The Daily News Leader from Staunton, Virginia • 1

U.S. Open golf preview featured in Sports Extra AUGUSTA COUNTY'S NEWSPAPER Daily New -It" 23 g.t.. Leader luwi. Robb not surprised by low rating By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS simiMec flaunted! I U.S. Sen.

Charles S. Robb said he was not surprised a new survey showed public approval of his job By SAM CARTER StaffWriter performance has dropped to a career-low 30 percent. The poll of 829 registered vot ers was conducted June 6-8, less than a month after it was reported that Robb was the target of a federal grand jury wiretapping probe. Robb, said those reports poisoned public opinion. i' 1 "Voters can only form their opinions based on what the see or read, and what the people of Virginia have seen or read this past year particularly during the period just before the poll was conducted would lead anyone to a critical judgment," Robb said.

WAYNESBORO The 1.5-mile connector road that bears Lew DeWitt's name is a testament to a man who made "the world a better and happier place to live," said the Rev. L. Roger Powell. Lew DeWitt Boulevard, the winding, four-lane road that connects U.S. 250 and U.S.

340, was hailed Friday as a needed improvement for the city as well as a fitting memorial to the former Statler Brothers member who died Aug. 15, 1990. "(Lew) would agree this is the ultimate today, giving him this highway," said Judy DeWitt, the singer's widow, during the dedication ceremony. DeWitt, who wrote "Flowers On The Wall," was inspired by local residents after he retired from the Statlers, said Ms. DeWitt.

"This town was Lew's home, and he loved it People in the city gave Lew confidence in himself to pursue a solo career after he retired," she said. The $5.5 million project took about 17 months to complete and was funded by the Virginia Department of Transportation. The road, which has a 45 mph speed limit, should open next week after VDOT workers finish marking the lanes. The boulevard should save between five to 10 minutes for people traveling from U.S. 250 to U.S.

340. In addition to increasing the traffic flow and avoiding congestion, the highway will open up about 72 acres of land for development projects such as business, residential, light manufacturing and recreation, said Mayor Thomas L. Gorsuch. Already a shopping center is being built at the intersection of Main Street and the boulevard. "It is a connector between the busy southern and eastern corners of Waynesboro and Stuarts Draft and the other areas on 340 south of our city and the increasingly developed areas to the north and western parts of the city and county," he said.

"I remain supremely confident that once this process has run its course and all the facts are The old-fashioned way known, fair-minded Virginians will judge me in an entirely different light," he said. Gene Harris and Lou Stipic, members of the Grottoes centennial committee, put freshly cut barley into shocks the old-fashioned way as part of the start up of the celebration which is scheduled for July 2-5. Grottoes was incorporated in February 1892 as the town of Shen-dun. (Photo by Dennis Sutton) Robb's 30 percent approval rat ing in the poll released Thursday by Mason-Dixon Political-Media Research Inc. is down from 51 percent in September.

In contrast, 61 percent of those taking part in the latest poll think Republican Sen. John W. Warner is doing an excellent or good job. 1 -J yy Gqod3 aft sanoiiUBUuo'S Poll results also show Robb would lose a Democratic primary race to his political rival, Gov. L.

Douglas Wilder, by a margin of 47 percent to 38 percent. 1 X. Robb also would lose a re-elec tion bid to either the Republican he beat for governor in 1981, J. Marshall Coleman; the man he i' succeeded in the U.S. Senate, Paul Trible; or retired Marine Lt Col.

Oliver North, the poll said. Brad Coker, president of Co X0 poverty and pollution without additional help. The 12-nation European Community pledged $4 billion to support the summit's goals, and Germany promised to increase its development aid to 0.7 percent of its gross national product. German Chancellor Helmut Kohl also committed his nation to reducing carbon dioxide emissions, a major cause of global warming, to a specific target. "A peaceful future can only be assured if we make our peace with nature," Kohl said.

"We are ready to assume our share and hope other industrial countries will do the same." The documents the world leaders will sign include treaties on climate control and biodiversity, plus three non-binding pacts: a statement on preserving forests, a declaration on environmental principles and an agenda for cleaning up the Earth. More than 60 nations have already signed the two treaties. sible for environmental destruction." Chinese Premier Li Peng said: "Developed countries have a greater obligation to find solutions and to transfer technology." Bush responded by linking economic growth under capitalism to a cleaner environment. "There are those who say it takes state control to regulate the environment. Well, let them go to eastern Europe," he said.

"There are those who say economic growth and environmental protection are not compatible. Well, let them come to the United States." The United States has been cast as the villain for weakening a treaty on global warming before it would agree to sign. Bush is also isolated by his refusal to sign a second treaty to protect endangered animals and plants. In contrast, Europe and Germany in particular promised to provide more aid to developing nations, which say they cannot fight RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) European nations pledged new money Friday at the Earth Summit to clean up the environment, while President Bush defended economic growth as Jhe key to saving the planet. More than 110 world leaders gathered for the closing days of the summit and a succession of presidents and prime ministers voiced their concerns for the future of the environment, with the most critical comments coming from Third World leaders.

"America's record on environmental protection is second to none. So I did not come here to apologize," Bush told the world leaders. "By now it is clear that to sustain development we must protect the environment, and to protect the environment we must sustain development." But Cuban President Fidel Castro received the loudest ovation of the morning when he said: "Consumer societies are fundamentally respon i lumbia, Mason-Dixon, said Robb "has a couple of years to recoup. If he were on the ballot in November, he'd be in real serious trouble." Robb's term ends in 1994. While 32 percent of the respondents feel Robb should resign immediately, 53 percent do not.

Subscribers to the poll include The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star of Norfolk, The Journal Newspapers, the Daily Press in Newport News, The Register Bee in Danville and the Northern Virginia Daily. Also, WTVR-TV in Richmond, WTKR-TV in Norfolk and WDBJ-TV in Roanoke. Lm HONORING LEW DeWITT Country star Lew DeWitt's widow spoke during a dedication of the U.S. 340U.S. 250 connector road Friday in Waynesboro.

Also in attendance were City Councilman Lemuel E. Irvin, Del. A.R. Giesen R-Waynesboro, and Councilmen Cecil R. Jones and R.

Jack Higgs. Lew DeWitt Boulevard is expected to open for traffic next week. (Photo by Vincent Lerz) pofees jaasft ni Son May an improving economy prompts businesses to restock shelves and backlots in anticipation of rising sales. Fixed-rate mortgages dropped to a nationwide average of 8.54 percent this week, according to a survey of by the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corp. It was the second lowest level for 30-year mortgages since January and economists said the good inflation news Friday should help to push rates even lower in coming weeks as investors become convinced that inflation remains under control.

The tiny 0.1 percent May increase in consumer prices came despite the fact that energy costs rose 0.6 percent, led by a 1.2 percent jump in gasoline prices. vinced the Fed that the recovery was collapsing. "There is an outside chance there will be one more Fed easing but for right now the Fed is perfectly happy to take a wait-and-see attitude," Jones said. For the first five months of this year, consumer prices have been rising at an annual rate of just 3 percent. That was in line with the 3.1 percent increase turned in for 1991, the second-best yearly performance in the past quarter century.

In other economic news Friday, the Commerce Department said that business inventories edged up 0.1 percent in April, the third consecutive monthly gain. Economists forecast even bigger gains in months to come as Financial investors were cheered by the inflation report with the bond market staging a rally as worries about inflation were decreased. "The important message that comes out of the CPI report is that the fears of inflation have been exaggerated," said Bruce Steinberg, an economist at Merrill Lynch. "There is not going to be much inflation pressure coming out of this economy for the next 18 months." Some analysts said the CPI report cleared the way for the Federal Reserve to cut interest rates further although they said such a move probably would not occur unless economic statistics over the next month con While the drug price decline was a tiny 0.1 percent, analysts said it showed that even in health care, the sector that has shown the biggest price increases over the past several years, there has been some price moderation this year. Analysts said the consumer price report was a better gauge of how inflation was behaving in the current environment of an extremely weak economy, and that the Producer Price Index had been skewed by a statistical aberration last month.

"What we have is a moderate, uneven recovery and against that background inflationary pressures are remaining constrained," said David Jones, an economist at Aubrey G. Lanston Co. WASHINGTON (AP) Consumer prices inched up just 0.1 percent in May as falling food costs and the first drop in drug prices in nearly two decades helped offset higher gasoline prices, the government said Friday. It was the best showing for the Labor Department's Consumer Price Index since January and it helped to ease fears raised Thursday when the government reported a worse-than-expected 0.4 percent jump in wholesale prices for May. At the consumer level, there were outright price declines in a number of areas, including big ones for vegetables and airline tickets, and the first monthly decrease in prescription drug prices since March of 1973.

News capsules fCj I i The Accu-Weather forecast for noon, Saturday, June 13. 10 -Of Ot 10t 20 30 40s SOt 60 70 80s 0 100 110 Bands separate high temperature zones tor the day. "Tr vs. (Two Sections) Abby Page8 City, County Page3 Classifieds Pages5-7 Comics Page5 Entertainment Page8 Financial Page4 Obituaries Page 2 Sports Tab Pages 1-16 wide criticism at the Earth Summit in Brazil. The court reversed a lower-court victory for wildlife groups that seek to preserve endangered species outside U.S.

borders. But environmentalists said Friday's ruling packed a more sweeping impact, affecting domestic cases as well. Lotto winners RICHMOND Jack and Linda Cales of Richmond claimed their half of a $14.5 million Lotto jackpot Friday, Virginia Lottery spokeswoman Cherie Phaup said. The couple received a check for $276,329 after taxes. They will receive 19 more annual after-tax payments of $275,120.

The Cales split the June 6 jackpot with a Roanoke Rapids, N.C., couple who claimed their share Monday. Ms. Phaup said the Cales, who did not talk to the press, bought a ticket with the winning combination 1, 34, 35, 37, 41, 42 at a Rite-Aid Pharmacy in Richmond. The couple allowed the Lottery Department computer to pick the number. Perot positions Ross Perot on Friday earned spots on the this fall's presidential election ballots in New Hampshire and North Carolina, bringing to 14 the number of states where his name is to appear.

Environmental suits WASHINGTON The Supreme Court on Friday made it more difficult for environmentalists to force the federal government to protect endangered species and other natural resources. The 7-2 decision effectively means that groups and individuals cannot sue the government solely in behalf of the general public interest or the flora and fauna they seek to protect. Instead, they must demonstrate that without help from the courts, they would suffer specific harm to themselves. The ruling was a victory for the Bush administration, and, coinci-dentally, was issued the same day the president was defending U.S. environmental policies from world Partly cloudy today; highs in the low 80s.

Cloudy tonight with a good chance of showers or thunderstorms; lows in the mid-60s. Cloudy Sunday with a good chance of showers or thunderstorms; highs near 80. See complete weather on page 2. 199? Aocu-Wtfhr, Inc. COLD WARU STATIONARY WARM STATIONARY HIGH IOW SHOWFflS MIN T-S TORUS F1UBOIFS SNOW ICE SUNNY PT CLOUDY CLOUDY.