The Star Press from Muncie, Indiana • Page 1

rHE MUNCIE Sta "Where the Spirit of the Lord Is, There Is Cor. 3:17 VOL 115 NO. 313 MUNCIE, INDIANA. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 1992 1992, The Muncie Star 35 CENTS obless Benefits re jrae-1 Cong TAT Jobless Benefits At-a-GIance "We're not much better off than we were 6 months ago. This is the only thing to do." Sen.

Bob Packwood President Plans to Sign Bill Aimed at Boosting Sagging U.S. Economy By ALAN FRAM Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON Congress voted overwhelmingly Tuesday for a new 13-week extension of unemployment benefits, its first salvo of the year aimed at boosting the sagging economy. President Bush planned to sign the bill. "We are delighted that Congress acted so quickly," said White House official Judy Smith. "We are anxious to get the bill so we can get the benefits to people in need." Separately, the battle over curing the recession flared anew as Bush's top economic advisers warned Democrats against their plans for a broad tax cut financed by higher taxes on the wealthy.

The House approved the expan- concern, than job security," said Rep. Dan Rostenkowski, a sponsor of the measure. "Politics should be set aside in the best interests of the country," said House Minority Leader Robert Michel, R-IU. In the Senate, acknowledgement of the need for the extra benefits also crossed party lines. "The unemployed need it; the state of the economy demands it," said Sen.

Lloyd Bentsen, D-Texas. "We're not much better off than we were 6 months ago," Sen. Bob Packwood, said during the Senate's debate. "This is the only thing to do." But the bipartisan harmony masked the larger battle just beginning between Bush and congressional Democrats over their competing plans to help revive the economy. Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan signaled that no immediate further lowering of interest rates was likely.

He told Congress that while the Fed would consider a further easing of rates, he believed the recent reductions should be "adequate to turn the economy onto the path of sustained recovery." sion of jobless coverage by a one-sided 404-8 margin. Senate passage came shortly afterward on a 94-2 vote. The avalanche of support came with members of both parties convinced the public would not tolerate a replay of last year's 4-month partisan battle over new benefits. They were also aware that there could be no more embarrassing way to begin the election year than by ignoring the 600,000 jobless Americans expected to deplete their benefits in the last 2 weeks of February. "In talking to citizens on the Northwest side of Chicago, there is no higher priority, no larger Mother Testifies; Prosecution Rests iliipr is WASHINGTON (AP) Here are highlights of the extension of unemployment benefits that Congress approved Tuesday: Current law: Jobless people qualify for 26 weeks of standard benefits.

Under legislation enacted last fall, they can also get 13 or 20 additional weeks, depending on unemployment in each state. New benefits: This bill provides 13 more weeks of jobless benefits to people who have used up their coverage. That brings extended coverage to 26 weeks in most states, 33 weeks in others. Duration: The new 13 ASSOCIATED PRESS Business? Key to Success period once a year, but other than that we like to keep our employees working 40 hours each week of the year," he said. Bryan said JCI employees had rarely been laid off since the firm became the first tenant in the Portland Industrial Park in 1986.

"They start hearing about buying into quality from the very first moment they start here," he said. "It takes an effort by all of us." JCI also conducts a number of training exercises for the workers after they start, and the company constantly employs quality-assurance tests. JCI's recent success hasn't been solely in the marketplace. Last week it was voted the Portland Area Chamber of Commerce's industry of the year for the second time in 4 years. In awarding the honor, chamber officials cited JCI's contribution to a local day-care center as well as a literacy campaign.

JCI employees contributed both manpower and money to the local causes. "We have always felt we are a part of the community," Bryan said, "and we have worked well with the people here." li iiisste i By LISA IEVITT RVCKMAN AP National Writer INDIANAPOLIS Prosecutors rested their case against Mike Tyson on Tuesday after his accuser's mother tearfully described how her happy-go-lucky daughter became a frightened child in the weeks after the alleged rape. "She sees his face, and she's scared. She's reliving this nightmare over and over," the mother said, her voice cracking and tears flowing. "I just want my daughter back." At the end of the prosecution's case Tuesday, Marion Superior Court Judge Patricia J.

Gifford granted a defense request to throw out the confinement charge against the former world heavyweight champion. Tyson, 25, is charged with rape and two counts of criminal deviate conduct all class JJ felonies with standard sentences of 10 years and confinement, a class felony with a standard l'-year prison term. Prosecutors completed their case after calling 20 witnesses. The mother's testimony, which moved at least one juror to cry, capped a morning of legal setbacks for the defense, which called six witnesses on Tuesday, including the accuser's father. Gifford refused to allow the jury to hear three surprise defense witnesses and permitted the prosecution to play parts of a tape of Tyson's accuser talking to a 9-1-1 operator.

The 18-year-old Miss Black America contestant testified she was raped July 19 after she was invited to Tyson's hotel room. The former heavyweight champion says See TYSON on Page 12A Taking a Break Indiana Gov. Evan Bayh (left) gestures tion at the National Governors' Association while talking Tuesday with Illinois Gov. Jim winter meetings in Washington. The 4-day Edgar during a preliminary session on educa- conference ended Tuesday.

Celebrity Trials Might Reinforce Stigma of Rape By CAROL SINGER Star Staff Reporter The publicity surrounding the trials of sex crime defendants Mike Tyson and William Kennedy Smith probably will keep other victims from reporting the crime, according to a local victims' advocate. Kelly Murphy, coordinator of Muncie's Victim Advocate Program, said defense attorneys tried to blame the victim for the crime. "The women always end up looking bad," Murphy said. "People say it's the woman's fault because she was in a certain place or was wearing a certain type of clothing." She said she thought only 10 percent of rapes were reported because victims were afraid of the treatment they would receive. She said Delaware County's victims' advocate program provided crisis counseling for victims.

"We try to give them emotional support from the moment we are contacted," she said. "If they go to the hospital, we will go there to be with them during the examination, and we will try to do anything we can to help them." Murphy said advocates also told victims the steps to take to report the crime. The advocates do not pressure the victims to call the police, she said. "If they decide to report it, then we will stay with them as long as See RAPE on Page 12A Bush Do you think that George Bush deserves to be re-elected as president? weeks of coverage will be available immediately to people who use up their other extended benefits by June 13. The already existing 13-week and 20-week programs, which had been scheduled to expire June 13, will run through July 4.

States: including the new benefits in the bill approved Tuesday, unemployed people in Puerto Rico and 13 states would qualify for 33 weeks of extended jobless coverage. The states are Alaska, California, Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and West Virginia. School Board Unanimously Approves Site But Some Question Location's Safety By TOM DAVIES Star Staff Reporter Muncie School Board members unanimously approved Tuesday night a proposal to pursue a 56-acre site in southwest Muncie for a new middle school. But some questions were raised about the property along Tillotson Avenue, north of 26th Street. The resolution that board members approved gives district administrators the authority to make formal purchase offers to property owners.

Negotiations on the site are expected to begin within 2 weeks. William Reiter, the district's facilities director, said the site was the unanimous choice of the five administrators on the committee assigned to look at sites for the $19-million school. Questions about the safety of the site were raised by some of the 20 audience members at the meeting Tuesday. Basil Davis, 1601 S. Franklin said he was concerned about the health effects of building a school about a half-mile from the Exide Corp.

lead smelting plant in the Industria Centre. "I don't feel very comfortable with the idea of my grandchildren being there," Davis said. "I think this is pathetic that we put a school where there is the possibility of an accident-prone industry in that neighborhood." Residents in the area have complained that the battery recycling plant was causing lead contamination. But county health officials reported last fall that blood tests of 155 people living near the plant showed no evidence of the plant causing high lead levels. Another woman who said she lived near the plant told board members that those in the neighborhood had experienced problems with traffic and noise from the plant.

"The fumes sometimes are terrible," she said. "I'm not against the school being there; I just want everyone to know the conditions there." See SCHOOL on Page 12A INDEX Hamilton urged to make presidential run. Page 5A Dow sets record. Page UA Dominick: city might face worker layoffs. Page IB IU recovers from bad start to thump Illinois.

Page 1C Yorktown loses. Page 1C Classided6C-10C Comics1 1C Corrections2A Daybreaks8A Deaths6A-7A Editorials4A Focus8A-9A Landers8A Local News1 Lotteries2A Neighborhood Martets10A-11A The Record2B Sports1 C-3C Teievision4B Theaters4B Mostly Sunny, Cool Mostly sunny and cool today with highs 35 to 40. Lows tonight around 25. Details on Page 2A. Optimist in the Auto Portland Plant Finds Quality the Poll: Most See No Gains in Bush's Tax Proposals By DREW BROWN Star Staff Reporter PORTLAND, Ind.

Slow auto sales and a sluggish economy have meant troubled times for many auto-related industries in East Central Indiana. Headlines, too, describe layoffs and plant closings. Foreign leaders are questioning management's abilities and the country's work ethic. For those still working, recession is eating away at their income. But what might be bad times for some in the auto industry are the best of times for a Portland firm.

JCI, a Division of Alphabet is operating in the Portland Industrial Park at its highest employment and its highest production capacity. The company responsible for making the wiring harnesses on Cadillac automobiles is beating its main competition from Mexico, despite using more expensive labor. "I would say the reason for our success is simply that we make a quality product," said Cline Bryan, JCI's human resources manager. Bryan sat in his office in the ultramodern JCI building and was hard pressed to describe why JCI had been able to succeed where so many other firms had faltered. No 48 151 No answer "It basically takes quality people to make a quality product." Cline Bryan, manager human resources, JCI After some thought, Bryan credited the success to the workers.

"In order to build a quality product, you have to have workers who buy into the idea of quality work," he said. "It basically takes quality people to make a quality product." JCI employs about 500 people, but receives between 4,000 and 5,000 applications each year. Those people hired by the Ohio-based company must pass a number of hurdles before starting. Most of JCI's work force is made up of high school graduates who were subjected to aptitude, dexterity, background, reference and physical tests, Bryan said. The firm secures employee loyalty by offering job security that is rare in the auto industry.

"We go through a changeover Riverboat bets lose. Page 3A school employees to be immunized against certain diseases. The bill, with Goodall's amendment, was endorsed by the House Education Committee. Goodall's amendment "grants student publications the right of free expression unless the expression is obscene, indecent, libelous or incites students," according to a written description of the proposal. Goodall might be in for a fight.

He predicted Tuesday that Senate President Pro Tem Robert Garton, R-Columbus, "will probably rule the amendment non-germane to the bill if it goes to conference committee." The key is keeping it out of a conference committee, Goodall Goodall Pushes to Protect Student Press By HOWARD GOLDBERG Associated Press Writer NEW YORK Three out of four Americans believe President Bush's tax proposals would not make a significant change in their personal finances, and just 38 percent say he deserves re-election, according to an Associated Press poll. Results of the poll highlight the considerable challenge facing Bush as he prepares to launch his campaign for a second term while under pressure to revitalize the recession-bound economy. Forty-eight percent said Bush did not deserve re-election to a second term. That view was shared by 21 percent of Republicans and 52 percent of independents, whose swing vote could prove crucial in deciding the outcome in November. Fifteen percent said they did not know or did not answer.

The poll showed pessimism about the economy as a clear influence on those saying Bush had not earned re-election. Democrats were named by 41 percent of those polled as the party that would do the best job in dealing with the economy while 32 percent said the nation's economic problems would be safer in Republican hands. The telephone poll of 1,000 Americans was conducted Wednesday through Sunday by ICR Survey Research Group of Media, Pa. It has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points. The interviews began the night after President Bush delivered his State of the Union Message.

Economy Which political party do you think could do a better job of dealing with the economy? Republicans 32 14 Neither 14 I No answer Taxes If Bush's tax proposals are adopted, do you think they will or will not make a significant difference In the amount of money you have? 18 Will not 74 1 9 No answer Sourea: AP telephone poll Jan. 29 Feb. 2 ot 1.000 adults nationwide by ICR Survey Research Group. Margin ol error plus or minus 3 percentage points. Sums might not total 100 percent because ol rounding.

By BRIAN FRANCISCO Assistant Metro Editor INDIANAPOLIS Rep. Hurley Goodall hopes to lead a revival service today in the Indiana House. Goodall will try to bring back his proposal for extending First Amendment rights to student journalists. His goodall bill for doing so died last year in the Senate after winning approval in the House. But last week, the Muncie Democrat turned his idea into an amendment for a Senate bill that would require students, teachers and said.

A conference committee consisting of a Democrat and a Republican from each house is appointed when the author of a bill that passes one house objects to amendments made by the second house. Senate Bill 179 was authored by Sen. Virginia Blankenbaker, R-Indianapolis. "We will try to get her to concur on the amendment so it won't go to conference," Goodall said. S.B.

179 was on the House calendar for second reading Tuesday. The House adjourned shortly before the bill was to have been heard, however. Goodall said he expected opposition to his amendment from associations representing school boards and school superintendents. I 1.