Daily News from New York, New York • 257

I Manhattan and Bronx Daily News, Thursday. July 7. 1983 irdteD' Eieeps DuospSfiaiD affiosifi By KEITH MOORE rial was part of a "grand scheme" to reduce medical services to the upper Manhattan area and that the State Health Deptartment was behind the plan, noting several hospitals in Washington Heights and Manhattan had closed in recent years. Those hospitals include Delafield, Sydenham and potentially Jewish Memorial. Meanwhile, some community residents who are rallying to keep Jewish Memorial afloat asserted yesterday that plans by Columbia Presbyterian to expand may be behind the efforts to close Jeiwsh Memorial.

Columbia Presbyterian has said it would build a 300-bed facility in the Baker Field area. But those in favor of maintaining Jewish Memorial said that the new facility would not serve the needs of Washington Heights residents. Jewish Memorial has a 186 bed capacity, largely for elderly citizens, but it also operates several clinics in the Washington Heights area, a spokesman said. was behind efforts to have the federal monies cutoff. The spokesman, Florence Smeraldi, said that the violations covered a two-year period and that some of them had already been taken care of.

She said some of the violations included "not having screens on our kitchen windows" and not fully "documenting information on patients' charts." Smeraldi said the matter had been turned over by federal officials to the state's Health Care Financing Agency and it was the state that was eager to have funding cut off. A lawyer for Jewish Memorial said the hospital received 70 of its financing from Medicare and that the termination of financing would mean that the hospital would have to close. "It would have a devastating effect because it. would mean the loss of $16 million and we don't believe the hospital could survive," said the lawyer, Marvin Tenzer. He maintained that the closing of Jewish Memo- A Manhattan Federal Court judge' has issued a' restraining order blocking the cutoff of Medicare funds to Jewish Memorial Hospital and virtually giving it a new lease on life.

The order, which was issued by Judge Richard Owen, staved off what hospital officials said could have led to sure bankruptcy for the Washington Heights facility. The cutoff of funds was slated to take effect yesterday, but lawyers for the hosptal convinced Owen to hold off taking the action until tomorrow, at which time hospital lawyers are expected to seek a preliminary injunction. The arguments before Owen last Friday came in the wake of federal threats to cut off funding, because of several violations that had been uncovered at the hospital, which is at 196th St. and' Broadway. But a spokesman for the hospital said that the violations were minor and that it was the state that UII.IIIHII IIUIHU.IJMI mi- M1" 1 9 i IflfiMMiMM ifill irr Ted EisDerg (cenier), pres.dent of CouncJoT- too4 dirop Blblbi3aDs Citing new statistics released by the Police Department, Bronx Borough President Stanley Simon said yesterday that there has been a 14 drop in robberies boroughwide and that two crimeridden precincts, the 43d and the 46th, have shown dramatic decreases in crime.

"Lt. Tom Houston, who commands Robbery Central, says the reduction is nothing short of remarkable and I agree with him," said Simon. Recent police statistics indicate that robberies in the 46 Precinct dropped by 32 in January, 27 in February, 34 in April and 39. in May. Houston said he is also expecting good figures for June.

In the 43d precinct, 22 arrests were made in June. "That was double what a robbery squad had achieved previously," said Houston. According to Houston, each robbery arrest potentially eliminates 10 robberies based on the theory that, on average, each suspect could commit that many felonies if free. "We concentrate," explained Houston, "on breaking up teams of robbers. When you arrest teams, you get patterns of operation.

This time last year we had 50 identifiable patterns, but our arrests have been such that we've reduced the teams and their patterns to about 30 at present." The conviction rate, according to Houston, has also been high with jail sentences averaging three to-five and up to eight years. Houston said the police were successful In breaking up robbery teams when they could get one perpetrator to name one or more operatives in the team. "You get one of the friends," said Houston, "and he'll give you even more names." In addition, the Anti-Robbery Tactical Unit has been working the Bronx streets at night "In 18 months," Houston said, "more than 400 guns including Saturday Night specials and machine guns, have been taken off the street" "Altogether," said Houston, "I think we have had a major impact The reduction in robberies from February to June has exceeded our greatest expectations. We used to see small drops in figures." Joan Shepard If IT 11 II 111 if VicaOB Supervisors and Administrators of New York City, congratulates Darlene Washington and George Luis Maldonada, handicapped students from Manhattan who were honored as winners of council's third annual Special Education Award. Students received certificates and cash awards of $500 in recognition of their "radiant spirit and indomitable will." epaifs sf for 3d Ave.

Bridge At least two lanes of the bridge will be open to Manhattan-bound traffic at all times, said Seaton. Also beginning today, the south upper roadway of the Queensboro Bridge will be closed for 18 months to repair the steel structure supporting the roadway, Seaton said. Seaton said the repairs on the Third Ave. Bridge are part of a program to upgrade the city's freight train capacity. Seaton said the DOT was building a freight train track along the Harlem River to connect the Harlem River Yards with the Oak Point Yard in the Bronx.

Eventually, a beam supporting the bridge will have to be lowered although the "structural integrity" of the bridge will remain "intact," Seaton said. At that time." Seaton said the bridge, will be temporarily closed. Transportation officials who intended to begin repairs on the Queensboro Bridge this week said emergency repairs would also be made to the Third Ave. Bridge. A spokesman for the State Department of Transportation said the repairs are necessary because the steel framework supporting the approach ramps are badly "deteriorated and corroded." "The deterioration is much more advanced than we anticipated," said DOT spokesman Dave Seaton.

From 10 a.m. today to 5 p.m. tomorrow, the Bruckner Blvd. approach to the Third Ave. Bridge and the two lanes on the east side of the bridge will be closed to traffic.

Beginning 5 p.m. tomorrow and continuing until July 27, the Third Ave. approach and the two lanes on the west side of the bridge will be closed to traffic..