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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (April 24, 1992)
e \fpw^ F)i apcf Associated Press JL ^1 w w iJ JL £b| w Edited by Roger Price Death toll at 202 in sewer blasts GUADALAJARA, Mexico — Alarmed by reports of new gas fumes, authorities Thursday evacuated a neighborhood near the working-class district wrecked a day earlier by sewer line blasts that killed at least 202 people. Moving to prevent political dam age, President Carlos Salinas de Gortari gave investigators 72 hours to iden tify the cause of Wednesday’s explo sions. The state governor said three officials would face criminal negli gence charges for failing to order an - evacuation. Officials said the blasts were caused by an industrial chemical used by a cooking-oil company or by agasolinc spill into the sewer system.'1 Eziquicl Mendez of the Jalisco state attorney general’s office said investi gators were checking equipment at the La Central cooking-oil plant, and at installations of the national oil company, Pcmcx. The government will carry “to its utmost circumstances the investiga tion of the causes of the tragedy and the circumstances that produced it,” Salinas said before returning to Mcx ico City. Weeping survivors thronged the streets of Guadalajara’s La Reforma district, where the explosions destroyed 20 to 25 square city blocks, hurling cars and trucks into the air and blow ing up adobe houses. At least 600 people were hurl and more than 15,(XX) others left homeless, officials said. State spokesman Armando Morquccho said damage was esti mated at $300 million. At a makeshift morgue at a sports stadium, relatives wailed as they looked at a list of names of the dead identi fied so far. Every few minutes, an announcement blared from a speaker, telling the bereaved that the govern ment would pay for the funerals. Residents demanded to know why the government had failed to act promptly on reports of the fumes, and what had caused the buildup of vola tile gas in the sewer system. “If authorities knew about this why didn’t they tell us?” asked Ramon Guerra, 22, who had helped pull the bodies of his sister and his 6-ycar-old nephew from the ruins of their home. The governor identified those who --ri t would be charged with negligence as Fire Chief Jose Trinidad Lope/ Ri vas, municipal services director David Aftimos Partida and Gualberto Li mon, head of the agency that operates the municipal sewer system. Reports show recovery continues WASHINGTON — Applications for unemployment benefits fell to a six-month low this month, the govern ment said Thurs day. Factory orders for expensive, durable goods advanced moder ately in March, the recovery arc now reaching American workers and their families,” Labor Secretary Lynn Marlin said. Economists said the reports con firm that the recession has ended. They cautioned, however, that growth so far has been strong enough only to stem layoffs, not to pul the unem ployed back to work. The number of Americans filing first-time unemployment insurance claims fell to 4()4,(XX) for the week ending April 11, down from 416,000 a week earlier and the lowest since early October. It was the third consecutive weekly decline. The Commerce Department said durable goods orders, for items such as trucks and turbines expected to last at least three years, rose 1.6 percent to SI22.6 billion last month, a slightly bigger gain than anticipated by ana lysts. March was the third month with out a decline. Earthquakes shake Southern California LOS ANGELES — Hundreds of aftershocks sent ripples ol anxiety through Southern California on Thurs day, hours after a strong desert earth quake caused isolated damage and dozens of injuries. Earthquake experts cautioned there was a slight chance Wednesday night’s magnitude 6.1 tremor could be a pre cursor to the long-dreaded “Big One.’ “We’re long overdue for one... so we’re advising communities... to be on their toes,’’ said Lt. Ben Notting ham, spokesman for the Los Angeles County Office of Emergency Man agement. The state Office of Emergency Management advised authorities in six Southern California counties to be on alert even though the probability of a great earthquake decreased rap idly with each hour. By Thursday, the U.S. Geological Survey said the chance of such a shaker had fallen to less than 1-in-20. Hundreds of liny aftershocks were fcllThursday near the epicenter. Only two registered more than 4.0 on the Richter scale, said Douglas Smith, a spokesman for the California Insti tute of Technology in Pasadena. Wednesday night’s shaker struck at 9:50 p.m. Wednesday and was centered about 110 miles cast of Los Angeles near Palm Springs in River side County. A magnitudc-4.6 quake shook the same area 2 1/2 hours ear lier. “It was like something hit the side of the wall,” said Ed Bowlin, a 26 ycar-old security guard at the Hyatt Regency Suites in Palm Springs. “It was like, this is your Earth Day wake up call.” The quake rocked buildings from San Diego to Sania Barbara, 2(X) miles up the coast. Residents as faraway as Las Vegas and Phoenix reported feel ing the temblor. “I lived in San Francisco for 39 years and I never fell one this strong,” said Vi Richardson, 62, who was lyinj in bed on the top floor of the Circa Circus Hotel in Las Vegas when the quake struck. “1 thought (it) never would slop shaking.” Back in California, 15 people were taken to Hi-Dcscrt Medical Center in Yucca Valley with minor injuries. Ten were treated and released, and five were admitted with injuries rang ing from a broken ankle to cuts and bruises, said Theresa Graham, a hos pital spokeswoman. All were listed in good condition. Desert Hospital in Palm Springs said it treated and released 10 people. Building inspectors from through out the region were in the field Thurs day assessing the quake’s toll on property. Eighteen buildings in the desert community of Joshua Tree were damaged, inc luding a coffee shop and hair salon that were ordered con demned, said Jeff Mcllingcr, a San Bernardino County fire spokesman. De Klerk offers plan multi-racial government CAPE TOWN, South Africa — In a plan that would guarantee South Africa its first black leader, President F.W.de Klerk proposed Thursday to hold multi-racial elections for an interim presidency. Saying the plan contains “the backbone of democracy,” dc Klerk provided the greatest detail yet on how he envisions moving from white domination to power-sharing with the 30 million black majority. He told Parliament each political party would be able to nominate one candidate for a ruling Executive Council. The top three to five vole-getters in national elections would sit on the council, with the chairman serving as slate president. Chairman ship would rotate every six months, dc Klerk said. A multi-racial election would give the black majority voting rights for the first lime and guarantee popular black leaders, such as Nel son Mandela, a seal on the council and thus the presidency. There was no immediate comment from Mandela’s African National Congress, the main black movement. The group’s offices were closed for the day. The ANC has traditionally opposed calls for a coalition government, saying a party that wins a majority should rule by itself. The ANC and several other political groups negotiating with the government must agree before any transitional plan can go forward. Leading black and white parties have been working on a new constitution and plan to make a progress report next month. Dc Klerk did not give a lime frame for his proposal but has said an interim government should be installed within a few months. “We do not wish to leave South Africa without a responsible government at any time during the process of democratizationhe told Parliament. Colin Eglin of the liberal Democratic Party said a rotating presidency would lead to a power struggle. Nebraskan Editor Jana Pedersen 472-1766 Managing Editor Kara Walls Assoc News Editors Chris Hopfenspergar Kris Karnopp Opinion Page Editor Alan Phelps Wire Editor Roger Price Copy Desk Editor Wendy Navratll Sports Editor Nick Hytrek Assistant Sports Editor Tom Clouse Arts & Entertainment Editor Stacey McKenzie Diversions Editor Dionne Searcey Photo Chief Michelle Paulman Advertising Manager Todd Sears Sales Manager Eric Krlngel Classified Ad Manager Annette Sueper Publications Board Chairman BUI Vobejda 472-2588 Professional Adviser Don Walton, 473-7301 FAX NUMBER 472 1761 The Daily Nebraskan(USPS 144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Nebraska Union 34,1400 R St., Lincoln, NE, Monday through Friday during the aca dtmicyear; weekly during summer sessions Headers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 9a m. and 5p m Monday through Friday The public also has access to the Publications Board For ir lormation, contact Bill Vobejda, 472-2588 Subscription price is $50 for one year Postmaster: Send address changes to the Daily Ne br tskan, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St.,Lincoln. NE 66588 0448 Second class postage paid at Lincoln. NE ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1992 DAILY NEBRASKAN Police beating trial goes to jury S1M1 VALLEY, Calif. — The volatile case of four white policemen charged with beating a black motorist was placed in the hands of a jury Thursday after a judge instructed them in laws dealing with excessive force. The judge rejected a last-minute mistrial motion by a defense lawyer who said he had been “slimed” by the prosecutor. Superior Court Judge Stanley Weisberg spent more than an hour reading jurors 81 legal instructions, including specific rules involving the charge of assault under color of authority in the beating of motorist Rodney King. During deliberations, the jurors were being sequestered at an unidentified hotel. He refused to grant a mistrial after attorney Michael Slone accused Deputy District Attor ney Terry While of launching a personal attack on him in final arguments. “I feel that I’ve been slimed and I think the slime has landed on my client,” said Stone. “He clearly accused me of misrepresenting the evidence,” said Stone, who represents Offi cer Laurence Powell. “He did it with great drama at a time when he was very emotional. He said, ‘Can any of the people associated with Larry Powell tell the truth? ” “Such comments should play no role in how you decide the ease,” the judge said. Wcisbcrg noted that Slone was not seeking apologies from defense lawyer John BameU, who accused co-counsel of soliciting lies against his client, Officer Theodore Briseno. White observed: “Mr. Barnett came as close as possible to saying that (defense lawyers) suborned perjury, which is a lot more serious.” The March 3,1991, beating, after King was stopped for speeding, was videotaped by a neighborhood resident and broadcast nation wide. It led to a review of police brutality nationwide and raised issues of racism. On trial were Briseno, 39; Powell, 29; Officer Timothy Wind, 31, and Sgt. Stacey Koon, 41. On Wednesday, Barnett and White deliv ered their final arguments. White stunned the courtroom when he left the podium and raced toward Powell. “This is the man!” shouted White as he came within inches of Powell. ‘This man laughed! This man taunted! And he’s denying it!” Powell sat, stunned, but his lawyer leaped up and objected. The judge calmly told White to return to the podium. White later apologized to jurors for the outburst and ended his argument abruptly. Barnett had launched into a veritable tirade against the other officers on trial in his summa tion. NASA finds I how galaxies were created LOS ANGELES — A spacecraft has discovered the largest and oldest struc tures in the universe, wispy clouds that show how creation’s "big bang” led to formation of stars and galaxies, scientists said Thursday. “If you’re religious, it’s like looking at God,” said research team leader George Smoot, an astrophysicist at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory and the University of California, Berkeley. The discovery was made by NASA’s Cosmic Background Explorer (COBE) satellite during its S400 million mission to study the universe’s origins. Researchers say more than 300 mil lion measurements by the spacecraft answer a question that has long vexed scientists: How did matter that was uni formly spread out in the newborn uni verse start clumping together to produce stars, galaxies and clusters of galaxies? “We have observed what we believe arc the largest and most ancient struc tures in the universe, extremely thin cluds or ripples that represent the earliest stages of matter starling to clump together in the newborn universe,” Smoot said. He said the clouds were formed only about 300,(XX) years alter the big bang, the primordial blast scientists believe created the universe 15 billion years ago. The largest clouds stretch across two thirds of the known universe, or 59 bil lion trillion miles, Smoot said. Thai’s roughly 120 million billion roundlrips between Earth and the moon.