European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 9, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday january 9, 1989 the stars and stripes Page 7 27/2 Miles just not Ras Nab a Bush officials told san Francisco a the California raisins Are in the Middle of a rhubarb and they won t be marching i president elect George Bush s inaugural Parade after All. The wrinkled television commercial stars were billed last week by Parade coordinators As prominent characters in the 78-float Parade scheduled to Fol Low the swearing in Jan. 20. The inaugural procession would in clude attractions from Bell ringers to bagpipes. California raisins to Rodeo Queens said the announcements on Parade plans. But the people who run the Californi Raisin advisory Board which bankrolls the famous corrugated crowd of to a Fame did t even hear it through the Grapevine. They said the Parade announcement was news to them. I was surprised to read it said Robert Phinney the Board s director of advertising. Phinney denied that Bush s dam Ned dancing raisins Campaign crack had anything to do with the Board refusal to have people in California Raisin costumes March in the Parade. He said the big hang up was the Council s plan for the raisins to walk 2 a Miles in their Raisin outfits along Side the floats. Such a walk said Phin Ney would be too Tough on the raisins. For More than two years the boar has promoted its product with the help of animated figures shaped like raisins dancing to the Marvin Gaye song i heard it through the  Raisin sales have shot up 11 percent and More than 300 Raisin dolls shirts and other items have gone on store shelves. The human version of the Californi raisins people in Black tights under costumes occasionally shake Public appearances and during the Christmas holidays first lady Natcy Reagan invited the furrowed of shows to help entertain children of foreign diplomats Ata White House party. But the Parade presented some new wrinkles. De Cassidy spokesman for the bus inaugural committee said the Raisin marchers were selected by the Council on physical fitness to accompany its float but that the Raisin advisory Board put the Kibosh on the plans. We d be pleased to have the California raisins in the Parade if the Board wishes them to be there he said. The absence of the raisins might note terribly disappointing to Bush who will watch the Parade from a reviewing stand in front of the White House. Bush has already seen the raisins. They performed at a Bush Campaign rally in Kingsburg important Raisin country. On the final weekend of the Campaign Bush joked that he cancelled a planned return to the area because Heddin t want to see those damned Rai sins  Phinney insisted the Wisecrack had nothing 19 do with the Parade refusal. But he did say the remark certainly did t warm the cockles of our  stamp prices to stay steady postmaster says Washington up postmaster general an Thony Frank say he does not expect another postal rate hike until 1991 and he ruled out any possibility of halting saturday deliveries to Cut costs. Frank made the remarks in unveiling a new postal service program to promote greater efficiency and bet Ter customer relations in the coming years which re Likely to see increases in business and costs. Frank also made it Clear he expects postal labor unions to contrib Ute to the improvement program by greater flexibility in contract negotiations. One element of the Cost saving plan is to use bar codes on All letter mail by 1995 for eventual potential savings of billions of dollars. Bar codes a printed series of Short and tall bars allow much faster computerized Reading coding and sorting of incoming mail helping hold Down labor costs. In the 1988 spending year postal service revenis Reshit $35.9 billion with an operating deficit of $597 Mil lion. Postal service operations Are required to breakeven and deficits cannot be funded by taxpayers Dol Lars. Consequently the service has budgeted a surplus for 1989 operations. But Stamps will not be More expensive in the  Best guess is that rates will go up in the first Quarter or so of 1991," Frank told a gathering at the National press club which would be the traditional three year interval since the rate hike last Spring. Frank would not predict How much of a rate increase would be needed. Frank flatly rejected any suggestion the postal serv ice will Stop delivering mail on saturday citing two reasons. One the american people want and deserve it an second we now deliver 500 million pieces of mail a Day he said. If we did t deliver mail on saturday we would face delivering a billion pieces on monday and we can t do  Deconcini postpones travel to Middle East Washington a sen. Denni Deconcini d-ariz., has postponed a trip to the Middle East after approval was withdrawn for his chief political fund Raiser to accompany him As a temporary staffer on the Senate payroll a spokesman  Washington Post reported in sat urday s editions that sen. Robert c. Byrd,d-w.va., the new appropriations com Mittee chairman withdrew approval forearm Katz to make the trip after receiving an inquiry about the  had been scheduled to leave saturday for a 12-Day trip to nine Mideast countries. Spokesman Robert w. Maynes said Katz had arranged the trip and it now would be postponed. Katz a retired Phoenix area real estate investor who has been Deconcini s chief fund Raiser and Middle East adviser for years was being placed on the sen ate payroll for 21 Days so he could arrange and go on the trip Maynes  planned to repay his $ 115 salary to the government and pay As much of his expenses As he could the spokesman said. Katz was placed on the payroll temporarily so he could travel on military aircraft and get an official passport and visas May nes said. I m not exactly sure Why sen. Byrd Ashe majority Leader approved it in Decem ber and then As chairman of the appropriations committee unapproved it today Maynes  had planned during his trip to discuss his opposition to arms sales tothe Arab countries. The state department hoped officials in those countries might persuade the senator to be less vociferous in his opposition Maynes said. . Homeless win order to provide More shelters splash splash no class Snow and a Power outage forced cancel lation of classes at Lynnwood High school in Washington but these Stu dents got Over their disappointment. Inthe hot tub Are from left Lance Grahm Gavin Grahm and Eric Hansen. Washington a homeless residents and their advocates won a Vic tory saturday when a judge ruled the Cit must be prepared to open new shelters within three Days in neighbourhood where existing shelter fill to capacity for two consecutive night. District of Columbia Superior court judge Harriett r. Taylor also said the City must make available within 72 hours50 additional Beds for single women. Taylor ordered the actions during a special weekend court session in response to a suit filed by the Community for creative non violence and several homeless men and a Catmen. In a highly critical four Page order Tay Lor said the City must immediately provide the space for single women who have fewer shelters available to them than men. This extraordinary session also Mustbe contrasted with the actions of the District of Columbia government which area classic example of too Little and too late " said Taylor. About 200 homeless people and advocates gave the judge a standing ovation upon hearing the ruling. The judge set no limit on the number or Cost of the additional spaces the City must provide. We re spending Between $ 18 million and $20 million on the homeless and that s More per capita than any other Citrin the country said John White a spokesman for mayor Marion Barry i disputing the judge s characterization of City efforts on behalf of the homeless