The Daily News Leader from Staunton, Virginia • 1

Soap Box Derby returning to Waynesboro Page A3 fie SERVING STAUNTON, WAYNESBORO AND AUGUSTA COUNTY "sir- "Hjr- ManoinifoDini Bemvat dhaBinmaini seeEcs to revitalize pairSy son. "We are solid, moderate citizens, who believe in traditional values. In an attempt to rejuvenate the local party I intend to generate some position papers extolling traditional family ROBERTSON values." Robertson said the Democratic Party has always been the champion of the poor, downtrodden, and those needing help, where Republicans believe the private sector can best solve problems. "People left to their own devices are basically selfish and I see the wealthy getting wealthier and keep- ing money for themselves," he said. "Without government intervention, things won't get done.

We need to pump money into the local economy. Crime is caused by those who can't get jobs and have a low opinion of their selfworth." Robertson cited a recent report showing 68 percent of all black males are now born out of wedlock. He said opportunities need to be provided for people to keep them from "falling into crime or falling back into crime." Robertson, who has seen his share of crime in 22 years as a prosecutor, supports a penal system like the one in Texas where inmates are hired out as labor. He also supports the local ex-offender program spearheaded by the Rev. Jack Pettyjohn which is being considered by the General Assembly for $200,000 in funding.

"The biggest mistake we could make is not field a candidate to run against Goodlatte." But in tactical terms Robertson's first priority is re-electing U.S. Sen. Charles Robb, D-Va. who is in the political battle of his life. Robb will most likely face Jim Miller or Oliver North if he wins the Democratic nomination.

Robertson said North was a "menace," "embarrassing," and a "perjurer." "He would be an embarrassment to all Virginians if he represented us in the United States Senate." Robertson has sent out letters to 51 prominent local Democrats for a meeting to be held on Feb. 14 at Staunton City Council Chambers. Anyone interested in more information about the local Democratic efforts is invited to attend. He also believes a jury should know how much time will actually be served if a criminal is convicted information that is known to the judge but not shared with jurors. Robertson also said mandatory parole should be abolished but not parole in general like that advocated by Gov.

George Allen. Robertson said the state and local Republican parties are vulnerable because of "their sellout to the religious right." But he acknowledged Republicans have been more effective getting their message out. "Mary Sue Terry was a good administrator but ran a terribly botched campaign," he said. "She was voted among her peers as the top attorney general in the nation, but not once did I hear her mention it." Watered-down reforms aveH: Japans col laps By DAVID BOTKINS Staff Writer Staunton's commonwealth's attorney and new Democratic Party chairman hopes to invigorate the local party in an effort to hold onto a U.S. Senate seat and win back the 6th District U.S.

House of Representatives seat. Raymond C. Robertson, Staunton's 22-year veteran as chief prosecutor and now patriarch of Democratic elected officials since Anna Lee Pullin's defeat as commissioner of revenue, hopes to articulate a position of reasonable moderation and common sense to bring people "back into the fold." "The Democratic Party has been unfairly branded as a loose-knit fringe group of gays, abortionists and women's lib groups," said Robert- saves live By CINDY CORELL Staff Writer NEW HOPE Donald and Shar-leen Booth already had one smoke detector in their multi-level house on -Va. 784 when a family friend told them about the program sponsored by local fire departments. Donald Booth is physically disabled and the chance to have someone not only donate more detectors, but also install it gave both him and his wife greater peace of mind.

"I think it's great," says Mrs. Booth of the program handledfcythe Augusta County Fire and Rescue Association. "It's one more worry off your mind." Lt. Walter Abbott of the New Hope Volunteer Fire Company installed the detectors in November. He is also a great supporter of the program.

"So many people don't take advantage of this," he says. "It's available, but people don't realize it." Susie Hanger, president of the association, says pushing the program is part of the fire prevention mission each of the fire departments works toward. "We're afraid people aren't taking advantage of this," she says. "It's such an important household item these days and that's why we want people to participate." The association purchases the detectors with funds given by Ruritan clubs and Eagles lodges. The criteria for giving them to families and individuals is that the people are disabled, elderly, or low-income with young children.

One year after installing the detectors, the association follows up with a maintenance visit and free battery. More than 5,000 people in America die each year in fires, only one third the number of fire fatalities the nation suffered in 1974. Smoke detectors, 911 systems and better trained and equipped firefighters are credited with the decreased number of deaths, but even better education can improve on the current number, fire officials say. There is a residential fire every 66 seconds, and in 83 percent of all ililllla Hit He said the same is somewhat true in last year's commissioner of revenue race. "Ray Ergenbright is a fine man, but the people turning their back on Anna Pullin's 38 years of service was a mistake.

He got in there because of the strength of the Republican Party and not through any fault of hers." Staunton Democrats currently occupy the offices of circuit court clerk, commonwealth's attorney and sheriff. The office of treasurer is held by independent Elnora Hazlett. "I'm going to invite her (Hazlett) to come back to the Democratic Party, but I want her to feel comfortable with it," Robertson said. Robertson also wants to find a challenger to U.S. Rep.

Robert Goodlatte, R-6th, while he's still in his first term. To cement the accord, the prime minister was obliged to back down on a key corruption-fighting measure. Corporate contributions to individual politicians now will be limited but not banned, as Hosokawa had urged. "Even the half-baked reform offers hopes for a better political future," the English-language Japan Times editorialized in Sunday's editions. The reforms represent a substantial change in Japan's political system.

Battles over reform have toppled several governments, and voter anger over big-money corruption ousted the Liberal Democrats last year after 38 years in power. "The people have been waiting almost 40 years for this," said Kozo Watanabe, a lawmaker from Shin-seito, one of the parties in Hosok-awa's coalition. "We have begun to respond to the wishes of the people. Today, we just made a start." The plan announced Friday by Hosokawa and opposition leader Yohei Kono will create 300 single-seat districts in the more powerful lower house, replacing the multiple-seat districts. The change is meant to discourage candidates from the same 7 1 Gov.

Christie Whitman, but can never return to New Jersey. Whitman decreed that Taro, a 110-pound Akita, be exiled from the state and get new owners. The dog's owners, Lonnie and Sandy Lehrer of Haworth, have 30 days to agree to the terms. Taro has been on death row at the Bergen County Jail since February 1991. The borough of Haworth ordered him destroyed after he injured 10-year-old Brie Hal-fond on Christmas Day 1990.

Borough officials said the dog bit the girl's lip, but the Lehrers said the child provoked the dog and was scratched. The girl is the Lehrer's niece. li-Rh'fe J. 'f i i in fsrvx ltMn party from competing against each other by peddling favors to constituents. The remaining 200 seats will be allocated in proportion to the vote total each party receives.

When he took office in August, Hosokawa said political reform would be his top priority. But that kept his government preoccupied, and he failed to act decisively to revive the sagging economy. The downturn, the worst since World War II, has caused deep in business circles and driven down stock prices. Wasting no time, officials began talks after Saturday's vote on measures meant to help pull Japan out of recession. "Economic policy is our most important priority now," Hosokawa said.

Trade also has gotten short shrift in recent months, and the Clinton administration has grown increasingly impatient over the lack of progress. The two sides had hoped for a new "framework" accord prior to talks Feb. 11 by the two leaders in Washington, but both acknowledge sharp differences over how to trim Japan's bulging trade surplus. 1 Vv 9f i) '(V (Four Sections) Abby PageC2 Business Page B8 City, County News Page A3 Classifieds Pages Dl-12 Comics Page C10 Entertainment Page CIO Obituaries PageA2 Opinions Page A4 Sports Pages Bl-7 MS Cloudy with a chance of light snow in the afternoon; highs near 30. Occasional light snow tonight; lows near 20.

Lingering morning flurries Monday and decreasing cloudiness; highs near 30. See complete weather on page A8. i By LAURA KING AP Writer TOKYO Parliament approved watershed measures Saturday to stem political corruption, saving Prime Minister Morihiro Hosok-awa's job and enabling him to shift focus to Japan's No. 1 problem the faltering economy. The political reforms were considerably weaker than those originally envisioned by Hosokawa, who had said he would quit if they were not passed during the legislative session that ended Saturday.

But amid widespread sentiment that a watered-down package was better than none, Hosokawa expressed satisfaction with the result. "We have climbed one big mountain, a mountain that we had to overcome, and it was hard," Hosokawa told reporters after the vote. He pledged that his six-month-old government would immediately turn its attention to the economy, which has been somewhat neglected in the push for reform. The reforms weren't secured until late Friday when Hosokawa agreed to a compromise with the opposition Liberal Democrats. Break in the weather Bruce Sanford of Staunton said he felt like he had "cabin fever" and decided to take advantage of the warmer weather on Saturday with a walk around Gypsy Hill Park.

Sanford looks back at his daughter, Jessica, 2, asking her how she likes the ride. (Photo by Robert Stevenson) cording to a July 1993 memo from Abrams' office, the state was only able to collect $7.7 million. Levitt was also accused by the Federal Elections Commission of making illegal contributions in 1986 to Sen. Joseph Biden's presidential campaign. The FEC, citing the developer's advanced age and financial troubles, last month dropped its attempt to collect $39,000 in fines from him.

The developer was named one of the 100 most important Americans of the 20th century by Life magazine. Dog exiled NEWARK, N.J. (AP) A dog sentenced to die after it injured a child won a reprieve Friday from WALTER ABBOTT, a lieutenant with the New Hope Volunteer Fire Company, Installed smoke detectors in the home of Donald and Sharleen Booth in November through a program sponsored by the Augusta County Fire and Rescue Association. Donald Booth, who is disabled, qualified for the program, which also offers free detectors to the elderly and low income families with young children. Mrs.

Booth watches as Abbott installs one of the detectors. (Photo by Cindy Corell) homes in the U.S., a smoke detector At least in one of the houses the has been installed. smoke detectors didn't operate be- i a I rllMM "1 Warner's North criticism angers other Republicans cause batteries had been taken out And at least in one of the houses, a smoke detector was operating properly, but apparently the elderly occupants couldn't move fast enough and only one survived. Deaths like these usually bring home to others that some prevention is needed, Mrs. Hanger says.

See FIRE, page A2 Levitt dies MANHASSET, N.Y. (AP) William J. Levitt, who pioneered the notion of affordable suburban houses with the development of Levittown on Long Island, died Friday of kidney failure. He was 86. Levitt built over 17,000 houses in the years after World War II, mostly for returning veterans.

He sold his development companies to his sons in 1968 and later lost millions in a series of failed business ventures including projects in Iran, Nigeria and Venezuela. In 1990, then-New York state Attorney General Robert Abrams accused Levitt of looting from the Levitt Foundation, a charitable organization. Levitt agreed to pay $11 million in penalties in 1992, but ac News capsules But, unfortunately, more than half of these detectors either don't work or don't have a working battery in them. Recently families in Augusta County and Staunton have mourned the loss of six people because of four house fires. Two were children, two were in their 30s and two were in their 80s.

Right now, however, many are questioning the principle behind Warner's scathing comments about North, who officially announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate on Thursday. Warner described the retired Marine lieutenant colonel, one of the key figures in the Iran-Contra scandal, as unelectable and unworthy to hold public office. "I don't know what his motive is," said Republican State Chairman Patrick M. McSweeney, who is an old Warner foe but claims neutrality in the nominating battle between North and former Reagan budget director James C.

Miller III. "Everybody else understands loyalty," McSweeney said. "The party had to break its neck to elect him in the first place, and we've tolerated him over the years since." By DONALD P. BAKER The Washington Post They're calling him disloyal, likening him to a modern-day Benedict Arnold. But at least those Virginia Republicans angry over John W.

Warner's criticism of Oliver North can't accuse the U.S. senator of being inconsistent. An accidental senator who rose to become the state's most popular politician, Warner often has ignored his party's 11th commandment thou shalt not speak ill of a fellow Republican when he felt the occasion warranted it. "Politics is never a consideration to him," said Ed DeBolt, a GOP political consultant who has worked in all of Warner's campaigns. He called Warner "principled to a fault.".