News stories from Sunday July 22, 1979

Summaries of the stories the major media outlets considered to be of particular importance on this date:

Israeli planes attacked Lebanon, bombarding three coastal villages. At least 15 persons were killed and 50 injured, and there was extensive damage, the Lebanese radio said. [New York Times] Kidnappers released Joan Dedrick unharmed after her husband had paid a $300,000 ransom. Eight hours after she was let go, the Federal Bureau of Investigation arrested two men and charged them with the kidnapping, and a third man was arrested later. Mrs. Dedrick was taken Friday morning from her home in Newfoundland, in New Milford Township (N.J.). [New York Times] Blacks were urged to work hard "at maximizing the black registration and voter turnout" by Vernon Jordan, president of the National Urban League The League, meeting in Chicago for its 69th annual conference, is being watched closely for signs of its leanings in regard to the 1980 presidential election. Mr. Jordan told his followers that "it is premature for blacks to jump on any politician's bandwagon." Rosalynn Carter, the President's wife, addressed a luncheon audience and defended her husband's administration, saying he was providing the "strong leadership" needed to solve the nation's problems. [New York Times] Hamilton Jordan has a job he used to say he was not qualified to fill, and the Carter presidency may hinge on his rising to meet the challenge. Mr. Carter's closest political aide, who is now the White House chief of staff, has been known for his lack of concern for the traditional ways of politicking in Washington. He went on a fence-mending trip to Capitol Hill, where he was given stern advice by the Speaker of the House, Tip O'Neill, but he was flatly turned down by the Senate majority leader, Robert Byrd, when he asked for a meeting. [New York Times] Europeans reacted unfavorably to President Carter's cabinet shakeup, expressing incredulity, cynicism and dismay over the removal of experienced, independent members of the administration in favor of old Georgia friends. Newspaper comments generally were of the opinion that Mr. Carter's reorganization had cost him any "leadership" gains he had won with his energy proposals. [New York Times] Israel rejected a proposal to increase the United Nations peacekeeping force in the Sinai and called on the United States for an alternative for policing the treaty with Egypt. [New York Times] A surge of building in big-city centers is challenging assumptions that these cities face an inevitable decline. More than $700 million in new construction is under way or planned in formerly moribund downtown Los Angeles. Chicago is getting nearly $1 billion worth of new buildings, and New York City's boom has made new office buildings a highly attractive investment. Houston, Dallas, Denver and Philadelphia are among other cities with major construction projects. The possibility of a recession has had little effect on building plans. [New York Times] The lowest income families are in debt over payments for basic needs under the double burden of inflation and unemployment, a presidential advisory panel said, calling the situation "one of the most important moral issues of our time." [New York Times] Some states are reconsidering a mental health policy that cares for most mentally ill people in community-based facilities from which many have gone to the streets. Among the states are New York and California which led the way 16 years ago in drastically reducing the number of patients in state hospitals. These states and others are being criticized for "dumping" the mentally ill in neighborhoods unable or unwilling to care for them. [New York Times] More police protection is sought in Newark. There was a sharp rise in violent crime early this year, but there seem to be fewer police patrols. A city-wide coalition has been formed by black, white, and Hispanic residents who are pressing Mayor Kenneth Gibson's administration to put more police on the streets and to provide more recreational facilities and jobs for idle youths. [New York Times] Oil slicks off Tobago were dispersing, and plans to use chemicals to break them up were postponed. Inspection planes found that the slicks, created by the collision of two supertankers, were now so light that they were not a threat to any beaches. [New York Times] Nicaragua will hold war-crimes trials for civilian and military members of Anastasio Somoza government, the new head of the country's Supreme Court said, but there will probably not be any executions. [New York Times]