The Courier-Journal du lieu suivant : Louisville, Kentucky • Page 1

TUESDAY, APRIL 4, 1989. 35 CENTS COPYRIGHT 1989, THE COURIER-JOURNAL. LOUISVILLE, A GANNETT NEWSPAPER Gorbachev, Castro privately reviewing differences, debt fl Tun Great Games. ToSliareTheWealtb. BM 32 1 4 lJf- By MICHAEL PUTZEL Associated Press HAVANA Presidents Mikhail Gorbachev and Fidel Castro went behind closed doors yesterday for marathon talks expected to air their ideological differences and highlight the problems of Third World nations.

A Soviet spokesman, asked whether Gorbachev would offer to forgive Cuba's massive debt to the Soviet Union, said that subject was not discussed specifically, although the leaders did talk about the "enormous debt plundering the economies" of Latin American countries. The spokesman, Gennady Gerasi-mov, said Gorbachev's initial discussions with Castro and the Cuban Communist Party's Central Committee were held in a "friendly atmosphere." He also said Gorbachev reported on the Soviet Union's recent multi-candidate parliamentary elections, which were seen as a popular victory for the party's reformers. Castro, who has never allowed competitive elections in his 30-year rule, has openly criticized Gorbachev's reforms for borrowing too much from the capitalist world. After the ceremonial laying of a wreath at the monument to Jose Marti, the father of Cuban independence, Castro escorted ills guest to the Palace of the Revolution to begin their discussions, which were scheduled to continue on and off through the day and evening. Gorbachev's wife, Raisa, visited a day-care center, a Cuban-Soviet friendship center and planned to tour the home of the American author Ernest Hemingway, whose former estate outside Havana is now a museum.

Gerasimov said Gorbachev and Castro, in their opening talks, discussed problems in Latin America, particularly those of indebtedness and the drug trade. The spokesman observed that Latin American countries are increasingly becoming drug suppliers to See GORBACHEV Back page, col. 5, this section STAFF PHOTO BY PAUL SGHUHMANN Cary Williams, co-manager of the Valu Warehouse of Groceries in Louisville, put up. a sign yesterday advertising the state lottery. Tickets for state lottery go on sale today Wilkinson hints deal on school plan, taxes By JOHN VOSKUHL Staff Writer Kentucky's long-awaited lottery tickets go on sale at retailers across the state today and only the threat of a lightning bolt has caused concern for the lottery corporation's president If lightning strikes and causes a power failure that knocks out the main computer responsible for tracking finances and validating tickets, "We've got a problem," Frank 0.

Keener said yesterday. chase the first "official" lottery ticket this morning in Louisville. However, it won't be the first ticket sold. Lottery officials said yesterday that retailers in Jefferson and Fayette counties had sold tickets prematurely. "That happens in almost every state," Keener said.

No action has been taken so far against ei- See ALL Back page, col. 1, this section A computer failure could shut down the lottery for at least a day, Keener said. But barring that and "we just have to hope and pray we don't have that happen," he said everything appears ready. Meanwhile, thousands of Kentuckians are expected to try striking it rich when ticket sales begin at more than 4,800 retailers from convenience stores to supermarkets, and even a menswear shop in Covington. Tickets are being sold in every county.

Gov. Wallace Wilkinson is scheduled to pur meeting said the message was not clear enough to say there had been a breakthrough in the impasse between Wilkinson and the legislature over education and tflXfiS "He said what Bush calls for end to Israeli occupation Wright By AL CROSS Political Writer FRANKFORT, Ky. Gov. Wallace Wilkinson yesterday gave his strongest signal yet that he would support some kind of tax increase later this year if the General Assembly passed his education program in a special session this spring. Wilkinson indicated that he would support changes in the state's income tax to make it conform with the federal tax code which could raise about $100 million a year and perhaps other tax measures to get more money for schools, according to legislative leaders who met with him yesterday.

"He said if he could pass his program he would then consider the revenues for paying for it at a later date," Senate Majority Leader Joe Wright said. Wright and other legislators at the confer this week with Jordan's King Hussein, whose nation lost the West Bank to Israel In the 1967 Six-Day War. Shamir's government has opposed any settlement based on trading land for peace, and is skeptical about any international conference. In Jerusalem, aides to Shamir refused comment on Bush's call for an end to Israeli occupation and endorsement of a peace conference. "We don't want to respond now," said Shamir spokesman Yossi Ahi-meir.

"The prime minister will meet President Bush and will have an opportunity to hear his views and present Israel's position." Ahimeir added that "we trust that the Americans oppose the international conference and still prefer the road of direct negotiations which has already brought one See BUSH Back page, col. 5, this section By TERENCE HUNT Associated Press WASHINGTON President Bush yesterday urged an end to Israel's occupation of the West Bank and the Gaza, endorsed the "achievement of Palestinian political rights" and said a "properly structured" international peace conference could play a useful role. The remarks came after Bush conferred with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, opening a week of summit-level talks on the Middle East Bush said "a new atmosphere" must be created between Israel and Arab nations as the first step toward peace. His tone suggested the United States may attempt to exert pressure for compromise on Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, who arrives in the United States tomorrow and will meet with Bush on Thursday. The president will also he's been saying all along, but somehow it came out a little more clearly today," Wright said.

Wilkinson, who ran on a platform of the new state lottery as a substitute for tax increases, has since said that Kentucky schools must be restructured before any extra money See WILKINSON Back page, col. 1, this section Big expansion of Nissan plant will add 'secret' car, 2,000 jobs NASH VI LLEV jNJ Pery Reservoir Louisville KENTUCKY Al I Nashville(? AREA efir ENLARGED TENNESSEE 1 "That will make us the largest automobile manufacturer in the United States (in number of vehicles and size of the plant)," Benefield said. Details of the new car were kept secret except to say that it would be a four-door, family-sized car that would be pitched to the same market as the Nissan Stanza. The design for the car's styling is expected to be completed within a few weeks, Benefield said. But design of the engine and other options won't be complete for up to 18 months.

"It is a completely new car being designed with completely new styles and developed from See NISSAN Back page, col. 1, this section By SHERA GROSS Associated Press SMYRNA, Tenn. Nissan will spend $490 million on an expansion of its Smyrna factory that will make it the largest single vehicle manufacturing plant in the nation and create more 2,000 jobs. The company plans to expand the 3.4-million-square-foot plant by 1.2 million square feet to make a new car line, Jerry Benefield, president and chief operating officer of Nissan Motor Manufacturing Corp. USA, said yesterday.

The expansion will boost Nissan's investment in Tennessee to $1.2 billion. The plant, 25 miles from Nashville, produces 240,000 Sentras and light trucks a year. The production of the new car will boost the total output to 440,000 vehicles by 1992. if" -1 Jtxfj 1 jt 4jy I STAFF PHOTO bi IXJHLU HALL ja STAFF MAP Humana-U of to close some operating rooms By LESLIE SCANLON and ROB CUNNINGHAM Staff Writers Humana Hospital-University of Louisville plans to shut down some operating rooms next week, because recent resignations have left the hospital without enough nurses to staff the rooms. The cutbacks, which hospital officials hope will be temporary, will force doctors to delay non-emergency and elective surgery.

Physicians at the of medical school say they also are concerned that continued reductions could limit the hospital's ability to train new doctors. "I think we're all deeply concerned about it, and what it means not only for the educational programs at the university but for patient care for some individuals who don't have a choice of hospitals," said Dr. Hiram Polk, chairman of the school's department of surgery. "We're quite concerned about this. We really do need to turn the nursing situation around at Humana Hospital-U of Polk said.

Over the past six months, about 30 operating-room nurses and technicians have quit jobs at University Hospital, while 22 new people were hired for those positions, hospital administrator Sam Holtzman said yesterday. Several other nurses have announced plans to leave In the next few weeks, he said. As a result of the shortage, the hospital plans to close one or two of its six operating rooms on weekdays, according to Holtzman and Dr. Mark Malangoni, the hospital's chief of surgery. The hospital's trauma center will remain open.

The hospital will continue to use two operating rooms and the trauma center on evenings and weekends, Holtzman said. According to Malangoni and Dr. Frank Miller, the hospital's director of trauma, the operating-room clos ings should not affect the hospital's ability to cope with people needing immediate surgery. "What it will affect, however, is somebody that needs a more elective operation, that doesn't have an acute need like a hernia repair or in some circumstances perhaps a hysterectomy," Malangoni said. "There may be some reordering of those cases, and delays." Dr.

Joseph E. Kutz, president of the Jefferson County Medical Society, said physicians have been told that they no longer can reserve See NURSE Back page, col. 1, this section HAVING A BLAST: Suzy Greer, 11, hung upside down on a tank's cannon in front of the Shively City Hall in Jefferson County yesterday as her friend Brittany Seay, 8, sat above. INSIDE Business. Comics Classified ads Deaths Features Your lucky day Kentucky Showers ending, mostly cloudy and mild.

Highs, low 60s to low 70s. Lows, 37 to 43. Partly sunny and cooler tomorrow. Highs, 55 to 65. Tennessee Cloudy and mild, with showers middle and east.

Highs, 68 to 72. Lows, upper 40s, low 50s. Cooler tomorrow, highs around 60. Details, Page 2 Spring fever: It's no joke Features, Page 1 Tennessee hires Wade Houston Sports, Page 1 5-8 4, 5 5 4 A 2 3 2 People. Racing results.

Sports TV.