Daily Press from Newport News, Virginia • Page 2

A2 Monday, October 29, 2001 PEOPLE MORE PEOPLE MORE PEOPLE' MORE Daily firm LOTTERY Levine to lead Boston Symphony Aliens, ghosts dominate box office Weekend ticket sales Estimated ticket sales at U.S. theaters for Friday through Sunday: 1. "K-Pax," $17.5 million. 2. "13 Ghosts," $15.7 million.

3. "From Hell," $6.1 million. 4. "Riding in Cars With Boys," $6 million. 5.

Training Day," $5. 11 million. 6. "Bandits," $5.05 million. 7.

"Serendipity," $3.9 million. 8. The Last Castle," $3.7 million. 9. "Bones," $2.95 million.

1 0. "Corky Romano," $2.9 million. Source: Exhibitor Relations Co. Inc. cent from the same period a year ago, said Paul Dergarabedian, president of Exhibitor Relations, which tracks the box office.

"This was a strong post-Labor Day period considering what's been going on in the world," Dergarabedian said. "It tells you people will respond to the movies out there, that they want to escape into a story." In "K-Pax," Spacey plays a mental patient claiming to be a visitor from a distant planet who has a healing effect on other inmates and his psychiatrist (Bridges). Playing in 2,541 locations, the film had a solid age of $6,877 a theater and played to audiences largely 25 and older. "To have adults come out in such magnitude shows the marketing really worked. It's not a film for teen-agers," said a Universal spokesman.

Fright films typically open well then fade fast after the core audience of under-25 horror fans have seen them. Kevin Kline's "Life As a House," in which he plays a dying architect trying to make amends to his neglected family, opened well in limited release, grossing $294,000 in 29 locations for a strong average of $10,138 a theater. The bank-robbery comedy "High Heels and Low Lifes," starring Minnie Driver and Mary McCormack, bombed in limited release, taking in just $149,224 at 175 theaters for a dismal $648 average. Overall, box-office revenues rose slightly. The top 12 films grossed $73.4 million, up 3.4 percent from the same weekend last year It was the last quiet weekend at the box office for a while.

Big holiday-season films begin hitting next week with "Monsters, an animated tale from the makers of the "Toy Story" movies. The following weekend brings "Shallow Hal," starring Gwyneth Paltrow and Jack ETC. fl. III htl Saturday's Cash 5 scorecard Early Pick Winners Prize 5 of 5 0 $100,000 5 of 5 0 $50,000 5of5 0 $25,000 Winning numbers: 5-10-11-21-32 Late 5 of 5 0 $100,000 5of5 0 $50,000 5 Of 5 0 $25,000 Winning numbers: 2- 9-26-28-31 Saturday's Lotto South scorecard Pick Winners Prize 6 of 6 1 $5 million 5of6 89 $392 4 of 6 3,508 $39 3of6 48,369 $3 Winning numbers: 3- 8-11-17-27-28 Line Virginia Lottery category 1 901 Other lotteries category 1911 The Big Game category 1 909 FOOD FOR THOUGHT "It may be necessary temporarily to accept a lesser evil, but one must never label a necessary evil as good." Margaret Mead, American anthropologist (1901-1978) BIRTHDAYS Country singer Lee Clayton is 59. Rock musician Denny Laine is 57.

Singer Melba Moore is 56. Musician Peter Green is 55. Actor Richard Dreyfuss is 54. Actress Kate Jackson is 53. Idaho Governor Dirk Kempthorne is 50.

Singer Randy Jackson is 40. Rock FISHER, 34 musician Peter Timmfns (Cowboy Junkies) is 36. Actress Joely Fisher is 34. Rapper Paris is 34. Rock singer SA (31 1 is 31 Musician Toby Smith (Jamiroquai) is 31 Actress Winona Ryder is 30.

Actress Tracee Ellis Ross is 29. Actor Trevor Lissauer is 28. daily Established 1896 A Tribune Publishing company RONDRA J. MATTHEWS President and Publisher 247-4612 rmatthewsdallypress.com MICHAEL H. BURNS Vice President and Advertising Director 247-4666 mburnsdailypress.com ERNEST C.

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The Associated Press BOSTON James Levine will become the first American-born music director of the 121-year-old Boston Symphony Orchestra after the BSO board on Sunday approved his five-year contract effective 2004. Levine, 58, is expected to shuttle between Boston and New York, where he remains artistic director of the Metropolitan Opera through 2007. Meanwhile, he'll be the BSO's music director designate effective next September The contract calls for Levine to lead the orchestra in approximately 12 weeks of its 23-week subscription season, the BSO said. No other American has been entrusted to direct the famed orchestra. Levine replaces longtime BSO music director Seiji Ozawa, who is leaving at the end of the 2002 summer season to become music director of the Vienna State Opera.

Ozawa headed the BSO for 29 years. Levine, a Cincinnati native, began his tenure at the Met in 1971, when he awed audiences as one of the world's most promising young conductors. He became the Met's music director in 1976 and its artistic director in 1986. He's since conducted almost 2,000 performances of 75 different operas, and launched the "Metropolitan Opera Presents" television series on PBS. ALMANAC Today Is Monday, Oct 29, the 302nd day of 2001.

Highlight in history: In 1929 "Black Tuesday" descended upon the New York Stock Exchange. Prices collapsed amid panic selling, and thousands of investors were wiped out as America's "Great Depression" began. On this date: In 1682, the founder of Pennsylvania, William Penn, landed at what is now Chester, Pa. In 1901, President McKinley's assassin, Leon Czolgosz, was electrocuted. In 1911, American newspaperman Joseph Pulitzer died in Charleston, S.C.

In 1 923, the Republic of Turkey was proclaimed. In 1947, former first lady Frances Cleveland Preston died in Baltimore at age 83. In 1956, during the Suez Canal crisis, Israel launched an invasion of Egypt's Sinai Peninsula. Report" premiered as NBC's nightly television newscast, replacing The Camel News Caravan." In 1966, the National Organization for Women was founded. In 1979, on the 50th anniversary of the great stock market crash, anti-nuclear protesters tried but failed to shut down the New York Stock Exchange.

In 1998, Sen. John Glenn, at age 77, roared back into space aboard the shuttle Discovery, retracing the trail he'd blazed for America's astronauts 36 years earlier. In 2000, the wounded destroyer USS Cole departed Aden, Yemen, towed by tugboats to a Norwegian heavy-lift ship to be taken home to repair the gaping hole in its side; 17 sailors were killed aboard ship in a suicide bombing attack on Oct. 12. CORRECTIONS A photo caption in Thursday's front section incorrectly said former Rep.

Thomas N. Downing served in Congress from 1958 to 1976. He was elected in 1958 and served from 1959 to 1977. The lottery results in Sunday's paper incorrectly listed no winners for Friday's late Cash 5 drawing. There was one $25,000 winner in Suffolk.

The Daily Press is eager to correct errors published in this newspaper as soon as possible. If you believe incorrect information has been published, call the appropriate number listed under To call us" on this page. Spooky themes attract moviegoers The Associated Press LOS ANGELES Aliens and ghosts dominated the box office this weekend as the mental-ward drama "K-Pax," starring Jeff Bridges and Kevin Spacey as a possible visitor from space, took in $17.5 million to debut as the No. 1 film. A close second was the Halloween horror remake "13 Ghosts," which grossed $15.7 million, according to studio estimates Sunday.

Last weekend's top film, "From Hell," slipped to third place with $6.1 million. Another ghost tale, rapper Snoop Dogg's "Bones," had a modest opening of $2.95 million, debuting at No. 9. "On the Line," a romantic comedy featuring Lance Bass and Joey Fatone of 'N Sync, opened weakly in 11th place with $2.3 million. THE REAL THING.

Kid Rock's rowdy beer party in his hometown was caught on camera and that was the idea. Thousands braved the chill at the Michigan State Fairgrounds on Saturday for Kid Rock's tailgate party and free concert, which doubled as the backdrop for the rap-rock bad boy's latest video. While filming the video for his single "Forever," Rock treated the crowd to a free concert that included a rendition of "Sweet Home Alabama." Actress-model Pamela Anderson, who is to appear in the video, also was on hand. Fans were encouraged to bring coolers of food and beverages and dress in red, white and blue, and they were equal to the task. During fuming, they drank beer and tossed cans on the stage to play up the party atmosphere for the camera.

The video for "Forever" is scheduled to air on MTV starting Nov. 5. Rock's new album "Cocky" goes on sale Nov. 20. MILITARY THRILLER.

John Travolta and Samuel L. Jackson are teaming for another movie. The "Pulp Fiction" alumni, who haven't worked together since the 1995 Quentin Tarantino-directed juggernaut, will star in a new military suspense thriller. Fuming for the movie "Basic" starts Nov. 26 in Jacksonville, and will continue for 12 weeks at a former Navy air station.

Travolta will play a Drug Enforcement Administration agent who comes to an Army basic training camp to investigate the disappearance of an Army Ranger instructor played by Jackson. Beth, Yorktown: To the Feedback of Brian and Sparky Last I looked came before in the alphabet. I assumed that the Daily Press masthead said Hampton-Newport News because it was an alphabetical listing, unlike the Vinton-Roanoke idea. Editor's response: Why would someone from Yorktown want to get in the middle of the old Newport News-Hampton feud? At what point will the new editor make Jim Spencer get some new material? Another anti-gun column this morning. The same rhetoric over and over again.

If you've read one of his anti-gun columns, you've read them alL Come on Spencer, give us some new information, a new topic. Editor's response: The material is fresh, though the theme is familiar. Under the picture of Caroline Schlossberg on the People and More page, you have the name Kennedy If I were her husband, I would resent that Editor's response: But you'd probably be used to it by now. Howard, Gloucester Point In the Sports section, you have the "Latest line" in the football games. You have the favorite point and then the underdog.

An example: Indianapolis 10 over New England. But what does the number in parentheses mean? Editor's response: Thanks for asking. The number in parentheses refers to the predicted total number of points who co-wrote the screenplay for "2001: A Space Odyssey" with Stanley Kubrick. Actor Tom Hanks and "Titanic" director James Cameron will co-chair the event Clarke is set to join the festivities via satellite from Sri Lanka, where he lives. The grounds of Hugh Hefner's Playboy Mansion will be transformed with the monolith from the 1968 movie, along with actors dressed as the pre-hominid ancestors of mankind.

Apollo 11 astronaut Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, has collaborated with Clarke before. Clarke wrote an epilogue for Aldrin's "First On The Moon" in 1969, and a foreword for "Encounter With Tiber" in 1996. MOTOWN FACELIFT. One of Detroit's historic neighborhoods could be getting a facelift, thanks to two former Motown stars. Former Supreme Scherrie Payne and her sister, Freda Payne, who had a successful solo career, hope to honor their father's memory by redeveloping a residential block around his bar, Sam Farley's Collingwood Lounge.

"At first, we wanted to sell the bar, but it had such great memories for us that we had second thoughts," Scherrie Payne said. The plan calls for renovating three apartment buildings and constructing condominiums and retail stores, including a cleaners, restaurant and pizza shop. The sisters, who grew up a few blocks from their father's bar and are still performing, are teaming with former casino investor and developer Herb Strather to line up financing for the project The Associated Press opportunity to respond to editorials, political cartoons, op-ed columnists or letter writers. Call 247-2820 and leave a clear voice message, or e-mail us at dotcommentdailypress.com. Be sure to leave your full name and a daytime phone number where we can reach you.

To express an opinion about anything at all, please submit a letter to the editor. Be sure it's legible and signed, and include a daytime phone number where we can reach you. Our address is 7505 Warwick Newport News VA 23607. Or send e-mail to lettersdailypress.com. CLOSE CALL Eugene Cernan, the last American astronaut to walk oh the moon and the second to walk in space, made perhaps the most dramatic walk of his life away from a helicopter crash.

Cernan escaped Sunday's crash in the southern CERNAN Czech Republic without injuries, authorities said. Cernan was traveling in a military helicopter that crashed during an emergency landing near Milevsko, 50 miles south of Prague. No one was killed, but Black. And the year's most anticipated movie, "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," opens a week after that. Since the Sept.

11 attacks, movie revenues are up 6 to 7 per- Musician Kid Rock performs Saturday at the State Fair-, grounds in Detroit while filming a video for his song "Forever." Kid Rock, whose real name is Robert Ritchie, issued an open call for extras for the shoot and invited fans to come to a tailgate party. Thousands showed up. AP two crew members were seriously injured. The helicopter had been flying to Bernatice, 60 miles south of Prague, the hometown of Cer-nan's grandfather. It was not immediately clear what caused the accident Cernan, born in Broadview, 111., was a Navy attack pilot who became an astronaut in 1963.

He flew on the Gemini 9, Apollo 10 and Apollo 17 missions. SCI-FI HONORS. Science fiction writer Arthur C. Clarke will be met by real-live spacemen at a gala next month in his honor. Astronauts Buzz Aldrin and Jim Lovell are set to attend the Nov.

15 event honoring Clarke, Tell us what you think Feedback here on Page A2 offers readers a chance to comment on the performance of the Daily Press, journalistic or otherwise: our news judgment, accuracy, quality, service, grammar and spelling, etc. Call 247-4748 and leave a clear voice message, or send e-mail to outfrontdailypress.coni. We don't require you to leave your name, but if you'd like us to use it in the paper, please spell it for us. If you need to talk with someone at the newspaper, please leave a telephone number so we can call back. Editorial Feedback on our Editorial Page gives you an You printed some pieces regarding Ronald Curry's career and the fact that he somehow has missed his opportunity to excel at the college level and possibly has damaged his professional athletic potential in football or basketball I never recall any reference to his graduation date, degree program, or potential outside of professional sports.

God has given him gifts; his athletic ability has provided him with the "free" college education most folks can't have. Somehow his "lost chances" athletically have taken precedence while his academic opportunities have been forgotten. You need to show balance. Editor's response: The story you refer to was a thoughtful, revealing and well-written look at Ronald Curry's sports career at Carolina especially the burden of impossible expectations. Sports, not academics, was the FEEDBACK scored by both teams, another popular item for betting.

Gloria, Newport News: On the local front page there was a story about CNU dreams of a new student center that is accompa nied by a map that shows where the new student center expansion and library is to be put When I look at the map I cannot see evidence of the increased building that's going on now, particularly freshmen dormitories. I mink it's about time to put in an updated map of the existing buildings, the existing building going on and the proposed expansion. Editor's response: Excellent idea. Time to update the base map of CNlTs campus. Saturday's op-ed essays expose once again the eitheror fallacy in your "From the left, from the right" approach.

The supposedly liberal writer argued against considering Third World grievances when discussing terrorist mass murder The supposedly conservative writer argued against the First Amendment for factual bio-terrorism news. She even regretted that journalism isn't licensed, presumably as in totalitarian states. Well, the Daily Press' only license is reason itself, which the paper offends daily by oversimplifying its op-edlayout Editor's response: We also offend reason by printing the horoscope, among other things, but that admittedly oversimplified op-ed labeling seems to have communicated the right message: Readers will find balance and a variety of points of view on our op-ed paga proper focus of that first-rate story. Other stories have addressed your other questions. For the record, he's due to graduate in May with a degree in Afro-American studies.

Bob, Hampton: This is in reference to the Oct. 25 Daily Press article pertaining to the free day with the Busch Gardens tribute program I think it is very shameful that some individuals would ever consider casting negative remarks about this free day at Busch Gardens. I also doubt that the families stated certain comments andor questions as the article reported. Editor's response: Doubt if you wish, but those were real comments. We didn't make them up.

Busch Gardens overlooked the families of deployed service men and women, which was a gaffe in an otherwise generous gesture. A.