The Los Angeles Times from Los Angeles, California • 23

Pedestrians Dying at a Record Rate on S.D. Streets CoflAnflclceSIlmefi ByTEDVOLLMER TlmM Staff Wrlttr Record pedestrian deaths and injuries as well as relaxed enforcement of jaywalking laws have combined to threaten San Diego's national reputation as a safe place for pedestrians. Thirty-one pedestrians died on San Diego's streets last year out of 118 traffic fatalities. That compares to only 19 in 1975. And the outlook for 1980 points to a new record.

The pedestrian fatality rate already has surpassed last year's first-quarter rate. Police and other safety officials are concerned about the accident rate but are reluctant to predict how high it will go. From 1968 to 1976 San Diego won a coveted national pedestrian safety award for big cities. But in the last two years the injury and fatality rates have knocked San Diego out of the lead and last year the city even was nudged to tighten up its safety programs. Other large cities such as Philadelphia which last year won the national pedestrian safety award given by the American Automobile Assn.

have reported declines in their accident rates compared to San Diego's 40 rise in fatalities and 19 increase in injuries in just four years. The accident turnabout prompted the AAA to recommend in 1979 that the San Diego Police Department be more diligent in citing pedestrians. Yet, even with its blemished record, San Diego remains second only to Indianapolis as the safest for pedestrians of the 20 largest cities. Police officials blame the rise in pedestrian-related accidents on a number of factors, including a changing population, more joggers, roller skates and bicyclists, and on transplanted Easterners who have been raised to believe that signals are merely advisory. But privately, police grumble about inexperienced officers, greater citizen concern with burglaries than with jaywalking, and tighter budgets.

"The traffic division is almost considered the bastard child of the (Police) Department," said one traffic officer, who asked not to be identified. "The primary emphasis is on crime because it generates the most sentiment in the community." Chief William Kolender acknowledges there is more citizen interest in halting the city's rising crime rate than in stopping the pedestrian from crossing against the red light, but added, "we try to balance the emphasis. That percentage hovering between 9 and 10 annually in recent years is lower in fiscal 1979-80 than in prior years. Those outside law enforcement are reluctant to blame the police for the higher pedestrian mortality rate, but they do note that budget crunches have forced a reorganization of priorities. Last year an estimated 9,000 citations were written against pedestrians in San Diego.

But while the number of citations each brings in a $5 fine issued in 1979 was high compared to other cities, in 1978 San Diego police officers wrote 50 more than that. "We don't have a lot of officers," said Capt. Pat Rose, head of the traffic bureau. "We're so damn busy answering the radio calls that officers are not able to spend time to catch traffic violators." Rose also blamed the high turnover rate of experienced officers for the decline in enforcement on all levels. "It's amazing that with experience you can drive down the street and know within a 360-degree angle what's going on and immediately Please Turn to Page 5, Col.

1 LOCAL NEWS EDITORIAL PAGES CC PART II THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1980 lounty 190 Residents Share $2 Million in Noise Suit Against Lindbergh als," Goebel said. "In some cases the jury accepted our appraisal, which was higher than what the resident had asked for." Goebel said he had expected the awards to be within the 10 range; that is, homes in the approximate path of the planes would be devalued by 10 because of the noise. "They were well within the 10 range. I had no problems with most of the verdicts," he said. Goebel was particularly pleased, he said, with the settlement in the case of the St.

Charles Borromeo Parish, which had sought $800,000. "What puzzles me with this case is that we've had to find damages before we found liability," he said. The contesting of the port district's liability should begin "in a matter of days," he said. Keith Douglas, who was substituting for Santa Monica attorney Jerrold Fadem, offered no comment on the verdicts. Fadem, who has been the lead attorney for the residents in the case, was not present because he was trying a case in Nevada.

Douglas said that because he had not worked on the case, he could not respond to the awards. In fact, because Fadem was absent and because Douglas had limited knowledge of the suit, Judge Cazares was asked to poll the jurors' votes in each of the 214 cases. Please Turn to Page 4, Col. 1 Cranston Aids Mayor in Battle on Hospital By ROBERT MONTEMAYOR Tlmat Staff Wrlttr Almost $2 million was awarded Wednesday by a Superior Court jury to 190 residents who live under the flight path of Lindbergh Field and who claim that the noise from the planes had ruined the market value of their homes. The decisions in the homeowners' suit against the San Diego Unified Port District, which operates the downtown airport, mark the first time the airport has been held liable for the noise created by thousands of commercial planes that land and take off there every month.

The award, however, was much less than the commonly quoted figure of $100 million that many thought the angry residents would get. The final total amounted to $1,955,300. The largest settlement, $67,600, went to St. Charles Borromeo Parish in the Point Loma area. The largest award to individuals was $24,700, that went to Mr.

and Mrs. Don Augustine. The lowest award given was $160. Of the 214 cases brought before the jury, 24 did not receive any money award. The jury took a week to deliberate the numerous awards.

The verdicts, which took Ihe court clerk about 40 minutes to read, marked the end of the first phase of the case. It lasted six months. In a second phase, the port district will contest the liability and Superior Court Judge Carlos A. Cazares will decide whether to institute a five-year statute of limitations on some of the cases. Port district attorney Lou Goebel said that if the court accepts the five-year standard, all homeowners' losses claimed prior to 1970 will be thrown out.

In general, Goebel said he was "not upset" by the jury verdicts. "They're well within the range of all evidence," he said. "The awards that they came up with showed that careful analysis was put into each of the cases. "There were no blanket apprais A stained -glass creation by ex -legislator who now works in obscurity on his art projects. Times photos by Dave Galley PADDOCK By RICHARD Tlnrn Staff Writ EX-SENATOR TODAY Schrade Hammers at Quieter Craft Coming to the political rescue of San Diego Mayor Pete Wilson, Sen.

Alan Cranston (D-Calif.) said Wednesday he will attempt to block funds for a new Navy hospital in Balboa Park if the Navy retains title to the parkland. In a telephone conversation with the mayor, Cranston also said he would introduce legislation in the Senate that would return to the city title to 36 acres of land in the park and then provide for a Navy lease of the same property. "Sen. Cranston agreed to do what Mayor Wilson had asked him to do," said Cranston aide Roy Greenaway. "We will attempt to block the appropriation if we can't have the lease." The lease issue has become impor- AT PALOMAR COLLEGE By NANCY SKELTON Tlm Staff Wrtttr There was a time in San Diego County when the name Jack Schrade was as familiar as that of Shamu.

Eight years in the state Assembly. Twelve in the state Senate, several months of that as president pro tem. They even named an Interstate 805 bridge over Mission Valley after him. But Republican Jack Schrade had chosen the fickle game of politics. He lost his Senate seat in 1976 to a Democrat in a somewhat bitter election.

He has caused barely a ripple on the local scene since. A small green sign tacked to a lightpost beneath the 1-805 span tells motorists they are passing under the "Jack Schrade Bridge." The bridge's name drew controversy. Indeed, controversy followed Schrade more than once through his 22-year legislative career. So where has Jack Schrade gone? What's happened to the onetime "Mr. El Cajon," who rode horses, ran businesses and won elections around San Diego County for 50 years, only to nearly vanish.

He is up north making Indian jewelry and sterling silver napkin rings. He is making Tiffany lamps and stained-glass windows on the outskirts of Sacramento. Where he once held forth in a whole county, and pounded the president's gavel in the California Senate, his domain these days is a tiny 4-by-6-foot workshed attached to his gracious Please Turn to Page 7, Col. 1 tant to Wilson because it signifies what he considers a bad faith attempt on the part of the Navy to back out of the terms of an agreement with the city for construction of the $300 million hospital in Balboa Park. In recent weeks, Wilson has gone out on a limb and promised to block funding for the hospital in Congress if the Navy would not agree to a lease.

As Senate majority whip, Cranston is in a key position to block the appropriation, and his willingness to take up Wilson's cause is the first sign that the mayor might be able to make good on his threat. If Wilson were to suffer defeat on the hospital issue, he would stand to lose substantial credibility in the community. The legislation that Cranston agreed to introduce will be similar to an amendment introduced in the House last week by Rep. Bob Wilson (R-San Diego). However, even advocates of the legislation give its passage little chance unless the Navy reverses its position and endorses the bill.

So far, the Navy has shown no inclination to do so. In his conversation with the mayor, Cranston reportedly agreed to discuss the question with Secretary of the Navy Edward Hidalgo. Navy spokesmen in Washington, however, had no comment on the day's developments or on whether they would endorse the lease legislation. Meanwhile, the list of people who plan to testify on the hospital issue at House subcommittee hearings in Washington on April 2 grew even longer Wednesday. Please Turn to Page 5, Col.

1 'Levi' to Open Tonight SAN MARCOS Most play producers test audience reaction off Broadway before they head for the bright lights. But what's happening here is ridiculous! The bawdy historical musical "Levi" will have its world premiere tonight at small Palomar College. The play, written and produced by professionals, will be performed by 56 amateurs Palomar College students and local townsfolk at the college's new theater tonight through Sunday and March 27-29. From there, its backers predict, "Levi" will be peddled to Broadway. The subject of the song-and-dance comedy is almost as improbable as its premiere site.

"Levi" is the story of Levi Strauss, the originator of blue jeans, and is set in the Gold Rush days of the 1850s in San Francisco. Strauss, so the story line goes, had planned to become a miner. Instead he discovered gold in the sturdy blue denim he got from his Uncle Herman when he began turning out breeches that were tough enough to meet the Old West's challenge. The score of "Levi" was written by Bonnie Lake, who earlier had teamed up with Buddy Ebsen (television's "Barnaby to write a song titled "Blue Jeans." Lake is a sister of actress Ann Sothern and was a producer and editor for Columbia Records in New York for 10 years. Please Turn to Page 6, Col.

1 Jack Schrade remains outspoken personality. N. CITY WEST WINS COURT ROUND Project's Approval Ruled in Accord With Environment Law TOM GOFF The Oceanside Game alleging that the plan, calling for the construction of 13,970 residential units as well as commercial and industrial facilities, runs contrary to the open-space and housing elements of San Diego's general plan. A trial on those issues and at least one other, in which Del Mar is charging that San Diego must weigh the fiscal impact on Del Mar's economy, is expected to be held in the future. San Diego Deputy City Atty.

C. Alan Sumption conceded that Butter-more's ruling does not give the green light to North City West, but indicated that San Diego had won a significant court victory. Del Mar City Atty. D. Dwight Worden was not immediately available for comment.

Worden had argued last week that San Diego had failed to adopt a more desirable plan for increased housing that would fill in existing urban areas, lessen density or lengthen the project's timetable. ByTEDVOLLMER Tlm Staff Writ In a major setback to Del Mar's hopes of blocking the development of North City West, a judge ruled Wednesday that San Diego was in full compliance with state environmental laws when it approved the controversial plan. San Diego Superior Court Judge Wesley B. Buttermore Jr. rejected Del Mar's legal arguments that the North City West project would cause irreparable harm to that seaside community both economically and environmentally.

Buttermore ruled that the City of San Diego had weighed negative environmental impacts and had correctly concluded that other alternatives were not feasible. The ruling, while upholding the city's compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act, still, however, leaves intact Del Mar's other arguments against the plan, which was adopted last October. Del Mar is arguing that a number of San Diego's council members who voted for the massive project may have been influenced by campaign contributions of North City West supporters. The coastal community also is Worden said increased air pollution, traffic congestion and energy demands created by the North City West would adversely affect Del Mar's environment as well as San Diego's. In rejecting Worden's contentions, Buttermore said the City of San Diego had considered alternatives as required by the environmental law.

"The record discloses mitigating changes and alternatives were incorporated into the project," Buttermore said. "Some mitigating changes or alternatives are within the jurisdiction of other public agencies and specific economic, social and other considerations make infeasible other changes or alternatives." Buttermore added that supplying housing for the increasing population in the county was "harmonious" with the City of San Diego's general plan. Del Mar filed suit against the first phase of the North City West project, the construction of 2,078 housing units on 358 acres. But the lawsuit, if eventually successful, could void the entire plan. No construction has begun, but subdivision plans are being drafted which must first be approved by the San Diego City Council.

We may be missing a bet by failing to properly showcase that increasingly popular contact sport we know as "peaceful assembly." It is a sport that really has not been organized as well as it should have been by now. As a consequence, rules tend to vary somewhat from community to community, even from game to game. So, in an effort to get things moving, I would suggest that serious consideration be given to universal adoption of what we can call the City of Oceanside Rules. By that I mean the rules that prevailed in last Saturday's informal meeting between the Ku Klux Klan and assorted anti-klan zealots in Oceanside's John Landes Park. Teams, under the Oceanside rules, are permitted to gather at the "peaceful assembly" site for a warm-up period of indeterminate length.

The actual game must not get under way, however, until television cameras arrive on the scene and are set up and ready to roll. The game ends when local police, who serve as referees, become bored with watching and signal the beginning of the final inning by joining the game. Uniforms for "peaceful assembly" have not been standardized. They probably should be. In Saturday's meeting, for example, there were glaring differences in the way the two teams were dressed.

The KKK players, I thought, were most suitably attired. They wore black storm trooper-style uniforms complete with protective helmets and shields. They carried handguns, knives and baseball bats and were accompanied onto the field by snarling attack-trained dogs. There had been early fears that the KKK might be looking for trouble. Their uniforms made it obvious, however, that "peaceful assembly" was all they had in mind.

The anti-klan zealots, on the other hand, were a little bit sneaky in the way they were attired. They carried stones, bottles and baseball bats of their own, to be sure, but their insistence on wearing civilian clothes made them somewhat difficult to identify. The "peaceful assembly" itself was a rather spirited one but virtually scoreless when compared to other "peaceful assemblies" in other parts of the nation. One anti-klan zealot needed 200-plus stitches to close his lacerated scalp. One KKK dog was shot and killed when it violated the rules by attacking one of the dogs being used by police to signal the end of the game.

Injuries suffered by a member of a local television crew were noted but were declared ineligible for inclusion in team scoring records. Both teams appear ready for a rematch. With proper organization and promotion it could be scheduled for the San Diego Stadium. A "peaceful assembly" in that arena probably would draw a sellout crowd. Who knows? In days to come it might even rival professional football as a national spectator sport.

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