Longview News-Journal du lieu suivant : Longview, Texas • Page 1

1 Thursday All A A SIMP Evening December 14, 1978 107TH YEAR-NO. 250 LONGVIEW, TEXAS PHONE 757-3311 PRICE 15 CENTS Local Service Stations Biding Time On Price Hike By KATHY OOSTA Staff Writer Local service station managers are patiently "biding their time" in anticipation of gas price increases on the national level. Following an announcement last week that gas prices may rise as much as five cents per gallon, the local "The individual station managers must set prices proportionally to the increases or take the loss themselves," he said, explaining that there is a ceiling price based on prices during the 1973 shortage. "We are nowhere near reaching that ceiling price in this area," he said. Joe White, a local Mobil manager, said his station experienced an increase a week ago last Monday in which prices were raised from .7 cents to 1.2 cents.

"We make the same amount of profit whether the price goes up a penny or a dime," he said. "We are more or less locked in at a profit margin and I feel like the distributors are, too." Noting that three weeks ago two price increases were experienced within a two-week period, he said, "The prices can jump at any time and most of the time, there is no prior warning. The prices just go up and we have to adjust out prices proportionally." A Phillips 66 station manager, Bobby Arden, agreed that prior warning is not expected for price increases. "Many times we find out through the grapevine about a price increase, but it doesn't surprise me a bit to get a call announcing that a price increase will go into effect over a weekend'" he said. He predicted that price increases in the Longview area will not be as high as in other sections of the country; however, he antici pates some increase in the near future.

"The actual price that the consumer pays is actually left up to the individual dealers," he said. "If we don't raise our prices, we can simply take the loss if we choose to operate that way." He explained that within the last three to four months, he has received notification of several price increases. "Sometimes I raise my prices and other times, I just let the consumers take advantage of the lower price," he said. "It's totally up to me and how I want to run my business." A manager of a leased Shell station in Long-view also anticipates a price increase, but tells that her prices are set. "We have not had any increases recently, but feel that our prices will increase just as everyone else's," she said, explaining that her warning has been observation of other stations in the area.

Dorothy Downing, manager of Judson Texaco, said, "We don't know anything definite, but we anticipate that between now and January, the prices may go up as high as three cents per gallon." Some stations in Longview have already reported gasoline prices as high as 70 cents per gallon for premium gas and no one seems to know when or if the prices will increase even higher. "I suppose we'll just have to wait and see." one Texaco manager said. increase, but haven't received word as of yet. 'We are looking for the prices to go up." J.F. Presley of Presley Oil Co.

said. "And, we will have to go up with the retail price increase." Commenting strictly on Fina gas prices, Presley said the present retail price is 52.5 cents for regular and 55 cents for unleaded. The consumer price is three cents more. Indonesia After Price- Mike JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) Indonesia will demand an oil price increase of 10 to 20 percent at the OPEC conference starting this weekend, Vice President Adam Malik said today. "Indonesia's stand on this is absolute," Malik told reporters after meeting with President Suharto.

"As long as the price of oil remains as it is today, we will stand to lose." The Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries meets Sunday in Abu Dhabi to discuss raising the price of a 42-gallon barrel of crude from its current $12.70 benchmark. Among the reasons cited by Malik for a price increase were decreased oil production in violence-torn Iran, inflation and the unstable condition of the U.S. dollar. Indonesia has devalued its currency, the rupiah, by more than 50 percent against the dollar in a bid to revitalize its sluggish economy, which relies on oil exports for more than 50 percent of national income. Indonesia produces 1.6 million barrels of oil daily and logged $7 billion in oil sales last year.

The OPEC leaders are expected to raise the price be-' tween 5 and 10 percent, and an official in Tokyo said today such an increase would have "very little" effect on Japan, and might even have some advantages. Tsugio Ide, deputy director of the international division of the Ministry of International Trade and Industry, said in an interview that a 10 percent price hike by OPEC will cost Japan, which imports 99.8 percent of the oil it uses, about $2.5 billion. However, he said that will mean a rise in wholesale and retail prices for gasoline and other related products of less than 1 percent Gasoline in Tokyo sells for about $2.12 a gallon. Ide also said Japan's balance of payments "is very good right now, maybe even too good." Japan is still under fire from the United States and other countries for having too large a balance of payments surplus estimated at $14 billion for this year. Higher oil prices will bring that down.

0: Court Rules it Ll.l,.ll. IN 111. lit AP Laserphoto Carols Allowed State's Newest Mariachi Bill Clements celebrated in typical El Paso style Wednesday when he attended a local Republican fund-raising dinner there, his first public appearance since his historic election to the governor's office: Kitty Clements, left, seemed amused when he took the Mexican charro hat from an El Paso mariachi singer performing for the governor's feast. In S.D. Schools Mail Crush Up Slightly FroiA 1977 Gable Offering Dallas Channel 4 3- Partly cloudy this afternoon, tonight and Friday.

A little warmer Friday. Hig this afternoon mid 50s. Low tonight mid 30s. High Friday lower 60s. Wind light and variable.

Weather Data Tempertures during 24-hour period ending at 7 a.m. at Pinewood Fire Station: High Low Longview 62 38 Last Year 65 36 Precipitation during same period: None. Total for 1978 to date: 34.54. Normal to date: 44.97. Sunset today: 5:15 p.m.

Sunrise tomorrow: 7:13 a.m. Abby 14-B 15-21-B Comics 15-B Crossword 7-B- Editorials 4-A Horoscope 14-B Longview Today 21-A Obituaries 2-A Scrabble 12-B Sports v. 1-5-B Theaters. 15-B TV Log 14-B Women's Page 10-14-A tutional ruling on the case. "We still might win," Pevar said, "but the assemblies that already have been in rehearsal will go on as planned this year and the judge will review the entire matter at his leisure after the Christmas season." "I'm waiting to see what the final judgment is.

I'm cautiously optimistic," school district attorney Deming Smith said. "I'm certainly happy to win the first round." Marilyn Day, president of the Sioux Falls ACLU chapter, said she is optimistic Bogue eventually will rule in favor of her organization. If not, she said she will appeal. "He underlined that his decision; does not reflect on the ultimate out-. come of the case," Ms.

Day added. William Janklow, South Dakota's current attorney general, called the suit "ludicrous." "Nobody has ever compelled people to sing these carols if they didnt want to," Janklow said. "It's not the kind of thing we should be wasting our time in court about." By MICHAEL J. BUGEJA United Press International SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (UPI) A request by the American Civil Liberties Union to stop the singing of "Silent Night" and other Christmas carols in Sioux Falls public schools this season has been denied by a federal judge.

U.S. District Judge Andrew Bogue of Rapid City rejected the ACLU quest for a temporary injunction Wednesday. However, Bogue said he will issue a ruling next year on the merits of the ACLU's contention that Christmas carols sung in public schools violate the constitutional separation of church and state. The decision Wednesday thus allows school holiday programs to proceed as planned, including the singing of 29 traditional carols the ACLU considers religious. Steve Pevar, lead counsel for the ACLU, said Bogue determined more harm would occur if the assemblies were stopped than if they were allowed to proceed, pending a consti Second Suit In Case By VAN CRADDOCK Staff Writer Longview cable television viewers Wednesday were again able to tune in Dallas' Channel 4 (CBS affiliate KDFW), but this time they'll have the station on a permanent basis.

Longview Cable Television Inc. announced that the channel went on the air at noon Wednesday. "Late Tuesday the microwave transmit- ting equipment arrived in Long-view," said David P. Mooney, vice president and general manager of the local cable company, "and we began installation at the relay tower at Goodman Mountain." The tower is located just off Interstate 20 near the Smith County line. Mooney said that final checkout and fireup of the equipment was carried out early Wednesday.

Service from KDFW had been offered by the cable company, on a temporary basis, from December 1977 until March 1978, after the col-, lapse of Shreveport Channel 12's transmitting tower. The FCC allowed Longview Cable Television Inc. to pick up Channel 4 while Channel 12's new tower was being constructed. Mooney had reported at a November City Council meeting that the FCC had approved the company's application for permission to carry Channel 4 on permanent basis, along with Fort Worth's Channel 5 (NBC affiliate KXAS). "We plan to add Channel 5 via the common carrier microwave system, along with improved service for channels 11, 13 and 39 on or about May 15." Mooney said.

He said that the FCC's approval of By BOB SMITH Staff Writer The Christmas mail rush, altogether, is at least equal to last year's rate and perhaps a bit heavier. That was the estimate of Stuart Wilson, manager of mail processing for the Postal Service in Longview. "We're handling 300,000 to 500,000 pieces of mail a day at this time," Wilson said, "but conditions vary from day to day. We figure on a heavy rush through Monday of next week." He said incoming mail, as of Thursday, was getting heavier while the load of outgoing mail was slipping off. "It's getting a little late for most outgoing mail to get there in time for Christmas," Wilson said.

The last deadline recommended by the U.S. Postal Service for domestic mail shows Saturday as the last "safe" day to send priority mail to Alaska and Hawaii and all letters and cards to those same states. ''There is still time, but not much, to send last-minute cards and letters to areas in the continental U.S.," Wilson said. Wilson said weather conditions affect mail volume to a large degree. "We're in pretty good shape," he said Thursday.

"We are staying current." The post office at 103 Niblick Ave. will close at noon Friday. Those post office box customers who pick up their new keys before noon Friday can remove their mail from the post office box on Saturday at the new facility located at 1915 W. -Loop 281, according to Lonnie Whitehurst, in charge of customer relations for the Longview post offices. Service windows at the new facili HCA Asks For An Early Hearing On Suit Appeal the cable system's application to carry the two new network affiliates "culminates many years of work on our part." Mooney also praised the "spirit of cooperation" shown the cable company by Channel 7, KLTV, in Tyler, and Bob Cargill, president of Channel 51 Longview, in agreeing to let Longview Cable bring in the two stations.

To obtain the additional stations, the company had to petition the FCC for a waiver of the commission's distant signal carriage restrictions. Section 76.59 of th FCC's rules forbids carriage of any distant network signals on the cable system. In addition, Shreveport's Channel 12 had filed an objection to the waiver, claiming its East Texas viewer market would be "seriously harmed" if the addition stations were picked up by Longview Cable Television Inc. The cable company pointed out, however, that Tyler's KLTV is the only television station whose reference point is within 35 miles of Longview, and that past FCC decisions indicated the signal carriage restrictions would be lifted when "local" television broadcasters (stations within 35 miles of the cable 'community) consent to the waiver. Since Longview Cable Television had the consent of both Channel 7 and Channel 51, and since the FCC felt Channel 12 had insufficient documentation to demonstrate the addition of the two stations would have a detrimental impact on it, the waiver was granted.

During the November City Council meeting, Longview Cable Television officials had indicated several additional offerings would be available to cable subscribers in the future. The cable company hopes to be able to offer pay television to Longview viewers. A new weather channel service should be oft line by May 1, 1979, and it is possible that Channel 17, out of Atlanta, will be brought on line in view of recent FCC decisions allowing such activity. Mooney also told the Council that approximately 98 to 99 percent of all Longview residents would have access to the cable by September, 1979. The cable company plans to lay an additional 96 miles of plant by that time.

By SAM PARIS Staff Writer Local legal counsel for Hospital Corporation of America Inc. fired off a request Wednesday for early 6th Texas Court of Civil Appeals hearings to resolve prolonged controversy! over planned construction of a 100-bed new hospital on a specified Northeast Longview site. That action followed quickly on the heels of a motion to the same court by hospital site opponents asking for issuance of a temporary injunction to restrain HCA con-struction efforts during the period of litigation. Robert M. Parker, local attorney, filed the request for early hearings along with a motion which asks the ap- peals court to deny the temporary injunction effort.

Frank Supercinski, attorney for opponents of hospital construction at the intersection of Hollybrook Drive and North Fourth Street, filed notice of appeal to a 124th District Court ruling upholding a Longview City Commission zoning ordinance allowing hospital location on the contested site. Supercinski said an early hearing on the motion for in-' junction is needed to prevent HCA construction efforts, and he referred to an HCA announcement made by Parker Dec. 7 in which the company revealed it had completed purchase of the contested site and that construction preliminaries would begin. Parker has said several times that HCA has no choice other than commencement of construction. He noted six months have elapsed since HCA's planned construction on the site was first opposed in district court proceedings by some residents of that section of the city.

The HCA attorney said the certificate of need, or permit, issued by the Texas Health Facilities Commission to HCA June 15 this year mandates that the holder adhere to rigid time limits during the two-year period set up for construction of the hospital. One stipulation in the certificate calls for construction to begin within 18 months, which would call for work by or before Dec, 27. Plaintiffs' motion for injunction states the full appeal effort in the case is not due until Feb. 4, 1979, but that they petition the appeals court for hearings on the temporary injunction before the end of 1978. HCA's motion asking the appeals court to speed up its hearings also calls for quick resolution of the issues, including the possibility of rendering moot the injunctive process as well as the posting of substantial bond.

Supercinski reiterated that his clients believe their property would be depreciated by location of the hospital on the site, which is a 10.3-acre plot on the northwest corner of the intersection. THERE 5 ONlX 8 QMS LEFT Till CHKI5TMAS ty will be open for business Monday, The appeal notice was. filed Dec. 7 minutes after Dis trict Judge Paul S. Colley of Henderson, sitting as special The date of the relocation was advanced to allow complete removal of all postal supplies and equipment from the building on Niblick by Dec.

31.. Window service will be available at the downtown post office, 201 E. Methvin, Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon to handle Christmas mailings. judge in the case of John Conway vs.

HCA and the City of Longview, denied a new trial in the case. At the center of appeal litigation is plaintiffs' contention they should not be forced to post a substantial bond to insure any HCA losses in the event opponents' case is overruled by the courts. HCA contends that a substantial bond should be posted to protect its involvement, financially and time-wise..