Clarion-Ledger from Jackson, Mississippi • Page 12

OARIONLEDGER.COM 12AMTHE CLARION-LEDGER WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2008 Lald-off workers win round in Chicago sit-in The Associated Press CHICAGO The creditor of a Chicago plant where laid-off employees are conducting a sit-in to demand severance pay said Tuesday it would extend loans to the factory so it could resolve the dispute, but the workers declared their protest unfinished. A resolution seemed nearer as Bank of America, which yanked the plant's financing last week, announced it sent a letter to Republic Windows and Doors offering "a limited amount of additional loans" to resolve its employee claims. About 200 of the 240 laid-off workers had responded to their three days' notice of the plant closing by staging a sit-in and vowing to stay put until assurances they would get severance and accrued vacation pay. Lawmakers have criticized Bank of America for cutting off money to the plant after it exhausted its credit line, even though the Charlotte, N.C.-based bank itself received $25 billion from the government's financial bailout package. Word of Bank of America's loan offer came as the bank, union representatives and Republic held talks in Chicago on the fifth day of the sit-in.

Leah Fried, an organizer for the United Electrical Workers, which represents the Republic workers, said it was too soon to know whether the sit-in would end soon. Workers would have to vote to end the action, but she said there was no such deal as of Tuesday night. Workers have remained defiant, if surprised that their protest has drawn intense nationwide interest, including expressions of support from President-elect Barack Obama. 1 never thought this would get so big," said Ricardo Caceres, a 39-year-old assembly line worker taking part in the sit-in. "I am proud of my brother and sister workers." In its statement Tuesday, Bank of America sided at least in part with the disgruntled workers, expressing concern for what it alleged was "Republic's failure to pay their employees the employee claims to which they are legally entitled." The loan would be designed only to enable Republic to pay laid-off workers, said bank spokeswoman Julie Wester-mann.

There was no question of offering a loan large enough to reopen the factory, she said. Asked whether the bank sympathized with the laid-off workers, Westermann said, "Of course we do." She added that bank officials were ready to begin the loan-approval process if talks concluded with an agreement. Cities: Natchez wants $5M to renovate arts center From 1A nun Hm iM tmnm wmmtmm mmi -1Mapjpli I Charles Rangel, chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. Governors also have been lobbying Congress and the incoming administration for financial assistance. But several mayors said direct aid to cities offers the quickest road to recovery.

"We're closest to the people, and our people want to go back to work," Chicago Mayor Richard M. Daley said. "This will be good for America." But GOP leaders are resistant to the plan, saying it would place a new burden on struggling taxpayers. House Minority Leader John Boehner said "now is not the time to make matters even worse by asking taxpayers to pay for a slate of new government spending in the name of 'economic Gannett News Service staff writer Led-yard King contributed to this report. Contact Ana Radelat at $1 million for a South Street railroad overpass.

$8.5 million for a new water transmission main. $6.6 million for 180 new police officers. $2 million for 60 new firefighters. It's unclear how many of the proposed public works projects mayors are submitting would be funded in a stimulus package, but Walker said "something is better than nothing." Obama has made spending on public works projects a key element of his plan to revive the moribund economy. In a Saturday radio address to the nation, Obama said he wants to "create millions of jobs by making the single-largest new investment in our national infrastructure since the creation of the federal highway system in the 1950s." Key lawmakers support the stimulus plan.

"We can't run away from our schools. We can't run away from our hospitals. We can't run away from our transit systems," said Rep. Meadville, Meridian and Natchez also have submitted their wish lists. Greenville's list includes $15.6 million to begin development of a downtown National Heritage area.

Natchez asked for $5 million to renovate a former school building for use as an arts center. But Jackson's list is the longest. It includes: $10 million for a city swim center with four Olympic-size pools. $30 million to expand a runway at Jackson-Evers International Airport. $6.5 million to acquire property and build 30 single-family homes in the historic Farish Street district.

$3 million to improve Medgar Evers Boulevard. $4.2 million for four new fire trucks. $2.1 million to buy 100 new police cruisers. $8.4 million to replace heating systems at Murrah and Provine high schools. lUeathe About 11K lack power FromlA I SMhliMSWib -B: I Preston York fsfV I I Single breasted walker.

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I A I I I I While there were no reports of serious injuries by 10 p.m., tornadoes were spotted in Yazoo, Humphreys, Franklin and Rankin counties. Entergy spokesman Mara Hart-mann estimated about 1 1,000 customers were without power, mostly in Natchez, Brookhaven and Clinton. "There were scattered outages from Senatobia down to Natchez," Hartmann said. Old Benton Road in Yazoo City was one of hardest hit areas, with at least two homes with major damage, said Greg Flynn, a MEMA spokesman. MEMA also received several reports of trees blocking roads near Old Benton Road and US.

49. Yazoo County reported inch-sized hail and flash flooding. There was one unconfirmed report of a person trapped inside a home in Yazoo County. The National Weather Service received several reports of funnel clouds and one tornado that touched down southeast of Yazoo City, senior meteorologist Mike Edmondstonsaid. "A storm chaser driving on (Mississippi) 16 said he saw several houses damaged, an outhouse that was destroyed and a businesses that had windows blown out.

He said he couldn't go any further because trees were blocking the road," Edmondston said. Damage to several homes in Holmes County was reported, along with one home being destroyed in Franklin County, MEMA reported. Louisiana communities also saw storm damage. At least three tornadoes touched down in the Alexandria area Tuesday, scattering debris and knocking down a cinderblockwall. National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Sweeney said two tornadoes touched down about 11:30 a.m.

near the Red Cross headquarters in Alexandria, and a third toppled the wall of the Acme Refrigeration building there. Authorities said a tornado was spotted northeast of Olla at about 12:30 p.m. Radar indicated others near Jena and Many, Sweeney said. "It's been a very active day," said C.S. Ross, a hydrologist with the Shreveport office of the National Weather Service.

"We're still trying to pin down some of the damage." Authorities reported Tuesday evening receiving reports of flooding in Alexandria, Natchitoches and Pineville. The Associated Press contributed to this report. To comment on this story, call Nicklaus Lovelady at (601) 961-7239. Dillard's The Style of Christmas. Ed R6Wd rd PO i ntS toward more Dillard's Reward Certificates every time you shop.

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