St. Louis Post-Dispatch from St. Louis, Missouri • Page 2

A2 ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH NEWS SUNDAY, APRIL 1, 2001 STLtoday.com Today's Index Gl Dl Business El Movie times G9 Classified HI Obituaries D8 Editorial B2 People G2 Everyday EV1 Sports Fl Imagine Bl Travel Tl U.S. threat of withdrawing aid may have pushed Yugoslav authorities to move against Milosevic Violence persists as some Jews, i Arabs display rare solidarity Los Angeles Times wm 1 i in AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE suburban Belgrade residence of former Yugoslav President Slobodan police and supporters of Milosevic. Serbian special police enter the Shooting was reported between Police storm villa of ex-president but his status is unclear early Saturday New York Times News Service BELGRADE, Yugoslavia After a night of conflicting reports that Slobodan Milosevic had been arrested on corruption charges, Serbian special forces stormed his residence before dawn Saturday. The assault began the legal process that could finally imprison the man whose 13-year reign over Yugoslavia brought wars, destruction and poverty to his people.

About 2:30 a.m. local time, six cars of black-clad special forces commandos drove up to the front-gate of the compound where Milosevic lives, trying to force open the gate and firing several shots, which were met with fire from within the walls. At least one man was wounded. The United States was informed at 5:30 p.m. Friday that Just a few hours later, Milosevic appeared at the gates of his house to greet supporters who had gathered there.

"I am not afraid," he told the Belgrade-based independent radio and television outlet B92. "I expect this story to end in a just manner and for the benefit of our people." He did not say whether he had been detained. "I am just drinking coffee with my comrades and I am very well," he said. "In front of my house many have gathered who have our people and national dignity at heart. We are very proud." Then, at 2 a.m., a hundred police officers in full riot gear appeared at the back entrance to the house, trying to control the crowd and apparently clearing a path.

Half an hour later they were followed by a van and cars carrying the special forces units. U.S. officials said Milosevic had not been arrested on the charge of crimes against humanity, brought nearly two years ago in connection with war crimes committed by Yugoslav forces in Kosovo. If corruption charges are brought against him, he will be tried locally, which will not meet To contact us 314-340-8000 or 800-365-0820 Switchboard is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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Louis. Weekend, Sunday-only subscribers receive bonus editions on March 27 and 30. Lotteries MULTISTAT! GAMES THE BIG GAME Friday's Winning numbers. 04-31-38-45-48 Big Money Ball 09 MISSOURI Daily Pick-3 game Friday's winning number 700 Daily Hck-4 game Friday's winning number 0473 Friday's Show Me 5 game Winning numbers 02-08-28-41-43 ILLINOIS Friday's Pick-3 game Midday drawing 872 Evening drawing 810 Friday's Pkk-4 Midday drawing 2617 Evening drawing ..9937 Friday's Little Lotto game Winning numbers 08-12-15-18-22 Thursday's little Lotto game til: i A. At An A A winning iiumuerb ui-VD-uo-ja-ou Thursday's Little lotto game winners Players matching five numbers 5 (Each will get $14,147.

Second Prize winners: Four numbers matched 364 (Each will get $138.) Third Prize winners: Three numbers matched 7,441 (Each will get $5.) The Powerball jackpot is estimated at $52 million. The Big Game jackpot is estimated at $21 million. The Missouri Lotto jackpot is estimated at $1.8 million. The Illinois Lotto jackpot is estimated at $3.5 million. Latin American countries support 2nd term for Annan The Associated press UNITED NATIONS Latin American and Caribbean countries in the United Nations have endorsed Kofi Annan for a second term as U.N.

secretary-general, adding to the global support for his re-election. Annan, 62, who is from Ghana, already had the backing of the 53-nation Africa Group and the five Nordic nations. On Monday, the 50-nation Asian Group virtually ruled out fielding a challenger, all but clearing the way for his election to another five-year term. The 22-nation Latin America and Caribbean Group at the United Nations met Thursday and issued a statement praising Annan. Annan's term expires Dec.

31. By tradition, the secretary-general's job rotates every 10 years by region, and it is Asia's turn to propose a candidate. But Africa's decade was disrupted when the United States lobbied to deny Annan's predecessor, Egypt's Bou-tros Boutros-Ghali, a second ten. SAKHNIN, Israel Violence exploded again across the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Friday, even as Jews and Arabs inside Israel joined in a rare gesture of solidarity to protest state seizure of Arab lands. While Israeli Arabs observed Land Day with peaceful marches, tree plantings and rallies, a Palestinian "day of rage" triggered clashes with soldiers in at least half a dozen West Bank and Gazan towns.

Soldiers shot to death six Pales- tinians and wounded more than 100 others, Palestinians said, as burned Israeli flags and saluted suicide bombers who tar- get Jews. There were gun battles in several cities, including divided Hebron, where Jewish settlers have rampaged repeatedly against Palestinians since a 10-month-old Jewish girl was shot to death' earlier this week. Friday's clashes capped a lent week that left the still-young government of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, elected in February on a promise that it would restore security, warning Israelis that' they face a long, costly struggle, and Palestinian Authority Presi-. dent Yasser Arafat vowing that his people will fight on. As troops and protesters en-' gaged in some of the worst fight-' ing in weeks in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, the orderly demonstra- tions by Arabs inside Israel of-: fered both sides a rare glimmer of hope that coexistence is at least still imaginable.

Arab and Jewish Israelis who have struggled to keep alive the notion that they can live together feared that violence inside Israel on Land Day could destroy their efforts. For the first time since Arabs began observing Land Day in 1976 to protest government confiscation of Arab property in the Galilee, Is-' rael's largest peace movement joined them. Several dozen Peace Now activists participated in the main demonstration here in the Galilee town of Sakhnin. Several thousand Arabs, sorrte bused in from other towns, marched down the main street to the high school playground, where they held rally. Dozens of Jews from nearby towns also participated in the Sakhnin march, some for the first time.

Some waved the red flag of i the Communist Democratic Front for Equality and Peace, a joint Arab-Jewish political party. Others waved the green flag of the fundamentalist Islamic Movement, the Palestinian flag or black flags of mourning. "I feel that they are our right hands," said -Mohammed abu Rayya, of Sakhnin, as he watched the Jews approvingly. Dollar Gifted barrister William former managing partner of, Thompson Coburn, got his enlightened leadership toasted at an 80th birthday celebration for him at his firm Then it was off to the Ritz-Carlton Hotel on Saturday evening for a 50th-anniversary dinner with his wife, Millicent. In town from Gotham to fete his parents is opera agent Bill Guerri whose premiere client is Met Opera star Ben Hepner.

DATEB00K: The Felix Foundation, a not-for-profit group founded by alums of WashU's John M. Olin School of Business, has set April 21 as the date for its inaugural fundraiser at Mississippi Nights to benefit the Girl's House renovations of Boys Hope, Girls Hope. As befits the hyper-developed biz drives of Olin School grads, the group has recruited Anheuser-Busch, Coca-Cola, Cingular Wireless and the region's three major pro sports franchises to anchor an all-star group of sponsors, tipped Felix booster Marc Hamilton, 265-4777. If the local baseball team's home opener is a high holiday, the team's opening game regardless of where it is played is still Christmas Eve or New Year's Eve. With the St.

Louis team kicking off its new season in Denver's spectacular Coors Field on Monday, Cards prez Mark Lamping has invited local members of the new Downtown Ballpark Partnership to watch the game on wide-screen TV at Busch Stadium. The event will mark the first formal meeting of a couple of dozen civic leaders, led by Hall of Famer Jack Buck, who have volunteered their efforts to encourage city and state officials to ensure that a new ballpark is built downtown. Changes at Northland center put the squeeze on Family Milosevic early Saturday. U.S. demands that the Yugoslav government cooperate with the N.

international war crimes tribunal at The Hague. So far, the Yugoslav government has sent only two officials to the Hague for prosecution. The United States is deciding this weekend whether to certify that Belgrade is complying with conditions attached to the continuation of U.S. aid. The main condition is that Yugoslavia cooperate with the U.N.

war crimes tribunal in The Hague, which has indicted Milosevic and some 15 others thought to be living in Yugoslavia. Congress appropriated $100 million for Yugoslavia last year and awarded half of that without conditions. The remaining $50 million depends on certification. The United States is not demanding the transfer of Milosevic to The Hague, but his arrest and detention on charges of corruption or abuse of power would probably ensure certification. Failure to win certification would be a blow to the Serbian government and its ailing economy, since the decision would also block financial assistance from the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

fumed Reed. Meanwhile, SLDC officials are scrambling to find $750,000 to pay for brickwork on the garage of the new convention headquarters hotel. City development officials had inked a binding agreement with the hotel builders without waiting for final drawings of what the garage would look like. THITHER YON: Designing ways made up some of the meal talk when New York's world-class ornamental designer Christopher Radko entertained a large contingent of May Department Stores personnel at King Louie's restaurant in mid-town. Radko's classical-style holiday ornaments can be found on the White House Christmas tree and among the whimsical possessions of Elton John, Barbra Streisand, Mikhail Bar-yshnikov, Whoopi Goldberg, Demi Moore, Katharine Hepburn, Robert DiNiro and Stelli Stteman, to name a few.

The feasting festivities took place near the wall where the ornate King Louie's is expanding to the south, and where Radko ornaments may be found when the new addition opens sometime in June. The expansion will also feature a large mural painted by co-owner Matthew McGuire, a grad of the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Grand Center Inc. has lured the interest of former Mayor Vince Schoe-mehl and Forest Park Forever's Jim Mann to become CEOprez. (Tom Turner is interim chief).

Bankruptcy Judge Barry S. Schermer has ordered Beatle George Harrison to appear for a deposition in St. Louis. Harrison is trying to keep his former manager from discharging Harrison's claims in bankruptcy. The Beatle didn't want to come here because, as his lawyer told the court, he knows nothing about the.

facts. Milosevic was in custody and faced corruption charges, a senior administration official said Friday night. But as the evening progressed, Washington was receiv-' ing reports that he had been released, and officials said they were waiting to hear whether he was still in custody. Even later, the State Department was questioning whether he had been arrested at all. Deputy Prime Minister Zarko Korac said that Milosevic had been arrested and taken to the Palace of Justice sometime before midnight Friday, but that the government would not make an official statement until Saturday.

Serbian State Television also reported the news, quoting officials. Milosevic, who is wanted on international war crimes charges, was not seen leaving his residence, which was surrounded by supporters and journalists from early evening. But television footage, showed four black police jeeps drawing up to the underground entrance of the Palace of Justice, Belgrade's central court, though the passengers were not visible through the darkened windows. been restricted because he is regarded as a "security risk." Says Cassilly with a chuckle, "They think I might let other people use my keys." As frenetic as ever, Cassilly reported that despite its huge success in drawing the curious and childlike to downtown, the museum has not paid rent 'in months and is in default of a bank loan. An undaunted Cassilly also took time on Friday to aim a couple of shots at a possible new government neighbor for the museum.

He complained: "In complete disregard of a presidential executive order to consider renovated historic space as a site, Social Security plans on moving into a new building built in the closest commercial parking lot to the museum. It makes no sense." Cassilly has retained attorneys to sort through the legal options. HIGH WIRE ACT: John Guidry is so wired he could spit. According to Guidry, he and his fellow operators in private cable coops in apartment complexes across the region are being pushed out of the business by local cable giants. Guidry says that large cable companies have been stung in the hightech economic downturn and have now turned their sights on poaching cable subscribers in local apartment complexes.

"We have had a cable service in the Seven Trails for more than 16 years," said Guidry. "The owners are entitled to a percentage of the gain in the value of the customers, but Charter has chosen to scare subscribers out of private cable operators' businesses and into (their own) coffers." Countered Charter exec Anita Lamont if) DOLLAR BILL Family Dollar stores have a special market niche. Their diverse customers are mainly bargain hunters drawn to attractively presented, low-priced merchandise. The Family Dollar in Northland Shopping Center is a good example of the breed: Many of its shoppers, who are fiercely loyal to the store, are drawn from the public housing complexes in sur rounding Jennings. But Northland has begun to show its age, and revenue-hungry north St.

Louis County officials know that Jef-ferson City's legislative clock is ticking loudly on big public subsidies for retail developers. To beat the clock, Jennings and county development officials have promised subsidy-savvy Sansone Development a whopping helping of tax increment financing to demolish Northland and repopulate its asphalt with higher-end retailers. For now, Family Dollar's fate is undetermined. No official redevelopment agreement had yet been inked with Sansone, no anchor tenant had yet signed a lease in the planned replacement mall, and Northland's owners, including Stanley Spiegel, were still calculate the final value of their tax-; udized paydays. PAD LOCKED: A clash of artistic temperaments or a dispute over cash? Bob Cassilly, the guiding genius of downtown's City Museum, reports that his keys no longer work in the Washington Avenue building complex he co-owns with Loft District mega-landlord David Jump.

Cassilly says that his access to the museum he co-founded has Jerry Berger "Apartment owners choose the cable company that serves their tenants. Charter was approached by Seven Trails manager Herb Bowman, asking us to provide cable service to the complex because tenants had complained about inferior service and limited programming channels from the company they had. So, Charter signed an agreement with Seven Trails and we're ready to give the tenants a new choice." CHAIN REACTION: To the likely chagrin of providers of business interruption insurance, some of the region's most Internet-dependent businesses spent Friday inquiring into the cost of training and feeding carrier pigeons. That's when some customers of SAWIS Communications discovered that, unbeknownst to them, their Internet service accounts had been sold to NorthPoint, that NorthPoint had failed, and that had decided not to offer services to the ex-SAWISNorthPoint customers. With no e-mail capacity, some local companies spent the entire day faxing out apologies to their customers.

BRICK WORKS: St. Louis Alderman Lewis Reed is livid. Reed, whose central corridor ward includes the could-be-trendy Loft District, reports that negotiations between city development officials and execs with Union Pacific have hit a stone wall. According to Reed, city officials have refused to sign off on a new privately funded garage for UP until $500,000 worth of cosmetic changes are made to its facade. "This discussion has been going on for five years.

There is a $75 million payroll at risk. I can't tell a family newspaper what I think the St. Louis Development Corp. should do with its bricks," I.