Pittsburgh Post-Gazette from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania • Page 3

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Wednesday, April 19, 1989 STATEREGION 2 Allegheny County men killed in collision Ridge is wooed for governor's race sengers, James Brenner, 24, of North Versailles were killed in the crash. The other passenger, John Vento, 28, of Penn Hills, who was thrown from the car, was in fair condition late yesterday in Altoona Hospital. Joseph Testani, 26, of Hornell, N.Y., the truck driver, was not hurt. A car following the truck slammed into its rear, but its driver, Joy Evans, 25, of Bellwood was not hurt, state police said. BELLWOOD, Pa.

(AP) Two Allegheny County men died yesterday in a three-vehicle collision involving a semi-trailer truck along Pennsylvania Route 220 near this Blair County community. A car being driven south by Craig Cuccaro, 21, of Turtle Creek pulled into the path of the northbound truck about 3 p.m., state police said, causing a head-on collision. Cuccaro and one of his two pas because other higher-profile Republicans would claim it in 1994, when a re-elected Casey would have to leave office. "I've been told I can have the nomination in 1990 by asking for it," Ridge said. "I don't want the nomination.

I want to be governor." Ridge has won re-election three times, despite a Democratic registration edge in his district. A lawyer, he attended Harvard, then fought in Vietnam where he suffered a partial hearing loss. In Congress, he has voted as a moderate and is best known for his efforts to aid constituents after the 1985 tornado that hit northwest Pennsylvania. Last year, he headed Bush's election effort statewide among fellow veterans and was mentioned as a possible choice for the new Cabinet post of Veterans Affairs secretary. The Pittsburgh fund-raiser will be held May 8 at the Duquesne Club.

Among its sponsors are Republican National Committeewoman Elsie Hillman, Westinghouse executive Robert Pug-liese, Republican attorney Gregory Harbaugh and Pittsburgh Pirates President Carl Barger. Ridge said he had about 1 00,000 in his political campaign fund. By Albert J. Neri Post-Gazette Harrisburg Correspondent HARRISBURG The romancing of U.S. Rep.

Tom Ridge as the Republican party's potential challenger to Democratic Gov. Casey has begun in earnest. Last week, the state GOP said it would hold its next meeting on Sept. 15 in Erie Ridge's home base. In recent days, a 250-per-person fundraiser for Ridge in Pittsburgh has been announced.

Ostensibly, the fund-raiser is for Ridge's reelection to Congress next year. But now that higher-profile Republicans have bowed out of next year's governor's race, Ridge's potential candidacy against Casey is attracting more attention. "It's not the sole reason I scheduled the fall meeting in Erie, but I admit it's a factor," said Earl Baker, state Republican chairman. He said the party must coalesce around a candidate by late this year. "He's a strong, attractive candidate and he's become more active on the statewide hustings," Baker said of Ridge, a Munhall native who has represented Erie, Crawford and Mercer counties and part of Lawrence County in Congress since 1983.

Baker said some potential Republican candidates have been scared off by polling that showed Casey with an approval rating of 70 percent or higher. But Baker said he believed that approval was for the raised stature of the office under Dick Thornburgh, Casey's Republican predecessor. Ridge, 43, has said he intended to run for governor either in 1990 or 1994, but has set no timetable to decide when. Nevertheless, he had begun routinely sending his news releases to reporters who cover the state Capitol. "Thinking about running for governor and doing it successfully are light years apart," Ridge said in a telephone interview yesterday from Washington.

"As I look at continuing my life in public service, I would like to move beyond Congress If I were to leave, I'd like to be governor," he said. Ridge said he was not bothered by political handicapping that contended that 1990 was his only opportunity to win the party nomination EYE EAR SALES AND SERVICE CO. 547 Liberty P4 30-DAY LOW PRICE GUARANTEE WE BELIEVE OUR VALUES FOR YOU ARE THE BEST IN TOWN. HOWEVER, IF WITHIN 30- DAYS AFTER YOUR PURCHASE, ANYONE ELSE IN OUR NORMAL TRADING AREA OFFERS TO SELL THE SAME MER CHANDISE UNDER SIMILAR CONDITIONS OF SALE AT A LOWER PRICE, WE WILL CHEERFULLY REFUND THE DIFFERENCE, PLUS AN ADDITIONAL 25 OF THAT DIFFERENCE, WITH PROOF OF THE LOWER PRICE. Some limited quantities Limit one ol each sale item per family.

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Majority Leader Robert O'Don-nell, D-Philadelphia, said the bill might come to a vote next week. Last year, the Legislature voted to end the state-run Catastrophic Loss Trust Fund, which provides severely injured accident victims as much as $1 million in coverage. Millions of motorists could be left without catastrophic medical insurance if the Legislature does not approve a replacement measure by May 1. Under the measure approved by the committee, all private insurance companies would be required to make the coverage available. Motorists would be able to purchase the coverage on a voluntary basis in increments of $100,000.

The state insurance commissioner would have the power to require insurers to use interest from invested premiums to reduce rates. Rep. William Lloyd, D-Somerset, the lawmaker who sponsored the House version of the bill, predicted that rates for coverage under the compromise would hover in the range of $30 to $35. The CAT Fund charged an $8 annual fee, but it was set to increase to $24. Did no wrong, Reeher says HARRISBURG (AP) The executive director of the state's student-loan agency, indicted last week for his role in a contract-kickback scheme, said yesterday that the charges are "baseless." "I do expect to be exonerated and will have more to say on this entire matter once charges have been filed," Kenneth R.

Reeher said in a statement issued by the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency. The statement was Reeher's first public comment since he and a former top deputy at the agency were indicted by a federal grand jury Friday. It came one day after the PHEAA board voted to give Reeher an unpaid leave of absence until the case is settled. Reeher, 66, said in his two-page statement that the leave "will allow me to work full time on a defense against these baseless charges." He said the agency has cooperated with the investigation, with nearly 20 PHEAA employees testifying before the grand jury. The indictment charges that Reeher and former PHEAA deputy Harry P.

Casoni, 55, sought kickbacks in return for awarding a nearly $1.8 million no-bid contract to an Illinois firm, Gabler Educational Management Services Inc. The company pleaded guilty Friday to one count of bribery. Senate approves plan for judicial reforms HARRISBURG (AP) The Senate approved a proposed constitutional amendment yesterday that would change the way judges are disciplined and require judges to make financial disclosure. The amendment, sent to the House on a 48-1 vote, would replace the existing nine-member Judicial Inquiry and Review Board with an 11-member Judicial Conduct Board. The new board would have the power to take disciplinary action rather than make recommendations to the Supreme Court as is now done.

More lay people would be represented. The amendment also requires the Supreme Court to make rules for financial disclosure by judges and court employees as strong as those already in place for lawmakers. Senate Republicans rejected Democratic attempts to put a merit selection requirement into the bill. It would have required statewide judges be appointed by the governor with Senate confirmation to 10-year terms. Judges are now appointed to fill vacancies but must run in statewide elections for full terms CABLE READY SAMSUNG REMOTE CONTROL COLOR PORTABLE $244 I jglfe jER IH AUIOEVERSE I I AUTO-REVERSE TdoibV nr.

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