New Jersey Nightly News; New Jersey Nightly News 03/05/1979

New Jersey nightly news. With Rebecca syllable in Trenton and Clayton Vaughn in Newark. Good evening. In the news tonight the state Supreme Court gives the go ahead for television cameras in some New Jersey court rooms. A Newark City Councilman claims there's been a dramatic rise in the city's crime rate since the police layoffs and state education commissioner Fred Burke faces off against his critics at a State House hearing. Good evening Rebecca and environmental groups. As the city of New Brunswick is dumping raw sewage into the Raritan River we'll have a report. And in sports Paul bloodline will have highlights of a high school basketball semifinal last night an overtime game between Camden and Middletown solved. Rebecca. Some time after May 1st you'll be seeing a real courtroom trials on television. That's when a one year experiment allowing television cameras into selected courts in New Jersey will begin the experiment was given final approval today by the state Supreme Court. Mike Power reports.

New Jersey Supreme Court justices were apparently satisfied with the one day cameras in the courtroom experiment last December. Now they're going to try it not only in appellate courts but in County and superior courts where most criminal trials take place. The experiment will be limited to two counties. Bergen and Atlantic and not every trial will be open to television. The media will have to ask the court's permission. Case by case and there will be rules only to cameras in court at one time. No bright lights. TV crews must stay in one place and they can't get into the courtroom or leave during the trial proceedings. Most lawyers are enthusiastic about the experiment but they do have two questions. Should everyone in the trial agree to be photographed. And who's going to guarantee that the TV crews will be fair in editing the videotape of the trial or presentation of the news that night. The answer to those questions are No. The media won't have to get anyone's permission. Just as with any news story no one can guarantee the media's fairness without the risk of being

called a censor. A spokesman for the State Bar Association said he thinks most lawyers can live with the guidelines privately some attorneys feel that judges who are inefficient or temperamental will be a little more careful with a camera watching. Not everyone thinks cameras should be allowed in the courtroom. Some people say TV crews will intimidate witnesses and jurors but other people say the best way to reform and streamline the courts is to open the courts. In Trenton. I'm Mike power. The Supreme Court's guidelines will also allow live broadcasts of trials but some court proceedings will be off limits. Those include among others juvenile and child custody cases divorce proceedings and rape trials. Officials are calling it the largest drug roundup in the history of two New Jersey counties Somerset and 110. Police today arrested thirty nine people on charges of distributing cocaine marijuana and amphetamines. Officials say the investigation that led to

the arrests lasted for 12 weeks and centered on Branch Burke township in Somerset County and Raritan township in Huntington County. Clayton. A Newark City Councilman today asked the Essex County prosecutor to investigate what the councilman says is a 100 percent increase in New York's crime rate since the layoff of 200 police. The councilman is a police officer on leave. Jeffrey Hall reports. City Councilman Anthony Korinos says he got his statistics from a computer printout on crime directly from New York's police department. The printout compares crime figures between last January and a year ago at the same time. Here are some samples robberies up 53 percent. Breaking and Entering up almost 7 percent purse snatching up one hundred sixty six percent and auto theft up 59 percent. The number of suspects arrested according to Corrino dropped nearly 12 percent. The report does not include murders or rapes. Police

officials refused comment. The official word from the city is that Korinos figures are shallow and misleading. Officials refused any further comment and wouldn't appear on camera and the Essex County prosecutor says he will begin an investigation until he gets official statistics from the state police. Even before the layoffs police statistics show that officers were sometimes slow to respond to calls and even with the layoffs. There are just as many patrol cars on the streets as before. So what makes Corrino think the crime rate will go down of those 200 jobs are restored. We put that question to him today at a news conference. Maybe the two hundred men wouldn't make a physical difference maybe the statistics would be the same however. The psychological difference would be change quite a bit in that the people would be afraid or would be apprehensive about doing something thinking somebody might be out there now they know there's nobody out there. Councilman Korinos says he's thinking of running for Essex County sheriff. A lot of his

detractors think Tony Corrino is using this crime issue to stir emotions and win voters support in Newark. I'm Geoffrey Hall one of the nine men charged in that alleged sex extortion ring and Sussex County has been arrested in Pennsylvania where he was working a man are accused of kidnapping and drugging young women and then beating and sexually assaulting them. Authorities say video tapes were made of the assaults and used to blackmail the women who included two bunnies from the Playboy resort at Great Gorge. New York City is making a pitch to the New York schoolteachers who have been laid off across the Hudson and go to work recruitment started last Sunday with an ad in the newspaper's New York pays an average of 10 percent more money for teachers. And there are at least 500 openings for math science English and Spanish teachers there. Rebecca. The state education commissioner Fred Burke went through a trial by fire today. The Senate Judiciary Committee began hearings on whether or not he should be reappointed this summer. Mariana Rosso covered the hearings as Senator Pat Dodd opened with a charge

against Burke. QUESTION The fact that Richard Berke is honest decent and a dedicated man. And I find my present role in opposition to his reappointment distasteful at best. However we cannot afford the luxury of this type of kindness. We do need honesty and decency but we also desperately need the leadership. Senator Dodd and others said Burke hadn't taken a tough stand on critical issues like basic skills test for all school children and evaluation of teachers. In his defense Buck said that he took over the time when the state was putting in both a whole new system of school financing and a whole new system of accountability that makes the failings of public education more glaring than in the past. He said that parents and children are getting more education for their tax dollars than five or ten years ago. But that what would really improve kids test scores cost no money at all. If we could involve the parents 10 percent more in the education our children than our present time we could probably do more to improve the test scores basic test scores of

youngsters any other single thing we could do. But parents said that keeps them out of education policy making and they also faulted his department for making the basic skills test easier last year which they say misled many parents into believing their children were doing better because so many people wanted to test the hearing will continue on Monday despite the opposition though it looks like will be reappointed to a second term in Trenton. I marry Amber also. Jeffrey Bell the New Jersey Republican who lost the Senate race to Bill Bradley has a new job. Bell has just been appointed as president and executive director of the International Center for Economic Policy Studies the center based in Manhattan was formed in 1977 to conduct unpublished research in economics. Gordon McGinnis a former state assemblyman is expected to be named Tuesday as executive director of the New Jersey Public Broadcasting Authority. McGuinness will replace Lawrence

Frye Meyer who submitted his resignation last December reportedly under pressure from the authority for Miers resignation becomes effective April 30th. Clayton reaction to the decision on the W any license renewal request is starting to come in much of it predictable. The Federal Communications Commission ordered the station to increase its physical presence here in New Jersey and that may mean a new studio and office facility both W.A. and its primary challenger the Coalition for fair broadcasting in New Jersey today pictured that decision as a limited victory. Jack Connelly has more. This is w any TV studio and the gateway complex in Newark. It's not good enough. The FCC says and they'll be no license renewal for the station right now. Have you any team must submit plans for a new facility within 60 days. The commissioners have been wrestling with a license challenge since 1975 and while they say w o any TS past programming efforts in New Jersey fall far short of honoring their commitment to

cover public affairs in the state. They do concede that future programming plans seem to cover the agreement that allowed 13 to move from Newark to New York 18 years ago. A member of the coalition that started the license challenge says the FCC action is promising. What we care about since New Jersey doesn't have any other VHF television facility of its own is New Jersey having some kind of facility which belongs to it which cares about it and which is Commissioner Tyrone Brown said in a statement at the world meeting in November is a drum major for that community. He said New Jersey doesn't have one. And we want one for New Jersey. But w ne t vice president steward such women says the station too is pleased with parts of that decision. Well I think in general we're pleased that the commission recognized that count 13 is the filling it's problematic of additions to the state. They feel that the programs are adequate over the license period. You said he thought his 78.

And also they recognize that A Current Affair which includes the nightly news program and the half hour weekly program meet our licensee obligations. In the end it's a compromise. The coalition had asked for a 4 million dollar forfeiture of FIDE to punish w o n e t for past failures. It didn't get what New Jersey will probably get new TV facilities if not a dramatic increase in local programming and more than that it also gets as one coalition member says a wrong overdue recognition from the FCC that New Jersey does have a problem and it's not content to remain a video wasteland. I'm Jack Harvey. Outlining City's proposed master plan is one the blessing of the governor's cabinet committee on Atlantic City. The committee agreed with the plans proposals to limit initial casino development along the boardwalk and the St. marina and overall call the plan ambitious and providing sound direction for the comprehensive redevelopment of the city. A handbag manufacturer burned out in a plant fire in 1976 in Union City. I was accepted at three point two

million dollar settlement with the insurance companies involved. All industries now has its headquarters in Weehawken and was suing for three point eight million. The settlement the largest in recent memory in New Jersey federal courts. It was announced just before a jury was to start hearing testimony in the case. Rebecca. The investigation into Intercontinental insurance are coming to a head. The state attorney general's office will release its final report tomorrow or Monday on charges that the company used fraudulent practices in selling insurance to the elderly. A congressional memo just released says Intercontinental is one of the nation's worst abusers in the field. And that congressional memo criticized what it calls New Jersey's lax regulatory climate for permitting the alleged abuses. The president of intercontinental today said the charges are absolutely untrue. Governor Byrne is one of the company's founders and he prompted the state investigation. The congressional findings will be examined further Kemper insurance will appeal its latest rate increase the company says it's not enough.

The state insurance department granted Kemper an average increase of eight point six percent on its car insurance rates. But camper claims other companies received larger increases and wants to know why. Originally a camper wanted a 40 percent rate hike for its 22000 customers. Energy officials from the east are gearing up to fight the federal government. The issue weekend closings of gasoline stations. That's one proposal for fuel conservation being suggested in Washington but New Jersey and eight other states will send representatives to a meeting in Florida next week. There the officials plan to develop a strategy against the idea. The state's energy commissioner Joel Jacobson says the weekend closings would have a disastrous effect on New Jersey's tourist industry. We may be in the midst of our final fling with winter below freezing temperatures today and tonight but the weekend should bring a welcome change throughout the state tonight it will be clear and cold with diminishing winds lows will range from the low to upper teens in the north and

from the upper teens to the low 20s in the south. Tomorrow will be sunny and warmer highs in the mid 30s to the low 40s in the north and in the mid 40s in the south. Saturday will be fair with warm temperatures possibly even getting up to the low 60s. Public Television Festival 79. It's worth staying home for. This time to just vote for freshman. They found their style a long time ago but they soon this fresh and pleasing new as in days past reminisce or discover a musical treasure for freshmen in concert. It's worth staying home for. That's right a very New Jersey Public Television. It's tough being away from home. Paul Butler I will tell you about that.

Banks are back in the New Jersey Nets a road trip continued last night with another defeat playing in Denver the nets were beaten by 20 points the final the Nuggets won 20 of the Nets 100. Their road trip continues tomorrow night at Golden State and high school ball last night there were more state semifinal games in this one at Rutgers Camden in Middletown South met for the right to advance to the group for final defending group for state champion dominated the early going entering the fourth quarter with a nine point lead. But that's when Middletown South came on strong. Middletown I've entered this one with a perfect 27 0 record. They call it up and even took a two point lead 81 79. But then with 8 seconds the play Camden's Milt Wagner hit this jumper 81 all in into overtime. In that overtime Camden's magnificent number 33 Billy Colbert's and dominated play culverts and finished with thirty nine Camden finished with a three point win 91 88. Coach Clarence Turner afterwards told Dick Landis his name is ready for anyone it doesn't matter who don't really care about going to different.

I don't really care that we'd like to play at it but it. Union talks a lot like you might make it to want to row to hoe. But we have to be fortunate you don't get to have all you have to watch it but we play a lot. When I asked. Clarence Turner once union in the group for a final union that'll be in the second game of last night's doubleheader red rockers Union defeated Bayonne 71 to 59. That was the other group for a semifinal match up union control just about the entire game leading by eight after one quarter never losing badly. Union senior in the White has a huge front line last night's win gave the farmers a twenty and eight record. If you knew how to stand out last night it was number 21 Richie Moore with 27 points and 10 rebounds. And one other game last night New York Chavez defeated ferrous of Jersey City in a group three semifinal championship games all coming up tomorrow and then on Saturday. Meanwhile the basketball team at Mercer County Community College is on its way to Hutchinson Kansas. That's where the national junior college tournament will be held next week Mercer one of 16

entrants Trista Gaspar's has more from Mercer. Mercer County College just might be the only school around that's a national power in basketball but can't get a decent sized crowd to come out and watch the home games. Well despite the lack of fans Mercer is on its way to another national championship. Mercer has been to the championships five times in the last seven years and won the national title in 1973 and 74. Try to win it again this year under the direction of first year coach arch Freeman who also happens to be the only member of the squad that's injured. Most of Freeman's team could play for free or school except for one thing. Green's a good player who's failed to maintain a C average in his high school work won't be able to get a scholarship from an NCAA school but he may still have hopes of attending one. You can go to a junior college for a year or two and do well academically be seen by coaches you can still get the scholarship that he wants and that's one of our big recruiting points. Carlos strong from willing Borough High was a real catch for Mercer. He's been scoring 20 points a

game lately but he still feels a little threatened by the tournament. Once you get out there. But a lot of talent out there playing a lot of talent. So we got to see the unit. Which we've been having trouble. With. So I was with most of the season. That we were getting to go with together. Right. At Mercer County College contributions. And one other basketball out in the New Jersey Nightly News All-Star team will put our undefeated record on the line again tomorrow night that's one I know will be playing the faculty from Trenton State College that game at Trenton State tomorrow night at 9:00. We've mentioned before a group called Con George that's the committee of New Jerseyans to officially rename the team of conjoined officials were in the state house today to unveil their new logo. Governor Burns chief of staff Robert Mulcahy accepted the presentation conjoint was formed with the original intention of pressuring the Giants and the cosmos to identify more with New Jersey. Lately the organization is devoting most of its time to promoting New Jersey sports in general. That new logo of conduit will be for the time being anyway displayed at the state house in Trenton. And

that's sports for tonight. Platon. Thank you Paul. Essex County executive Peter Shapiro has come back from a four day Monday seeking tour in Washington. Reporter Jeffery hall today asked Shapiro if you've got any commitments. Well you know you don't get commitments that easily out of Washington what you do is you try to set the stage for them to feel right about the county. One thing that's been been very much lacking in the past has been a feeling in Washington that county government particularly urban county government were important. And what we're trying to do is build up at least the impression that we're here working trying and we need some help. Well you were in Washington did you do any lobbying for Peter Shapiro's political career where you can really hope to be you know to look to Washington to improve your political career that we can't luckily have a democracy you have to look to the voters of Iraq to improve your political career not just some kingmakers on high. A new budget is just been approved by the Essex County freeholder as it restores about half of the 160 layoffs that Shapiro had proposed for the county payroll. The budget calls for a

hold on new hiring Rebecca. Is the city of New Brunswick dumping raw sewage into the Raritan River. An environmental group from Middlesex County says that's just what's happening. And reporter Steve Taylor went to a news conference at the water's edge today. The back of the charge was made by a Ralph Nader organization called the Clean Water Action Project. It's an outfit that specializes in finding what looks like pollution and then calling attention to it. Today Group members were upset about a pipe located under New Brunswick's busy route 18 bridge. They claim that the galop flowing out of the pipe comes straight from city toilets and they say New Brunswick officials aren't doing anything about it. We're requesting the city of New Brunswick to stop the discharging of raw sewage into the rotten river. Do they admit this is a rush. So far as I understand right now the city has not identified the fact that this is raw sewage. There is no proof yet that was entering the river is untreated sewage but it looks like it and it smells

like it. Federal law says a city needs a permit to dump raw sewage into a river and the Environmental Protection Agency says New Brunswick has not applied for a permit. Late today I spoke with New Brunswick city engineer Robert Kane. He said he didn't know what was coming out of the pipe but he thought it was backed up rainwater from last weekend's storms. Environmental officials will test on Monday to find out what New Brunswick is putting into the river. Rebecca thank you Steve. State and federal officials are combining forces to destroy all the Pickwick acid in New Jersey specially trained teams will begin their mission on Monday in schools drugstores and laboratories. Old bottles of Pickwick acid have recently been found in several schools in the chemical becomes highly explosive after being stored for a long time. The state's Department of Environmental Protection is coordinating the plan. Look ace against five persons charged in a scheme to get illegal aliens from Poland into this country has been closed with the final two guilty pleas. Sentencing remains for all five of

those involved with a husband and wife who ran a travel agency in Garfield. His sister a former Social Security Administration employee and her sister they were responsible for getting more than a thousand Polish aliens here between 1974 and 1978 all the phony documents including Social Security Identification and justice may have been a bit slow but it did finally triumphed in the case of Doris Savol the Haldon who got a summons on an unpaid traffic ticket and was jailed briefly until she could post $25 bail. She was charged with illegally parking a gold Pontiac on a Cliffside Park Street. The problem is she has a red Pinto and she says she's never been in Cliffside Park. The judge chalked it up to a computer operator error with car registration numbers and rolled misses not guilty. Somewhat of an attic climax you said. I've known from the beginning I wasn't guilty of. Mark our

home. New Jersey Public Television. There's a chance that the television you're now watching is getting its signal from a cable TV system. And Richard Nixon our contributing commentator on the media says there's an even better chance that you'll be hooked up to cable in the years ahead. Despite what we hear about New Jersey lagging behind other states in television the fact is that the Garden State is in the forefront of the cable TV boom. Since 1973 when the legislature gave the green light to the cable industry the rate of growth has been 25 percent each year. The office of cable TV part of the State Board of Public Utilities estimates that by 1980 to run out of every three New Jersey households 800000 subscribers will be wired to one or more of the 50 systems expected to be operating in the

state. Cable television sometimes called CA TV from community antenna television began after World War 2 as a minor add junk over the air of commercial TV to improve reception in remote or hilly regions. Today it is a major communications medium in its own right transmitting local news and entertainment as well as first run movies and sports events. What's exciting about cable TV in New Jersey which at present has 47 systems involving 39 companies serving most municipalities. Is this potential for a cooperative hookup among all the systems. The Board of Public Utilities is pressing for a consortium that would involve the state's colleges in a variety of public courses for credit. Also the Federal Communications Commission is requirement of community access channels in each system could heighten citizens awareness of community affairs. The future for New Jersey as a wired state is bright. Providing we plan ahead with public interest in mind and demand as subscribers broad diversity and high quality

in programming. This is Richard Nixon. Once again our top story is the state Supreme Court ruled today that televised coverage of New Jersey court proceedings will be permitted soon on an experimental basis. The New York City Councilman today asked the Essex County prosecutor to investigate what the councilman says was a 100 percent rise in crime in New York. Since the layoff of more than 200 police of the start of the year and some of the recently laid off Newark teachers may find jobs in New York City. The school board there is trying to fill at least 500 teaching vacancies. And that's the news about Rebecca. Good night Clay. Good night for the New Jersey nightly news. Presentation of New Jersey Public Television 30 broadcast

weeknights at 6:30 on Channel 13 at 7:30. The New Jersey Public Television and updated edition is broadcast at 10:00 p.m. on New Jersey Public Television. And at seven the following morning. Portions pre recorded.