The Miami News from Miami, Florida • 5

mm 5 A'! Wednesday, February 14, 1979 Th Minml News Briefly Bridge or tunnel across Miami River? Panels stop and go over traffic solution tiraw vote on traffic plain VERNE WILLIAMS Miami Ntwt mptrttr Am tcpcpQD 1 XVYUjI ral JL Downtown I I YAffl S-JJZZI Miami 11 SW ih Street --f' NjLj i tL7rij. iff znnu 1 lighted walkway for Haulovcr Beach Park The Metro Commission has approved a 1.5-mile lighted walkway through Sunny Isle's Haul-over Beach Park. Lighting and spur paths will be provided under the $66,000 project, which will connect with the existing 1.6 mile-asphalt service road through the park. The road borders the beach and runs parallel to A1A between the bridge over Haulover Cut north to a residential commercial district. Decade of Progress bond issue funds will pay for the project.

Metro Commissioner Harvey Ruvin said one or two additional Metro police officers will be reassigned to patrol the walkway when It is completed in 10 months. Tourist agency boosts ERA The Equal Rights Ammendment picked up some support in the form of a formal endorsement by the Miami Beach Tourist Development Authority. The TDA said most of the lost business came because of pressure applied to organizations to bow out of Miami Beach because Florida has not passed the ERA. TDA forwarded its resolution to Gov. Bob Graham and the Legis-lature.

Optometrist died from gun shots The 56-year-old Miami optometrist, who was wounded in a violent struggle with a young man inside his office at 8101 NW 22nd died from gun shot wounds, Metro police say. Dr. Charles E. Cushman was murdered after being atacked from behind when he opened the office Monday A new crossing, either a 100-million tunnel or an $18-mlllion bridge, should be built at the mouth of the Miami River, a sub-committee of the prestigious New World Center Action Committee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce has decided. The decision is at odds with one made by the Miami Downtown Development Authority, which a month ago said that rebuilding or widening three existing bridges over the Miami River would be sufficient to handle north-south traffic from a redeveloped downtown area.

The question of a bridge or tunnel would be put to a straw vote of Dade County voters after a quick study of both alternatives, complete with models, said Walter Revell, chairman of the Dupont Plaza subcommittee of the NWCAC. "It could be done In six months or less," Revell said. "We're not talking about one of the two- or three-year things." Revell said the subcommittee Is anxious to move Immediately on downtown traffic improvements in view of development plans for the Dupont Plaza area. The DDA had suggested a new six-lane Miami Avenue bridge, a new four-lane SW 2nd Avenue bridge and a replacement four-lane Brickell Avenue bridge, in that order of construction priority. But Revel! said the subcommittee felt these would not answer the needs of motorists, desirable though they might be.

"The bridges suggested by the DDA would have the over-all capacity on paper," he said. "But we think right-angle bend to feed into SW 7th and 8th Street across Brickell Avenue. The tunnel would be four-laned In doublcdeek fash- ion, two on two, and the tentative cost was put at $100. million, he said. The money should not be a block, Revell added, because state and federal agencies always indicated that a valid solution to the Dupont Plaza jam, could be financed.

If a bridge were selected, he said, it could be made esthetically pleasing and even serve as a symbol of the New World Center theme. While a lower bridge be built for less, a 35-foot-high drawbridge with fewcj openings would cost about $27 million, he said. Each of the other proposed new bridges over the river would cost $9 million or a total of $27 million. With other Dupont Plaza ramp improvements, this would create a total package of $4H million with a bridge at the river mouth, or a 1 package with a tunnel, he said. The subcommittee approved a plan for "bifurcated" ramps on and off 1-95 in Dupont Plaza, he said.

These would, in effect, loop around the pla.a rather than go through the center as ptivious plans indicated. Revell said the subcommittee felt this was most acceptable to the Dupont Plaza developer. The subcommittee also recommended that a new engineering firm be hired for the improvements when the state's present contract with Bciswenger Hnch ftV Assoriates contract expires shortly. The firm was hired in 1972 to do a conceptual plan for Dupont Plaza relafc-' ed traffic improvements, he said. "The subcommittee simply felt the firm took long time to deliver a package," he said.

Revell said the method of taking a straw vote oh the tunnel-versus-bridge issue had not been determined. It could be through coupons in the newspaper or a county referendum on voting machines, he said. The newest Miami River crossing proposal is at right in the chart. No. 1 represents an earlier plan to replace the SW 2nd Avenue bridge; No.

2 is a proposal to replace the Miami Avenue bridge with a new six-lane facility; and No. 3 proposes to replace the Brickell Avenue bridge with a four-lane bridge. called Elk's Club South on the opposite mainland point, he said. On the south side, the tunnel traffic would make a there is another factor, and that is having a couple of extra lanes and having them where a need exists." The tunnel or bridge at the mouth of the river would connect Biscavne Boulevard with the property Gwen Cherry eulogized as fj'si iff 1 1 i 1 'a deacon of hope' afternoon. Police have asked persons with any knowledge about the crime to call them at 547-7456.

Basketball player killed A 16-year-old junior varsity basketball player at Hialeah-Miami Lakes High School was fatally stabbed during a fight at a drive-in restaurant. David Woodward of 14170 NW 22nd who died Monday, was described by his coach. Gabe Corchiani as "always ready and eager to learn." The 10th grader was stabbed during a fight at Grant's Drive-In at NW 152nd Terrace and 22nd Avenue after getting off a school bus and entering the restaurant. He apparently got into an argument and was stabbed by a man who fled, po-hce said Drug bust nets three Three men were arrested and $3 million worth of narcotics were seized yesterday in a raid by Metro's Southwest District narcotics officers on an apartment at 820 SW 105th police said. Police identified the men as Francisco Valentin- Riverol, 26.

of 1037 NW 4th Jose Valdes-Hernandez, 44, of Los Angeles, and Rene Villar-Defranous, 38, who lives in the raided apartment. Police said 10 pounds of cocaine, a quantity of methaqualone pills and a number of firearms were seized. The three were charged with conspiracy to commit a felony, possession of narcotics with intent to deliver, and possession of firearms during the commission of a felony. Lift that bridge PATRICE GAINES-CARTER Miami Ntwt Rpor1r "This is the first time I've ever been to a political person's funeral," said Robby Marshall, 29, tears streaming down his cheeks. "She tried to do what she could tor us (oiacKs), oe- lieve me she did," he said, shaking his head.

He stood at a door beside the altar at Greater Bethel A.M.E. Church, clutching a white cap. He was dressed simply, quietly for the funeral service at which Gov. Bob Gra 'W i ham spoke, and a representative lor fresment carter, attended. More than a thousand people had come yesterday to Greater Bethel, 245 NW 8th to "celebrate the life" of Rep.

Gwendolyn Cherry, the first black woman in the Florida Legislature. I ne cnurcn was less man two blocks from Cherry's 2nd Avenue office in an area, where one legislator said, "the cab driver didn't want i to bring us." Marshall lives tn the swamp, a corner near me church in the poor, run-down neighborhood. "She tried to do what she could ror us, neiteve me she did," Marshall said, shaking his head again. He ar rived late and was upset when someone told him tne body had been viewed earlier. "I took off work to see her today, ne sam.

sun cry ing, ine last lime saw ner was ai ine airu ccmn during a celebration for Martin Luther King's birthday. i-TY- fcX He IbMW "1 remember when I was 14 ana my motner was ImKiimllwl BOBWAiH, working at night. I would go in clubs where I shouldn't bo. She (Cherry) would see me and tell me to go home Friends console James Cherry (right), husband of the late Gwen Cherry, outside church or she would report me to the juvenile officials." Rev. Harold Long of the Church of the open Door, United Church of Christ, eulogized Cherry.

Lone told the congregation: Her life was a prog ress through many pathways. From the classroom to the Florida Legislature, as a wife, a motner. a iriena, she went forth through life with respect and love," he said. "We have gathered to celebrate the life which tabernacled In Gwendolyn Cherry her smile, ner Pedestrian bridge at South Miami Hospital A 40-ton covered pedestrian bridge was scheduled to be hoisted in place by two massive cranes today at South Miami Hospital, 7400 SW 62nd Ave. Hospital officials say the lifting of the bridge into place between the main building and the medical building across the street should take about four hours.

During the operation, traffic was due to be closed on SW 62nd Avenue. The $600,000 bridge is designed to permit patients to move between the third and fourth floors of two buildings without going outdoors. It will be open in July, a hospital spokesman said. Carni Gras coming wit, her laboring over bills she presented in the Cherry was killed last Wednesday when the car she was driving plunged into a ditch on the Tallahassee campus of Florida State University. She was 55.

Yesterday, Cherry was surrounaen Dy me peopie well as community leaders and hundreds of friends. The county commission adjourned its meeting and was escorted by police to the church. There wasn't time for Commissioner Neil Adams to read a proclamation signed by Mayor Steve Clark that expressed officially the svmpathy of the city. During the half-hour ceremony one minister tnld the conjugation. "We have come to offer praise and thanksgiving to you for giving her to us." He called "Gwendolyn" "a deacon of hope unselfish law iti action." Gov.

Graham, who has served with Cherry as A member of the Dade County Legislative delegation before his eiedion as governor, called the funeral "a cele: hration of agony" and compared the "premature" death of Cherry to thai of Abraham Lincoln. "Imagine hat it must have been like for Gwen Cherry, to be the first black woman to serve in the-Florida Legislature." Graham said. "Thousands saw her' as a model," he added. "She was a woman who was not willing to live by constructive standards, but lived to her potential." Cherry was buried in Lincoln Memorial Cemetery in a deteriorating neighborhood, across the street from a unit of Dade County Department of Public Health, -while emplov es stood outside aU hing. her family well, went to school with her brothers," she said.

"I like to think I encouraged her to go into politics. She came to me and told me she was going to run for legislator. 1 gave her all the support I could," Range said, smiling When the 11am. service began the church was filled, from the balcony to the seats which normally held the choir. Cherry's co-workers from the Legislature, including stale Rep.

Gwen Margolis (D-Miami), who identified Cherry's body last week, were seated in a special section to the left of the family. Amid the many flowers circling the altar was an arrangement of yellow carnations from the group. A card on the flowers said, "The action of Rep. Gwen Cherry have (sic) influenced us, her colleagues in the state Legislature, and her memory will live on in our minds and hearts." Before the service, state Rep. Mary Grizzle (D-Pi-nellas) and her aide Lila Henley recalled the nearly eight years they had worked with Cherry.

"She had so many things she wanted to achieve," said Henley. "She wanted to be a judge, a regent "It doesn't look normal to see her with her mouth closed," said Grizzle. "She was bubbly, always smiling." There were city and state government officials as she served relentlessly. Before the morning service, several hundred of her constituents, many who live in the poor community surrounding the church, filed past the silver casket. She was dressed in a white suit and rose blouse.

Women with rollers in their hair and scarves on their heads, young men in tennis shoes and work clothes walked solemnly past to peer through the pink veil which was draped across the open casKei. Athalie Ranee, a former county commissioner, is the director of the funeral home which handled Cherry's service. "1 knew her for many years, Kange saia. i Knew Jack Roberts The oil embargo days come back to haunt us Remember those crazy, knocked-out days of November 1973? The Arabs had cut off our oil and people were getting up before dawn to sweat out long lines which formed around most filling stations. The county didn't have enough fuel to run all the MTA buses so they turned off the bus air conditioners to save fuel.

Then they can The University of Miami's annual fund-raising Carni Gras is scheduled from tomorrow through Saturday from 7 to 11 p.m. on the intramural field bordering San Amaro Drive. There will be 15 rides, games, contests and, above all, food. The Carni Gras is run entirely by students and proceeds are divided among the sponsoring organizations for physical improvements to facilities used by the students. Dopico elected Elvira Dopico has been elected president of the United Family and Children's Services, succeeding Joseph Judge, whose term expired in January.

Dopico was treasurer of the organization in 1978. She is district superintendent of the Dade County Public School System's southern area. Working together Three communities will be involved in a series of planning sessions of the Metro-Dade Community Development project to work out ways to improve their neighborhoods. Here are the schedules- Model City residents, Tuesday, Feb. 20, 7:30 p.m.

at the Caleb Center, 5400 NW 22nd Ave On the same night, residents of West Little River will meet at 7:30 p.m. at Miami Central High School, 1781 NW 95th and on Wednesday, Feb. 21, residents of the Coral Gables Redevelopment area will meet at the George Washington Carver Junior High School, 4901 Lincoln Coconut Grove. DAV week proclaimed North Miami Beach Mayor Walter Pesetsky has proclaimed the week of Feb. 17 as Disabled American Veterans' Forget Me Not days.

Chapter 81 of the DAV will hold a fund-raising campaign by selling forget-me-nots throughout North Miami Beach, said Martin Levy, Commander of Post 81. Proceeds from the sale will be used to assist the handicapped and their families, as well as for programs in Veterans Administration Roberts celed four bus routes altogether. The final blow came when they stopped running buses anywhere from 9 p.m. Saturday until midnight Sunday. The airlines certainly didn't like it, but they cut out they'd have to make sacrifices because he was going to cut back on fuel supplies? In Miami and in some 2b2 fishing boats working for East Coast Fisheries were idled for lack of fuel.

It look a couple of months into 1974 before the gai shortage eased up. Panic buying slacked off when the county told station owners to sell to cars with even-number license plates one day and odd numbers This was the Oregon plan. It stands ready to be reactivated if need be. Recently, Federal energy chief James Schlesinger warned that the oil shortage caused hv the shut-down of Iran's oil fields was very serious. President Carter-seemed to minimize the situation this week when he said present supplies were adequate.

But I'm one of those pessimists that believe hen the experts get edgy. Bill Hampton, an assistant county manager who served the county well tn 1973 by negotiating more gas for Florida and purchasing a gasoline tank farm to-serve the county in future emergencies, says we're much better to cope with a shortage today. The state has an energy council, there's a regional council and Dade County has its own experts. "Things should be better," says Hampton, "but most citizens won't react until it hits them in the face." Hampton says he has no proof, but he thinks gas rationing may be around the corner. line was truly in short supply because of the embargo.

Both were right, to a degree. Later, suddenly manufactured energy experts would say that the public contributed to the gas buying panic by trying to get a fill-up when their tanks were three-quarters full. The volume of traffic at Florida's welcome station dropped 17 per cent and Dade County officials went to Washington to protest that we were getting gypped. The feds weren't giving us the gas required for tourist needs and, it was pointed out, tourism is the key Mori-da industry. The feds finally came through.

After much hassling it was agreed that buses were indeed the most efficient way to move people and conserve energy. MTA was given enough fuel to run all its buses. Jo and Dottie Ridge tried to start a business in which they would match people who wanted to share in a car pool. MTA Chairman Raymond Butler even suggested bus pools. He said if 20 neighbors got together he'd send a bus to pick them up and take them to work.

This never quite cleared the ground. Only 15 per cent of Dade County's filling stations stayed open during the long Thanksgiving weekend that year. Some dealers were so sure they'd have to ration gas on their own they gave steady customers little bumper decals so they could identify their cars. Despite price controls, gas prices continued to rise. Caught away from home on a weekend, I paid 72 cents a gallon for an offbeat brand of gas in Lake Placid which had been selling for only 38 cents the week before.

Remember President Nixon on TV telling everyone some runs and lopped off sections oi other ingnts. Amtrak, which was fairly new at the time, became an overnight winner and it was with difficulty that enough rail cars were found to meet the demand for train service between Miami and New York. It was a time when you could pick up a luxury motor home for a pittance. It wasn't until gas got scarce that people realized the big recreation vehicles got only 6 miles per gallon. People rushed to trade their gas-guzzling cars in on compacts and the price of stock in the mighty truck rental firm, Ryder Systems Inc, skidded from $46 a share to $24.

gy conscious of our elected officials, says he has a die? cnl VnlLcuiian uhirh uill otia htti-i AS mitr-t til th The public accepted two explanations for tne gasoline madness. The most vocal said that when the price of gas got high enough the greedy oil barons would let gallon. Need I say more? the gas flow again. Anotner lacnon oeuevea inu sasv-.