European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - March 30, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page the stars and stripes wednesday March 30,1988 top economic gauge up 0.9% in february Washington a the government s chief economic forecasting gauge climbed 0.9 percent in february a slurp rebound following several Munzu of weakness after the octo Ber Slock Market collapse the Commerce department reported tuesday. Tit gain in the. Index of leading economic indicators waste biggest increase since last june ii allowed declines of  percent in january 0.1 percent in october and 1.2 percent in november. Only a 0.4 percent Rise in december Itell the hide from posting consecutive declines for three or More months the traditional signal of on impending recession Bui with the big february increase analysts said they be Lieve the leading Index is accurately signalling that the Economy slowed in the Early pan of 1988, but inc country will avoid a recession this year. "1 think we can pretty Well Bury inc recession fears said Robert dec Rich executive vie president of Northern Trust co. In Chicago. We have an Economy where growth has slowed but which is still pushing ahead in another upbeat economic report tuesday the commence department said that sales of new Homes jumped 20.3 Percy no in february the biggest Advance in almost iwo year. The increase followed Ihrck consecutive monthly declines As High mortgage rates and the Stock Market plunge cooled buyer de Mand the  percent february increase in the leading Index washed by a big jump in applications for building permits which provided Over half of the strength last month. Murdoch ownership ban declared unconstitutional Washington a a Law that barred publisher Rupert Murdoch from continuing to own to nations and newspapers in the same City Wai muck Down tuesday a unconstitutional by i Federal appeals court. The divided panel of the . Circuit court of appeals Here voided a provision passed by Congress late last year that would Force Mur Doch to sell the Boston Herald or a fat to in Llinat City by june 30 to comply with Rule that forbid single inv Nexhip of a newspaper and a Lee vision Stalion in one City. The 2-1 court decision does not affect Murdoch s $17 million Sale of the new York Post to real estate Developer Peler Kalikow a Deal thai was spurred by the Law s enact ment As part of a rna Nive spending Bill. In his contract to sell the Post Murdoch retained the right to make the tint offer for the paper if Kalikow Bould decide to sell. Howard j. Rubin slain spokesman for Bot men said the contract obliges Kalikow to allow Murdoch o make a lint offer for i he paper but docs not oblige Kalikow to accept. The court s ruling could enable Murdoch to retain temporary ownership of Bolh his Boston Media outlet if the Federal communications commission extends his waive from the enforcement of the common ownership Rule the court ordered the acc to consider Mur Doch s application to extend the temporary waiver thai he has held since 1986. Murdoch charged that the Taw forbidding the acc to in tend his temporary waivers Tor both the new York Post and inc Boston Herald was politically motivated and amounted to an unconstitutional attempt to silence criticism of sea. Edward m. Kennedy a mass by the Herald. The court ruled that the provision of a Mas Sive spending Bill was unconstitutional because it tingled out Murdoch s news America inc. While the court declined to inquire into the motives of Congress it concluded i hat the pro vision strikes at Murdoch with the precision of a laser beam and therefore violates the equal Protection clause of the Constitution. The amendment to the spending Bill prohibited the acc from extending temporary waivers to the common ownership rules. It was sponsored by sen. Ernest Kollings . And was supported by Kennedy the court did not Rule on the Merit of an claim that Murdoch s news America publish ing inc. Should retain ownership of Bolh the Herald and a fat to. But the judges cleared the Way for Murdoch to seek an Extension of the june 30 deadline for complying with the common ownership rules. Love feud Nof racism blamed in . Murder Pembroke . A an Amer ican Indian judicial candidate was killed by a youth who blamed him for a roman tic problem authorities snid  suspect was jailed the other committed suicide. Julian Pierce a 42-year-old Lumbe Indian who was running for Superior court judge was gunned Down saturday at his Home. It had been speculated Hal the killing  the work of someone who objected to in Indian being a judge in racially Inse Robeson county. Sheriff Hubert Slone said Sandy Gor Don Chavis 24, a lumber Indian was arrested tuesday on a murder warrant. The dead Man was identified As John Anderson coins 24, also an Indian whose body was found tuesday at his father s Home. "1 think it shows the people that Noth ing else is involved Stone told a news conference. I think the people of Robe son county will understand that it s just another murder i think the tension will drop now that we be made an Arr ii. I can assure the world Hal there was no political involvement in the Case he said Pierce divorced since december 1983, was dating a woman whose Daugh Ter had been involved with gains an the Man blamed him for difficulties with the girl Stone said. They the Young couple started hav ing problems and they broke up Stone said. Two warrants were issued Las week by the Girlfriend s Mother charging coins with trespassing. Coins Felt Pierce had some Lhing to do Uilah it. He Gol mad and he killed  the sheriff said Chavis signed a confession saying that Coin was uie trigger Man in inc slaying. Commissioners in the troubled count had urged the appointment of a special prosecutor to investigate the killing be cause of fears it a racially linked in addition 1 Pierce s supporters said they would try to change a late Law that would automatically malic District at Torney Jot Freeman Britt the Winner inthe May 3 democratic primary. Is getting bullied at the Rodeo Randy Tucker of South a 1tmi Beach Fla adj want cd Ful sponsored by the Flagler county cult Tanto to take the Bull by Ott harm but it appears the big beet ass Ditton but we trod tip Erent Iba be Tiol a bar has other plans during the Cracker Der Rodea by ban Fri probes slaying of Navy clerk 22 Atlantic Beach i Fla. A the Fri re investigating the slaying of a 22-year-old Navy Elerk whose decomposed body was identified 10 Days after she Dis appeared from her Home. Fri agents and other Law enforcement officials met monday at the Duval county medical cum incr s office to discuss the Case said Atlantic Beach police chid David Thompson. He would give no further details we Don t want to release anything that could come Back to haunt us he Lold the Florida times Union and  pave Archer said police Are certain Aniu Lukander was murdered but he declined to reveal How she was killed. The victim was married May 9, 1987, 10 a naval Petty officer. He flew Home from Active duty aboard a frigate after being notified of his wife s disappearance. Using dental records authorities on sunday identified a body found the Day before along the  waterway in Jacksonville Beach As that of Lukander. The woman had been missing since March 17. Archer said or. 1 eur Lipkovics. Medical examiner for Duval told police the body had been in the water about eight or nine Days. Cmdr. Richard o Neal said Lukander was a Mem Ber of a Mayport based helicopter Antisubmarine unit. Her husband Petty officer 2.c. Bill Lukander also is a member of the Squadron. Lukander was assigned to Shore duly As an administrative clerk in Majnik i inc control. Her husband is an electronics technician who often is at sea for the Squadron Lukander disappeared two Days after a Navy pay master it. Ratish fraud 24, was slain March 15 aboard a Navy ship in Mayport per Tad was shot in the head at close Range. Navy investigators said 194,629 was stolen from the ship s Safe. No arrests have been made in Hal Case. Navy spokesmen said earlier there appeared to be no connection Between inc cases noting that the ship and the helicopter Squadron arc in widely separate areas on the huge base