European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 15, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday january 15, 1991 the stars and stripes a a a Page 7experts see another Rise in newspaper prices by Alex s. Jones the new York times across the country newspaper prices have been increasing in a trend not seen since the Early 1980s, when prices jumped to current Levels. Although nearly 90 percent of the nation s newspapers now sell on Newsstands or in Racks for 25 cents or 35 cents several Industry executives said they expect most papers to Cost at least 35 cents or even 50 cents within two years. Similarly although about 62 percent of the nation s sunday papers now sell for less than a some executives predict that most sunday papers will soon Cost $1, $1,25 or even $1.50. Some Are already at those Levels. On Sun Xiy the los Angeles times raised the Price of its sunday paper to $1.25, up from $1, which had been its Price since 1983. A week earlier 11 newspapers owned by Gannett co. Raised the Price of their sunday issues to $1.50. ,. In the last three months the fort Worth Starr Tele Gram the Kansas City Star and the Belleville news Democrat in Illinois All owned by capital cities aug inc. A increased the single copy Price of their daily papers to 50 cents. Both the fort Worth and Belleville papers had been sold for 25 cents and the Kansas City Star had Cost 35 cents. In Early december the Wall Street journal raised its Price to 75 cents from 50 cents. On monday the new York times raised the Price of its National edition to 75 cents in the Midwest and the Southwest. It had Cost 50 cents in the Midwest and 60 cents in the  a test the times has been Selling for 75 cents in the Southeast since september but remains at 50 cents in the far West and Northeast and 40 cents in the new York City area. Industry executives said prices have been rising because of the depressed advertising Market and increased publishing  example the Price of newsprint has gone up twice in the last seven months. A the newspaper is still one. Of the Best deals in town a said Jeffrey s. Klein assistant to the publisher of the los Angeles times. But in an Industry that perceives increasing readership As a key to its future there has been considerable reluctance to charge More because sales almost always drop at least initially. A publishers must weigh the Appeal of higher revenues against the effects of lost circulation on advertisers. At the very least newspapers that raise their prices must struggle to regain lost  most of the 1980s, both the total amount of advertising and the and rates which generate about 75 percent of the Revenue at most papers a were increasing steadily. There was less pressure to raise prices. In recent months however Many newspapers a a have seen stunning drops in advertising because of the recession. A a a a. A historically when advertising Revenue flags pub Ushers. Demand More Money from circulation. And returns from Price increases can be substantial even though fewer papers Are sold a in each previous Case of increases the Industry was also in an advertising  politicking on trial in laundering suit Anchorage Alaska up just How far a politician can go in making charges in the heat of a Campaign May be decided in the trial of rep. Don Youngr Alaska accused of slandering an opponent by falsely accusing him of a Money  Quot. Democrat Peter Grunstein is suing Young serving his 10th term As alaskans Only member of the House of representatives charging that Young defamed him with baseless charges of corrupt Campaign fund raising. Quot Young has shrugged off the charges As Mere political rhetoric. Judges however rejected his pretrial attempts to get the Case thrown out. Jury selection was to begin monday and state Superior court judge Karen Hunt said she expected the trial to last about two weeks. Young sought to have the previously postponed trial delayed again because of the persian Gulf crisis. He filed sealed documents claiming that he needed to be in Washington. A but Grunstein objected and Hunt unsealed the documents which contained nothing secret but rather recounted various events in the highly publicized middie . Oakland trib workers take 11 % pay Cut Oakland Calif. Apr Union negotiators accepted an 11 percent pay Cut for most employees at the Oakland Tribune in a tentative contract settlement Union officials said sunday. Preliminary agreement on the one year contract was announced saturday and one of the six unions involved voted to accept it that night. Other Union leaders. Representing 450 workers said other votes will be held Early this week. A a it a not an easy thing for unions to negotiate reductions in pay a said Doug Cuth Bertson chairman of the conference of newspaper unions. A this settlement keeps the Tribune alive it preserves jobs and it should give the company what it needs to grow during these difficult  publisher Robert c. Maynard warned recently that the financially ailing newspaper with a circulation of 125,000, might not be Able to meet its payroll this month if wage cuts were not made. Under the agreement the 11 percent Cut will apply to All workers earning More than $13 an hour or $25,000 a year. Youngs press Secretary and lawyers said the congressman cancelled his trip to Alaska because of events in the persian Gulf and Washington. Hunt said however that the civil Case will go ahead anyway even if Young chooses to be absent. In the 1988 election Campaign Young a proponent of development attempted to win political Points by accusing Grue n St e i n o f get Ting support and Money from various environmental groups. Campaign disclosure forms showed in fact that Grunstein got no such. Environmental contributions. A i think its laundered Money a Young said in a published interview with the Anchorage daily news a few Days before the election adding a i done to have any  Gruenstein demanded a retraction and1 promised to sue unless Young took Back his remarks. Young refused to retract his statement. One Day before the election Gruenstein sued charging that Youngs Young allegation was defamatory and slanderous and that Young knew it. Gruenstein a prominent lawyer and former state prosecutor has since said Youngs remarks Hurt his business and his reputation and lie wants to be compensated for his losses and suffering. He said Young should pay punitive damages As Well. A a a a a a a a a. Young out polled Gruenstein by a 2-tn-1 margin lie won re election in november against another Democrat by a narrow margin. During that Campaign Young asked his supporters to contribute Money for his Legal defense against Gruenstein. Young said Gruenstein a suit was a a sour grapes attempt to exact revenge for. His defeat in the  Gruenstein contends however that politicians should not be permitted to make false and damaging charges even in a Campaign. The politics of the environment is. Development always has been a hot Issue in Alaska. Young and other arc conservative politicians have sought to discredit Liberal opponents by portraying them As too Friendly to environmentalists. Although National environmental groups have accused Young of having one of the worst records in Congress the same groups did not rally behind Gruenstein whose pro development views were moderate. A a a a. A a a a a a Btl be court should be aware of what this Case is about and what it is not about Quot a Gruenstein a lawyer and former Campaign manager Victor Krumm said in court filings. A throughout the Campaign. Young accused Gruenstein a a a of receiving cont Nhu Lions from the Sierra club and other environmental organizations. That accusation though wrong a Anil perhaps even a deliberate he by the defendant a is not at Issue a was Young Points out in other pleadings a outright lies sometimes Are made in political races a Krumm said. A the libel for which redress is sought occurred when or. Young accused Gruenstein of receiving a laundered Money which of True would be a Federal  a. A a  a a a. No dispute exists Over the accuracy of the quote which Gruenstein said Young made recklessly and with malice knowing it was false and defamatory. A number of experts Are expected to testify about the meaning and use of the term a laundered  . Gas prices continue to fall los Angeles up gasoline prices fell in the first two weeks of 1991, continuing a downward trend that began last december according to a Survey of 13,500 Gas stations nationwide. As of Jan. >11, gasoline sold for a weighted  $1.33 per gallon including tax. That was a drop of 7 cents since the previous Survey on dec. 21. The tally is compiled by Lundberg Survey a consumer oriented Market research company for Petroleum and related industries. I a the prices have been falling steadily All through december and the downward move continues a said Trilby Lundberg publisher of the Lundberg letter. Lundberg said prices Haven to been this Low since the a pre invasion Quot average if $1,34 per gallon registered on aug. 6. A at a time when the most important Issue involves lives at stake and certainly strategic Power at stake the Oil Industry has been Able to return to pre invasion prices despite the Middle last crisis a Lundberg said. The decrease she said can be attributed in part to Competition among service stations. At the self service pump regular unleaded gasoline sold Lor an average including tax of $1,21 per gallon Premium unleaded for $1.38 and regular leaded for $1.19. A. For full service regular unleaded sold for $ 1.50 per gallon Premium unleaded for�?T$1.63 and regular leaded for $1,49. Harrisburg a. Up the Pennsylvania teachers pension Board voted 6-1 sunday to take part in a $150 million loan to help financially ailing Philadelphia. The Board of the Public school employees retirement system will loan $37.5 million to the City As its share of the loan package. Board chairman Bernard Freitag said be was convinced the City was a Good risk and said he Felt secure investing in the City. The teachers pension fund has $16 billion evenly divided Between stocks and Bonds. It also has about $800 million in Cash. A the City a pension Board will also provide $37.5 million and a consortium of 10 local Banks and three insurance companies will provide the remaining $75 million. The complicated loan package is in two sections with $105 million becoming available immediately and $45 million later. The terms of  loan Call for a 9.5 percent interest rate plus 2 percentage Points to sweeten the Deal for nervous investors a adding up to an annual rate of return of about 26 percent. The first $105 million would be repaid in daily payments with the full amount to be paid off by March 15. It w Ould Cost the City $3.3 million in interest and Points. The second Section of $45 million if the City decides to use it later this month. Would mature on april 16 acid Cost $1.45 million in interest and Points. The City could begin receiving the Money thursday oi1 Friday l last week the City a pension Board gave conditional approval to its share of the Deal. But the City police and firefighters unions plan lawsuits to Block the Deal