News stories from Saturday July 17, 1982
Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:
- Decaying bridges, streets and sewers and other public facilities are commonplace in major American cities. Even Houston, a city of great wealth, is said to have 1.5 million potholes. A bipartisn coalition is growing in Congress to force action by the federal government. [New York Times]
- Money problems may delay the inquiry by the National Transportation Safety Board into the cause of the crash of the Pan American World Airways plane in a New Orleans suburb July 9, a spokesman for the independent agency said. The agency has a $17.1 million budget this year, which was severely strained in January by the crash of an Air Florida jet and a major subway accident, both in Washington, and the crash of a World Airways plane in Boston. The shortage of money may also force a furlough of some employees. [New York Times]
- Clues in the slaying of a couple and their housekeeper in Villanova, Pa., on Philadelphia's Main Line, Friday were sought by the police. Courtlandt Gross, former chairman of the Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, his wife Alexandra, and their housekeeper, Catherine Vander Veur, may have surprised an intruder. [New York Times]
- A U.S. effort to develop a new, longer-range Middle East policy was begun by Secretary of State George Shultz, who called in the Israeli and Egyptian Ambassadors and also met all afternoon with Henry Kissinger and other Middle East experts. A State Department official said it was possible that Mr. Shultz might ask Mr. Kissinger or other prominent Americans to undertake a special mission to the Middle East. [New York Times]
- Lebanese and Israeli officials reacted coolly to an offer by the Palestine Liberation Organization to move its fighters to northern Lebanon while negotiations for a settlement of the siege of Beirut continue. [New York Times]
- Food supplies ran out at the main refugee relief center for eastern Lebanon. International aid was needed desperately, according to Ali Kanaan, a Lebanese government official. The only remaining supplies at the center in Baalbek were cooking oil and soap, he said. As he spoke, angry refugees banged on the center's doors, demanding food, milk and medicine. [New York Times]
- Iran began a new offensive in southern Iraq Friday night, but the Iraqi forces appeared to holding their ground, United States officials in Washington said. [New York Times]
- Little concern at the United Nations was apparent over the fighting between Iran and Iraq. Many United Nations diplomats, including some closely associated with the deliberations on the fighting, left their offices for the weekend early Friday. [New York Times]