The Michigan Daily - Monday, January 6, 1999 - 7A .S. jets fre and miss Iraqi aircrat in no-fly zone WASHINGTON (AP) - Four U.S. Air Force and Navy jets fired on - and missed - four Iraqi MiGs testing the "no-fly" zone over -southern Iraq yesterday in the first such air con- frontation in more than six years. The Iraqis "beat a hasty retreat" following .re early morning clashes, which occurred in o separate incidents just 15 minutes and 62 miles apart, said Pentagon spokesperson Kenneth Bacon. In all, between 13 to 15 Iraqi aircraft attempted to violate the no-fly zone in a rash of eight .incursions that Bacon termed "suspi- cious." While dismissing any ability to "psy- choanalyze" Iraqi President Saddam Hussein, Bacon said the moves could have been aimed at luring U.S. and British aircraft within shooting range of surface-to-air missile batteries, or may ' marks of his "frustration" in the wake of the surprise December air attacks by U.S. and British forces. On Capitol Hill, Gen. Henry Shelton, chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he believed the current provocations by Iraqi aircraft reflected the fact that "they lost the initiative which we feel they are trying to regain now." He told the Senate Armed Services Committee that the U.S. missiles were fired "at a distance,"and were near the limit at which they are effective. Asked by Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) if the United States shouldn't try to destroy the air- fields used by Iraqi aircraft, Shelton said: "We have those kinds of plans on the shelf" should President Clinton decide to take such action. But Shelton sidestepped a direct question on whether the United States should try to target Saddam Hussein directly. At the Pentagon, Bacon said the first inci- dent occurred at 2:15 a.m. EST southwest of Baghdad and involved two U.S. Air Force F- ISs that fired off one Sparrow and three AIM- 120 missiles at two Iraqi MiG-25s. The Iraqis had turned their radar on the American air- craft, prompting the missile firings, Bacon said. Such a use of radar can indicate intent to attack. In the second event, two U.S. Navy F-14s fired on two other MiG-25s, using two AIM-54 Phoenix missiles. That incident took place southeast of Baghdad after the Iraqi planes "dipped" into the no-fly zone, Bacon said. All of the Iraqi planes turned quickly after being fired upon, Bacon said. "They escaped without being shot down," he said. The Navy planes, based on the aircraft carri- er Carl Vinson, returned safely. The other planes "The president has made it clear we will enforce the nofly zones vigorously. " - David Leavy White House National Security Council spokesperson also returned safely, but U.S. officials declined to say exactly where on land they were based. The official Iraqi News Agency said Iraqi planes "confronted and clashed with the aggres- sive British and American aircraft" before "the aggressive aircraft withdrew. All of our air force planes returned to base safely." The incident marked an escalation of ten- sions between Iraq and the United States and Britain over enforcing the "no-fly" zones in northern and southern Iraq. Iraq considers4 the restrictions illegal and has vowed to defy them. President Clinton has said U.S. and British forces will continue banning Iraqi flights in the restricted zones, arguing that Saddam Hussein's military still represents a threat to minority Kurds in the north and Shiite Muslims in the south. David Leavy, spokesperson for the White House National Security Council, said: "The president has made it clear we will enforce the no-fly zones vigorously. The Iraqi violations are at their own peril." 'Record-low temperatures hit Michigan DETROIT (AP) - From inside, it didn't look bad: The sun was shining bright, the sky was blue and much of the snow still glistened white. Take a step outside, however, and all that could be felt was a numbing cold. Many cities and towns never got into double digits yesterday, with Detroit recording a record low of 10 below zero. The previous record for Jan. 5 was eight below zero, set in 1981. "I hate it," attorney Susan Rack said as she was walking back to her car in downtown Detroit.' Clad in a long coat, boots, a hat and mittens, Rack lamented for last month's warmer temperatures. "I want our Florida weather back, said Rack, who lives in Inkster. On Dec. 5, Detroit had a record high of 65 degrees, and it was 69 a day later. Yesterday, Andy Resendez was trying to use a snow blower to clear a downtown sidewalk but gave up. "It's too much," he said. "We need a snowplow" Resendez, of Detroit, had been called into work because a colleague had gotten too cold. "You can't stay out here for long. A couple of hours is the max, he said. But Paul Wright, who was waiting for the bus, didn't mind the chill. "I'm comfortable,"he said, clad in a hat, long coat, galoshes and with a scarf wrapped around his face."I prefer A cold weather to hot weather. I bundle up. I may look badly, but I'm warm." At Detroit Metropolitan Airport in Romulus, yesterday's high as of 5 p.m. was zero, the National Weather Service reported. Iron Mountain had recorded the state's lowest temperature, 20 below. Copper Harbor had the state high at 31 degrees. The next highest temper- ature was 18 degrees at Alpena, Manistee, Pellston and Sault Ste. Marie. The high in Grand Rapids had reached only four degrees, a degree below the previous record low high of five set in 1912. In Lansing, the high was just three degrees, well below the previous record of six set in 1912. Roads were still slick and snow covered, and many motorists found their commutes took more than twice as long as normal. . Just as the season's first real chill set in, The Heat and Warmth Fund announced it will start its 1999 cam- paign today. Last year, the organiza- tion raised nearly $2,700,000 to help Detroit-area families pay their heat bills. After a brief respite with tempera- tures in the 30s on Friday in lower Michigan, the temperature will fall down to the 20s again this weekend, said Jeff Boyne, a National Weather Service meteorologist. Northern Lower Michigan will have tempera- tures in the 20s on Friday and between five degrees and teens over the weekend, Boyne said. A new storm could possibly hit the state tomorrow evening and Friday. . "We'll probably get some snow, but the question is how much," he said. For today, forecasts call for lower Michigan to be doused with 2 to 4 inches of snow. About 4 to 8 inches could fall on shorelines along Lake Michigan, and the Upper Peninsula should get 2 to 4 inches. AP PHOTO A thick sheet of ice blankets a bench on the shores of Lake Erie in Cleveland earlier this week. Single-digit temperatures with wind chills of 20-30 degrees below zero across the Midwest kept people Indoors. STORM Continued from Page 1A Pickel. Tickets can be issued to residents who fail to meet snow and ice removal requirements. "Tickets are a last resort - we want people to clean their sidewalks," Pickel said. Pickel said he thinks the ordinance is important for a rea- son other than the obvious inconvenience of blocked walk- ways. "If an emergency crew needs to get in to a house or build- ing, slippery walkways can delay entry where every second might be critical," Pickel said. The first Storm of 1999 is being classified by the National Weather Service as a blizzard. "It's the third most snow we've had since 1889," said University and NWS observer Dennis Kahlbaum. Kahlbaum said a blizzard is categorized by winds of more than 32 miles an hour, very low temperatures and large amounts of powdery and blowing snow. More snow was expected to fall last night. "It looks like about I to 3 inches," Kahlbaum said, adding the temperatures are projected to be in the 20s until the weekend. "This storm is known as a clipper," Kahlbaum said of the expected mid-week storm. Clippers move fast but efficiently produce much snowfall, he said. To compound the hazardous weather conditions, a wind chill advisory was in effect for Washtenaw County until last night. Extremely low temperatures combined with windy con- ditions can pose a threat to students spending time outdoors. Department of Public Safety spokesperson Beth Hall said it is important to protect extremities such as fingers, ears and feet from the cold. Also, those planning on shoveling snow should take caution. "No matter what kind of physical shape you are in, you should take frequent breaks" Hall said. "A number of people suffer heart attacks while shoveling." Snowy walkways could also result in missing mail. Some carriers may not be able to access boxes and must return the mail to the post office. "We ask carriers not to jeopardize their safety' Ann Arbor Postmaster Jim Gibbons said. Ain Arbor residents who are expecting important letters can pick up their mail at the post office. Gibbons did not encourage all customers to visit the front desk of the post office to retrieve their mail as there are not enough hands there to serve everyone. Gibbons said the snow makes this "one of the least fun times of the year." Residents who have not been receiving mail should expect regular service to resume today "just in time for the next snowstorm," Gibbons said. "We just ask customers to be patient." House GOPs nominate Hastert The Washington Post WASHINGTON - House Republicans unanimously nominated Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) as their leader yesterday, thereby ensuring he will become the speaker of the 106th Congress when it convenes today. The message of the day was clear: Hastert will bring unity and civility back to the House. In a closed session on the House floor last night, GOP law- makers praised Hastert for his ability to forge consensus and promote the pas- sage of meaningful legislation, accord- ing to members who attended. "He can unify the House of Representatives," declared Republican Conference Chair J.C. Watts of Oklahoma at a news conference after the vote, where more than 100 lawmak- ers gathered behind Hastert to applaud him. "He's the right man at the right time. Hastert, who received standing ova- tions, reminded his colleagues during the private session of President Abraham Lincoln's famed admonition that "a house divided against itself can- not stand." The lawmakers who spoke on Hastert's behalf noted his skills as a coach and that he agreed to take on the leadership post only after being pressed to do so. "Let's just make sure we don't try to change Denny, Rep. Thomas Ewing (R-Ill.) said, according to Rep. Rick Lazio (R-N.Y.). Lawmakers described Hastert as a dramatic departure from predecessor Newt Gingrich of Georgia. "We're moving away from the Newt era, which was a very centralized speakership," Ewing said in an inter- view. Gone, too, was Gingrich's revolu- tionary rhetoric. Appearing before the cameras with wife Jean, Hastert pledged to find a "middle ground" with Democrats in an effort to restore the public's faith in Congress. "I'm going to meet the Democratic leadership and the Democratic Caucus halfway, and I expect them to come halfway to meet me," he said. Even Majority Whip Tom DeLay of Texas, a fierce Clinton critic, said that "nothing's non-negotiable" with the White House and praised Hastert for planning to meet regularly with top Democrats. "He's already figuring out how to be speaker of the whole House, not just Republican speaker, which is why we need him right now,' DeLay said. Rep. Rod Blagojevich (D-Ill.) who has worked with Hastert on the Government Reform and Oversight Committee, said he believes the speak- er-designate could "work in a non- politically destructive way." The two lawmakers studied drug interdiction efforts in Latin America last May, Blagojevich recalled, and Hastert later helped him obtain funding for a community prosecution program in a federal spending bill when Clinton was unable to get the provision through the House Judiciary Committee. "You get a feeling that he's going to do the right thing," Blagojevich said. "His own demeanor and his own per- sonality radiate civility. He's just basi- cally a nice guy," said Rep. Ray LaHood (R-Ill.), another Hastert friend who helped organize a retreat during the last Congress aimed at restoring decorum in the House. "He does not come into the job radioactive, contro- versial from the get go" LaHood predicted Hastert would set a bipartisan tone in his acceptance speech a. }.. I +.. - - 'i- nn c+ 4 A C California governor proposes plan to up diversity 4 0. California may guarantee UC admission to the top 4 percent of students at each high school SACRAMENTO, Calif. - A year after the end of affirmative action at the University of California, Gov. Gray Davis is proposing to "ensure diversity and fair play" by guaranteeing mission to the top 4 percent of students at each gh school in the state. The Democrat announced the proposal at his inauguration Monday in a clear break with his pre- decessor Pete Wilson, a Republican who backed Proposition 209. The voter-approved measure dis- mantled racial and ethnic preferences in UC admissions. Currently, UC, with 129,000 students at eight i i. A& 'i mr, undergraduate campuses, admits the top 12.5 per- cent of all high school graduates statewide, an applicant pool that tends to be filled with students from affluent, top-performing schools. The proposal to take 4 percent from every school could be boon to blacks and Latino/as at inner-city and rural schools that send few students to college. The new proposal also would change the way graduates are ranked by putting less emphasis on standardized verbal and math exams and more weight on SAT2 scores, which tests students' knowledge in three subjects of their choice. "We believe that it will result in a student body that is more representative of the state's diverse population without sacrificing academic excel- lence," said Charles McFadden, spokesperson for the UC system. The proposal is meant as a way around Proposition 209. Undergraduate enrollment of blacks, Latino/as and American Indians has dropped 9.5 percent since the measure took effect. "We will seek to ensure diversity and fair play by guaranteeing to those students who truly excel by graduating in the top 4 percent of their high school - whether it's in West Los Angeles or East Palo Alto:' Davis said. "Those kids who excel will automatically be admitted to the University of California." The proposal is subject to approval by California's 26-member Board of Regents, though the first Democratic governor in 16 years will have considerable influence. Not only does Davis preside over the board, but three fellow Democrats also sit on the board, and he can appoint 10 members during the next four years. A vote by the regents is scheduled for March. Ward Connerly, a black regent who was appoint- ed by Wilson and led the campaign to end affir- mative action, said that he has yet to make up his mind about the 4 percent proposal but that he is considering supporting it because it might moti- vate low-income students. "There is very little culture of achievement in low-income neighborhoods, especially a culture of academic achievement;' he said. "This could put a prize out there." At the same time, he said that unless the state also providedmore financial aid, the proposal would probably be of more benefit to white rural students than inner-city blacks and Latino/as. And he said he fears a dumbing-down of UC. Jiott: Senate to go forward with trial tomorrow IMPEACH Continued from Page 1A from presiding over the trial on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday mornings, sources said. Lott later closeted himself in the Capitol, and, in a race against the clock, met throughout the day and into the *ght with senators from both parties, trying to cobble together a plan for an impeachment trial that he vowed would "proceed expeditiously and fairly." "I am ... seeking common ground and a non-partisan approach to the grave matters before us," Lott said. But ravn n bi red }i rened remarks will serve as jurors. The flurry of meetings yesterday occurred in the largely deserted Senate side of the Capitol as senators darted in and out of various hide-away offices. As the negotiations intensified, Lott also consulted by telephone with con- stitutional scholars. Democrats and Republicans are scheduled to caucus among themselves today. Out of those meetings, especially that of the GOP senators, who hold a 55- 45 edge in the chamber, a more detailed plan for the trial likely is to emerge. The senators' sense of urgency was prompted by more than tomorrow's start date. continue the trial, the proceeding could be adjourned and then a censure resolu- tion taken up - presumably leading to a reprimand of Clinton for his conduct in the Monica Lewinsky affair. The Constitution requires 67 votes, or a two-thirds majority of the Senate, to convict a president and remove him from office. But a vote to adjourn an impeachment trial requires a simple majority of 51 votes. As envisioned by the vaguely word- ed proposal by Sens. Joseph Lieberman (D-Conn.) and Slade Gorton (R- Wash.), the whole trial could be over within a week. But in the face of growing opposi-