News-Press from Fort Myers, Florida • Page 1

Collapoo of vall otill a myotory FP.1 station puto pizazz into schedule with jazz antic, Mayi welcomed back Mostly sunny and breezy Details back of A section FORT MYERS Final Edition A Gannett Newspaper Tuesday March 19, 1985 Fort Myers, Florida 35 cents Graham U.S. decuaires 5 Ifraoze dflsasfieir By ROSLYN AVERILL News-Press Environmental Writer Florida farmers and farm workers suffering from January's devastating freeze will be offered low-interest federal loans and $39 million in unemployment benefits under a disaster assistance program approved Monday by President Reagan. Declaring the freeze an agricultural disaster in 20 Florida counties, including four Southwest Florida counties, Reagan approved the assistance program while visiting Canada. The government help was welcomed by the Rev. Custis Fletcher of the non-profit Immoka-lee Neighborhood Services, which has handed out an estimated $7,000 in assistance to Southwest Florida farmworkers since the freeze.

"Any money that comes In will be a great help," Fletcher said. "We're slow In helping mti JK. 1 'it- fr-- i jtF Capital Cities strikes deal to acquire ABC ByCOTTEN TIMBERLAKE AP Business Writer NEW YORK Capital Cities Communications Inc. announced an agreement Monday to acquire the much larger American Broadcasting Co. Inc.

for more than $3.5 billion In a deal that Includes the participation of Warren Buf-fett, one of the nation's richest men. The deal must be approved by stockholders and will require "some divestitures" to obtain regulatory approval, according to ABC and Capital Cities, both of vhich own local television stations. The proposed combination would be called Capital Cities-ABC Inc. Buffett, a resident of Omaha, who made his fortune by investing in media operations, is to put up more than $500 million In exchange for an 18 percent stake in Capital Cities and a seat on its board. Wall Street analysts predicted the merger would win regulatory approval and said It was unlikely a higher bid for ABC would surface because of the cost and other factors.

"Another bidder would have to clear the FCC and other regulatory hurdles," said J. Kendrick Noble an analyst at the Investment firm of PaineWebber Inc. That would be more difficult for an unfriendly suitor, he said. Analysts also said they did not think Capital Cities would make any drastic changes at ABC, Including its programming. tornado desolation People pull together 1B By CHUCK TOBIN News-Press Bureau VENICE Gov.

Bob Graham, calling Sunday's tornado that killed two people and left dozens homeless "one of the most devastating" disasters he had ever seen, Monday toured the Venice streets hardest hit by the storm. The governor declared Venice a disaster area Sunday afternoon, and said Monday that the Department of Transportation will help county road crews clear rubble from the streets. He also offered to bring in state public health employees if Sarasota County officials thought they were needed. After his hour-long tour, Graham said it is "highly unlikely" that federal funds will be used to help rebuild the city, despite the extensive destruction. "This decision Is an economic decision, based on uninsured loss," Graham said.

"You can't just look at the disaster and decide." Sarasota County Property Appraiser John Mikos said a preliminary estimate showed $2 million to $3 million of residential property was destroyed, but he said a complete figure would not be available until late today. Graham said state officials also would not finish their final assessment of the damages until today. Graham said that most of the residents he talked to Monday had full Insurance coverage an important factor in deciding whether to ask for federal assistance. He said low-Interest loans could be made available by the Small Business Administration if 25 homes or businesses destroyed by the storm were found to have less than 40 percent of their property insured. Officials Monday identltifed a woman who died in the tornado as Dorothy A.

Taravella, 65, of Stuben-vllle, Ohio. Lt. Bill Stookey of the Sarasota County Sheriffs Department said Taravella and her husband were asleep in their camper In a parking lot when the tornado destroyed the vehicle. Taravella's husband, Salvatore, received severe cuts on his hand and a broken arm, Stookey said. In all, 41 people were injured, and a Venice Hospital spokesman said eight people remained at the hospital Monday in fair condition.

Twenty-four homes were demolished by the storm, while about 85 houses sustained some damage. Graham walked through the shopping center and streets along the tornado's path, offering his sympathies to store managers and homeowners. The tour stopped at one point to view the remains of Jakub Slenawskl's home at 346 Pepper Tree Road. Sienawski, 66, died when the roof of his house caved in as he tried to escape through the front door. Graham said the sight of the home, which had only front and side walls remaining, "almost looked unreal the damage looks so total." "You can't fully appreciate the things that were done until you see It here," he said.

"This Is one of the most devastating, concentrated disasters I've ever seen." Charles and Lester Messenger of See TORNADO, back page this section AERIAL VIEW SHOWS THE PATH OF VENICE TORNADO cleanup gets into high gear after Sunday's destruction 'sfllfr. 4 5 v. 7.: I News-PressMarc Beaudin News-PressBob Pearson Inside A Summit successful President Reagan wraps up a friendly summit meeting with Canada's Brian Mulroney and leaves for home and MX these workers get through until they can start making it on their own again." Agriculture agents said the freeze destroyed about 80 percent of Southwest Florida's winter vegetable crop, but caused little damage to the local citrus industry. About 20 percent of the orange juice production statewide was destroyed in the cold snap, officials said. The freeze wiped out countless jobs for an estimated 12,000 farmworkers who flock to Southwest Florida each year to pick the winter crop of tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and squash.

Reagan's assistance program will help an undetermined number of these workers who are ineligible for state unemployment benefits, See DISASTER, back page this section "I think initially the operation will be run to stabilize things to keep things running successfully," Noble said. "I don't think Capital Cities will do much to change progammming at ABC." ABC, which had been a rumored takeover target for months, had been a strong second in the prime-time TV ratings in recent years but it slid into third in the current season. However, its daytime TV operations remain highly prof it-able, analysts say. The two companies said Leonard Golden-son, the 79-year-old chairman and chief executive officer of ABC, would serve as chairman of the executive committee of the proposed new company. Thomas Murphy, 59, Capital Cities' chairman and chief executive officer, would hold the same titles at the new company.

Frederick Pierce, 52, president and chief operating officer of ABC, would be vice chairman of the new company's board and would serve as chairman and chief executive officer of ABC Inc. Daniel Burke, 56, president and chief operating officer of Capital Cities, would serve in the same capacity at the new parent company. "This agreement will create a new, broad-based and balanced communications company that is uniquely equipped to take advantage of See ABC, page 4A Ohio, also an opponent, agreed, although he said, "the president might have the edge." Reagan, who called half a dozen senators over the weekend before leaving Washington to meet with Canadian Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in Quebec City, planned more calls from aboard Air Force One on his way home Monday afternoon, a spokesman said. Reagan also will have lunch today with Republican senators at the Capitol, and Senate Majority Leader Robert Dole, said Reagan also would lobby for the MX then. "This Is a make or break vote," said White House spokesman Larry Speakes.

"A win would be a definitive vindication of the president's will. "If the president wins (today), we expect him to win Thursday," Speakes said. A second Senate vote Is scheduled then to formally appropriate the 1 .5 billion for the 21 missiles. Dole said the vote is close, with 10 to 12 of the 100 senators undecided. He estimated five of the 53 Republican senators will vote against the MX.

See MX, back page this section The restrictions on water use include: A voluntary reduction to 60 gallons daily for each person, or using only two-thirds what you normally would. Mandatory time limits from 4-8 a.m. for watering established lawns of less than five acres. For those homes, odd-numbered addresses may water on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday, and even-numbered addresses may water on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday. Yards for buildings that have been in place for a month or less can be watered from 2 to 8 a.m.

Monday through Friday. Non-commerlcal car washing is allowed only on surfaces where the water could sink back Into the ground, and only during the lawn watering hours. If you Ignore the restrictions after 12:01 See WATER, page 8A Senate committee votes 1 1-6 to release MX funds ff II I it V. 1 1 'A By CHRIS COLLINS Gannett News Service WASHINGTON Both sides predicted a close Senate vote today on whether to release $1.5 billion for 21 additional MX missiles, after the Senate Armed Services Committee voted 1 1-6 Monday to fund the missiles. In the committee vote, taken behind closed doors, committee chairman Barry Goldwater, eight other Republicans and two Democrats voted to authorize building the missiles, according to committee members.

All six opposed were Democrats. Goldwater's vote for the missile had not been considered a sure thing. He had given mixed signals, first saying he opposed the MX because it would be vulnerable to attack but then saying that to kill it would send the wrong message to the Soviets In the Geneva arms talks. Sen. Gary Hart, an Armed Services Committee member who voted against the missiles, predicted the issue would be settled in the full Senate by a one- or two-vote margin.

Fellow committee member John Glenn, D- GOV. BOB GRAHAM ON THE SCENE MONDAY AT DEVASTATED HOUSE his office will decide what financial aid to provide Fort Myers will enforce restrictions on water use Justices rule against restrictions on PACs By DEBORAH SHARP News-Press Staft Writer The city will go along with the state's emergency directive to restrict residents' water use beginning Wednesday, the Fort Myers City Council decided Monday. The South Florida Water Management District issued the restrictions In the form of a uniform law after last week's declaration that a water shortage exists in rain-starved Lee and Collier counties. "I think most people are going to comply," Mayor Art Hamel said of the restrictions, which will stay in effect until the district declares the county's water emergency at an end. Among other restrictions, the city's 15,000 water customers face voluntary and mandatory cutbacks In home water use, watering lawns, washing cars and running outside fountains.

paign. Political action committees (commonly called PACs) spent only $621,000 on behalf of Democrat Walter Mondale. At issue was a federal law, enacted In the wake of the Watergate scandal, that Imposed a $1,000 limit on spending by PACs in publicly financed presidential campaigns. By a 7-2 vote, the court said the limit which, because of court challenges, hadn't been enforced violated rights of free speech. That means political committees or Individuals are free to spend as much as they wish as long as the expenditures are Independent of the official campaign.

See COURT, back page this section By BOB MINZESHEIMER and PAT ORDOVENSKY Gannett News Service WASHINGTON In a setback for the Democratic Party, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that political action committees can continue spending unlimited amounts on behali of presidential candidates. The ruling should aid Republicans who have been the beneficiaries of Independent spending by groups such as the National Conservative Political Action Committee (NCPAC) and the Fund for a Conservative Majority. Last year, such groups spent more than $15.2 million on behalf of President Reagan's re-election cam lobbying. Classified 6-15C Comics 7D Crossword 7D Deaths 4B Market 13-15A Movies 4D Newsmakers 2A Opinion 6A People Section Sports Section TV 8D Weather 16A.