Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 1

rTT "T'T'i r'Tyr 7-foot-7 teen Walnut's Max Edward Palmer hit 78 points in a game in the '40s, 1D. Inmates with AIDS Chemical plant As many as 100 state prisoners may be infected with the virus, 1B. West German firms helped Libya build factory, report says, 3A. Metro edition Jackson, Mississippi Thursday January 12, 1989 35t if U.S. Supreme Court will decide fate of Choctaw twins Non-Indians adopted the 3-year-olds, who were born off the reservation By Joe Atkins Gannett News Service Gulfport, lawyer for adoptive parents Vivian Joan Holy-field and the late Orrey Holyfield.

He's also representing the children's natural parents. "This is a case where the mother and father sought adoptive parents These children are 3 years old Bonding has taken place." Mississippi courts are "trying to divest tribes of their rights said Edwin Smith of Philadelphia, attorney for the Choctaw tribe. Lawyers for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the adoptive and natural parents argued about whether state courts can override tribal authority in allowing an Indian mother to put her illegitimate children up for adoption when they were born off the reservation. The high court expects to reach a decision in the case by early July. "This is not an attempt to involuntarily take the children away from the reservation," said Edward Miller of The case focuses on an unmarried, pregnant Choctaw Indian woman who ventured off the tribe's reservation in Neshoba County, gave birth to the children in Gulf-port and then gave them up for adoption to the Holy-fields.

The natural parents, identified in previous news reports as Jennie Bell and Windell Jefferson, still live on the reservation. Mrs. Holyfield lives in Gulfport with See CHOCTAW, back page WASHINGTON The fate of 3-year-old Choctaw Indian twins from Mississippi, torn between their non-Indian adoptive mother and tribal leaders, fell into the lap of the U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday. 1 i 1 i sAv Reagan reflects: In his farewell speech, the president stresses the improved Soviet relations.

The Associated Press On accomplishments: "The way I see it, there were two great triumphs, two things that I'm proudest of. One is the economic recovery, in which the people of America created and filled 19 million new jobs. The other is the recovery of our morale: America is respected again in the world, and looked to for leadership." On regrets: "I've been asked if I have any regrets. I do. The deficit is one.

I've been talking a great deal about that lately, but tonight isn't for arguments and I'm going to hold my tongue." More testimony on deaf school official planned More witnesses will be called today in the superintendent's hearing. By Beverly Canerdy Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Officials expect hearings to continue at least one or two more days before trustees for Mississippi School for the Deaf decide whether to fire longtime Superintendent Alma Alexander. Six witnesses for the state were called Wednesday, the first day of the closed-door hearing before trustees. Special Assistant Attorney General Jane Buttross said she expects to call 20 to 25 witnesses. "I suspect we will finish our case tomorrow," she said Wednesday afternoon after the hearing recessed for the day.

Alexander's attorney, Steve Wright of Jackson, said the number of witnesses he calls "totally depends" on what the state does. Trustees suspended Alexander Dec. 6 in the wake of allegations of physical and sexual abuse at the school. Proceedings to fire her began Dec. 14.

Alexander is not accused of any direct abuse; she has denied any wrongdoing. Emerging during a break in Wednesday's hearing, Alexander said she is "generally optimistic" about the proceeding. Two former deaf school students, two former employees, a current deaf school student and her mother testified Wednesday, the day after trustees upheld the firing of Randy Brightwell, who was high school principal at the facility. Reasons for his firing have not been publicized. One of the former students testifying in Alexander's hearing was the only witness called during Brightwell's hearing Tuesday.

In a regular board meeting that preceded Wednesday's hearing, the board authorized acting superintendent Clyde Benton to "seek out and hire" a high school principal for See DEAF, back page WASHINGTON President Reagan bade the nation a sentimental and contented farewell Wednesday night, asserting he had forged "a satisfying new closeness" with the Soviet Union and saying overall of his eight years in office: "We meant to change a nation and instead we changed a world. Speaking nine days before his retirement to California, Reagan said, "The fact is parting is such sweet sorrow." He reflected on the modern presidency, "You're always somewhat apart. You spend a lot of time going by too fast in a car someone else is driving." In an Oval Office speech delivered to a prime-time broadcast audience, he said his chief regret was the mammoth budget deficit that accumulated after he pushed through the biggest tax cut in American history. Reagan addressed the nation from his Oval Office desk, his left hand in a splint and swathed in bandages. The president had surgery over the weekend to straighten a curvature of his left ring finger that had been caused by an ailment known as Dupuytren's Contracture.

Reagan said his chief triumphs were the nation's economic recovery and "the recovery of our morale" and America's position as a world leader. He said his tenure had stood for freedom and proved that "democracy, the profoundly good, is also profoundly productive." He said, "Nothing is less free than pure communism, and yet we have, over the past few years, forged a satisfying new closeness with the Soviet Union." His relationship with Mikhail Gorbachev blossomed in the course of over five meetings during Reagan's second term. "My view is that President Gorbachev is different from previous Soviet leaders," Reagan said. "I think he knows some of the things wrong with his society and is trying to fix them." His recommendation for the future was simple. "What it all boils down to is this: I want the new close- ness to continue." He followed up with his traditional warnings, "Trust but verify Watch closely and don't be afraid to see what you see." The national debt almost tripled in Reagan's term and he ran up the biggest budget deficits in history.

His final budget proposal, released earlier this week for the 1990 fiscal year starting Oct. 1, projects a deficit of $92.5 billion. "Action is still needed," he said. "If we're to finish the job, Reagan's Regiments will have to become Bush's Brigade." He called himself a "citizen politician" who sought office "in part to put up my hand and say, to big government, and added, "I think we have stopped a lot of what needed stopping." He said he had changed America through the tax cuts, which, he said, gave people greater incentive to work. He said his tenure had changed the world with a treaty to reduce superpower nuclear stockpiles.

Moreover, he said, his term had seen "the regional conficts that rock the globe" begin to recede. He cited Afghanistan, the Middle East and Angola. He also said, "Countries across the globe are turning to free market and free speech." Of the disappointments during See REAGAN, back page Rick GuyThe Clarion-Ledger Alma Alexander, superintendent of the Mississippi fired. The hearing before the school's board of trust-School for the Deaf, talks with reporters Wednesday, ees is expected to last several days. With Alexander the first day of hearings to determine if she will be are lawyer Steve Wright and paralegal Jane Ann Lee.

No monument marks place of '64 civil rights slayings i i 1 is not the only historical event overlooked from the 1960s. State historian Michael Beard said he knows of no markers erected to commemorate the significant events in the civil rights era in Mississippi. "We lost funding for state historical markers since 1980," Beard said. "We haven't been able to add any." The state NAACP did erect a granite monument at Philadelphia to honor Andrew Good- man, Micnaei scnwerner ana james naney, who were shot on a dusty road and buried in an earthern dam in rural Neshoba County. Eight men were convicted in 1967 of conspiring to deprive the three of their civil rights a federal charge and were handed sentences ranging from three to 10 years.

A Neshoba County grand jury said it could not return murder indictments in 1964 because the FBI wouldn't turn over all its evidence. See MARKER, back page An ex-NAACP official says recognition by the state would "show we actually have changed." jy Jerry Mitchell Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer No state monument marks the site near Philadelphia where three slain civil rights workers were found buried in an earthen dam in 1964. And the lack of a monument off Mississippi 19 INDEX Lott visits luka plant site, vows support for project Lucedale inventor's energy machine gains patent from Mexican officials Joseph Newman has been unable to win U.S. approval of the motor. By John Maines Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer "This isn't a victory for me, it's a victory for the human race." Joe Newman Ann Landers 5C Business 8B Classified 7C Comics 5D Crosswords Deaths 2B Entertainment 5C Horoscope 2C Jumble 9C Opinion 10,1 1A People 2A Southern Style 1C Sports 1D State Metro 1B Stocks TV-Radio Log 6C WEATHER Rain likely.

High 70. Details, 12A. Volume 152 No. 227 4 sections 44 pages Copyright 1989 to his coastal district were distortions by the media. "I want to correct the record," Lott said.

"My whole position on Yellow Creek and this rocket motor' plant was distorted in the process of an election." Lott also said he is optimistic about federal funding for the site despite the federal budget deficit. The senator, on his first trip back to Mississipppi since his Jan. 3 inauguration into the 101st Congress, met with elected officials and local business leaders. His plans to meet with local residents at a Rotary Club were thwarted by flight delays. After touring the See LOTT, back page The senator says his stance on the NASA facility was distorted.

By Reed Branson Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer IUKA U.S. Sen. Trent Lott worked Wednesday to reassure northeast Mississippians he staunchly supports the planned space shuttle solid rocket plant north of here. Lott, in a news conference before touring the abandoned Yellow Creek nuclear facility, charged that accusations that he had bad-mouthed the site while a U.S. representative in order to bring the plant Lucedale inventor Joseph Newman said Wednesday he's received a Mexican patent on his controversial energy machine and that he soon will take production of the device south of the border.

Newman said he is contacting corporations and hopes to enter into a licensing agreement that will allow a private firm to produce his unique electric motors as well as lawnmowers, washers, dryers, boats and a range of other products powered by the devices. "I want it to reach a broad spectrum," Newman said. "It could even be applied to space travel." The patent office in Mexico City could not be reached to confirm his claim. Newman is the inventor of popular plastic-coated barbells and has several other patents. He gained the attention of national media with claims his electromagnetic motor releases untapped energy harnessed within atoms, but he has unsuccessfully battled the U.S.

government in seeking a patent. See NEWMAN, back page f..