VOL.100,NO.68 (USPS 650-640)
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSAS
MONDAY
DEC. 4, 1989
ADVERTISING: 864-4358
NEWS: 864-4810
Topeka gangs possibly linked to local crime
By Jim Petterson Kansan staff writer
Lawrence police are investigating several recent violent incidents that may be linked to gang activity in Lawrence.
Police suspect Topека gang members started two fights at Gammon's, 1601 W. 23rd St., in mid-November and may have been responsible for an aggravated robbery in the 1000 block of Massachusetts Street on Nov. 18.
"We're not taking this very lightly," said Chris Mulvenon, Lawrence police spokesman. "This is a potentially explosive situation. Gang violence traditionally can turn extremely violent very quickly."
Mulvenon said officers believed gangs were involved in the incidents because the individuals traveled together and dressed in similar clothing styles and colors. He declined to reveal specifically how the suspects were dressed.
The first of the two alleged gang-related incidents at Gammon's occurred in the second week of November, Mulvenon said.
"A half-dozen people came to Gammon's, caused some trouble and were ejected and told they would not be let back in." he said.
back in. About a week later, on Nov. 17, 20 to 25 Black and Hispanic males and females returned to Gammon's and tried to force their way into the club, he said.
According to a police report, Gammon's employees recognized some of the individuals from the first altercation and the group was denied entry.
The group then became violent,
Mulvenon said
By the time police were contacted and arrived at the scene, a Lawrence man had suffered a broken jaw and at least five other people were injured. The club sustained an estimated $1,000 in damages. Four Topope men were arrested in connection with the incident.
Police said the aggravated robbery could be related to the altercations at Gammon's because some of the same individuals were involved in both incidents.
A Topeka man was arrested and two Topeka juvenile males were detained after the robbery. Mulvonon said the suspects were part of the same group that had been at Gammon's the previous night.
"We're not 100 percent sure they are related," he said. "But they're being investigated as related."
Mulvenon said patrol and criminal analysis officers from the Lawrence police department had been in contact with the Topeka police department reporting the incident. He declined to comment further on the investigation.
An officer at the Topeka police department's criminal intelligence department said he would not comment about the cases.
Mulvenon said police were working very closely with the the management and owner of Gammon's to prevent further violent incidents at the club.
He pointed out that police were not singling out Gammon's as a trouble spot. He said reports of violence, vandalism and thefts were often received from area taverns and private clubs.
Leaders optimistic at close of summit
The Associated Press
MARSAXLOKK BAY, Malta — President Bush and Soviet Leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev wrapped up two days of superpower summery yesterday, claiming stride towards a new era of East-West peace but underscoring differences that linger at the end of a 45-year Cold War.
Both men said they would meet again next year in the United States, and expressed the hope — but not the certainty — they would be able to sign agreements in 1990 to cut long-range nuclear weapons and conventional forces in Europe and make progress toward a chemical weapons ban.
"We stated, both of us, that the world leaves one epoch of Cold War and enters another epoch," Gorbachev said at an unprecedented joint news conference that marked the end of two days of storm-tossed talks held aboard a Soviet luxury liner. "We are just at the very beginning of our long road to a long-lasting peaceful period."
Bush said that he was optimistic after the summit.
"As the West works patiently together and increasingly cooperates with the Soviet Union, we can realize a lasting peace and transform the East-West relationship into one of enduring cooperation," Bush said.
"You get the feeling he really wants to work with us and he knows that I'm cautious," Bush said. "I'd like to think he thought I knew what I was talking about."
Even so, neither man sought to gloss over differences on two topics, the Soviets' call for cuts in naval forces and American anger at the continued flow of Soviet weapons to leftist rebels in El Salvador.
The joint news conference in Malta was conducted aboard the Soviet luxury liner Maxim Gorky. The liner was pressed into service as the site for the two days of talks after bad weather forced cancellation of plans to use U.S. and Soviet warships anchored offshore.
Gorbache departed Malta for Moscow, where he was convening a meeting of virtually an entirely new lineup of Warsaw Pact leaders to discuss the summit.
Taking part in the celebration, Kansas forward Michelle Arnold raises the victory cup. The Jayhawks won their third consecutive Dial Classic tournament title on Saturday when they defeated UMKC 44-41 at Allen Field House. See related stories on page 13.
three's a charm
Communist party chiefs resign posts
The Associated Press
EAST BERLIN — Communist leader Egon Krenz and his entire government resigned yesterday, and a 25-member panel of reformers took over temporary leadership in a desperate effort to rescue East Germany's Communist Party.
The resignation, announced by megaphone to a wildly cheering crowd, stripped power from Krenz less than six weeks after he replaced hard-liner Erich Honecker. Krenz was left off of the new panel, which will control East Germany's ruling party until a party congress later this month.
priory at the
It was the shortest reign of any leader in the
country's history. Krenz retains the largely ceremonial position of president.
The Communists also expelled Honecker from the party he had led for 18 years and announced that three usted Politburo members had been arrested on corruption charges.
arrested on corruption charges:
Hundreds of thousands of East Germans linked hands across the country to form a human chain intended to increase pressure for quicker democratic reforms and to protest corruption in Communist Party ranks.
Under pressure from mass demonstrations and the exodus of thousands, Krenz took over on Oct. 18 and opened the Berlin Wall on Nov. 9. He promised democratic reforms including free elections, but there were increased calls for his expulsion even within the party because of his past links to Honecker's rule. He was jeered Saturday by party members who demanded his resignation.
"The Politburo accepts the criticism raised by a large number of party members that the current leadership is not capable of uncovering the entire scope of serious mistakes of the members of the former Politburo and to draw the necessary consequences," he said.
the country was not included in Guenter Schabowski announced the resignations of the 10-man Politburo and the 183-member, policy-making Central Committee by megaphone to 10,000 cheering people who stood outside the Central Committee building.
The new committee is expected to run party affairs until a special party congress Dec. 15-17, and prepare for that congress. Its role in governing the country was not immediately clear.
Schabowski, one of those who resigned from the Politburo, was considered a reformer, but like all of the ousted officials, he was not named to the new committee.
Schabowski said that Honecker and 11 other disgraced officials were expelled from the party following disclosures of corruption among top party ranks.
Thomas Gler has made some sacrifices to improve his Russian.
Most recently, Gler, Leawood senior, had to give up his cats when he moved into the Russian House, 1536 Tennessee St.
The Russian house is a place for people to live who want to practice speaking Russian.
Neumur, who speaks fluent Russian, started the house two years ago on the suggestion of professors who thought it was a good idea.
Louise Redford, owner of the house, said that six people live in the house. Redford, who was born in the Ukraine and immigrated to the United States during World War II, is working toward a master's degree in Slavic language and literature.
Russian House provides practice, culture
"T
Students get opportunity to sharpen their language skills
he inhibition a person has toward using the language has pretty much melted away with everyone. I can try to use my Russian and not feel inhibited.'
By Lisa Moss
Kansan staff writer
By Lisa Moss Kansan staff writer
Redford said she knew of similar houses at the University of Washington, Seattle; Indiana University, Bloomington, and the University of Virginia. Charlottesville.
At the University of Washington, Redford said, the woman who runs the Russian house said the students who lived there stood out because their Russian was fluent.
Redford said that at the house, she helped her residents with their home-
- Thomas Gier
"We try to talk (Russian)
whenever possible," she said.
Redford said she cooked dinner for all the residents every night and dinner table conversation includes both Russian and English.
boul Rouxin
Sometimes Russian flavor is added to dinner when Redford prepares foods like borscht, made of cabbage and tomatoes, and piroshky, meat-filled pastries.
Gler said that Redford's cooking was good and that living in the house was a good way to improve Russian conversational skills.
Redford has created a strong, cultural Slavic feeling in the house, he said.
ane inhibition a person has toward using the language has pretty much melted away with everyone," he said. "I can try to use my Russian and not feel inhibited."
Gler said he planned to live in the house until he graduated.
"Louise is the heart of the whole program," he said. "I gave up my two cats to live here and I still miss my cats, but I like living here."
Gwyn Blackburn, graduate student in East European studies, said living in the Russian house gave her more practical experience speaking Russian than learning it from a text book.
Blackburn has been studying Russian for two years, she said.
Property tax crisis to be considered by Legislature
By Derek Schmidt
Kansan staff writer
TOPEKA — The Legislature will grapple with hard choices in tax policy at the end of this week.
But taxpayers should not expect too much. "There is no ideal solution." State Rep. Rex Crowell, R-Longton, said last week. "Anything we do is going to affect other taxpayers, and probably, anything we do as time goes on is going to upset other groups of taxpayers."
Gov. Mike Hayden announced Friday that he would call the Legislature into special session this Friday to act on proposals to alleviate the state's property tax crisis.
most observers agree that long-term solutions, such as changing the constitutional amendment that implemented classification, are premature and will not be addressed in special session.
"In the final analysis, we may have to concede that there are inequities this one year that we cannot correct," said State Rep. Robert Vancrum, R-Oklahoma. He was a member of the national census session.
to go no further than to provide immediate tax relief.
leading propensity of a special case
The Legislature in special session is likely
A special tax committee last week recommended expanding commercial and residential tax relief programs by $102 million but bogged down in its search for money in the tight state budget.
right side budget.
Senate Majority Leader Fred Kerr, R-Pratt, denounced the unfinanced recommendation as falsely raising expectations.
1. mnt every taxpayer in the state would see through a program that promises relief on one hand and doesn't provide the money," he said.
The full Legialature now will wrestle with financing. At least four options have been discussed:
- Highway funds, Committee members defeated by one vote a move by State Rep. Bill Reardon, D-Kansas City, to delay for one year the state's new $2.65 billion highway program and to use funds from the highway sales tax for property tax relief.
"It makes no sense to have highways to ghost towns," said House Minority Leader Marvin Barkle, D-Louisburg.
But Crowell, a chief architect of the highway plan, blasted the attempt to raid high
way funds.
"It doesn't take a great deal of courage to switch tax dollars that other people had the courage to vote for, and you won't vote taxes for your own program," Crowell said.
Hayden has threatened to veto any attempt to undermine the highway plan, the largest legislative victory of his administration. ► General funds. Cuts from various state programs, including financing for higher education, could be on the table for financing tax relief. Several lawmakers last week suggested that was a possibility, though the committee did not directly discuss it. Hayden declined to say whether education financing was negotiable.
▶ Speeded taxes. By accelerating the collection of various business taxes owed to the state, said State Rep. Jayne Aylward, R-Salina, the state could raise $38 million. The committee endorsed the Aylward proposal, but one Democratic Senator watching the debate called the idea "amoke and mirror." ▶ New Taxes. State Rep. Vincent Snowbarger, R-Overland Park, said the full legislature should consider raising new money to finance tax relief. Among his suggestions are excise taxes on business inventories, alcohol
and tobacco products. That irks opponents.
"I do not see how we can raise taxes to support tax relief," said State Rep. Betty Jo Charlton, D-Lawrence.
The Legislature also is likely to consider several administrative changes to soften the impact of tax shifts. Among the proposals endorsed by the tax committee are:
▶ Reopening local appeals. Taxpayers who think their taxes unjustifiably could have appealed when their property valuations were issued last spring. However, many people did not take advantage of the local appeals process.
Many local governments fear that a new round of appeals will throw their budgets into chaos.
"Every time an appraiser rules for an appeal, he takes money away from a budget that already been set." Reardon said. □ Tax extension. Harden's order extending the deadline for payment of first-half taxes from Dec. 20 to Jan. 18 was ruled unenforceable on Dec. 1, by Attorney General Robert Stephan. The Legislature could reduce public confusion by codifying the extension, but county governments, which collect and disburse property tax money, worry that an
extension would cause them to miss deadlines, such as bond payments.
such as bond payments.
▶ Quarter payments. Taxpayers would be required to pay only one-fourth of their tax bills before protesting their taxes. Half payment now is required. Supporters concede that the change would result in administrative confusion, but say taxpayers deserve the relief.
the teller.
"If they can get the benefit of paying only one-fourth of their taxes instead of one half, I would think that the Boeinggs and the Hallmarks and whoever would appeal," Kerr said.
Utility inventories. Unwittingly exempted from property taxes, utility inventories would be returned to the tax roles, thereby spreading the tax burden in some counties. However, the committee proposed making the tax retroactive for 1989, which means that counties with significant amounts of utility inventory would have to recalculate and reissue tax bills.
Expand appeals board. Hayden said he would ask the Legislature to double the staff of the state Board of Tax Appeals from 20 to 39 people to expedite the processing of appeals.