Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 19

Star TribuneTuesday August 131991 A Minneapolis ordinance fails the white-glove SBw test Court finds shades of gray in 'clean and sanitary' rule By Margaret Zack Staff Writer i A Minneapolis woman has success-" fully challenged a city ordinance that residents to keep their i homes in a "clean and sanitary con-r, a decision to be filed today, the ri, Minnesota Court of Appeals said the ordinance is vague as it was applied Reha. i 'Clean' and 'sanitary' are elastic susceptible of -different fniuieanings in different contexts," Judge Harriet Lansing for a o.fhree-member panel of the Appeals 1 Jn the housekeeping context, "clean and sanitary" is a highly variable and subjective standard, the decision Reha's 19-year-old daughter corroborated her testimony. Stan Nathanson, Reha's attorney, said the case is important because a person charged with an offense must know that the conduct violated the law. He said Reha didn't understand the charge, adding that it was clear that inspector had the discretion to determine what conditions in the home violated the ordinance. "I have a strong personal conviction that a person is not a criminal if she doesn't keep a clean house," Nathan-son said.

In another decision, the court ruled that a Ramsey County District judge erred when he revoked the probation appealed. City Attorney Robert Alfton said yesterday that he didn't know how many people have been prosecuted under the ordinance but said he believed' it was a small number. The thrust of the ordinance is to get people to clean up their homes and most who are cited comply, he said. A Minneapolis Health Department inspector went to Reha's home in November 1989 after receiving a complaint about clutter there. At Reha's trial, the inspector said the unclean and unsanitary conditions included five garbage bags on the back porch, a barrel on the porch, clothing on a clothes line, clothes, clutter on the stairs, an apple cider bottle that Grow Political, ii.

r. Union leaders vow not Record soybean, near-record corn crops expected "4 IT iimruui IS jflGftH 7 1 toAWO' ni 1 1 JM''I I INN Kr I I rr iO, I I 'Iff uiawiiiminawiM A to eat at restaurant ma fi Associated Press Minnesota farmers will harvest a record soybean crop and a near-record corn crop, judging by Aug. 1 growing conditions, the Minnesota Agricultural Statistics Service said Monday. But Carroll Rock, state agriculture statistician, said the small-grain harvest is disappointing. In its monthly crop outlook, the service estimated the 1991 soybean crop at 201.7 million bushels, which would break the previous record of 18S million bushels set in 1989.

That's an increase of 12 percent from last year's crop. The projected average yield of 37 bushels per acre is down two bushels from last year's record. Rock said soybean acreage is up considerably this year because many farmers planted soybeans instead of wheat and corn because of a wet spring. Soybeans can be planted later in the season than wheat and corn. Corn production was projected at 755.2 million bushels, down 1 percent from last year's record of 762.6 million bushels.

The projected yield of 128 bushels per acre surpasses the previous high of 127 bushels set in 1987 and is up four bushels from last The court said Reha could not reasonably determine what conduct was required or prohibited because the city ordinance provides no objective standard against which she could measure the condition of her south Minneapolis home. The court found the ordinance unconstitutional only as it applied to Reha, but her attorney said Monday that he believed the city would run into the same problems if it tried to enforce the ordinance against other residents. A jury found Reha guilty of violating the ordinance this past September and Hennepin County District Judge William Christensen sentenced her to 35 days in jail or a $700 fine. She nonunion workers get, but also because their benefits were good. Hotel workers received full medical and dental coverage.

The workers say they believe that current Normandy employees are getting little more than minimum wage and that the benefits have been greatly reduced. Noble won't compare wages and benefits of employees now working with what was paid the people now picketing. He only says wages and benefits at the Normandy are competitive with the rest of the hotels in the city, most of which are now nonunion. And then he says again that this dispute is not about unions or economics but rather about "image." Old employees had to be replaced because they represented a losing image, he says. They worked during the time that the Normandy went bankrupt under the ownership of Trarrfmel Crow, a Texas-based company.

The old workers don't know whether to laugh, cry or get outraged over that bit of Noblese. Yes, the Normandy went into Bankruptcy Court, but the Nobles came out of bankruptcy in excellent shape. For starters, the Noble family sold the Normandy to Trammel Crow for about $13 million in 1983. Then the Noble family drew salaries from Trammel Crow for managing the hotel. Then the Noble faigily bought the hotel back million in 1990.

It appears, the out-of-work workers that bankruptcy was very profitable for the Nobles. "I won't comment on that," said Noble. The former workers also say that Tom Noble Sr. and Tom Noble Jr. promised many of them their jobs back when the hotel was closed for renovation just before Christmas.

"He (Tom Jr.) walked around and told us how bad he felt that it was going to be closed for a while," St. Germain said. "But then he'd say things like, 'Are you going to want your job And we'd say, 'of Paul brewery ments were reached late last week with all four of the unions that represented the nearly 250 people who worked at the plant until it was closed by G. Heileman Brewing Co. in June 1990.

He said a deal between his group, which is led by Minneapolis investor Bruce Hendry, and Heileman, of La Crosse, could be made final "any day now." Several questions about ownership of some property and equipment at the plant still remain. "This was the main obstacle, really," McMahon said of the union conces Continued from page IB i renovation, has reopened and that all old union employees are out of juck. But despite Noble's regrets, many of those former employees to take losing their jobs personally. Monday morning they picketed the Normandy, and their union. Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union, Local 17, said picketing will continue until there is room again in the Inn for the old J1'1 porkers.

rll Although Noble says this is not a pnion-management issue, it appears -jr-to be that and much more. He knew he-decided not to bring back -jhe old employees that he was "5 running the risk not only of drawing pickets but also of offending labor and political leaders. a-'; jn recent years, the Normandy, one i of the few union banquethotel facilities in Minneapolis, had become the meeting and eating hall of choice many unions. Its coffee shop was favorite hangout of City Hall employees. Union and political leaders have let Noble know that they won't be back until the old workers have returned.

90 -i Noble won't say how damaging the absence of the labor and City Hall could be to his business. He ays he hopes "they will understand" Jmd return to the establishment. Another major issue that surrounds Nthis dispute is whom the convention and tourism business is going to 1 benefit. Will such things as the ir publicly supported Convention Center and the taxpayer-subsidized Super Bowl create more wealth for a -handful of wealthy hotel executives ('and a few more bad jobs for the working poor? Or will it create a large 'pool of low-paying but stable jobs for uch people as the former Normandy -employees? l- The old Normandy workers don't "think it's hard to figure out why "they're out on the street. They say they lost their jobs not only because their union contract paid better wages some maids were paid about $6.40 an hour than Staff Photo by Joey McLeister of Max Weisberg of St.

Paul, who I pleaded guilty in 1989 to bookmak-ing and was charged again in May 1990. Weisberg was found not guilty of that charge by reason of mental deficiency. He was on probation for 15 years for the earlier offense and was told he was not to commit similar violations. Judge Lawrence Cohen revoked the probation after Weisberg was acquitted in 1990 and ordered him to spend 20 days in jail. Weisberg was to be in jail during the time surrounding the Super Bowl and the state high school hockey and basketball games, i The Appeals Court decided that, because Weisberg was acquitted of the second bookmaking charge, there was no factual basis for finding that he had engaged in a similar violation of the law.

year. But Rock said cooler-than-normal weather during the past three weeks in the state's main corn and soybean growing range could hamper development of the state's two major cash crops. Sugar-beet production was estimated at 5.96 million tons, an increase of 1 1 percent from 1990. The average yield of 16.5 tons per acre is up 1.7 tons from last year. The spring wheat crop was pegged at 75.1 million bushels, a decline of 56 percent from last year.

The estimated yield of 36 bushels per acre is 13 bushels below last year. Durum production is estimated at 1.1 million bushels, a 20 percent decrease from 1990. The yield estimate of 35 bushels per acre is down nine bushels. Barley producers are expected to harvest 43.8 million bushels, a drop of 13 percent' from a year earlier. The average yield is projected to decrease 13 bushels to 50 bushels per acre.

The oats crop of 27 million bushels is only about half of last year's output. The average yield of 45 bushels per acre is down 21 bushels from 1990. toxin presence Wheat scab, also known as head blight or tombstone scab, is a disease caused by a certain mold that is common in wheat-producing regions. The same type of mold sometimes produces vomitoxin. Redalcn said that the question about the existence of vomitoxin surfaced almost two weeks ago when a baking and milling operation in the state of Washington said it refused Minnesota spring wheat because of the toxin.

Rcdalen said he has also received reports that some grain elevators are rejecting scab-damaged wheat. The reports come from Chippewa, Clay, Clearwater, Kandiyohi, Kittson, Lac Qui Parle, Roseau, Stearns, Stevens, Traverse, Yellow Medicine and Wil-ken counties. had flown to Milaca for a Sunday morning breakfast sponsored by a local civic organization. The couple was returning home at about 1 1 a.m. when the accident occurred.

The two-seat plane, piloted by Richard Milner, drifted across the runway during takeoff and nearly collided with another plane before it crashed in willow brush at the end of the runway and burst into flames, Swedin said. The cause of the crash is not known. Swedin said the Federal Aviation Administration is investigating. all the things they've done in the last eight years or so. I have no plans for bringing anybody else up here with me.

My first job is to get to know the people at the station." He apparently made a favorable first impression. Staff members said he seemed friendly and down-to-earth. Echoing staff members who didn't want to speak on the record, Miles said employees generally seemed relieved by the announcement. "We've been living in somewhat of a limbo situation here," she said. "Now that we know we have a general manager here, we can get on with our jobs." Farm loans frozen until wheat A member of the Hotel and Restaurant Workers Union who identified herself as a worker picketed Monday outside the Normandy Inn in downtown Minneapolis.

The inn, which shut down for renovation, refused to rehire any of its former workers when it reopened. smelled of urine and a bowl of uneaten food. Reha testified that her home was "disorganized," but attributed that to ongoing interior and exterior renovations, the court decision said. She said that even though her only income is from Social Security disability payments, she helps others by collecting old clothes, then washing and mending the garments before donating them to charitable organizations. The garbage bags contained clothing, she said.

The apple cider bottle contained cider, Reha said. She said there may have been uneaten food because the inspectors came at mealtime. where they once toiled. Noble Jr. denied that he ever told former workers they'd be rehired when the renovation was completed.

He denied that he's told former employees to stay out of the hotel. He also said hes not blaming the former workers for all of the hotel's previous financial problems. The old workers were just one facet of a complex series of problems, he said. "Everything has changed in the world," he said. "That includes the hotel industry." And thpn he talked again of how he wishes his old employees well.

hurdle tion increases, wages and benefits could return to where they were before the plant was shut down. The McMahon-Hendry group wants to brew Grain Belt beer in the brewery as well as establish a new regional brand. Purchase and startup would cost an estimated $8 million. About 75 jobs would be available at the plant if" it were to reopen. Virtually all of them could eo to former Schmidt workers, many of whom remain jobless.

staff. One rumor had it that she had taken time off for surgery, another that Gannett executives had told her to take some time off to decide whether she wanted to be a minister or a TV-station manager. Contacted last week at Gannett Broadcasting's headquarters in Arlington, Townsend said that he understood that Brook had take time off for health reasons. He declined to comment further about her absence or on the rumor that she was planning to file a religious-discrimination suit against Gannett if she were forced out. Brook was not present at KARE yesterday when Townsend and Gannett Chairman Cecil Walker read the brief announcement of her resignation at a noontime staff meeting and introduced Price, the new general manager.

They did not take any questions from the employees. is checked for By Associated Press A toxin that causes vomiting in animals may have tainted some of Minnesota's wheat crop, and a federal agency Monday ordered all of its county offices in the state to stop issuing loans on 1991 farm-stored wheat. The Agricultural Stabilization and Conservation Service said that the order, which took effect immediately, is temporary until more information is available. The toxin, called vomi-toxin, is not considered harmful to humans. Also yesterday, state Agriculture Commissioner Eldon Redalcn ordered immediate tests to determine whether the hard red spring wheat crop has been contaminated.

Plymouth couple injured in plane crash And he'd say, 'Then you'll be Now I see them say that it was because of us they went bankrupt. I think about that and I think about how I called in sick maybe five times in the 20 years I worked there. A lot of us were like that, but now we're supposed to be the reason they went bankrupt." It wasn't until July, former workers say, that they were notified that their job applications would not be accepted. They got that notice in a letter signed by Tom Noble Sr. Workers said yesterday that not only have they been told they won't be rehired but also that they can't even buy a cup of coffee in the coffee shop clears major sions.

"I don't think there are any tough things unresolved." The turning point in the union negotiations was a concession agreement from the 1 1-member Operating Engineers local, whose rejection of contract concessions last year held up a different buyout plan, McMahon said. Officials of the union couldn't be reached for comment. Other unions had agreed to concessions. McMahon said the engineers have now agreed to concessions "proportionate" to those from the other unions. Key to all the agreements are reductions in wages and benefits.

But if the brewery succeeds and produc and persecution to Jews in many countries," wrote Morton Ryweck, executive director of the Jewish Community Relations CouncilAnti-Defamation League of Minnesota and the Dakotas, in a letter to City Pages' editor. Brook subsequently defended herself in a letter to the editor of the Star Tribune, attacking the accuracy of the City Pages article and fairness of the sardonic references to it by Star Tribune gossip columnist Cheryl Johnson. Such actions did nothing to lower the high profile with which Brook's "power brokers" were unhappy. Gannett's vague announcement of her resignation came after she had been away from the station for several weeks without explanation to the Deal for St. By Bill McAuliffe Staff Writer i Investors trying to buy St.

Paul's idle Jacob Schmidt brewery have reached contract agreements with labor union officials, a major step toward reopen- ingthe plant. Ji'm very upbeat that the plant is going to reopen and start brewing some beer," said George Hallberg, a consultant and negotiator for the un- ion that represented more than 100 bottlers in the West End brewery. Dick McMahon, a leader in two suc-; cessive investor groups who have i tried to buy it, said concession agree- ARE-TV Continued from page IB her evangelical Christianity. She spoke and spoke out frequently 1 at prayer breakfasts and church semi-1 nars, and some KARE staff members said they believed that her religious 1, beliefs had bearing on who got hired who got raises and promotions. Whether it had direct bearing on her departure or not.

Brook became the most controversial figure in Twin Cities broadcasting after the June 26 '4 cover story of City Pages, a Twin U5 Cities weekly newspaper, chronicled her work as an inspirational speaker among her fellow evangelicals. City Pages reporter David Brauer Brook as telling one group she believed that these "are the last before the start of the Tribula-1on and the entry of the anti-Christ" Some say Brook's Christianity affected office politics A husband and wife from Plymouth were injured Sunday morning when their small-engine plane crashed during takeoff at the Milaca airport. Richard Milner, 68, was in stable condition Monday in Fairview Hospital in Princeton. His wife, Pauline, 70, was in serious condition at Hennepin County Medical Center. Both were being treated for burns, hospital officials said.

Mike Swedin, an investigator for the Mille Lacs County Sheriffs Department, said yesterday that the couple "The impression I got was that they weren't going to discuss it any further, that this is what has happened, the new general manager is here and this is the first day in the rest of your life," said KARE anchorwoman Pat Miles. Price, 43, who has been with the Gannett chain since 1984, said he "came into the picture (at KARE) after whatever had happened with Ron and Cecil and Linda had happened. I'm strictly the result of the job being open. It happened so quickly that I told the department heads in Greensboro over the phone today just before the announcement here. I'll be going back to Greensboro at the end of the week to say goodbye to the folks." He said he arrives with no agenda other than "to help KARE build on and warning them that New Age channelers are tapping into "the demon level of the spirit world." Brauer also reported that Brook, at another gathering, alluded to getting pressure from "two of the power brokers in my life" to lower her religious profile or forfeit their support.

He quoted her as comparing her situation to that of Pontius Pilate, "a manager in trouble" who grudgingly went against his conscience and gave in to the demands of Jews who wanted Jesus crucified. Though she may have been speaking metaphorically, some people interpreted Brook's remarks about Pilate and the Jews as anti-Semitic. "It is not only a distortion of history, but (also) the kind of interpretation that sets back Jewish-Christian relations and continues to cause undue harm.