The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 17

TVA Slates Cuts in Power, Still Urging Conservation By FRANK CASON Tetmeuean Staff Correipondent KNOXVILLE TVA's directors formally approved yesterday an emergency power cutback plan Vhich they said may not be needed if consumers seriously practice stringent electricity conservation. "What the public does should' make the crucial difference," said S. David Freeman, the TVA's newest director who is slated to become chairman in May when Aubrey J. Wagner retires; ALTHOUGH THE TVA has repeatedly stressed the seriousness of the 80-day United Mine Workers strike which has seriously depleted the TVA's coal stockpiles, Freeman said the agency might be able to wait out the strike tor an indefinite period and not be forced to implement the power reduction plan. "It's really up to the consumers of the Tennessee Valley.

It's not a trite statement to say that if you wear a couple of sweaters this week, you might save your job next week," Freeman said. The TVA has already called for consumers to voluntarily cut their power use by 20 to help stretch coal stockpiles, but there is some question whether the voluntary call in the TVA's seven-state service area is beginning to be realized. "We can't qualify that by saying how much, but it should be a real incentive for everyone to redouble their conservation efforts," Hughes said. Freeman and Director Bill Jenkins said procedures under the power reduction plan would be reviewed if stockpiles at the 10 plants with the lowest reserves reach the 1 million ton level. Wagner, reportedly out of town on personal business, (fid not attend the meeting.

"THIS SHOULD put everybody on notice that this is a very firm plan of mandatory cutbacks, we would still take another look at it at that time, i "It's not self-executing and if the strike were to be settled in the near future, we could probably tough it out," Freeman said. The TVA's stockpiles are said to total about 1.8 million tons at the 10 plants. Two weeks ago, when the draft version of the plan was publicized, the TVA's coal stockpile drain was running about 500,000 tons a week. HOWEVER, IMPROVED coal Under the first step of the mandatory power cutback plan, electricity agency said it will try to avoid at all costs, calls for rotating blackouts for all power consumers, including residential users, but excludes emergency faculties. "Wl will have to be hard-nosed about granting Freeman said.

Jenkins said if the states in the Tennessee Valley should want control over "certain" power curtailments, "then we will sit down and talk with them." Following the board meeting, the directors concluded their quarterly review of power system finances and announced no change in basic power rates for the quarter beginning April 1. deliveries to maus tries woiuu ue cm by employment layoffs from an estimated 136,000 to 150,000 people. Once stockpiles dip to 750,000 tons, the 30 cutback would be applied to commercial and residential customers. If the figure drops to 500,000 tons, TVA said the third step involves a 50 cutback to industries. Should stockpile totals drop to 250,000 tons, industries would be shut down to housekeeping levels.

THE FIFTH step, which the nas met witn mucn success. NAT HUGHES, the TVA's manager of power, said, however, he is a convinced power conservation with deliveries and a brief snap of warmer weather last week slowed the drain to about 112,000 tons during that period. action that people should be prepared for. If the time came for the The TENNESSEAN, Trio of Angry Women Take Suspected Shoplifter in Hand Friday Page 17 Mrs. Davis' mother, Mrs.

Louise Lynch, foreman of the Williamson County Grand Jury and a member of the county board of education. Miss Adair said the incident began Monday afternoon when Staten spent about an hour at the store trying on bluejeans. WHEN HE left, the women discovered two pairs of jeans missing, she said. I "Judy and Louise ran out the door, caught him by the arm and made him come back in the store," she said. After the women called police, Miss Adair said, Staten went into the dressing room and removed one pair of jeans which had been concealed under the corduroy pants he had worn into the store.

"HE SAD), 'There are your blue-jeans; I'm Miss Adair said. 'Judy got the pistol and Louise had a can of mace, and I had a baseball bat." When Staten attempted to push Mrs. Lynch away from the front door, she said, Mrs. Lynch sprayed him with the entire can of mace but it didn't stop him. "He ran out the door and was oing to escape, so I took the base-all bat and nit him in the head," Miss Adair said.

"It staggered him, but he kept on running. AUTHORITIES SAID Staten fled to a field east of U.S. 431, North, where city police chased him down. Officers said the other pair of jeans was found on the suspect at the jail. Staten wasn't the only one who had trouble with clothing that day.

"I tore up a good pair of pants chasing him through a briar patch," said Assistant Police Chief Jimmy Stafford. By RALPH DAWSON Tennesson State Correspondent FRANKLIN, Tenn. A Franklin man will go to court Monday on a shoplifting charge, but he probably prefers that to another encounter with three angry women who foiled the crime. Authorities said the suspect, Seymour Sebastian Staten, 20, of Cadet subdivision, had a pistol pulled on him, was sprayed in the face with a can of mace and rapped on the head with a baseball bat before finally being chased down by police. STATEN IS being held in Williamson County Jail in lieu of $250 bond, pending the City Court hearing at 9 a.m.

Monday. The three apparent heroines in the case are Judy Davis, 23, and Lisa Adair, 19, cousins and co-operators of the General Store in Independence Square Shopping Center, and Two Eyed By KIRK LOGGINS Two residents of the Salvation Army's Alcoholic Treatment Center here took $4,673 from the agency's office here Jan. 7 and headed west, a Metro police detective testified yesterday. Paul L. Fleming, 57, who had been working as a bookkeeper as part of his rehabilitation program, made it only as far as West Memphis, before he "started drinking, went into a daze" and wound up in a Veterans Administration hospital Feb.

10, said Detective Gary Stewart. FLEMING'S COMPANION, Russell S. Ruhl, 25, took the remainder of the money more than $4,000 and "lived it up" in Oklahoma and Southern California before running out of cash in Las Vegas Jan. 31, Stewart told General Sessions Court Judge Dennis Summers. atewart said Kuni called both Las Staff photo by Bill Welch Booty to Tune of $30,000 Metro Police Detective John Pennington holds up a guitar which was part of an estimated $30,000 in musical equipment confiscated after Florida authorities reported it stolen.

in Salvation Madisonville, and Metro police picked him up there Feb. 4, Stewart said. SUMMERS BOUND both Fleming and Ruhl to the county grand jury yesterday on charges of grand larceny. He set bond for Ruhl at $5,000, but set Fleming's bond at only $1,000 after Stewart said the older man is suffering from "a bad case of em-, physema." Salvation Army officials have told police that Fleming and Ruhl ''checked out" of the Alcoholic Treatment Center, 140 N. First about 6:50 p.m.

Jan. 7, saying they were going to a nearby Shoney's restaurant. They did not return to the center that night, and officials found $4,673 in receipts from the organization's thrift stores missing from the office Jan. counselor John Henderson said. Stewart said both Fleming and Ruhl have admitted taking the Election Commission Votes To Go To Court Over Thomas Candidacy Feb.

24, 1978 maries because the qualifying deadline is March 2 five days before voters can decide whether-sheriffs ought to be able to run a fourth time. IS MY opinion that these individuals may not legally qualify for that office unless and until the local government articles is in fact approved," Collins ruled. Thomas, who has indicated he might seek other county offices if the court rules unfavorably, told the commission he plans to try to join in the lawsuit as a friend of the court. He indicated he will attempt to qualify before the case gets to court, a move which could expedite the court proceedings. He said he feels the state's voters wanted the sheriffs' succession section of the constitution changed or they wouldn't have authorized the recent Constitutional Convention.

REFERRING TO a section of Collins' opinion which said three-term incumbents could qualify as independent candidates as late as May 2, Thomas said, "If I can run in August, I can run in May." General elections for county offices are held in August, while narty primaries are scheduled for May 2. building permit fees before Metro Council was asked to legislate an increase in the actual fee schedule. BOTH MCPHERSON and England have told the committee they have no written memoranda to support their statements. England, still on administrative leave with pay, declined comment yesterday. The citizens committee, chaired by former Metro attorney Linda Farrer, adopted the tentative position yesterday that there was a "laxity of leadership and performance on the part of the Lax Army Theft money, but both men have entered not guilty pleas to the grand larceny charges.

Assistant Public Defender John Wade, who represents the two men, said Ruhl claims he gave police a statement only after he was "physically abused." FLEMING, WHO receives a disability pension from the Veterans Administration, had been living at the Alcoholic Treatment Center for about sue months, while Ruhl had been there only about two months, Stewart said. Stewart said Ruhl's real name is Pete Rose and said he was released from a Kentucky prison in 1974, after serving two years for grand larceny. Stewart said Ruhl went from Memphis to Tulsa, where he rented, but then abandoned, an apartment, and to his sister's home in before he wound up in Las Vegas. Stewart said Ruhl told him "he spent the money on television, rings, watches and women." by Jimmy Bib Staff photo riiiiiimiu unif a rwcy iu uie ui- Vegas and Metro police, saying he fice, thanks to his role as a book-wanted to come on in and explain keener, officials said. r.

Music Equipment Theft Charges Hit 2 Floridians Two Florida men remained in custody late yesterday after Metro police confiscated an estimated $30,000 in musical equipment, including a guitar allegedly sold to a singer at a local Holiday Inn. Metro Police Detective John Pennington said the two are being held on state warrants charging them with receiving and concealingstolen property pending action by Florida authorities. THE MEN, John Dixon, 23, and William Reirden, 24, were in Metro Jail late yesterday in lieu of $25,000 bond each. Pennington said the two were arrested after police here received a report that the equipment, ranging from expensive guitars and acoustical equipment to boxes of picks and blank warranty cards, had been stolen from two music shops in Florida. Police confiscated the equipment from a variety of places, Pennington said, including the motel room where the two had stayed, a Volkswagen, local shops where some of the equipment had been left for repair or had been sold, and the Holiday Inn Southeast.

"I'M OUT $200 because I bought that guitar," said Sherry Runyon, a member of the band Sun Rise, playing at the Holiday Inn at 981 Mur-freesboro Road. Ms. Runyon said she bought the guitar after two men told her "they were in Nashville to record and had extra equipment to sell. "If the amendment doesn't pass March 7, none of the 19 (three-term incumbent) sheriffs can qualify," said Thomas. "All we askforisafair shake." After the meeting, Thomas said he plans to consult with his attorney before deciding whether to file his qualifying petition for re-election before the matter gets to court COLLINS SAID the state commission is expected to meet to deter-mine whether a decision by the Polk County commissioners to ignore his ruling constitutes a violation of their Dath of office.

Hesaidstatelawempowershimto "authoritatively interpret" the flection laws, adding that his ruling 5n the question of sheriffs' succession "is binding until it is overruled by a court." "We think they (Polk County officials) violated the law," said Collins. He said it would have been proper for the Polk County officials, three of whom were removed temporarily last summer after denying requests for a local referendum, to challenge his ruling in court. Walter England 'Leadership' questioned I i. ppKiiiliiiii lilii i saw a Jr i wnat nappened." Ruhl called two days later from 'All We iiiniiinaiMiiil- frif a ii --ttti ir ir umiummm -Lw Ask is a Fair Shake' By FRANK GIBSON The Davidson County Election Commission voted yesterday to go to court over the state election coordinator's ruling that Sheriff Fate Thomas cannot qualify for a fourth term as a Democrat. The commission also voted to instruct its attorney to ask Chancery Court for authorization to accept Thomas' qualifying petition, conditional on a favorable court ruling and upon passage of a proposed constitutional amendment to allow three-term sheriffs to succeed themselves.

"THE RULING (by State Elections Coordinator David A. Collins) is not law per se until it's upheld by a court," said Commissioner James Everett. The action came as efforts got under way to convene the State Election Commission here Wednesday to consider whether to fire members of the Polk County Election Commission for accepting the' qualifying petition of incumbent Sheriff Whitey Ramsey in violation of Collins' Feb. 6 ruling. Collins issued an opinion saying sheriffs who have served three consecutive two-year terms cannot qualify to run in local May 2 pri the mayor's office was unaware of the extent of the practice among contractors, McPherson said.

INSTEAD OF cooperation, the aide's advice went unheeded, McPherson said, because of an apparent breakdown in communications. While England told the committee last week he was told by the mayor's office to seek legislation to implement the guidelines, McPherson said yesterday he told the codes director only to advise the council of his administrative action. 5 The idea, McPherson said, was to clear up the problem caused by uncertainty over how to assess Metro Sheriff Fate Thomas tells members of the I the May 2 county Democratic primary. Chief Deputy Davidson County Election Commission he thinks he I Sheriff Buck McPherson listens as Thomas makes his should be allowed to qualify to run for a fourth term in I plea. Reviewers gland Report Indicates En Codes By MARSHA VANDE BERG A special citizens committee reviewing Metro codes procedures tentatively adopted a report yesterday which says Metro Codes Director Walter England has shown a "laxity in leadership." The tentative position states England failed to use administrative authority available to him to implement necessary reforms in the area of building permits.

IT FELL just short, however, of a strongly-worded position recently reached by a committee of Metro officials which stated that England failed to comply with his responsibilities as set out by the Metro Code. The citizens committee stand, which must be reviewed again before it is sent to Mayor Richard Fulton, was agreed' to after the group heard from mayoral aide Sam McPherson. McPherson, who disputed statements made earlier by England, insisted politics is not at the base of the apparent conflict between England and the Fulton administration. THE AIDE said he places "no credence" in what he termed "a lot of talk" about a conflict between the two. "Efforts by the administration to improve the department (Codes Administration) would do nothing but enhance the director, McPherson said.

The aide said the mayor's office has repeatedly tried to help England iron out problems which Fulton officials have identified as a result of persons calling in to complain. A STUDY was done in 1976, McPherson said, and recommendations were made that England implement guidelines for assessing building permit fees. McPherson said the recommendation was made to correct the problem caused by contractors who underestimate building costs when applying for permits. At the time he suggested England implement the guidelines, however,.