lIn Weekend.Magazine:I Regent Deane Baker in profile " Clockwork Orange revised - Bombay Bicycle Club reviewed 9 The List Ninety-nine years of editorial freedom Vol. IC, No. 89 Ann Arbor, Michigan - Friday, February 3, 1989 Copyright 1989, The Michigan Daily Federal court delays newspaper JOA Detroit Free Press-News merger back in question BY JENNIFER MILLER WITH WIRE REPORTS A U.S. District Court of Appeals yesterday said a Joint Operating Agreement between the Detroit News and Free Press must wait until there is a decision on opponents' re- quest for a rehearing. An appeals court last Friday up- held former Attorney General Edwin Meese's approval of a JOA, but op- ponents refused to accept the ruling. The 500 member Michigan Citizens for an Independent Press, appealed the three judge decision to a 13 judge U.S. Appeals Court on Monday. A JOA approval would allow a partial merge, between the Detroit Free Press and the Detroit News, and exemption from federal antitrust laws. The newspapers had planned to begin implementation of the JOA Feb. 6. The delay was not much of a sur- prise to Free Press employees who are getting used to the ups and downs of the three-year debate, said Detroit Free Press Night City Editor David McKay. "Some feel jerked around and many people stand to lose their job if the merger does not go through... Let's get on with it already," said McKay. The group that appealed the JOA said it is a violation of the First Amendment, said committee leader and State Sen. John Kelly. "They moved ahead without try- ing to think through the human consequences. For whatever trauma they've caused their own employees; they bear the guilt for," Kelly said. The newspapers first applied for a joint operating agreement three years ago, saying the merge will help save Free Press claims of a "failing pa- per." The two papers, the ninth and tenth largest in the nation, will share equal profits and losses after five years if the JOA is implemented. See JOA, Page 5 Bargain hunting Cynthia Scott and Joyce Jones sift through a pile of rings at the 63rd Annual through tomorrow but the best bargains are going fast. See photostory, Page 2 Kiwanis Sale at the Kiwanis Activities in downtown Ann LSA profs. react to criticism of deans MSA meets with SODC about regents' BY JOHNATHAN SCOTT Members of the University's Economics Department yesterday criticized recent charges that ques- tioned the scholarly competence of LSA Dean Peter Steiner and Associ- ate Dean John Cross. On Monday, three University economics doctoral students dis- closed published articles challenging the legitimacy of both Steiner and Cross's work in economics. But yesterday, Economics Prof. Halfway House causes dispute BY NOAH FINKEL Ann Arbor citizens and area politicians expressed dismay with state Department of Corrections officials last night at a public hearing about a proposed plan to convert the Varsity House Motel into a halfway house for 120 to 160 prisoners. The state's halfway house plan has many opponents, who argue that the proposed facility, next to the Denny's restaurant on Washtenaw Ave., would contain too many pris- oners and be located too close to homes, businesses, and a day-care center. The hearing, held at the Ann Ar- bor Pioneer High School auditorium, allowed DOC officials to defend the proposed halfway house to the more than 1,000-person crowd and to answer the public's concerns. A panel including Mayor Gerald Jernigan, two city councilmembers, State Reps. Perry Bullard (D-Ann Arbor) and Margaret O'Connor (R- Ypsilanti), and State Sen. Lana Pol- lack (D-Ann Arbor) peppered the DOC with questions and concerns, which DOC officials addressed in an apparent attempt to make peace with the community. DOC Deputy Director Denise Ont.c P-nl;in,1 that a halfwa,, Paul Courant and Prof. Emeritus Daniel Fusfeld defended both Cross and Steiner. The doctoral students, requesting anonymity because of fear of aca- demic reprisals, had said Cross uses an economics theory that has since been discredited in the field. But Courant said the cardinal utility the- ory "is not only completely cred- itable in economics, it is at the heart of what has been one of the most See Profs., Page 5 BY TARA GRUZEN After more than a week of confu- sion and delays; members of the Michigan Student Assembly and the Student Organization Development Center met and began to develop strategies to improve MSA's rela- tions with the University's Board of Regents. The board, at its January meeting, threatened to cut MSA's funding if it did not improve working relations with different University student or- ganizations, including SODC, and said -MSA failed to comply to a similar request last July. Some MSA members maintain they have already tried to do every- thing they can to meet the demands of the regents, but others say they must work more effectively with SODC to create a structure for im- proving those things the regents feel they have not done. .emands At the meeting, which included Assistant to the Vice President for Student Services Roselle Wilson and Director of the Union Frank Cianci- ola, MSA Rep. Heidi Hayes sug- gested three strategies that the two organizations could use in order to improve their rapport with each other, and ultimately, with the re- gents. See MSA, Page 5 Steiner ...defended by professors State to consider holiday for Vietnam BY GIL RENBERG The Michigan State Legislature will soon deliberate a bill calling for a May 7 holiday in honor of Viet- nam veterans. The holiday, said State Rep. Bill Martin (R-Battle Creek), the bill's co-sponsor, would be "an appropriate response to what has been a long time coming." Local Vietnam veteran Charles Tackett, who has lobbied state and national governments, organized ral- lies and concerts, and even gone on a hunger strike for the holiday, was unavailable for comment last night. Martin, a member of the House Military and Veterans' Affairs Committee, said having a holiday solely in honor of Vietnam veterans vets is "fitting." Soldiers returning home from other wars were given heroes' welcomes, but veterans of the Viet- nam War never received such honors, he said. Before reaching the floor for a vote, the bill must first pass Mar- tin's committee. He said that he would be "surprised" if the bill were to encounter resistance from the four other committee members. Martin introduced the bill with Rep. Perry Bullard (D-Ann Arbor), who was unavailable for comment last night. On May 7, 1975, President Ger- ald Ford declared that the "Vietnam era" had come to an end and that "America is no longer at war." Other states, including Maine, have already passed similar holidays. ROBIN LOZNAK/DaIWr The stage is set The CBS cameras roll this morning from the Law Quad. CBS' morning news show chose the University as the site for today's broadcast. The program begins at 7 a.m. and will feature panel of four students. Bush may sell arms to Middle East WASHINGTON (AP) - The Bush Administration has opened arms-sales talks with Congress that potentially include shipping 35 Abrams tanks, considered the world's best, to Saudi Arabia and 40 sophis- ticated FA-18 jet fighters to the United Arab Emirates, congressional and other sources said Thursday. Other Arab states would be in line for U.S. armaments under the Charles Redman, the State De- partment spokesperson, declined to identify the weapons under consideration for sale. He stressed that a classified document - listing the proposed weapons for sale - did not amount to a "sale plan," but rather to the administration's "best estimate" of other countries' weapons needs. "Each item has to be reviewed by Jordan would receive no American weapons under the proposed sale. Since1985, Congress has prohibited military aid to the Arab kingdom until it agrees to peace terms with Israel. With the plan now being dis- cussed, Egypt would be sold150 Hawk missiles, 24 helicopters, ar- tillery radar and tank equipment. Is- ..,a ~ ...isA lu orA ( -ohn r :- f~o~ Also: 24 F-16 jet fighters, 100 Mavericks and 100 Sidewinder air-to- air missiles for Morocco, and seven of the battlefield rocket systems for Saudi Arabia. Greece would get 60 M48 tanks and 100 Harpoon anti- ship missiles. The list is classified; a copy was obtained by the Associated Press. Wx .es n . -h- ta ron a . h. W~WIt~WUQ3i~