New Castle News from New Castle, Pennsylvania • Page 1

In This Edition Every Friday TV Preview NEW CASTLE NEWS Full Week TV Listing For Your Convenience NINETY EIGHTH YEAR No. 152 NEW CASTLE NEWS, FRIDAY, MARCH 10,1978 -22 Pages AM) PKKAIKW TV TAB SI .05 PER WEEK BY CARRIER-SINGLE COPY Miners threaten 'war' TANGLES WITH TV CREW Charles Bateman, president of UMW Local 8017, is handcuffed by Virginia State Police after he confronted a television crew from Richmond, Va. yesterday. Bateman charged the camera crew placed nails on the ground across from a striking miners' picket line in Norton, Va. and tried to film them as though the miners put them there.

Bateman was arrested for refusing to let the crew finally leave the grounds. UPl Photo United Press International Angry miners and a determined President Carter tooli up their battle positions today with union leaders warning of in the coal fields." The lines were drawn when a federal court judge, at request, ordered miners back to work for an 80-day coohng off period. The injunction became effective at 7 a.m. today, but it gave U.S. marshals until Monday to formally serve the order on UMW officials, who face jail if they defy it.

And defiance rang through the coal fields, strike-bound for the 95th day. "He got enough jails to hold us all and he going to mine coal without said UMW local officer Rick Stitler. better start worrying about the war he is going to have in the coal fields instead of Africa and those 'i'll tell the men to go to work, but they will probably tell me to go to hell. said district leader Don "1 imagine every coal miner who heard that speech is hollering throught the coal fields, go to hell. Jimmy In the speech in question in which he announced the injunction at a Thursday press conference Carter was implacable.

"The welfare of our nation requires this difficult step and 1 expect all parties will obey the law," he said "This is a time for cooling off and we will do everything in our power to be sure it does not become a time of confrontation. The law must be enforced." Not all the striking miners were manning barricades of defiance and that fact posed the confrontation the president hoped to avoid. is my desire to obey the law." said Alaba.Tia miner Mike Brock. want to go back. I need to go back" "My members are law abiding said Charles Fuller, an Alabama district leader.

that injunction says to do. do." But Virginia local president Don Wallace summed up the fear that must accompany compliance. got no choice but to he said. if I get a call that if I step in a union mine, I'll get my head blown off, stay home. expect that Coal operators almost universally appeared ready to tool up their operations, with some promising coal could be moving to industries and public utilities within hours of the return.

All supported invocation of the Taft-Hartley Act and its back-to-work order. long can the country exist when 166,000 people (the miners) tell 200 million people they won't abide by the said Greg Driscoll, vice president of the Ohio Coal action generally was confined to rhetoric though one confrontation, with a television camera crew, landed a Virginia local president in jail. Charles Bateman was arrested in Guest River, after he accused Richmond television newsman Mike Devlin of planting a nail-studded piece of car tire in a highway for filming. "They were laying it down in the road and making a movie Uke we did he said, Bateman was handcuffed and led away after he tried to force Devlin to surrender film he had shot. Devlin denied Bateman's accusation.

While the miners squared off to battle federal back-to-work forces, electricity-hungry states struggled just to survive, piling up awesome economic losses and sharply trimming power output. West Virginia Gov. Jay Rockefeller reeled off a grim list of strike statistics; 26 percent of the state's economy immobilized; unemployment at 17 percent the worst since the depression; the gross product down $1.4 billion, and revenue losses of $34 miUion, In Columbus, Ohio, high school students were reduced to cold showers after physical education classes, and in Springfield, they drank warm water from unplugged electric water coolers. School officials worried that they might have to close the schools. In Indiana, where power output already has been reduced 40 percent, public service company officials warned many customers soon may have their lights turned out entirely.

The Georgia Power Co. asked the state Public Commission to approve an emergency allocation plan that could lead to blackouts, and Kentucky State Revenue Commissioner Maurice Carpenter said the strike could wipe out an expected $17 million budget surplus. The miners, faced with loss of federal food stamps if they defy the back-to-work order, also were hurting financially, but other unions were trying to ease the pain. Farmers in the American Agriculture Farmstrike movement have donated food to the miners, the United Auto Workers have given $2 million and Thursday, the International Longshoremen and Warehousemen's Union came up with $25,000 and set up a miners' relief fund. The donations were no replacement for paychecks which the UMW rank and file has not seen since Dec.

6 but they carried moral support in the miners' argument with President Carter. hope all union workers know what's going on," said Tennessee UMW member Harold (Jross. "If we go down, they go down. Vote blocks courthouse project start Because of Commissioner Thomas A. ab.sence from yesterday's meeting, excavation and ground preparation for a new Lawrence County courthouse may be delayed.

Architect Ronald K. Thompson of the W. G. Eckles Co. yester day presented the commissioners with the recommendation to engage the apparent low bidder.

Graziani Sons, Inc. of New Castle, to grade and excavate the site along Countyline Street. Graziani had submitted a ba.se bid of $.36,400 with a rock excavation rate of $50 per cubic yard, the lowest of the four bids received by the commissioners Shumaker, a partner in the law practice of Shumaker. Shumaker and Piccione. was reported to be in court at the time of the com- mi.ssioners' meeting.

Commissioner Frank A. Vitril, on record as opposing the new courthouse, declined even to second commissioner chairman John Meehan's motion that the recommendation be tabled until the Tuesday commissioner's meeting. On the topic of the new building, however, Vitril did voice his objection to what he called the renaming of the project Vitril pointed out that when the project was first introduced, it was called new Now, he said, the commissioners are receiving plans for Lawrence County Government "This is going to confuse the Vitril keep calling it the courthouse like you did all through the public hearings or go to court and officially change the Jack York, county American Party chairman, who also attended the commissioners meeting, asked if anyone yet knew what the project would cost county taxpayers. Weatherize contractor lists delay reasons A local contractor, who has done most of the weatheriza- tion work, complained to City Council last night that he has not been solely responsible for delays in the program. Joseph one of the owners of Jonis Construction Co.

of New Castle, said the firm had been because of the delays. He said delays were caused by insufficient materials and by windows which had not been measured properly by the city. One house, he said, received a window that was 20 inches too long. Nick P. Navarra, community development director, admitted that when the program first began the city did have a problem with the windows, but said that has since been rectified.

But the delays largely were attributed you to expeditiously do the job," Navarra told Matteo. Navarra added that even though there have been delays, he credited both Jonis and Grossman Construction Co. for doing good work The question of delays was raised by Councilman James P. Beshero in January. Beshero said last night, think 1 have an obligation to see that this program is carried Contractor Ron Grossman told council that the majority of the problem has been with second-story windows which are more difficult to measure.

He suggested that once a contract is awarded, the contractor be allowed to measure the windows, Navarra said that if the city followed recommendation, the program would be delayed because it takes six to eight weeks for the windows to be delivered. The city, he said, already has the windows ordered. Councilman Angelo J. Sands suggested a meeting be held with the contractors to these problems. But Navarra said meetings are held constantly with the contractors and that the problems which the Matteo and Grossman talked about have been worked out.

"They (the contractors) have been he said. Grossman blamed some supposedly inferior blown-in insulation material for damaging one of his motors. But he said he has received restitution for the damage, Navarra said the city is receiving its insulation from a different company now. Despite delays, Navarra said, 72 houses have been weatherized since the program got under way last summer. He expects some 200 homes to be completed by September.

The weatherization program is aimed at persons of low income. Residents criticize clumping By JOHN MANNA News Staff Writer Residents of the Lynn Street area of the East Side say they have received promises from the city but no action in alleviating a garbage problem in their neighborhood. to Cooper of 801 Lynn the owner of Rigotti's car wash on Butler Avenue is dumping debris, which accumulates in his sewer traps, over a hill which runs into the yards of residents. The debris, he told City Council last night, includes material from garbage trucks. Private haulers frequently take their trucks to the car wash to clean out the inside of the packers where the garbage is carried, he said.

"This stuff runs downhill and into the ('ooper said. Besides the smell, the garbage attracts flies and rats and is unsanitary for anybody, especially children, he said. The residents contacted the city Bureau of Code Enforcement last August, Cooper said, but as GARBAGE OR JUST DIRT? These residents of the Lynn Street and Rose Avenue area stand in front of mounds of dirt or garbage which they say runs into their yards. Residents call it garbage while Bill Rigotti, owner of a car wash which is the source for the debris, says it's just dirt and sand. Flanking the debris from left are Arlene Romeo, Diane Mascetta, Charlene Popovich and Judy Cooper.

News Photo of yet nothing has been done. time the residents contact the city. Code Enforcement says he shouldn't be dumping the Cooper added. He said Code Enforcement even has photographs of him dumping the garbage. Council directed the citv solicitor to meet with the residents to get the problem resolved.

Bill Rigotti, manager of the carwash, said today that the debris is not garbage, but sand, biodegradable soap and "common ordinary from cars. News Digest Page Hospital a fire trap .................2 Baseball benefits Easter Seals 3 Around the county .......................5 County report ...............................7 Readers meet challenge NCAA cage playoffs to begin ...15 Weather 1 News Index 'f AM lOwisT Page Business ..............................................12 Classified Comics ...............................................14 FeMale Public Sports Theaters Multimillion sweepstakes 10296,6856, 3 Daily number .....................................031 Death Record March 10,1978 Frank C. Navarra 61, Height Road RI) 7 Noel I). Adams, 85,1412 Huron Ave. Mrs.

Raymond Zarlengo, 35, Main St. Hillsville, Pa. Kenneth E. McCloskey, 20, 908 Fourth St. Cresson, Pa.

NATION Friday night will find some rain or showers in the Pacific Northwest and mid-Plains. A little snow may be found in parts of the Rockies and in the vicinity of the Lakes Region, otherwise, generally fair elsewhere. Minimum temperatures include (approximate maximum readings in parentheses): Atlanta 35 (65), Boston 29 (43). Chicago 32 (48), Oeveland 32 (47), Dallas 45 (72), Denver 27 (52), Duluth 18 (34), Houston 54 (71), Jacksonville 44 (75), Kansas City 37 (52), Little Rock 45 (67), Los Angeles 45 (60), Miami 49 (77), Minneapolis 23 (38), WESTERN PENNSYLVANIA Fair tonight. Low near 30.

Partly sunny Saturday. High around 50. Chance of precipitation is 10 percent tonight and 20 percent Saturday. WEATHER STATISTICS Statistics for the 24-hour period ending at midnight March 9 follow with the high and low temperatiires recorded between midnight March 8 and midnight March 9. Last data are in parentheses.

Maximum temperatures 41 (67) Minimum temperatures 15 (30) Precipitation none (none) Shenango River stage 5.6 feet (8.68 feet) MORAINE STATE PARK Temperatures at 9 a.m. was 21 degrees; no wind or precipitation. Coal strike could cripple steel industry Bethlehem Steel, the nation second largest steel producer, will close down one of its key coke batteries next week because of the coal strike and the pinch was beginning to effect other industries today. official of the United Steelworkers Union in Pittsburgh said the 95-day-old strike could start crippling the steel industry before the month is out. The energy drain has already led to mandatory power cutbacks in Indiana and West Virginia, vdth more states contemplating the same course.

West Virginia Gov. Jay Rockefeller said Thursday the strike has immobilized 26 percent of his state's ecomony. Unemployment is at 17 percent, the worst since the depression; the state's gross product is down $1.4 billion and state government has lost $34 million in revenue. Rockefeller said. The steel and automotive industries, heavily dependent on coal, acknowledged they were considering curtailments or even shutdowns and massive layoffs if the strike continues much longer.

"In two or three weeks the Pittsburgh works will be a ghost said J.B. Grice, chairman of the USW Political Committee at the Jones Laughlin Corris Pittsburgh and South Side Works. P'igures from the U.S. Labor Department said 25.500 workers across the country were laid off for all or part of last week because of the coal strike. Officials indicated matters could become much worse if coal does not start to move soon.

Bethlehem Steel said Thursday it would start next week to bank one of the two batteries at its plant in Burns Harbor. the company's most modern facility. Mayor opposes transfer He said that to the best of his knowledge the garbage haulers only wash the outside of their trucks. Rigotti, who said that the residents "have been harassing said he is getting the material analyzed to prove that it isn't garbage. -Mayor Francis J.

Rogan announced last night that he has contacted officials in an effort to avert any transfer of mail service from the New Castle post office to Butler. The mayor told City Council that he will meet with State Rep. Thomas J. Fee. D-New Castle, on Tuesday and sometime later with U.

S. Rep. Gary A. Myers. R-Butler.

The Postal Service will make a study on the feasibility of consolidating part of the Castle operation with Butler's. However, as a spokesman said yesterday, the Postal has made no presumptions and could decide not to change anything. Before the mayor announced his plans. Councilman Roger M. DeCarbo suggested that now would be the time for city officials to down with postal officials in before the study is completed.

The same situation occurred three to four years ago. he said. At that time, local officials had former U. S. M.

Clark intervene. He then noted that home is in Butler, but added he isn't suggesting that the congressman won't be willing to help New Castle. DeCarbo said also that although the Postal Service says the studies are done periodically, don't think we should let any of these studies pass us He urged citizens to wite to also. Pentagon touts new 'death ray' W.ASHINGTON (UPD The Pentagon wants to double the multimillion dollar research program into a billion-volt ray some analysts say the Soviet Union already is developing. Dr.

Ruth M. Davis, a deputy defense undersecretary, told a Senate subcommittee Thursday that boosting tlie $5.6 million research progi'am by $6 million is needed to prevent surprise from happening to us in charged-particle beam The beams are a stream of atoms or smaller particles, such as electrons or protons, energized with an electrical force of a billion volts or more. Theoretically the weapon would be able to incinerate targets miles away within split seconds and thus make present weapons obsolete. Particle beams first came to pubUc attention last year. Tanner signed New Castle resident Chuck Tanner yesterday signed a contract to manage the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1979 and 1980.

Further details on Page 15. County honors Merle Hart Former District Justice Merle W. Hart was honored yesterday with a commendation from the county commissioners. A framed citation, presented to Hart by county commissioner chairman John A. Meehan, thanked the former magistrate for his public senice to the community.

Hart had been appointed to fill the position of magistrate district 3-4 after the death of Donald H. Kenehan on Aug. 31, 1976. Unsuccessiul in hid for election to the post, he was succeeded by Robert L. Zedaker who assumed the duties of district justice in Januan..