New Jersey Nightly News; New Jersey Nightly News Episode from 03/29/1982

New Jersey with Don Torrance and the can't get ahead. Good evening there is still hope for a New Jersey state trooper trapped in a cave in the rescue effort continues tonight. In sports the lady knights of the national champions Bill Perry has the highlights. And tonight we take a closer look at a pioneer program to locate New Jersey parents running from their child support obligations efforts are still underway tonight to reach a state trooper went for two days and are ok with passage way. Reporter Rolonda Watts was in the Sparta mountains near Lafayette watching the recovery attempt and has this report. Rescuers today blasted through one of two rocky ridges separating them from the 48 year old State Police Sergeant Donald Welner in one last effort to free him. Welner an experienced caver Boy Scout expedition two days ago his two sons were with him. Exhausted from the two day rescue attempt of the more than 150 volunteer rescue workers the afternoon chipping away at the limestone of the second bridge although they are just

four feet from well they are not able to dislodge him. Authorities will not say whether he is dead or alive although there are still no signs of life. Colonel Clinton says there's still hope but we're not going to give up hope until we have our man out of there and see that there are no Rescue Association. There are no question we're going through what we're doing. Health officials say suffering from hypothermia due to the cold temperature inside the cave would be too late to detect a pulse but Gano says the rescue efforts are being conducted with the trooper safety as the main concern. The section in which we're trapped has never been traveled cavers believe the trooper entered the cave here. You can see the walls and ceilings are and understand how someone could get stuck.

Like. That. Rescue workers will not be brought out until late tonight in Sussex County. A Pennsylvania man has been arrested in connection with the shooting last week of New Jersey State Trooper John Jacobs 34 year old Glen Turner was arrested this morning at a home in Hanover Township Pennsylvania. Turner offered no resistance when arrested. He will be charged with attempted homicide aggravated assault and possession of a deadly weapon. Lieutenant Colonel Justin said State Police will continue to investigate the shooting and the fatal shooting of state trooper Philip Monaco last night. Got one down to go in a floorboard to go to them talking about

Thomas William Manning for the killing of Monica Charles Williams for the killing of Monica Braman suspected in the killing of Monica and Joey and shows no more for the killing of Trooper Warren Forster. Then we're going to get to and very shortly be sure of it. Shot in the face last Wednesday in Gloucester Township satisfactory condition at Cooper Medical Center in Camden. Well the U.S. Supreme Court today decided it will not act quickly on the controversy. New Jersey congressional redistricting plan meaning the plan will be in effect for the June primaries perhaps longer. The court said it will allow the democratic party platter remain in effect until it decides whether the plan is constitutional. That decision won't come until the fall at the earliest. The Democrats call the plan A work of art. Republicans call it a blatant case of gerrymandering that brings

national embarrassment to New Jersey. But it's the plan the June primary and perhaps even the November election will be held under the Supreme Court on redistricting matters is awfully hard to figure out. And you know I think there's a good chance that they plan chapter one of the laws of 82 will be upheld but I'm not a betting man but I think both sides have got a shot at it. I was certainly gratified by the decision and I think it certainly gives us a clue as to what the Supreme Court may do if the democratic art comes to life it could give that party a 10 to forage in the state's congressional delegation perhaps even 2:49 the pine pits Republican incumbent against Republican incumbent or rips apart districts with a majority of registered Republicans. The fifth district would force representative Jim corner against Marge Rock'em of the 7th District the infamous fish hawk allows Democratic hopeful Adam Levin to run for Congress without having to take on an incumbent of either party. He announces tomorrow. Then there's the third district to carefully crafted

Democratic strongholds joined by a strip of beach that some quip may disappear at high tide. Democrats hold a mere eight to seven edge in the state's congressional delegation right now. The state is losing one congressional seat because of lost population over the last decade and the state Senate was scheduled to vote today on a bill that would reinstate capital punishment in New Jersey. But action on the death penalty was delayed. Steve Katz reports. Senator John Russo has been trying to get a death penalty law enacted in New Jersey almost since the state's capital punishment law was declared unconstitutional 10 years ago. Three times he got the bill through the Senate twice through the assembly only to have his efforts thwarted by former Governor Bernie But Governor Kaine advocates capital punishment. And this time around the Russo bill is almost certain to become law. The Senate was set for a vote today but at the last minute several amendments had to be made to the bill. The amendments are primarily technical that deal with definitions in the bill that we felt were insufficiently clear and we didn't want to build the body here that would be challenged in the courts may be challenged but we do want it to

be successfully sell. So it's sort of cleaning up to make the bill a bit more clear under the bill a person found guilty of murder would have to undergo a second trial to determine if they would be executed or sentenced to prison for 30 years or longer. One of the amendments passed today made sure that second trial would take place by eliminating any chance of plea bargaining. The plea bargaining issue notwithstanding even a prosecutor being against the death penalty would not be uniformly enforced throughout the 21 counties and you're required to do that. The amended death penalty will be brought up next month and should pass with little or no opposition. The same should be true of the state assembly. And after almost 10 years of trying should see his bill made law before the summer doesn't matter to me whether we reinstated that sooner or later so long as we get it done. At the state house in Trenton. I'm Steve Katz. State Senator William Mosto has said he will not voluntarily step down from public office despite his record tearing conviction Musto has already filed to run for

re-election in Union City where he is presently mayor. But like today Tom Cannon a spokesman for the state attorney general's office said a little state statute prohibits Moscow from holding public office both in the Senate and in Union City. According to can and must I must resign both positions when he is sentenced or the state will have to take legal action against him. There were conflicting reports earlier on how long could remain a public servant can and says the only exception would be an order to the contrary from Judge Eric and the federal judge who presided it must trial. Meanwhile in Union Union City must those political opponents say his conviction gives new fuel to their campaign fires. Diane doctor reports. William Musto plans to run for re-election in Union City on May 11th one day after he is sentenced for his part in a half million dollar racketeering scheme. Union City voters don't elect a mayor directly they vote for a slate of five city commissioners and the commissioners elect one of themselves as mayor. There are three slates in

the race. One of them is must dos the other two are the opposition those opponents are waging political war on Musto plastering the city with posters and charging the mayor's administration with political hirings firings and a proven record of corruption. The time for intimidation is over with and it will come up with. There will be no question of Morata formally Union city's corporation counsel now leads one opposition slate he says Musto is at his weakest because of the conviction agreeing with that. Bruce Walter a member of a second opposition ticket for a long period of time that was out in the community as to the outcome. And I imagine that it will play a significant role in the upcoming election. Both sides say Musto administration has ignored the needs of union city's voters but Musto supporters say the mayor's strength stems from longtime bonds with the community.

Has deep inroads with many many families in the city and they remember that it's a sense of loyalty it's a sense of friendship and they respect that. And as far as they're concerned Bill must always be a man. Well I know importing isn't all he's done all his life has helped people from eight o'clock in the morning when he gets to City Hall to leaves at 5:30 and goes home. You have got a lot of people. You know what I mean. But Musto his political record may be irrelevant if his conviction stands his criminal record will prevent him from ever holding public office again. I'm dyin doctor. The appointment of four Republican senators today is completed the selection of a bipartisan committee which will investigate the government's conduct in the undercover Abscam investigation. That committee was created under an agreement that cleared the way for the resignation of Senator Harrison Williams on March 11th. Williams was convicted on charges stemming from that Abscam probe heading the eight member panel is Republican Senator Charles Mathias of Maryland who will serve with James McClure of Idaho. Alan Simpson of Wyoming and Warren Rudman of New Hampshire. The four GOP senators were selected by Senate Majority Leader Howard Baker who chose four Democrats for the panel last week.

It took five different votes over a 13 year period but it laxity voters decided last November to abandon their commission form of government for a strong mayor council for all 54 candidates are running for 10 positions in the new government. That Hodgson reports on what impact the new four may have in a city where politics has been a riskier game than craps. Atlantic City now has five commissioners with one picked by the group to serve as mayor. Jory rules in any commission decision. When the new government takes office on July 1st there will be a mayor elected by the people and nine city council members six who represent specific city wards three elected at large council members will be paid only nominal part time salaries. Many say that's why the full time government in power has traditionally fought the reform efforts although several city commissioners vigorously oppose the change of government before the vote. Since then they've jumped on the bandwagon. Now they either refused to comment on the issue or say they've changed their mind. Now they think it's a good idea. Before they change their minds though. They said the council form would be

more expensive and would give the mayor dictatorial powers. But former Atlantic City Mayor Jay graduate says that's just what the city needs. When I left. Office. I made the statement that I thought well any scene needed was a benevolent dictator. I think it needs one person to call the shots. I think that there will be checks and insofar as the power of the mayor. I think it's needed to make decisions. Too many decisions have not been made too all right away and others claim the new government will actually save money by being more efficient than by giving the mayor greater control over the final budget. Despite the apparent consensus now that the new government will be a significant improvement once the election is over as yet unanswered questions on the nuts and bolts of instituting the new procedures are expected to make for a rocky transition period. Such things as where and how Department lines of authority will be drawn who will make hiring decisions and who will have input into the budget process will have to be resolved after the mayor and council are

elected. Some observers are predicting up to a year and a half of confusion and court battles before those issues get resolved in Atlantic City. I'm Dan Hodge. The state has decided to vacate a Trenton building at least for printing and storage purposes. This after the workers there complained the structure is unsafe. Brenda Flanagan reports. The 17 Division of Motor Vehicle employees working at the barn on Montgomery Street say they've complained for years about hazardous working conditions exposed wiring unstable support columns and a badly leaking roof. Today the division of building and construction issued a vacate notice perfective April 30th. But state spokesman admits cost not safety provided stronger motivation. Even the preliminary reports did not indicate severe problems. The decision was merely made to vacate the fact that it would cost a lot to run to their room inspection.

McKeever says the state has been working all along to resolve the problem. The actions that were just solidified are as a result of. Activities that were initiated a few months ago but Trenton solicitor George Doherty says there was confusion over which governmental agency bore the responsibility for inspecting the building. Even the 1975 statute gave the state jurisdiction. This building has been 69 and the city issued a certificate of occupancy and I think it has changed more than 12 years has been occupied. Officials. Probably have an understanding of the enforcement roles employees at the barn will be reassigned to interim locations during April and the state hopes to save

money by relocating the printing and storage operations more efficiently and the employees create the decision with relief. It's been like this for years. I'm very glad that the consideration for the working conditions to get us out here in Trenton. I'm Brenda Flanagan. Karen Ann Quinlan turned 28 years old today in her comatose state sparked an international legal and moral debate seven years ago on the right to die. Well it's been six years since doctors acting under a landmark state's Supreme Court ruling removed a respirator which they believe kept this Quinlan alive. Her parents Joseph and Julia marked their daughter's birthday today with a bedside mass in the singing of her favorite song Amazing Grace. Although there is no hope that Karen Ann will recover from her state in which she slipped into a 1975 after mixing tranquilizers and alcohol. Her parents say Karen remains the focus of their lives and Harriet Stratemeyer Adams the author of more than 100 in 80 children's books died this past Saturday night. The victim of a heart attack Mrs. Adams who was 89 lived

in Maplewood Essex County two years ago she was the subject of a nightly news closer look. Mrs. Adams was probably best known for writing Nancy Drew mystery stories which were also down to the name of Marilyn. In addition she wrote many other children's mysteries including the Hardy Boys The Bobbsey twins the Dana girls and Tom Swift Jr. each under a different pseudonym. Mrs Adams inherited the Stratemeyer Syndicate from her father when he died in 1930. When we interviewed her she talked about her start as a writer of children's fiction writing emerge. Right through it. I had four children who were from the womb. Mrs. Adams was 38 years old when she began her writing career but her late start was not a

hindrance. In fact she wrote one hundred eighty two novels over the next 50 years and won the Edgar Allen Poe's award for mystery writing. Mrs. Adams was working on a new Ghost Story series the day of her death. She is survived by a son two daughters 10 grandchildren and three great grandchildren. Don passed service between New York and Jersey City is back to normal tonight but during rush hour a Darrelle Conrail freight train blocked path tracks for nearly three hours. Service from Newark to Jersey City was cut off until 5 o'clock with half hour delays coming out of New York and Jersey City officials say that around it occurred when the freight train was Switching tracks. Today's accident was the fourth Conrail the realm of the New Jersey in two weeks. And now here's a look at the weather forecast tonight will be clear and mild with temperatures in the low 40s partly sunny skies and mild again tomorrow with daytime highs in the low 60s and the outlook for Wednesday. Partly cloudy and mild. There were 20000 divorces in New Jersey last year 20000 broken homes

and thousands of cases added to a growing national problem the failure to pay child support. New Jersey is taking the lead in trying to reverse that trend with an innovative program called the Parent locator service. Tonight producer Leslie Linton and I take a closer look at the new program. After her divorce Virginia Anderson and her two children Richard and Kevin were forced to be financially on their own interaction husband wasn't being forced to pay the child support he legally owed. He didn't in fact every time she tried to contact him she found he had moved her genius job didn't bring in enough money to support both the kids and herself so she was forced. Like many other people to go on welfare. They were very explicit and they said that there were a lot of papers to sign. And one of them was in relation to parallel capers. OK. And because at the time my husband had taken off not only had to quit his job but he had taken off. And word was out that he was in Florida at the time which I wasn't sure about but that's what information I had received. So it was a matter of

welfare. And my salary supporting us and dad. Which I couldn't afford to try and find him. That's exactly what the parent locator service will do once it's completely installed it will be in effect a computerized detective service allowing officials to find an absent parent anywhere in the country. Officials will be able to grab an income tax refund check or even garnish in absent parents wages without a court order. Currently New Jersey is the only state with a centralized computer system for finding absent parents. The state was picked as a federal pilot for the program because of its high welfare cost. The program is designed to reduce those costs. The computer right now contains information from only half the county welfare agencies in the state. The rest should be hooked up by late August. The computer automatically prepares letters inquiring about absent parents to appropriate state and federal agencies. Family members and present and past employers. The goals of the program are twofold really. One is people that are on public assistance we'd like to do a good job enforcing their coolers and keep them off of

public assistance. The people that are on public assistance we like to do a good job enforcing their orders and make them eligible to go off of assistance. And we've seen many cases where. Where we found an absence we've got a court order and the pair has a port or something like that and we do a good job of enforcing the order. And she has the ability to go off public assistance. The computers can help locate a missing parent but someone has to confront the delinquent spouse. That's the role of the probation department. Part of my function is to monitor child support payments whether the woman's on welfare or not on welfare we have to monitor the payments to make sure that she's getting money when she does not get the money we are responsible for bringing the man in if it could be a woman. Back to court. To find out why the money's not coming why isn't the family being supported. But for all its good intentions there are problems connected with the parent locator system in Virginia's case her husband found one of the loopholes by leaving the state locator services

nationwide service. The only hope then is interstate cooperation. There is another loophole. Boy you know you can't go and see someone who's self-employed and one of the things we're looking at is several proposals to will to seize property and a lot of people who are self-employed and instead of using it going she will seize property even with the loopholes official say the program has proved to be effective. Currently New Jersey has 140000 negligent child support cases for over three hundred million dollars is owed on welfare cases alone. Officials estimate that through use of the locator service even though not all counties are plugged into the system yet they have collected 33 million dollars in overdue support payments. All that money lessens the burden on New Jersey taxpayers. But officials of the service promise that the burden will be dramatically lessened once all 21 counties are part of the parent locator. I have brought Rutgers what no other.

Bill Perry is in New York with tonight's sports. OK thank you Ken. Ladies basketball the lady knights of brought Rutgers what no other team on campus in any sport has ever been able to win a national championship yesterday Teresa shank runs this club Defeated Texas 83 77 for the AI A.W. title playing before a hometown crowd at Philadelphia's Palestra number 12. Patty Coyle scored a career high 30 points to lead the way for Rutgers What a way for that senior to end her career records with a big victory number 54 Terry Joyner was a star 25 points and 12 rebounds so Teresa shank has been a part of four national titles three as a player to maculata And now one is a coach with an 83

77 win over Texas and today the rector's team was honored on campus and tomorrow night you'll hear from Teresa on those national champions. Lady nice congratulations to Rutgers. In the NBA the nets scored a big one over the Knicks last night 113 1 0 6 to climb back to 500 New Jersey trails Washington by one game for fourth place in the NBA East foot's Walker gave the nets a 9 point lead 10:40 with 417 left in the first quarter foot see the little guard the nets went ahead early. The Nets extended their lead to 14 in the second quarter when Len Elmore hit the jumper for a 38 24 margin with nine 24 left. Ray Williams had 23 points for the game Ray made it fifty seven forty five nets wide by 12 at the half. Fifty nine forty seven and Williams after an off game Saturday night against Detroit a loss. Buck Williams came back with 15 points and 10 rebounds here is blocked. That's about 63 49 early third but Michael Ray Richardson got the Knicks back in the game with 21 points closing the gap to 73 67 at five twenty eight of the third quarter can't

be Russell's three point field goal made a three point game at 75 72. Knicks finally tied at 92 all with 740 left to play but after the team swap buckets James Bailey broke the tie with this rebound slam Barry had 19 nets up 96 94 down the stretch the nets pulled away Albert King made it 1 0 6 98 18 for King and the nets won the big one. 113 1 0 6. He was also a busy weekend for boxing Lets first start out with a WB a bantamweight championship which matched two Americans champion Jeff Chandler in the dark trunks and challenger Johnny quarter it was the first time two U.S. fighters have met for the Bantam title. And Jeff Chandler made his fifth title defense stopping the guy they call the dancing machine at 28 of the sixth round Chandler over Carter also in Atlantic City Wolf. Gomez defended his WBC super bantamweight title mauling kid Mays for his 14th title defense ref stepped in and stopped it to 28 of the sixth round so Gomes retains his WBC title. Now it's time for me to play. TV Guide Yeah I know it's Georgetown North Carolina for the National Championship on national TV live

at 8 o'clock but listen they're not going to tip that off till way past 8:00 o'clock pre-game and all that so please join me on sports insight on the Jersey network alive today. We'll have Giants general manager George Young as my guest will be talking about the NFL draft. Also included an interview with Giants Coach Ray Perkins at 10:30 tonight on the New Jersey network. They will be over by then I'm sure cosmos Close-Up will have preseason game highlights and interviews with your joke you now you and Rick Davis That's our Sports Congratulations to Rutgers back to Trenton. What a salesman. Thanks a lot Bill. And that's the news for CAN'T manhandle Perry up in Newark on Don Torrance. Good night for all of us at New Jersey nightly news. New Jersey. This is a joint presentation of the New Jersey network and w o n e t 13. The program is broadcast on weeknights at 6:30 on Channel 13 and at 7:30 on the New Jersey network. There is a repeat broadcast at 10:00 p.m. on the New Jersey network. And at 8:00 the following morning on Channel 13 portions will prove it.