New Jersey Nightly News; New Jersey Nightly News Episode from 09/16/1980

We are what we are. Governor Byrne reports his emergency water measures are working. The cosmos may have to play without Franz Beckenbauer Sunday and soccer ball ladylove the story tonight in sports and will also visit a shore community that's gaining fame as a moving making location. As the nightly news with Sharon Stone and believe me schools. Want money. Good evening. New Jersey's drought crisis is nearly a week old but in a burn released some encouraging news today a state report shows his mandatory ban on non-essential water use is working 88 North Jersey towns are affected by the bad which is expected to still continue indefinitely. The Hackensack and Commonwealth water companies

each reported an average reduction of 13 percent in water usage since last week. Business and industry are exempt from the governor's ban however but some companies are voluntarily conserving. Raj Wells reports. The largest selling beer in the country is brewed in Newark and in the process the company uses nearly a million gallons of water a day. But that is considered an essential commercial use of water. And last Friday from Governor Brown does not affect business uses of water. Some corporations however are cutting back on unnecessary use of water. Most major companies have completely eliminated lawn sprinkling the chemical company in Morris Township plans to use tanker trucks to draw water from their pond to water flowers and shrubs. Some companies say they will eliminate window washing in the hosing down of delivery trucks until this emergency is over. Although most large corporations are implementing conservation procedures many small businesses and private individuals say there's not much they can do to conserve and others simply refuse. The state has

been depending on local municipalities to enforce the governor's ban. But in this case the borough of East Hanover was watering the municipal little league field an activity that the state would certainly consider non-essential. This golf course in Essex Fells continued to water the fairways and greens today. And because this is a commercial enterprise the sprinkling is permitted. What would happen to this course you've got to stop watering right now. I've no doubt about it definitely. Specially the hill and the Greens and within a matter of a day this caretaker was watering shrubs at an apartment complex in Newark. But because this is residential It is not permitted. You know it's against the law. Thousand dollar fine and possible jail for watering the lawn into an oh erratic right about a hundred yards from the police department. I know. Oh Boehner go to. Tomorrow the state emergency task force will meet to assess the effect of the governor's ban. Some state officials say if the ban in its current form does not appear to be producing the desired results

what may be considered essential today could be banned tomorrow. In West Orange. I'm red with. North Jersey is not alone in trying to cope with the state's drought. Officials of the Farmers Home Administration say all of South Jersey will soon be declared a crop disaster area making farmers eligible for federal aid. The FHA says low cost federal loans would go to farmers who can prove that their profits will drop 20 percent from last year. Last time South Jersey was declared a crop disaster area was in 1977. But then the problem was the reverse. Too much rain. Meanwhile a coalition of state farmers said today the proposed master plan for the pylons would make it tough for them to stay in business. The farmers deliver that message directly to Governor Byrne at a hearing in Toronto. Steve Taylor was there. It is not often that the governor himself calls a public hearing but today when Brendan Byrne called for comments on proposed limits to development in the South Jersey plan lands the farmers were already

450 of them had banded together to pay for a study which said the plan lands plan will cost six hundred fifty three million dollars in lost property values. One hundred two million from farmers who pledge their lands valued tomorrow operating cash. This plan is going to have a serious utility and continue with their normal production agriculture in the area. The plan would impose varying limits to development in a million acres of South Jersey. The idea is to protect the environment especially the groundwater. The governor is deciding now whether to approve the plan. Today's hearing environmentalists said he should continue the imaginative process he started and not be distracted by the few special interests fighting the concept. Most of those who are in opposition either haven't bothered to read the plan or don't want to understand it. But farmers real estate developers and some politicians said they did understand the plan and they urged the governor to reject it in its present form.

The two U.S. congressmen who represent most of the pine lands were here today. William Hughes and Edwin Forsyth have both criticized the Pinelands plan. They've also indicated that if Governor Byrne approves that plan they may try to block it in Washington at the state house in Trenton. So Montclair residents are without power this evening as the result of two electrical explosions early this afternoon. One was a construction site the other at a sub power station of public service electric and gas company. The first explosion went off when a piece of equipment struck an underground electrical cable triggering a second explosion and fire at the nearby substation. At least two people were injured and 11000 residents and businesses lost power. Power has been restored to many of those people. PFC Energy is installing additional generators and hopes to have full power restored to the area sometime tonight. The former head of the Nevada Gaming Control Board told the Casino Control Commission today that

he warned a Caesars world President Clifford Perlman not to make any business deals with a suspected mob figure. Philip Pathans testimony came on the fourth day of hearings on whether to grant Caesar's boardwalk Regency a permanent casino license and often told the commissioners Perlman was a partner in a country club with an associate of Meyer Lansky. Mr. NORMAN the Elven Melnyk was a person who had some reputational problems primarily as a result of certain books and newspaper articles written by a man named Messick. That those allegations were that Melnyk one. Close associate of. A man known as Maya Lansky the Lansky in turn was reputed to allege to be. A crime figure within the organized

crime group in the United States. The New Jersey attorney general's office has recommended that Caesar's be denied its license because of Perlman's alleged underworld ties. Among the many groups watching to see what because you know gambling goes to Atlantic City is the New Jersey coalition of religious leaders. That group made up of all faiths toward parts of Atlantic City and talked with community leaders there today. Members were most interested in seeing what gambling has done to the poor and elderly. Don Torrance reports. Problems problems like housing and unemployment have been on the minds of coalition members for years. Today was a chance for them to see what impact gambling Atlantic City's promised Savior has had on those problems. For some it was the first chance. One of the things I hope that the religious leadership is willing to do is to be a voice for the voiceless and to be an advocate for those people who need advocacy. In the process we obviously need to learn a great deal about the situation. This is my first visit to a headline exciting in its casinos pose a moral dilemma or

two for many church leaders they have to deal with it even though many oppose it and think it's filled with empty promises of economic recovery. Many also feel the poor and old have already been written off. But the unspoken plan for Atlantic City is to drive the poor out for good. Many of the poor people's groups who are hosting the church leaders today are skeptical about the visit they're not sure what kind of good it can do but they always hope there are one or two individuals who might lend their support or influence to the cause of the poor in Atlantic City. So it's no coincidence the first spot visited by the church leaders was in this area off New Jersey Avenue in the inlet section of the city. And a lot of gutted buildings here soon to be torn down to make room for parking lots for casino bound buses. Many coalition members haven't ended their fight against gambling and church leaders still get out their message that gambling isn't the answer for every economic problem. They admit having a tough time gaining converts in Atlantic City. I'm Don Torrance. Meanwhile Atlantic City teachers have approved a new two year contract. The Education Association there agreed to 34 percent pay hikes by 1982.

That will boost an average teacher's salary to twenty one thousand five hundred dollars a year. That's up from 16000 much controversy surrounded those contract talks teachers often complain they make far less than casino employees who can earn up to $25000 a year. And they were judged today recommend a Jersey Central Power and Light Company be denied a 78 Mayle million dollar rate hike. The preliminary ruling comes one month after the utility requested the increase to cover rising energy costs. It's now up to the State Board of Public utilities to make a final decision. And now here is the weather forecast for the sate tonight will be partly cloudy with a chance of showers toward morning. Temperatures will be in the upper 50s to low 60s. It will be partly cloudy again tomorrow with another chance of showers highs will be in the mid to upper 70s. And the outlook for Thursday more clouds but mild temperatures. Plans for the state takeover of New Jersey's largest bus company are expected to be

formalized during a special meeting tomorrow in Trenton. Agreement has apparently been reached for the state's new Mass Transit Corporation. New Jersey transit to take over the bus company transport of New Jersey transport of New Jersey is now owned by public service electric and gas. Once that takeover is completed the new publicly owned bus system is expected to be expanded and upgraded. Meanwhile additional good news for commuters on the Raritan Valley Railroad today. New Jersey Transit's board has authorized the purchase of 13 million dollars worth of new diesel electric locomotives for that line. The new locomotives along with newly ordered passenger coaches will replace the fleet now serving commuters. They're generally considered the worst equipment on any rail line in the state. But it's time now for sports news. Here's Bill Perry. OK thank you Karen the cosmos may have to play without superstar Franz Beckenbauer Sunday and soccer ball 80 in Washington against Fort Lauderdale France suffered a pulled muscle late in the game last Saturday which the cosmos won 3 1 overall a win which put them into the soccer ball this

morning. The Cosmos practiced on the grass field at Giants stadium they'll play on grass Sunday at RFK in DC Franz was absent. And would that be a shame if Beck and Barack couldn't play he's already announced that this is his final season with the cosmos a farewell game has been planned for next Wednesday at Giants Stadium to honor the departing Kaiser after today's practice I talked to Cosmos coach Dennis Weiss while about the back and power situation. Coach you're Frons can play Sunday. How are you I know. I don't know. I hope that you can play. But that moment makes a statement and we go to Washington and hope that you can play. If it's no go for France look for Ricky Davis to get the start at midfield Sunday against Fort Lauderdale two weeks from Saturday Rocky Lockridge will fight for the World Boxing Association version of the featherweight title Rockies from Paterson he's only 21 years old last September. Rocky won the New Jersey State featherweight title

beating Gerald Hayes on a unanimous decision. Then. The flight went 12 rounds on February 19th Rocky became the United States Boxing Association by the way can't be stopped. On that day in the seventh round. Today Rocky and the WNBA champ Ron handed a giant stadium press conference the fight will be held on October 4th at the Playboy Club at Great Gorge hydros is from Panama. He's held the title since April of one thousand seventy eight and he's made nine successful title defenses Rocky says no problem. I asked him for a prediction. If I don't go past 10 rounds I wonder whether I'm going to stop in many. Take him out in seven no anything like that I'm going to say that fight will not go beyond this.

When the Redskins beat the Giants 23 21 Sunday it was a special one for Joe Theismann the Washington quarterback out of South River had never won a Giants Stadium Joe would come back to jersey four times before Sunday and he came up empty each time 5min acknowledged the jinx but he finally beat it. He ran for a touchdown and he threw for a touchdown but the big thing for Joe. He beat the jinx. He didn't come back home now it's been and it hasn't. Every time I've traveled east everybody said you can't beat the Giants in a metal answer. Today I feel like a bigger Meadowlands and the Giants but first of all the Meadowlands So that's one of those things that's been put away. It's I was the first Redskin quarterback to play here. I won't be the last hope. And but at least I've beaten and I've beaten my own mental. Problem about the Meadowlands. There's peace and harmony at the nets training camp Michael Karna signed an accounting for the Nets now have 18 players in camp seven must go to get down to the 11 man regular season roster limit that sports.

OK Bill thank you. Governor Brewer has agreed to give a reprieve to Newark homeowners who face an average of one hundred twelve percent increase in their property taxes. Those New York tax hikes the result of a citywide revaluation were scheduled to take effect in January. But Burns action will delay the hikes until a state study of tax problems across New Jersey is completed. Yesterday some 10000 signatures petitioning the governor for that reprieve were presented to burn many of those petitioners and some New York officials were seeking a five year delay of any tax revaluation. But the governor said that would be unconstitutional his action however could delay the revaluation up to two years. The House Commerce Committee today approved a bill that might open the way for a commercial VHF station in New Jersey. The bill was an amendment sponsored by New Jersey Congressman Andrew McGuire that requires the Federal Communications Commission to assign a VHF license to New Jersey. The next time one becomes available in New York or Pennsylvania RKO general the company that owns New York's Channel 9 may lose its broadcast license because of trade irregularities. A major exhibition of Russian art

has opened in Jersey City. The only one exhibit of its kind in the United States. It's also an official art of the art of Soviet dissidents. And the fact that this exhibit is to be permanently located in Jersey City indicates that city may be becoming the soviet a cultural center in America. Phelps Hawkins has a report. In an older section of Jersey City near the waterfront immigrants from the Soviet Union have left their mark the headquarters for the tight community is the Freedom Institute. Now the home of the Museum of Soviet unofficial art and a meeting place for the five hundred Russian writers and artists who live in the area. It'll probably be difficult for many Americans to understand the emotions the artworks here depict and evoke. But as you enter the building you can find photos of the artists themselves. Many of them now out of Russia. But others are not. The photos follow the visitor up the stairs to the exhibit the faces han't at the power of the art to come. There are a hundred and thirty eight paintings in place but 200

more are still in storage awaiting fundraising efforts aimed at a new museum. Most are from the collection of this man Alexander Glaser. He's the controversial Russian poet who staged the art exhibit outside Moscow in 1974 which was destroyed by police and KGB agents using bulldozers. The paintings were then burned through translator Joseph's neighborhood director of the Institute. Glaser spoke about art in Russia and the impact of Marxist Leninist idiology. De partie his goal to show its collective farms to paint you know if they want to accent on them talk to them or you know to show people they have to show fuck their workers you know it's like which way they want to walk. Much of the art is simply powerful. The political like this piece called

Stop the idyllic restricted from the government buildings in the background. And then the abstract. But almost all have an element of agony. The torture of artistic oppression and that laser in this neighborhood say is why Russian artists head for the artistic freedom this country offers. There are still those tough moments though like today when Alexander Glazer received an anonymous hand scrawled note in the mail it said. You degenerate devils destroyed Russia with your Jew communism and now you seek to do the same here in America and not in Jersey City. I'm still talking. Republican presidential candidate Ronald Reagan introduced his economic program last week

and that has inspired tonight's at issue with our commentators Tom Kane and Dick Leon. Dick there is probably no more important problem for the state of New Jersey than what the next president does about the economy. We've got unemployment inflation everything else. So it's important I guess that Ronald Reagan came out with his economic program the other day featured a program which would cut government spending at the federal level. Which would really unleash business by cutting a lot of the regulations on the business community and those controversial pro-pot of it I think was a proposal for a tax cut that he's made before the so called Kemp-Roth proposal where he plans to have a 30 percent tax decrease for the individual spread out over three years. When you think of it I think it's probably the worst idea major party candidates put forward in my memory. You know we have an overheated economy inflation going up again it was 18 19 percent earlier in the year we still haven't got it down under 10 percent.

One of the things it's clear is that too much money in the economy will pump it up it will lead to excess demand. Now there are a group of economists who I think are frankly trying to pander to a particular part of the political segment who invented the notion that you can cut taxes put more money back into the general public's economy. They will not spend it in ways which are inflationary. They've also said government will get back more tax money so you won't have to reduce government spending and everybody will be happy. I may be a wonderful invention but it doesn't work everything we know about the system is that it won't work at the total tax rate on individuals may be too high as a percentage of their total income. But in fact in this situation we have to group bring it down very gradually very slowly. I think it shows that Reagan is having difficulty grasping these concepts and I think it shows that he's going to hurt the country in the economic area if he ever implemented them. Dick I couldn't disagree with you more I think it's I think it's a good proposal I think it's the only imagine of

proposal we've had in the economic area in some time. I imagine that the alternative to that is to do what we've been doing which she which means 20 percent inflation which means joblessness which means everything else. This does not cut the overall rate of money the government can spend. This just cuts the rate of increase we get all this business with the Social Security tax increase with the increase in so-called bracket creep where because of inflation every year we're in a higher tax bracket so even though there's no tax increase each of us individually pay more money to government and the result of BN has been over the last four years of this administration that the average individual is paid to the average family of four anyway is paid about $5000 more in taxes now. Now what Reagan is suggesting the idea that you cut this back don't let government spend the money give it to people to spend it with the people to invest. Productivity investment and that's going to produce an economy that's moving again that will produce I think

more jobs and that I think is a very good proposal and one that I hope he does get elected implement. Well you know the guy that if you were an honest conservative in this case and said he wanted to cut back government spending and cut back the revenues government has I might even be a little soft around the issue when we could use a dose of five. Fasting and in the public sector back to what he and his advisors Professor Laffer and what Congressman from New York and other people have said is that that won't happen. We're going to get even more government tax receipts because the economy is going to boom we're going to be able to spend more money not less money and at least as much as we're spending. I don't think that that's the traditional free lunch idea which one sees in every election. I think it demonstrates an unwillingness to bite the bullet. Everybody is for lower taxes as a political statement that statement I want to cut taxes. I don't think there's any content at all. I'm surprised that Reagan is gone in that direction I think it's an attractive illusion it's imaginative but it's to be catastrophic.

Well I think it would be catastrophic because of a 1985 you can have a trillion dollar budget. I mean that's what catastrophic I think the government is growing but so it's spending more and more. I don't think that the idea of getting money back into the hands of people if you say it causes inflation I don't think it does that would cause inflation is what's going on now what's going to stop inflation is the increase in productivity getting more people back into the workforce. But this kind of thing I don't. I don't think this administration has had a new idea or an economic we've had plans we get plans every six or eight months. What we know is that they is that they don't work and that I think this idea might work I'm not sure it will. It may be problems with it but at least it's a new idea or at least it's trying something different at least maybe maybe it will do something to help the economy. It may be after Labor Day but in Spring Lake New Jersey the summer season is still alive and well in that resort community producers directors and a cast

of hundreds are making a movie. Kat Monaghan was on location today and filed this report. On the war. Hollywood is supposed to take place in Atlantic City like Atlantic City did at the turn of the century than the real Atlantic City. It's all happening here. He and executive producer Michael have literally taken over the Grand Hotel here and they don't mind that everyone in town has come out to watch. People. And that. It's.

A great look that we wanted and the secondary reason which is manageable for us. Ragtime. May be an understatement. On the first day of Seventeen hundred people showed up for interviews. The lucky ones who got a part when filming is completed here at the end of the week. Then the production some 20 million dollars later. You can look for time at the theater by December of

next year. In spring like a hand. And that's the news for tonight. Good night for the New Jersey. Joint presentation the New Jersey Public Television NWN and. The public television and nobody let me teach 13 program is broadcast weeknights at 6:30 p.m. on Channel 13 at 7:30 a.m. the New Jersey public television it was a repeat broadcast at 10:00 p.m. on New Jersey public television and at 7:00 the following morning on Channel 13. Washington's great record.

Haven't ate dogs one cat a raccoon and a horse and with the arrival of a family with two children the prospects of that number being further reduced to seem good. Dennis is continuing his efforts to foster out the remaining animals. But it's just possible that he might not have to go out of business during the past week promises of financial support have come from as far away as California. They've given Dennis hope but he's hesitant to say with certainty that he'll keep going. What is a lot of hope out there I'll tell you while it's hard to ignore. The clergy. For example it's hard to ignore. I know a 2 year old woman you know. Doing a lot of things but. I don't want to go through this again. I just don't. Know. I'm going to make darn sure this time. I don't want to go through the six months from now on.

And I never want to say to a veterinarian again you know every in my life that I can't afford a medicine there is no way I'm going to do that I've heard the evidence of the need for the shelter to remain open became apparent with the arrival of the Middleton dog officer with yet another abandoned pet. The future of this animal shelter is by no means certain. But Conrad Dennis is determined to keep it alive. And somehow you have to believe he'll succeed. Mike Macklin NEWSROOM 7:00. And that's the news thanks for watching we'll be back later tonight with the 11:00 update. BILL that. Was pleasant. Hope people maintain dignity and independence in their own home. Become a Jewish family until 2 2 7 6 6. The Massachusetts commission on the status of women you could help you find on Saturday April 12 at an all day conference. All the Essex Community College and people are all women

challenging the 80s. The workshop and registration information call 3 7 4 0 7 2 1. Visit all the way live that Sturbridge Village. Good evening and welcome to News Makers Eddie I'm Ted O'Bryant and John Henning and I think the anchorman for NEWSROOM 7 will be questioning three experts. Perhaps the major topic of this campaign this week this year inflation and where we go from here to assist in that discussion respond to the questions we have three guests. An unusual situation for news makers a day but we wanted to bring several sectors of the financial community together. First the senior vice president and director of research from the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. Robert Eisenman then from the First National Bank of Boston vice president and financial economist Frederick Brian Meyer. And from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology a professor of economics and finance from home of the

Leon E.. Gentlemen let me start with you Mr. Eisenberg or 64 percent of people in a recent poll named inflation is the number one issue everything else was way behind. In terms of number of people concerned about it. We are in an 18 percent annual rate. The Federal Reserve has been blamed in part for not heading that off. What steps do you see your organization taking right now to bring the rate down and what will they mean to the average person. I think most of the steps have already been taken. We have revised our operating procedures to make sure that we don't inject reserves into the banking system at too fast a rate. And when the economy grows at two faster rate. Why that drives interest rates up and they have gone up to historic highs as obvious just from today's news about the new new prime rate. We have historic high rates all across the financial markets. It's bound to bring a slowdown in the economy. In my view

a lot of part of this year maybe even in the second quarter. Would you explain how that functions you know the historic high rates are what people borrowing because they see inflation. Outstripping the cost of the borrowing. Well in the short run a run up in interest rates certainly would discourage someone from borrowing for example the mortgage interest rates for a home are typically around 40 and a half percent in the Boston area now for condominiums in New York City they reported a 15 and a half to 16 and a half. And my colleagues here today were saying that they heard of mortgages and on the West Coast at 18 percent. Now that is going to discourage people from buying new houses or upgrading their housing. It's bound to slow down construction. It's been a blow down the housing starts some of them rather depressed level they are now. So it's. That housing starts for example is a major sector that's going to.