World/Nation
April 11,1991
Page
12
In The
News
Briefs
Valdez spill damage is worse
Damage from the 1989 Exxon Valdez
oil spill was much worse than originally
thought - and cleanup methods may have
contributed to the problem, reports say.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says
more animals died than originally reported.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration criticized use of high-
pressure hot water to clean beaches, saying
it “sterilized” the area.
Older Americans abandoned
Thousands of older people who are
being abandoned by spouses and children.
Most aren’t sick enough to require
hospitalization. Their families simply
can’t or won’t take care of them.
Emergency room doctors are only now
beginning to compare notes about these
so-called “border grannies” - geriatric
patients, most women, left on their
doorsteps.
Proposal to close military bases
Defense Secretary Dick Cheney - known
to relish a political fight - is sure to have
one when he proposes closing two dozen
to three dozen military bases across the
USA. The list of Army, Navy and Air
Force bases is secret until it is released
Thursday. The list is certain to cause
outcries, especially in places like the San
Francisco Bay area with five Navy bases.
Crimes would be reclassified
Rapes, domestic beatings, and other
violent crimes against women would be
classified as civil rights violations under a
proposal expected to pass a Senate
committee Thursday. “The Violence
Against Women Act” is described by its
advocates as the first bill ever to address
gender-based crime. But the Justice
Department opposes the Senate bill.
U.S. breaks Mideast taboos
The USA is attempting to bring about
Middle East pcace by breaking the taboos:
on Arabs talking to Israelis talking to
Palestinians. Traditionally, Israel has
shunned group discussions in favor of
Te on-onc. «rect talk, with the Arab
hatiwis. , ,
Baker travels to Middle East
ByJOHNOMICINSKI
CtCopyright 1991, USA TODAY/Apple
College Information Network
WASHINGTON — Tuesday’s news that
Israelis and Arabs may talk about peace,
face to face, didn’t come a moment too
soon for the White House.
That’s because Secretary of State James
Baker’s trip around the edges of the gulf
war zone amounts to a damage-control
effort designed to regain some political and
diplomatic momentum for President Bush.
“It’s exactly what’s required,” said Alan
Goodman, associate dean of the
Georgetown School of Foreign Service.
“You can only win the peace with Arab-
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations.”
Since the end of the gulf war six weeks
ago, bad news has flowed from the Middle
East like oil from an uncapped well.
Baker’s diplomatic mission is akin to that
of Red Adair and the Coots and Hoots oil-
riggers trying to stanch Kuwait’s blazing
wells.
Having failed to oust Iraqi dictator
Saddam Hussein, the president has been
forced to share indirect blame for damage
that Iraq has wreaked on the region:
— Perhaps a million Iraqi Kurds, a
people without a country, many of them
starving and injured, continue to flee
Saddam’s avenging armies into
encampments in Turkish and Iranian
valleys around Iraq.
— Hundreds of oil fires, torched by
Iraqis, roar out of control in Kuwait,
providing vivid footage for the nightly
news programs. Commentators, impatient
for instant democracy, continue to call
attention to the Kuwaiti emir’s demands
Seasonally adjusted jobless rate
Tlie nation s unemployment rate climbed in March for all categories of
workers, with young and minority workers hit hardest.
February
6.5°/
6.3®/
5.4%
17.1%
11.8“/
5.9%
9.5“/
WorKeT
Overall
Men
Women (adult)
Teens (16-19 yrs.)
Blacks
Whites
Hispanics
Source: Department of l^bor
that his gold-plated faucets be replaced
first.
Stains and damage from the gulf oil
spill continue to spread, alarming
environmentalists.
So Israel’s announcement that it was
ready to hold peace talks with Arabs came
as welcome news. The Israelis
historically America’s strongest allies in
the region, have been embarrassments to
Washington recenUy with news that they
are settlmg newly arriving Soviet Jews in
West Bank areas set aside fw Arabs.
B^er called his meetings with Israeli
Foreign Minister David Uvy on Tuesday
“l»-oductive and very constructive.”
Public opinion polls indicate that there
Frank Pompa, Gannett News Service
is support for Bush’s hands-off policy-
Overall, 69 percent of those polled m a
Washington Post-ABC survey last wee
said they approved of Bush’s handling o
the situation involving the Iraqi rebe s,
while 24 percent disapproved.
Some 55 percent said they oppose
helping the Iraqi Kurds rebelling agains
Saddam. Of those 45 percent who sai
they approved of using force, a majon y
said they opposed using U.S. troops
help the rebel forces. .j
Baker will meet with Egyptian. Sau .
Syrian and Jordanian officials this '
Israeli sources said he may return
Jerusalem before going home to repo
Bush.
Proposed smoking ban angers bar owners
By MARIA GOODAVAGE
©Copyright 1991, USA TODAY/Apple
College Information Network
WALNUT CREEK, Calif. — Carol
Maloney mashes her cigarette into the
ashtray at Abernathy’s bar.
“If they dare to take away my right to
smoke in a bar. I’m taking my business to
other cities where I can smoke like a
chimney if I want,” she said.
The City Council votes Tuesday night
on perhaps the strictest anti-smoking law
in the United States. If it passes, smoking
will be banned at work, at restaurants and
even in bars.
You won’t even be able to find a
cigarette vending machine in this city of
62.600 east of San Francisco.
The ordinance sparked one of the hottest
debates this area has ever seen. Hundreds
have spoken — and yelled — their
opinions at council meetings.
: ) > V j,a!’
Restaurateurs and bar owners say the
ordinance could ruin business. The council
is split.
It s like Big Brother is trying to tell
people what their personal habits can be ”
said Abernathy’s owner. Cookie Gryfaki’s
“Does Big Brother care that he’s killine
our trade?”
The ordinance was borne out of one
council member’s concern about the health
dangers from smoking.
“If we make it tougher for people to
smoke, those who don’t smoke won’t be
exposed to the risk.” Councilman Ron
Beagley said. “And maybe those who
smoke will finally decide to quit.”
Major anti-smoking regulations are
nothing new in the nation’s cities.
The Walnut Creek ordinance is modeled
after one in effect in San Luis Obispo. But
the Walnut Creek law is stricter because of
the vending machine clause.
In New York City. Mayor David
Dinkins approved a ban on cigarette
vending machines in most public pl^ce •
The ban takes effect next year.
In Beverly Hills, a no-smoking ban i
restaurants was repealed after a
representing restaurants claimed busine
was down by 40 percent j
Some Walnut Creek residents an
business operators are asking the ‘
Council to exclude bars from the ban- ^
says Beagley: “I’m not in a negotiaung
mood.”
The local ordinance could spread. Con
Costa County public health direct
Wendell Brunner says a similar law ma
soon be proposed for the county. .
“People from here are going to s
eating and drinking in San Franc‘sc >
anywhere but here,” said Maximil**^
Wolfe, owner of Maximillian’s restauran
in Walnut Creek. ^
Counters Brunnen “Who knows?
people from San Francisco who na
cigarette smoke will start eating a"
drinking here." ’