El Paso Times from El Paso, Texas • 1

KVIA Pro Newscasters Stop 'Happy Talk9 During Break The "Happy Talk" news format on Channel 13 may never be the same again after New Years Eve's 10 o'clock version. For those who have been wondering where Pro News newscasters Jim Pratt and Al Hinojos have been recently, the two had a falling out during the first commercial break Dec. 31 and when the red light on the camera came back on only Pratt remained on screen. One eyewitness, a station employee, gave this account: While El Paso viewers were having their pursestrings electronically tugged, Pratt turned to Hinojos and accused him of not pulling his share of the load on the evening's script writing. Hinojos took exception to the remark, reminding the head newscaster he was in error by calling him a Pratt saw the situation differently and hit Hinojos in the chest.

He then ordered his nightly colleague off the set and finished the newscast solo, offering no explanation to viewers as to Hinojos' sudden departure. Before the six o-clock newscast began Monday, KVIA-TV station manager Wayne Roy said he suspended both men with pay. Their status remained in limbo until Tuesday when Pratt submitted his resignation and Hinojos was promoted to news director, effective Thursday. Eight persons allegedly witnessed the incident at the station's studios on 4140 Rio Bravo. Reached early Wednesday evening, Pratt refused to comment on what happened other than to say, "I thought I settled my problems and the company got involved." Hinojos could not be reached for comment Wednesday evening.

Al Hinojos A Final Jim Pratt' Wmxm St mm Top xlihm Serving the Fabulous Southwest for 97 Yean fv 98th Year, No. 5 EL PASO, TEXAS, THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1978 Carter Stroll Up Boulevard Delights Paris til (J -4 LS OTXJ y' "I Vast Desert A Research Lab PARIS (AP) President Carter, launching a three-day visit to France, delighted Parisians Wednesday with an impromptu stroll down the Champs Elysees but angered the mayor of Paris by skipping the traditional visit to city hall. After an initial 90-minute meeting with President Valery Giscard d'Estaing, Carter addressed a group of French-American organizations and called for "a new agenda for democracy." "Our democratic order has come under challenge," Carter said, "There are those who question whether democratic values are appropriate for contemporary "But we defend these values because they are right, and because there is no higher purpose for the state than to preserve these rights for its citizens." Carter came to Paris sixth stop on his marathon foreign visit after a 90-minute stopover in the Upper Nile resort city of Aswan where he conferred briefly with Anwar Sadat, launding the Egyptian president's Middle East peace initiative and EP Sheriff While Jury By PAUL SWEENEY Sheriff Mike Sullivan said Wednesday he has relinquished most of the day-to-day administration of his department, delegating his authority to Capt. Mac Stout while a county grand jury investigation of the department is in progress. Sullivan mentioned the new arrangement while giving his reactions to proposals from County Judge The minim Today's Chuckle A SURVEY shows that the average wage earner was $500 in debt at the end of the year.

Those of us who owed more can only pray that the law of averages catches up with us. Heather EL PASO will be partly cloudy through Friday with light southwesterly winds. Highs in the mid 60s with overnight lows near 40s in the heights and 30s in the valleys 19A Qulen Sabe "HAVE YOU information about getting a refund for part of the cost of putting insulation in my house?" IB 'Nat Ion SEN. BAKER comes out against the Panama Canal treaties 2A rS World CHILEANS overwhelmingly support Pinochet-led military junta in plebescite 4A lldllorlaN APPOINTMENT of an experienced, impartial person to monitor activities in the jail and report to Commissioners Court has become essential 6A HAVE A complaint or suggestion on the postal service? Tell it today to Rep. Richard White and his delegation from the House Post Office and Civil Service Committee 6A People ACTOR Carl Betz has terminal lung cancer 13A fS, luteal AIR POLLUTION over El Paso again reached an "un-healthful" level Wednesday, but it mav dissipate by the weekend LINES FOR auto license plates are forming early this year at the tax assessor's office Kaleidoscope THE DESERT surrounding El Paso is a delicatessen with a vast menu, but only experienced diners who can differentiate between tasty tidbits and poisonous pickings should eat there 1C WINE DRINKING has attained another measure of respectability with the organization of a National Society of Wine educators 1C Sports NFL OFFICIALS have announced plans for post-game questioning at the Super Bowl ID Index Classified 11D-17D Comics 18D Movies 9C News Of Record 10B Over The 2nd Cup 8C Puzzles 8C Stocks 4B TVIiM fEPi 10D Times Xiinnber IF YOUR paper is not delivered by 6 a.m.

daily or 7 a.m. Sunday, please call the Circulation Department 747-6900 Classified Adv 747-6800 General 747-6700 News 747-6755 Today's Prayer Hea venly Father: As we stand on the threshold of a bright and shining New Year, we thank thee that we live in this wonderful country with all its privileges and opportunities. Help us in this year ahead and bring cheer to those that are home-bound and lonely. Maude Wood El Paso PRICE 20 CENTS Dh AP Newsfeauirei phivfo MOUNTAINS Fort Davis Tmips staif pi, 'to MARK OF MAN RV tracks AP photo determine if it was a fair charge. Salazar said the governor showed concern and assured him he would "see if the PUC had given El Paso consumers their day in court." The governor indicated he might try to have a re-hearing scheduled on the $7 charge, Salazar said.

He said the two officials also agreed that all parties in a rate case should have adequate time to review testimony. Salazar had complained that the PUC staff testimony in the electric company rate case was not available to city representatives until the day the roarings opened inustin. k'. Last in a Series By MIKE STEPANOVICH And RAMON RENTERIA The Chihuahuan desert which surrounds El Paso for hundreds of miles is a sort of last frontier for scientists. And the scientists doing most of the trailblazing are affiliated with the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute (CDRI) in Alpine.

The CDRI began four years ago when a handful of scientists at Sul Ross State University decided more information was needed on the local desert's unique life systems. "Our initial thrust was to focus attention on the Chihuahuan Desert," said Dr. Dwight Deal, CDRI co-founder. "It's so incredibly diverse and unknown. "The Chihuahuan Desert is one of the largest and most varied of the North American deserts, but getting lis coriypt ucross is difficult," Ocai "For instance a 1 waterfall is part of the Chihuahuan Desert, and 200-foot pines are part of the Chihuahuan Desert, but it's hard to convince people of that." The vast area called Chihuahuan Desert coverTTTTO'sl of Wcst-gexa- and Southern New Mexico, a piece of Arizona, and large portions of the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, San Luis Potosi, Nuevo Leon, Durango, and Zacatecas.

It is distinguished from other North American deserts such as the Sonoran and Mohave by the kinds of plant and animal life it shelters. There's nothing fancy about the CDRI's Alpine headquarters, with the paint peeling off its weather-beaten sign. Many of the building's furnishings are old or handm ade. The daily operation limps along on comparatively meager research grants adding up to $106,000 this year. Only this year was there enough money to pay a secretary, and the CRDI's business manager, Sandy Deal, gets paid only about half the vcar.

The rest of the CDRI's two dozer, staffers must earn their livings elsewhere, even though the desert is their love. "We're still wo on shoestring," sys mffer Hal Flanders. "We do lot of work for less than other are willing to work for." That seems to pro itie a sense of cameraderie at the in- Carter Backs Palestinians 8A Prestige On Line In Mideast. 8A Saudi Party Criticized 8A pledging American support for "the legitimate rights of the Palestinians." Shouts of "Jimmy Jimmy" rose from enthusiastic Paris crowds as Carter walked with president Giscard d'Estaing down the elegant boulevard, main stem of the French capital, which Carter called the "Queen of Cities." The Gaullist mayor of Paris, Jacques Chirac, announced he would boycott ceremonies during the Carter visit because the president was not planning a city hall stop, a tradition among visiting chiefs of state. Chirac issued a statement saying Carter obviously could not find time "to salute, via their elected representatives, the people of the city that is welcoming him." The U.S.

Embassy issued a statement saying it was hoped Carter and Chirac would meet at "one or Please Turn To Page 19A) Li Backseat Probe On deputy, Stuart Palos. Subsequent investigations unearthed evidence that sheriff's department purchasing orders may have been falsified to bilk the county, and that some county property may have wound up at the home of Sheriff's Capt. Everette Riley, whose responsibilities include jail supervision. Moore made his proposals at a Wednesday press conference which was triggered by a Tuesday afternoon court "ordef from Ur-S. -District C-euri-Judge William The trouble started at Tuesday's County Commissioners' Court meeting, when Moore and commissioner Chuck Mattox refused to swear to the accuracy of a weekly report to Sessions on jail conditions.

Sessions has ordered the commissioners to prepare and swear to the weekly reports as part of his order requiring an end to unconstitutionally Please Turn To Page 19A) The staff reported Wednesday that insurance companies could forego any increase for the period until the next hearing in July, and the board decided to take no action on the request. Total private passenger car premiums in Texas are $1.1 billion. The industry's request would have hiked that figure by $193 million, and even the staff proposal would have added $112 million. boring state's regulatory body when the utility's service area spans the state line. Salazar met Wednesday in Austin with Briscoe and George Cowden, PUC chairman.

Salazar arranged the meetings after he had complained to both officials that El Paso consumers had not been treated fairly in two recent PUC decisions. Accompanying Salazar at both meetings was Tom Diamond, the city's utilities attorney and Briscoe's re-election campaign coordinator for West Texas. Sjt'ar met (Vst with pointed by county commissioners to check regularly on jail conditions, and that federally funded workers renovating the jail be removed from Sullivan's control. "It's ok with me. I'm going to go along with it," Sullivan said.

The grand jury investigation was triggered by Times articles reporting that some of the federally-paid workers had been used for home improvement projects at the residences of Sullivan and his chief REFUGE OF STILLNESS AND SOLITL in California desert 1 I SAWTOOTH near managing fragile desert Desert Holds Danger 1C stitute that, and the thrill of discovery. "The intellectual excitement here is incredible," Deal said. The CDRI, originated at Sul Ross by Deal and Drs. Grainger Hunt, Mike Powell, and Jim Scudday, has expanded its horizons quite a bit since its founding. Its board of directors is diverse and includes people from Houston and Dallas.

The roster of participating scientists is even more widespread, including Dr. Arthur Harris of the University of Texas at El Paso; Dr. William Dick-Peddie of New Mexico State University; plus scientists from the University of Texas at Austin, the University of Michigan, the University of New the Unlvcrsidad Autciwa of Nuevo Leon, Mexico, andC'orne'l. Because of the institute's limited resources, staffers have tended to focus on projects with "immediate (Please Turn To Page 19A) The PUC, on the other hand, allowed the construction carrying charges to be collected in the rates. Although the New Mexico commission has not issued a final ruling in the EPEC case, the earlier Texas decision and the different treatment of the construction carrying charges will result in Texas customers paying higher rates than their New Mexico counterparts.

Salazar also said he discussed at length the PUC's establishing a $7 basic service charge for residential customers based solely on a company estimate that not checked to S-JJJJi 1 No Car Insurance Hike Granted By Texas Board AUSTIN (AP) The State Insurance Board decided Wednesday to grant automobile insurance companies no increase in rates, saving policyholders $112 million. The industry asked for a 17.4 percent increase last summer, and the board's staff said the hike should be held to 10.1 percent. But State Farm declared a large dividend, and the board decided to postpone action on the requested increase pending further study. Governor Will Push For PUC Changes, Salazar Told By EDCURDA Mayor Ray Salazar said late Wednesday on his return from Austin that both Gov. Dolph Briscoe and the chairman of the Texas Public Utility Commission agreed with him that the state law creating the PUC needs amending.

Further, said Salazar, Briscoe assured him he will push for amendments to the Texas Public Utility Regulatory Act in the 1979 legislative session. Specifically, the governor said he wanted an amendment that would assure consumers e-'jial treatment fro" otTr and a neigh Cowden and then conferred with Cowden and Briscoe together in the governor's office. Salazar said he concentrated on the different treatment El Paso Electric Co. had gotten from the PUC and from New Mexico's Public Service Commission in recent rate cases. Salazar explained that the New Mexico body had disallowed EPEC's request to have consumers pay the construction carrying charges for its $763 million share of the Palo Verde nuclear generating station in Arizona.

The station will not go on line until 198?.