New Jersey Nightly News; New Jersey Nightly News Episode from 09/28/1979 6:30 pm

Or. A surprise in federal court today. Two guilty pleas in the Joan Dietrich kidnapping trial. In sports Phil Sims tells me he's ready to go. And we'll take a look at a class on bank robbery prevention. New Jersey Nightly News with Catherine stone and Bill Perry with scores. There was a surprise development today in the Joan Dietrich kidnapping trial. Two more defendants change their plea to guilty. Angel So Daniel and yarmulkes Sarahs each confessed his own part in the abduction bank robbery plot. In return for reduced charges in hopes of leniency from the federal court Jack Conti reports from Newark. Today was the day the government was prepared to roll out the big gun. Twenty year old Jose fund secret kidnapper turned state's witness today he covered his face as he walked with the four defendants into the courthouse. He pleaded guilty to reduce

charges here last week and was prepared to testify against the four who chose to stand trial. But it's fun to see Cosette in the witness chair. Things changed abruptly. Judge Curtis meanor called the long recess and when it ended. Twenty two year old Angel sedan yo had changed his plea to guilty. So did his friend well yarmulkes heirs because Sarah's told Judge meaner he had been recruited to kidnap Mrs Jones by defendants. Salvatore Locke and Jada and Guy tunnel Alison. Because there's agreed to do it for $5000 and he in turn enlisted fun Saeco and today no this is sobs as he related the details of the kidnapping saying that he had never intended to play as large a role in the plot as he did because there's only request was that he be sent to a prison that had educational facilities a place where he could finish high school. He now faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison as Doucet Danial unfun Sica. But all are now out of this

trial. So that leaves Allison Drell and Walken Jada the two Sicilia nationals still on trial here and their attorneys say they're prepared to go the distance. That's for the record. Off the record nobody involved here would be surprised if the trial ends tomorrow with two more guilty pleas and two more confessions at the federal courthouse in Newark. I'm Jack Conway. A tractor trailer driver was released near Fairfield today after his truck carrying $30000 worth of meat was hijacked in Brooklyn. Police say three men forced the driver into a van and then drove him around for several hours before dropping him off along Interstate 80 near Fairfield. Police are still looking for the truck and the meat. A judge in Newark has ordered the immediate demolition of Leon's furniture store the site of sporadic looting over the last few days. Police armed with pump shotguns had to be called in to keep looters away from the store after it had been gutted by fire. The judge also ordered the store be boarded up pending demolition and five watchman posted at the site. Meanwhile a Newark Councilman Donald Tucker has called for

an investigation into why the looting took place even after police officers were called in to protect the building. Tucker believes low morale within the department is one reason why furniture was carted off while police officers stood by and watched. Chief Charles as a has promised a full investigation. A superior court judge in Morristown today reiterated his earlier order against the Sussex Vo-Tech school teachers they must end their strike by 9am next Wednesday or he would assume they had all resigned. Judge read Reginald Stanton order the teachers to meet with school officials next Tuesday and negotiate all night if necessary. Lawyers for the Sussex teacher are already preparing an appeal just in case. Meanwhile in Morristown striking teachers trooped into the courthouse today to pay $50 fines imposed by another superior court judge. Phelps Hawkins has more on that story. Striking members of the group is a fusion of Morris. We're still picketing in front of the school today

but this afternoon they're going to move to the Albert Vale elementary school. There are about a dozen Peters went back to work and the union showed up to support the 10 or so teachers still staying out of their classrooms. Union leaders did not see the defection as a major break in union solidarity just the pressures of the strike. I think the main issue here is probably the fear element of what's going to happen in court. The fact that they have been already fined while the picketing was going on lawyers for the union and the more a school board met with Superior Court Judge Robert Moore an order citing criminal contempt of court against the teachers was gone so the teachers must appear in court Tuesday on charges of civil contempt. And on Wednesday for criminal contempt charges when they could possibly be sentenced to jail. As for Morristown students there still caught in the middle. And whether they get to make up the classroom time lost so far has now become another issue in the negotiations.

I'm more than happy to make up a time for the kids as opposition and as a professional as a teacher as a parent I feel obviously that I can't let my children suffer the lack of days in school. And it's totally in the board's hands as to whether or not they're going to make up the days or not make the days up. I'm go programs. Customers of New Jersey Natural gas company and public service electric and gas will be paying more starting next month. The State Board of Public Utilities gave the two companies the OK to raise prices. The reason being the increase in the cost of natural gas. New Jersey Natural gas will increase non heating customers bills by nine point two percent and heating users bills by nine point eight percent percent PSTN G will hike non heating bills seven point three percent and customers using natural gas for heating will see an eleven point one percent increase. And it will cost public service electric and gas more money than expected to finish building at the Salem nuclear plant. The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is tightening its monitoring and management procedures at all

nuclear plants under construction and that means utility companies will have to invest more money to meet the new standards. The NRC hasn't yet just has an estimated yet just how much extra the changes will cost the new policies are the result of the NRC s investigation into what happened that Three Mile Island. The National Transportation Safety Board says three victims of last spring's fatal helicopter crash at Newark International Airport might have survived if they had braced themselves properly as a result the board has recommended that all airlines be required to tell passengers before takeoff how to brace themselves if the aircraft should crash. But one airline official says that probably would scare the life out of the average passenger. But sides he says most airlines have already put safety pockets a safety cards in seat pockets. The Civil Aeronautics Board is turned down Eastern Airlines bid to take over national airlines. But New Jersey officials say that's good news. The decision clears the way for Pan Am bid to take over national. And if it does Pan Am

has promised to begin service out of Newark International Pan Am also has said it would begin to shuttle to Washington D.C. from Newark. The CIA says the IB has already okayed PanAm as a suitable merger candidate. But the final decision rests with President Carter. Certain years ago Karen Ann Quinlan fell into a coma. Her parents decided to establish a hospice for other terminally ill patients in New Jersey. At a news conference today in Sussex County Quinlan's announced plans for the Karen Ann Quinlan center of hope to establish a program of supportive care for terminally ill patients and his or her families. So far the center is only an idea but soon the Quinlan's hope to enlist a ride wide range of doctors nurses clergy and volunteers. We realize that there are very few places for a terminally ill patient to be treated in a manner that we feel they should be treated rather than to be in a hospital with extraordinary means.

We could feel that they should be cheap and be at home. If it is to be a wish with their family and did receive the love and the comfort that. They should receive. Look women say they'll donate proceeds from a book on a television drama about their daughter to get the center going. The state transportation department has asked. To get out from under federal regulation concerning buses. That rule says all buses must have wheelchair elevators. The department says if its request is Refused to the state plans to replace worn out buses. The state's plan to replace worn out buses may have to be cut back Steve Taylor reports. But the buses present impossible obstacles to people in wheelchairs even if they have a friend willing to pull them up inside the buses door may be too narrow for a wheelchair. That kind of frustration has caused organizations for the handicapped to push politicians for relief as a result of that pressure. The federal government now says every public bus must have a wheelchair lift.

This demonstrator bus gives you some idea of the hardware involved. New Jersey has 140 million dollars to spend on new buses. Plans are to buy eleven hundred of them by 1983 to replace beat up buses still on the street. Of those 11 hundred the state says it will put wheelchair lifts on 350 but it wants a waiver of federal rules so that the rest can be put on the street without lifts. If we don't get the waiver it's going to mean that we have to spend an additional 10 $15000 per additional to the 350 with the waiver option already on them. And that means we'll be able to buy fewer buses. I mean he will tell us somewhere between 50 and a hundred. So unless you get this variance be 50 to 100 fewer new buses on the road. Yes. Which means 50 to 100 more old buses which should be retired which are still in service. Yes. The Transportation Department also says not enough handicapped people use the state's bus system to justify putting lifts on each new bus.

It's expected that organizations for the handicapped will give the federal government their side of the story before a decision is made in Trenton. I'm Steve Taylor. This coming week will be a special one for Bishop Dominic Ferrara of Montclair Sunday he'll celebrate his 50th anniversary with the Catholic Church and a special mass at New York's Cathedral of the Sacred Heart. And then next Tuesday he will join Pope John Paul for the mass at Yankee Stadium. Phelps Hawkins visited with the bishop and has this report. The minute you enter the Verona father's mission center in Montclair you know you're in a different kind of Catholic residence a twenty foot python skin leading up the stairs is a first clue. Then you meet Bishop Norman who doesn't appear different at all until he recounts his evening meeting with a leopard in Africa and chasing it away by clapping his hands. That was just part of almost 30 years the bishop spent as a Catholic missionary in Central Africa. Now even though retired he's still very active in the church and very much

looking forward to Tuesday in Yankee Stadium as well and so often he can be gotten as we get that as a from from the from the pope just like this and I mean it's in crisis is not the image if you condemn it because it said the day before the voters sort of say yes the bishop has met this pope only once last July at the Vatican. But he sees in John Paul the second and overriding interest in dealing with people directly which is especially important to Bishop Ferrara who has a 50 year commitment to the peoples of the so-called third world such as Africa. Do you think there are important changes taking place in the Catholic Church right now Bishop. I think. So most of the taking of the big changes and maybe it's just to tell us clearly what to do. We had thought he would be mud exact let's we want to be a space because something that he's a confusion you see and there's playful thought of how to put the pup decide not these

but these that kind of religious guidance the bishop says is still needed in Africa and he hopes the pope will visit the troubled continent. Three of her own a father's missionaries in Uganda were killed last April by edia means soldiers in Montclair. I'm felt sockets. Now here's the weekend weather forecast for the state and I'm afraid it doesn't look very bright tonight will be cloudy with periods of rain the low temperatures will be in the upper 50s to low 60s tomorrow should continue to be cloudy and we can expect showers through the early afternoon. The highs will be in the upper 70s to near 80 and for Sunday it should be cloudy with a chance of showers high temperatures will be in the low 70s. It's Friday a busy day in sports.

Here's Bill Perry. Thank you Karen the next start for real two weeks from tonight at the Rutgers athletic center against Cleveland but last night the Nets got blown away at Madison Square Garden the final mix 126 nets 94 the Mets are now two and two in the preseason. The Knicks in their new white uniforms looked pretty good their young guys played well like Rookie guard Jeff Houston and first round draft choice Bill Cartwright. The big seven foot center the Nets have only three more exhibition games and they don't play again until next Wednesday when they meet the Atlanta Hawks in Norfolk Virginia. The roster move for the Giants today. Hello there you are Tony Green the kick returner has been cut off of lineman Brad Benson has been reactivated Is this the week. Bill Simms makes his debut in the first round draft choice hasn't played yet. The Giants play the one in three Saints in New Orleans Sunday and with chicken Randy dean at the controls the Giants have lost their first four ballgames coach Roy Perkins has indicated that Simms may get some playing time this week the kid looked real good in the preseason today at Giants Stadium. I asked him if he's ready to go. Thanks I think I'm ready to get some playing time in this weekend.

I'm pretty well prepared and I think the time Sonny comes around I'll know what's going on and you know I'm really looking forward to your point of view. Why are you more ready now than you were say four weeks ago. I mean how much have you learned. Well it's maybe not the part of learning I'm learning. You know I learn stuff every day and I just feel more comfortable with everything now and I'm going to work in our office more which has really helped me out a lot and you know I'm just going to work with that first team office which you can't replace you know the repetitions you get with them and in what you see on the practice field every day so I think that's what's really you know made a difference to me. And you expect to play Sunday. Yes I expect to get in sometime during game I don't you know I don't know how much or I really don't know for sure I will get in but I decided to get in and when I do I just want to make the best of it. No chance that you'll start. No I don't think so on. In fact I know gels will start in less. That's only fair he deserves a star in. I guess it depends on how things go how much I'll play or when I play.

And college football tomorrow the Garden State Big E rectors and Princeton at Princeton 130 the oldest college football rivalry in the nation dating back to 1869 will come to an end after next year's game. Rutgers is stepping up in class and Princeton has been dropped from the schedule but it's still a big game and for sure Rutgers wants to win it. Well I think it's very important. You know it's a very important football game and I would say years ago the Princeton game from the Rutgers point of view it was the football game you know if you beat Princeton you know you had a you had a real good football season. It's still one of the most important football games on our schedule without a doubt but we have several other games that we consider as important as a prince again. The Rutgers quarterback is Ed McMichael the Knights are to win one this season McMichael take on 61 percent of his passes. He and his teammates want the Princeton game to retain that New Jersey bragging rights. Do you know that Coach is showing them in practice you know you can't help but to get involved in nobody getting geared up for it.

The first annual Yogi Berra lite beer Grand Prix racquetball tournament is underway at Yankees club in Fairfield that's actually a third in a series of tournaments which began with earlier competition in July and August cumulative points will determine champions in the various divisions. Over 400 players are entered the finals are Sunday racquetball the latest in the West the fastest growing sports in America. Talbot is the pro at Yogi's club tournament director and participants. When I started in New Jersey in 74 when I retired from the service there were only two court two clubs with courts. Generally speaking in the state. Now there are 62 clubs and a lot more on the way. So it's really grown the appeal to the general public has been the ease of play a lady can come in in five or 10 minutes actually play the game where another 10 sports like tennis. Or handball or other more difficult sports it takes years really to learn to play professionally. And that's our Friday sports experience. New Jersey economists say can see no construction in Atlantic City will help offset the economy's current slump economic

indicators a monthly business magazine says this year's recession will be milder than in 1074 and 75 because of construction contracts and the demand for business machinery. But despite the gains the analysts forecast increased layoffs and a moderate rise in unemployment later this year. Unemployment in New Jersey went up to 7.1 percent in July but construction jobs are 800 ahead of last year. This has been a record setting year for bank robberies in New Jersey. It's been so bad. A retired FBI agent decided to teach classes and bank robbery prevention. The courses are being held at the Union County Police Academy. That's where red Wells went today as a group of officers finish their training session. This attempted robbery at an Irving to bank on September 10th failed but not before two men were killed and a third was captured here at the United county's trust company this morning there was also a holdup but it took place in a basement classroom with play money and the participants were students in a robbery prevention course the holdup team

is really a pair of police officers. The tellers are bank trainees. The tellers are taught to remain calm and remember as many people possible in mass panic. They all take is actually died very seriously and the director of the program who was chief of security at the bank says they've already had positive results. When we had earlier this year one of our branches and Linden one of the new tellers who was involved in a mock hold up. She was out one month in the branch out of this course out of this course and she was involved in a hold up. And from the information she gave the police the police were able to make an apprehension of two individuals within three blocks from the bank robbery the FBI says bank robberies have doubled in New Jersey in 1979. Police departments and bank officials are now spending money and committing personnel in an attempt to reverse that trend. I'm red well now.

A. There's a special conference at Trenton State College tomorrow for women who want to know how to start and maintain their own businesses. That's also the subject of tonight's sound off with commentator 0 Tambora lane. Women account for over half of this country's population. They own less than 5 percent of

its businesses. New Jersey is typical. Studies conducted by the Rutgers Small Business Development Center found that women entrepreneurs face dozens of obstacles which their male counterparts never encounter. This problems are directly related to women's inability to obtain capital and credit. The federal government through the Small Business Administration has been less than encouraging. Only 2 percent of the business is owned by New Jersey women have ever obtained major funding from any government program. Recognizing this inequality. President Carter has issued an executive order creating a National Women's Business Enterprise policy. The executive order established guidelines for eliminating barriers to women doing business with the federal government. US departments and agencies have also been directed to take affirmative action to promote women owned business enterprises. On September 29 Trenton State College will be the site of a major conference on business ownership for New Jersey women in

conjunction with this event. Governor Brendan Byrne should follow the president's example and issue an executive order recognizing the problems faced by women entrepreneurs. The governor should also establish a state commission on womens business enterprise which would help promote and increase the number of women owned businesses in New Jersey. Such actions would be good business. There are plenty of other things to do around the state this weekend besides the Women's Conference. You can dance out September with a body trip to the Highlands of Scotland but New Jersey here is Diana London. Take the high road or the low road but take it to the Scottish heritage festival at the Garden State Arts Center decides the Scottish music jigs and food will be a demonstration of just how Scottish dogs heard the woman. The festival starts tomorrow at 10 at the Garden State Arts Center in Holmdel. Ticket prices

range from three to $10. It's not October yet but that's not stopping Wildwood. They're having an old fashioned Bavarian October fest with German music and Professor Irwin Corey to offer some wit and wisdom that will be on Saturday and Sunday from one in the morning at Wildwood convention hall on 57 Wildwood Avenue. Admission is $4 for adults and a dollar for children. They'll be more than six hours of entertainment tomorrow at this year's festival on the green in Union Township. The festival has drawn thousands from music crafts and fun for the family. It starts tomorrow at 11:00 in the morning and dusk at Freiburg park in union. At the Bergen mall this weekend you can shop and treat your kids to a marionette show at the same time. The phantom children's theater is presenting Once upon an arc a play based on the Bible story of Noah original marionettes and original music tells the tale. This Saturday at 11:30 and two o'clock at the Bergen Brown this

take it's our two twenty five and beginning next Saturday they'll be another marionette show at the mall called The Princess and the Pea. Have a good weekend. Once again our top story two more defendants have pleaded guilty in the don't Joan Dietrich kidnapping case. That means three of the five suspected arrested have now confessed to their part in the July abduction of the Patterson banker's wife. And finally this reminder beginning Monday the rebroadcast of the New Jersey nightly news will be seen at 7:00 a.m. on 13 rather than 8:00. And that's the news for Bill Perry on parents good night from New Jersey. New Jersey Nightly News is a joint presentation of New Jersey Public Television and

W1. When I say it's annoyance.

But more exhibition games and they don't play again until next Wednesday when they meet the Atlanta Hawks in Norfolk Virginia. Roster move for the Giants today. Hello there you are Tony Green the kick returner has been cut off once of lineman Brad Benson has been reactivated Is this the week Bill Simms makes his debut with the first round draft choice hasn't played yet. The Giants play the one in three Saints in New Orleans Sunday and with jumper star chicken Randy dean at the controls the Giants have lost their first four ballgames coach Roy Perkins has indicated. The Nets have only three more exhibition games and they don't play again until next Wednesday when they meet the Atlanta Hawks in Norfolk Virginia.