News stories from Saturday February 14, 1970
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Immediately after the jury began its deliberations, four of the defendants in the Chicago conspiracy trial were sentenced to lengthy prison terms for contempt of court by judge Julius Hoffman. The four were David Dellinger, Rennie Davis, Tom Hayden and Abbie Hoffman, and their sentences ranged from eight months to almost two years and five months. [New York Times]
- Despite the fact that only three of the 50 states have met a deadline set by Congress two years ago that would assure consumers of getting clean meat, the Department of Agriculture has asserted that the situation has shown marked improvement. Ralph Nader and other critics, however, maintain that the government has not enforced the Wholesome Meat Act of 1967 vigorously enough for the nation's health. [New York Times]
- Highway construction around the country has been slowed as social and environmental objections have had increasing effect. The interstate highway system alone has 133 miles in 16 cities tied up. The residents of many cities are vehemently protesting any construction that would impair the beauty of the area, and, in many cases, their protests are being heeded by legislative leaders. [New York Times]
- The hard-pressed people of the former Biafra area are finally receiving substantial aid, according to people involved in the Nigerian government's relief program. Observers say there is relatively little starvation and there are signs that things are beginning to return to normal. However, some foreigners are still outraged at what they consider the leisurely pace of the relief effort. [New York Times]
- President Gamal Abdel Nasser of the United Arab Republic, in an interview, said that he was asking the Soviet Union for jets and scientific aid to combat Israel's almost complete air superiority over his country. Mr. Nasser also said that Israel's desire to hold occupied lands and the refugee problem were the major obstacles to a peace settlement. [New York Times]
- In an effort to close the country's perennial budget deficit, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu has approved the opening of an entertainment center offering both legalized gambling and dancing. A government spokesman said the centers would be carefully controlled and that they would be strictly a technique to raise more taxes from the rich. [New York Times]
- To stop the pollution of New Jersey's coastal waters, Gov. William Cahill has announced that he would ask the Army Corps of Engineers to require all sewage sludge from New Jersey be carried out at least 100 miles into the Atlantic Ocean. Mr. Cahill said that he would also ask the governors of New Jersey's neighboring states to seek the same requirements. [New York Times]