New Jersey Nightly News; 11/20/1978

New Jersey Nightly News. With Rebecca Sobel in Trenton and Clayton Vaughn in Newark. Good evening. In the news tonight gay rights and a bill aimed at limiting those rights caused some heated discussion at a state Senate hearing today. Members of a cult called The Circle of Friends have asked a Newark federal judge to protect them from being forcibly deprogrammed by their parents and they've been turned down. And New Jersey's top two education officials are blaming each other's department for college freshmen flunking the new basic skills tests. Good evening Rebecca. In sports Paul or Bill Perry Rather Reports on the firing of a Giants offensive coordinator after the Giants last minute loss to the Eagles this weekend. Now on a closer look we'll talk with a New York City leader about the city's financial crisis and the reaction of a New York police are backing a bill that would restore criminal penalties for homosexual acts was taken up today by the state Senate Judiciary Committee. The bill is sponsored by Camden County Senator Joseph Marrissa

and would amend that section of the new criminal code which decriminalized sex between consenting adults. Today with tempers running high and speeches running long the Judiciary Committee did not have time to vote on the measure. Mariama Rosso has the story. In that hearing was so crowded that opponents and supporters of gay rights were squeezing together a lot closer than either group probably liked. On one side with a rosary B prayers in the Bible quoters their position. Homosexuality is a sin and the state has the responsibility to uphold the morals of a Christian society. God has said that the violators and those that participate in these activities. This is not to the exclusion of adulterers and fornicators thieves liars and extortioners. Homosexuality happens to be the issue at the moment. On the other side were proponents of gay rights and civil libertarians who said consensual sex is a private matter and that the morass a bill is discriminatory

and oppressive. If everyone could actually know personally homosexual people this whole problem would go away. What happens is because of the current attitude in society as is represented by this bill. People have to stay in their closets and so the homosexual people that you do know you are not allowed to know as homosexual because they have to protect themselves from your homophobia. Attorney General John Degnan said morasses bill is unenforceable unwise and of doubtful constitutionality. He also said that because of the way the bill is worded it seems as if the state would be able to prosecute male homosexuals but not females. As for the bill's sponsor Senator Marrissa he said he's less interested in prosecuting gays than in keeping them in the closet. I think the rationale is rather obvious isn't it. You make homosexual to keep homosexuality. As one and it's not a crime so so much. As to keep

homosexuality in the minds of our young people something. That would be known as an undesirable lifestyle. The mixture of sex religion and politics created a charged atmosphere and sparks inevitably flew. As I said a. Sovereign nation and God will do just that. Clark Senator Marrissa admits the bill needs to be cleaned up some but even so he still feels it's got a good chance of being released from Committee in Trenton. I'm Mary Amoruso. The state Senate decided today not to vote on Senator Joseph Bernardino's minimum wage bill. That measure would raise the wage floor of New Jersey from 250 an hour to 310. By 1980 a vote was scheduled on the bill today but late this afternoon it was still being discussed by the Senate Democratic Caucus. No new voting date has been set. Also today a joint legislative committee approved changes in the nearly bankrupt drug assistance plan for senior citizens. Those changes would increase to two dollars the

amount senior citizens pay for prescriptions and would require an enrollment free for enrollment fee from some participants. And Camden Assemblyman Ernest shook today withdrew his proposal to temporarily raise the state's income tax. Schook said his measure had produced an enormous negative reaction. Clayton Well a cult group called the circle of friends lost a bid in court today to stop any more kidnap attempts against its members a federal judge denied an injunction sought by the friends after the father of one of its members allegedly hired a deprogrammer to kidnap his daughter from the group. My power has more. It was only a hearing in New York federal court today but it provided a glimpse inside the circle of friends and to look at what a future trial may be like for one it will get a lot of publicity. The friends are becoming full fledged media stars in court today. They said this woman Joan staed rock was kidnapped from the group by a deprogrammer named Galen Kelly who was hired by Ms staed Rax father and

they claim Kelley had bigger things in mind. Do you think he's out to get the whole group. He certainly is. He told me that. What did he say specifically about what he said specifically in the van when he had friends is it dangerous a dangerous organization and he'll do his best to pull him apart. Well he's hired for hire by the desert Dario's. And also it's his hometown conspiracy. Who's behind the parent conspiracy. The friends say it's this woman's father in law. She is Diane does it Dario. Her father in law is a businessman. John Defterios seen here he reportedly believes Diane is trying to use his son to grab a hold of the desert Diorio family fortune and turn it over to the friends leader. Fifty eight year old George juristic. Did they hire him because they fear that your group lured their son away. Now you're after the family wanting their family up so they can leave you die. That's all. I could to. Being got them here die and they can.

Maybe they think you're after the family money. If I am I get it because I'm good in getting money. So since the alleged kidnapping the women and the friends have taken to carrying canes for protection they say the friends has about 75 members. Most they say are arch conservative politically philosophically. They claim to believe only in health wealth and wisdom. George juristic says the friends are neither a humanitarian group nor a religion. The attractive young women in the group he says came from unhappy homes and their parents are just jealous that he can make them happy. But if deprogrammers keep trying to kidnap juristic says the circle of friends could turn violent like the religious cult in Guyana that killed a congressman and a news crew in Newark. I'm Mike power. So Newark police apparently staged a sickout this past weekend with 50 men calling in sick Saturday and Sunday. Twenty five of those were examined the only one found to be

ill. And police director Herbert Williams says the 24 others will probably be charged with abuse of sickly. Williams said there should be a united departmental effort to avert city layoffs which will cost two hundred policemen their jobs. Williams appeal on the sickout follows the smashing of windows and 50 police cars last week after those layoffs were announced. Mayor Kenneth Gibson an Essex County State Senator Frank Dodd today asked for a non-police investigation into the vandalism of the cars. They asked Essex County prosecutor Donald Coburn and state attorney general John Degnan to make the investigation Mayor hasn't been talking much about the city's latest crisis during part of the lay off process. Gibson was in England visiting Newark's sister city Newark on trend. The mayor did send out one news release on the layoffs which we received but he declined requests to come on camera and talk about the crisis and why he was out of the country during a part of it. After declining another request for an interview today the mayor was seen by a nightly news reporter Jeffrey Hall as Gibson was leaving his city hall office for a meeting.

This whole thing developed and have you been avoiding us. There's no reason why I should. Avoid you. My job is to serve the people of Newark and not to be interviewed. How can you do that in England. Well we did not change the. Fiscal situation by either being in Newark. New Jersey or New England if you will recall the mayor of Newark on Trent England was here for an official visit. We had been requested for many months to return that visit. And that's what I did. That was a bad time. I don't think so I don't think that my being in Newark or being in Washington or New England or in Africa which I was supposed to go to. Why did you cancel that trip. We've cancelled that because they extended the time from an original three day request to a seven day request which pushed me past Thanksgiving Day which does not really deal with my own personal problems. GIBBS And I had been scheduled to leave the country again today at the request of President Carter to help the African state of Guinea observe its 20th anniversary later in this news broadcast will have Gibson's comment on the

money crisis itself and one reaction to it by a civic leader here in New York. Eight members of the striking playing field teachers are still enjoy all fortifying. Back to work order but they got out long enough today for another negotiating session with the school board. Wages are the issue. There was word that teachers have scaled down their demand. There's no word whether the board has raised its offer. Meanwhile about half of Plainfield students are going to half day classes and the nurses strike into Hudson County hospitals Pollock a meadow view is now in its third week. Both facilities still open running with volunteers and non nursing personnel. We're back in high school officials were mad enough last Friday when the state announced that almost half of New Jersey's college freshmen flunked basic skills tests. But today they're really steaming State Higher Education officials meeting in Trenton today. Want to release those scores on a high school by high school basis Tressler of higher education Dr. Edward Hollander says the object is to win back to school officials into better teaching or I think every high school graduate ought to

be able to successfully complete the basic skills examination that was offered by this department that is not a difficult examination at the school. The high schools need to be more effective in preparing students not just for college but for a life State Education Commissioner Fred BURKE The man in charge of secondary education for New Jersey is against using the freshmen scores to judge the high schools. I think it's unfortunate that the department of higher education has chosen to release the test scores by New Jersey high schools. Why. Because we really don't know which show youngsters took the test. Which ones didn't. Only about half of the youngsters took the test. About half the youngsters are not in New Jersey colleges and institutions. I don't think public officials have a right to withhold information because they're fearful of being embarrassed. Think public officials have a responsibility to make available information that has been essentially accumulated using taxpayer dollars the high school by high school scores will most likely be released next month.

The New Jersey Federation of senior citizens today called on the State Board of Public Utilities to water power companies not to shut off anyone's gas or electricity for non-payment of bills this winter. A senior citizens group told the Trenton news conference that quick action is needed to make sure no one freezes to death. Because of the of cost of utilities this year. Many many people are going to be unable to pay their bills on time. When you figure out that something like twenty four thousand seven hundred eighty one people have their gas shut off from your gas electric shut off last year they're in the state of New Jersey that something has to be done about it. The Board of Public Utilities can issue emergency orders banning power shutoffs but it's never been done for an entire winter. However that's just what the senior citizens will ask for when they meet with energy commissioner Joel Jacobson next week. And here is the weather forecast for New Jersey. Partly cloudy and cold tonight across the state temperatures will

range from 25 to 30 degrees tomorrow considerable cloudiness and cold in northern New Jersey. High temperatures from 35 to 40 in the southern part of the state partly sunny and milder. High temperatures in the mid to upper 40s. And the outlook for Wednesday cloudy and mild. On. The other kind of football it's taking off all across the country. Now you can participate in the soccer revolution exploding all of North America. To. Be. A part of all the action. Really starts off Sunday evenings at 7:00 o'clock on New Jersey public television. You don't touch a winning team. But what about a losing team and Bill Perry is here to tell us about that.

You touch him Rebecca. The Giants fired offensive coordinator Bob Gibson today. Gibson's The man who called all the plays he had to pay with his job. But what happened yesterday in the 19:17 lost to Philadelphia the way the Giants who lost is mind boggling. By now you've heard it but let's emphasize it again. All Job Bossart you had to do was take the snap and fall down. Time would have expired and the Giants would have defeated Philadelphia. 17:12 would have could have and should have. This is first down or just fell on it. Philadelphia then took its final time out then with the clock running 28 seconds left no time outs for the third down play. The sergeant never got the ball to Larry Zonker Herman Edwards made the most opportunistic play of his career running in the loose ball after the extra point the Eagles had a 19:17 victory. So Gibson is gone and there is speculation that head coach John McVeigh will lose his job. McVeigh was reportedly in trouble before yesterday. One published report mentioned Penn State's Joe Paterno as a possible successor to McVeigh.

We checked it out at University Park with paternal search. There's been some speculation already in our area that Penn State has to go on and win a national championship perhaps it would be time for Joe Paterno to step down at Penn State and accept the pro job and already I've heard talk about perhaps the Giants. Any truth to that or is it a nasty rumor. That's just what it is. I have not talked to the Giants. I've not given any thought to retiring. I'm not given any thought to leaving the state and I don't think I'm going to like it here. I enjoy it. I am running the national championship if it would happen isn't exactly what I said is the goal of my coaching career. I really don't care if we ever win. Penn State is ranked number one in the nation will begin a series tomorrow night running through the rest of the week on the New Jersey contribution to the top ranked Lions three Garden State or start on the Penn State Defense. They are alphabetically Pete Harris Larry Cuban and Joe Lally will hear from all three plus we'll have Paterno's evaluation of his new jersey ballplayers after a big Saturday of

high school playoffs throughout the state. Here's the New Jersey Nightly News Top 15 North Bergen is again the top ranked high school football team in the state. Madison borough was ranked second followed by Seton Hall than its Passaic valley watching hills and South River Deptford his seventh Collingswood 8th when Happy Valley is night that 10th spot goes to North Eddison then its Plainfield Union returning to the top 15 its 12th. All new comers 13 14 and 15 Holy Cross Toms River south and past. Hills. We have a story on a field hockey team that's well a little different. Trish Gaspar's picks it up with child in tow and play pen in hand. Where is this mother going to play field hockey on a rather extraordinary team. Members of the Mars town field hockey club are mostly wealthy suburban housewives who play their games at exclusive prep schools but when they shed their Fifth Avenue fineries this team goes out for blood with their kids for an audience. They play their 12 game schedule with great intensity. Some of the games are against their suburban

counterparts from Princeton and Rumson and others against high school and college teams. All of the women have played field hockey at some time or other but some of their experience in the sport goes back 15 years or more. When I was in high school my goal was to be the the captain of the high school team never made it. At 33 I finally got to be captain of the Marsteller women. I feel I finally achieved my age 33. I think it's a game of skills. You know as opposed to football where you just not people over and push your way through and other sports that I can think of. This is a game where it requires a lot of technical skill with your stick and your feet. You'd think that this would be a social venture as well as an athletic one. But team founder Peggy Clements says that's not the case. Some of us don't even know which of its last names we don't know which of these husbands at all. We're determined not to have meetings and coffee klatches. We really just meet for two or three months in the fall and play hockey. That's what the last game of the season for the Moorestown team. And what did the women do when Field hockey is over.

Well as Blair McGinnis says prices around and eat candy and not get any exercise at all. This is it for the year in Fort Hills. This is Trischka Gaspar's reporting that they'll be back next year and that's the sports. Rebecca thanks Bill. If you've already picked up your Thanksgiving turkey then you know the prices are up. This year the New Jersey council says the holiday bird costs about 20 cents more per pound than last year. Turkey farmers are delighted. Mike Power reports this has been such a good year for Turkey farmers that the lives of these birds are already even threatened by Thanksgiving. There will be Christmas dinner fresh dressed Thanksgiving birds are already spoken for the Bush turkey farm in Pemberton is New Jersey's largest it sells more than 30000 turkeys a year. Frances Bush buys turkey chicks for a dollar apiece and feeds them for the next 18 to 25 weeks. The difference is what gives you a different weight bird. Bush is happy with this year's production.

I guess you could say it's been one of the best years had probably why. Well the prices up. Turkeys seem to be in short supply. And naturally when anything's in short supply the prices up. Fresh Dressed turkeys cost about a dollar a pound at a turkey farm this year. They cost 30 to 40 cents more than that at the butcher's frozen birds are going for 79 to 89 cents a pound. Experts say turkey prices are up because beef prices are up even more so many consumers are eating poultry. That's created the unique situation in which both Turkey demand and turkey production is up and poultry farmers say consumers shouldn't feel bad about eating those birds that live only six months or so. A turkey is so ignorant farmers swear that it's literally hard work to keep them alive. And Francis Bush says turkeys are dumb. He says he doesn't know if it's true or not but he's heard that during a rainstorm. Turkeys caught outside. You look up at the sky. Open their mouths and drill.

In Pemberton on Mike Power North Arlington blaze today sent a fingertip to the state police to see if the state police could identify its fingerprint and therefore its owner the owner who robbed the broad national bank in North Arlington Friday managed to blow off his fingertip just as he jumped over a counter making his gun to what he was holding a sawed off shotgun on his right hand and it fired blowing the fingertip off on his left. The gunman and his partner had already picked up the money $3000 after the shot was fired. They fled North Arlington policeman didn't sound very worried about finding his robber. However if he's got a record we've got him dead to rights the detective said. He left us the perfect calling card. That and my life really is I think what he was talking French for he kind of took any language they liked and nobody would

have invested them. It would be bad even if we a note say Hoshi's will be at the Shobal not know the second 80 90 and I will be there. I want you to stay at New Jersey public television. What appeared to be a sweet financial picture and Nurick abruptly turned sour last week. Word came in a press release from city hall which blamed the federal anti cyclical or recession a cutbacks by Congress. Result. The press release said would be the way off of 441 city employees including two hundred policemen tonight on a closer look. We'll try to get at the reasons for the layoffs and the reaction particularly by policemen to them since the announcement of the cutbacks we have been trying to catch up with Mayor Kenneth Gibson for amplification. Today reporter Jeffrey Hall did just that but an obviously irritated mayor did not offer much amplification.

We issued a statement last week. Which I intend to report. I think we gave you a copy of This. Finally you should copy. We have no good feeling about laying off people in the city of New York. Because their futures are involved in the process. And if we had any other. Way out there would be no layoffs. But we of course must function within the state law. And that state law requires that we function with a balanced budget. In addition that caps law. For all cities in New Jersey. Limit the amount that we can increase our spending each year. And therefore we because of the 11 million dollar shortfall. Have decided. There are certain areas in which there will be reductions in services. Those reductions in services have dictated. A reduction in personnel. To the amount of 441 listicle employees. 45 day notices were sent to all of those 441 employees.

In time for them to receive them on November 15th. And at the end of this year this calendar year. Or those people will be laid off. And with me now to talk about money problems. Gus Humming-Bird who leads the greater Newark urban coalition. Mr. Henning Berg the thing that got the most publicity last week was the police department reaction and the police reaction I should say to the budget cuts which involved police officers and patrolmen. What's your reaction to their reaction. Their reaction was unconscionable illegal. And irresponsible. And will probably serve to be as much a deterrent to the possibility of getting any of that money reinstated as anything that has taken place since then. What if they had done something else what could they do. Well several things. First of all they could have sat down with the administration and said Let us join forces and lobbying the state legislature for example to remove the caps law which is a major problem or to at least say let's have emergency services police

included exempted from the tap from the caps law. That's a state law which prohibits spending above a certain level. That would have been a responsible approach. But handing out leaflets in the streets and that kind of thing is irresponsible and I think illegal activity on the part of law enforcement officials. Mr. Henning Berg you're known as one of Newark's biggest boosters but yet the city is coming up short of funds facing layoffs of police teachers a massive fiscal crisis. Does this give the city a black eye in your view. Well it's going to disrupt the normal distribution of municipal services quite. There's no question about that. However I think it's important to say that this is not peculiar to Newark. Every major urban center in the country has become heavily dependent on federal funds over the local political structure has no control for its operating budgets. And of course you're talking about the federal funds that Congress refused to pass in the last day of the session but still is it wise to prepare a city budget on money that is

not in hand. But that is under the control of somebody else in this case the federal government. Well in terms of long range economic planning it is not whether there was any immediate alternative available is another question I think there was not. This is what happened in New York City to a great degree. Local politicians because of an eroding tax base which is in part a function of public policy almost had to take that money and almost had the plan on the delivery of services with federal money over which they had no control and which can be cut out at any time. And in this case unfortunately was that's what happened. Attorney Barry thank you for being with us tonight. A closer look postscript to last week's report on civil defense in New Jersey and what plans are being made for evacuation. Part of those plans call for some of us in New Jersey in the event of a nuclear attack to be relocated in rural areas of Pennsylvania and New York. The Avoca New York Journal came up with its version of the story Saturday under the banner headline New Jersey to spend dooms day in Ithaca. The

story confirms what we reported last week that those tentatively selected host areas don't know we're coming. But the story also points out that before any area is officially designated local consent must be obtained. Once again our top story is the state Senate Judiciary Committee today adjourned without taking action on a controversial bill that would limit homosexual rights in New Jersey and another legislative matter the Senate has delayed action on the minimum wage bill which would raise the minimum wage to $3 and 10 cents an hour by 1980. And a federal judge in New York has said no to a request by the circle of friends for an injunction that would prevent future kidnappings from that cult. And that's the news tonight Rebecca. Good night and good night for the New Jersey nightly news. New Jersey Nightly News is a joint presentation of New Jersey Public Television and w any T-38 and is broadcast weeknights at 6:30 on Channel 13 and at

7:30 on New Jersey Public Television an updated edition is broadcast at 10:00 p.m. on New Jersey public television and at 7:00 the following morning on Channel 13. Portions pre-recording