The Miami Herald from Miami, Florida • 588

Channel 34 makes more newscast cuts I NESTING TURTLES 2B watched by 8 percent of the viewing households in the predominant broadcast area A year later only half that number tuned in Generally an independent does not make as much money as a network affiliate Because it does not carry the more widely viewed network programming it charge as much for advertising In addition it has to buy syndicated programs such as reruns of the Bill Cosby Show instead of receiving programs the networks provide Rising costs and decreasing revenues mean the station has to trim what it views as fat said Bishop Cheen a senior analyst with Paid Kagan Associates a media research firm in Carmel Calif "When not making the dollars anymore you have cut costs so it could be a tacti- PLEASE SEE CH34 2B Evelyn Coie "But news director Lester Williams told us optimistic about the future of the news" In the meantime WPBF-Channel 25 and WPEC-Channel 12 are moving forward with plans to open bureaus on the Treasure Coast ABC affiliate Channel 25 an office in Fort Pierce CBS affiliate Channel 12 one in Stuart Both now cover news stories in Martin St Lucie and Indian River counties from their Palm Beach County headquarters just so much news up there it make sense to cover it from down said Bill Peterson general manager of Channel 12 near Riviera Beach NBC affiliate WPTV-Channel 5 in West Palm Beach already has a bureau in Stuart Independent WAYK-Channel 56 in Palm Bay in Brevard County has not announced any plans to expand coverage south into Indian River County The station occasionally sends news crews to the area Both Palm Beach County stations say their expansions have little to do with Channel 34 's cuts But industry analysts say it makes good business sense for the stations to fill the void all the other stations there competing for the same dollars logical going to happen" said Dennis McAlpine a stock analyst with Oppenheimer Co a New York brokerage firm Since it went from a network affiliate a spot it held since it went on the air 22 years ago to an independent Jan 2 Channel 34 has dropped in value from an estimated $49 million to less than $15 million The switch was part of a major network shuffle that saw the CBS affiliation switch from Channel 34 to Channel 12 and the ABC affiliation go to upstart Channel 25 The changes also included three Miami stations In February 1988 Channel 34 was By WILLIAM LABBEE Herald Staff Writer Television news coverage of the Treasure Coast is getting a face lift as the only locally based station trims its weekend newscasts and two Palm Beach County stations expand their coverage in Martin SL Lucie and Indian River counties Fort Pierce-based WTVX -Channel 34 which has plunged in value since losing its CBS network affiliation in January announced to its staff last week it is ending its 6 pm weekend newscasts after today That follows suspension of the 11 pm weekend newscasts and noon and 10 pm weekday shows earlier this year "There have been a lot of rumors going around about the station cutting back all said evening news co-anchor Marriott: on way out Stuart Vero sites unaffected SAM I JOE CRflNKSHAW TREASURE COAST TALES Museum seeks boost for a special memory The late Bob Gladwin was one of St Lucie County's most active historians He worked on the historical commission took part in the activities of the historical society and volunteered endless hours to the St Lucie County Historical Museum Gladwin 83 also roamed the fields and swamps of the Treasure Coast looking for bits of history He was the one who sounded the alarm about the vandalism to the Spruce Bluff Cemetery He also organized the cleanup campaign and solicited donations for a permanent marker in the burial ground He helped survey the trail from the site of Fort Capron to the St Johns River marsh He lead the effort to rejuvenate the monument to veterans of World War I and even played a role in history during World War II by commanding the Coast Guard auxiliary patrols looking for submarines along the Treasure Coast In the community Gladwin helped found a Sea Scout troop and worked to educate local students on their heritage In short he was a man seldom seen at rest He only slowed down in the final year or so when illness and age rested heavily upon him Because he was so tireless it seems fitting that the SL Lucie County Historical Society has begun plans to remember him with a restful memorial garden at the museum Gladwin was often working at the museum and often would stop and regale visitors with stories about the region and its people There is no question that his extensive knowledge and ready wit made a lasting impression The museum is being remodeled A new front entrance will be created on the east side and the current main door on the south side will become the exit Visitors will pass through the proposed memorial garden as they leave one of their last impressions will be of that garden dedicated to the man who made a lasting impression on so many people A winding path will lead from the exit through the garden past the Gardner House to the parking lot On display in the garden will be an anchor from a sailing ship the cornerstone of the old Masonic Lodge cannons from the Spanish treasure fleet of 1715 a bench and the museum flagpole And true to nature which kept him from willingly accepting praise for all his efforts the garden also will have spaces for memorials to other active historians Creating the garden will cost $4000 and the society wants to raise the funds from private sources That aim is in keeping with one of beliefs that the people of the community should help preserve their own heritage and not depend on government Donations which are tax deductible may be sent to the Bob Gladwin Memorial Garden in careof The St Lucie County Historical Society 414 Seaway Dr Fort Pierce FI 34949 The society is accepting donations of any size and the names of the donors will be placed on a plaque in the garden JOE CRANKSHAW Miami Herald SEARCH BEGINS: About 24 volunteers Saturday began excavating the 151-year-old campsite of the Tennessee Volunteers 151 years later camp hosts visitors By JEAN MARIE LUTES Herald Writer Howard Johnson whose roadside soda stand in Quincy Mass in 1925 started a chain that would stretch across the United States and make him a millionaire many times over had plenty of business smarts Howard taste though was hardly trendy by standards He liked colors like bright orange and turquoise together Can his buttery hot dog buns and orange-tiled roofs survive the modem onslaught of trendy food trendy decor and trendy architecture? Marriott Corp think so Within the year Marriott plans to convert its Florida Howard into Allie's an upscale family eatery named after company co-founder Alice Marriott That means most of the trademark orange Hojo's roofs in Florida will disappear Ft Pierce site closed Tourists and locals in Fort Pierce can no longer stop under the familiar orange roof for the famous stacks of pancakes and frosty milkshakes The local restaurant on Okeechobee Road shut down June 15 That worries Ron Raeth general manager of the 64-room Howard Johnson Lodge next door sure in the long run going to have a real impact on my he said only been closed a week and we're already getting inquiries And it's not only from people who stay here A lot of the locals who liked the coffee or ice cream or anything else have been asking about iL be sorry to see it But the alh American menus are still only about a half hour in each direction because Marriott does not plan on closing the restaurant in Stuart And the Vero Beach eatery is independently owned so it too will be unaffected That means good news for the 82-room lodge in Stuart general manager Janet Mills said people stay here they expect to have a place nearby to have breakfast dinner or a late-evening snack so a real ad- By JOE CRANKSHAW Herald Stall Writer JUPITER Excavation of a portion of the camp used 151 years ago by members of the Tennessee Volunteers commanded by Maj William Lauderdale began Saturday in a copse of scrub oaks and palmettos Directed by Robert Carr Dade County staff archaeologist and president of the nonprofit Florida Archaeological and Historical Conservancy about two dozen volunteers braved thundershowers and muggy temperatures to look for debris left at the campsite by the site is on private property the as such operations are called is not open to the public or the press because of insurance and construction policies that we dig up will be put on display at the Loxahatchee River Historical Museum in Jupiter next Carr said Some digging was done Saturday and parts of musket balls and bits of horse bridles and saddle hardware were found plus many bits of metal The main digging will begin today and continue through the week until all of the area has been searched Carr said The camp was used after the Tennesseans took part in the Battle of the Loxahatchee River in January 1838 in which troops under the command of General Thomas Jesup fought a band of Seminoles retreating from the Battle of Lake Okeechobee fought on Christmas Day 1837 Permission to excavate the site was secured by Richard Procyk a retired Miami Beach homicide detective from Otto DiVosta of Burg and DiVosta Development Co After the site is worked it will become the site of a luxury home Carr explained Saturday that because the County firefighters ready for wage war mum requirements are licensed to drive and have passed a physical agility test and written test given by the county But Martin County Budget Officer David Brangaccio says the salaries are competitive with the other county wages argue that not Brangaccio said argue that we Last year the county gave its approximately 300 American Federation of State County and Municipal employees an across-the-board 3 percent raise the same raise awarded the firefighters On Friday the county received a PLEASE SEE FIRE 2B the table Last year family health insurance rates increased by almost $750 a year eating away any extra cash This year the entire firefighter contract is up for negotiation But the big issue says firefighter union president John Davidson is the same: More money and an end to merit raises in favor of step raises asking to be Davidson says even make what City of Stuart firefighters in Class One make a starting salary of $17243 a year Martin firefighters in the same class make a starting salary of $16200 Class One firefighters meet the Fire Standards Council mini bargaining committee begins If the fight is anything like last wage dispute it be pleasant Last year's negotiations began in the summer An impasse was declared and a special master was called The firefighters disagreed with the special report which basically said the county should consider the requests this summer and went before the County Commission on March 14 Commissioners turned down the 6 Vz percent raise the firefighters wanted and gave them a 3 percent raise instead Firefighters were disgruntled Even with the additional money they seeing more bread on By RACHEL ORR Herald Stafl Writer STUART Stephen Beasley a Martin County firefighter has to work a second job as a free-lance mechanic to support his wife and two children His firefighter salary just enough Beasley took home a $260 check this week for working 56 hours at Station 54 in Tropical Farms Almost $30 was taken out of his check to cover insurance make says Beasley who has worked as a county firefighter for 4 Vz years all I do" But the county's firefighters hope to do more than just make it and on July 7 the money tug-of-war between the firefighters and the coun PLEASESEE HOJOS 23 Beachside harks back to simple food and courteous service DINING REVIEW BEACHSIDE RESTAURANT the mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy which tasted institutional For dessert there was tapioca pudding 1 remember the last time I had tapioca pudding and this was just as I remembered it smooth and gelatinous with perhaps a faint echo of vanilla There was also blueberry pie ($175) which was served too cold and with a disappointing crust After we finished lunch my guest and I sat and talked And talked Despite the busy tables no effort was made to hurry us In fact when the waitress came by she asked "Like another soda? You get No wonder Beachside is crowded at lunch Business folks out for a quick meal and senior citizens who value courtesy know a good thing when they see it the fresh-faced young man obviously new to his summer job and learning how to set a table that makes me feel come home again My guest and I began our lunches with cups of soup ($125) She chose the cream of broccoli I opted for the vegetable Her choice was thick and creamy heavily studded with chopped broccoli but the several spoonsful I tasted revealed it was quite bland My soup was a thin broth chock-full of fresh vegetable chunks Squash carrots celery beans onions and tomato jostled colorfully in the little bowl For main courses we chose traditional American favorites meatloaf ($450) and chicken ala King ($450) I found the biscuit on the chicken dish rather doughy but the chicken was tasty and the soothing cream sauce was just as I remembered it from days of yore The applesauce and roll although apparently not homemade were certainly appropriate accompaniments In trendy places where food fads happen as fast as fashion flings meatloaf is back in styleMost of America never knew it was out but in the hallowed halls of urban meatloaf has made a big comeback The meatloaf at Beachside is good enough to make the menu at a New York trendsetter I liked the moist texture the traditional dominance of tomato and the hearty serving I also liked the little dish of fresh carrots and beans although to my taste they were overdone I was less fond of Stepping into the Beachside Restaurant in Vero Beach is like Stepping back in time The waitresses greet some customers by name popular dishes include meatloaf and that 1950s favorite chicken ala King and old-time courtesy prevails The Beachside makes me think of Norman Rockwell paintings the friendliness the quintessential American small-town atmosphere Rating AA Address: 3125 Ocean Drive Vero Beach Telephone: 234-4477 Hours: 6:30 am 3 pm Reservations: Parties of five or more Credit Cards: Nona AAAA EXCELLENT AAA VERY GOOD A A GOOD A FAIR Zero: POOR Susan Braunstein who dines anonymously at Herald expense rates restaurants from lour to zero stars taking into consideration the quality of food service presentation and ambience balanced against price Her column appears in the Treasure Coast edition of the Miami Herald each Sunday I xm amniii.