Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.news From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: news Fri, Mar 6 1992 Date: Fri, 6 Mar 92 05:54:04 EST Message-ID: DECISIONLINE: News USA TODAY Update March 6-8, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network KERREY BOWS OUT OF RACE: Democrat Bob Kerrey dropped out of the presidential race Thursday after claiming just one victory in 11 states. "We ran out of gas," Kerrey said. He endorsed none of the remaining four candidates. What went wrong with his campaign: He needed a broader message than health care; he was hurt by being an incumbent senator; and he varied his attacks from day to day. THE YOUNG KING PREVAILS: Responses to a USA TODAY survey on the preferred Elvis image for a new U.S. postage stamp drew 5,317 letters and even, it seems, a vote from the grave. By a vote of 72.4% to 25.2%, readers chose the younger Elvis. One ballot was written on stationery of the late Speaker of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives, James J. Manderino. "I must opt for Elvis' youthful photo," it said. PANEL VOTES FOR DISCLOSURE: A House ethics panel Thursday voted 10-4 to seek disclosure of the 19 current and five former members who wrote the most bad checks on the House bank. The standard: Overdrawn by more than their monthly net pay 20% of the time during the 39 months ending October 1991. About 200 current members were overdrawn by more than the amount of their next paycheck; nearly 300 have floated a check. VA. LOTTERY STILL UP IN THE AIR: The mystery of the missing $27 million Virginia lottery ticket was solved Thursday when Australian investors showed up with what they say is the winner. But lottery officials may deny the group the jackpot. Lottery rules say the tickets must be bought in person for cash. The group used cashier's checks to pay for some of the 5 million tickets it bought. There are 7.1 million combinations. THERE'S A SHORTAGE OF PICKLES: Torrential rains have wiped out the Mexican cucumber crop, causing a severe shortage of deli dill in the USA. Some delis are offering substitutes - pickled peppers or tomatoes - but realdelis don't relish that. Says Hal Horowytz, a manager at Zabar's delicatessen in New York City: "Most of the customers prefer this type of product, so we just pay a little more and eat the cost." FARMERS TO GET SOME WATER: The federally run Central Valley Project, following a decision by President Bush, said Thursday that last month's cutoff of irrigation to 7,000 California farmers was being relaxed. The project will provide 15% of normal allotments. About 16,000 other farmers who had suffered partial cutoffs will get more water. But one farmer said, "It's a slap in the face." BOMB THREATS HALT GOTTI TRIAL: Bomb threats heightened the tension at the murder and racketeering trial of John Gotti in New York Thursday. The cross-examination of Salvatore "Sammy Bull" Gravano was interrupted when Judge Leo I. Glasser abruptly adjourned the trial. He had been handed a note informing him of the second bomb threat in less than an hour. No bomb was found. Testimony resumes Friday. CRACK BABY CASE GOES TO COURT: A Florida woman convicted of delivering crack cocaine to her babies via her umbilical cord, takes her case to the Florida Supreme Court Friday. Hundreds of mothers have been charged with similar crimes but only one has been convicted. No states have laws prohibiting a woman from passing drugs to fetuses. Prosecutors use laws aimed at cracking down on drug dealers who sell to minors. IRAQ BURYING SCUD MISSILES: The Defense Department Thursday accused Iraq of burying Scud ballistic missile launchers and "all kinds" of other military items near Baghdad in defiance of gulf war cease-fire requirements. Also Thursday, Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd said England will consider a military strike against Iraq if it continues to defy the United Nations regarding destruction of weapons. INTERIM UNITED WAY LEADER NAMED: Kenneth Dam, a vice president at IBM, will take over as interim president of the United Way as it looks for a successor to former President William Aramony. Aramony retired last week in the wake of allegations of extravagant spending, cronyism and free-wheeling management at the organization. Dam is a former deputy U.S. secretary of State. He takes over immediately. BLACK WOMAN JOINS GEORGIA COURT: Leah Sears-Collins, 36, will take the oath of office in Atlanta Friday as the first black woman to serve on the Georgia Supreme Court. She is the youngest justice on that court since the Civil War. She'll be the second black justice and the first woman ever on the seven-member court. The honors graduate of Cornell University was elected to the Fulton County Superior Court in 1988. RAIN TO DOMINATE WEEKEND: Most of the USA will see at least some rain this weekend. Showers and thunderstorms are expected in the Southeast Friday, though conditions will dry out by Saturday. Weekend conditions in much of the USA's northern tier will be unsettled with intermittent light rain and drizzle. Showers along the West Coast will move out by Saturday, when clear conditions will dominate the Pacific Coast. DOW JONES OPENS ON DOWNSWING: The Dow Jones average of 30 industrials opens Friday at 3241.50, after closing down 27.06 Thursday. The New York Stock Exchange composite opens at 224.92, down 1.74. The American Stock Exchange market value opens at 410.24, down 3.15. The NASDAQ OTC composite opens at 621.97, down 8.32. News Editor: Beth Mann. (919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM