Standard-Speaker from Hazleton, Pennsylvania • Page 8

8 Hazleton Standard-Speaker, Thursday, May 23, 1 996 Briefs Clinton's legal argument stirs up vets Astronauts release satellite CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) Endeavour's astronauts released a lopsided satellite Wednesday to test whether small spacecraft can fly straight using only their weight and Earth's magnetic field, rather than steering jets. Crewman Mario Runco Jr. pushed the button that caused the 80-pound, aluminum satellite the size of a wastebasket to pop out of the space shuttle. It spun and wobbled as it drifted away, just as researchers expected.

The astronauts shot lasers at the black and white striped sat- I ellite to measure its wobble. But the wrong sides of the satellite the sides without laser reflectors always seemed to be facing th shuttle, hampering the crew's efforts. NASA mission manager Neal Barthelme said it probably will I take a few days for the satellite to stabilize and for one of its reflective ends to point toward Endeavour. Man sentenced in woman's death DETROIT (AP) A driver who attacked a woman over a fend- er-bender, forcing her to jump to her death off a bridge, was sentenced Wednesday to 16 to 40 years in prison. Martell Welch 20, treated the victim, Deletha Word, "like a piece of garbage," Judge Jeffrey Collins said.

Welch was convicted of murder in the woman's drowning last August in the Detroit River. He could have received life in prison, WASHINGTON (AP) Resurrecting President Clinton's avoidance of the draft, Republicans and the nation's largest veterans group questioned Wednesday whether the president a defendant in a sex harassment case is hiding behind a law meant to shield soldiers from lawsuits. Clinton's lawyers told the Supreme Court the president's role as commander in chief of the armed forces could entitle him to a postponement of a civil suit filed by former Arkansas state employee Paula Jones. She says Clinton propositioned her in 1991 at a Little Rock hotel. The legal argument by Clinton's lawyers "smells bad," said Thomas Burch, chairman of the National Vietnam Veterans Coalition.

And leaders of the 3 million-member American Legion said in a news release, "It's bizarre that anyone would suggest the president of the United States is on active duty." The Veterans of Foreign Wars commander in chief, Paul Spera, "The military should serve as the nation's defense, not somebody's defense." During the Vietnam War, which he opposed, Clinton received a draft deferment for a reserve officers training program which he never joined. He eventually subjected himself to possible induction, but drew a draft lottery number that was high enough so that he was never called into the military. "We've had plenty of great Americans take off a military "uniform to assume the presidency" but "none has ever put on a uniform after Inauguration Day," said the news release by the American Legion, the nation's largest veterans group. The Soldiers' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act "is for the benefit of people who are sitting in foxholes, and here you have Clinton with batteries of lawyers," said Burch of the Vietnam veterans coalition. But legal experts saw the position taken by Clintons' lawyers as legally valid.

also objected "in the strongest possible terms," the group said in a statement. House Republicans called such a legal position "a slap in the face to the millions of men and women" in the military. Clinton lawyer Robert Bennett said the Republicans were taking his legal argument out of context "in order to create a political issue." Bennett said he had referred to the relief act only as an example and that "we have not relied on it in this case." In a 21 -page brief to the Supreme Court last week, Bennett said that "absent exceptional circumstances," a sitting president should not have to face trial in a private civil lawsuit. In one paragraph of the brief, Bennett referred to the Solders' and Sailors' Civil Relief Act, which provides that civil claims are to be delayed while military personnel are on active duty. "President Clinton here thus seeks relief similar to that to which he may be entitled as Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, and which is routinely available to service members under his command," said the brief.

In a letter they circulated on Capitol Hill and addressed "Dear Mr. President," House Republicans wrote, "On the eve of Memorial Day it is imperative that you rectify this ignoble suggestion that you are now somehow a person in the military service." Reps. Bob Stump and Bob Dornan circulated the letter on Capitol Hill. Stump is chairman of the House Veterans Affairs Committee. Dornan is chairman of the subcommittee on military personnel.

"In 1969, President Clinton ran away from his military obligation, dodging the draft. Now, President Clinton by claiming possible protection makes a mockery of the laws meant to protect honorable men and women," Stump and Dornan said in a communique to fellow congressmen. Rep. Sue Myrick, said, Witnesses said Welch flew into a rage after he and Word had a minor accident on Detroit's Belle Isle island park. He dragged her out of her car, ripped her clothes off and slammed her head against his car.

Word, 33, climbed over the railing and jumped as he came after her with a car jack. Initial police reports said spectators cheered during the attack. But police later denied that. Chechen rebels killed MOSCOW (AP) Russian troops killed about 120 rebel Mediator says Freemen leader broke promise JORDAN, Mont. (AP) Efforts to arrange the Freemen's surrender fell apart partly because a group leader broke a promise to let FBI negotiators talk to everyone at the Freemen's ranch, a mediator said Wednesday.

Colorado legislator Charles Duke, who had arranged the first face-to-face meetings between the anti-government Freemen and FBI in the 59-day standoff, left Montana Wednesday after talks came to an abrupt end the day before. The petitions have been placed at some businesses in Jordan, 30 miles southeast of where the Freemen some wanted on criminal charges have taken refuge under the watch of FBI agents. Duke said the talks appeared to hold promise after the Freemen agreed to let each person at the ranch speak to the negotiators. But Freemen leader Rodney Skurdal reneged on the plan, he said. He would not provide details of the other issues, offers or counteroffers discussed in the 10 negotiating sessions during the past week.

Some of the Freemen, carrying weapons, were seen walking on the ranch property "Bringing in more mediation at this point I don't see what that would accomplish," a discouraged Duke said before he boarded his plane here. He later told reporters in Denver that the Freemen wanted President Clinton to step into the situation and declare a constitutional emergency. "I'm sure the president of the United States has more important things to worry about than a few criminals hanging out," he said. Local residents fed up with the stalemate began signing a petition that expresses support for law enforcement and says "reasonable force" may be 1(9 wimsm raja "With My Revolutionary CD. A Good Rate Can Only Get fighters Wednesday in a fierce battle in a separatist stronghold in western Chechnya, Defense Ministry officials said.

As many as 40 Russian soldiers were killed in the fighting near the village of Bamut, according to the ITAR-Tass news agency. A high-ranking Defense Ministry official who asked not to be identified told ITAR-Tass that up to 1,000 rebel fighters were defending the hills around the village, which lies in ruin. The fighting involves artillery, tanks and warplanes, the official said. Farmers charged with fraud WASHINGTON (AP) A Mississippi farmer and his son who allegedly received help from a one-time aide to former Agriculture Secretary Mike Espy were indicted Wednesday on charges they fraudulently collected $777,000 in crop subsidies. The four-count indictment against Brook Keith Mitchell his son, Brook Keith Mitchell and their farming company is the first to come out of an independent counsel's 20-month investigation of Espy.

Espy resigned in December 1994 because of questions about his conduct, including favors from Tyson Foods and other agribusiness firms. The charges returned by a grand jury, however, involve the conduct of Ron Blackley, a Mississippi farm consultant who had been a congressional aide to Espy and became Espy's chief of staff after Espy took office in January 1993. Ridge signs changes to law HARRISBURG (AP) Gov. Tom Ridge on Wednesday signed into law several technical changes designe to strengthen the state's recently enacted "Megan's Law." Ridge said the changes will clarify provisions of the law which requires convicted sex offenders to register with police and, in some cases, to disclose their addresses to their neighbors. "This new law clarifies certain provisions of the law which were enacted during last year's special session and makes implementing the law by state and local police more effective," he said.

One change requires sex offenders from out-of-state who decide to move to Pennsylvania to register with the state police. Megan's Law is named for a New Jersey youngster who was murdered. A convicted sex offender who lived across the street from her home was charged in the crime. Chrysler to halt imports DETROIT (AP) Twenty-five years after it became the first of the Big Three automakers to import a Japanese car, Chrysler Corp. said Wednesday that it will end the practice later this year.

Citing slow sales of its Eagle Summit subcompact, the No. 3 domestic automaker said it will not offer a 1997 model of the car built by Mitsubishi Motors Corp. Chrysler announced in September that it would discontinue its only other Japanese import, the Mitsubishi-built Dodge Stealth sports car, at the end of this model year. Sales of the Summit and Stealth have declined sharply in recent years, in part due to the rise in the yen's value, which makes Japanese imports more expensive. Community Clubs And Organizations Weekend Local non-profit organizations will be on display with informational materials and fundraising activities! Help support these groups throughout the weekend.

4 Friday, May 24th thru Sunday, May 26th "There's Nowhere 0 MALL HOURS: Monday Saturday 10 A.M. to 9 P.M. Sunday 11 A.M. to 5 P.M. to Go But Fairlane Village Rt.61 Pottsville Special Memorial Day Hours 1 A 5nS tl' For Your Shopping Convenience I CXMF JV I 10A.M.

to 5 P.M. -vNi Department Stores May Vary Trade up once during the initial term Minimum deposit $1,000 Three different levels paying top yields 24-month term Limited offer. Act now! IglMM 1 With Franklin First's Revolutionary CD, you can't go wrong! If rates should go down, you'll be locked in at an attractive, competitive Annual wy wag Ik Percentage Yield in your choice of three levels. But if rates go up, you have the option of trading for a higher rate. There's nowhere to go but up.

And there's nothing to do but drop by Franklin First for a Revolutionary CD this week. A nrfciibflii Sfk-irtosi 1 iocp ere en1 recjylc price. a hdvdti HiC centre product! Uentxr Fa Deccs tosuana Cap SubsiartaiOWuCtKi I 996 Tht SberwirvWillioms Compony Nol responsible far lypogrophicoJ or artwork errors. SKerwirvWiBioms reserves ihe right to coned errors at point of purchase One Day We'll Be YOUR Bank 1-800-262-1210 (717) 821-7100 Annuel rld (APV) ie cwrem date of oibkcerxxi Rat ibct to chwige h-out note "AnTxJm beianc "soured to ope" ctx trO ODD tt APY APY based on 24 month-term CO. interact compounded owy Or-: Mne nm Kmst pemtted i bar tor rnenq term only and not tetroactw Sutstantai penalty far cany "tXdraael.