for refusing to turn over his notes to the murder trial of Dr. Murray I just got of it in Hackensack. Jack Canaday reports. I never spent much of the day in Manhattan in the Times newsroom wondering if you will become the first Times reporter in the paper's history to go to jail for refusing to turn over his notes to a trial judge in Bergen County. An issue both he and his editors feel is critical. Saving First Amendment rights for investigative reporters across the country managing editor Abe Rosenthal is prepared to fight the case no matter what the cost.

I think we are facing a situation now where there is not only in the court but in this particular court but generally in the jersey in Jersey in New Jersey and elsewhere. A kind of I hardly know what to call it but tightening up on the First Amendment which I think is unconstitutional. I'm not sure what it comes from. But in any case I think things are getting tougher for the press. And I. Without being self-serving I think that if things get too tough for the press they're going to get tough for the public. And even in this case it's not only confidentiality that's involved it's the whole reporting process the courts have asked for everything. That we have and. That I think would be the death of any kind of meaningful reporting become handout reporting. Fabolous facing an indefinite jail term under the civil contempt citation. And he also faces a criminal contempt charge which could keep him in jail six months after he turned over the notes. The time stands to lose one hundred thousand dollars in fines

under the contempt ruling. Plus $5000 for each day it withholds the potential evidence but neither Rosenthal nor farmer say they're ready to give in and they want to see the issue get its day in court either in New Jersey or before the Supreme Court in Washington. I'm Jack Connelly. Later on in this news broadcast on our closer look segment I'll talk with Barbara about his effort to protect the confidentiality of his work in the just out of its case. We're back on. The proposed contract that triggered a brief wildcat strike by North Jersey postal workers has been clear for a vote by the nation's largest postal workers union. A federal judge in Washington today rejected a decision union locals request that union leaders be sent back to bargain for a new contract. Tomorrow the American Postal Workers Union will begin sending out ballots to its 300000 members. It looks like New Jersey will start requiring high school students to pass statewide tests in reading writing and

arithmetic before they can get their diplomas. The State Board of Education today discussed a proposal that would require high school students to take more courses and pass a new basic skill exams before they graduate. The board decided to begin drafting regulations along those lines in September. And last week the Senate Education Committee released a bill also calling for basic skill tests reported Mariama Rosso covered today's Board of Education meeting. Right now it doesn't take all that much to graduate from high school in New Jersey. Just two years of American history. Visit every semester and 92 credits and subjects of your choice. But the New Jersey State Committee on high school graduation requirements thinks that's not enough. In a report released last December and discussed today by the State Board of Education the committee called for these additional requirements for years of English two years of math and one year of natural science plus the ability to pass tests in reading

writing arithmetic and other basic skills such as filling out job forms and balancing a checkbook. The State Education Association and the State School Boards Association don't like the proposal. They say it's just one more step towards a kind of big brother state control and it does provide a form of penalty for the student. There is the prison system puts the burden on the system to do a job for kids. The idea that they could. Hurt children by denying them a diploma which then makes it very difficult to get a job. We're not sure that that's worth it. But a bill in the legislature that would accomplish the same thing as the proposed Board of Education regulation is expected to pass easily. The chief advantage is that the people it tells the public what they're getting for their education dollars. And it may be meaningful Matha says there are snags in the proposal.

It's true that some good students don't test well he says. And there's a possibility that more clearly defined standards could lead to educational malpractise suits. Supporters say the graduation requirements are a kind of protection for the educational consumer. But the Department of Education fears that the standards will give parents new ammunition to take teachers to court if Johnny can't read. In Trenton I'm Mary. Within the last week 13 prisoners of escape from the Essex County Corrections Center in separate incidents. The breaks do raise important questions about security in most jails in New Jersey. Geoffrey hall reports. Most jails in New Jersey are minimum security often just a tightly locked building with no walls or fences. Most of the inmates at minimum security prisons are in for minor offenses so government officials don't believe in fencing them in. But the statistics may force the building of walls year after year most prison escapes in the state are for minimum security jails. There are

bars at most minimum security jails but inmates frequently aren't locked into their cells. They can roam and gain access to window bars and saw their way to freedom as happened in the last three escapes at the Essex County Correction Center. Most of the inmates are caught but some aren't. Since many of them are in for only minor offenses should the community worry I would consider them all as dangerous. As a matter of fact a few years back. Our staff position. Was locked up as a inmate for insurance fraud. Even this man whom I've known for a number of years I would consider as dangerous if he escaped and he was to be encountered out in the street even though they might begin here as a lesser crime as you said. You still don't know what will trigger them off how they will resist you so you definitely need to protect yourself protect everyone else you have to assume that they're dangerous.

It's so easy to walk out of some minimum security prisons that some inmates have been known to take off just three weeks before they're due to be paroled. What makes them escape especially when most of them don't have to do much time anyway. One corrections official put it best when he said what do you expect not sent to prison for showing very good judgment in the first place. In North Caldwell. I'm Geoffrey hall. 23 year old Josie Provenzano was taken over her father's duties as secretary treasurer of the Union City Teamsters one of the richest Teamster locals in the country. Her father Anthony Tony Pro Provenzano is serving a life prison sentence for the killing of a union rival. His daughter was elected unanimously to succeed him in the union post. She had been working in the locals and she graduated from high school and she says she feels right at home considering her background. Ms Provenzano says her knowledge of the Union goes back a long way to the first word out of her mouth which she says now was Deemster. That oil spill from a sunken barge off Coney Island stretched today from Rockaway New York to

Manasquan New Jersey. Most of the slick is a half mile to a mile offshore and moving south. How long it will take for the slick to break up depends on the weather. But with some sunshine and wave action there shouldn't be a threat to the Jersey Shore. Rebecca. A wrecker's University study group has recommended that the state's Pine Barrens area be protected from commercial development. In a report issued today the Center for Coastal and Environmental Studies says critical sections in the pine lands contain 12 varieties of plant life on the threatened or endangered list. The rector center recommends that more than a million acres in central and south jersey be managed by a government commission. The report was paid for by the National Park Service and will be presented to a US Senate subcommittee on Friday. Officials from 10 northeastern states came to Atlantic City today to learn about casino gambling. They were at a convention of the eastern region of the Council of State Governments and my power was there too.

A lot of people at this meeting are thieves and this is what they want to steal. New Jersey may be the only northeastern state you know gambling but every state in the region is considering it. Herb 0 loss is a thief. He came here from Pennsylvania to steal information about slot machines. Maybe we can get some of the people in Camden to come over and play the slot machines and Philadelphia rather than coming in Atlantic City because it's closer right. Not everyone at the conference was a supporter of casino gambling. Opponents might have been here seeking negative information but most of the out of state officials were looking for the pluses and what they heard was pretty much one story. New Jersey casino laws are tough and legal gambling is bringing in more money so far than anyone expected. This may have been the first time other states have asked New Jersey's advice on gambling but it probably won't be the last. All of which goes to show Jersey may have gotten it but other states are catching it. And other logic say I might power.

A Massachusetts legislator attending the conference got something else in Atlantic City and it made him mad. Senator George Rogers said he was propositioned by prostitutes six times. He said it made him so angry. He'll fight any attempt to bring casino gambling to Massachusetts. The huge highway and mass transit bill which would mean more than a billion dollars for New Jersey is still alive in Congress. The House Ways and Means Committee has rejected an attempt to cut 5 billion from the sixty six and a half billion dollar price tag. New Jersey share would be used over the next four years for mass transit and for highway and bridge repair. The route on w a truck band ward between New York and New Jersey may soon be over. Officials of the two states have been talking about some solutions that are reported close to agreement. New York started five months ago banning heavy trucks from a section of the road in New York State. New Jersey followed with a ban on local roads which were being used by the truckers as a detour. The solution may be to allow trucks with area destinations to

use 9 W. Utility companies trying to keep up with escalating consumer demands now have a new tactic that can help Public Service Electric and Gas is testing a system called ripple. It gives the utility remote control over its customers most energy hungry appliances. Greg Larson has more on the story. This which plainly PSEG Moorestown regional control station is directly wired into the air conditioners and hot water heaters of 250 homes and Vincent down 15 miles away. One power company official see demand reaching critical levels. They can push some buttons. The air conditioner is shut down for seven and a half minutes and the water heaters turn off for an hour long enough to inconvenience the people living in those homes. But they may be long enough to prevent a blackout. That's what PSEG wants to find out. The power companies giving 250 families living in the leisure town retirement community a small cut in their electric bills and exchange for their taking part in the

experiment. The ripple system will start operating this month but the volunteer participants are already enthusiastic about it. I think it's a great program. I think they study that to go see and feel like it'll be meaningful and I think then ultimately probably the whole state will be able to help. Over a long period of time something that's going to happen tomorrow morning. But I think it's a study that people always do and I think it's great that they're doing it. If the ripple system works and it's put into widespread use it won't mean any immediate cuts in consumer's electric bills. That's because the system doesn't really cut down on overall electricity consumption. It just spreads it out over a longer time periods during the day. But consumers could enjoy an indirect monetary benefit from the system if ripple allows you to a few companies to get more from the existing generating capacity. They would have to build as many plants plants which the consumer eventually pays for entry to a tax convention

town. This is Greg Marston reporting. In Washington today the Senate approved a bill to release New Jersey state troopers from having to pay back taxes on several years worth of meal allowances. The House of Representatives already has passed the measure so now it goes to President Carter for his approval. He weighs 235 pounds makes TV commercials and runs his legs off of the giants in exchange for a giant paycheck. He's And Paul has a profile of that man coming up. Here's the New Jersey weather forecast mostly cloudy and humid tonight with some patchy fog and a chance of showers. Low temperatures will be between 65 and 73 degrees. Tomorrow's weather will be variably Cloudy With A Chance of showers or thunder showers statewide. High temperatures will be from 75 to 84 at the shore tomorrow the water temperature will be near 70. Visibility will be three to five miles but lower in

showers. The outlook for Friday warm and humid with a chance of showers. And what we've said is an icy land. And already a tough time in the ICU and episode 10 of robins. Yes a tennis lesson and the Eagles saw a guy in his bunk fight to the death. Don't miss Robin Hood Saturday at 6:30 on New Jersey Public Television. Good evening. Over the past week we've been profiling some of the Giants players. Tonight a look at their most famous player number 39 Larry Zaka. It has been a giant for two years now two disappointing years. His performance has yet to match the reputation he attained in the early 70s as one of the best running backs in football. The knee injury played its part in Larry's AKA's sub par output and the Giants offensive

line has not been great. Also because the Giants are quite often on the short end of the score. Saka has not carried the ball as much as he'd like but despite all these problems Zaka says he feels at home with the Giants. They're very happy here. First five years you play football pro football very often you look forward it's a very. Different kind of lifestyle and very often you tend to look for the time you're going to retire in the second five years you're sort of indifferent about it. When you start on the 35 years I've been doing it so long as hardly anything else you can think of to do to replace it. So I'm getting to the point now where I kind of enjoy it. Training can still be very tough. I don't like curfews and a lot of things I don't like about training camp it's a necessary evil training camp can be especially wearing after 10 years in the league. Soccer is now 31 and that's usually considered almost ancient for a running back. But the cliche about being only as old as you feel holds true and it is NOT feel old. Not particularly you know 31 is for running back but you know performance is what counts in this game as long as you can perform. Right now I feel I can if it becomes evident to me that I can't

perform or add to the overall accomplishments of the office and in fact I'm too old to worry about it so I'll have to retire but. At this point I you know it's a popular it's something to talk about it's a bill to talk about the weather when you talk about running back about his age. So right now I'm not too worried about it at all. Back in the good old days ice skating used to be only a winter sport but not anymore. Tricia Gaspar's has the first of two reports from the South Mountain arena in West Orange. These people spend the hot summer days skating in a chilly 56 degrees. About 300 people per week come here to enjoy the ice. The arena has a variety of skating programs. There are supervised lessons for the advanced skaters. And the not so advanced. There's also a public session for anyone who wants to attend. The arena has its share of budding Dorothy Hamill. But even more interesting to watch are the beginners. They each have their own particular style of skating.

Some of these kids seem to be sitting more than their skating instructor of Robber Barrons says they're the perfect age to learn. Yes it's the best they have no fear. They take things easily and that's what you need it's the best to start with. 5 When you two one find tomorrow I might well take a look at one of the best skaters in the east. 9 year old Gillette New Jersey this is Trista Gaspar's reporting. The mutual benefit life Tennis Open continued today at the orange lawn tennis club in South Orange. And one of the big singles matches second seeded John McEnroe won his second round match over Keith Richards and the temperamental McEnroe ranked 10th in the country needed three sets for the win. John McEnroe known sometimes more for his temper than for his tennis won the National Collegiate championship back in May. Mutual Life Open continues

through the week. And that's at the orange lawn tennis club in South Orange and that's sports for Wednesday. Rebecca. Thanks Paul. Unless the U.S. Supreme Court acts on his behalf. New York Times reporter Myron Farber will go to jail on Friday because he refuses to turn over his files on the Dr. Rex murder trial. We'll talk to him next. On a closer look. Music is ragtime. The performers Gunther Schuller and the New England Conservatory

ragtime. I'm David. Join me for an evening of ragtime and a special appearance of the Katherine Dunham dancers performance of most of these. Watches Sunday at yours. Free press fair trial. Is it impossible to have both. Or is it possible for any citizen to have his day in court while the public maintains an unrestricted right to know. Those are the issues and what is now known as the Farber case New York Times reporter Martin Farber is battle along with a lot of the Times itself against turning over Reporter notes on the Dr. axe murder trial. As we reported earlier in this news broadcast Farber in the Times now have a reprieve until Friday before jail time for Farber and a daily fine for the times. I met Barbara this afternoon and one of the times newsrooms to talk about free press

fair trial and his prospect of going to jail. Is that if the courts of this country. The course this country demand that American newspaper reporters serve a definite period of time in jail in defense of public interest that's what I think I'm doing then I'm prepared to stay there as long as is necessary. There have been a number of cases involving free press for fraud. Over the recent years. Do you see yours as breaking any new ground. Well it's different from the important cases of the past. In what respect in this respect that the subpoena which was served on myself in the Times. Is a sweeping broad subpoena over virtually the entire reporters file everything that we did. And. I think it's probably the broadest subpoena this has served on American newsman. It is

also different from the important Branzburg vs. Hayes 1972 decision in that it was in the Branzburg case the reporter legibly had seen a crime. In this situation. Though I can contend that we saw a crime the death for which the defendant is charged occurred in one city 5 in 1966 and we didn't come into the picture until 1975 some 10 years later. But it seems to me that the the central point in Brownsburg at least was that the reporter had some knowledge of the crime. Some evidence that might be pertinent to the case isn't really the same position that you might be in. I made the point to the court. And I said again that. I don't have any first hand knowledge. These days I don't have a Cheerio that can establish for the court this doctor's innocence or guilt. I haven't seen the bodies of resume and I haven't seen the tissues that from which they work to find the presence or

non-presence of Ferrari. So I think it is different than Bryce Burton that was in that regard. I wonder though if you're not putting the CTs into the position of relying on your judgement and that in a larger sense of the New York Times as to what is important and what is not. And regarding the religious college murder trial. I think the answer to that is this that. This is an independent newspaper. I'm an independent news reporter. And. We don't function as part of the government as part of the prosecution defense or as part of judiciary. And we do have to make some decisions but we make our decisions and we stand by what we put into print. That's where we belong in print. We don't belong as an extension of government in the courts. I don't think it's a question of arrogating to ourselves.

Power that. Would impinge upon this man's right to a fair trial. He has great resources as does the prosecution have great resources to interview the same people that we interviewed and more. If Eventually Mr. Farber you are forced to turn over your notes through one means or the other. What do you think that that would mean for the future of investigative reporting in particular in this country and for reporting in general and the American press. I think it would really have a terrible time. You know. I think reporters be afraid to keep notes. I think they'd be afraid to write things down often. I think the quality of news coverage was soft and the. You know the reporter strength really is being able to go out and get to everybody possible to cover a situation to learn what he can

learn. And I think if he feels that that someday some eyes on top of a show or say hey fella we want all your files. You give us all your raw material all your confidential material what have you. He's not going to keep it he may not put it down. He may not even ask some questions that would lead to a better public understanding of things. And that's going to result the result is that the public suffers in the coverage that he gets. And I think it's worth remembering that the protection afforded the press in the First Amendment and in the shield on New Jersey and other states is not there for the benefit of Channel 13 or the New York Times sorry not for Myron Farber but for the public. And. We're truly trying to serve the public. Once again our top stories New York Times reporter Myron Farber has been given another

reprieve on his contempt of court sentence. The State Board of Education wants to establish tougher standards for graduating from New Jersey high schools. And the bill relieving state troopers of a big tax bill based on meal allowances has passed both houses of Congress. And that's the news. Good night quite. Good night for the New Jersey night with. New Jersey nightly news there's a joint presentation of New Jersey Public Television and 13 and is broadcast weeknights at 6:30 on Channel 13 and at 7:30 the New Jersey Public Television an updated edition is broadcast at 10:00 p.m. on New Jersey Public Television. And at 7:00 the following morning on Channel 13 portions pre recorded.