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Show Retail Analysts Predict a Yule Selling Season By MARIANNA OHE United Press International Storeowners across the country that lastgasp buying spree is likely tobe theleast affected by the recession, the Christmas season overall won't showany particular strength Retail stores realize about 25 per cent of their sales and half their are putting up a jolly holiday front butretail analysts predict the worst Christmasselling season since 1974 as unemploymentand recession cut holiday spending An 8.4 percent November jobless rate and signs of more employee layoffs to come are making consumers morecautious andselective in their Christmas buying, tending towardpractical gifts and shunning big-ticket items, the analysts say. Mostretail stores suffered their worst monthly sales of the year in profits for the year during the final three months. Therich will continue to buy the high-priced stuff, jewelry, $200 Sweaters,”’ said retail analyst Rudy Macher of Standard & Poor's Corp.""but not the family people working for a wage taking home fewer dollars. worrying about rela tives laid off or working shorter g huge fuel work weeks, and pa insuranceand heait! w their budget plan. S¢ r forced to cut back rebi Phoenix and Atlanta It looks to melike it's going to be the worst Christmas since 1974 Barry said. a may dobetter and Robert Simonson, senior retail de at Kidder Peabody & Co exp pect fourth quarter sales to be up 5 to 6 percent “Some stores had a big after-Thanksgiving Friday com: pared to the rainydaylast year But retailers are telling us almost uniformly across the country their wher action is mix ead of plan But King generally rise when the economy sl. ned, said a spokesman for Filene’s in Boston, but the store “planned umps In Nashville Sha annon Stevens ner of “Wicks and § ix,"” which sells candles and accessories says business so far is running about 10 realistically and bought prudently she added Tom Lynch, president of Woodhouse Lynch, a men’s clothing and he k Jr. president of ent Store, one of the largest stores in Columbia SC said sales are about 10 percent ahead of last year, but he added competition is a lot stiffer. “We're having to get sharper prices and offer better values At Crown Center, a rather high- priced, fancy shopping mall in mid town Kansas City, Mo., the crowds Il say the same Evervone is sort of watching expects this to continue “They'll go ‘© check things out percent behindlast year and all the neighboring Store owners in store in Columbus, Ohio said Christmas season sales this year are the best we've ever had” said. of e animal salesup 25 we're t their reorders Macher said growth areas like were tiuch larger in the three days following Thanksgiving than a year ago, November piling up excess inven- said Charleen Kress. the center's vice president of retail shops. “That doesn’t necessarily mean they're buying, but it’s en couraging to see tories, and analysts expect fourth quarter sales to be 5 to 6 percent above year-ago levels, the poorest showing since general merchandise sales gained only 2.4 percent in the final quarter of 1974 Stores are trying to offset the recessionary conditions with sharperdiscounts introduced earlier in the season than last year and with elaborate promotional events. The Boston Globe reported that Sunday Nov. 29, ad lineage was up 20 percent over a year ago. the New York store of RH Macy &Co. which claims to be the largest in the world Joel Sneider, senior vice president of les promotion said the post Thanksgiving weekend was good. He declined to say if Macy’s Christmas discounting was sharper or earlier than last year Charles Gardner president of PROVO, UTAH, SUNDAY, DECEMBER6, 1981 108TH YEAR, NO. 109 And retailers are counting on the $5.50 MONTH — PRICE 50 CENTS Chicago's State Street Council, says his members expect to top last usual spending surge in the final 10 year’s holiday sales figure of $120 days before Christmasto pull them million by better than $10 million."’ through. But analysts say. although U.S. Agents ‘In Pursuit’ Of Assassination Squad By DANIEL F. GILMORE Officials emphasize no one has conWASHINGTON (UPI) — USS. intel- firmed the presence of assassinationterrorists but heightened ligence officials have identified’ minded precautions are evident in the protecmembersof a Libyan terrorist group that is in the United Statestokill Presi- tion given the president and his aides One report said concern will be dent Reagan or other top U.S. officials and were * ‘in pursuit’ Saturday. ABC gravest during the more than two weeks that remain before Reaganflies N ssassination squad is a Liin military group under the direct to California for the holidays. Ironically what little public com rol of dictator Moammar ment there has been came from the Khadaty ABCsaid it learned. ‘U.S president himself whotold reporters intelligence officials have identified members of the Libyan assassination squad and theyare in pursuit MoneyNoMotivation to Couple country. Sunday: Once-Pudgy Pizza Maker Wins $50,000 GOPSenate Fight Will Be ‘Dirty’ The fight for Utah's senatorial will be tough and dirty and characterized by personal attacks on Republican incumbent Orrin Hatch. That's the way GOP Chairman Charles Akerlow seesit. Hes-.d the opposition will run a dirty campaign becausethe financing will come from laborunionsthat fear Hatch’s investigation into organized crime connections. But, he added, Hatchwill rise above the mud. See story on Page5. leader Col. MoammarKhadafy, denies plotting against Reagan The state-run Libyan news agency Saturday denounced the ‘‘hit squad’ talk as “lies” that ‘‘spring from hatred and fanaticism and reflect clearly the American terrorist policy against Libya.”’ Butif the extent of the threatis not known, the bad blood between Khadafy The administration’s countermeasures becamevisible only in recent days. But tension has beenbuilding for more than a month — spreading from U.S. diplomatic posts abroad to the White House. In October, Maxwell Rabb. the U.S. ambassador to Italy, was flown to Washington from Milan after being warned of an assassination plot against him. That same month, Theodore Cummings, the new ambassadorto Austria, was given round-the-clock protection because of reported Libyan death threats. In November the No. 2 diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Paris was fired at byan unidentified gunman described as having Middle Eastern features. Only Friday. Philip Habib. Reagan’s Middie East troubleshooter, was informed in Jerusalem of an alleged Libyan plotto kill him. Security has been tightened at all U.S. embassies, as it has around Reagan, Vice President George Bush. Secretary of State Alexander Haig and Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger. size check for $50,000. Richard Mueller who trimmed 100 pounds from his former 265pound, 5-foot-9 framein 10 month. for a chance to win money on a bet, ran the Baton Rouge Marathon underclear skies with temperatures near 50. All he had to do to get the twofinish — he didn't even have to The American Civil Liberties Union had protested the nativity scene last year on grounds that government money should not be spenton a religious display See story on Page 5 “T feel better about this than buildinga pizza store,” hesaid at the finish line. ‘‘and in mylife, that’s a lot.” Mueller’s 10-year-old son said he was proud of his father both for losing the weight and for finishing the race in 4 hours 52 minutes. It was pretty hard for him to do,” said Richard Mueller IiI We weren't allowed to have people are expected w view the Christmassceneson the squarethis holiday season. Story and picture are on Page 4 BudgetPlan Is $16.9 Million but smiling. to pick up an over- by-six-foot check for $50,000 was Temple Lights Burn Brightly The Mormon Temple Square lights in Salt Lake City were turned on this weekend, and thousands of them. It’s been made veryobvious.”’ For the record Libya's radical “There are no developments.” an and the tough-talking Reagan adminisFBI spokesman said Saturday tration certainlyis*no secret Reports from the Middle East said deflecting questions on possible arrests Khadafy wants ‘‘revenge’’ for the and a nationwide investigation. The combined resources of the CIA downing of two Libyan fighters by and other spy agencies also are being American jets in August. The Pentagon tapped to gather information on anyin- said the Libyans fired first, but filtrators, coincidentally just as they Khadafy charged they were adjust to a broader grant of authority provoked. Khadafy is not limited to using Lito spy at home and abroad, provided byans to seek his vengeance. only Friday by Reagan. A once-pudgy pizza maker crossed the finish line in a 26-mile marathon Saturday. puffing hard win. Judge David Winder has ruled. Service protection for his three top aides, explaining ‘There's a threat to BATON ROUGE, La. (UPI) — Judge Rules on Nativity Scene A nativity scene that annually adorns the steps of the city and county building in Denver is a symbol of the holiday season similar to Santa and mistletoe, not an endorsementof Christianity, Utah Federal sassination attempt ordered Secret his regime, or assassinate him. anything in the house that was fattening. Mostly we fed him health food like rice cakes and stuff like that." permits, chargesforservices, fines, inBy JOSEPHINE ZIMMERMAN tergovernmental revenues, and Herald Staff Writer Utah County Commissioners trim- transfers from other funds. Other funds coming from taxes inmed$1.5 million from budget requests this year to come up with a tentative clude the Health Fund at $1,043,725 ($877,868), flood control, mosquito 1982 budget of $16,882,116. Public hearing on the budget is abatement, special service districts, scheduled Dec. 14 at 10 a.m. in the and capital projects, all of which add South Courtroom of the Utah County $2,360,298 to the total Financed from other sources are Building. Commissionerswill adopt the some planning funds, home health, budget at 2 p.m. the same day. The 1982 budgetis up $1,572,501 from Travel Council, collector road projects, central vehicle department, kitchen the 1981 approved budget Utah County cut its mill levy from facility, and Revenue Sharing, all of 8.28 to 8.03 this year, a drop of .25 mill, which add $2,856,082 to the budget, because of the mandatory boost in bringing the total to $16,882,116 Public safety and legal departments property valuations ordered by the receiveboosts in the tentative budget Utah State Tax Commission. The mill levy is based on an es- The Sheriff's Department, biggest item in the budget, goes from $1,106,239 to timatedtotal valuation of $640,932,050, as compared with $582,641,098 during $1,373,368, for an increase of $267,129 to $137,228. the current year The new911 Emergencyline will cost The General Fund mill levy will bring in $6,677,391 in property taxes $179,045, as compared with $70,000 this ($4,546,555 during the current year), year. The County Fire budget goes while the reminder of the general fund from $82,109 to $113,172, an increase of budget will come fromlicenses and $31,064 The County Attorney's Office is projected to receive $656,430, up $132,791 to pay for a ‘white collar crime” investigator and prosecutor The public Defender’s Office will receive $115, 000, up $2,500. The County Young Homeh projected budget of $320,483, increased by $43,845, and the vuvenile Court allotment goes from $9,000 to $13,000. County Commissioners proposed $292,982 for the Precinct(Justiceof the Peace) Courts, an increase of $24,984, but the budget for the Circuit Court drops from $76.025 to $50,000, and the District Court budget drops from $71,998 to Court budget is down from $118,375 to $112,807. The sanity hearing budget drops from $71,998 to $47,730. Alcohol Recoveryis projected at $187,796, an increase of 5 s As a result, according to the Watkins, Homart DevelopmentCo., a Chicagofirm,will build a million- square-foot shopping mall around them. That will leave the Watkins, their cow, their horse, their 17 chickens,their rabbits, and ducks surroundedon three sides by the mall “Some people are not motivated by money,” Homart official says, “if they want to stay they ak stay.” concerned.” Reagan, wounded in a March 30 as- US. intelligence sources have been quoted as saying Khadafy may have been spurred to act by the combined effects of the August aerial dogfight and talk of U.S.-backed plots to overthrow = Ruby and Edwin Watkins have been offered a great deal of money, some say more than $1 million. for their %-acre farm in Arlington, Tex. But, so far Ruby and Edwin have refused to sell. The network said security measures are also being taken now to protect other top US. officials in addition to the president and members of his Cabinet. And it said ‘‘antisniper squacs”’ were stationed on the White House roof. The FBI, Secret Service and other law enforcement agencies are saying little aboutthetip from aninformant — who was reported to have said he helpedtrain terrorists in Libya — that an assassination team has entered the he is “obviously With oil profits to pay them. he has hired foreign mercenaries. including ex-CIA agents and former Green Berets, to help supply and train his armed forces, He also commands the deadlytalents of Palestinian terrorists Data processing gets a big $133,054 boost, from $501,368 to $634.422 Heroine Is Honored A man who saved the life of a Utah employee last spring was honored this past week by the American Red Cross. He is Douglas Calton and he saved the life of Fermin Cardenas Jr. when Cardenas was shocked by a power line in Salt Lake City Sub-for-Santa in this area is in need of people in this area to con tribute time, gifts or money Stories are on Page 15. The forecast for Utah in general also calls for cloudy skies with a few showcrs expected in the northern mount. ins. Comics Community Notes Crossword National-International 31, 32 66-67 54-58 18-21 86-95 73 14“ 59 2, 17,30 Obituaries Opinions Prime Time Religion Sports Today Travel Utah-Regional Youth For 15 children at a 4 4 63 7 6-13 37-58 a 5 33 In the past five years, 97 children have died on because the hospital could not afford more han 25 transplants a year Hobbs said. Nowit will be able to manage between 40 and 50 hospital Christmas came Movedby newspaper appeals, a millionaire philanthropist donated $190.000 Saturday to enable a Westminster Hospital to give bone marrow transplants to 15 children who doc tors said would otherwise havenot received the operations on whichtheir lives depended This gift meansweshall no longer have to make heartbreaking decisions about which Here’s Where to Find It Agriculture Amusements Arts Business Classified Ads LONDON (UPI) December 5 this year and thegift they got was the most important one of all the chanceto live. London Utah Skies Will Cloud Cloudyskies are forecast for todayfor ‘the Central Utah area, High temperatures are expected to be in the middle to upper 40s. Christmas ComesEarly for Dying Children children sliould live or die,” said Professor ee Hobbs, the man in charge of the operateRetired tycoon John James promised the moneyafter reading that thechildren would die because the bone marrowunit at West minster Hospital had used up all its grant funds, transplants annually, he added It has been aterrible thing to watch children die, inch by inch, of anincurabledis Hobbs said It is even more terrible to watch the same children die knowing that with anextralittle bit of financeyou could probably save them The donationwill pay for the treatmentof up to 15 toddlers needing the operation ‘The operationis carried out on children suf fering from rargoylism a crippling disease leading to impaired vision and brain damage Transplants of healthy bone marrow produce an enzyme that combats the disease and the operation ts virtually 100.percent successful On Wednesday Hobbs had to make the heart-breaking’’ decision of picking one of seven children for transplanting in January Therest would havedied but now they can be saved, he said When he read the newspaper accounts James invited Hobbs to his home and promised him the moneyon the spot It was heartbreaking for the kiddies who could not have their transplants because there was no money,” Jamestold the Daily Express thought how I wouldfeel if oneof those children happened to be mine. His own21-year-old daughter died in a car crash in 1964 James was born the son of a dock worker and went on to makehis fortune from a chain of television rental shops. He has donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to charities 1.000 to the in Britain. Last year he gave heart transplant unit at a Lond *n hospital |