Newsday from New York, New York • 6

msnnwE i By Ben Kubasik and Anthony Scaduto join me. The lady protested, "Oh, no. I "Theres going to be a special surprise' guest, tike discos spokesman says. Word running rampant in these circles is its: Paul Newman. NICARAGUAN ICE SKATERS.

So who was among the ice skaters at Rockefeller Center yesterday? Nicaraguas first lady Rosario Murillo a poet in her own right, here for the PEN Congress and her children. Shes "combining business with the pleasure of having my children along. They were great on the ice, but they roller-skate a lot. I dont. I havent been on ice for 20 years, since school in Switzerland.

I was terrible. Her husband. President Daniel Ortega, is the follow the Reagan administration says aids Soviet expansionism in Central America. But she says: "Im so happy my children can meet American people and see the good side of America. Even though Tve been here five times, Tve never gone sightseeing.

The mayors office is taking us on a tour Saturday. A special assistant to Ed Koch says they'll give a tour to almost any special visitor who asks: "We have a volunteer committee made up of people who agree to escort so-called VIPs to places theyd like to see. Is the mayor, going along? "No. "you wont be able to tell if theyre from Warsaw or the East Village. BOOK tk PEACE PARTIES.

A rather unusual book promotion party a performance by jazz great Joe Williams and the Count Basie band goes down tonight at the Palladium. The concerts sponsored by Random House, looking for ways to publicize its "Good Morning, Blues, Williams autobiography, written with Albert Murray. "We've had people perform here, but this is the first major band, a Palladium spokesman says. Joe and the band perform twice; the show for the public is at midnight Palladium party, on Tuesday, Feb. 18, is the Pro-Peace Benefit Dinner, at $300 a ticket Pro-Peace is the group thats now marching, about 5,000 strong, from Los Angeles to Washington, with a stopover here.

Gov. Mario Cuomo is sending greetings, were told, actress Susan Sarandon will make a speech, and a lot of other celeb-ritira have promised to attend. cant sing. Lanny persisted, and she sang in public, for the first time in her life, on Broadway. AMERICAS IMPACT.

Punk rocker Malgorzata Ostrowska? Torch singer Maxyla Rodowicx? Keyboard player-singer Cseslaw Nieman? Comedian-singer and "Fred Astaire-style tap dancer Andrzej Rosiewicx? These and other examples of Americas pop-cultural influence on Poland will be seen at three performances in the next two weeks. "My partner, Elizabeth Swie-ciclu-MacAvoy, decided to give a showcase to some of Polands trading stars, said Yolanta Koman, with a doctorate degree in theater, whos been in the United States three years. "We got encouragement to bring them over from the White House, the State Departments Polish desk, senators. They perform at Studio 54 Sunday and again Sunday, Feb. 2, with a Town Hall concert on Saturday, Jan.

25. "When you see them, said Yolanta, VIDEO HISTORY. It could be the wave of the future: A cable TV outfit has just bought the rights to video cassettes that were made for the home VCR market and have never been on TV. The cable company is the Disney Channel. The tapes, childrens videos that Shari Lewis made for MGMUA, have been selling well in the year since their release.

Disney will show Sharis "You Can Do It, in February; "Have I Got a Story For You, in April, and "Kooky Classics, in June. Sounds great, so long as they dont clutter up our set with Jane Fonda exercising or Arnold Schwanenegger pumping iron. HERE COMES KATHIE LEE. Shes known for her TV work on Ch. Ts "The Morning Show and ABCs "Good Morning America, but Kathie Lee Johnson considers herself pri marly a singer.

She told us: Tve been singing professionally since I was 14, in a folk group with my sister, Michie Mader. I did the Waldorf New Years Eve with Lionel Hampton, have done Atlantic City, made three gospel albums, and began my TV career singing on 'Name; That On Feb. 3, Kathie Lee makes her New York cabaret debut at Freddys Supper Club. Do tough New York audiences and critics worry hex? "Not really. Im terribly excited about playing Freddys and about the program weve put together.

Singing is very rewarding. Film and TV actors always want to go back to theater to do something for themselves. Tm doing that in my singing. The act will have piano, bass, anu drums, and backup singers. Bill Fayne is my conductor and pianist.

Itll be like family. My sister and an old friend, Denise Carley, will be backups. So I'll be at home. She says she has no desire to record again. "I never really considered myself a pop or rock singer.

I have a deep, rich voice, and the best place for me is in cabaret and musicals. Were inviting agents and producers to Freddys. I want to get the ball rolling for Broadway. BROADWAY DEBUT. A reception the other night at the Lincoln Center Library on Broadway honored Kevin Lewis, a museum curator who put together the exhibit, "Something For the Boys: Trouping in the World Wars, a collection of photos of stars who entertained troops in World War II.

Lewis had searched through official archives and private collections. "People were great about contributing, he says. "I wrote to Olivia de Havilland at her home in Paris, and she sent 10 pounds of photos. Mrs. Douglas MacArthur, the generals widow, was one notable at the party.

Another was singer Lanny Rosa, whu said hed decided to sing "I Wish I Were in Dixie. And added: "I NEWSOAY. FRIDAY. JANUARY 17. The first lady of Nicaragua, Rosario Murillo, skates with her children at Rockefeller Center.

wish I could get Mrs. MacArthur to Sign of the Times for NY Newsday will display the New York Newsday logo on the historic building. The new owners of One Times Square announced yesterday that New York Newsday The building has a long history tied to the changes in the city. The zipper, originally called would bring back the electronic news bulletins that once circled the old Times Tower and would guarantee the survival of another city tradition the Times Square countdown to New Years. For 80 years, first an illuminated ball and then a "Big Apple has been dropped from the building to herald the new year.

New York Newsday will sponsor the apple's ride for the next five years. The "xipper that once flashed news around the triangular sliver of building has been dark for eight years. It will join the "Spectacolor and "Minolta signs, as well ss four new signs that the motorgram, was the first moving sign and showed the election returns of 1928 on a 5-footwide, 360-foot-long surface. The building, originally completed in 1904 by the architectural firm of Eidlitz and MacKenzie, was remodeled in white marble in 1966. "Were delighted that the new owners of One Times Square share our vision of an Hting future for Times Square, said Kent Barwick, president of the Municipal Art Society of New York.

"Their plans for the building will make it a positive center of activity and a focus for dramatic light displays. One Times Square, located on the triangle at Times Square, is bordered by Broadway, Seventh Avenue and 42nd Street. It is a powerful landmark of the citys theater district. The building was purchased last month by two New York City real estate owners for more than $20 million. The new owners, Gary Calmenaon and Steven M.

Israel, said they are making plans to upgrade and revitalize the 24-story, building through steam rlwmlwg nii renovation of the buildings interior and lobby. "The revitalized One Times Square will be the' link between the areas promising future and its very illustrious past, Israel said. 0.