The Sacramento Bee from Sacramento, California • 28

A28 The Sacramento Bee Sunday March 12 1989 FROM PAGE ONE GOP Climb "The Republicans have a tremen-- dous opportunity but they have got: to deliver something" he said For the Republicans to have impact they would have to tract about 15 percent of the black' vote in most states Blacks are the largest ethnic minority in most of the country although California with its large Hispanic population is an exception The most visible black official In the new administration is Louis Sullivan who survived a controversy over his views on abortion to become the head of the Health and Human Services Department But Coelho said Sullivan is a token Instead of somebody strong" who will have influence on issues of importance to blacks in the administration In contrast Coelho noted that the Democrats have chosen Ron Brown as the first black chairman of either political party and named Rep William Gray of Pennsylvania who is black as part of the leadership of the House of Representatives Coelho believes that "blacks may become more upset with Bush than they ever were with Reagan if they believe they are being patronized" "With Reagan blacks knew where they stood" Coelho said "He was opposed to their agenda" In an article in the Washington Post last week Atwater said he resigned from the Howard board "with deep regret" Atwater said that if the demonstrating students had been willing to listen he would have told them that he supported the extension of the 1968 Voting Rights Act black control of the South African government and affirmative action but the latter solely on a volunteer basis Among the issues raised by the students was Bush's criticism of Massachusetts Gov Michael Dukakis over a prison furlough program permitting temporary freedom for felons including murderers Campaign ads cited the case of Willie Horton a black prisoner who murdered a Maryland man and raped the man's wife while on fur lough from Massachusetts Democratic critics including Jesse Jackson and vice presidential candidate Lloyd Bentsen accused Atwater and other campaign offidais of deliberately appealing to racial fears among blue-collar white voters -v- 4k111--- 4') '0 -2 ---4 4 c- A te 4- e--4--- -t-o-- '9- i 1q11 1pit )r I 71'104' '4 'RNItoi''' -7' 4 -I1'4S7 k--- 1 --sti 1 ''-T-''- A- I 1 411 ti 3t--4 1077' -1--to -k 'N4 i 4---- 16 rk 'N' 'i' sie 1r -i 2 ---s ar'1-'- 24 1 1 76'1 44v- 7r1'77' 0- -c11241' ''2k 1 -'C l' s( "'Pnl rr s'e 3 rs 411R'k1- k'ki-4e4't i I -If k' 1 lk 'N''' 41 4 i' mIL'-'1k'c'' ki 1- -'T JP- 1-441- -t 1 '44 -1-1-s 4i '-1' rt 04 410 4 -icv-st 1-A A I lik 4 4 2 -4 I I i 1 4'aii 14' fk a ri---- 4' i- '1---41 'Of 'AV- 4t I 4Pf 1 tri--: -41 'n'' ''''tckk wt?" --144-''' 4' 2 2 tk it iya ilLiftl-li -0'-' 4470 'v "lk L44a1 IV 't I t'''' i' n-P 1 tt 4 1 w' A "Ai -717 drit 00) le i 41- -t A i 0 -0 '11-: ---i 4 (4---'ft ''-y -z l' is "i'--o' -4 'wtelk i- 7- 4 4'- t71- 1 or 1 -1 1 4 ar' t--1--- 1 IL It I A 4 I 4 al f60 444 kt'' 3-----4or -71 -jc 't 4 1 --gf 1 '0 7 It -I i 1- v-itil $--- '-zc A' i''- 4i -1 -1 'c: I r-A It --1 '''N'h-i '1 4 Zi 1xe -t-- 'r 121 t''C t- It l'''''-- OriA Ns1 1 9 r' a ii '1 A -1 I -4-1? ft 1 'ti- so-: --i--- 14- i--f 11i ''r tr r-1 -I4 e' 1 r4 il it1AleP '1 441C- 7 is "1 'A 'N'''- I' 1 1- i A tvit 4 Qi01' i' 4-4-- 4 4A 11 7 '4 7-it 14 i C4itIsli ki17 4 3'''' k' Ir l' I 4 1 i'AO 3 -1 4 ifr ig 0 w' 'k 2' )12' 47-14 41- 7 -i 7- IA I ft'7: 4 ii 2it'-): 4 7: -rt-c A -'-1 J-E' i'' 7 ts4 1-i 4 1i41 7-01' '''t 4 V--''k--i'arr 17'4'-i-- 4- --tl s'f '11y 7-'it 4ALit I i z-' i '''-A l'r 4 '4(''- 14 I 4-- 'A vt '6-t- 4:1 :4 '4i'1k- P4 1(-44 v7' 1- 1 i0tI'4 tat A 11 vr ---t -p k1 r44-4 2 -----7 41: 1 )-s --'2 401w ii4 22 k20 0 '2 2:14 At gby sit 4: ---j' i I '4 -A '4t6 it- "v4 4 l'' 04- '14--- i ---4--4' 44 4- --4- i- 4 It: 4' i-ts 'i' "4 0 "1' I 1 'et--kto 1-- 1 n'3 -S' I 4 i' 0 01 44 ti da 4" 4 4t1 4 I 4-- 4 vet 1 't IN -t 44'4 i tp 't44 4' -1v41-k'krr- 'it ii-- yl i -t- 4 7- i i 1 -1-F4 4 oi-1-447 i 4- fr -it lt --4 tztf i ct l' 't- 44-) aze '-1 It- 1 oit'rit-: 4 IF: r'' 44441's -1 0i- 4- '041a 4 4'" 'I' 1'' "-iA-7'--t '7-1 -'4 rt 4--4' i i A 7 i IP vi 4 -4 Lk i 1 1 14 0 Its 4- A yro''-: mt--- I zig-' 4' Jo'l '44j" nai- 3 11'' 'al'? i'i-e -v1P 0144 1 4-' lk 4 1 1 4 "7 -L 0 -x I 0 -Ar 4f 02 A 7 --1-4- VoiiAl1444' -4-'t11- 5 0-Ar -4 4 4 iff le ei 1 -77' 1 '4 71 lit -4411- 0 i- tt t- --41TCta!" 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The episode followed the election to the Louisiana legislature of David Duke a former Ku Klux Klan official who ran as a conservative Republican Atwater disavowed Duke as representative of the Republican Party and Bush along with former President Ronald Reagan campaigned for Duke's opponent Nonetheless Duke remains a member of the party and an embarrassment for Atwater and Bush Bush also is coming under criticism for not backing his speeches with actions to catch the attention of blacks Hispanics and other minorities "Style symbolism and rhetoric are not enough" said Ralph Neas executive director of the bipartisan Leadership Conference on Civil Rights The administration has got to earn the support of the minority community and they haven't done it yet" Neas said much of the rhetoric of the young administration especially from Housing and Urban Development Secretary Jack Kemp is encouraging "and has drawn justifiable applause" But there are also actions that he said are throwbacks to Reagan's laissez-faire civil rights policies "There have been a number of things which have deeply undercut the nice speeches" Neas said "There is still a healthy amount of skepticism" Specifically Neas cited the appointments of Kenneth Starr as solicitor general in the Justice Department and William Lucas to head the Civil Rights Division in the department Starr according to Neas is a hard-line conservative who worked in the Justice Department under Reagan's first attorney general William French Smith and supported the rollback of many civil rights policies in effect when Reagan took office Lucas a black Michigan police official who ran unsuccessfully for governor of the state had no experience or record in civil rights issues and is not qualified for the job by background and temperament according to his critics Both appointments were made by Attorney General Richard Thornburgh who has shown a marked reluctance to move vigorously to reverse the hands-off civil rights policies of the Reagan era Neas said House Democratic Whip Tony Coelho of Merced agreed with Neas saying "Their problem is they are trying to do it with symbols alone like Atwater playing guitar with a black band and getting appointed to the Howard board" "Bush is showing a country club mentality and being patronizing to blacks" Coelho said "They are more sophisticated than that" Continued from page Al "rm not doing it for anyone" Wellman said "I want to prove something to myself" Maybe he wants to overcome the mountain because it was a mountain that put him in a wheelchair 612 years ago he was scrambling on Seven Gables Peak south of Yosemite when he fell and slid more than 100 feet wedging in a crack He spent a night there before he was rescued A spinal injury left his legs mostly paralyzed He studied to become a ranger and has been working at Yosemite since 1986 "I haven't told my mother yet she's not going to like this" Wellman said Mike Corbett his partner holds the world's record for number of ascents of El Capitan his personalized license plates say "Mr Map" Corbett works as a janitor in Yosemite's medical clinic The planned April 19 trip will be Corbett's 42nd ascent They expect it to take six days Corbett has made the climb in 13 hours The first people to scale El Capitan 30 years ago took 40 days In any climb one member leads" and another follows Corbett 35 will plant "chocks" metal nuts that have replaced destructive pitons in climbing The chocks are pounded into cracks and the rope then attached Wellman 28 will pull himself up behind Wellman will not be a "free rider" He will have a lot of work to do anchoring Corbett to prevent his falling while Corbett moves ahead and removing the chocks as he comes up behind They have special pants to protect Wellman's immobile legs and other customized gear "I figure it's like doing 3000 pull-ups" said Wellman 28 who has developed a massive upper body by weightlifting since his accident Wellman first was interviewed a month ago days after the idea was hatched It was a late winter day and 'the only sound on the floor of Yosemite Valley was the call of red-breasted nuthatchers and the Merced River flowing over riffles Wellman was confident but nervous But in the time since then he and Corbett have practiced a lot Wellman is acting like he was born on ropes "It takes him five minutes to do fifty feet" Corbett said Friday "That's almost able-bodied time" Other park rangers are enthusiastic but many people think the two are crazy But only a climber can understand that feeling of working the rock when it's just you and the cracks and the sound of the wind "Believe it or not I like the sense of security" Corbett said "You don't have to answer to anybody It's one-on-one A friend of mine calls it being a poor man's astronaut You can go places people have never been and do it on a low budget It's not scary Just a lot of work" For Wellman the trip offers one big reward: "It will be the longest I'll be out of a wheelchair in 6 12 years" "The issue was never Willie Hon: ton the man" Atwater said "It was the program that allowed him and other convicted murderers out Massachusetts' prisons for unsupervised weekend furloughs after being sentenced to life without parole" Mark Goodin the communications director to the Republican National Committee and senior aide to Atwater said GOP officials are not discouraged by the rocky start their black outreach program has en dured "We did not embark on an outreach with the naive prospect that there would be no bumps in the road without some setbacks or BeeJay Mather not doing it for anyone" Wellman says "I want to prove something to myself" Mark Wellman practices his roping technique in preparation for his attempt on El Capitan "I'm Court Delta Joyce Luther Kennard EDUCATION: University of Southern California i --4'A BA 1971 magna cum laude Phi Beta Kappa 1 II Master of Public Administration and Juris Doctor A I orak both in 1974 4 I BACKGROUND: Kennard 47 whose ancestry is ---s" Dutch Indonesian and Chinese was born in Indone- sia and spent World War II in a Japanese internment camp with her mother after her father died She moved with her mother to New Guinea at 10 and to the Netherlands at 14 In 1961 she immigrated alone to the United States and was naturalized in 1967 in Los Angeles Gov Deukmejian appointed her to the Municipal Court in 1986 the Superior Court in 1987 and the Court of Appeal-in' 1988 A public servant throughout her professional life she began her legal career as a prosecutor for the state Justice Department and later was a senior attorney for the Court of Appeal in Los Angeles FAMILY: Her husband is Robert Kennard deputy assessor for Los An- geles County They live in Sherman Oaks Continued from page Al "I also welcome the feminine perspective I think it will enrich the court" Kaufman said at a public appearance in Santa Clara In announcing his choice of Kennard during his weekly radio address Deukmejian called her superbly qualified and said "She has had a remarkable life of achievement and triumph over adversity" Kennard grew up in the occupied Dutch East Indies during World War II and as a teenager in the Netherlands she lost a leg to an infection She came to the United States at 20 took a job as a secretary and worked her way through school earning an array of top academic honors She told an interviewer two years ago: "Considering the fact that I was educated in a different country and never used a telephone or saw a television set until I was 14 I think I've come a long way" In another interview she explained her reputation as an exceptionally hard worker: "I want to show this country that they didn't make a mistake in letting me in" Deukmejian made Kennard a Municipal Court judge in 1986 then promoted her to a higher court each year since The governor said "Justice Joyce Kennard has proved that hard work skill and intelligence combined with the promise of the American dream can lead one to great achievements" While close observers of the court had expected Deukmejian to select a woman as his sixth Supreme Court nominee the front-runner was are necessary to deter unfair piac tices she wrote Continued from page Al A federal criminal investigation has been launched But most complaints and most of the money involve charges by auditors that bookkeeping is so shoddy and business practices are so lax that the validity of the claims cannot be determined Banks in Stockton Rio Vista and Walnut Grove are holding millions of dollars in unpaid "warrants" that could become worthless The little reclamation districts responsible for maintaining each island's levees could go bankrupt Public support for bailing out the Delta farmers could be lost And further audits on another $25 million in 1986 Delta flood relief claims are yet to be done After the financial reports be- Came public last week Dutra said the auditors had taken "a rather random shotgun approach making accusations that were basically untrue" Last week's headlines about fraud and misuse of 1982-83 flood money left Delta farmers shocked and bewildered "is this us?" Tim Wilson Daniel's 62-year-old father asked himself "What's going on?" "Makes us look like we're all bandits down here in the Delta that we're all trying to get money out of the government" lamented the younger Wilson "We're Just normal farmers" After a flood emergency the government paper work is handled by a small group of engineers hired by the districts "We were amazed at the charges that are being made" said George Raab a Stockton-based engineer for several island districts although the OES office in south Sacramento but in many ways it is a world away With drawbridges spanning its rivers and sloughs and levees enclosing its islands the Delta lives by its own imperatives "We share a situation where we can disappear instantly" said Daniel Wilson The farmers many of them third- and fourth-generation Delta inhabitants must often defend their homes and croplands from floodwaters Each island has its own special government body charged with "reclaiming" the historic swampland by building and maintaining levees These tiny autonomous reclamation districts are supported by taxes on their property owners and governed by their farmer-inhabitants Trustees of 200-acre Deadhorse Island are the Wilsons themselves Tim his wife Dixie and their son 34-year-old Daniel the island's sole owners and inhabitants Meetings of Reclamation District No 2111 are convened said Tim "wherever we happen to be" Deadhorse Island sits at a strategic point in the northern Delta Just to the north the Delta Cross Channel diverts Sacramento River water that flows around both sides of Dead-horse where it joins Mokelumne River water and continues south toward the big pumps that fill the aqueducts of California's big state and federal water projects "We're right in the center of California water politics" said Daniel Wilson "The water flowing by Dead-horse is a mixed blessing: it tears up our levees but it also means they (the public) have got to pay attention to us" The current dispute over the government disaster relief is cast in a distinctly political light by the Dead-horse Island farmers To them the Intense scrutiny over record-keeping Is just another way to undermine the future of the Delta They see the allegations as fuel for Southern California interests who for years have fought to bypass the troublesome Delta water delivery system by a so-called Peripheral Canal The Wilsons and other Delta interests are convinced that construction of such a canal would eliminate the state's need to maintain he levees and floodwaters would eventually reclaim the islands amounts in dispute for his 1983 work are relatively small The engineers did what we'd done in previous years as far as securing bids for the work and getting the work done" said Raab "The auditors came in and gave us some new rules to play by after the fact" "They knew what the rules were" said one state Office of Emergency Services (OES) official close to the dispute "Don't tell me that you're an uneducated and unsophisticated farmer when you've organized yourself and now you don't want to be subject to the rules of the game we're not talking about 8300 grants to welfare mothers here" The heart of the dispute may have been identified last week by an official of the flood management division of the US Army Corps of Engineers which does its own extensive levee maintenance work in and around the Delta When levee work is done under a corps contract he said an engineer is always on the scene of the project representing the government's interest When work is done under a disaster-relief declaration no one is on the scene representing FEMA FEMA's auditors came in long after the work was complete and were left to guess and to second-guess conditions the validity of prices paid and even the necessity of any given feature of a project "If you had a watchdog over the job approving every little bit of supplement you'd have a lot tighter bundle at the end" said the corps official The Wilsons conceded that they didn't competitively bid their relatively small Deadhorse Island projects or draw up written contracts in advance for levee repair work "They have done work for years on a handshake" observed Don Meixner chief of flood management for the state Department of Water Resources last week "They did business with Bill Dutra's dad maybe his grandfather" But a state OES official said that doing business "on a handshake" is unacceptable when public money is at stake "They just can't be spending taxpayers' money without some reasonable effort to justify wilat they've done he said 4 The Delta is only 25 miles from thought to be Patricia Benke a Court of Appeal justice from San Diego with strong Republican political connections Kennard has kept her political affiliations private Both Kaufman and Lle lmen speculated that Benke may have been disqualified by the problems of working at the Supreme Court's San Francisco headquarters while raising a young family in San Diego Kaufman said he has heard that Kennard will move to the Bay Area Even though the list of Kennard's appellate opinions is short it includes a few liberal rulings While sitting on the Court of Appeal as a temporary justice in 1987 Kennard wrote an opinion upholding a $5 million punitive damage award against an Insurance company Large punitive damages sometimes In a more recent case she rein- stated the lawsuit of a 74-year-old widow against a lawyer who lied to her while trying to collect a debt Barnett of UC Berkeley pointed to the latter opinion as evidence of Kennard's objectivity But he also noted "evidence that she will be tough on criminal defendants" For example in an opinion last summer Kennard affirmed a burglary and assault conviction despite a questionable instruction that was f' given to the jury In the process she rejected an earlier Court of Appeal opinion on the same issue and a con-01 cession by the attorney general that the earlier opinion was binding i Haitian boat capsizes off Cuba 23 dead Associated Press were being given medical attention clothing and others care Prensa Latina said care Frensa Latina saw I iM1111111 SETTING IT STRAIGHT The news service said Cuban authorities would investi- gate the accident and help identify the victims Haiti the poorest nation in the Western Hemisphere' is on the island of Hispaniola about 100 miles east of Cuba Migrants trying to reach the United States must sail past Cuba's northeast coast to reach Florida or the Bahk mas The Prensa Latina dispatch quoted the Cuban Natiok al Inforgnation Agency as saying a accident oc curred off the Cuban coast in the past year but did not provide anv furthetdetails MEXICO CITY An overcrowded boat loaded with Haitians trying to reach the United States capsized off the east coast of Cuba leaving 23 dead the official Cuban news service Prensa Latina said Saturday There were 166 Haitians aboard the Archate when it sank off the coast of Holguin province according to a Prensa Latina dispatch monitored in Mexico City The news service blamed bad weather for the accident It did not say when the accident occurred and provided few other details Cuban authorities heloed rescue the urvivors who A story on page B1 Thursday incorrectly said that a skilled gunman can fire hundreds of rounds per minute with a semiautomatic rifle Gun expert say a gunman could lire fewer than 100 rounds per minute vittli such a weapon.