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Show The Nation A. Monday, March 15, 1993 The Daily Herald . Briefs Study uncovers germ accident Mrs. Clinton hears farmers’ health woes By NANCY BENAC have health insurance. Mrs. Clinton told the group she came mostly to listen and she SLATER, Iowa — Hillary Rod— played close attention as each famham Clinton got a firsthand lesson ily related its story. from farm families today on the The first lady is chairing a presi- ' special health care problems that dential task force that is midway trouble rural America. Mrs. Clinton settled into the liv~ through a 100—day drive to draft a ing room couch at the home of health-care reform package. Evelyn and Phil Lehman and heard She noted that she‘s been at the from five families struggling to job six weeks. but “actually it feels cope with soaring health insurance like it was six years." premiums and limited access to She said President Clinton's medical services. health care package would be deJim Kaplan of Chelsea. Iowa. signed to ensure all families had told Mrs. Clinton that he doesn‘t even like to go into town anymore. access to affordable health care. but cautioned “you know it's not “because I just can‘t see how I‘m going to be easy" and would not going to buy anything because all necessarily be pleasing to every my money’s going to health care. ” individual. He said his family‘s health insurance premiums are $335 a The farm visit was set up by month. Sen. Tom Harkin. D-Iowa. who Mrs. Clinton also heard from said farm families pay twice as Ruth and Craig Bolinger. who much for health care coverage befarm corn and soybeans in Cres- cause they must pay both the emton. Mrs. Bolinger said the high ployer and the employee share. He cost of health coverage forces both said rural Americans more often she and her husband to find side are uninsured. more often are poor work in town, although she subse- and more often are without access quently was laid off. to health care. Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON (AP) — At leastl42 people were killed in a Russran city in 1979 by a cloud of deadly anthrax spores that probably resulted from a germ warfare accident, according to a new study of secret autopsies. The study, published today in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said American experts determined that the victims died after breathing disease particles. The U.S. experts studied tissues and records hidden by Russian scientists after an an— thrax outbreak. Dr. David H. Walker, a professor of pathology at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston who examined the tissues. said the findings are consistent with some sort of germ warfare accident that sent a lethal cloud floating into a city of 1 million people. Farmers recover conservation fines WASHINGTON (AP) -— The government has denied $23 million in subsidies to farmers who violated conservation laws. but nearly half the money was restored on appeal. a conservation group says. In some states most or all of the benefits that were initially denied were later reinstated, according to the Center for Resource Econom— ics, a Washington-based group concerned with farm environmental issues. Congress voted in I985 to bar farmers from getting crop subsi— dies if they plowed up wetlands or planted crops on highly erodible land without a conservation plan. Man receives artificial heart TUCSON. Ariz. (AP) — A man was in critical but stable condition after receiving an air-driven artificial heart. the second such implant this year. officials said. . Gaylord Booth, 48. of Phoenix received the artificial heart during a four-hour operation at the Uni~ versity Medical Center on Saturday. News of the implant was released Sunday. Booth was admitted Thursday suffering from ischemic cardiomyopathy. a heart malfunction caused by poor blood supply to the heart muscle caused by coronary artery disease. “He was in extremely critical condition and we determined the CardioWest device was the only option to save his life." Dr. Jack Copeland. UMC's chief of car— diovascular and thoracic surgery. Copeland said. Rain, oil lead to l-80 accidents RENO. Nev. (AP) — Rain mixed with oil put down to protect temporary pothole repairs created something like black ice that sent motorists careening along a a stretch of Interstate 80. authorities said. At least one person was killed and two dozen injured in more than a dozen weekend accidents, including a 33-car pileup that began when a tractor-trailor skidded out of control, authorities said. "We feel a bit responsible.“ said Scott Magruder. a spokesman for the Nevada Department of Transportation. “This wouldn‘t have been done if we knew it was going to rain." he said. Minor earthquake , rattles Baltimore COLUMBIA. Md. (AP) —— A minor earthquake rattled suburban Baltimore, the third such tremor in less than a week. There were no repons of injury or damage. The earthquake occurred at 11:30 pm. Sunday and was centered about 15 miles southwest of Baltimore: it measured 2.7 on the Richter scale, said Waverly Person of the US. Geological Survey National Earthquake Center in Golden, Colo. The Howard County Emergency Center received hundreds of calls from frightened residents, , said dispatcher Janet Franks, a dis2 patcher. Mrs. Bolinger said the family He said Mrs. Clinton would find had nonetheless made it a point to the country‘s health care problems maintain their insurance. But. she “cut deeper in rural America, besaid, “we are truly the exception cause we have many problems that in our part ofthe state. Most of our cities and suburbs don’t have to friends and neighbors do not“ deal with." AP Photo Local landowner Dawn Bryant peers over the window of her pickup truck Sunday near Waco, Texas, with her sentiments about Branch Davidian leader David Koresh painted on the window. Feds shine lights on cult compound By JAIME ARON Associated Press Writer WACO. Texas — Stadium- Searchers fail to find body style spotlights lit the fortified compound early today where a of missing trade center victim By ROBERT HABDT Jr. Associated Press Writer NEW YORK — Police dogs sniffed rubble in the bombed-out World Trade Center in the latest fruitless attempt to locate the remains of the lone victim who remains missing. Wilfredo Mercado. 37. a building worker. was last seen in the basement parking area where the blast went off Feb. 26. killing five confirmed victims and injuring l.— 000. “We have every reason to believe he‘s in the debris somewhere," Port Authority public safety official Sal Samperi said Sunday. Thousands of tons of rubble sit at the bottom of the huge bomb crater. The debris was being removed slowly, in shoebox-size containers. so federal agents could check it all for clues. Two Connecticut State Police scent dogs were led through the debris below the llO-story twin towers Sunday afternoon. Besides Mercado‘s remains. investigators hope to find the bombs timing deVice. "It could be almost anything from a clock to an electronic timer to a windup clock." Lt. Walter Boser of the police bomb squad said. The Port Authority. the joint New York—New Jersey agency that owns the landmark complex. hopes to reopen the World Trade Center by April 1. Three people have been arrested in connection with the bombing investigation. Published reports said authorities were looking for at least three more suspects. religious cult has been holed up for more than two weeks, a new tactic by federal agents trying to end the standoff. Agents set up the lights Sunday, the same day cult members unfurled a banner saying, "FBI Broke Negotiations We Want Press." Authorities would not corn— ment on the use of lights, but said telephone talks with sect members continued. “We‘re still maintaining contact with them.“ FBI agent Al Cruz said. The lights illuminated the movement of unarmed tanks posted outside the Branch Davi— dian sect's 77-acre compound, which has been surrounded since gun battles Feb. 28 that killed four federal agents and at least two cult members. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms wanted to arrest cult leader Clinton, Rabin discuss peace talks A David Koresh for alleged weapons violations and search the compound for illegal guns. Four adults and 21 children have left the compound. Eightyeight adults and 17 children remain inside. Over the weekend. at least three cult members asked authorities what charges they would face if they surrendered. FBI agent Bob Ricks said. “It indicates a very favorable sign when people are talking about what types of charges are going to be filed. ”Where will I go, will I have an attorney ap— pointed for me’ and so forth," Ricks said. But he said there was no indication that an end to the siege was near. Koresh. a doomsday prophet who has multiple “wives" among cult members. has said he is Jesus Christ. Followers call themselves “Koreshians. “ Early in the siege. Koresh and cult members were able to speak with reporters by telephone. Later. phone use was limited to incoming calls from authorities. On the sixth day. electricity was cut off. according to an at— torney for one of the women who left the compound. The bright lights were the latest effort to put pressure on the cult. “We are constantly doing things on a daily basis that try to impart to Mr. Koresh the seriousness that we attach to this process.” Ricks said. Last week. the cult put up a sign seeking contact with news reporters. But authorities said isolating the sect was a key to ending the standoff. On the third day of the siege. Koresh broke a promise to surrender after the FBI arranged for a religious message he taped to be broadcast on radio. A woman who left the com— pound Friday. Kathy Schroeder. spent 30 minutes on the phone Sunday telling those inside “the only way to get the truth told is for everyone to come out alive." said her attorney. Scott Peterson. “She believes the FBI is sincere in (its) efforts to reach a peaceful end, “ Peterson said. Hate-crime bill proposes. longer jail sentences By RON FOURNIEFI Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON —- President Clinton today proclaimed there is “a real shot" at getting Mideast peace talks back on track as he held his first meeting as presi— dent with Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin. “There are a lot of reasons to be hopeful." Clinton said at a photo session in the Oval Office. But he conceded there were difficulties. And he said he hoped a recent flare up in violence — including the stabbing of an American immigrant in Israel —— wouldn‘t present an obstacle to the renewal of talks. The meeting came as the administration was preparing for an expanded role in Mideast ne— gotiations. Asked about chances of the talks resuming if Israel did not agree to a Palestinian demand to repatriate 396 Palestinians de— ported to Lebanon in December. Clinton said: “I think we've got a real chance to resume the talks. I certainly hope we do. " “Obviously there are difficulAP Photo ties and there are those who would prefer it not be done. but I President Clinton and first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton brave think we have a real shot“ at wind and cold weather Sunday as they walk eight blocks to attend church in Washington. talks leading to a lasting peace. he said. The talks, which have not done "a commendable job” on there‘s a chance of it.‘ been held since December, re- . his visit to the Middle East. Asked about incidents of insume here on April 20 although The Syrian president is known creased terrorism, including the the Palestinians have not said to be willing to have Israel relin- stabbing and wounding in northwhether they will attend. quish the territory Syria lost in ern Israel of a man who immi— Last year, Rabin authorized the 1967 war in phases. provided grated from New York a month his negotiators to sound out the Israel accepted Syria's sover~ ago. Clinton said: Syrians on what kind of peace eignty over the Golan Heights. they might extend to Israel in “I heard about it. I‘m dis— Asked specifically today if he turbed about it. I hope it won‘t exchange for territory. Secretary of State Warren M. envisioned peace between Israel deter any of the parties involved Christopher talked with Syrian and Syria. Clinton said: “I hope from seeking a genuine longPresident Hafez Assad last the peace process will resume term peace. The larger interests month in Damascus. Clinton to- shortly. I‘m hopeful it will still argue for having a good faith day said that Christopher had produce a good result. I think effort in the peace process.“ By MIKE ROBINSON Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON ~— Criminals acting out of bias against minorities would get longer jail time under a “hate-crime" bill gaining ground in Congress despite qualms it would curb individual rights. “We’ve seen the bigots drive a wedge through the heart of American society.“ says Rep. Charles Schumer. D-N.Y. “It‘s long overdue for the good people to send a message to the bad: Intolerance won’t be tolerated.’ ‘ Schumer‘s measure is part of a broader movement in city councils, state legislatures and else— where across the country to combat what sponsors call a wave of “hate crimes” by violent skinheads, gay bashers and a host of other bigoted lawbreake rs. At least 20 states have laws au— thorizing longer sentences for crimes prompted by bias against racial. ethnic and other minorities. Courts have upheld the concept in Oregon, New York, Michigan and Vermont. However. the Wisconsin Supreme Court threw out that state's hate-crime law. holding that it punishes free speech. _ The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear arguments next month in the Wisconsin case of a black 19year-old whose sentence was doubled for beating a white youth. Just before the beating. the defendant and other black youths had been discussing a scene from the film “Mississippi Burning“ in which a white man beat a young black boy who was praying. Last June. the high court ruled unconstitutional a St. Paul. Minn.. hate-crimes ordinance. holding that it punished speech based on content. That ordinance banned crossburnings. swastika displays and other expressions of racial su- premacy and bias. Schumcr‘s legislation — and state laws — are designed to get around the court‘s objections. The federal proposal would not create a new kind of crime. It merely calls for longer sentences for those convicted of existing crimes that were prompted by bigotry. ' In 1990. Congress approved a hate—crimes measure requiring the Justice Department to begin col- lecting data from local police agencies and others on the extent of such offenses. The House overwhelmingly approved Schumer's hate-crime measure last year. but it snagged at the last minute in the Senate. The bill would direct the U.S. Sentencing Commission to adopt guidelines that would increase by three offense levels any offense considered to be a hate crime. Schumer calculates that would increase the sentence by one-third real time served. ' A hate crime is defined as one in which the conduct was motivated by hatred. bias or prejudice, based on the actual or perceived race, color. religion. national origin, ethnicity. gender or sexual orienta- tion of another person or group of people. Critics Say the measure would burden individual rights guaran- teed by the Constitution. Rep. Craig Washington, D-Tex~ as, a strong supporter of civil rights. said he wishes he could support the measure, but he believes it punishes people for what they say. The bill almost seems to punish individuals twice for the same crime. he said. “I want to be there," Washington said. ”But I just can‘t be there". . Every time I try, the Constitution just stares me in the face.“ ‘ |