Johnson City Press from Johnson City, Tennessee • 6

PugC dll tilulaudj uujjf IuiJO Ticket distributor not target of suit a iii iwri companys oeiiet nrtne American system Its investigation which was exploited by self-serving special interest groups demonstrates that these claims have merit Solters said Ticketmaster does not set ticket prices or determine touring schedules simply provide consumers with a convenient way of buying tickets At ETM Entertainment Network which ticketed Pearl Jams tour this summer Peter Schnie-dermeier said the Justice Departments decision came as no surprise and that hes not worried because he believes the market will take care of itself Were doing the industry much differently than the competition" he said At his company 'Its definitely business as usual Ticketmaster earned an estimated $240 million last year from its service fees on tickets sold for 3000 locations around the nation Two-thirds of the nations 10 million concert arena seats are governed by exclusivity contracts between Ticketmaster and arena managers according to the industry newsletter Pollstar Pearl Jam fought with Ticket-master last year over the service charge it tacks on the price of tickets The band decided to tour without Ticketmaster but canceled the plans after learning it wouldnt be easy Two of its members testified against the agency last year at a congressional Staff Photos by Eddie LeSueur for ribbon-cutting that officially opened highway "The Associated Press WASHINGTON The Justice Department declined Wednesday to bring an antitrust case against Ticketmaster the nations largest distributor of tickets for live sports events and concerts A target of widely publicized protests by the rock band Pearl Jam and by consumer groups the Los Angeles-based company had been under investigation by the departments antitrust division for alleged anticompetitive and monopoly practices The company sold 55 million tickets last year for an estimated $16 billion Pearl Jam claimed the company priced tickets too high for the bands teenage fans In a two-sentence statement the Justice Department said it had informed the parent company Ticketmaster Holdings Group Inc that it is closing its antitrust investigation into that firms contracting practices No lawsuit was filed so the case is over But the antitrust division warned industry participants that the government will continue to monitor competitive developments' in the ticketing industry That kind of statement means the government would have to see actions or evidence it currently cannot find before taking any action Department spokesman James Sweeney declined to elaborate on the reasons for the governments decision Ticketmaster spokesman Larry Solters said the Justice Departments decision confirmed his Wing on board the view of the 111 (legislators) then the situation for the prime minister is in my view less tenable than it was before he 6aid Major also sacked Jeremy Hanley the party chairman and replaced him with Brian Mawhinney the former Lana port secretary The two new right-wingers brought into the Cabinet Michael Forsyth as Scottish Secretary and the youngest Cabinet member Car- but he had kids of his own and needed the money Potter said the man had committed armed robbery aggravated assault motor vehicle' theft and kidnapping I believe it fits all the criteria for carjacking The man was described as yiu fflf v--ie would be designed to keep roughly half of the 11000 jobs in the area by allowing the Air Force to hire private companies to do the base's depot maintenance work 'oaiUi av 10 it dbUiflCU the work would go to" California Chuck Pizer a spokesman for the base closing commission said the Pentagon had discussed its proposed compromise with the commission's staff but not the voting members Quite honestly we stand behind the recommendations we have sent to the president Pizer said Although the Perry plan is intended to ease the economic blow to California the states leading politicians were quick to criticize it Wednesday Sen Dianne Feinstein a California Deqiocrat released copies of a letter to Clinton in which she said the idea of fanning out depot maintenance work that is now done at McClellan would not guarantee the jobs stayed in her state I believe that anything short of keeping McClellan Air Force Base fully open is unacceptable Feinstein wrote adding that Clinton should reject the commissions base closure list outright Me should reject it in its entirety rather than try to fashion some kind of half-baked political solution said Gov Pete Wilson who is seeking the Republican nomination for president The White House does not want to be accused of interfering with the base-closing commission's work since the panel was created to keep politics out of the economically painful process of shutting down Cold War-era -bases Yet that is the charge bejng leveled by House Speaker Newt Gingrich and others In Marietta Ga on Tuesday Gingrich suggested Clinton was trying to shore up political support for 1996 by rescuing the McClellan depot maintenance jobs Given the presidents desperation about California you can understand what hes trying to do Gingrich told a news conference before a Fourth of July parade I think with every base on that Hit "you could ask the ques- tion Why doesnt the president care about us? If the purpose is to have honest people meet as a commission what does it mean to have politicians interfere? Gingrich said The commission recommended that McClellan be closed and that its communications and electronics maintenance work be transferred to Tobyhanna Army depot near Scranton Pa The commis- sion said the Air Force had more depot maintenance capacity than it could justify keeping in this era of tight defense budgets Since McClellans loss would become Tobyhanna's gain the idea of scrapping the transfer of thousands of jobs to the Scranton area drew quick criticism from the Pennsylvania congressional delegation Sen Rick Santorum a Republican wrote to Clinton on Wednesday urging he accept the commission's original plan Any compromise or special deal for McClellan would be a blatantly political maneuver targeted toward nothing but winning Californias 54 electoral college votes Santorum wrote Clinton has until July 15 to accept the commissions list of recommendations or return the list to the commission for revi- sions Sundquist autographs newspaper section at opening Tennessees and North Carolinas respective 1-26 corridor committees jnetin Erwin to discuss the status of their lobbying efforts Russell Brackins chairman of the committee here said both sides will continue pushing for the link with 1-26 Well still be working with you folks in North Carolina and continuing our effort to not only finish the highway but to extend it up through West Virginia al the way to Detroit Brackins said That is our ultimate objective K6 Officials line up Wednesday Line wildlife migration Now you have a beautiful road here in Unicoi County he said Take care of it The highway already has been named for Rep James Quillen R-lst The congressman thanked everyone for their work toward the project and said the new road represents a new vista of opportunity for Unicoi County and Upper East Tennessee Im delighted to share with you the glory of this accomplishment and the glory of the days ahead he said The new highway originally was proposed 30 years ago as part of the Appalachian Regional Development Act of 1965 to help stimulate economic growth The 15-mile section between Erwin and North Carolina was approved in 1986 and construction on the first section began in 1990 The road eventually will link with Interstate 26 in Asheville NC Construction on a 29-mile section in North Carolina has partially begun and is projected to be completed by 2001 Sundquist said the new road will provide safe travel for motorists as well aB a new window of economic opportunity From'the earliest days of our state's history it has been a challenge to provide reliable and safe passage through these mountains he said With this Life I sented to Gov Don Sundquist and Rep James Quillen R-lst But it was the highway not the politicians most in the crowd said they had come to see Some were like Reece and Gene Harris two brothers who grew up in rural Unicoi County The two proudly say the new highway runs through their old homeplace The Harris brothers peered over the side of the highway marveling at the sight of a nearby mountain range Ive heard them talk about this day my whole life but I never thought I would see this day come said Reece Harris pastor They are prisoners of their own illusions about the decline of inflation said Mikhail Zadornov chairman of parliaments budget committee Yasin and other officials said the move was designed to create stability both for producers and consumers and the currency exchange The Russian economy needs this very much said Otto Latsis an economic analyst at the influential Jzvestia newspaper Fixing the rate calms the market (and) calms the buyers For ordinary people a relatively stable exchange rate could be a welcome relief When the Soviet Union collapsed in December 1991 a dollar fetched about 90 rubles It had sunk almost steadily since the government let the market set the exchange rate in 1992 The ruble traded Wednesday at 4559 to the dollar A predictable exchange rate could make life a bit easier for everyone from pensioners scraping by on steadily shrinking fixed incomes to businessmen trying to plan ahead But many were cynical One businessman chalked it up to politics and said the government was trying to improve its project we have met that challenge and done so in a way that also respects and protects the natural wonder that has always attracted us to East Tennessee 4 Rep Zane Whitson R-Unicoi recognized Ideally as a major force behind the project said the road will improve the standard of living for East Tennesseans This highway is going to give our children and grandchildren good-opportunities in Northeast Tennessee he said After a ribbon-cutting ceremony members of of Sinking Creek Baptist Church Johnson City It is a beautiful view from up here Gene Harris who still lives in Unicoi County said he was equally enthusiastic about what the new highway could mean to the regions economy I expect there will be a lot of development in this area now that the highway is open he said Doug Oaks drove from his home in Kingsport to see the road officially opened Oaks said his father drove a bus from Asheville NC to Johnson City on the old highway in the late 1930s He said the North Carolina section of the two-lane highway was paved but the Tennessee side was still gravel Oaks said 6 H(v 34-year-old William Hague as Welsh Secretary are entrusted with areas where the Tories have little hope of electoral gains John Prescott deputy leader of the Labor Party said the new Cabinet wasnt likely to improve the Conservatives chances in the next national elections Labor is enjoying record popularity levels and Is expected to end the Conservatives 16-year grip on power Its like John Redwood said No change no chance said Prescott about 5 feet 8 inches tall and of medium build He has a coarse voice and may have some facial hair The man is probably very familiar with Unicoi County he said We are deeply alarmed about a person that commits these types of crimes Potter said Were treating this very seriously mfi CoumSTATN Emeraldo lOOKWoolrilt 46 $139" 6y $199" 917 $399" -i Tf Russia promises stability for ruble ii s' ft Bergamo Power Woven 100 Olefin Now we are ahead of North Carolina Chief Jimmy Erwin of the South Side Volunteer Fire Department said the highways completion was both a blessing and a curse for his small department He said the new highway would cut response times to southern Unicoi County in half It also will open the door to his department responding to more difficult traffic calls on- the interstate We dont have the equipment needed to deal with hazardous waste spills if they occur he said Still Erwin said he had to admit the new US 23 is a beautiful interstate targets "The intention is to use its exchange rate commitment as one more anchor in the (anti-inflation) program" he said In effect the government is betting that inflation is going to stay low enough for its target exchange rate to seem realistic If it doesnt the Central Bank might end up depleting its cash reserves to steady the ruble' Officials seemed confident this wouldnt happen 9 1-800-AIRTRAN (247-8726) Or call your travel agent $59 each way Seats may be bred pawenger toaMy owge not named position before 1996 parliamentary and presidential elections Its ali artificial sniffed a 21-year-old money-changer Alexei Vedyashkin The inove appeared to have the blessing of foreign lenders Finance Minister Viktor Pan-skov said the International Monetary Fund had signed off on the target rates World Bank economist Charles Blitzer declared himself supportive and said inflation should fall as long as the government sticks to its economic Nonstop To Orlando LOWEST FARE AVAILABLE ONLY NONSTOP AVAILABLE BOEING 737 JET SERVICE QMm AIRWAYS 737 Jet fcer Kaov Som fKtnctom appfy $3 The Associated Press MOSCOW The government promised on Wednesday to keep the ruble stable until Oct 1 a move intended to curb inflation and cement the gains from the Russian currencys strong sustained rally The government said the Central Bank would intervene in the currency market to keep the ruble between 4300 and 4900 to the dollar The announcement was a major expression of confidence and came amid a stunning turnaround for the ruble which has gained 125 percent in value since hitting a low of 5130 in early May The move seeks to hold down inflation by providing a psychological anchor an element of certainty When people are nervous about the exchange rate they dump rubles and buy dollars which makes inflation worse The governments challenge will be to honor the promise without exhausting the Central Banks estimated $10 billion in foreign currency reserves We dont think were taking a very big risk Economics Minister Yevgeny Vasin said confidently- Others disagreed Handmade Chinese 100' Wool Pile ow49 139 259 7x4' ri 29 49 ivnir i- 40 Aitngdoa' Virginia ly' Open 7 Days a Week fr CTftrfhbTW CTMlWfiffM 7 vDVi ixwb.