Star Tribune from Minneapolis, Minnesota • Page 1

VARIETY Odd pairs can make satisfying music HOMES North Shore real estate Demand is high in Cook County Latest sports labor crisis is a lockout by NBA 1C Wimbledon focus today: Agassi vs. Wheaton1C i 0onew, i i nn search cntnuestB SATURDAYJuly 11995 NEWSPAPER OF THE TWIN CITIES Respected leader or major cocaine dealer? Kenneth W. made real estate owner and manager, is linked to two murders and is accused in a federal grand jury indictment of transporting many large shipments of cocaine from Los Angeles to Minnesota between 1985 and 1990. Jones, a self-made real estate owner and manager, is accused in a federal grand jury indictment of transporting many large shipments of cocaine from Los Angeles to Minnesota between 1985 and 1990. The indictment, unsealed last week, also alleges that on June 23, 1990, Jones and codefendant Jeffrey L.

Barnes murdered a 26-year-old drug courier, Duon Walker, and dumped his body in a St. Paul alley, where it was set afire. Jones is being held without bail pending trial, which is scheduled for Sept. 5 before U.S. District Judge Richard Kyle in St.

Paul. St. Paul NAACP president Nathan-r iel Khaliq said it's hard to believe' that such a strong man could have committed the crimes alleged by au-r, thorities. I "I don't want to prejudge him until! the evidence has come in," said) Khaliq. t.

"It's clear that my position on drugs' hasn't changed. I still believe it's an 'r evil and a detriment to our commu- nity." 'i For two years, Jones and Khaliq' served together on the Selby Com-f Jones continued on page 13A Council approves housing principles! 12-1 vote ends; divisive debate By Kevin Diaz Culminating a six-weeK controver-; sy, the Minneapolis City Council a taste at last By Paul Gustafson and Tatsha Robertson StaffWriters Ask his St. Paul neighbors and they'll tell you that Kenneth W. Jones is a civic-group board member, a restaurant owner and a confident businessman whose quiet presence commanded respect. But in a federal court hearing earlier this week, police and prosecutors painted a far different picture of Jones: a major drug dealer linked to at least two murders, whose cunning and reputation for violence has helped him avoid prosecution until now.

It's time for i-. 91 mi civic Kenneth W.Jones $794 million from travel and other government administrative costs. But the Minnesota Democrat and Sen. Carol Moseley-Braun, argued against the bill for nearly three hours on the Senate floor Friday, citing what they called unfair cuts in low-income heating assistance, job training for teenagers and school construction, along with other domestic programs. Wellstone said a $319 million cut from the heating assistance program will especially hurt 1 10,000 Minnesota households because it is the nation's third coldest state.

"It's a small grant, but for many people it's the difference between heat and eat." Cuts continued on page 8A Copyright 1995 Star Tribune Volume XIV Number 88 7 sections mm Reduced spending is unfair to poor, he says If convicted, Jones and Barnes each could face sentences of 20 years to life in prison without parole. Barnes was convicted earlier this year of federal drug charges, for which he also faces a sentence of IS years. Many people who know Jones expressed shock and disbelief that he could be accused of such crimes. And his defense attorney, Earl Gray, said at a court hearing last week that the charges are the product of "a group of informants who are lying themselves out of jail." Xr, News inside if''' v. fell in line 12-1 Friday behind a set, 1 of housing principles ultimately in- tended to break up pockets of poy--, erty, integrate neighborhoods eventually, end the need for race-; based school busing.

j' The principles, characterized ma-; ter-of-factly by Council Member Pat Scott as "four rather general state-: ments, modified and clarified by a list of substatements," ran the gantlet of city ward politics before win-: ning nearly unanimous approval. Developed by Mayor Sharon Sayles Belton and the Minneapolis Planning Department, the principles were widely linked to a school board debate about community schools, as well as to a larger regional debate about affordable housing. 1 The vote, with Dennis Schulstad the lone dissenter, followed a school board vote Tuesday limiting school options for families and shifting the focus to community schools to keep students closer to home. "I'm delighted," Sayles Belton said after the council vote. "I'm pleased the board of education and the city council are willing to work with me on this vision." By Pam Louwagie Washington Bureau Correspondent Washington, D.C.

Just when congressional leaders thought they had broken a weeks-long standoff over a bill to cut 1 6.4 billion from this year's federal spending, Sen. Paul Wellstone blocked its final passage Friday, arguing that it imposes severe cuts on the poor in Minnesota. Even President Clinton had agreed to sign the bill after he vetoed a different version of it early this month because it cut too much from his priority programs. The new bill, passed in the House on Thursday evening, restores $772 -million for education, environmental and other programs and takes Almanac Saturday, July 1,1995 1 82nd day 1 83 to go this year Sunrise: 5:30. Sunset: 9:03 Mostly sunny.

High of 74. Classifieds 673-7000 Circulation 673-4343 or 1 -800-775-4344 Staff Photo by Cheryl A. Meyer Grace Tomar, 60, and her 4-year-old friend, Rosie Bijl, both of Minneapolis, enjoyed grilled corn during Taste of Minnesota, which opened Friday in St. Paul. Gardebring withdraws judgeship candidacy, citing Grams' opposition President Clinton for nomination to the federal bench.

Without the backing of both senators, neither the nomination by the White House nor confirmation by the Senate was considered likely. Under Senate tradition, home-state senators are given virtual veto power over judicial nominees. By Robert Whereatt StaffWriter Citing opposition from conservative Republican Sen. Rod Grams of Minnesota, state Supreme Court Justice Sandra Gardebring withdrew Friday as a candidate for a vacancy on the federal bench. "The opposition to my nomination from Senator Rod Grams suggests, at best, a long and difficult nomination process with no certainty of the outcome," Gardebring said in a letter to Sen.

Paul Wellstone, who had recommended her to Housing continued on page 10A Yeltsin fires 3 from Cabinet Russian President Boris Yeltsin fired three top officials in an attempt to quiet criticism of his handling of the uprising in Chechnya. But Yeltsin's decision to leave his hawkish defense minister may signal trou- ble or the peace effort in the breakaway republic. Page 2A. I' Readers respond Readers respond to last Sun-day's fourth and final installment of the series On the Edge of the Digital Age. Page 12A.

Gardebring continued on page 14A Sandra Gardebring Blue Cross 7T to pay over $3.9 million Staff Photo by Tom Sweeney 1 3,000 hits: Welcome to the club Cleveland's Dave Winfield congratulated teammate Eddie Murray after he collected his hit Friday night in the Metrodome against the Twins. Murray's record hit came in the sixth inning and went into right field, just past the diving Chuck Knoblauch. Winfield was the last major league player to pass the 3,000 plateau, also at the Metrodome as a member of the 1 993 Twins. Cleveland went on to win 4-1 Page 1 C. sumers.

Blue Cross plans to officially notify its affected subscribers in the fall. The company said it could not give a definitive estimate of how many people might receive payments but 100,000 current and former Blue Cross subscribers. According to attorneys that brought the suit, many people will receive refunds averaging between $50 and $100, but some might go as high as $1,000. The plaintiffs' attorneys will be paid $600,000 by Blue Cross, separate from money earmarked for con- By Glenn Howatt Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota will pay more than $3.9 million to settle a class-action lawsuit challenging its billing practices. Payouts could go to aj many as Blue Cross continued on page 9A.