Friday, February 8, 1980; NJN News

Senator Williams remains the focus of Abscam stories but he's staying in the public eye. In sports the nets trade Calvin not to Portland Maurice Lucas and draft choices come here and there is an arrest in the murder of Trenton socialite Stockton. In. New Jersey Nightly News with Karen Stone and Bill Perry with sports. Good evening. The latest developments in the FBI is Abscam probe continue to focus on U.S. senator Harrison Williams today a Long Island newspaper reported Williams allegedly tried to arrange a 100 million dollar loan from undercover agents to finance construction of Atlantic City casino. Newsday quotes sources who say Williams wanted a loan to develop the Ritz Carlton Hotel. The senator's wife Jeanette is currently a consultant for the company planning to build that hotel and Newsday quotes a source who says he saw videotapes of a New York City meeting between Williams and

agents posing as Arab business representatives. Williams has remained virtually unflappable throughout all this. His only comment seems to be no comment. Despite all the stories and leaks he says he continues to look at things positively. But today Williams took a few shots at the way the scandal was leaked and how it's been handled by the news media. This reaction during a taping of W 20 to 30s Dateline New Jersey and Virginia studio the moderator Dick Liel. Certainly you were reading editorials were really reading columnists and they're analyzing it. And. They find so much to condemn about methods and procedures. And. Just broadly and basically there is so much wrong so much wrong with methods and procedures and so. Do you. Want to share with us that really something about your feelings. This has probably been a unique weekend. In your career and I know you

spoke recently at the state Chamber of Commerce dinner about. Some of those things and you got. Actually pretty positive reaction. Maybe you could share some of those feelings with our audience. I come to all this personally knowing who I am what I am and what I've done and I know that. I have done nothing. That is wrongful. So I come with confidence and positive to all of this. The entire interview can be seen Sunday night at 6:30 on 23:13. That dinner Senator Williams and we were talking about was the Forty-Second annual Chamber of Commerce dinner in Washington last night. But this year's festivities were overshadowed by Abscam Marium are also has more. New. Jersey politicians and businessmen have been making this annual pilgrimage to

Washington to the Chamber of Commerce dinner since 1937. It's come to provide a kind of reference point watermark for the ebb and flow of political fortunes. A lot can happen here at a crowded cocktail party. You can see a state cabinet official who's joining the casino industry. The state senator has just been indicted in a year political fortunes change he vowed sometimes painful. Sometimes as Senator Hutchison Williams learned you have to walk back out from the media. When things turn painful. A politician's best defense. And medicine. Is laughter. This little business card was handed out at the dinner and it was typical of some of the Abscam jokes going around. It reads to an Arab sheiks would like to meet honest New Jersey businessmen. We buy and sell oil gold silver casinos legislators or legislature worst individual politicians or entire political parties. We are an equal opportunity

by our will by minority party politicians if they can produce. In his speech at the dinner governor Byrne said he was teaching a course at Princeton University. But he was having a problem. It was. You. Really good to be that. And even Williams himself poked fun at his own situation two or three weeks ago. One newspaper you were

speculating and some of them might be thinking about running for governor and saying well maybe it wasn't worth this. I'm sure you might be thinking about running for governor for two or three maybe more. It would be wiser for me to find some way to do this newspapers. So they come in this often supportive crowd. Williams was frank about his problems. This is my bad. He gave indications that he wasn't going to quit. I will be joining you again next time for a celebration of everything that makes New Jersey a truly great

idea. But. Even in painful times politicians will do what they do best. Glad handing back slapping hobnobbing. Mingling with those they regulate at Caesar's hospitality suite. And those they represent in Washington. I'm Mary Amoruso. One of the jersey businessmen involved in the Abscam scandal is Joseph sylvestris. He's a real estate agent who allegedly introduced Senator Joseph Morasca and others to undercover agents at Manahan reports. Of us repay me the sum of $10000. Which was a it. Who is Joseph sylvestris. An FBI agent or a New Jersey businessman Silvestri is accused of luring four members of Congress and two state legislators into a meeting with FBI agents posing as Arab sheiks in the Abscam operation. His associates say he is a

financier operating his business out of this house in Keyport Silvestri is reported to have made a million dollars in recent years promoting housing developments for low and middle income families. Silvestri claims when he gave state senator Joseph Caressa $10000 three months ago he was acting on what he thought was a legitimate investment deal in the Abscam operation Silvestri reportedly acted as a contact between these so-called Arab investors and Congressman William Hughes of Ocean City Congressman James Florio of Camden. Congressman Edward Patton of Perth Amboy and Senator Larry Pressler of South Dakota reportedly none of them are under federal investigation. Silvestri is also said to have been a contact in the Abscam operation with state senator Angello Eric ketty of Camden and state senator Joseph Marrissa of Waterford who are under federal investigation. Joseph sylvestris made an 11:30 appointment with us last Wednesday when we arrived

we were invited in but told he was called out suddenly on business. So for three days we tried to contact his attorney. I'll do codas of Newark. Mr. Dakotas was finally available for comment today. He told us his client Joseph sylvestris was simply doing his job as a real estate agent in dealing with the Arab investors so that it was not he for his own reasons. That sort of these public officials but rather because the agents asked him to bring these people to him. Did he ever question it. I don't think he ever thought that the fact that the investors in this country would like to meet legislators on the federal and state level. I don't think that's too sylvestris political connections have been scrutinized before. Last summer he claimed he had to pay $60000 to do business with the New Jersey Housing Finance Agency. Sylvestris said he paid money to former deputy commissioner of Community Affairs Daniel Horgan who denied any wrongdoing but then resigned as executive director of the Democratic National Committee.

This time charges may be brought against Joseph sylvestris a federal grand jury in new will soon begin investigating the New Jersey phase of Abscam. But it may be months before it's known whether sylvestris was an unwitting innocent agent of the FBI or one of the alleged criminals in the Abscam probe. In Newark. I'm Kent Manahan. A 24 year old drifter was arraigned today and the rape murder of Trenton socialite Emma Jane Stockton Keith Earl Alford was already in jail for the murder of an elderly Hamilton Township woman last December. Police say Alford is the person who raped MS Stockton on November 11th and then murder her in a savage attack almost a month later. Ms Stockton was a descendant of a signer of the Declaration of Independence and she was active in local redevelopment efforts and had been a patron of the arts. A general alarm fire is raging through the Patterson police station. The Patterson fire department is out in full force at the scene. In addition to several units from the Clifton and Passaic. Systems the fire began in the

station's basement around 4:00 this afternoon. No injuries were reported so far and fire officials say everyone got out safely. President Carter is asking men and women 19 and 20 to be registered for the draft probably by signing up at post offices across the country. But New Jersey's Secretary of State Donald land says he will introduce legislation allowing them to register to vote and for selective service at the same time. In a letter to the state's congressional delegation Lande said his proposal would encourage young people to vote. He said voter participation in New Jersey has dropped in the past 20 years. Meanwhile army officials are saying plans for improving facilities at Fort Dix should not be taken as a sign. Basic training there is secure. Defense Department plans call for a $1.2 billion worth of improvements in the basic sewage treatment facility. The project is part of 8.3 million dollars worth of construction for all New Jersey military installations. The future of basic training operations at Fort Dix has been uncertain since 1972 when the number of Army recruits

began to drop significantly. But last October Defense Department officials said it would leave the base intact temporarily and review its status within a year and a half. Public service electric and gas company says it will continue to press for a three hundred seventy four million dollar rate hike despite an administrative law judges recommendation for a lower amount. The judge recommended a 211 million dollar increase. And he also okayed the Angie's proposal to raise another $140 million during the next 28 months. But company officials said today it will ask the State Board of Public Utilities for its original request. The full board is expected to make its decision within a month. And yesterday we told you that public general public utilities the New Jersey based owners of a Three Mile Island nuclear reactor had eliminated a dividend for the first time in the company's history. Well there was more bad news for you today. The company said it suffered a 31 percent decrease in earnings last year. The Three-Mile Island

accident was blamed when New Jersey voters approved a $475 million bond issue last November. The money was supposed to go for mass transportation renovations in the state. But if the legislature doesn't allocate those funds as soon the renovation projects will stop. Kent Manahan has the story. The bond money and matching federal grants are supposed to fund a 2 billion dollar project for upgrading that transportation systems in this state. Although voters approved selling bonds to raise money for the renovations last November the legislature must now vote on how to spend it. If the lawmakers don't act on the matter before they recess in three weeks the State Department of Transportation will have to spend months reapplying for the matching funds. That delay could prompt the renovation plan as much as two years. According to transportation officials 245 million of the bond money will generate an eight hundred eighty six million dollar program for rehabilitation of state highways. One hundred and fifty million of the bond money will mean an $863 billion

project for rail and bus improvements in the state. And the remaining 80 million of the bond money will generate. Three hundred and forty million. Dollars for a program to upgrade local and county roadways. A transportation representative put it this way. The money is there. Why don't we go after it. In Trenton. I'm can't manage it. And now here's the weather forecast for the state tonight will be fair and cold with temperatures in the mid teens inland and in the mid 20s along the coast. There is snow in the forecast for Saturday and Sunday. Tomorrow should be cloudy with highs in the mid 30s and some snow developing late in the day. And Sunday it will be mostly cloudy with some light snow expected. The Nats will have a new face on the squad soon. Here's Bill Perry with details. Right.

Thank you Karen and have made a deal. And this one's a biggie. Say goodbye to Calvin that and that's number one draft choice in 1979 goes to Portland for Maurice Lucas and to number one draft choice is the trailblazers will part with either their own number one pick or San Diego this year whichever is better early apartment acquired San Diego's pick and next year the Nats will get Golden State's number one again Portland acquired that picked previously Calvin that has been a super rookie for the Nets he's average nineteen point seven points per game and over nine rebounds per game. Nat has also demonstrated that he is an outstanding defensive ballplayer. If you're a viewer of this program you've heard Kevin Lockerby call him not a great one and a winner. But the Nets have let them go for Lucas a muscle forward and hope for the future in the form of those draft choices. Lucas will not play tonight for the Nets but he should be in uniform Sunday when the Nets host Seattle tonight. Meanwhile the nets are at home against the L.A. Lakers and their super rookie Magic Johnson. It's a sell out. Also today Portland St. guard Lionel Hollins to the Philadelphia 76 years in return for a number one pick the $68000 presidential series

final was won at the Meadowlands last night the winning time. One minute fifty six seconds the fastest mile of the season. Picking it up down the stretch to the inside. Now Brittney road and Maple Lane strike making a very strong move on broche splurge stay in game pants gypsey along side Pats Gypsys get the top Pats gypsey takes it. Last night we ran a story on the Rutgers Newark volleyball team today. They played Penn State and a match to determine Eastern supremacy. Bill mowin was there. The Rutgers Penn State volleyball game is not an age old rivalry dating back to 1976 when these two Eastern powers get together they take each other quite seriously. Well Rutgers won this afternoon decisively winning three straight at the best of five series in the opening game. Rutgers was just warming up. The final was 15 11 but in Game 2 The Scarlet Knights had their hands full in attempting to tame the lions. Rutgers was behind early on with FINISH STRONG to capture a 15 12 victory and in the third game

Rutgers gave the visitors a lesson in volleyball. Rutgers scored first and went on a nine point run before Penn State picked up that point instead which is. What this year. And we got new coaches. You know. I wanted the team to win with this school but I had no idea what kind of team is representing Penn State. Rutgers will attempt to remain undefeated next Tuesday when they host Springfield at Rutgers in Newark. I'm Bill Bowen. Basketball volleyball How about tennis. The indoor collegiate Tennis Championships continue at Princeton. Last night the host Tigers beat Euston 72 and the fifth seeded Tigers me California Berkeley in an eight o'clock match tonight Cal-Berkeley seeded third the top seeded team Stanford beat Southern Illinois Edwardsville 7 2 last night. The cardinals meet Arkansas tonight. The 16 team field will be trimmed to 4 by tomorrow semi's at 4 and 8 then the finals will be held Sunday at 10:00 in the morning. You haven't heard much about James Scott as of late we have learned that talks are underway.

James Scott negotiating with Rod Muhammad his promoter and Don King perhaps that James Scott fight back at Rahway in April. Karen that's it. Busy day. Thank you Phil.. And tonight sound off. Commentator Tom O'Neil takes a look at a group called the street walkers. Almost everybody talks about the environment. But to paraphrase Mark Twain not nearly enough people do anything about it. But there is a group in the state which is doing something about it. They're called stream walkers an outgrowth of the state's public interest research group. The street walkers patrol New Jersey's waterways looking for water pollution and water polluters. A recent survey by the student funded organization found that almost half of New Jersey's industries are still pouring wastes into the state streams and they're doing that seven years after the passage of federal legislation outlawing such industrial discharges without a permit. The reason so many industries are violating the law is because no government agency is doing what the street walkers do. The dull slogging work of patrolling every foot of streams and following the discharge pipes back to their source.

As private citizens the street walkers have no enforcement powers. They can only report their findings to state or federal officials and hope they will take the needed legal action to clean up the waste. Too frequently no action is taken. The street walkers findings are a useful reminder that even the best law is no good unless it is enforced. I'm Tom O'Neil. A.

Somerville judge heard testimony today that Ruggiero Richy the boat boy Ardo is too ill to stand the rigors of a long trial. Boy Ardo who is 18 I was indicted last May along with several other reputed mobsters on murder extortion and loan sharking charges. State authorities say that they will prove the existence of an organized crime network. The trial slated to begin next month. The judge said another hearing later this month on boy Zardoz request more than 800000 people over the age of 65 now live in New Jersey. Ranking our elderly population the ninth largest in the nation to handle this growing number of older residents. Health care professionals have created a unique kind of community living. Susan this loss has more. He's 90 years old. But Bill Mearns still leads a productive independent life. He has his own apartment but it's not the kind you find in most complex mental Lake's retirement community here Mercer County is an experiment in housing for senior citizens and it seems to be working just fine.

If you a home when you go to keep that up. You want to go home and live alone. This is really the answer. I don't know of any such you know Lakes is one of only a handful statewide a unique life care facility offering a pleasant alternative to the traditional nursing home. The big difference is residents actively choose to spend the rest of their lives here and all their needs are taken care of. We have. Full time medical care. There's a doctor available 24 hours every day and physically present every day. There are nurses available around the clock. Meals are served in a congregate dining room three meals a day a heavy laundry is taking care of housekeeping heavy housekeeping is performed for the president so that. Their needs are. Met in all areas of. Activities of daily living.

And for those who can no longer maintain their own apartment they are medically supervised rooms. But residents don't feel as if they in a hospital setting because they can make it look just like home with all their old furniture and decorations. But perhaps the most important social service residents get comes from one another. We don't have an income. We don't need to make time for senior mental aches operates through 11 federally subsidized programs with residents paying about $800 a month for all expenses. Admittedly a bit steep for those on fixed incomes more life care communities like Meadow lakes are being planned throughout the state. But many health care professionals feel the planning being done is far from adequate especially considering that the nation's elderly population is expected to reach 55 million by the year 2030. And according to one doctor. If we don't start unifying our efforts right now we're going to fall for short meeting some basic human needs. In Hightstown. I'm Susan these laws.

If you've got a bad case of the winter blahs this may be the weekend to shake them off. There's dance theatre art and jazz. Here's Dan of London with a look at what's happening. This weekend. New Jersey will have a visit from the Alvin Ailey repertory ensemble that's an offshoot of the larger Alvin Ailey Dance Company. The ensemble is made up of talented younger dancers who will someday become part of the elite first company. They'll be performing this weekend at Montclair State College highlighting the program is a dance to Duke Ellington's piece deep south sweet showtimes of Saturday and Sunday at 8:30 in the Memorial Auditorium at the college in Upper Montclair in South Jersey. Ocean City Arts Center is having an exhibition of paintings and drawings this weekend. Dorothy pier and Walters Stella will show some of their work pier uses soft subdued colors and works with oils and watercolors that were best known for his quick sketch drawings and portraits. He also designs costumes and head dresses for the Pennsylvania Ballet and you'll be able to see those this Saturday from 10 to

4 at the Art Center for 0 9. Wesley Avenue in Ocean City in theater this weekend the West Essex play crafters are doing a production of wait until dark which you might have seen on television or at the movies. The story is about a blind woman who's taken captive in her apartment by three burglars. Curtain goes up on Friday and Saturday at 8:30 at Grover Cleveland Junior High School Academy Road in Caldwell. There's music and all that jazz in Oakland this weekend Indian Hills High School is holding their annual Jazz Workshop and concert. Thirty five. More. Jazz musicians. There to perform and school buses. Will be displays and the end of day will end with a concert. Course. Feature. White. Cloud. Nine from bones. It takes place miles starting. In the morning. High school 97 local Ave.. In Oakland. Tickets are $12 for the entire day. Seven. Just one. Concert. And finally a suggestion to get an early start on Valentine's Day.

The Morris Museum of Arts and Sciences is inviting you to come down and make your own Valentine cards. They'll help you out with the materials. And if you're not feeling creative you may want to get some ideas from a display of cards that were made in past years. That's tomorrow from 3:58 on Normandy Heights road in Morristown. Have a good weekend. And this story about two thousand chickens who won't be having a good weekend. The chickens were part of a farming program at the Essex County Correctional Center. But even though they were providing eggs for guards and inmates the program was costing the county too much. So the chickens were released and sold to the garden state poultry in Farmington. Just a short stop on the way to Campbell's and a bowl of chicken soup. And that's our report. Good night for the New Jersey nightly news. New Jersey Nightly News is a joint presentation of New Jersey Public Television and w t t.