The University Daily
KANSAN
University of Kansas Lawrence, Kansas
Tuesday, February 1, 1983
Vol. 93, No. 88 USPS 650-640
An armed robber last night stole between $80 and $100 from the Kerr-Meegee station in North Lawrence, the cashier at the station said. Lucinda Jones, the cashier, left, an armed man, wearing a red skin mask, entered the station. Lt. Charles Green, right, of the
Lawrence Police Department, said he did not know whether the assailant flied on foot or in a car. Jones said the assailant was a white male about 5 feet 9 inches tall and 190 pounds. Police have no suspects in the case.
Reagan's proposed cuts called unfair
By United Press International
WASHINGTON — President Reagan yesterday sent Congress an $483.5 billion budget for 1984, calling it "urgently needed strong medicine," but Democrats attacked its deep social cuts and large defense spending increase.
cuts and large tax changes.
The budget would save $43 billion next year by making deep new cuts in domestic spending, freezing cost-of-living increases for Social Security and other benefit programs, and making minor tax changes.
IT ALSO WOULD increase defense spending by $30 billion — a 9 percent real growth, after accounting for inflation, compared with 1883.
Senate Budget Committee chairman Pete Domenici, R.N.M., acknowledged that "many are already howling that it's unfair," but he didn't. The committee that would allow the economy to grow faster.
Senate Republican leader Howard Baker said he expected Congress to reduce Reagan's defenses request and possibly to reject his plan for new tax increases in standby tax increases to take effect in 1985.
Other congressional leaders of both parties also predicted Congress would reduce Reagan's defense spending increase and reject his plan for $146 billion in spending to take in 1985 to reduce budget deficits.
BUT THEY agreed the economic projections in the budget were not overly optimistic, and, for that reason, the document would not be totally
discarded by Congress as the 1983 Reagan budget was,
budge "It's still alive and thriving." budget director David Stockman joked as the document was formally formed to Capitol Hill.
In his budget message to Congress, Reagan said, "I am recommending a federal spending freeze. I know this is strong medicine . . . this plan is urgently needed and is geared toward solving the problems of the growing deficits."
In this message, Reagan estimated the deficit would hit a staggering $207.7 billion this year and $188.7 billion in fiscal 1984, which begins Oct. 1, even if all the spending cuts and tax changes were enacted. The deficit was a record $110.7 billion in 1982.
THE BUDGET INCLUDES no major jobs programs, as Reagan ignored pleas from organized labor and congressional Democrats to fund the jobs program. By 12 million unemployed workers back on the job.
"I remain adamantly opposed to temporary make-work public jobs or public works as an attempted cure for non-youth unemployment." Reasan said in his budget message.
AFLCIO President Lane Kirkland assailed the budget, which he said continued "the Reagan program of extracting sacrifice from disade- mindedworking Americans, while re- rewarding the rich.
"America clearly needs jobs, yet the president continues to reject all jobs programs," Kirkland
news briefing, emphasized Reagan's plans to extend supplemental unemployment benefits, a new "wage offset" tax credit for employers who hire the long-term jobsless, and a "youth opportunity wage cut" that mimics the minimum wage increase under 22 during the summer from $3.15 an hour to $2.50.
LABOR SECRETARY Raymond Donovan, at a
The Pentagon presented Congress with a $238.6 billion budget for the coming year that kept up the momentum of the Reagan administration's massive arms buildup, without sacrificing a single major weapon. The 1983 defense spending is expected to be about $209 billion.
spending in school also proposed a series of tax law changes, including tuition tax credits for parents of private school students, a new tax-free savings account to encourage parents to save for college expenses and a jobs tax credit for those who hire the long-term unemployed.
widely the tungsten chipney, the BUDGET also contains a standby tax increase program that would be triggered in 1985 if the deficit still were above about $100 billion, if the recession had ended, and if Reagan's spending cuts already were enacted.
It would include a 1 percent surtax on income and a $5-a-barrel oil excise tax, which could raise gasoline prices by 12 cents a gallon over the nickel-a-gallon boost enacted by the last
However, neither Republicans nor Democrats in Congress expect Reagan's standby tax plan to pass. Democrats are expected to try to repeal the third year of the 10-percent income tax cut, which would take effect July 1.
One dead, one hurt in trucking violence
By United Press International
A North Carolina independent trucker was killed and a Utah trucker was critically wounded yesterday as strike-related violence erupted in 11 states.
Deputy Gerrity Tadlock of the Sapphire County, N.C., sheriffs' department said an unidentified trucker was shot with a rifle as he and another driver were driving near Newton Grove about 11:30 p.m. yesterday.
Brigham City, Utah police said Howard W. Adams Jr. was shot in the left chest at 5:14 p.m.
"I want to see the president of the United States get out there on 295 and get down on his hands and knees and say, 'Please, Mr. Trucker, make the big wheels go.'"
striking trucker Ed Meehan
as he unloaded his parked truck at a local hardware store.
Adams, 45, of Pomona, Calif., was in "critical but stable" condition after surgery at a Brigham
City hospital late last night, said a spokesman. Detective said, and they were checking several
INDEPENDENT TRUCK drivers halted their rigs to protest higher fuel and road taxes.
Violence also broke in Alabama, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, Mississippi, Maryland, Illinois and Oregon. No serious injuries were reported in those incidents.
"They made a believer out of me," said Delaware trucker Earl Parson, whose rig was hit by a brick trashed from an overpass in Marion County. Ohio.
Parsons, 37, was leading a convoy from Buckeye Transports when the incident occurred. He said he would not drive again until the strike ended.
In Alabama, two shootings were reported. Authorities said a coal truck was hit by gunfire in Blount County, smashing the truck's front and rear doors. An additional fire truck on track at Alabama 82. No injuries were reported.
A TRUCK heading north on Interstate 95 near Roanoke Rapids, N.C., was hit by nine 22-caliber shot just after the striking impact at 12:01 a.m. Favon flight passenger in the vehicle was struck by flying glass and lead fragments. He was treated at Halifax Memorial Hospital and released.
Strike worries truckers
Most branches of the Independent Truckers See RIGS page 5
By MICHAEL BECK
Staff Reporter
The threat of violence is forcing some Kansas truckers to maintain a low profile, truck dispatchers and truckline owners said yesterday.
Wayne Popp, traffic manager for Packer Plastics Inc., 2330 Packer Road, said Lawrence remained unaffected by the independent truckers strike, but trucks still on the roads were not taking any chances.
Popp said most truckers were running normally, but some planned to travel only in daylight, stay in groups and stay out of large truck stops.
INDEPENDENT TRUCKERS across the nation pulled their rigs off highways yesterday in protest of President Reagan's 5-cent-a-gallon fuel tax and increased user fees. Violence against truckers still driving occurred in some cities.
Some grocery products might be in short supply because of the strike, although the president of one Kansas truck firm said some stores had been stocking supplies.
we don't think you'll see anything in the next couple of days because we felt there was an abundance of food supplies moving in the last
couple of weeks," said Butch Bruenger, president of M. Bruenger & Co. Inc., a Wichita-based trucking firm.
"We got the feeling they were building up their inventories in case of the strike being critical." Bruenger said. The company schedules shipping operations for about 110 independent truckers, who haul mostly grocery products throughout 40 states.
BRUENGER SAID the quantity and selection of some perishable items, such as meats and produce, could go down if the strike continues.
About 30 of the company's truckers stopped work Monday, he said.
"It's not so much the violence, but maybe having their equipment turn up, like a bullet gun," he said.
Howard Docker, field operator for the Kansas Highway Patrol, said there had been no noticeable change in truck traffic in Kansas, though a weigh station in Johnson County had reported about 25 less trucks yesterday than normal.
Rick Reutz, general manager of Topeka Truck Plaza, said business was unusually slow, but he did not know whether it was caused by the strike or the snow weather.
Docker said he was not planning to call out more patrols, unlike the Missouri Highway Patrol.
Secret rescue squad in Laos helped by actors, reports say
By United Press International
BANGKOK, Thailand — Four American soldiers of fortune with partial financial backing of actors Clint Eastwood and William Shatner led a secret mission into Laos but failed to free 120 U.S. prisoners reportedly held there, reports and officials said yesterday.
and officials said yesterday.
The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok refused comment, but intelligence sources in Bangkok confirmed reports from California and Thailand on the November mission, code-named "Operation Lazarus."
The Thailand foreign ministry denounced the rescue attempt and said it was searching for those involved in the abortive mission, led by former U.S. Army Green Beret L. Col. James
803
THE THAI GOVERNMENT disapproves of Operation Lazara" and the authorities are tracking down the people who carried out the operation," the ministry said. "They will be charged with illegal entry to the country and illegal arms possession."
Reached by telephone in Los Angeles, Shatner admitted giving money to Gritz but said it was for movie rights to his story.
"Through a series of mutual friends, I met a man represented as one of the most interesting I'd meet in my life," said Shatner.
"I met with him many times and I went to Paramount with whom I have a development deal." Shatner said. "I bought the film rights to
Bo Gritz's story. It is now in fact at ABC and has been there a couple months.
"I didn't finance an undercover operation, just the life story of a man with whom I became
A guerrilla chiefman who was to have provided additional support turned up drunk, alone and without weapons, and Laotian paramilitary forces ambushed the band just across the border from the Thai town of Nakhon Phamon, 390 miles northwest of Bangkok.
EASTWOOD COULD not be reached for comment.
count of one of the American raiders, Charles Patterson, told the San Diego Union the mission ended shortly after the four Americans along with 15 La Troia guerrillas, armed only with four Israeli-made Uzi submachine guns, crossed into Laos the night of Nov. 27, 1982.
One of the Americans, Dominic Zapone, was wounded and taken prisoner. He later was freed after a ransom consisting of medical supplies and about $17,000 was paid.
PATTERSON SAID the U.S. government was not involved in the raid. He told the Los Angeles Times that some of the money came from private contributions including $30,000 from Eastwood and $10,000 from Shatner.
Patterson said the rescue effort was launched after the raiders learned from Laotian refugees in Thailand that up to 120 American POWs from the Vietnam War were being held near the town of Tchepone, 135 air miles southeast of Nakhon Phanom.
Weather
Today will be snowy, with a possibility of freezing rain. The low will be about 27 degrees and the high should be in the mild-30s.
winds will be from the northeast at 15 to 25 mph. The snow may change to rain briefly before again switching to snow in the afternoon.
The low tonight should be in the mid-20s The snow might continue throughout the night.
Committee wants downtown plan modified
Bv NED STAFFORD
Staff Reporter
The Downtown Improvement Committee recommended yesterday that the Lawrence City Commission approve a preliminary redevelopment plan for downtown, but it asked the plan's developer to look for ways to improve it.
The proposed plan, called scheme four, is one of four concepts presented to the committee and public last Thursday by Sizerer Realty Co. Inc., Kenner, La.
The City Commission will consider the issue at its regular meeting Feb. 8.
Pete Whitenight, chairman of the improvement committee, said that Sizeler also should use another concept, called scheme one, as a framework and perhaps combine aspects of each scheme.
THE SCHEME would reroute New Hampshire Street east between Seventh and Ninth streets. New Hampshire Street would then be about 40 feet from Rhode Island Street
Scheme four could be improved by building the redevelopment closer to Massachusetts Street, committee members said. Parking for employees of the redevelopment, expected to number several hundred, also should be provided for, the members said.
each scheme:
"This is by no means the definitive decision."
Whitenight said. "It will be a long time before we come up with a final decision."
The committee also was concerned that scheme four would be too enclosed and would not allow for people to travel freely between the redevelopment and the rest of downtown.
THE PLAN also calls for two department stores, one located on the northeast corner of Ninth and Massachusetts streets and one located on the present New Hampshire Street south of Seventh Street.
The present New Hampshire Street, between Seventh and Ninth streets, would be used for shops in the redevelopment, according to scheme four.
Scheme four also allows for phased development, which means that another department store could be added later.
SIZELER WAS selected as the city's developer of record in late September after
interviews with the improvement committee and the City Commission.
Whitenight said the recommendation, which committee members still are working on, should say that the committee favors scheme four, but has some reservations about it.
four but has some issues.
Scheme one would leave New Hampshire Street open. The scheme calls for two department stores between Rhode Island and New Hampshire streets, one near Seventh Street and the other near Ninth Street.
BOTH SCHEMES would have numerous stores, multi-level parking and would focus the redevelopment around Eighth Street by using it as a pedestrian walkway from Massachusetts into the complex.
Craig Patterson and John Lee, local architects, said that they thought both schemes seemed like suburban mall concepts moved downtown.
Throughout plans for the redevelopment, many city residents also have opposed the possibility of a surburban mall, sometimes called a cornfield mall.
Many residents also have said that although development should occur downtown, a mall or large enclosed structure, as was proposed by another developer several years ago, should be avoided. These residents think that the present character of downtown should be retained as much as possible.
Scheme four, above, would reroute New Hampshire Street east to run alongside Rhode Island Street. The main entrance to the complex would be a pedestrian walkway on Eighth Street entered from Massachusetts Street. The Downtown Improvement Committee recommended that the City Commission approve the plan with some changes.