July 1, 1978

Consumer Price Index for all urban consumers, May, rose 0.9% to 193.3 (1967 equals 100); White House sees prices flattening out very soon; Blumenthal responds to gloomy forecast by Arthur M Okun, who expressed fear that rising interest rates would crimp econ; sees no indication of recession in evidence; Repub Party natl chmn Bill Brock says consumer price data for May shows that Carter Adm is failing to deal with inflation; chart on consumer prices (M)

Nuclear Regulatory Comm votes 2 to 1 to suspend construction of Seabrook nuclear power plant in order to protect 'freedom to decide on alternatives' to Seabrook site; narrows its inquiry into possible sites to those in which reactor can be cooled through use of high towers; Public Service of NH estimates cost of suspension at $500,000 a day; decision is hailed by antinuclear demonstrators outside comm's hq; comments by Comrs Victor Galinsky and Peter Bradford, who voted for suspension, and Comr Richard T Kennedy, who dissented; illus (M)

Over 150 persons injured, at least 15 critically, when Mister Softee ice cream truck blows up at comer of Fulton and Nassau Sts, NYC; police say explosion may have been caused by propane tank or bomb; driver Lee Butler is reptd in stable condition; Soft Fresh Freeze Ice Cream Corp, owner of truck, receives bomb threat 2 hrs after blast; illus; map (M)

In two monetary actions, the Federal R'serve discount rate and the commercial bank prime rate were increased yesterday, each by one‐quarter point. The discount rate was raised to 7¼ percent and the prime rate to 9 percent, lifting both to their highest levels since January 1975. The prime rate in. crease was led by Citibank, and it quickly became industrywide. Page 23.

James Harris, honored by Mayor Koch as hero after thwarting subway robbery, is arrested and arraigned in criminal ct on bad-check and forgery charges; police say Harris contends his identical-twin brother is to blame; bank tellers reptdly recognized Harris's photo in newspaper articles after his subway exploit; police say Harris's real name is Richard Talafierro, his twin, Raymond, is missing, and police and FBI have been investigating Harris for past 18 mos on possible passing of $150,000 in bad checks nationwide (M)