Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 147

POST-GAZETTE: Dec. 6, 1981-9 StateRegion. "Come meet Columbia Gas facing $133,000 PUC fine HEP my family of Canon Personal Cartridge Canon PC Cartridge Knjoy virtually service-free performance and six copy colors thunks'to exclusive Canon PC Cartridges. Choose from black, brown, blue. red.

green, light blue. Canon PC-2S The newest Canon PC makes eight copies a minute, from business card to legal size, from originals as big as 10 14. it even reduces and enlarges. JL Canon PC10 Compact. Convenient.

Personal. With single-sheet feeding. It's the shortest distance between you and a quick copy. Free Mini-FM Radio! Oct this great Mini-FM radio FKKK when you purchase a Canon PC Copier. Offer good for a limited time only, so hurry! Come see us for more details.

By Joel Siegel Associated Press Writer HARRISBURG The Public Utility Commission's staff has proposed a $133,000 fine against Columbia Gas Co. of Pennsylvania, charging 133 violations of customer service regulations, officials said yesterday. The fine is the largest ever proposed against a Pennsylvania utility tor such violations, said Joseph Far-rell, director of the PUC's Bureau of Consumer Services. Columbia Gas is accused of improperly terminating service to some customers, interrupting service without informing customers, estimating bills without adequately reading meters, improperly denying credit to customers, and other violations. "These regulations were set up to protect people," Farrell said.

"This appears to be a pattern of almost indiscriminate violations of the regulations, as if they are not paying attention to them at all." Columbia Gas had no immediate comment. The utility serves 330,000 customers in 25 Pennsylvania counties, including York, Allegheny, Centre and New Castle, spokeswoman Malanie Varkonda said. The allegations against Columbia are contained in a proposed complaint from the PUc's trial staff. The PUC is scheduled to decide tomorrow whether to file the complaint, which accuses the utility of violating the state Public Utility Code. If the document is filed, Columbia would have 20 days to contest it.

The utility could elect not to challenge the complaint by paying a $133,000 fine. If the utility contests it, the matter would go to an administrative law judge for hearings. The violations were committed in the last 2M years, according to the PUC staff, despite repeated warnings to Columbia, officials said. The proposed complaint says the utility admitted in writing to committing each of these violations." Only two other utilities have ever paid fines for violations of customer service regulations since the regulations were placed in the state utility code in 1979, officials said. In one case, Peoples Natural Gas paid $25,000 to settle one complaint; in the other, National Fuel Gas Co.

paid $10,000 to settle another complaint, according to a PUC official who did not want to be identified. "We thought we got the message out when we fined Peoples Natural Gas and National Fuel Gas," Farrell said. "These regulations have teeth and if you violate them you'll pay the consequences." 1 Canon PC-20 Compact, yet efheient for any business. With the added Convenience of automatic paper feeding to make fi copies a minute. Personal Cartridge Copying, Plain and By Tha Associated Press Energy aid approved HARRISBURG A regulatory review panel yesterday unanimously approved proposed regulations for Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program grants.

The Independent Regulatory Review Commission periodically reviews regulations for the program, which is already in progress. The state government will be able to distribute 1141.5 million this winter for an average heating aid grant of $310, compared to an average grant of $280 last year. Train spills chemical JOHNSTOWN One car of a 57-car Conrail freight train derailed yesterday, toppling three containers that leaked a small amount of a combustible liquid. Johnstown Fire Chief Charles Krumenacker said there were no injuries in the derailment and no danger from chemical, which he and a Conrail spokeswoman described only as "furfural." "The nearest house was a quarter of a mile away," Krumenacker said. The accident occurred at about 7:30 a.m.

when a wheel broke on a flatbed car carrying three containers of the chemical. Phila. aids teen mothers PHILADELPHIA Teen-age mothers-to-be soon will be able to continue their education with day care and midwife services, under an expanded School-Age Parents Program operated by the Philadelphia School District. "A lot of girls drop out because they're pregnant," said Denise Willis, 17 and seven months pregnant. "I'd rather go here and get my education than sit home.

You need a diploma to get a job." Willis is one of 350 students who will join the program at Temple University over the next year, as it becomes one of 10 national models, funded by the national Institute for Adolescent Pregnancy. Possible abductors sought CARLISLE Police here have joined a regional hunt for a woman in her mid-40s with dark curly hair who may have tried nine times to lure youngsters away from their parents. On Saturday, a woman who was with her 3-year-old daughter at a mall, overheard a conversation between a dark-haired woman and a man. According to a report in the HarrisburgPatriot, the mother told police the man tried to persuade her daughter to go with him. She also said the man asked the woman "whether to steal the little girl now" or wait.

Eight other reported abduction attempts this fall in nearby communities led to public meetings aimed at combating the problem. 6 indicted in bird imports conspired with each other to sell the protected wildlife to Anthony Fan-elli in Philadelphia and its suburbs of Havertown and Glenmore. The indictment charged that on June 20, 1978, Charles Cantino offered Fanelli 10 parakeets, also known as "Queens of Bavaria," for $1,000 each. The following day, it said, Cantino offered to sell Fanelli an unlisted number of parrots, tritons and cockatoos for $200,500. On July 10, 1978, the indictment said, Cantino phoned Fanelli from Indonesia and told Fanelli to bring money to Seattle "because he had 700 birds for sale." PHILADELPHIA (AP) Hundreds of exotic birds among wildlife's endangered species golden parakeets, eclectus parrots, blue-eyed tritons, greater sulfur crested cockatoos, goffins and Blue- and Green-Winged Kings were imported illegally, a grand jury charged yesterday in an indictment of six people.

The smuggling into the United States from Indonesia, Australia and New Guinea occurred between June 1978 and September 1980, the federal grand jury said. U.S. Attorney Edward Dennis Jr. said that beside birds, the reptile Komodo Dragon also was secretly and illegally imported. Charged with conspiracy to smuggle endangered birds were five members of a Maple Valley, family: Charles Cantino, 56; his sons, David, 28, and Wayne, 31, and daughter, Lynn, and David's wife, Cindy.

No ages were given for the women. Also indicted on the same charge was Bobby Lhaksana, 50, curator of the zoo in Surabaya, Indonesia. In addition, Charles Cantino was charged with offering the reptiles for sale. The indictment alleged that the defendants knowingly and illegally Genuine NAVY PEA COATS (conditioned) Genuine FLIGHT JACKETS $4995 WAR SURPLUS pTism" Phone 471-7074 Mia IB mm (Sir BJsifinff SMI iviidP AN EXTRA 20 OFF ALL HANDBAGS! ITS Slfi it SlTlffiLilii 2390 '1990 51990 Leather mid-heel pump. Available assorted fashion shodes.

Classic closed-toe sling. Available in assorted fashion shades. At most stores S34 Open-toe pleat sling. Available In assorted fashion shades. At most stores S36 Mr.

Boston's spirit. Mother Nature's taste. They make new Original Strawberry Schnapps rc Alii OVWvln At most stores $44 Our regular price Our regular price mm Our regular price $26 99 S29 99 S26.99 Mi: Boston Original Strawberry Schnapps I I Or tiy it as a Mr. Boston Brewbeny, along with your favorite beer. 52390 52390 Leather fashion skimmer1 Available in assorted colors.

Leather open-toe pump. Available in assorted Leather knot bow Dump Available tn assorted fashion shades. At most stores $44 Just one sip of its fresh-picked straw At most stores S37 Our regular price fashion shades. At most stores S44 berry taste will convince you that' Our regular price S2B 99 Our regular price S29.W fig v-. I -r ii the time" is ripe for Mr.

Boston Original Strawberry Schnapps. Also tiy Mr. Boston Spearmint and of course, 1 4 Apple Schnapps. oncTnfcjrteeiriAi MflTFMnFaR ClltOfi OFPERED AT LIQUOR STORES ANO BOOKSTORES OR WRITE WARNtR BOOKS. SPECIAL.

SALE.5. 666 FIFTH AVENUE. New tQHK. 1010J Famous Footwear. The best place to buy brand name shoes.

At Famous Footwear you'll find the same brand name shoes department stores carry. But at savings of 1 0 to 50 everyday. And our selection can't be beat. Over 20,000 coirs for the family in every store. From dress and casuals to all the big name athletic shoes.

So if you're looking for brand name shoes at the best price in town, come to Famous Footwear. lire ssMmmtiiUbJ mi i.i Finally Ashoe store that fits the times. jjjj GRAND OPENING! BETHEL PARK Village Square 4000 Oxford Dr. PITTSBURGH Parkway Center Mall 1 165 McKinney Ln. MONROEVILLE Loehmann's Plaza 2644 Moss Side Blvd.

PITTSBURGH North Hills Village Shpg. Ctr. -4801 McKnightRd. Going going gone with a Press and Post-Gazette want ad Call 263-1201 Buy, Sell, Trade or Tell Call 263-1201 MR. BOSTON SCHNAPPS FIRST WITH THE FLAVORS AMERICA LOVES.