Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 1

Iff 11 Star at home Bulldogs win 0. Dow's dive Faith Hill fulfills a dream Friday, 10E. MSU tops Ole Miss 5-3 for Mayor's Trophy, 1 C. Market falls to four-month low, 5B. Metro edition Jackson, Mississippi Thursday March 31, 1994 Legislative pay raise incurs wrath of thousands of voters plESEEEESCia E23 350 1 6 1 5,461 1 94 ESULTS Do you support a pay raise for legislators? "If they give other people pay raises, why not give themselves one? By the way, if they don't give themselves a pay raise, who will?" Llllle Johnson, 36, Leland pen," Moak said.

Rep. Keith Montgomery of Clinton, who voted against the raise, said he got his first irate call at 6:15 a.m. Wednesday. "Then I stopped by the service station to gas up on the way to Jackson and it took me 45 minutes to get away from people wanting to talk about it," he said. Rep.

Joe Warren of Mount Olive, who favored the raise, said, "Some of those voting against it were desperately looking up at that board See PAY RAISE, 13A callers to the newsroom and other departments got only a busy signal. At least one legislator called the "Sound Off' line. "I registered my vote. It's a free country," said Rep. Bobby Moak of Bogue Chitto, one of 67 House members voting for the raise.

Enlarged clippings of the "Sound Off from the morning newspaper were scattered throughout both chambers of the Legislature Wednesday an attempt to get lawmakers to call the hotline. "I wouldn't say that didn't hap Christmas tree," said Johnna Van, spokeswoman for Gov. Kirk For-dice. "Every single call was against the pay raise." Van said Fordice's office received 1,072 callers. "I think I'm the one who deserves the pay raise," said receptionist Terri Smith, who fielded many of the governor's office calls.

The Clarion-Ledger got 5,811 responses on its "Sound Off' line that asked readers if the Legislature should increase its pay. The large number of calls almost crippled the newspaper's phone system. Many Callers sound off at Capitol to show their displeasure. By Mac Gordon Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer 1 Thousands of angry Mississippi taxpayers jammed phone lines at the Capitol, the Governor's Mansion and The Clarion-Ledger Wednesday in response to legislators voting themselves an $8,640 'pay raise. "Our phone lines lit up like a "This is contemptible, and a sad commentary on their integrity.

Everyone who voted for it should be fired." Broox Sledge, 75. Macon Responses are telephone calls from Clarion-Ledger readers. Results are unscientific. Due to the large volume of calls, some readers were unable to reach the Sound Oft line. OH a 1 i The vice president addresses community forum, chats with kids.

By Carmen McCollum Clarion-Ledger Delta Bureau GREENVILLE Vice Presi-dent Al Gore began and ended his Delta tour Wednesday, staring into the eyes of children and answering questions about their future. Nekasha Washington, 4, shyly looked up at the vice president as he stepped into her examining room at Delta Health Center on the first of his Greenville stops to discuss community empowerment. "What's your favorite TV show?" Gore asked, smiling down at the little girl as he wrapped his right arm around her shoulder. Looking down, the youngster didn't respond until her grandmother, Marvin Washington, whispered, Barney. Then the little girl smiled and nodded.

Also clustered around her were Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy and 2nd District U.S. Rep. Bennie Thompson. At E.E. Bass Auditorium, Gore sat on the floor to talk eye-to-eye with another 4-year-old, Jacquice Riley of Greenville, who exchanged a high five with the vice president before asking about the future of Head Start.

"Head Start is a very good program, and we passed it by the narrowest of margins," Gore told her. Gore, in a navy blue suit and sky blue shirt with a burgundy and green striped tie, was followed by a legion of reporters, photographers, staff and Secret Servicemen. On every corner, Greenville residents stood at the curb, waving to a procession of limousines and vans, Ji Senate sends school prayer to governor ACLU says there likely will be litigation over the proposed new law. By Emily Wagster Clarion-Ledger Staff Writer Senators Wednesday sent Gov. Kirk Fordice a school-prayer bill despite concerns that it may not be constitutional.

"I say we're messing with something that's going to cause a whole lot more confusion," said Sen. Johnnie Walls Jr. of Greenville. "I don't think we can do anything in this regard that is going to be constitutional." Sen. Roger Wicker of Tupelo said allowing school prayer would bring religion to children who might not be exposed to it at home.

"This is so innocuous," Wicker said. "It must be student-initiated." The bill would require Mississippi public schools to allow "non-sectarian, non-proselytizing, student-initiated voluntary prayer" at compulsory and non-compulsory school events. House members approved it 109-11 Tuesday. Senators approved it 41-9. "I have every reason to believe the governor will sign the bill," said Fordice Chief of Staff Andy Taggart David Ingebretsen of Jackson, a board member of the Mississippi American Civil Liberties Union, said ACLU lawyers are studying the bill.

"I'm fairly sure there will be some litigation," Ingebretsen said. "Again, the Mississippi Legislature is showing it doesn't really care what the Constitution says." The Senate earlier this month approved a bill that covered only non-compulsory events such as football games. A conference committee of House and Senate members added compulsory events before sending it to both chambers for a final vote. On Wednesday, senators tried unsuccessfully to send the bill back to committee to try to remove the word "compulsory." Sen. Dick Hall of Jackson, who has spoken out for school prayer since the beginning of the session, led the move to recommit the bill, saying he fears legislators are inviting lawsuits if prayer is allowed at compulsory events.

Hall voted for the bill as did other senators who argued to remove the word "compulsory." Earlene Johnson, whose children are in second-grade and fifth-grade at Northwest Rankin Attendance Center, said she remembers starting each school day in prayer as a student in Jackson and she wants the same for her children. "We as Christians need to have some rights, too," said Johnson, 33. "It always has meant a lot to me when I attend events and they start with prayer." Tannen MauryThe Associated Press Vice President Al Gore addresses a community empowerment forum Thompson (left) and Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy. Earlier Wednes-Wednesday in Greenville. With him are 2nd District U.S.

Rep. Bennie day, Gore visited a health care clinic in Greenville. Community Enterprise Board that sponsors the Empowerment Zone. "This clinic is what community empowerment is all about," said Delta Health Center director L.C. See GORE, 13A Gore visits storm victims, 1 1A hoping for a glimpse of the vice president.

"The center was packed by the time we got out there," said Jo Ann Savage, of Greenville. "We stayed there for an hour and a half and waved to him as he left." easier access to many federal programs aimed at boosting the economy. Gore said nine empowerment zones will be chosen around the country six in urban areas and three in rural areas. He heads the president's federal Flanked by Espy and Thompson, Gore answered questions on health care and community empowerment in a town meeting. A community empowerment designation entitles a district to federal grants, tax benefits and Lucedale inventor says NAFTA validates motor patent But the U.S.

Patent Office still tjSllfcS JrK'S'S -4 rwiV, VX'sl 1 dismisses hlS perpetUal-mOtlOn then, that God had chosen me to warn the I 'fZi dismisses his perpetual-motion then, that God had chosen me to warn the Ami mi H' you will still have to file in each of the three countries," he said. NAFTA is an agreement designed to ease trade barriers among Mexico, Canada and the United States. Newman, 58, said Skillington's comments were no surprise. "Those people are not competent at all," he said. "The patent office people have fought me constantly." In the late 1980s, Newman was flooded with attention including a guest spot on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson for his invention, a motor that he says produces more energy than it uses.

The publicity ended in 1989, after he claimed God had told him to marry the 8-year-old daughter of his secretary, and he sent out a news release announcing it. A Youth Court order removed the child from his home. world, are still true." He said then that God was trying to foster religious tolerance by ordering him to marry the child. In the years since, Newman said, he has worked to make his motor more compact and easier to produce and distribute. The nature of the motor is such that it is self-sustaining, he said, able to charge the batteries that power it.

It uses a variation of traditional electric motor design to capitalize on magnetic energy. Newman claims that by increasing the amount of copper wire in the motor, the amount of electricity needed to run the motor is reduced. He plans a new demonstration of the motor by early summer. He hopes to arrange it with an independent builder who See NEWMAN, 13A machine as bogus. By Sharon Stallworth Clarion-Ledger Gulf Coast Bureau Joseph Newman and his energy machine are back.

Newman, the eccentric Lucedale inventor who has tried for years to patent his much-disputed machine, says the passage of the North American Free Trade Agreement validates a Mexican patent he has held since 1989. His perennial foe, the U.S. Patent Of-Jfice, says it does not. "It's difficult to know what he thinks," 'Lee Skillington, staff attorney in the Office of Legislation and International Affairs, Isaid of Newman's claim. "There are some things that someone fcould twist to say that but basically, I if' Clarion-Ledger file photo Joseph Newman demonstrates his energy machine in an automobile in November 1989.

INDEX LOOKING FOR HELP TKS FORECAST Sunny with highs in the mid-60s. Clear and continued cool to For convenient home delivery of The Clarion-Ledger, call 961-7200 1-800-222-8015, Extension 7200 00 I People 2A Southern Style 1D Sports 1C State Metro 1B Stocks TV schedules TV Tonight 6D Copyright 1994 Advertiser index 4A Cryptoquip 3D Ann Landers 3D Deaths 2B Bridge 3D Horoscope 3D Business 5B Jack Sunn 4B Classified 7C Jumble 3D Comics 4D Movies 12-16E Crosswords 3D Opinion 14.15A In an attempt to stop a high-rise apartment gang war in Chicago, tenants are willing to let police search the units for guns without obtaining warrants. But the proposal is starting another battle a legal one. Story, 5A night with lows in the mid-30s. Weather, 16A I Volume 157 No.

42 5 sections 66 pages.