The Herald-News from Passaic, New Jersey • 1

In the face of new statistics indicating the economy is weakening the Carter administration is resigned to the prospect of- higher unemployment. Page A-3. Authorities claim to have smashed a $1 2 million cocaine smuggling and distribution ring with outlets in Essex, Bergen, Passaic, Morris and Ocean counties. Page A-3 0 I lie IOp Spenaer in the Passaic City Council election campaign is Councilman Joseph Lipari, according to reports filed with the county clerk. Page B-1 Passaic-Clifton Edition Friday, June 1, 1979 Vol.

108 No. 150 46 Pages in Fouf Sections Price when instruments falsely detected high pressure in the reactor and outdated procedures allowed cooling water to drop to alarmingly low levels, the NRC said. is a subsidiary of General Public Utilities which owns and operates the By MICHELE FRIEDMAN Herald-News Staff Writer LACEY TOWNSHIP Power at the Oyster Creek nuclear plant was halted Thursday due to two breakdowns. v. "A- The Nuclear Regulatory Com mission okayed starting up the reactor at 5 p.m.

Wedrfesday; according to George Metzgar, Jersey Central Power Light spokesman. Metzgar said the control rods were lifted at 2 a.m. This is the, first stage in starting the reactor. ''By 4 a.m. there was a critical fission reaction," he said.

This means the atoms were starting to split, AT 1 p.m. THERE WAS A RUSH of cold water into the reactor. Metzgar said the water acted as a catalyst and speeded up the reactor, which is what officials did not want to happen. Once this occurred, the machine.shut off automati- Three Mile Island power plant seriously damaged in an accident March 28. The utility has requested the state Board of Public Utility approval for a $113 million increase in its fuel adjustment-clause in order to buy interim power as a result of the energy loss from the Pennsylvania facility.

THE INCREASE WOULD RAISE the average consumer bill about $4 The event that closed down operations at Oyster Creek's boiling-water reactor bore no resemblance to the accident in a pressurized reactor at Three Mile Island, Sam Laird, vice president said: "At Oyster Creek, the NRC investigation showed the fuel core was adequately covered and cooled at all times," Laird said. "But the utility official said water in the Oyster Creek reactor apparently had dropped to between one and three feet above the core during the shutdown procedure." "It will take at least 24 hours before the plant is generating," Metzgar said. The plant has a 650 megawatt reactor and power within the reactor will be increased 10 percent at a time, officials said. NRC STAFF INVESTIGATORS CONCLUDED a major cause of the incident at Oyster Creek was the fact that certain valve-closing procedures were not brought up to date when changes were made in automatic pump switches in August'. Operatorsr still following outdated procedures, then shut off the re-circulation through the reactor core.

Staff officials told the NRC Wednesday the reactor's radioactive core had. not been damaged, procedures were being improved and the plant was mechanically sound and could be operated safely. The analysis concluded that "no fuel was unco-, vered and no fuel damage is expected to have oq-curred." owns 25 percenter the crippled eallyr By 6 prm. the machine was ready to be restarted, ausing a chain reaction, which then generates wer. The power had to be brought up slowly, Metzgar he said.

At 6:30 p.m. the turbine tripped as it was being heated up and again the reactor automatically shut down. The turbine is a non-nuclear part of the reactor. Officials also.said steam was being emitted from the reactor and water levels and instruments were checked. No problems were detected.

said, because the plant had been shut down since May 3. Once it began generating, there was 2 percent power in the generator. 1 The plant was automatically shut down May 3 r-TV controversy- bod Carter, Channel 68 takesaimat losing the opportunity to be a deliberating juror. This keen disappointment was illustrated by his observation on taDe that the alternate iuror taken out of context resulting in the present allegations." Leopizzisaid Adamo gave the clear impression of being extremely pomp ByJTMLANARAS Herald-News Staff Writer PATERSON The trial judge who nrpsidfid at the 1976 retrial of Rubin individuals were mindful of their obligations as jurors and adhered to the trial directions." Leopizzi ruled. BUT REGARDING ADAMO, he added, "It is certainly regrettable ous and indicated his high self-esteem "status forced him to step back into the "Hurricane" Carter and John Artis crowd unnoticed without being in by evaluating himself as probably tho that, Adamo's vulnerability arising has denied the pair a new trial, ruling ii most popular juror.

"Not only was he anxious to be part of a trial that would receive national attention m. the news media, Adamo actually felt he was an ideal juror who was chosen because of his degree of judgment, intelligence and objectivity he exhibited," Leopizzi said. from his deflated lego'permitted him to be manipulated by Hoekja. As an admitted member of the defense team during the voir dire (jury selection) her motives were at the very least suspect. Thus Adamo's mere feelings were blown out of proportion and the harmless incidents he witnessed were allegations or misconduct ana racuu prejudice among the jurors are the product of a disgruntled alternate-juror whose ego suffered a severe blow when he was not selected to deliberate on a case that attracted national attention.

The ruling by Superior Court Judge. Bruno Leopizzi is not the denial of the defendants' appeal of their Dec. 21, 1976 convictions and subsequent triple life sentences. Defense attorneys applied for a new trial with Leopizzi after one of the alternate jurors, John Adamo of Union City, informed the judge of the allegations. Carter's attornev.

Mvron Beldock, NV market By ANTHONY DEPALMA New Jersey Magazine 7- Ken Taishoff is the newly arrived vice president ahd general manager of Channel 68 in West His office is built into the corner of a 40-foot trailer on the station's lot on Eagle Rock Mountain. -Despite the inauspicious surroundings, Taishoff isn't looking anywhere but up. On his desk sits a large silver ash tray the size of a dinner plate. The rim is inscribed in big, black letters that read, "When you leave New York you ain't goin' nowhere." For Taishoff and Channel 68, New York is the only place to be. volved in the outcome.

"THE COURT'S INESCAPABLE CONCLUSION is that Adamo's allegations of jury misconduct are not believable and must be totally rejected. The entire jury system would be placed, hi jeopardy if this court was to give credence to these reckless and naked charges," Leopizzi ruled. The Judge said he found the testimony of the other jurors who were the targets of Adamo's allegations to be entirely credible. Carter and Artis were convicted Of killing three people at Paterson's Lafayette Bar and Grill on June 17, 1966. They wer convicted in 1967 but the state Supreme Court ordered a retrial.

said Thursday Adamp's allegations already are incorporated in the appeal pending before the state Superior Court's Appellate Division Last of a series completely disagreewith Judge Leopizzi's analysis of John Adamo's credibility," Beldock said Thursday. "He (Adamo) was very sincere and courageous to come forward and expose the jury." Passaic County Prosecutor Burrell Ives Humphreys said he is satisfied the court's ruling is correct and that his office will support Leopizz's decision if it is appealed by the defense. iniun CIDCT ATDTm WIS AT.T.F.. and that' he and Artis' attorney, Lewis Steel, will supplement that appeal in the wake of Leopizzi's ruling. Three Appellate Court judges heard oral arguments on the appeal Wednesday and are to hear further arguments by attorneys on Adamo's allegations.

LAST MARCH, Leopizzi interviewed several of the jurors of the 1976 retrial after Adamo last October informed him some of the jurors tit traded racial jokes and had prejudged GATIONS when interviewed in the case near beginning. AdamoAugust 1977 by Barbara Hoekja, of the also alleged one juror told him during National Jury Project, a member of the trial that Carter had failed a lie the defense team. Hoekja attempted otwnr toot nnH that one nf the iurv for months to Dersuade Adamo to re- guards referred to Carter and Artis as lease the tape recorded interviews to "We're gonna be a force to contend with in the New York market," he boasts with a little less caution than would be wise to use wheq crossing a busy street. Taishoff admits that Channel 68 has a long way to go before it is any force in the market at all. "What we are," he says, "is the best kept secret around.

But that will change." CHANNEL 68 is almost wholly owned by Womet-co. a company that specializes in leisure. Although it offers the standard (or substandard) UHF fare during most of the day, Channel 68's prime time is givenver to first run movies which are broadcast on a subscription TV (STV) signal. In order to receive the scrambled signal, a decoder box must be installed and a special antenna placed on the roof. Wometco's New Jersey operation (there is also a translator station, Channel 60, on the World Trade Center, which sends the same signal.

to New York City boroughs) is a pioneer, tine of only four STV stations presently operating in the U.S. -Wometco bought WTVG in. the summer of 1977 and since then has made a corporate commitment to turn the station into a money maker. Included in those plans is a prerequisite move from West Orange into the city of Newark where the license was originally allocated. "WE'VE ALREADY SIGNED, a contract for a studio at a prime location in the city," saysVrai-shnff.

The management horjesto settle into the new the defense or notify Leopizzi of his allegations. Adamo Informed Leopizzi of them last Oct. 3. LeopizzLthen scheduled closed-door interviews with the jurors who were the targets of Adamo's charges, "These accused jurors responded to the Adamo charges with candor and Their answers were, not plagued with the inconsistencies and evasiveness that permeated Adamo's responses. The court is satisfied these ''these bastards" when he told some of the jurors'Carter and Artis probably would "get off on a In his 51-page issued Wednesday but made public Thursday, Leopizzi dismissed Adamo's allegations as "mere feelings rather than specific examples." "The ego of John Adamo suffered a severe blow when he learned of his designation as an alternate," Leopizzi said.

"He clearly was frustrated after AP Wircphoto Vi6tnam Veteran Carl tGrcteriaceachwood, is framed by his crutches during ceremonies at the Statehouse in Trenton Thursday Page A-4. demand gas info Energy chiefs building and be able to start upgrading the station's New Jersey programming by September. WTVG has already improved on the programmf- ng it carried just a few years ago. Taishoff who; took over in September 1977, has molded a pattern; of informational and public affairs programming that could be, the backbone of a tangible commit-! ment to the state's largest city and the entire areai if the finances become ayailable. 1 There are now two financial reports, one which! takes a half hour, the other 15 minutes.

Both are-, ii not stylish, soberly professional. "Closeup: Newt vantage of the holiday weekend to engage in price hiking in the face of all public warnings against such practices." v' The complajnts charge that on Sunday the dealer was charging 16.2 cents above the ceiling for regular unleaded gasoline and 21 cents higher for regular leaded On Wednesr day, the complaints charge, the same' station was selling bothf leaded and unleaded regular gas at 2.2 cents above the permitted price. IT IS CLAIMED THE dealer did not have any credits within the federal Energy Department's "banking" system. Under that practice a dealer may legally sell gas at a higher price if, during a prior period, he sold it at prices between three and five cents Jersey" is a modest 15-minute roundup of the day's about 81 percent of last June's allotment. A spokesman for Jacobson "The way it was told to us, there is no appreciable difference in gallonage to be delivered from last month." It was also disclosed the normal 3 percent "set aside," or reserve, for New Jersey has been increased by 2 percent as of this month.

Sources suggested, however, that for New Jersey motorists it amounts to roughly the: same amount of gasoline being available this month as-last, with a continuation of gas pump lines, higher prices and. restricted sales. THE NEW JERSEY Energy Department on Thursday served two no- tices of "probable violation" on the operator of the Exxon gas station on Route 4 West for charging between 2.2 and 21 cents above thel-lowable federal maximum price. Jacobson explained, the action was taken for "flagrant violation of the prices permitted by federal regulations." He added the dealer "took ad- Schlesinger told him the increase was to "make sure there would be adequate supplies of gasoline this summer." "He authorized the price. The gasoline industry has been receiving the price.

We want to know where the gasoline is," he demanded. The demand came at a time when President Carter was meeting with the top officials of the nation's pi companies. At that session the president was told again that the oil crisis is real. Jerry McAffee, chairman of Gulf Oil told the president, "There is a shortage of gas as far as I can see down the road." 'At the same time, mambers of the world's oil producing and exporting countries announced plans to increase the price of crude oil again through a AFTER THE WHITE House meeting, the nation's oil companies announced a 4 percent reduction in gasoline allocations for-this month. The cut means gas stations will receive By PAUL ALBERTA Herald-News Staff Writer WASHINGTON Energy chiefs from seven Northeastern states were scheduled, to attend a White House meeting today pressing a demand to "know where the gasoline is." With the gasoline pinch being felt more accutely in the Northeast than in all other areas except California, the delegation, led by New York State Energy Commissioner James LaRoc-ca, with New Jersey's energy chief Joel R.

Jacobson, are following up on LaRocca's demand Thursday for the government to fully explain the gasoline situation in the nation. From his New York City office, LaRocca, energy committee chairman of the Coalition of Northeast Governors, issued a statement saying, "What we're trying to find out from Washington goes back to last March when Energy Secretary James Schlesinger authorized substantial priceincreases for the oil companies." AT THAT TIME, LAROCCA said, events kicked oil by a special magazine type weekly series installment that focuses on a singlq issue. Also regularly scheduled is a program oo thi concerns of viewers over 60, and a weekly ethnitf broadcast aclled "Black Spectrum." below the allowable maximum. fhe dealer, Jacobson said, could be id $2,500 a day for each violation. THE REST OF WTVG's daily schedule is designed to lure the after school crowd.

Advertisin. promotes this period as "Kid Stuff" and the littl rhile disclosing the charges, Ja- )son also said effective immediate- New Jersey State Police will super ones are offered such old standbys as: The Lorn Ranger, The Cisco Kid and Sergeant Preston of tile vise a statewide gas pricing monitoring plan, for follow up by his. office. Yukon. See WOMETCO'S, Page A-6 5'.