The Odessa American from Odessa, Texas • 1

WEATHER 8B INDEX I.J orepared Classified 4-8C Food 1C Columns 5D Horoscope 5D Comics 3C Movies 45 II Charged Mets' Coleman wants to settle fireworks Incident 1 Story on Page 1 uommentary 4A Sports 1.4D Planning Important for successful home canning Story on Page 1C Crossword 5D Stocks J5-JD Deaths 3B TV Log 4B PARTLY CLOUDY hJ A ODESSA (Sims ed. to Gout toyra confirm Supreme 1 portunity to move the court not left or right but forward. "Her legal brilliance, wisdom and deep devotion to justice has brought our nation together around her nomination," Clinton said. Ginsburg, for her part, promised, "I'll do the very best I can in this job." As soon as reporters began questioning Clinton about other matters, Ginsburg turned and abruptly left the podium. WASHINGTON (AP) Pioneering women's rights advocate Ruth Bader Ginsburg was easily confirmed Tuesday as the second woman to serve on the Supreme Court.

President Clinton predicted she would move the court "not left or right but forward." Ginsburg, a federal appellate judge, will be sworn in next week as the 107th justice, the first chosen by a Democratic president since 1967. The 96-3 Senate vote completed one of the smoothest confirmations in recent years. Many senators said President Clinton's choice of a moderate avoided the pitched battles that engulfed the nominations of Clarence Thomas, who was confirmed, and Robert Bork, who was rejected. President Clinton and Ginsburg later made a brief joint appearance in the Rose Garden, where the president said the newest justice would have "the op White. She will sit down the bench from the first female member.

Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who was named by President Reagan in 1981. The most dramatic difference between Ginsburg and White is over abortion. She says the constitution guarantees a woman's right to an abortion; he insists it does not. Ginsburg visited the Supreme Court on Tuesday afternoon to plan for her swearing-in next week by Chief Justice William H. Rehnquist.

She smiled and waved at reporters and photographers on her way into the building, saying she feels "great. It feels wonderful." Voting against Ginsburg's confirmation were Republican Sens. Jesse Helms of North Carolina, Don Nickles of Oklahoma and Bob Smith of New Hampshire. Democratic Sen. Don Riegle of Michigan was absent.

Senators also voted 72-27 Tuesday to approve Thomas Piyzant as assistant secretary of education in charge of elementary and secondary school policy, an confirmed Sheldon Hackney, 76-23, to head the National Endowment for tljc Humanities. The two were approved without Senate debate despite earlier controversy over Hackney's handling of free-speech issues as president of the University of Pennsylvania and over Payzant's decision to bar the Boy Scouts of America from meeting in San Diego public schools during school hours. The Senate Judiciary Committee also unanimously recommended confirmation of U.S. District Judge Louis Freeh to become the nation's fifth FBI director. A full Senate vote is expected before Congress starts its summer recess Friday.

Ruth Ginsburg Ginsburg is to be sworn in next Tuesday at the White House and the Supreme Court, White House spokeswoman Lorraine Voles said. Ginsburg, 60, will replace retired Justice Byron R. 51 Clinton makes public appeal for tax plan 1 I' -l I It i i WASHINGTON (AP) President Clinton made an energetic public appeal Tuesday for a compromise budget plan designed to cut $496 billion from the federal deficit with only a modest hit on the middle class. "We cannot afford not to act," Clinton said. "I need your help." Democratic leaders cautiously predicted the compromise plan would pass, but Clinton nonetheless delivered a nationally televised prime-time address looking to rally public support and a few critical undecided Senate Democrats.

"Our nation is in economic danger," Clinton said in his Oval Office address, attributing the deficit and economic drift to years of liberal Democratic "entitlement" policies followed by Republican "abandonment" of responsibility for the nation's problems. "Tonight we are on the verge of breaking out of the old false choice between tax and spend and trickle down, between abandonment and entitlement," Clinton said. Clinton was barely off the air when his nemesis in the budget battle, Senate Republican leader Bob Dole of Kansas, was given the opportunity to respond. He said Clinton's plan would neither cut the deficit significantly nor create any new jobs. "The president's economic plan calls for more taxes, more spending and higher deficits." Dole said.

He was particularly critical of a provision that would make the higher income taxes retroactive to Jan. 1993, "20 days before he even got to office." The high-stakes sales pitch opened a feverish final burst of lobbying in advance of House and Senate votes due later this week, just before a scheduled congressional recess. House passage seemed likely, Please see CL1NTON2A Economists at odds over plan's impact Knight-Ridder News Service WASHINGTON President Clinton's deficit-reduction plan looks like the economic-policy equivalent of a root canal it's important for your long-term health but it doesn't feel all that good at the time. The plan would: Raise taxes greatly on the wealthy, modestly on relatively well-off Social Security recipients and by 4.3 cents per gallon for everyone who buys gasoline. Cut spending on things like defense in recession-wracked California and from subsidies in the flood-ravaged Midwest.

Put the brakes on a sputtering national economy that already is growing too slowly to add many jobs. So why bother? Because the plan is an incomplete, but necessary step toward strengthening the United States' future economy, competitiveness and prosperity, many economic analysts say. They note: Bit should break the federal deficit's death grip on the economy for four years, anyway. That buys time to find longer-lasting answers to the deficit problem, which Clinton promises to begin doing next month with his long-awaited health-care reform plan. The plan's promise of believable deficit reduction has helped push long-term interest rates dov.n by a full percentage point since Clinton's election.

As a result, today's 30-year Please see 1MPACTJ.V t4 I The Odessa American: Matt Brunwortti Filming of a segment for the CBS show 'Rescue 911' in the Midland home of Dale Herrin, far left, and his wife, Jomyla Herrin (with back to the camera), finished up Tuesday afternoon. Paramedics from Midland's central fire station who took part in the 911 response are Rusty Adams and Rich Gersbach. At far right is interpreter Darrell Rhea. He attended the filming to sign for the Herrins, who are deaf. 'Rescue 911' to air deaf couple's story Now, the extraordinary story is going to be featured on a national television show.

Two years ago, the Midland County 911 Emergency Communication District installed their system of Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf. Of the 80,000 calls placed since 1991, just one utilized the TDD technology Please see9116A underwent a quadruple bypass that saved her life. Ordinarily, the story would be common considering the sea of 40.000 calls the Midland 91 1 emergency service fields every year. But Mr. Herrin, 62, has been deaf since birth, and Mrs.

Herrin, 61, lives with a hearing loss of between 60 and 85 percent, depending on the sound. By Dean Stephens The American MIDLAND On April 22, Dale Herrin's wife, Jomyla, suffered heart failure and he called 911. The woman was rushed to Midland Memorial Hospital and Medical Center where she Odessa homes selling for more I 2 women promoted to Texas Rangers cent last year from 1991. The June 1991 average sale price was $57,302, and $50,812 in I9l0. About 8 percent of the homes for sale in Odessa are listed at prices more than $125,000, she said.

"We've not had that for a long time," Christopher said. Odessa real estate agents participating in the monthly survey sold 63 previously owned homes in June, and 61 in the same time period the car before. Midland pre-owncd homes sold for an average of $88,948 in June, a 21 percent increase compared to the June 1992 average of $73,338. according to the Midland Board of Realtors. Christopher said homes are selling much more quickly than last year: Homes arc on the market for about 75-KO davs this vcar, as opiwd to W-1 20 in early I W2.

Please see IIOMKS 6 By Andrea Hawkins The American Odessa home sellers were getting 28 percent more for their properties in June than the year before, local realtors said Tuesday. The average selling price for a previously-lived-in home was $68,018 for June, up from $53,226 the previous year, according to figures from the Odessa Board of Realtors. "1 think a lot of it is, we've got a lot of building in the area," said board president Teresa Christopher. "We're not selling a whole lot more over last year, but the prices are up just a little bit and our inventory is down. There's quite a few buyers and very little inventory to sell." The summer season includes the top months for home sales, she said, because people don't want to move their families until school is out.

The average selling price dropped 7 per AUSTIN (AP) Two women who are the first females promoted to the Texas Rangers in its 170 years Tuesday tried to downplay their role in making history on the legendary law enforcement force. Marrie Reynolds Garcia, 39, of San Antonio, and Cheryl Campbell Steadman, 32, of Houston were among nine Texas Department of Public Safety officers promoted to Texas Rangers sergeants. "I'm overwhelmed. It's exciting. The job starts now," said Steadman as she held one of her two children following a brief induction Garcia added, "I'm very proud.

This is something that I've been working on for some time." The Rangers arc an elite state force now numbering 105 that investigates major crimes and tracks fugitives. Both women on Tuesday were surrounded by proud family and friends. Stcadman's husband Steve, a DPS patrolman, said "When you arc children playing cops and robbers, you always wanted to be a Texas Ranger. Now my wife is Please see RAMJERSHA AP lasefpttoto Newly-promoted Texas Rangers Cheryl Campbell Steadman, left, and Marrie Reynolds Garcia wait to receive their commissions at a ceremony Tuesday in Austin. The two are the first female Texas Rangers in modern times..