West Chester University - Serpentine Yearbook (West Chester, PA)

Page 28 text:

A whole settlement destroyed by their own hands. Reverend lim lones Congressman Leo Ryan. Ryan ' s body returning home. JONESTOWN As 1978 came to an end, the nation ' s as well as the world ' s attention was torn from political matters to a small village in Guyana, South America. This tragedy began with a fact-finding mission led by California representative Leo Ryan. Congressman Ryan, hearing of grave irregularities in Jonestown, put together a team of cameramen, reporters, and aides to investigate the situation. The group met with Reverend Jim Jones, the self-proclaimed minister of the Peoples Temple, and father of Jonestown. On the surface, Jonestown appeared to be a peaceful settlement. However, closer inspection indicated that something in- deed was wrong in Jonestown. Their mission forced to an end by threats to their safety, Ryan and his en- tourage, as well as a small group of Jonestown defectors, prepared to board their plane at a nearby airfield. As the passengers began to board the plane, they were ambused by a truck load of Jones ' hitmen. When the shooting stop- ped and the smoke cleared, Ryan and four other people were dead, and many others were wounded. Jim Jones, con- vinced there was no other way out, had ordered the suicide of the entire settle- ment. Drinking a potion of potassium cyanide, potassium chloride, and Grape IS.00I Aid, the settlement of 900 followed his instructions. Those who would not drink were shot. When the news reached the outside world, people listened in awe as the ghastly details were revealed.

Page 27 text:

86 93 Energy To add to America ' s economic woes, there came news of OPEC ' s sharp rise in oil prices. With the United States still depending on OPEC for about 20% of its oil, and the temporary cut-off of oil from Iran due to its political problems, Demonstrators against Nukes. consumers could expect to see prices at the pump approach as much as a dollar per gallon by sum- mer ' s end. President Carter, in an effort to force a cutback in the amount of gasoline used by consumers, lifted price controls on oil drilled in the U.S. . Prices in the United States are well below those of the rest of the world, and Carter ' s move is ex- pected to bring a new wave of development and exploration in our country, thereby lessening our dependence on foreign oil. Nuclear Energy suffered a ser- ious setback in March when the na- tions worst commercial nuclear ac- cident occurred. On Three Mile Island near Harrisburg, Pa., a com- bination of human ana mechanical errors caused a serious leak of radioactive iodine, endangering the nearby communities as well as the rest of Central and Southeastern Pennsylvania. Governor Richard Thornourg advised all pregnant women and small children to leave the area within five miles of the reactor. For over a week a state of uncertainty and fear dominated the area. As the danger eventually sub- sided, serious questions were being asked about what actually had hap- pened, and about the future of nuclear power in America.

Page 29 text:

CHARTER REFORM LOCAL RESORTS Resorts International Inc. opened the first gambling casino on the East Coast on May 26, 1978 as part of an effort to revitalize the Atlantic City tourist in- dustry. It operated on a temporary license throughout 1978, managing to gross over $119 million during its fir st seven months. This made it one of the most profitable casino operations in the world. During early fall. Mayor Frank Rizzo led a major campaign to change the Philadelphia City Charter. The proposed amendment would have enabled Rizzo to run for a third term when his second term ends in 1980. The amendment was defeated on November 7, 1978 in a city-wide election. Charges of illegal voting machine transfers and tampering with voting machines in some sections of the city, grew out of the November 7, 1978 elections, but election committee officer Marge Tar- taglione was later acquitted of all wrong-doing. ALONZO DEAL SPORTS Philadelphia Officer James Ramp was slain on August 8, 1978 during the storm- ing of a house occupied by well-armed members of the MOVE organization that had been holed up in the house for several months. Thirteen others, in- cluded two MOVE members, were in - jured during the assault. After the shootout, controversy arose about the beating of Delbert Africa by police dur- ing his arrest. Philadelphia Police Of- ficer Alonzo Deal, who is also President of the North Philadelphia Action Board of the NAACP, sharply critized the way in which the incident was handled. Deal later retired from the force and was suspended from the Fraternal Or- der of Police for two years and fined $1000. The Philadelphia Eagles football team finished with a record of nine wins and seven losses last season. This turned out to be its first winning season since 1966, and it also meant a spot in the 1978 Championship Playoffs. The Flyers also made it into the playoffs again under new coach Pat Quinn. After a strong showing against Vancouver, the Flyers were defeated by a surprisingly strong New York Rangers club. And last but not least the 76 ' ers play- ing one of their most impressive seasons in recent years were edged out in the semi-finals of the NBA playoffs by San Antonio in a 4-3 best of seven series.