The Knoxville News-Sentinel from Knoxville, Tennessee • 1

V- i Final HOME Edition Price 15 Cents 34 Pages Two Sections mi Copyright 0 1979 The KnoxviHe News-Sentinel Company Knoxvtte Tenrt 37901 Friday Evening March 30 1979 Issue No! 29633 523-3131 Other Storica hp I their own said: "They are Businesses in Harrisburg appear to be releasing employes People are leaving the Harrisburg area" An air raid siren Mated at about am in downtown Harrisburg but David Milne a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Resources said it was an unauthorised signal set off by local fire officials to ted people to stay indoors keep their windows closed and shut off electric fans A spokesman for Gov Dick Thornburgh who was in contact with Joseph Hendrie chairman of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission in Washington said an on-site emergency was called after the release of radiation John Comey of the Pensytvania Emergency Management Agency asked if people were evacuating the area on Traffic was heavy on the streets of Harrisburg 10 miles from the plant and in surrounding communities Service stations were crowded with cars and pedestrians hurried along the streets to head indoors Businesses shut down early and overburdened telephone lines wera jammed hi the area Paul Critchlow Gov Thornburgh'S spokesman said: "There is no need for an evacuation There was series of uncontrolled bursts of radiation from about 6:40 am until about 9 am this morning" Critchlow said "We are urging people to say calm and not to panic There is no need for evacuation at this time" "Our people do not believe there is any immediate danger The suggestion to stay indoors is precautionary only" Earlier Thornburgh had said he was considering evacuating all the nearly 1 million residents from four-county area surrounding the facility The counties are York Dauphin Lancaster and Cumberland "The company had hoped to shut the reactor said Critchlow "but they are finding more fuel damage than they anticipated and this apparently is resulting in the increased radiation discharge "We do not have any assurances that See UNCONTROLLED Page 2 HARRISBURG Pa-A high uncon--elease of radiation into the atmosphere was reported today from the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant where the worst nuclear reactor leak in history occurred Wednesday AH residents within a 10-mile radius of the plant were urged to stay indoors House Approves Bill Allowing Interest Rates of Up to 145 for Most Loans "I believe this legislation will help create a climate for more jobs and better family income while keeping reasonable limits on the cost of money especially to the smallest said the Governor Alexander in keeping with a campaign pledge that he would veto any legislation that did not provide some protection for small borrowers had suggested that the 10 percent ceiling which has been applied to all straight loans since 1870 be retained for all single payback loans of $2000 and under New Price Profit Rules Imposed on Companies By MARK MeNEELV NASHVILLE Interest rates of up to 141 percent for most commercial and consumer single payback bank loans at current market conditions would be allowed' under legislation passed by the House yesterday The House approved a package of seven interest rate bills all with ceilings of 18 percent interest and in the process battled beck more than a dozen attempts to lower the maximum allowable rate or delete a provision retaining a 10 percent rate for single payback loans of $1000 or The bills have yet to dear Senate committees but that is expected to occur next Tuesday and the higher rates if approved by the Senate could be in effect by May 1 a black day for the people of Tennessee" said Rep Jim McKinney (D-Madison) who offered several amendments to alter the bills which were "This kind of reminds me of a movie I saw recently called Gressed Lightning" said Repi Derrick (Teddy) Withers (-Memphis) "The House has acted in a responsible snd bipartisan way on a difficult subject that affects the pocketbooks of every Tennessee family Gov Lamar Alexander said yesterday afternoon after the Representatives followed his suggestion of setting the maximum formula rate at points over the Federal discount rate The Federal rate is now IS percent Economic Index Dips in WASHINGTON (AP) -The Govern-' i taeorhindaxof leading economic indicators declined in February by nine-tenths of a percent the second consecutive monthly drop the Commerce Department said today The decline would have been the fourth in four months but the department issued a revised report for December that showed an increase that month rather than the decline reported earlier The department also revised the index for Janusry to show a decline of three-tenths of a percent rather than the L2 percent reported previously A deettm decline in the index for three consecutive months is considered by some economists as a sign the economy ia on the brink of a recession Here is capsule of the interest rate bills approved yesterday: Establishes the maximum allowable rate at percent above the discount rate redefines interest redefines usury and provides stiff er civil penalties for usurious kuna The measure also provides a 10 percent limit on single payment loans of $1000 or less with additional loan charges as established by the Commissioner of Banking The bin pass- Sec INTEREST Page! measure of their compliance with the Presidents program Bosworth said his monitors win seek "detailed from five highly inflated industries: Drugs dairy products electrical motors and generators building materials and lead smelters He also noted that beef prices have gone "far beyond" any reasonable level needed to rebuild the herds and said the Administration is considering moves to deal with the problem aeVeTii COmpHllW CQIUKrifO QY with the Presidents pro-See CARTER Page I Garage Air Rights Limit Cut The date for' developers to submit proposals for "air rights" above the proposed $44 mRim State Street Parking Garage has been moved up to April 16 It 13d earlier was set for April Developers may submit their proposals for a development above the garage to Knoxvillek Community Development Corporation's (KCDC) board of commissioners before selection which will be made at a special meeting on or before April 23 said John Ulmer KCDC executive director He acknowledged the timetable does not allow much time for planning but said it is realistic "in terms of what is required to permit the parking structure itself to be constructed on a reasonable Construction of the 842-space garage is scheduled to start in August -Mr Ulmer gave the timetable and guidelines for submitting proposals in letters to two groups of developers who have indicated interest in the air rights They are Cideco and Cumberland Securities participating in a joint venture and Lawler-Wood Inc Guidelines require a "good-frith of $15J)00 be delivered to KCDC along with proposals If the proposal is selected the deposit win be applied toward purchase price of the air rights If the proposal is rejected the deposit wR be returned If the proposal is withdrawn after selection the deposit win be retained' The developer selected will be instructed to begin work immediately with the garage contractor to prepare changes needed in the parking structure to accommodate- the proposed project above it A contract to purchase air rights win be executed when the cost of the anticipated changes ia determined At that time the developer win be required to deliver the foil amount of the purchase price in cash to KCDC to satisfy the an- ticipated change order Mr Ulmer said The change order must be prepared by May 1 Traffic Box Score (UPl) NASHVILLE traffic fatalities: TIMMKlin TaWMMardimi Hi veemwn-mb Tennessee clerks in seven other counties had been reported The suit filed today is the latest in a line of political and legal maneuvers which began when Mrs Wanda Teague resigned from the clerk's job Feb 1 to take the job of deputy commissioner of insurance for the state Democrats in the county contended that state law said the three Circuit judges all Democrats should name Mrs Teague's successor Republicans contended that state law gave the Knox County Court dominated by Republicans that appointing power The state attorney general's office was asked for an opinion That opinion was given by telephone to the judges on Feb 6 ft said they were the proper ones to name the successor They gave Mrs LaBonte the oath of office the next (fry Mrs LaBonte ia the former administra WATE-TV To Change From NBC to ABC WTVK Status Up in Air Treatment Plant which is being ex- already snarled in the area be Ronnie Milts 25 3120 Van Deventer Ave on stretcher is hoisted out of a trench on Neyland Drive after a mud bank caved in on him yesterday afternoon Mr Mills and Ricky Ellington 24 Delaware Ark were trapped in the 35-foot-deep trench for about an hour before being freed Workers at right hold the bank while Mr Ellington is rescued The two men were working at the Third of two lanes of Neyland for work became worse when the completely and motorists detoured UT area (News-Sen (Story on Page 16) By KENNETH ESKEY WASHINGTON President Carter's voluntary anti-inflation program has suddenly become less voluntary -New price regulations affecting hundreds of companies were announced by the Carter Administration late yesterday only hours after the President chief inflation fighter Alfred Kahn told a meeting of 800 manufacturers he needs their help to bring inflation under controL "We are not in the business of regulating profits and we do not intend to be" Kahn told a skeptical audience of corporate executives attending the spring conference here of the Nations! Association of Manufacturers Two hours later the director of the Council on Wage and Price Stability Barry Bosworth announced new price and profit actions that would: Require companies in industries" to provide a complete record of all price kicreasea in the past six months and to report future increases on a periodic basis council is prepared to use its subpena power if necessary" Bosworth said Reqire all firms with sales in excess of $250 million a year to submit reports on price increases for the first six months and the first nine months of the anti-inflation program which began last October Bosworth said 1200 to 1500 firms are involved Make It harder for companies to claim cost increases" in justifying higher prices Fewer companies will be permitted to fell back on profit msrgins rather than prices as a ABCs acquisition of WATE-TV is the latest in a series of takeovers of NBC and CBS affiliates It gives the network the station whose news broadcasts dominated the February Arititron survey ABC has also topped recent Nielsen televirion ratings Jack Lee WATE general manager announced the switch during the station's 6 pm newscast yesterday He said the decision to move to ABC wss made about two days ago WATE has a potential audience of about 35A000 homes in East Tennessee Southeast Kentucky and Southwest Virginia The latest rating credits WATE-TV -with 60 percent of the local WTVK a UHF station has coverage in about six counties according to ABC officials Mr' Lee said that when the change is complete another 15JM0 to 20l-000 homes that cannot get ABC programing wiH be served WATE-TV is owned by Nationwide Communications Corp and WTVK is owned by South Central Broadcasting Corpi of Evansville Ind Channel 6 went on the air in 1953 as WROL-TV and the call letters were changed to WATE about 90 days later WTVK went on the air a few weeks later than WATE Mr Webster said he named Mrs La-Bonte and Sirs Bean as defendants in order to combine the question into one trial He said he expects the case to be appealed to the state Supreme Court Chancellor McDonald said he will ask the Supreme Court to name a judge to bear the case in KnoxviUei Mr Webster's suit was filed in compliance with a March 23 letter from State Atty Gen William Leech Jr who said he was ordering it in behaff of Gov Lamar Alexander Mr Leech's office had earlier given its opinion that the three judges were the proper persons to fill the clerk's vacancy The letter of March 23 said that although Mr Leech stood by his opinion the matter had taken on such scope that he wanted the courts to settle the issue of law Knoxville's three television stations and the nation's three mjor metworks are engaging'in a game of musical channels It began yesterday with- the an aouncement in New York and on Knoxville television stations that WATE-TV Channel 6 is switching its aflilitation from NBC to ABC by Oct The change learn NBC without an affiliate in Knoxville but network officials are looking at WTVK Channel 28 which was the ABC affiliate and WBIR Channel 10 now the CBS affiliate taking a look at all options said a spokssman for NBC John MuIhoOand "The options an affiliation with one of the other stations or no affiliate at Duane Eastvoid WTVK general man- ager said todlay he expects to negotiate officials for an affiliation but with NBC said he had not talked with anyone from the network He said there is a possibility WTVK wiU affiliate with CBS "1 don't know what wiH Mr Eastvoid said "But you know anything Neal Branch 'station manager at WBIR said that station has not been involved brthe changes "Wo have no plana to change" he said "We haven't talked to anybody yet" Up Up and Away Creek Sewage Tr ponded Traffic Knoxville and Knox County Enforcing 10-foot setback law on portable signs is a real hassle Page 17 Around the Slate Tennessee to gain about 500 military and civilian personnel despite cutbacks nationally by the Pentagon Page 16 World of Sports Vol seniors have been invited to compete for big cash in the Bahamas More than 100 collegians are eager to battle for money See Tom OToolefr exclusive story on Page 21 Vol footballers opened spring practice yesterday Page 21 Marvin West completes his tour of Florida's major league baseball camps Page2L Nation Gas stations must begin posting octane rating Sunday Page 3 Agreement with Israel formally expands the USL rule in the troubled Mid-east Page 8 Youth arrested snd charged with setting fire to turn of hotels Pages Trucking industry and Teamsters Union are "very dose'1 to wage agreement Page 16 Effects of nuclear leak are long-term biologist says Page 17 The National News Summary is on Page 20 Foreign Seventeen are killed In turbo-prop plane crash in Canada Page 18 cause of the closing the construction road was closed through the Jack Kirkla land State Street Area To Be Closed State Street between Main and Cumberland Avenues win be closed for a month beginning Monday for reconstruction city traffic engineers say John Van Winkle a traffic engineer said the street win be torn up to allow city crews to bury utility lines deeper After the lines are buried the street wR be rebuilt and leveled out he said Motorists wR detour east on Main Avenue to Central Street north on Central Street to Cumberland Avenue and west to State Street Cumberland Avenue between Central and State will be opened to two-way traffic until the project is finished Mr Van Winkle said tive assistant to County Judge CL Howard Bozeman Republicans cried "foul!" and five days later the County Court named Mrs Bean to the office and Judge George Child was summoned from Domestic Relations Court to give her the oath of office at the County Court meeting Mrs Bean is the wife of Richard Bean superintendent of the East Tamwasee Regional Youth Center Mr Leech's written opinion supporting the stand of the three Circuit judges was issued March 2 After receiving word a week ago that Mr Leech had ordered the suit Mr Webster said it would be a friendly court action to determine the law in the matter There were retiable reports in the Courthouse that Republicans did not want the suit it to be friendly Suit Filed Asking Court To Determine Who Should Be Clerk Jo Jo Says: Chance of Showers Thunderstorms By BILL MAPLES Knox County Atty Gen Ronald A Webstar filed suit today in Chancery Court asking the court to determine who baa a right to occupy the office of dark of Circuit and General Siaeions Courts in tbs county The suit nsmes Mrs Lucille HoR La-Borte named by the three Circuit judges to fin the post and Mrs LRian a Bean named by County Court to occupy the: vacancy aa defendants Mrs LaBonte now occupies the office under an order of the three Judges to Mrs Bean telling her not to interfere with its operations Chancellor Frederick McDonald recused himself from hearing the case but set a hearing for 930 am next Friday in which each defendant ia asked to show what right she has to the job Chance ef Showers and Thunder-- storms Tonight and Tomorrow Weather Details so Page 2 i.