Legalized Marijuana Would Be
Suicide, Says Petito
Town Considers $ 1,229,847
For Highway Improvements
Any move on the part of state
officials to legalize the use of
marijuana " would be courting
social suicide," Oyster Bay Supervisor
Michael N. Petito told a
student group at St. John's University.
Speaking to the Student
Democratic Club of the college,
Petito, who is also chairman of
the Nassau County Task Force
on Narcotics, engaged in a running
debate with a number of
students in the group of several
hundred who felt that legalizing
the use of drugs might be an
answer to the growing problem
of drug addiction on college
campuses throughout the nation.
" What too many young people
have forgotten today," the Supervisor
stated, " is that individuals
have obligations not
only to themselves but to the society
in which they live. We
seem to forget that a majority
of our youth are able to function
properly without every experimenting
with marijuana or
stronger drugs."
Petito hit hard at statistics
showing that a large majority of
those addicted to heroin and other
strong narcotics started out by
using marijuana, and he chided
those who have compared the
use of marijuana to the use of
liquor. He said a growing number
of parents are " whistling in the
dark" when they try to belittle
the use of marijuana among their
own childrenortheirclassmates.
" These youngsters are courting
tragedy and any qualified psy-chistrist
will confirm that there
are dangerous risks involved. We
jist don't know which youths will
be able to drop the use of mari-jiana
after several experiments
while others will discover a
growing need for stronger stimulants,"
Petito added.
In answer to student questions,
the Supervisor said it was his
belief that a great majority of
state residents share the feeling
that legalized marijuana
would do nothing to solve the
problem of drug abuse and could
very well lead to new and more
serious social ills. He addedthat
society is still seeking to cure
the effects of drug abuse without
seeking to head off the causes.
A $ 1,229,847 bond issue for
highway improvements in the 1968
program is under consideration
by the Town Board.
The program, recommended by
Highway Superintendent Norman
T. Wolf,^ includes surfacing of
roads where storm water drainage
work has been completed;
surface and base repairs; bulk-heading
on tidewaters to protect
roadways, and the purchase of
new or replacement equipment.
Public Works Commissioner H.
John Plock Jr. endorsed the program
and said it included needed
projects in all parts of the Town.
Attribute Bike Accident
Drop To Safety Program
Ginsberg Bill Aimed At Cutting
Jammed Court Calendars
Assemblyman Martin Ginsberg
has introduced a bill aimed at
cutting jammed court calendars
and alleviating the delay in personal
liability court cases by
changing the date of interest on
such actions to the date of injury
rather than the date the judgement
was entered.
" At the present time," said
Ginsberg, " court calendar congestion
in the metropolitan area
in actions to recover damages for
death or injuries to persons resulting
from negligence, is such
that appellants must wait as long
as six years for a case to come
to trial."
" In Nassau County," he continued,"
the court calendar congestion
is either the worst or
next to worst throughout the entire
state. Suffolk County is in
just as bad shape and similar situations
prevail in New York City,
Westchester and some of our upstate
judicial districts."
" Under the present court system,"
Ginsberg said, " an insurance
company is able to use
this time delay factor as a club
in virtually forcing a powerless
plaintiff to settle a case for much
less than its actual value. They
can even refuse to discuss settle-
L. I. Legislators Introduce
Several Interesting Bills
State Senator Leon E. Giuf-freda
of Suffolk Conty filed legislation
on Monday which would
allow absentee voting in school
district elections.
The bill, which would give
school district residents the
same privilege they now enjoy
in general elections, would allow
absentee voting for persons
who are ill, suffer physical
disability or will be unable
to vote because of vacation
or other unavoidable absence.
Other legislation filed by Suffolk
lawmakers includes a bill
sponsored by Assemblyman
Peter J. Costigan of Setauket,
which would provide that members
of the Long Island State
Park Police would receive their
regular salaries when injured or
taken ill as a result of performance
of duty. The pay would
continue until the end of the disability
or illness.
Assemblyman Prescott B.
Huntington and Senator Giuffreda
filed a bill which would bar the
display of advertising matter on
a vehicle parked along a highway
right of way.
Congressman Wydler To Hold
Office Hours in Massapequa
ment at all by relying on this
time delay factor and the fact that
they can use the money to advantage
which they may eventually
have to pay out to a plaintiff.
As has been said, ' Justice delayed
is justice denied.' "
According to Ginsberg, if the
date of interest in a jury verdict
at the rate of six per cent is
compounded reverting to the date
of accident, it would encourage
the insurance companies to seek
quicker and possibly more equitable
settlements. It would also
prevent the use of delaying
tactics by a defendant insurance
company.
Bus Strike Settled
The District 22 school buses
rolled again on Friday following
a strike settlement by the Long
Island Bus Company and the union
on Thursday night.
The settlement was for a $ 110
a week for ' eight hours within a"
10 1/ 2 hour day. Previously the
bus drivers had worked nine
hours in an 11 hour day for
$ 96.75.
The settlement also included
the agreement that as of September
1, 1969 the salary would
go up to $ 115 and as of September
1, 1970, the salary would reach
$ 120.
Sick days were set at 5 days
for a second year worker and at
ten days for a three year worker.
The employer would still maintain
Blue Cross and Life Insurance.
Parttime workers were given
$ 2.40 an hour rather than $ 2.15
and with a three hour minimum.
Bicycle accidents, and injuries
resulting from bike accidents,
dropped 13% last year, according
to a report released this
week by Nassau Police Commissioner
Francis B. Looney.
Last year, 447 bicycle accidents
resulted in 427 injuries-and
five deaths. In 1966, there
were 6 deaths, 489 injuries in
517 bicycle accidents.
Part of the accident reduction
is attributed to the work of the
county police Accident Prevention
Bureau which presented their
Bicyc le Safety P rograms to more
than 47,000 third- through-eighth-
grade students.
The Safety Program includes
a movie on safe operation and
care of bicycles, a talk on laws
pertaining to bicycle operation
and equipment, and some hints
on the care and maintenance of
bicycles.
Another part of the Bicycle
Safety Program is carried out
by the county police Juvenile
Aid Bureau. Young Bicyclists
who are observed by precinct
patrols to be operating their
bikes in a dangerous manner—
contrary to the rules set down in
the State Vehicle and Traffic
Law— are stopped and their
names and addresses taken.
The patrolman forwards a Bicycle
Violation Report to the
Juvenile Aid Bureau who write
to the parents about the incident
and explains how safe operation
can be achieved. A brief outline
of the law as it applies tobicycles
is also included.
SOS Card Aimed To Solve
Senior Citizens Problems
A senior citizen with a problem
will soon be able to find
help quickly through a new free
" SOS" card for senior citizens
published by the Nassau County
Office for the Aging.
The handy reference card will
give phone numbers to call on
many problems faced by older
persons in the County.
Phone numbers of agencies
and services are provided under
headings such as Health, Legal
Problems, Employment, Housing,
Social Security, Medicaid
and Emergencies.
S e n i o r c i t i z e n s wanting an
" SOS" card may order it by
calling IV 5- 8484. It will soon be
available at libraries, senior citizen
clubs, Social Security offices,
and the County Information
Booth at the County Office
Building.
Morris Abram, US Senate Candidate,
Speaker at Democrat Club Meeting
Morris Abram, one of the announced
Democratic candidates
for the United States Senate nomination
to oppose incumbent Senator
Jacob Javits in the November
Elections, will be the guest
speaker at a meeting of the 9th
Assembly District Democratic
Club to be held on Tuesday evening,
February 20, at 8: 30 p. m.
at Massapequa Park Village Hall.
Abram, an attorney who practices
in New York City, is originally
from Georgia and has
gained world- wide prominence
for his activies through the
United Nations.
Arthur Friedman of Farming-dale
is the new President of
the 9th Assembly District Democratic
Club.
The general public is invited
to attend.
Washington D. C. will come
to Massapequa on Saturday,
March 9 when Congressman John
W. Wydler of the Fourth
Congressional District will hold
office hours at the Massapequa
Post Office, Killian Road, Massapequa
from 10 a. m. to 12 noon.
" I welcome a visit from any
and all persons who have a
problem or who would just like
to drop in and say hello", Wydler
said.
Arnold Madison, resident of Plainedge and author of Danger
Beats the Drum, will be the guest speaker at the Writer's Club
at the South Farmingdale Branch Library on Monday, February
19 at 8: 00 p. m. Since 1962, Madison has had over thirty stories
and serials published and has given book talks and lectures
to adults and young people alike. His first book, Danger Beats
The Drum, was a runner- up for the Best Juvenile Mystery Award
given by the Mystery Writers of America. photo by Richard Hunter
Town Councilman Ralph J. Marino deft) and Congressman James R. Grover confer on bill Grover
introduced in the House of Representatives to prevent contamination of beaches and waters by tankers
carrying fuel oil. Marino pointed out that many fuel tankers ply Long Island waters and legislative
steps must be taken to prevent a similar disaster to Long Island's beaches and waters.
Farmingdalei OBSERVED Thursday, February 15, 1968 Page 3
