Prison-guard shortage brings huge overtime bill By DICK COCKLE OfVwUnion-BuIMn
Guard shortages at the Washington State Penitentiary contributed to overtime payments of $25,000 in July and may go higher, prison officials have reported. The manpower shortage this week prompted the prison correctional officers union, Local 621, to request a meeting later this month with state officials to discuss the problem. And adult corrections administrators in Olympia say they are asking the legislature in their proposed 1977-78 budget for 46 additional guards. ^^ Correctional officers during July put in 2,921 hours of overtime for a cost of $25,813, according to the prison business office. About half that, or $12,869 was unavoidable because it was worked during the July 4 holiday, officials say. But the remainder, 1,405 hours, cost the institution $12,944. The latter figure is more than double the average amount of overtime paid per month last year, according to John Shaughnessy, business manager for the department of adult corrections.
108th Year
He says nonholiday overtime for the period between July 1, 1975 and May 30 of this year cost the prison about $5,000 a month. That was within the department's budget. Shaughnessy this week had not been aware of July's large nonholiday outlay. "If they are actually spending $10,000 a month in nonholiday overtime, we will be taking a look at it and making some decisions," he says. Prison officials attribute the problem to skyrocketing turnover among guards and a population explosion of inmates. Twelve to 15 of the institution's 205 correctional officers are being replaced each month, according to the prison business office. That is expected to work out to a 70-per-cent turnover at year's end. And the convict population has ballooned from the 1,274 inmates of about a year ago to well over 1,500. Steve Chadek, local 621 president, says the shortages make it difficult for guards to obtain holiday, vacation and sick time off. Staff shortages have become so acute that lieutenants in charge of shifts sometimes telephone officers who are home
Union
Friday, August 13,1976
ill and ask them to return to work, he says. Many guards now work a six-day week because of the manpower shortages, according to Chadek. "We don't see the logic of paying as much overtime as we do when it's cheaper to hire more help. These are questions we want to ask," he says. Chadek claims the shortages also create safety problems for guards inside the maximum custody area. Prison officials say the state legislature has set a limit on the number of employes at the institution. To compensate, corrections officials in Olympia have budgeted extra money for overtime, even though overtime is more expensive than paying straight time to additional employes. "An overtime hour just naturally costs more than a regular hour," prison Superintendent B.J. Rhay says. "We have overtime in excess of what I consider an excessive amount of overtime." ' Despite the high turnover rate, the guard force is near its full complement, he says. Rhay blames part of the problem on the prison's budget, which is made up every two years, rather than annually.
etin
15 Cents
When a problem develops, it can take more than a year to correct it in the budget, he says. According to Shaughnessy, additional money above what was budgeted has been allocated by state officials to feed and clothe the increasing inmate population. That amounts to $3.15 per day for each new prisoner, he says. But no additional money has been allocated to hire new guards. A result of the growing prisoner population has been a year-long freeze on new equipment purchases in order to pay other costs, prison officials say. That is going to be one of the union's gripes when it meets with state officials, according to Chadek. "Our equipment is shot. It's very unprofessional. Most of our equipment is just old and wore out." That goes for everything from trucks to walkie-talkies. Some of the latter are hand-me-downs from other correctional institutions, he says. Shaughnessy says holiday overtime, the prison's largest overtime expense, cost $116,000 between July 1975 and May 30,1976.
Wayne Hays drops bid for reelection, blasts ex-mistress
EAST LIVERPOOL, Ohio (AP) — Rep. Wayne L. Hays, whose relationship with Elizabeth Ray sparked a congressional payroll-sex scandal, today dropped his bid for re-election, citing health reasons and "harassment." On Thursday, he said he was considering ending his campaign if he thought it would wipe out Miss Ray's chances for more publicity. The 65-year-old Democrat submitted his campaign withdrawal statement to the Columbiana County Board of Elections here. In a statement released in Washington, Hays said "I do this with a heavy heart" and said he had planned to retire in 1978. "However, the current state of my health coupled with the harassment my family and I have taken from the Washington Post have led me to conclude that I should step down at the end of my current term," he said. The Post broke the story on Miss Ray's charges that Hays kept her on a House committee payroll at a $14,000 a
year salary solely to provide him with sex. "The polls show I'd win, but I don't want to give that woman another chance to make an appearance," Hays had said Thursday in an interview. The resignation means Hays, the former chairman of the influential House Administration Committee, will leave office when his term expires in January. Despite the publicity of his relationship with Miss Ray, Hays defeated fourtime challenger Nick Kannick in the June 8 primary in his bid for a 15th term in office. Two days later, Hays was hospitalized for an overdose of sleeping pills which he said were taken accidentally. He returned to Washington _ July 19. House Democrats deposed Hays from the committee chairmanship after Miss Ray charged that Hays kept her on the payroll in a clerical position although she said she couldn't type and the only work she did was as Hays' mistress.
12 die as blast shatters oil tower in Louisiana U-6 photo by Jim Carton
Andy Tillman and his pet llama named Byron
A baby llama is bom in A thena ByJIMCARLTON OftMUnavBuMn
ATHENA — Andy Tillman's llama herd is growing. Two weeks ago, the 13-head herd increased by one when Byron was born. Byron is the first llama ever born on the Tillman ranch five miles west of Athena. And, it may be the first one born in this region. Tillman's llama herd is certainly the only herd of its type in this area. ' He started the herd 18 months ago with three head—two females and one male. Pretty soon he will have four more which be is receiving from the East Coast Tillman says that people take second
Grange asks permit ban for big farms OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) "- The Washington State Grange has filed with the secretary of state an initiative to the legislature that would limit irrigation water permits to farming operations of 2,000acresorless. Grange Master Jack Silvers, in explaining the proposal, said his organization has developed a policy based on the premise that public waters of the state should be carefully managed for the benefit of aO the citizens of the state. "We are for the preservation of the family owned farm which has proven to be the best guarantee of an adequate food supply at reasona We cost," Savers said. "The family owned farm is in jeopardy when * small per cent of the users umfcume a major portion of our rivers'waters, which would be the case if large agricultural men are not regulated by water rights permits." Under provisions of me proposal, any person qualified under present regulations would be issued a permanent water right permit for irrigation of not more than 2,000 acres. Persons acquiring more than J,«» acres after the effective date of the act would be issued a 10,year pen* and • 10 year extension but would then beirequired to subdivide their balding into family sice farms of less than 2£PO acres in order toretain the permit Under existing ncrigom-water permit* issued for large land holdings expire in 50 years.
looks when they drive by the ranch and see the llama herd in a pasture south of the road. He says he also uses the llamas as pack animals in the mountains because they are better than mules.* "I'm thinking about making a tape recording so I won't have to be always stopping and explaining them to people I meet on the trail," he says. Tillman says fie started building a herd when he discovered that llamas require little attention and they are easy to take care of. "I got tired of horses and mules." He says the animals — natives of Peru and Bolivia — have adapted well to the Blue Mountain country.
Llama wool is better than sheep's wool, according to Tillman. It is also more expensive with a going price of $3 per ounce. Tillman says he wants to build his herd to about 30. He says be isn't sure whether he wants to go into the commercial llama-wool business. But, he says there is increasing interest in the animals for pack use in the mountains. "A couple of people have already told me they'd like to have some for pack use." Tillman says the llamas are expensive to purchase. They range in price from $500 to $1,500. It is illegal to import them, so he has
obtained his from other commercial herds from throughout the U.S. and in one instance from the Denver Zoo. Contrary to what is said, llamas are very friendly animals, according to TQlman. "They're a lot friendlier toward people than horses or mules." He says mean llamas have usually been abused to make them that way. Tillman says that not much is known about llamas other than they come from Peru and Bolivia and belong to the camel family. That's one reason he is writing a book about them, he says. Research for the book will take him to the mountains of Peru this winter, he says.
CHALMETTE, La. (AP) — An exfire, .plosion rippedihrough a 30-story towec-^.^'^Some of the victims were just blown apart," said Dr. Hewitt Thian, chief of at the Tenneco Oil Co. refinery late Thursday, mashing the men and metal surgery at Chalmette General Hospital. inside. Twelve persons were killed and "It was impossible to identify some of 10 others injured. them." The 12th body was pulled from the The victims were employed by Tenwrecked interior of the refining tower neco and Delta Field Erection Co., a today. subcontractor at the plant. Sheriffs officers said earlier that The silo-like tower, or "vessel, " is another person might be missing but used in the refining process to separate company officials said they had acpetroleum into heavy lubricating oil counted for all the workers in the area and lighter fuels. of the blast The refinery is about 10 miles down the Mississippi River from the center of A spokesman for Tenneco said the New Orleans. cause of the blast was not known. One The tower in which the men died is workman said welding was being done one of a field of similar structures jamand there might have been a gas leak. med together and linked by catwalks It was the second explosion in the and pipes in a complex that stretches a tower within a week, the St Bernard half mile along the river. Parish sheriffs office said. However, a The tower was partitioned by 200 Tenneco spokesman said today there metal plates 18 inches apart like the had been no explosion last week and the floors of a hotel. Men were working men were doing routine maintenance from the top to the bottom of the tower work. At least two dozen men were repairing and replacing the plates when working in and around the tower Thurthe blast occurred. sday night, the sherriff s office said. Paul Montelepre, administrator of "There's no way of telling what hapthe Chalmette hospital, said the names pened it's like it blew at the top and of the dead would not be released until everything just came down inside it." positive identification could be made of all of them. He described that task as The shock of the explosion was felt as "almost impossible." far as two miles away. There was no
Thursday's rain warning proves one day early By GLEN GIBBONS Jr. CXMUnavButaDi
So, what happened to the flash floods? Thursday's weather report predicted SO per cent chance of heavy showers being wrung out of ominous thunderstorms in the Walla Walla area. Warnings of possible local flash floods were sent out Farmers continued their push to barIy^t +M**r ^.w«u*^ w •
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But nary a drop of wetness fell I the sultry sky hovering over the area Thursday. Much ado about nothing? Wen, it looked like the real thing, according to Bob Hadkr, meteorologist with the National Weather Service. Early Thursday morning radar
reports showed thunderstorm activity building to more than 30,000 feet over La Grande, Hadler said. Normally with that sort of earlymorning buildup and the surface heating mat comes later in the day, sizabk thunderstorms result, be said. "With the moisture in those clouds, a storm has the potential of dropping 1% to two inches of rain in a short time. If it falls over streams in the Blue Mountains, mere's a possibility for serious flooding." But those threatening weather formations swung on east without ever putting together the stuff that downpours are made of. Reports of light rainfall in Lewiston and other areas were the only tracks left by the would-be thunderstorm.
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Forecast for WaDa WaUa VaBey: CanUerabk daudlaeii through tcalght; occasional periods of rani toaight aad a sBght chaace «f toeiated thuiidenhewefs; partial deartag Saturday but dunce of showers tMBght hi m to low Ik; Ugh Saturday 7175; southwest wtaos 1*41 mOet per bow taught; chaace el rata b 9 per cent taatgfetaadllperceatSMvday. EHeaded «at)Mk Saaday through Iwetday: Chaace of then in through Tuesday; ctal wlflilnghihifbe'•Tit aad tows ta {Weather report, page 7)
Instead, Walla Walla got 90 degrees of August's best — 91 degrees at Whitman National Monument That was well off the record 102 which stung the area on Aug. 12, 1973, and below Hanford's 94 degrees, which was high for the state Thursday. But it'll be a different ball game today, Hadler said. . A high of 80 degrees is expected with increasing cloudiness, the result of an anything-but-ephemeral cold front moving east from the Pacific Ocean. High temperatures during the next few days will be in the 70s with lows in the Ms. Showers or thunder-showers are expected this evening with a chance of showers continuing through Tuesday at least
Moderate rainfall has been reported today over the western part of the state as far as the Cascades. So that may mean a wet ballgame tonight for the Padres and their fans watching a matchup against the Boise Athletics. Wheat farmers trying to harvest their crops in an unexpectedly changeable season were happy the rain canceled out Thursday. But the weekend's forecast brings them no joy. Last week's cool and rainy weather delayed the harvest and caused some sprouting in heads of wheat in the fields, according to Don Schmidt manager of Walla Walla Grain Growers. If the predicted rains continue
steadily enough to prevent the grain from drying out between storms, it could ruin much of the crop for export, he said. To be eligible for export, sproutdamaged wheat can make up no more than one-half of one per cent of the grain shipment—one bead out of 200. Other weekend activities which may be touched by the weather include "Trails West" nightly at Fort Walla Walla, tonight's performance at the Fairgrounds of the Royal Upiraan Stallion Show and on Saturday the city firemen's streetside fund-raising for muscular dystrophy research and the National Park Service's bicentennial historical play at Whitman Monument of "We've Come Back For a Little Look Around."
Big fines don't slow drivers SEATTLE (AP) — Traffic law violators who receive heavy fines are more likely to become repeat offenders than those who receive lighter penalties, according to a recent federal study. Municipal Judge T. Patrick Corbett says the pilot program showed that local drivers who received lower fines on citations "may be reciprocating for lower fines with safer driving.'' The program sponsored by the Department of Transportation set up an informal process through which persons charged with minor traffic of-
fenses could go before a magistrate within days of the violation. Corbett says it has reduced the backlog of cases, identified problem drivers sooner and promoted traffic safety. This was the first area to participate in the DOT program, which Corbett said bad "proved to be a worthwhile im^esbnent of federal funds.'' The 1868,000 contract for the tnreeyear program was awarded in 1973. It requires the courts to bear a case witinn 60 days after the ticket is written, or charges are dismissed.
The study, which was the first issued since the program began, said the number of traffic cases pending trial for more than a month was reduced during the first year from an average of 425 to around 135. It also reported that of 5,548 persons who wanted to discuss their tickets, only 300 were referred to court by the magistrates. And of more than 17,000 minor traffic cases during the first S12 months of operation, about 87 per cent of those cited were found gouty and were fined an average of $30 with $10 of that suspended.