Local leaders deny black-Jewish tensions By PAM ABOUZEID policy of refusing to deal with the PLO unless it recog- But according to Monteiro and Rosoff, the local Leiden of the local black and Jewish communities nizes Israel's right to exist. NAACP doesn't condone the meetings with the PLO, and agree that "too many people are reading tension where "Rabbi Rosoff and I met at that time and discussed local Jews haven't expressed any fear or worry over the there is none," between the two groups. events that had occurred up to that point," Monteiro said meetings. Howerer, statements from Rabbi Jack Rosoff, spiritu- yesterday, "we recognized the need for both sides to keep "Benjamin Hooks (NAACP executive director) stated al leader of Congregation B'nai Israel, Rivnson, and the rhetoric down and agreed the best thing to do would be that in his opinion, Jackson's and Lowery's trips to meet Augustinho Monteiro, president of the Red Bank branch of to wait and see how things developed." with the Arabs were nothing more than headline grabbing the National Association for the Advancement of Colored Rosoff corroborated the details of the meeting adding antics and the local NAACP is solidly behind him," People, expounding the mutual support, respect and coop- that both men thought the local Jewish and black com- Monteiro said. eration between their memberships, don't mesh with the munities had much more to gain by supporting each other "Our feelings have not been characterized by tension national perception of a growing rift between the Ameri- than by taking antagonistic stances because of the Young or conflict which seems to be the case on the national can Jewish and black populations that began when United issue. level," Rosoff said. Nations Ambassador Andrew Young resigned last August. A recent meeting between PLO chief Yassir Arafat "The cooperation and mutual support between the two Young stepped down from the UN post after it became and the Reverend Jesse Jackson, head of the Chicago- groups in the past continues in the present and we hope it known that, in violation of United States foreign policy, he based People United to Save Humanity, and Joseph Low will continue in the future," he continued. had met privately with a representative of the Palestinian ery Jr., president of the Southern Christian Leadership As the leader of the local NAACP, Monteiro refuses to Liberation Organization. Conference, caused even more unease among American schedule discussion of the Mideast conflict on the There had been some apprehension and speculation Jews who worried that important elements of the black NAACP's meeting agendas among American Jews at that time that the United States population were swaying towards a pro-Palestinian posi- "I don't think we're well enough informed on the issue Apitlnbo Monlelro Rabbi Jack M. Rotoff was exploring the possibility of altering its longstanding tion. See Deny black-Jewish, page t The Daily Register VOL.102 NO. 95 SHREWSBURY, N.J. TUESDAY, OCTOBER 16, 1979 15 CENTS Middletown Committee may amend it Firemen protest street ordinance By WARREN RICHEY Chief Gremminger said. gency vehicles to pass each other on narrow streets. introduced last week. BELFORD — Angered by the controversial street width The committee last week introduced an ordinance estab- Four of the five members of the committee contacted last Committeemen Allan MacDonald, Francis Callahan and ordinance introduced last week, leaders of the township's lishing a minimum street width of 30 feet for future streets, night indicated that they favor the department's proposed 36- Frank Self said they were all under the impression that the 1,000-member fire department voted last night to take their despite objections of the fire department. The department, foot minimum, and could amend the ordinance to increase the ordinance had received the approval of the fire department. protest to the Township Committee. through its planning advisory committee, initially had re- minimum street width to 36 feet. "I can remember distinctly asking has this been approved Fire Chief George Gremminger said he has asked that quested a minimum street width of 40 feet, but later com- "I understand their point, and being a member of the by the committee from the fire department, and the general one-third of the firefighters in each of the 11 fire companies promised with a minimum of 36 feet. Lincroft Company, I understand their problem. So far as I'm feeling was that it had been," MacDonald said, adding, "If it participate in a mass protest at Tuesday's committee meet- The 36-foot minimum was supported last night by Police concerned it will be a minimum of 36 feet," Deputy Mayor hadn't been I wouldn't have introduced it." ing. Chief Joseph M. McCarthy and Safety Council Chairman Richard V. Kelly said. He said, 1 would have no problem with whatever their The action was unanimously approved at a meeting of the Larry S. Loigman. Department officials said the 36-foot Kelly said it is his understanding that the matter was not recommendation was," noting that the ordinance could be department's 55 delegates in the Independence Hall fire house minimum also is supported by the director of public works. introduced last week but was held by the committee for amended. here. The wider streets were requested to accomodate the discussion. He said that had the ordinance come up for vote he Self said, "For almost three months we have talked to the "We are very unhappy with the whole situation, every- department's larger fire trucks which take from 18 to 20 feet would have voted against it. firemen about the street ordinance and I thought we had time you turn around it's runaround. runaround. runaround," to set up and operate, making it often impossible for emer- Other members of the committee said the ordinance was See Middletown firemen, page 2 Aftershocks following J Petitions valid, California earthquake Sunday sales CALEXICO, Calif. (AP) - With after- Richter scale. shocks still grumbling, thousands of Im- A six-story, 8-year-old "earthquake- will go to vote perial Valley residents picked up shattered proof" county government building in El By WILLIAM J. ZAORSK1 possessions today after a thundering earth- Centro shifted and tilted when support FREEHOLD — Monmouth County voters will decide next quake Injured at least 91 persons. pillars cracked and was declared a total month if stores in the county should be open on Sunday, ruled Police and volunteers patrolled against loss by state disaster officials. Superior Court Judge Patrick J. McGann Jr. the threat of looting. "Our building, I thought was going I am satisfied that there are a sufficient number of Damage from Monday's quake, meas- about one foot either way. I guess it was signatures on the petitions to place the question on the uring 6.5 on the Richter scale, was wide- something like being on a roller-coaster," a ballot," held the judge spread throughout this agricultural valley mayor's aide said. The placement of the question on the general election of 90,000, straddling the U.S.Mexican There were no major problems at El ballot was challenged by nine area merchants who maintained border about 100 miles east of San Diego. Centra's schools. Students had been sent that the county clerk's office did not check the signatures on Buildings crumbled and roofs col- home at noon as part of a disaster drill. the 1,500 sheets of the petitions to determine if they are valid. lapsed. Automobiles were smashed by fall- The All-American Canal, which brings Judge McGann last Thursday directed that the county ing debris. Highways buckled, Including water from the nearby Colorado River to conduct a five percent sampling of the signatures on the sections of Interstate 8. Twenty rural this thirsty desert land, apparently suf- petitions. bridges were damaged. Several fires broke fered major damage, said authorities, who Stanley A. Davis, county election clerk, reported in testi- out. Shattered glass was everywhere. were to make an aerial survey today. mony yesterday that his office which worked over the week- Firefighters stood by as officials In Brawley, a water tower toppled and end pulled 75 petition sheets. worked to drain more than 90,000 gallons of several mobile homes were shaken from They found of 1,975 names on those sheets that 1,194 were gasoline and aviation fuel at a fuel tank their supports. Power and telephone lines registered voters in the county, 725 were not registered, 51 farm near the Imperial Valley Airport. were down throughout the valley and many were not proper signatures, two were duplicate signatures Nearby commercial establishments were gas and water mains were cracked. El and 15 had registered after the primary election. evacuated, and authorities said they Centro Community Hospital was without Based on those figures, Davis said he calculated there feared aftershocks could further damage water for many hours. were 25,317 valid signatures pn the petitions and that 24,122 three ruptured tanks, igniting a "mam- Across the border in Mexicali, where valid signatures are required to place the question on the moth fire." some panic was reported, police officer ballot. It Was the strongest quake in the 48 Apulinar Samaran denied a Red Cross The petitions contained 1,195 signatures over the amount contiguous states since the Feb. 9, 1971, report of one fatality, but raised the needed, he said. Sylmar-San Fernando quake which killed number of injured in that city to at least Dennis Walsh, who is employed as store manager for 65 people and also registered 6.S on the 30.