Detroit Newspaper Declares Impasse in Strike
Date: 25 April 1996
By Iver Peterson
Iver Peterson
Declaring an impasse in the 10-month-old strike of its editorial employees, the management of The Detroit Free Press put its final contract offer into effect yesterday, in the process ending the special status of the journalists' union by removing the obligation that all eligible employees join it. Journalists at the Free Press and The Detroit News have been on strike since July over a range of salary and contract issues including plans to make half of the annual raises over the next three years take the form of merit increases rather than across-the-board increases. The Newspaper Guild, the journalists' union, objected that the increases would be at the discretion of managers and show anti-union favoritism.
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Editorial Notebook;Chernobyl Reconsidered
Date: 26 April 1996
By Philip Taubman
Philip Taubman
The first Government bulletin, circulated by the Tass news agency, was deceptively innocuous. "An accident has occurred at the Chernobyl atomic power plant as one of the atomic reactors was damaged. Measures are being taken to eliminate the consequences of the accident. Aid is being given to those affected. A Government commission has been set up."
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SPORTS MEDIA;Rehearsing Answers Before the Questions
Date: 26 April 1996
By Richard Sandomir
Richard Sandomir
When Lawrence Phillips showed up to discuss being the sixth selection in the National Football League draft, it was on Sunday, one day after the Rams chose him. The former Nebraska running back appeared in St. Louis before a tamer, smaller press horde than the unwieldy one that would have sliced and diced him Saturday at the theater at Madison Square Garden. He was flanked by Rich Brooks, the Ram coach, as well as by Andrea Kirby, his media coach. This was no ordinary draftee shy in front of groups. And Kirby wasn't giving elocution lessons. Phillips had been suspended for six games last season for assaulting his former girlfriend, Kate McEwen, a charge for which he pleaded no contest in Lincoln, Neb.
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Indonesia Newsmen Face Harsher Prison
Date: 25 April 1996
To the Editor: Re "The Perils of the Press in Indonesia Include Jail" (news article, April 18): Having conferred our 1995 International Press Freedom Award on the jailed Indonesian journalist Ahmad Taufik, we were glad to see his case, and those of his colleagues, receive insightful coverage.
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COMPANY NEWS;STERLING CHEMICALS AGREES TO BE ACQUIRED
Date: 26 April 1996
Bloomberg Business News
Bloomberg News
Sterling Chemicals Inc. agreed yesterday to be acquired by an investment group formed by the Sterling Group Inc. and Unicorn Group in a transaction valued at as much as $780 million, including debt. The Houston-based Sterling Group formed Sterling Chemicals in 1986. Under the agreement, shareholders of the Houston-based maker of basic chemicals can choose to receive $12 a share in cash or retain part or all of their shares in the company. Those shares will not be listed on the New York Stock Exchange. On Sunday, Sterling turned down a $12-a-share bid from the Huntsman Corporation of Houston. Huntsman expressed disappointment in yesterday's announcement and said it might have raised its offer, had it been allowed to examine the company's books.
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THE BUDGET TRUCE: NEWS ANALYSIS;Ammunition For the Fall
Date: 26 April 1996
By David E. Rosenbaum
David Rosenbaum
In many respects, the battle over this year's budget ended with a whimper. The agreement between President Clinton and the Republican Congress involves only one-tenth of the $1.6 trillion Federal budget and will remain in effect only for the next five months. It does not deal at all with the giant benefit programs like Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid and welfare that consume about two-thirds of all Federal spending. Nor does it make any changes in tax policy.
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COMPANY NEWS;AMTROL ANNOUNCES DIVIDEND AND POSSIBLE SALE
Date: 25 April 1996
Dow Jones
Dow Jones
The shares of Amtrol Inc. jumped yesterday after the company said it might put itself up for sale. Amtrol, based in West Warwick, R.I., a maker of flow-control products, said it had hired Smith Barney Inc. and HSBC Securities Inc. as financial advisers to help it explore strategies that could include the sale of all or part of the company. The company also declared a special cash dividend of 70 cents a share that will be paid in addition to its regular quarterly dividend of 5 cents a share. Both dividends will be paid May 15 to shareholders of record as of May 6. Amtrol stock gained $2.75 to close at $19.25 in Nasdaq trading, after hitting $22.25 earlier in the day.
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COMPANY NEWS;MAKER OF ARIZONA TEA TO ADD A BEER
Date: 25 April 1996
Ferolito, Vultaggio & Sons, the maker of the fast-growing Arizona line of teas, announced yesterday that it would introduce a beer, Mississippi Mud Black and Tan. The beer, to be brewed by the Stroh Brewery Company of Detroit, will be a blend of a continental pilsener and a porter, and will be sold in 32-ounce jugs. Don Vultaggio, the chairman of Ferolito, Vultaggio, which is based in Lake Success, L.I., also announced five new Arizona teas, a 20-ounce nonalcoholic Arizona Pina Colada, and a malt-based margarita called Palm Beach.
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