The Times Argus from Barre, Vermont • 1

Norwich, Babson In Cadet Classic Final Page 8 VOL. 86 NO. 224 USPS 630-820 SATURDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 4, 1982 BARRE-MONTPJSLIER. VERMONT 12 PAGES TWENTY-FIVE CENTS Colombia Lukewarm To Reagan State To Fight Planned Jump Of Gasoline Tax guards as Reagan flew from the airport by helicopter to lay a wreath of red roses at a statue of the nations liberator, Simon Bolivar. Armored personnel carriers with machine guns were stationed at major intersections.

Although his Marine helicopter alighted just 25 yards from the statue, security concerns were so great that Reagan rode in an armored limousine to the ceremony. Troops cordoned off the area and kept crowds at a distance. (Colombia, Page 12) BOGOTA, Colombia (AP) -President Reagan, protected by an extraordinarily heavy guard, was cheered and jeered by separate crowds in this capital Friday and urged by Colombia's president to halt the diplomatic boycott of Fidel Castros regime. Later, as Reagan flew to Costa Rica, he was quoted as saying he agreed with the proposal in principle but only if Cuba ceases being a satellite of the Soviet Union." Reagan was welcomed in San Jose by Costa Rican President Luis Alberto Monge, who gave Reagan a hug, the traditional Latin greeting. The president then headed for a meeting with the provisional president of El Salvador, Alvaro Alfredo Magana.

In Colombia, Reagan told President Belisario Betancur, whose country supplies most of the marijuana and cocaine used in the United States, that illegal drugs were a threat to the social fabric of both nations and that he was determined to cut their consumption in the United States. Reagan said he realized the United States and Colombia do not agree on every issue but said his trip was intended to find Ways of overcoming differences. Briefing reporters later on Air Force One, Secrertary of State George P. Shultz said Reagan and Betancur hit it off very well on a personal level even though they were at odds on some policy issues. He said they agreed fully on the need to curb drug smuggling.

The downtown section of government office buildings was virtually cleared of people and lined with armed Colombian much new federal highway money as initially thought. Of the proposed federal gas-tax measures, Evslin has said the best for Vermont is one being drafted by a Senate panel headed by Sen. Robert T. Stafford, R-Vt. Until Friday, Evslin had been saying the measure could yield up to $25 million in additional federal highway dollars for Vermont.

The state currently receives about $40 million in federal road funds. But Evslin said Friday he now understands the $25 million only represents the amount to which Vermont would be entitled above the amounts contained in the Reagan administration proposal. Thus, Evslin claims the actual amount of additional funds Vermont would get under the Stafford bill is only about $7 million or $4 million less than the additional tax money it would send to Washington under an increased federal gasoline tax. According to a Stafford spokesman, however, the additional dollars would be The spokesman said under the senators proposal, Vermont would receive about $49 million in basic highway funds next year, as opposed to the $36 million it would get if no changes were made in federal highway funding formulas during the lame duck congressional session. (Tax, Page 12) By ELIZABETH SLATER Vermont Press Bureau Vermont Transportation Secretary Tom Evslin said Friday the state has decided to oppose attempts to increase the federal gasoline tax during the current lame duck session of Congress.

At the same time, Evslin warned that Vermont lawmakers will probably be asked to increase the states gasoline tax next year regardless of any increase on the federal level. The White House has proposed the gas tax increase as a way to generate extra money for road projects and create jobs in the process. Evslin said neither objective would be met by the three measures being considered. Evslin claimed the measures, if enacted, wouldnt create enough jobs in time to make a dent on the current recession. He also said the proposed measures are not a very effective way of saving Americas infrastructure.

Evslin said the proposals are being sold to Americans as a way of filling the nations potholes. However, he said, federal guidelines would prevent the government frond paying for pothole filling without massive repaving. Evslin came to a press conference F.day armed with yet another tidbit: rev sed information he says suggests Vermont would not be eligible for as 5HS T-V- President Ronald Reagan by Colombian students at the National University in President Belisario Betancur was Bogota, battled with police as they Forest Service Endorses Sugarbush Expansion ByDANGILLMOR WARREN Sugarbush Valley Inc.s 20-year plan to massively expand its two ski areas into an integrated network of -trails, lifts and lodges has been strongly endorsed in a draft environmental impact statement just released by the U.S. Forest Service. The 130-page statement differs little from an internal Forest Service study made public last winter.

It largely rejects, however, a subsequent locally funded analysis that concluded the expansion might substantially force local taxes higher. The study has cost about $400,000 to date, with the bulk of the research financed by the ski area company. The Sugarbush Master Plan appears to create no non-mitigatable adverse impacts, while best providing for increased recreational activities for the regional skiing population, and sustaining the economic well being of Sugarbush Valley and the local economy in the face of changing market conditions, according to the new Forest Service document. Under federal law, developers who want to use federal land must have special permission. The proposed Sugarbush expansion would use 90 acres of Forest Service land in addition to the 1,700 acres of federal land for which the resort already possesses a use permit granted in 1958.

The impact statement is an integral part of the permit process, and the Forest Service must conclude that no The Sugarbush Valley Ski Area Now i feo Outwardly, the reception given warm. But other Colombians, such protested against Reagans visit. severely adverse environmental, economic and social consequences will result from proposed development. Under the terms of the draft statement, the Forest Service would review the Sugarbush expansion at regular intervals and have the authority to force a development halt if serious problems appeared. The development plan favored by the Forest Service contemplates the following effects, among others, when the expansion is completed: Uphill lift capacity would rise from the current 6,200 skiers per hour to 11,650 per hour.

Electrical demand in the Mad River Valley would soar about 65 percent to nearly 33 megawatts. An additional 6,000 rental beds would be needed in the immediate area, and 1,500 new vacation homes would be constructed as well. Direct and indirect employment in the valley would rise by 1,128 jobs. Area population would grow 4 percent annually. I One potential problem cited by the impact study is the growing unavailability of housing for ski industry employees.

The document asserts: Employee housing will be considered in the Environmental Assessment process by the Forest Service as each construction phase is reviewed. Significant shortages will require mitigation by Sugarbush Valley Inc. prior to approval of the next phase of construction. (Sugamush, Page 12) enters Herald American offices. as Lucille Fair, vice president of the Greater Barre Craft Guild, spent Friday evening setting up her display for the guilds second annual Arts ft Crafts Show set for Saturday and Sunday at the Barre Auditorium.

The show features macrame, quilts, grain braiding, dolls and other products from 80 exhibitors. (Dickerson photo) Murdoch In At Herald And As It Eventually May Be Sanders Announces Hes Running Again 800 workers will lose their jobs under the agreement. Im never satisfied, but there is always three years down the road, Jennings said, referring to the end of the new contracts. We made the best of the worst. Murdoch said the deals will trim $7 million from the Heralds annual operating budget.

Jubilant staffers hugged each other and shouted with joy when news of the agreement reached the newspapers city room. It feels good. It feels good, exclaimed one editor. Murdoch, owner of the New York Post, said the Herald American would publish a Saturday edition. Were going to have a paper that is satisfying to readers, that is informative and provocative, the publisher vowed.

Editor Donald Forst said Murdoch addressed staffers, saying he was delighted to be here. He said he was looking forward to working with the staff, learning from one another. He said he would back the efforts of this paper with promotion money, funds and resources. Forst said he hadnt decided how Saturdays front page would read, but said he hadnt ruled out (Murdoch, Page 12) BOSTON (AP) Newspaper tycoon Rupert Murdoch reached agreements with the Boston Herald Americans unions Friday, clearing the way for him to buy the tabloid just 10 minutes before the Hearst Corp. intended to shut it down.

Murdoch won the concessions with the last of the newspapers 11 unions at 4:50 p.m. The Hearst group, owner of the morning daily for 78 years, had said it would cease publication at 5 p.m. Hearst said the Herald American was losing $1 million a month. Murdoch had offered to buy the paper on the condition that the newspapers unions agree to layoffs and other cost-cutting changes. It is with great pleasure that I can announce we have reached an agreement with the unions that will allow us to save the Record American I mean the Herald American, said a beaming Murdoch, momentarily calling the newspaper by the name it carried before a merger 10 years ago.

Its been a very successful day, Murdoch said as his negotiating team headed for a round of champagne toasts in a hotel suite. Charles Jennings, head of the unions unity council, said between 180 and 185 of the Heralds BURLINGTON (AP) With hundreds of supporters cheering him on, Mayor Bernard Sanders on Friday night launched a bid for a second term as the leader of Vermonts largest city. Sanders, a socialist, told a packed City Hall crowd that he has no new initiatives in mind if he is re-elected, just that he plans to keep his 26-month-old administration on a steady course. The issue is whether or not the experiment is going to grow, said Sanders during a 40-minute speech interrupted frequently by applause from the estimated 400 people who also listened to other speeches by supporters of the mayor. If voters return Sanders to office when they go to the polls in March, the 41-year-old Brooklyn native will get the chance to use some of the expertise hes acquired since he defeated five-term Democratic incumbent Gordon Paquette by just 10 votes in 1980.

That experience has come mostly from battles with the conservative faction of Burlington city government. And those struggles began putting a damper on Sanders election not long after his stunning victoj7. Sanders was a familiar face in left-wing politics when he took on Paquette and the Democratic machine that had dominated the city for years. He helped found Vermonts radical political party, the Liberty Union, acting as its chairman until 1977 and carrying its banner through campaigns for governor and U.S. Senate.

Sanders was backed by a diverse coalition of his radical peers, unions and college students when he toppled Paquette. As a conservative tide swept over the (Sanders7Page 12) Rupert Murdoch i 1.