Page 2-Tuesday, June 17, 1980-The Michigan Daily Detroit papers could avert ,unionsrk DETROIT (UPI) - A union leader said yesterday there is "a good chan- ce" a threatened strike can be averted at the city's two daily newspapers this week. Joel Wilson, president of the Newspaper Council of Detroit, said the union hopes to present its economic package to the management of the Free Press and the News at a meeting today. THE COUNCIL, which represents 10 of 11 unions at the two newspapers, has voted to authorizea strike when the current three-year contract expires at 12:01aIn. EDT tomorrow if there is no agreement on a new pact by then. The Teamsters union is bargaining separately with both newspapers. "We have some proposals on the table," Wilson- said. "There's a very good chance that we can break it (today). I really don't see a strike." WILSON SAID the major break in the impasse came yesterday when the council voted to put its economic package .on the bargaining table. Originally, the council had agreed to postpone discussion of economic issues until the non-economic package had been tentatively approved. The council represents 'about 2,000 employees of the two newspapers, in- cluding reporters. It was formed in 1968 following a bitter, nine-month strike that shut down both newspapers in 1967. Since the unions began bargaining as a unit, there has never been a strike against either the News or the Free Press. On Sunday, Local 22 of The Newspaper Guild voted 9-1 to authorize a strike. Local 22 represents 600 editorial and maintenance employees at the Free Press and 250 editorial and business office employees at the News. Hit the lights Casual strolls through the Diag in the evenings have been more like nervous trots for the past week. Reason: Those glowing balls that light the pathways have gone dark, plunging the usually well-lit area into threatening gloom. The darkened Diag is not some energy-saving scheme, however. Instead, malfunctioning circuits in the underground cables are causing the problem, according to a spokeswoman from Detroit Edison. Crews thus far have failed to illumunate the area, but Edison employees were trying again yesterday, and the spokeswoman was optimistic about the repair effort. ] 150 each axle Toll-takers in Delaware say their work is not always boring, especially with an occasional naked lady, a regular in a Halloween mask, or a women hitchhiking to New York-by wheelchair. "You've got to have a good sense of humor. These people could really get to you," said Don Chickadel, who once studied to be a Roman Catholic priest and now takes tolls at the Delaware Memorial Bridge. Now in his fifth year as a toll-taker, Chickadel said he often deals with drunks, drug-crazed drivers, and cheapskates who don't want to pay the toll. Maybe he should have been a priest after all. n This little piggie went to market No one would guess "Cleopatra" was a one-pound porker rejected by her mother six months ago. Today, she naps on the living room couch, snacks on peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and rides around town in the family car. She's a 200-pound baby who doesn't know she's a pig. "My brother hunts a lot, and he found a pregnant wild pig who had alitter of four," said Katie Cox of Winter Haven, Florida. "She didn't want Cleo, so my brother asked me if I wanted her." Cleo joined Cox, her husband John, their three children, three dogs, two cats, a parakeet, a hamster, and three incubating eggs. "We hope they are turtle eggs," said John Cox. "If a cottonmouth comes out we are going to be in trouble." Cleo, who is expected to fill out to 400 pounds, in housebroken and gets very affectionate in the car. "We figure she thinks she might be going to market and wants us to know she loves us," Katie Cox said.F On the outside Expect mostly sunny skies today with a high temperature in the mid-70s.F Happenings FILMS AAFC-Ride in the Whirlwind, 7, 10:20 p.m., The Shooting, 8:40 p.m., MLB 4.- - Deadline nears for drinking age petition i DETROIT (UPI) - Supporters of a petition drive to lower the legal drinking age from 21 to 19 said yester- day they need 100,000 more signatures to get the issue on the November ballot - and have less than a month in which to do it. "I'm cautiously optimistic," said Rep. Richard Fitzpatrick, a Battle Creek Democrat who is chairman of the petition effort. "IT WOULD BE very sad if we didn't make it. Everyone takes it for granted we'll make it, and it's very frustrating. We still need 100,000." Fitzpatrick said more than 200,000 petitions still are out and he is concer- ned because circulators are not retur- ning them. "We think the signatures are out there," he said. "If we could get every petition back with just one signature each, we would make it on the ballot." AT LEAST 286,000 valid signatures must be filed with the state by July 7. To build in a safety factor, to compen- sate for invalid signatures, state of- ficials suggest more than 300,000 signatures be collected. "We have to keep moving, keep working, but we can get the signatures we need by the July 7 deadline," Fit- zpatrick said. "Our goal is attainable." Michigan voters hiked the legal drinking age from 18 to 21 in 1978. FITZPATRICK SAID it is difficult to collect signatures in places where young people congregate, such as rock concerts and on campuses, because each voter must sign only on a petition for the county in which he is registered. This means circulators may have to carry 83 petitions - one for each county - when collecting signatures in an area in which a young person may live but not hold his voting residence.. Fitzpatrick said it is illogical to have a law on the books which is widely flouted. "Youth have shifted their drinking from licensed, regulated, and super- vised establishments to the back seats of cars and unsupervised private par- ties," Fitzpatrick said. "As a legislator, I would much prefer a moderate and practical drinking age which is carefully enforced, rather than this unreasonable and unfair age 21, which is ignored. The Michigan Daily (USPS 344-900) Volume XC, No. 28-S Tuesday, June 17, 1980 The Michigan Daily is edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan. Published daily Tuesday through Sunday mornings during the University year at 420 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor, Michigan, 48109. Subscription rates: $12 September through April (2 semesters); $13 by mail outside Ann Arbor. Summer session published Tuesday through Saturday mornings. Subscription rates: $6.50 in Ann Arbor; $7 by mail outside Ann Arbor. Second class postage paid at Ann Arbor, Michigan. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to THE MICHIGAN DAILY, 420 Maynard Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48109. The Michigan Daily is a member of the Associated Press and subscribes to United Press International, Pacific News Service, Los Angeles Times Syndicate, and Field Newspaper Syndicate. News room: (313) 764-0552. 76-DAILY: Sports desk: 764-0562: Circulation: 764- 0558; Classified advertising: 764-0557; Display advertising: 764-0554; Billing: 764-0550; Composing Room: 764-0556. Editors-in-Chief...........TOM MIRGA Business Manager.................. HOWARD WITT ROSEMARY WICKOWSKI Editorial Page Editor... SARA ANSPACH Display Manager.... KATHLEEN CULVER Arts Editor........... MARK COLEMAN Classified Manager...... SUSAN KLING Sports Editor........... ALAN FANGER Circulation Manager.... JAMES PICKETT Executive Sports Editors... SCOTT LEWIS Ad Coordinator... E. ANDREM PETERSEN MARK MIHANOVIC BUSINESS STAFF: Donna Drebin, Aida NEWS STAFF WRITERS: Joyce Frieden, Eisenstat Barbara orslund, Kristna Bonnie Juran, Nick Katsarelas, Geoff Peterson, Daniel Moods Olans, Elaine Rideout, Mitch Stuart, Key. SPORTS STAFF WRITERS: Dan Conlin, in Tottis Tony Glinke, Buddy Moorehouse, Jon 'HOTO STAFF: Paul Engstrom, David Moreland, Joanne Schneider, Tom Sha- PHOTsTAF:PalEnKtuzheen, Drew Sharp, Jon Welts Harris, Jim Kruz ,-,,,,. , - : ,