Daily Sitka Sentinel from Sitka, Alaska • Page 2

Page 2, Daily Sitka Sentinel, Silka, Alaska, Monday, February 5,1990 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR- Bush Urges Caution Calderon Wins Election About rrccdoin On Global Warming As Costa Rica President uililnr vir.tnrv maruin for Dear Editor: One of ihc first things I remember learning in school is a founding principle of our country: that all persons arc guaranteed llic freedom to follow their own religious beliefs. So important was the right to make individual choices of moral, ethical and religious conscience; that it was protected by the first amendment to our constitution. In their wisdom, authors of the constitution also established the separation of church and state; the separation of religious belief and practice from the authority of government. 1 Much as we cherish our freedoms, we may sometimes take them for granted. And we may forget that each of us, in the conduct of our daily lives, has a duty to preserve those freedoms not only for ourselves but for our neighbors as well.

It seems that we arc living in a time of such forgclfulnoss, a lime in which the right to make our own moral and ethical choices is threatened. I am talking about the difficult issues of family planning, birth control, and abortion. The point at which human life begins is a moral question about which the American people arc deeply divided, on which our best philosophers, scientists and religious thinkers can reach no concensus, and concerning which our greatest hope may be an agreement to disagree. As an American, I believe mat each individual should have a right to make her or his own choice on sucii matters of moral, ethical and religious concern. And I further believe that each individual has a duty to respect another's carefully considered choice.

Above all, we should remember that many who are morally or personally opposed to abortion for themselves also believe that another person's right to choice must be protected. Therefore, someone who personally rejects abortion should recognize that millions of other Americans are equally committed to different opinion; and by the principles of our nation we should defend their right 10 that opinion. Voltaire expressed this idea in another context, with his famous statement: "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it." There is a poignant irony in the debate on family planning and abortion, because many who oppose individual choice are also members of our religious community. Yet it was the religious faithful who sought refuge in America, where the right to practice their diverse individual beliefs would not only be respected but also given protection by the word of law, and where this protection is furdicr assured by the separation of church and stale. Opponents of choice now ask the government to impose upon the entire nation their beliefs concerning this moral issue.

By doing so, they may have forgotten the promise that brought so many of our ancestors to America. I remember the words of Samuel Adams, written in Philadelphia, Aug. 1, 1776, shortly after he signed die Declaration of Independence: "Driven from every other comer of the earth, freedom of thought and the right of private judgment in matters of conscience direct their course to this happy country as their last asylum." A majority of Americans support choice in this delicate and private matter. We ask that our freedom of belief be accorded the same respect and protection that our ancestors, sought in coming to this country, and that our forebears enshrined among the basic principles of democracy. Richard K.

Nelson, Sitka Affirmative Action Dear Editor: Sitka is a Tine place to live and work. It has potential to be a fine place to go to public school. At present, it has a defect which prevents it from achieving that potential. The problem is underreprescntalion of minorities and women in some of the job classifications of the school district It is a correctable problem. The time is right for us to face it realistically as a community.

As a parent, I am especially concerned about the scarcity of Alaska Native teachers in the classroom: One-quarter of our students have this cultural background. It is a loss for us as a community that we have failed to attract Native teachers. Our students ought to have the experience on a day to day basis of working with a multicultural teaching staff. All students need to see by example that Native people can be successful and highly talented teachers. An affirmative action plan is one way a community talks to itself.

It says we're going to work harder together to reflect in our schools the multicultural richness we have in our city. Let's pull together and formalize our intentions in an affirmative action plan. We owe it to our children. David M. Busey, Sitka WASHINGTON (AP) President Bush cautioned an international gathering of scientists today against seeking solutions to global warming that would burden major industries.

Bush promised U.S. support for "aggressive and thoughtful action" to solve the problems posed by global warming and announced he is calling a meeting at the While House this spring bringing together top environmentalists, economists and ecologists lo grapple with the issue. But he sounded a note of caution against scientists and environmentalists who believe the warming of the Earth's atmosphere is already serious enough to warrant severe anti-pollution controls. 'Wherever possible we believe that market mechanism should be applied and that our policies must be consistent with economic growth and free market principles in all countries," Bush said in his address before the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations-sponsored group opening a three-day meeting at Georgetown University. Environmentalists from the United States and Europe were quick to criticize Bush for not making a clear commitment for immediate action aimed at dealing with global warming.

"It was a gross disappointment There was more talk in the speech about economics than about the environment," said Daniel Becker of the Siena Club. Stewart Boyle of the Association for the Conservation of Energy in Great Britain said Bush's remarks demonstrated "a leadership crisis" on the global warming issue at the White House. "About ihe only tiling we can say about it is he turned up" at the conference, said Boyle. The cross-section of environment talists are attending the conference as observers. They said they would have liked lo have seen Bush present specific U.S.

commitments toward energy conservation and specific goals on reductions in carbon dioxide pollution, which is the major contributor to global warming. In his speech, Bush said, "We all know that human activities arc changing the atmosphere in unexpected and in unprecedented ways." He said that "some may be tempted to exploit legitimate concerns for political positioning." "Where politics and opinion have outpaced Ihe science, we are acceler- aling our support of the technology to bridge that gap," Bush said. White House Chief of Staff John Sununu reportedly ordered changes in SAN JOSE, Cosla Rica (AP) -President-elect Rafael Angel Calderon and thousands of chanting supporters celebrated victory today as Cosla Kica embarked on ils second century as Central America's mosl stable democracy. wider victory margin for Calderon with twice as many votes counted. Calderon was also predicting party would win 33 of 57 National Assembly seats.

Voters also filled 525 municipal posts. The official count was suspended -Todav we have elected liberty and and was to resume this afternoon. democracvTo me presidency of Costa Castillo was breaking even- in- his democracy to -n Nalional Llbcratlon parly stronghold of San Jose, while Calderon was sweeping most of the countryside. Five minor parties were not a factor in the outcome. Both major candidates ran populisi campaigns aimed at the poor in this country of 2.9 million people.

The Rica," said Caldcron's main opponent, Carlos Manuel Castillo, in a graceful concession statement Sunday night. Castillo was Ihe governing party candidate to succeed Nobel laureate Oscar Arias, the architect and prime mover of Central America's peace process. Arias was barred from running for re-election. "I feel very proud of my country campaign was devoid of specifics, however. Calderon made a trip to Panama shortly after the U.S.

invasion in De- Ihe text to" mute U.S. concerns "about TM nu gtn peopl'c of Costa Rica," said ccrnbcr and supports Salvadoran pres- jdurn Alfredo Cristiani in his global warming. Sununu acknowledged Sunday he made some changes, but said they were simply to make the speech "reflective" of administration policy. Sununu also criticized "laceless" environmental bureaucrats he said want to force Americans to give up their cars. "If we hope to promote environmental protection and growlh around the world it will be important not to work in conflict, but with our industrial sectors," Bush told the scientists.

"You're called upon to deliver recommendations which strike a difficult and yet critical international bargain, a convergence between global environmental policies and global economic policies, a bargain where both perspectives benefit and neither is compromised," Bush told the scientists. The speech drew restrained applause from several hundred delegates. "There was no step forward in his speech," remarked Brooks Yeager of die National Audubon Society. Calderon at his Social Christian party's campaign headquarters. The 40-year-old Calderon, who was born in Nicaragua after his falher was sent into exile, had lears of joy in his eyes as he entered a San Jose hotel to the cheers of a flag-waving crowd.

Calderon, a strong supporter of U.S. policy in the region, was leading Castillo by 178,571 to 169,352, according to official returns representing about 20 percent of Sunday's vote. Unofficial returns showed a much his U.S.-backed fight against leftist guerrillas. However, he has expressed disappointment at U.S. aid to Cosla Rica, set at about $90 million for 1990 and due to fall about 30 percent in 1991.

"Just because we are a democracy does not mean we don't need help," he said. Costa Rica celebrated 100 years of democracy in October. Calderon's victory marks the 10th straight peaceful election in Cosla Rica since 1948. Opposition Members Added to Parliament in East Germany Postal Service Plans Changes in Delivery WEATHER Nation's WASHINGTON (AP) After hearing a deluge of complaints that ils service is inconsistent, die Postal Service will change its mail delivery standards in the hope of keeping its promises. The service also will hire an outside company to measure its performance and report the results publicly to make service more in delivery.

The biggest complaint was irregular service. Sometimes a letter mailed across town would arrive overnight, some- limes the second day, sometimes it took a week. People said they wanted consislcnt delivery, Frank said. They know when their check or magazine OF other rogju- WEST BERLIN (AP) East Germany's Parliament today added eight members of pro-democracy groups to Communist Premier Hans Modrow's government, giving the opposition seats in the Cabinet for the first time in the country's 40-year history. The Communists now hold less than half of the 36 Cabinet scats.

Also today, Parliament banned the ultra-right Republican Party of West Germany from operating in East Germany. The party had been hoping lo attract major voter support during upcoming elections. On Sunday, the Communist Party changed its name and promised to hand over $600 million in assets to the government in an attempt to refurbish its image before the elections. The first free balloting in the country's history is set for March 18. In an address to Parliament, Modrow said today that German reunification is inevitable, although many obstacles need to be overcome because the two German nations have vasdy different legal and financial structures.

He said his proposal last week thai a united Germany be neutral was not meant to be the final word on the matter. "I never believed that all points of my proposals would be accepted by everyone," he said. The United States and other NATO countries insist mat a united Germany be a part of the Western alliance. West Germany has said that while it seeks German unity, it will not leave NATO. Today, chance of mixed rain, snow showers.

Soulheasl winds to 20 mph. High, near 40. Probability of mea- sureable precipitation, 60 percent. Tonight, Tuesday, occasional snow showers. Soulhwest winds to 20 mph.

Temperatures, lower 30s: Probability of measureable precipitation, 80 perccnl: Sitka Weather ranged from 31 lo 39 degrees and snowfall measured .5 in the 24 hours ending midnight last night, reports Sitka Flight Service Station. The barometer was al 28.95 and holding sleady. Sunup was 7:52 a.m. and sunset will be 4:39 p.m. Alaska Summary Cold temperatures lo the minus 50s gripped some locations across ihe northern Interior this morning.

Numerous reports readings in ihc minus 30s and 40s were received from across the Interior. The very cold air extended all ihe way souih lo Bristol Bay, where King Salmon reported temperatures in die minus 30s. Alaska Temps 05 -3 0.00 Anncue.rain 41 35 0.70 fiarrow.snow -21 -27 0.57 -22 -34 0.00 fog -30 -46 0.00 Coldliay.snow 29 22 0.02 21 02 0.00 -9 -28 0.00 I fog -33 -41 0.00 Gulkana.missing -8 -26 1 20 12 0.00 Jtmcau.clear 33 27 0.00 Kcnai.cloudy 08 -17 0.00 KingSalmon.clear -11 -31 0.00 21 12 0.05 -24 -30 0.00 McGrath.clcar -26 -48 0.00 -15 -30 I -25 -33 PrudhocBay.snow -39 -46 in St.Paul,snow 34 26 I 14 08 It) Siika.cloudy 39 37 0.00 Talkectna.clcar -6 -25 0.00 13 7 0.00 Yakutal.cloudy 35 21 0.03 High, 41, Annciic Nation's Weather High pressure from Kansas to New Hngland spawned sunny skies and milder wcalhcr today as ihc weekend storm that dumped freezing rain and snow on the Pvast Coast moved out 10 ihc A antic. Clouds and cooler temperatures were due lo- day in the Great Ukcs, Texas and ihc South- cast. The Pacific Northwest looked for rain near Uic coast and snow in the Cascade Mountains loday.

Tour tornadoes touched down in central Alabama on Sunday, flinging tractor-trailer rigs across a highway near Birmingham and splintering buildings in Si. Glair County, but no deaths or serious injuries were reported. About 150 homes and 15 businesses were reported Albany.N.Y. Albuquerque Amanllo Ashcville Atlanta AtlanlicCity Austin Baltimore Billings Bismarck Boise Boston Brownsville Buffalo Casper Charleston Charleston.W.Va. Cheyenne Chicago Cincinnati Cleveland Columbus.Ohio Dallas-RWorth Dayton Denver DesMoincs Detroit ElPaio Evansvillc Fargo Flagstaff GrandRapids GreaiPalls Greensboro Helena Houston ana Jacksonville KansasCity I-as Vegas LittleRock Memphis Midland-Odessa Mpls-SiPaul Nashville NcwOrleans NcwYorkCily Norfolk.Va.

OklahomaCity Omaha Orlando Philadelphia Phoenix Pittsburgh Ponland, Maine Portland Providence RapidCity Reno Richmond Sacramento SflllUkcCiiy SaiiAntonio SanDicgo SanFrancisco Seattle Shrcvcpon Spokane Syracuse Tamp-SlPirsbg Topcka Tucson Tulsa just two lar mail, is sent and IhcySyant: before the agency is expected lo confident of when it will arrive. gliam. Hy Sunday, ihc second winter slorm in four days left Portland, Maine, beneath 16 inchci: of fresh weekend snow. Concord, N.H., and Syracuse, N.YV, received a foot of new snow, while Mompclicr, got 10 inches and Bangor, Maine, 9 inches. HI 28 44 59 68 69 47 56 46 50 50 40 33 67 26 47 71 60 74 52 41 45 34 79 40 60 38 58 50 31 62 44 47 41 33 45 64 40 82 61 37 54 84 46 52 52 61 48 45 78 62 35 49 61 63 40 67 57 52 86 44 69 46 17 48 33 64 39 63 56 44 46 66 57 58 S.I 43 44 55 39 28 81 48 71 55 50 43 44 Lo PrcOtlk 13 .43 cdy 28 clr 31 clr 32 .11 clr .37 cdy .08 clr cdy .07 clr cdy clr .05 sn .77 cdy cdy .06 cdy clr .10 clr .25 clr .12 clr cdy cdy .11 cdy .01 cdy .08 clr .22 cdy cdy .15 cdy clr cdy cdy clr .10 37 24 35 27 20 28 22 16 50 12 22 51 30 38 23 29 29 26 44 27 33 26 25 36 26 40 30 20 25 18 24 32 20 70 33 29 32 47 35 35 39 46 .61 cdy 32 .07 cdy 30 cdy 70 .01 clr fora 1991 rate increase.

"We've already done 29,000 interviews with die public," Postmaster, General Anthony Frank said about the: research that led lo planned changes 'Just tell me how many days ahead I have to mail my mother's birdiday Just tell me, I want lo be sure it's there," Frank quoted as a typical complaint Agun Troops Force Rivals From Key Town in Lebanon House Panel Reopens HUD Scandal Hearing WASHINGTON (AP) A former HUD official invoked his constitutional rights and refused to testify before a House panel today as it reopened its investigation into alleged widespread abuses in federal housing programs. James Hamemick, former director .14 .02 clr clr cdy cdy clr cdy cdy nj cdy clr cdy 01 me omce 01 insured mululaiimy housing, became the fifth former official of the Department of Housing and Urban Development ID refuse to testify before congressional investigators. Hamemick cited Fifth Amendment protections against self-incrimination in refusing to testify. Rep. Tom Lantos, chairman of Uic House Government Operations subcommittee on housing, said he had decided to resume a HUD probe despite Attorney General Dick Thornburgh's decision Thursday to seek appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate former Secretary Sam Hamemick invoked a House rule allowing subpoenaed witnesses to ban cameras and recording equipment from his appearance.

the subcommittee questioned Carol Crawford, former associate director of the Office of Management and Budget in the Reagan administration, at of the office of insured mulufamily who acknowledged that OMB shared' some responsibility for what Lanlos said was gross mismanagement HUD during those years. "I would say we have to accept a certain amount of responsibility," she said. Lantos said he had postponed the scheduled appearance of one principle witness, former HUD assistant secretary for housing Thomas Demery, who first appeared before the nanel in May 1989. Dcmery's attorney, Jerris Leonard, said he was told over the weekend that Lantos decided he "wanted to discuss Pierce and other former top housing with the independent counsel the officials. Thai appointment by a fed- question of whether or not Mr.

Dc- eral court is now automatic under the BEIRUT, Lebanon (AP) Gen. Michel Aoun's paratroopers drove holdouts of a rival Christian militia from a key coastal town north of Beirut today in preparation for a final assault lo dislodge the mililia from die capital, police said. Police said 64 more people were killed and 95 wounded in both Christian and Moslem neighborhoods since Sunday. The latesl casualties raised ihe toll to at least 274 people killed and 1,030 wounded in the week-old fighting between Aoun's forces and the militia of Samir Geagca. Making matters worse for Beirut residents, a four-hour gunbattle broke Savings Bonds Purchase Cut WASHINGTON (AP) The Treasury Department said today that beginning nexlOct.

1, it will not issue $50 and S75 Series EE savings bonds through payroll savings plans, making SI00 bonds Ihe minimum denomination for plan participants. "This slop is one of several initiatives that will assure the long-term strength of ihc savings bonds program by reducing administrative costs," Richard L. Gregg, commissioner of the public debt, said in a statement. The change docs not affect over- the-counter sales at financial inslilu- out between rival Shiilc Moslem factions in ihe southern slums on Sunday. Police said four people were killed and seven wounded before Syrian troops separated the Iranian-backed fundamentalist Hezbollah', or Party of God, and the Syrian-allied Amal militia.

Aoun began to regroup armored forces al the northern and northeastern entrances lo Beirut's eastern Christian sector after helicopter-borne paratroopers seized the strategic coastal town of Dbaye close-quarter com- bal Sunday, authorities said. A police spokesman today said Aoun's soldiers "are mopping up Geagca's Lebanese Forces militiamen from a few remaining pockets of resistance in Dbaye before turning to the Beirut battle." The latest casualties included 59 fighters killed and 70 wounded in ihe bailie for Dbaye. clr cJy cdy .02 cdy cdy .08 cdy .31 clr cdy cdy clr ffl clr clr .27 cdy .39 clr .04 .36 cdy clr sn .36 clr cdy rn cdy cdy .25 cdy cdy cdy clr .08 sn ctly cdy .17 cdy clr .46 cdy clr cdy clr cdy Wichila Wiljiiingloii.Dcl. Nalional Temperature Hxlrcincs: High Sunday 87 nl Oaytona West I'ahn Reach, and Melbourne, I la. at Hoiillon, Maine.

law. Pierce is among the olher former officials from the Reagan administration who have refused to testify. "As has happened in the past, mosi notably in the Watergate investigation and the Iran-Contra investigation there is occasionally a compelling need for simultaneous parallel investigations by Congress and by law enforcement," Lantos said, explaining his decision lo proceed further after holding more than 20 hearings last year. subcommittee is duly-bound to proceed wilh its investigation of abuses at HUD," he said. "This is particularly true since in recent weeks the subcommitlcc staff has uncovered a good deal of relevant new information." He declined lo say what thai information was.

Hamemick refused lo answer when Lanlos asked him whal HUD programs he discussed when he was entertained by Lance Wilson, a former lop aid lo Pierce who later became a housing consultant wilh Ihc Wall Street firm of Paine Webber. Wilson reported spending more than $2,000 in that job on meals and olhcr enter- laimncnl for llaincrnick in cxpcn.se acconnls filed wilh his employer. mcry should appear because he is at least a witness into the investigation Si a $7S bonds wi ofMr.Picrce'saclivitics." still be available. Stuart Wcisberg, the panel's chief counsel, said Dcmcry would have been questioned about Pierce. He said Lantos postponed Dcmery's testimony until an independent counsel is named and Ihey can discuss Demery's Child Left in School Bus appearance.

Thornburgh said the Justice Dc- partmcnl's preliminary inquiry into the allegations, which began Dec. 4, was hindered by me department's inability under the law to conduct grand jury proceedings or grant immunity lo witnesses. Despite a review of "voluminous Information" compiled by llic HUD inspector general and the House subcommittee and interviews wilh department officials, "a determination that no further investigation is warranted is virtually foreclosed," Thornburgh said. Any decision to drop the mailer "is made especially difficult by the breadth of Ihc allegations and (he fact that a number of figures central to the alleged conspiracy, including Secretary Pierce and his former executive assistant, Deborah Dean, have declined to be interviewed," Thomburgh said. KANSAS CITY, Mo.

(AP) A kindergarten pupil who fell asleep on the way home from school was hospitalized wilh frostbite after spending nearly iwo nights in a school bus wailing for help, aullioriiics said. Angela Terrell was in fair condition Sunday night at Children's Mercy Hospital, where she was recovering from frostbite to her hands, toes and legs, police said. The child boarded the Mayflower school bus Friday for Ashland Elementary School in midtown Kansas City, police said. When the girl did not Friday afternoon, her mother filed a missing person report with who began a search. Police found the girl early Sunday in the Mayflower school bus parking lot.

Temperatures fell to 24 degrees Saturday night. The bus driver was fired for failing to inspect the bus before leaving ihc route, said Kyle Martin, spokesman for Mayflower Contract Services. DAILY SITKA SENTINEL Thad Poulson Managing Editor. Published by Verstoyia Corporation, wholly owned in Sitka, daily except Saturday and Sunday at 112 Barracks Street, Sitka, Alaska 99835. Mail address: Box 799.

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