European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 23, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday november 23, 1988 the stars and stripes Page 3 pm to close 2 car plants for 2 weeks Detroit up general motors corp. Monday confirmed reports that it will close Assembly plants in Georgia and Kansas for two weeks idling it total or 7,600 hourly workers and cutting pm s . Production during the fourth Quarter. About 4,000 hourly workers at pm s Doraville ga., Plant will be idled this week and next week and about 3,600 hourly workers Al us Fairfax Plant near Kansas City kan., will be idled the weeks of nov. 28 and Dee. 5, pm spokeswoman Sharon hints said. Mines said the closings at Doraville and Fairfax Are because of unrelated parts shortages one created by an outside supplier log and the other by an Allied supplier. However the Penl stoppages conic Al a Lime when. The nation s top car maker is saddled with High inventories of the Oldsmobile of Cutlass supreme and Pontiac grand prix two of its new front drive midsize coupes built at those facilities. At the end of october the Cutlass supreme had a 98-Day Supply while the grand prix had a 95-Day Supply substantially above the 60 to 65-Day Supply considered Normal for the Industry. Pm placed costly buyer incentive programs on both can last month in efforts to Spur their sales and grab a Large part of the two door midsize Coupe Market before Ford motor co. Introduces its All new Ford thunderbird and Mercury Cougar coupes next month. Oldsmobile has even resorted to regional sales  motions offering Cutlass supreme buyers one year s free gasoline or two round trip airline tickets to any where in the Continental United Stales in addition to Cash rebates of 1500 on 1989 models and $1,000 on unsold 1988 models. The temporary plan closings in Georgia and Kansas mean pm May build about 16,000 fewer cars in the United Stales during the fourth Quarter an Industry Trade publication said. Ward s automotive reports in its latest weekly Issue quoted pm sources As saying planners want to produce closer to the  the midsize Coupe Market is one of pm s last strongholds although it now Only accounts for less than 7 percent of the total . Vehicle Market. So far this year pm has accounted for 53 percent of it largely because of the introduction earlier this year of its new coupes which also include the Buick regal. Ford holds 33 percent of that Market segment while Chrysler corp. Holds 14 percent Industry figures show. But some Industry analysts expect pm s share of that segment to shrink next year after Ford introduces its redesigned thunderbird and Cougar cars dec. 26. There will be a movement toward Ford said Ted Sullivan an analyst with wefa group in Bala Cynwyd Calif. But thai Market seem Cal like the whole Industry could shrink As a whole As we Sec interest Rales Start to  Ford recalling vans with defective sliding doors Detroit up Ford motor co. Announced monday it is recalling about 341,000 Cromar vans from the 1986 and 1987 Model years to., it defective sliding Side doors. In some cases the Side doors May re quire a Good Deal of Effort to close or become jammed Ford said. In other in stances the rear of the doors could Sepa rate from the sliding tracks. The National Highway traffic safety administration opened an investigation into the defective Acostar doors last March after it received 21 owner complaints and was notified Ford had received More than 60 complaints Nitsa spokesman Tim Hurd said. To Date there have been 288 owner complaints filed with inc government Agency Hurd said. In some cases owners said an Acostar Side door had fallen off the vehicle although Ford spokesman Sis. Bux Ujj Hoilo growing up with push  six year old Julie Hurt and some of her friends Are learning thai exercise can be fur children too. Julie is tailing part in a children s aerobics class at the Wiesbaden youth Center. The class was started by Donna Rand who also teaches Aero bics id adults after some parents1 suggested the children s program would give their kids a head Start at learning that exercise can be fun. Charles Scarly said the automaker was a Ware of no such . Ford also said it was aware of no Acci dents or injuries related to the defective doors. But Hurd said Nitsa has received eight injury complaints because of the problem. Ford will replace tree of charge the sliding track and door hinge assemblies with a new design using steel Ball Bear Ings As in 1988 and 1989-Model across the old design used a Nylon roller bearing which could Wear out prematurely Ford s snearly said. Owners who have had repairs made will be reimbursed. Also owners of All affected vehicles will be notified in writ ing that their warranty coverage for this concern has been extended indefinitely with free parts and labor provided for any repairs. Ray saying he was framed demands  by the associated press James Earl Ray who pleaded guilty to assassinating the Rev Martin Luther King jr., says he was framed to cover up an Fri plot to kill the civil rights Leader and wants the government to reopen his  Ray 60, was sentenced to serve 99 years for King s murder in Memphis tenn., on april 4 1968. The Tennessee parole Board has scheduled a january parole hearing for him but Ray said he is not hopeful. Ray pleaded guilty on the Day his trial was to begin March 9, 1969, but recanted three Days later and has not received a new trial he said inc Fri threatened to jail his father and brother if he did t sign a con fission. Ray s father was a fugitive from prison and his brother spent several years in jail. In an interview at Brushy state prison in East Tennessee with  Host Morion Downey jr., Ray claimed he was set up in a plot to kill King whose Calls for economic Justice for minorities and effective use of non violent protest Drew the Wrath of then Fri director a Edgar Hoover. James Earl Ray he said the government has refused his requests to review the evidence against him. Christmas card Campaign for Terry Anderson begins Lorain Ohio a a group working for the release of Lebanon hos Tage Terry Anderson has urged residents to Send Christmas cards to the Lorain native As a Way of showing that he and the other hostages Haven t been forgot ten. This is an Opportunity for everyone Young and old to join in this Christmas season to Send cards or letters to Terry Anderson the longest held hos Tage said Jack Lavriha chairman of the free Terry Anderson committee. Lavriha said he mailed 150. Letters during the weekend to Lorain arca Veter ans service arid professional organizations and schools and churches urging participation in the drive. Anderson chief Middle East correspondent for the associated press has been held captive by shiite moslem extremists in Lebanon since he was kid napped March 16, 1985, from it Beirut Lebanon Street. The committee must receive cards at . Box 391, Lorain by dec. 8 so they can be shipped  in Lime for Christmas. Rep. Donald Pease a Phio is handling arrangements to mail the cards and tetters , the group said. The Effort is being cheered by Ander son s sister Peggy say  by