Durango Herald May 1, 1975

Strike impedes progress on new high school
DUHANGO — Local carpenter* union members began
striking at their construction
site at the new Durango Senior
High School Thursday. A carpenters local meeting Tuesday
night instructed the carpenters
not to appear for work Thursday, according to Bill Lowe,
superintendent of G. E. John-
son Co., the management firm
in charge of construction.
The carpenters formed a
picket line, striking for higher
salaries and better working
conditions, such as being reimbursed for work baited because of rain.
Other union members, such
as the 'plumbers, cement fin-
ishers and brick layers, win
honor the picket line and not
cross It. The masons are also
striking.
Lowe said there was no way
of telling how long the strike
will last, but predicted that It
wouldn't be too long since labor
and management "are not too
far opart moneywise," ha said.
Labor union contracts
up Wednesday tat the northern
and southern Jurisdictions, and
the strikers are working toward
another three year settlement.
Lowe said some of the contracts
are up In June, but negotiations
have been taking place for several days.
The strikers are
three gates leading to construction areas at the school, and
one carpenter said the men
would remain until early afternoon after which they would
return home.
Roofers, painters and electricians are the only non-union
groups permitted to continue
their work, but the only activity Thursday morning was sealing of the stair towers.
Pickets went, up Thursday
morning at construction projects throughout the state
which were handled by member firms of the Associated
General Contractors of Colo-
rado after union carpenters
turned d
down a new contract
proposal.
which would have raised hourly
wsges 40, SO and (0 teats In a
three year contract.
The strike involves about
1,000 of the 3,500 members of
the Carpenters District Council of Denver and 183 of the
1,280 members of the Southern
Colorado Carpenters Council in
Colorado Springs, of which
local carpenters are members.
The carpenters currently earn
a base wage of tt.ll an hour,
plus $1.53 an hoar in fringe
benefits, according to an Associated Press story.
Denver
members
turned
down s wage Increase proposal
of 65 cents an hour in each of
three years of a new contract.
Members of the Southern Council rejected a contract offer
Supt. Dr. Edward Kutxleb
said If the strike continues
more than two or th.ee weeks,
plans for opening the building
to students in September will
be void. Kutxleb skid that, with
the exception of vocational
classes, the students will attend classes In the old high
school building for the entire
year.
"The vocational class areas
at the south end are dear completion, and unless the strike
continues too long, we will be
aMe to open the area for vocational classes," he said. "But
It la too difficult to move furniture and equipment to the new
location under such a abort
time frame."
Kutxleb said a plan tor a midyear move has been considered
If the strike delays construction
for a long period of time, but no
decision has been reached as
ret.
ID XJ JR,u^JSLG O
ScwaWeat Cslsradss Dewy Nsanaaair far U Yeats
VOL. XXIV — No. 86
Durango, Colo., Thursday, May 1,1975
10c per copy
Youth advocacy program gets federal money
STRIKE — Carpenters and brick layers picketed their eea■traettoa site at the new Daraago Sealer High School Thursday. It is aakaewa hew long construction will he delayed as
■■ten members negotiate far higher salaries sad better wett-
ing coaditioes. Electricians, painters and roofers are permitted to work since they are nea-aatea members, bat ether
union member*, a* plumbers, cement finishers and brick layers will honor the picket line.
Herald Photo
House rejects aid bill
WASHINGTON (AP) — A"
/ $327 million aid bill that President Ford said was "desperately needed" to take care of
approximately 70,000 Indochina
refugees was rejected today by
the Haase.
Ford said House approval of
the bU would be the fastest
way to get the money and said
the authority still contained In
the legislation for him to use
military evacuation forces in
Saigon no longer has meaning.
troops that could set s prece"The evacuation has been dent for the future.
completed," Ford said. "The
The but was defeated 246 to
Congress msy be assured that I 162, drawing cheers aad apdo not Intend to send the armed plause from opponents
forces of the United States back
Rep. Donald W. Riegle, R
into Vietnamese territory."
Mich., said Congress does not
But
opponents,
Including know bow much money will be
H o u • e Democratic Leader needed to take care of some
Thomas P. O'Neill, Jr., of Mas
70,00* refugee*.
saehusetts, said Congress
"This bill doesn't address
should act quickly on a new bau that." Riegle said. "This bill
and not approve use of military just gives the President a blank
Hathaway is recalled
"i**§ amrVHWAIWWf* femMtsl* *•#* w^sW.'
ter Wyoming Gov. Stanley K,
mer
Hathaway will appear before a
Senate panel next week to answer charges that his environmental record is too poor to
qualify him to be secretary of
the interior
The Senate Interior Committee decided Wednesday to
recall Hathaway for two days
of testimony after representatives of environmental protection groups criticized Hathaway's policies as governor, es
pecislly his administration's decision to lease state lands for
large-scale coal strip-mining.
Sen. James S. Abourexk, DS.D., said that after hearing the
environmentalists' testimony,
be has become concerned over
what he said was Hathaway's
"lack of vigor in trying to stop
the rape of Wyoming.
"I have serious questions of
what might happen to the public land* of the United States
after what happened in Wyoming," Abourexk said.
However, Democratic Gov.
City of Durango
Flood Level
Ctvin Ramptottvdl, UtUF-iBSd
three other governors told the
panel Hathaway struck the
proper balance between Industrial development and environmental protection during his
eight years si Wyoming's chief
executive.
Ramp ton. chairman of the
National Governors' Conference, delivered an endorsement
of Hath way's nomination signed
by all but two of the nation's
governors.
Rampton said only former
Democratic Gov. Kenneth Curtis of Mame declined to sign,
saying he would wait until
Hathaway's views on drilling
for offshore oil were made
known. The other missing signature resulted from the death
of one of the governors since
Hathaway left office teat December, said Rampton.
Sen. Henry M. Jackson, DWash., chairman of the Interior
Committee, said the governors'
endorsement is "extremely impressive" support for Hathaway'* nomination.
'JfS— ending TSvt - > ■ JR.
*
Animes Valley
Flood Level
4 ft.
£
3 ft)
Mon lue WedThu
US.
m. HSL
ML
5aT
in
sun
Hi-
Partly cloudy
Southwest Colorado — Partly
cloudy through Friday with
smsll chance of snow flurries;
warmer today; highs both days
45 to 55; lows tonight 15 to 25;
chance of precipitation 20 per
cant through Friday.
New Mexico - Variable high
cloudiness and little warmer
days; fair and mild tonight;
slight chance of isolated afternoon thundershowers eastern
border Friday; highs both dsys
80s mountains, 70s and low 80s
elsewhere; lows tonight 20s
mountains, 30s and mid-eOs
elsewhere.
Low Yesterday
High Yesterday
Low Today
High This Morning
Precipitation '
Sunrise
Sunset
By The Associated Press
The new government In Saigon announced today that it
had "umplirtMl the conquest of
South Vietnam while North
Vietnam demanded that U.S.
warships withdraw from coastal areas aad cease what it
called the "forcible evacuation
of the population."
RAN FRANCISCO (AP) —
Scores of Northern California
physicians, stung by skyrocketing malpractice insurance rates, closed their door*
today. Scheduled surgery In
area hospitals declined sharply.
Dr. Joseph Hoffman, an anesthesiologist and a spokesman
for the San Francisco Medical
Society, said it was too early to
determine exactly bow many
doctors were staying off the job
but he said emergency services
established Wednesday night
had been largely unused
Physicisns in California are
not required by the state to
carry malpractice insurance,
but most hospitals require it
before sllowlng surgery to be
performed in their facilities.
_ '
21
58
S3
41
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8:14
8:10
alternaUve services.
The youth advocacy program
Is the first of its kind on the
Western Slope and will serve
as a model for similar programs, according to Skrbek.
"We are pleased with the
—ormoua potential of the program,''he SkT •
"" mr
Skrbek ss id it Is yet too early
to predict the specific types of
programs that will grow at a
result of the activities of the
youth advocates, but he envisioned coordination and cooperation between county agencies
and suggestions arising from
the advocates and the advisory
or grantee boards.
"1 thank the local unite of
govengjuent who bsve been"
patiently helping us and giving
us information and data until
the funding was approved,"
Skrbek said. "I' am pleased
that we have received the total
amount of the requested grant."
Other programs submitted
to the Division that were funded include a Montelores Joint
Communications System and a
Police-School Liaison program,
for Montrose County.
The microwave communications system for Montexuma
and Dolores counties is the first
of its kind to this area designed
for communication between
law, enforcement agencies. The
only other prngraw) was established- IB Boulder three Man
ago to serve the entire Eastern
Slope.
The system at transmit,
ting and receiving will permit
law enforcement agencies to
communicate with each other,
regardless of distance. The
service is expected to be expanded to Include all Western Slope
counties, and m the future,
emergency medical services,
fire protection and other public
safety programs.
Montexuma county contribut-
PRG announces conquest of South complete
Wasting no time after Its
takeover of Saigon Wednesday,
the Provisional Revolutionary
Government—PRO issued a
series of policy decrees aimed
at building a new nation and
stamping out 15 years of Amer-*
lean Influence. Saigon radio
said "Acting like an American"
— In such ways ss operating
MD's close doors in
insurance cost protest
flood Watch
6
"The issue here is money
take care . of these
people." *k
Speaker Carl Albert had said
earlier he expected interruptions before the vote because of opposition In the
House to considering the measure, since It still contain* authorization for the military
evacuation of Saigon:
A stall began immediately
after the House went Into session. Rep. Philip L. Burton, DBut House International Rela- Csttf., forced a time-consuming
tions
Committee chairman roll-call vote on whether to
mil—
Thomas E. Morgan, DJ»s., said read the previous day's
ji M
the evacuation authority was
•Feed said in a letter to CaV
moot because it applied only to gress that provisions sW aim to
evacuating Americans from use military forces for an evacSaigon and those Americans uation, still contained In the
are out
bill, "have been overtaken by
"There is nothing in this re- events and have no further utilport that give* the President ity."
any authority tomorrow, the
But Ford urged the House to
day after tomorrow, or any complete the bill anyway betime in the future to send one cause that would' be "the most
Marine back into Vietnam," expeditious method of obtaining
Morgan said.
funds which are now desper"The authority hi this report ately needed for the care and
died the day the last American transportation of homeless refu-.
was evacuated," Morgan said.
DURANGO — The Colorado
Division of Criminal Justice
approved a number of grant
-requests last week, including
a $25,000 federal grant to support a youth advocacy delinquency prevention program
for La Plata County.
■ _,
Was Law
ASSIStance Administration grant was
matched with $1,388 50 from the
city of Durango and the same
a mount from La Plata County.
The program Is funded on a one
year basis with a maximum of
three years.' LEAA monies.
According to Tony Skrbek,
director of Southwest Comprehensive Criminal Justice
Planning, application for funds
must be renewed yearly,
which will allow La Plata county the opportunity to assess the
worthiness of the program.
"TFn hup* ismfcfcua iilll see
a gradual decreasing of federal monies with a gradual increase of local funding," Skrbek said. "We want to phase in
the youth advocacy program
over a two to three year period so ss not to place an extreme burden on the county
budget."
The program is currently advertising for three youth advocates who will function as mediators or liaisons between the
needs of youth lb the community , sad- outlying areas, and
ceoamasilj' . services
available..
Applications are now in the
review process and the positions sre expected to "filled by
the end of May. The advocates
will use the summer months
to become known in the community, learn of service agencies available, meet students
when they are not under the
stress of school, and develop
the kinds of relationships designed to aid in preventing
criminal activities by providing
Spot checks with severs! srea
hospitals showed a sharp drop
in the number of scheduled oners tions.
More than half the doctors la
the San Francisco Bsy area
were expected to refuse to pay
what they termed "prohibitive"
premiums sought by Argonaut
Insurance Co., thus forcing
many hospitals to curtail services sharply.
Argonaut, headquartered in
nearby Menlo Park, offers msl-
practice coverage in 30 states
sod the expiration of its group
policies
in
California on
Wednesday was only the tip of
the national malpractice crisis.
Tb* firm had decided to get
out of the malpractice insurance business, but later agreed
to renew coverage for Northern
California physicians on an Individual basis for three-month
,periods at rate* averaging as
much as 322 per cent more
High risk rates for sanesthesiologists which have been
averaging $5,377 a year, will go
to as high as $31,508. Rstes for
low risk practice such si that
performed by psychiatrists and
doctors of internal medicine
will go from a low of $1,131 a
year to a high of $4,912.
The soaring rates asked by
Argonaut and other companies
were prompted by huge awards
In some malpractice suits. Argonaut says It has lost "million* and minions" of dollars
writing malpractice insurance.
The California Hospital Association says paid losses from
hospital malpractice clsims increased from $1,903,686 in the
state in UTl to $3,944,105 In
1(71 There have been individual malpractice judgments in
excess of $1 million.
9-R candidates meeting tonight
DURANGO —There will be a meeting for the public to
meet, School Board candidates and incumbents at 7:30 p.m.
Thursday in SB>H~> School Auditorium. The meeting is being
sponsored by the League of Women Voters.
night clubs or prostitution —
wss now forbidden.
Another Viet Cong broadcast
said the PRG forces had taken
over the entire rice-growing
delta and had dismantled the
headquarters of four South
Vietnamese army divisions st
the mouth of the Mekong River.
There was no mention of any
fighting. A Viet Cong broadcast
Wednesday night said eight
provinces south and west of
Saigon were "not yet liberated," but R, too, said nothing
about fighting In those areas.
Associsted Press correspondents Peter Arnett, George Esper and Matt Franjoia sent a
brief message through the
Jspsnese Embassy in Saigon,
relayed to the Foreign Ministry
in Tokyo, that they were able
to move freely around Viet
Cong-controlled Saigon. Direct
AP communications with Saigon have been out since
Wednesday.
A North Vietnamese satement broadcast from Hanoi
said the presence of U.S. Nsvy
ships off the coast and the
evacuation constituted interference in the affairs of South
Vietnam. It referred to s Pentagon statement that some of
the U.S. warships would remain
more than three miles off the
coast for perhaps a day to pick
up any more South Vietnamese
who sail out to them.
The Pentagon said Wednesday that the Navy rescue fleet
in the South Chins Sea had
picked up about 18,000 South
Vietnamese who escaped to
sampans, rafts and other small
craft.
Reid seeks re-election
DURANGO — Incumbent 9-R
School Board member Charles
Reid has served oa the board
since 19(7. He Is running for reelection ss director of district
B against Robert Ashburn, owner of Ashburn Enterprises.
This year marks Reid's 25th
year at Fort Lewi* College,
where he currently serves as
director of admission* and records and assistant professor of
Education. Reid took over those
posts in 1968, and had served
as registrar at the college since
IMS. He began teaching mathematics there in 1(50, and before joining the faculty at Fort
Lewis, taught at the elementary and the high school levels.
During World War h. Reid.
served In the Army Air Force.
He first came to Colorado during that period. Reid earned
bis B.A. degree st Mont els ir
State CoUege in New Jersey
and, in 1949, a Master of Education degree in Educational
Administration .from the University of Colorado.
He has held all the offices in
the Gotorado-Wyoming Associate of Couegtate Registrars
and Admissions Officers. He
curres**/ serves as the vice
president of the Mess Verde
Chspter of Phi Delta Kappa
and It a member of the Association of Educational Negotiators, s mong other organizations.
Reid, who is married and has
four children, belongs to Christ
the King Lutheran Church.
ed $67,820.55 for the program
and LEAA funds of $51,17* war*
granted to assist
The Police-School Liaison
two-year program Is one in
which the Hontrose county
Sheriff's Department hires
alt Individual with limited arrs^owera fe act ss a Iraison
between the school system
end young people,
Skrbek said the program already has cut the juvenile crime
rate In the area by 52 percent
over the psst year. The program
was funded i by a $10,113
grant from LEAA and matched
with Montroe* county and
school district rands of $6,742.
The next quafterly meeting of
the Region 9 SJrlminsl Justice
Advisory Council will be bald
.it,
Hay 15 at noon in the Ramada
Inn's Silver Dollar Lounge.
Guest speaker will be Donald
J. Anderson, director of the
Colorado Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and
Goals. Anderson will discuss
public Input liven throu
IBV TraCTe Wntofc I
that met with local residents.1
The public Is invited to' hear
the outcome of the Information
provided through these meetings held from October-January.
Skrbek also announced that
the State Division of Criminal
Justice will host their annual
retreat at Tamarron July 31August 3 tot a group 'of
about 110-140 people.
| News Digest
?,
Cleanup
DURANGO — The city cleanup schedule foe
Friday, May 2, is as follows: from 17th St. east of Math
Ave., to Alamo Dr., including all allays and from the
alleys on Main Ave. and West Second Ave. from 18th
St. to 22nd St.
Loyalty day
DURANGO — Flag* are flying in Durango today
for Loyalty Day. Loyalty Day waa proclaimed by an
Act of Congress in 1968. It falls on the first day of
May aasm san^A anwilsimgd by the. President, reaffirming faith sad love of country.
Tax on rebates
.,. DENVER (AP) <f~ A proposal designed to-guarantee Colorado residents their full federal income tax
refunds this year cleared the House Finance Committee
Wednesday. The bill, which will now be considered by
the House Appropriations Committee, would exempt
special federal refunds, which were approved by
Congress this year, from state Income tax. Gov. Richard
Lamm had planned to tax those refunds, ranging from
(100 to $300 for most taxpayers, and hoped to collect
about $4 million for the current fiscal year, and $7
million In the next. But Senate Republicans objected,
and House Democrats agreed that the tax idea should
be dropped.
Condominium fires
DENVER (AP) — Four New Mexico union leaders
have been subpoenaed to testify before s Colorado grand
jury investigating condominium construction site
fires in the state. The four were listed ss "necessary
material witnesses" by the grand jury in Denver District Court. The Jury is probing some 35 construction
site fires in the state which caused more than $10 million dsmsge since 1968. One of the fires damaged
Florida Village apartments in Durango.
Food stamps
WASHINGTON (AP) - The nation's food stamp
rolls swelled to 19.1 million persons in March, an increase of 500,000 from February, the Agriculture Department said Wednesday.
Since March of teat year, when recipients numbered 13.6 million, food stamp participation has risen
about 40 per cent and now includes about one out of
every 12 Americans.
Antiperspirants
WASHINGTON (AP) — A Food and Drug Administration advisory panel Wednesday recommend* a
federal ban on the sale of aerosol antiperspirants containing zirconium because of the possibility they
might cause serious and permanent hug damage.
Zirconium sprays are only slightly more effective
in preventing underarm wetness than other antiper
spirants, the panel said, and not enough to justify the
health risk.
May Day
By The Associated Press
The governments of Spain, Portugal, Uruguay,
Mexico and Greece prepared for possible Msy Dsy
trouble today, while in Moscow Soviet leaders lined up
atop Lenin's tomb for the traditional Red Square parade on the international labor day.
Withdrawal
BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) — The US. government
• .»« ■«"*• to.» «fetantial withdrawal of American
forces from Thailand, Foreign Minister Chatichai
Oioonhavan told a news conference today.
C'ns'.ichai ;-<d the withdrawal will be announced
simultaneously Monday in Washington and Bangkok.
He refused to reveal how many men and aircraft
will leave but said it "will be a large number."
h
k*
CHARLRgREID
Herald Photo
Utility strike
PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — Company and union representatives met for three hours Wednesday but failed
to resolve the 12-day-old utilities workers strike.
Nearly 300 members of local 867 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers struck Southern
Colorado Power Division of Central Telephone aad
Utilities April 18 after the old contract expired' April
IS.
4