Fort Lauderdale News from Fort Lauderdale, Florida • 4

Mother Nature Presentation 'Omce-Im-A 'Production By BILL MOORE (Staff Writer) Broward County residents had ringside seats last night for the most spectacular lightning display of the' decade, if not the century. It took some doing by Mother Nature, for once-in-a-million conditions are necessary for a major display of even one kind of lightning. Just for the heck of it, because some poet is always complaining that she doth dote, she produced two kinds of lightning in the same storm forked and sheet lightning. If she were trying for a grand slam, she didn't make it, for there wasn't any of the third kind globular lightning. Last night, the air currents to the north were in violent motion.

The moisture in the air was condensing rapidly. Some of the clouds were extremely low. The rest were extremely high. There was great heat. The conditions were just right.

The clouds began shooting atmospheric electricity at each and the lower ones a'so directed charges at the ground. Despite its other sterling qualities, air just isn't a good conductor. The electricity couldn't travel fast enough, and the air heated up until it glowed. Then it flashed, and the flashes were the lightning. It actually began in the afternoon, but it was not until darkness fell that the full grandeur of the awesome dis-.

play could be observed. It was in such a storm that Benjamin Franklin took time off from inventing the Franklin stove to fly a kite. The neighbors thought he had gone crackers, at his age, but he put a key on his kite string and established scientifically the identity of both lightning and electricity. Then he began putting out lightning rods, and the doubting neighbors bought them, as he advised them to in Poor Richard's Almanac, which he ran on the side during his scientific exploration of the Gulf Stream. There was nothing beautiful about the electric storm to William McGee, manager of the Florida Power and Light Co.

Lightning strokes cut 26 wires. Lines went down all over the county, and 52 transformers were knocked out. McGee and his men spent most of the night restoring service that had been interrupted. McGee kept a switchboard open all night so that customers could report power stoppages. Lightning doesn't do much damage in the cities, because the buildings are insulated.

It is a constant peril, however, in the rural areas. Deaths from lightning are five per million population in this country. The statisticians say the rate is higher than in most foreign countries, but nobody knows why. Section Full North Broward South Palm Beach. Coverage TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1968 ill Board cta Air Firm.

Gity Agree dii 'Exit' mm WW'MmMW To Collect Dues Again i i day Broward -s teachers get their first paycheck, he anticipates incomplete membership figures until after the teachers have had a chance to cash their checks and pay the dues. such early reports as 100 per cent sign-up at two elementary schools, nearly 100 per cent membership at a junior high, 92 per cent at another junior high and 67 per cent at a high school. i Saucer Detector1 1 Membership last year totaled 3,526 out of 3,800 teachers in Broward. Gilmore said he believes membership will be as good or better, proportionately, this year. He said he based this on something hit it, it would make a noise.

I used to hide it," she admits with a snick- er, "because everytime I touched it, it would buzz." Maybe the ticking made Mr. Christian think it was the city can continue talks with Flight Standards. In the proposed agreement with that outfit it states one condition is that assets of Gulfsream be bought by Flight Standards. Alsdorf said, "I think the commission has been fair since August 12th. We have given enough time for this to be settled and I don't beleve we can go on forever on a day-to-day basis (of operation) at the air park." He added, "I don't see any benefit to the city or Gulfstream." Alsdorf said if no interim operator is approved, the city will take over the airport on a temporary Ignominious End POMPANO BACH An agreement was reached this morning on termination of the Gulfstream Aviation, lease on operations at the municipal air park.

City Attorney David Price met with Bruno Di' Chilian, attorney for Gulfstream, at the order of the city commission last night. Price said they agreed that the lease would be brought to a conclusion, and details on the termination would "be worked out during the day as time permits." "We agree on the basic objectives of the agreement," Price explained, "but neither of us had time to work out the details of the arrangement this morning, although we will attend to them today." City fathers last night heard Gulfstream head James Knight report that no agreement has been reached by his firm and a new corporation formed by his former partner Robert Llewellyn (Flight Standards, Inc.) Flight Standards officials were negotiating in order to buy out Gulfstream and in turn take over at the air park under a new lease agreement with the city. HOW? Commissioner William Alsdorf said as long as there has been no settlement between the two aviation firms, he does not" see how Collins Gets terday from Tim Christian, her landlord. He had been telling her about "the bomb" he reported to police Sunday which he found while cleaning up some trash. She told Christian, "Oh, you got my flying saucer detector.

"I threw it in the trash yesterday after I found it in my flower bed," Mrs. Conaway said. "Apparently Mr. Christian found it, and, thinking it was a bomb, reported it to police," she giggled embar-rassedly. Mrs.

Conaway's son-in-law made the gadget "as a joke" some time ago so that Mrs. Conaway could tell when flying saucers flew past her house. "It had a little piece of magnetized steel so when Contract the CTA, FEA and NEA, and streamlines the bookkeeping. As for CTA membership this year, Gilmore said the first report from school representatives is due Friday. But since Friday also is the It looked like a homemade bomb.

It was a "plastic detergent bottle, containing four batteries wired together, with a buzzer attached to the outside" according to the police report. The police were baffled they knew it wasn't a bomb but they didn know what it was. So, as the police report states, it was just "entered into evidence." Unknown to police was the existence of Mrs. Pearl Cona-way's homemade flying saucer detector, which, she claims, is the unusual-looking thing that police have op their hands. Mrs.

Conaway, of 604 SW 17th Ft. Lauderdale, said she learned of the capture of her flying saucer detector yes Sgt. Flying lf! some sort of lethal weapon, she reasoned, "I wonder if they (police) know what it is," giggled Mrs. Conaway. Maybe they do now.

Charlotte Lavender (Staff photo by Duana School) City Taxi Rates Will Be Raised By FRANK HOG AN (Staff Writer) The Broward Classroom Teachers Assn. will ask the school board soon to reinstate the practice of payroll deduction of teachers' dues to professional organizations. "Since sanctions have been lifted, there's no reason why the deductions should not be Lynn Q. Gilmore, executive director of the CTA here, said today. Gilmore also said early reports indicate that CTA membership will be just as good this year as last year.

'LOOKS GOOD' "It looks good so far," he, said. The school board discontinued dues deductions in April after three board members" said the CTA, Florida Education Assn. and National Education Assn. were working against the-best interests of the school system by imposing sanctions. Sanctions, which blacklisted the state and county as unfavorable, low-pay places to teach, were inposed in June, 1967, at the height of a statewide teacher protest over pay and working conditions.

They were lifted last Aug. 16. Another argument against deducting CTA, FEA and NEA dues from paychecks came from board member W. Samuel Tucker Jr. He claimed it was an improper use of tax funds, costing between $12,000 and $18,000 a year.

Earlier this year the CTA here offered to pay the expense involved in the payroll deductions but the board rejected this proposition. Deducting fees from paychecks simplifies the handling of the money, makes it more convenient for teachers to join Hagman, Behringer, May Quit Broward County Democrats today were looking unofficially for a candidate to run for the Florida State Senate if Dexter H. Hagman withdraws from the campaign. Sources close to Hagman indicated he would withdraw this month "for strictly economic reasons." Meanwhile, the Broward County Republican Executive Committee was faced with the possible withdrawal of John C. (Jack) Behringer, who has been running for the Broward County Commission seat held by Democrat F.

R. i JacK) Humphries. Behringer, 46, president of Managed Securities said today he is considering a withdrawal because of the critical illness of his father, Behringer said he mentioned the possibility to Republican leaders 10 days ago. for alleged 'lack of work to do." Mrs. Chadwick filed a request for a rehearing on May 10.

Pursuant to proper rules and regulations, the civil service ordinance states that a hearing shall be called within 30 days after the request is filed. Commissioner Robert Dugdale, who has pressed the EPHRAIM COLLINS $1,150 per month HILTON KNOWLES let's get on here tonight," said Vice Mayor E. Hilton Knowles in reference to a discussion among the commissioners as to whether car allowances should be considered salaries or expenses. The discussion, which began last week as a result of a memorandum by Finance Director Edmond Longmore, was touched off again last night by a provision in the attorney's contract eliminating car allowance for trips within 100 miles of the city, CONTRACT Under the new contract, Collins will receive (1,150 a month beginning Oct. 1, and the salary will go up to $1,200 a month on April 1, 1969.

The, contract ends March 31, 1970. Collins, who started working for, the city in March, was to have received $1,100 a month plus $100 in automobile allowance under the budget for the next fiscal year. The city attorney is prohibited from engaging in any private practice and is in turn entitled to three months notice on any decision not to renew the contract. Commissioner Robert Dugdale voted "no" on the resolution, and Commissioner' Emerson Church abstained because of the three-month provision. Knowles said hiring a fulltime attorney would be a "pilot program" situation, but voted "yes" along with Mayor John Sproat and Commissioner Ralph Hauser.

Knowles also asked Collins to research all pertinent laws and report to the commission at their next meeting on the question of whether car allowances should be considered salaries or expenses. the commission would act on them as soon as possible. The board's rules of procedure for appeal are subject to the approval of the city commission. The lack of such rules have prevented the board from hearing an appeal from Mrs. Dorothy "Sue" Chadwick, who was fired by City Manager Robert Wayne on May 2 A.

J. Picard Examines 'Mystery Bomb9 DEERFIELD BEACH City Commissioners gave City Attorney Ephraim Collins a 1-year unbreakable contract early today after an hour's discussion in which city fathers seemed to be playing the role of the attorney. "Everybody is a lawyer plans for an addition to city hall ana authorized the administra tion to draw up a contract with architect Joseph T. Romano for renderings. Commissioners indicated they do not know where monev to build the complex will come from but said they would worry about that after plans are drawn.

In other action, the commis sion: f. OFFICIALLY increased the water rates charged in the city from $1.50 base rate to $1.80 and from 21 cents to 26 cents per 1,000 gallons after the initial 3,000 gallons. Lighthouse Point users will not pay the usual double in-city rate, but will be charged a base of $2.70 and 39 cents per extra gallonage, appointed William Caskey 10 me annexation board. APPROVED city participation in the "Country Club Championship of America, Inc." golf tournament on Jan. 6-12.

CONTINUED the regular city commission meeting to Wednes day at 4 p.m. in order to finish a lengthy agenda. DEERFIELD BEACH Civil Service Board rules and regulations, the lack of which have held up for months a hearing for a fired deputy city clerk, have finally been presented to the city commission. Civil Service Board Chairman Fred Babb and Mrs. Sylvia Poitier, chief examiner, said the rules had been submitted and that they hoped Beerfield Gets Part Of Progress Made Bridge Right-Of -Way On Capone Park FOMPANO BEACH It ap-i pears that taxi cab rates will be raised in this city but the question to be answered in two weeks is "how much?" City fathers last night heard representatives from several city cab companies representing 90 per cent of the cab business in Pompano argue for higher rates.

One small operator ar gued for maintaining the present rates. The operators feel that because, of the rising costs involved in maintenance of vehicles, the high cost of new equipment, pay increases for drivers, and assurance of a reasonable return on investments fees should be hiked. Pompano Beach has not had a taxi rate-increase in at least 10 years. The initial drop of the meter arm now costs patrons 35 cents for the first one quarter of a mile. The companies want to raise this to SO cents for the first one-fifth of a mile.

MORE CHANGES At present, 10 cents is charged customers for each additional quarter mile. It is planned that this be boosted to 10 cents for each additional fifth of a mile. The 4 per hour waiting fee would be increased to $5 under the proposed At least three commissioners Indicated, thev would vote to establish a rate at least 35 cents for the initial drop and the requested 10 cents per additional fifth of a mile. They were not certain about going to 50 cents, The rate setting ordinance was tabled until Sept. 23 when the public will have an opportu nity to speak at a hearing on the proposed Increases.

Commissioners also discussed DEERFIELD BEACH A deed for IVi feet of right of way to Capone Island half of what is needed for a pedestrian bridge across Hillsboro Canal has been negotiated, according, to City Manager Robert Wayne. Owners of the property Gets CS donated the 7M feet and nothing further can be done fo i develop the 50-acre tract until the other 7V4 feet is obtained, Wayne explained. Right-of-way for a bridge to span 80 feet of canal water has been the main obstacle to development of the former Rules the rules and regulations. Mayor, John Sproat said he had not read the report yet and wanted some time. Sproat had told The News previously, however, that the adoption or rejection of the rules and regulations might be placed on the agenda of the special commission meet spoils area as a public; picnic-park area.

City Commissioner Ralph Hauser said the negotiation "paves the way for the development of a much desired park on the island." Wayne added that he doesn't think the city can afford to pay full cost of construction! of the bridge. Estimates of the cost of a steel bridge alone are $48,000. Development of Capone Island has, in the past, appeared to hinge on two questions so far unanswered: Who should pay and how much? Wayne suggested the city will contact the county and state for financial assistance once the right-of-way is complete. County Commissioner J. W.

(Bill) Stevens has said the county would be glad to pay its share to develop the land. But commissioners have been reluctant to commit funds in that direction until they determine who will Finally provide maintenance and police proection. Stevens said Deerfield Beach should be expected to provide sanitation service and protection. Wayne indicated the city would be willing to take over the responsibilities. Capone Island passed into the hands of the State Parks Dept.

in 1965 when the legislature passed a law preventing sale of unused spoils areas by the Florida Inland Navigation District. Ney Landrum, director of the Florida Outdoor Recreation has said the, state has asked Broward County to express an interest in developing the land with the aid of some state and federal monies. The county has not responded officially to the offer, although Stevens has said the county would not let the property lie dormant. He added the county would seek some funds from outside agencies to get the park started. board about submitting their rules and regulations in the past, brought the matter up early today at the commission meeting but got no action from his fellow commissioners.

Dugdale said he favored a meeting this week or at the latest' next Monday for the commission to take action on ing Sept. 23. li.