European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 2, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 b the stars and stripes saturday March 2, 1991government Index shows decline for 6th straight month Washington a the governments chief economic forecasting gauge fell 0.4 percent in january its sixth straight drop and the longest string of declines since 1984, the government said  the drop in the Commerce departments Index of leading economic indicators followed a revised 0.1 percent decrease in december a even worse than the barely perceptible 0.1 percent gain first reported last month. The department attributed the revision to a Shorter average workweek than initially thought. The current string of declines matched the six consecutive drops from May through october 1984. The Index has not advanced since an anaemic 0.1 percent gain was posted in june. The july Index was unchanged. The Index is designed to forecast economic activity six to nine months in Advance. Still most analysts maintain the recession believed to have begun during the last half of 1990, will be Milder and Shorter than most contractions since world War 11. Those averaged 11 months in length during which the Economy declined 2,5 percent. The Commerce department reported wednesday that the Gross National product a the nations total output of goods and services a fell 2 percent in the final Quarter of 1990. A analysts say economic statistics so far during the current Quarter indicate the downturn continues but at a slower Pace meeting the general definition of a recession a at least two consecutive quarterly declines in economic growth. However Many economists who expect the end of the persian Gulf War to Oost consumer Confidence and Lead to a spurt in spending say the Pace of an economic recovery will be slower than the robust upturns following Many past  of the 11 Forward looking components pulled the Index Down in january. They were in order of importance a Shorter average workweek a drop in. L _ building permits faster business delivery to Norge Tot still cd times a tighter Money Supply a drop in prices of raw materials suggesting Slack Rosa Parks right poses by a bust of herself that was unveiled thursday at the a demand and lower Stock prices. Tonal portrait gallery in Washington. Parks the woman who refused to give up her the. Various changes left the Index at bus seat 26 years ago in Montgomery ala., helped spark the civil rights movement. 139.1 percent of its 1982 base of 100. Actress Cicely Tyson looks  dismisses suit to Block reciting pledge Chicago up a a Federal judge thursday dismissed a lawsuit filed by an atheist activist who claimed requiring school children to recite the pledge of allegiance violated his songs right to Freedom of religion. Illinois Law requires the pledge to be recited at the beginning of Cyan school Day in All Public elementary schools. A a a a a. A a a a a a a a a a a a a. A a the suit filed in 1988 by Robert Ian Sherman on behalf of his 8-Ycar-old son Richard claimed the phrase a one nation under god violated the first amendment of the Constitution by indicating approval of certain religious doctrine. Sherman said his son was a embarrassed and faced sanctions when he refused to join in the recitation and the boy was knocked Down by other students As a result. . District judge Ann c Williams granted a summary judgment in favor of the state and Community consolidated District 21 of Wheeling township and rejected Sherman a Contention the state forced religious beliefs on his son. In issuing her ruling Williams cited other decisions upholding the constitutionality of the singing of the National Anthem in schools and the words a in god we Trust a which appears on . Currency. Williams said reciting the pledge is Only one part of  Law that requires the teaching of patriotic principles in Public schools. A a the secular patriotic purpose of the Law is Clear when one examines the statute As a whole a Williams wrote. A the statute not Only requires the pledge to be recited daily but also requires that the students be taught and tested on the principles enunciated in the Constitution and the Constitution of the state of Illinois a Williams also said no part of the Law Calls for punish ment for refusing to say the pledge and said Sherman a son was not told by school authorities that he had to participate in the daily ritual. A emr. Sherman does not explain How he knows the reason his son was knocked Down was because of his refusal to recite the pledge a Williams said. A emr. Shei it Man just expects the court to take his word for  attorney general Roland Burris hailed Williams decision.  a a a a a a a a a a a. A a Quot a a a a Quot a a we re very pleased that the judge has upheld the rights of our children to recite the pledge of allegiance each morning before they Start their schooling Quot Burris said. A the concepts of Liberty and Justice for All which arc embodied in the pledge Are a valid part of every child a  Sherman told a news conference after the ruling that he would direct his attorneys to file an Appeal. 7 sex officials indicted to actress arrested . Scam for armed robbery in to fils River . A Public records found in a county dump led to the indictments of three former mayors and four other former officials on charges they stole More than $2 million in township funds. V the 53-count indictment against the former Manchester township officials charges them with conspiring to Siphon off at least $2.25 million from 1983 to june 1990, when a new administration came in. The indictment was returned tuesday and unsealed thursday. Ocean county prosecutor James hol Zapfel said he believes even More was stolen. The probe began july 3 when Manchester police Tolu the county prosecutors office they had discovered township files and documents in the Ocean county  eventually turned up More than 100 file boxes of evidence and thousands of checks Holzapfel said. Holzapfel said the defendants conspired to write themselves checks by drawing on funds from the township amp Community of nearly 36,000 with a Large elderly population. A a authorities suspect the ringleader was Joseph Portash former township administrator. He is believed to have taken $900,000 before he died in february 1990. Holzapel said records show  up. To $500,000 in Atlantic City casinos. Also charged in the indictment Are for mar. Mayors Ralph Rizzolo 43, Joseph Murray 74, and Joseph Lynch 81 former chief financial officer Janice a Wales 51 former Deputy treasurer Beverly Ramsden Bibl former auditor Jerry Skinner 40 and former township clerk Manuela herring 73. All seven face conspiracy and rack leering charges. Each offence is punishable by a prison sentence of five to 10 years and a Fine of $100,000, other charges include official misconduct theft and record tampering. A Home Telephone listing for. Rizzolo could not be obtained. Messages left for Skinner and Lynch were not immediately returned. A Home Telephone listing for Gawales or Murray could not be obtained. Herring lives in the Orlando fla., area and there was no answer at a listing under his name. Las vegas apr an actress from the popular television show  strokes was jailed after allegedly robbing a video store clerk at gunpoint. Dana Plato who played 13-year-old Kimberly Drummond on the Long running show was arrested thursday after she approached officers investigating the robbery and the clerk pointed her out As the suspect said Las vegas metro police it. Charles Davidaitis. The clerk had recognized the woman As the actress when she held  store despite an All Black disguise that in Cluj de sunglasses and a hat Davidaitis said. He said $160 was taken in the robbery. A the clerk called police and said she had been robbed and that she thought she recognized the girl As the actress in  Trent strokes a a he said. Davidaitis said police later found a Pellet gun that resembled a 9mm pistol in Plato s apartment behind the video store Plato 26, was booked Lor investigation of armed robbery and use of a deadly weapon in commission of a crime. She remained in county jail on $20 000 bail. A the arrest was the latest a a series of real life problems for actors on the program which ran from 1978 to 1984 on Abc and Abc and still is seen in reruns. Star Gary Coleman whose growth was stunted by a congenital kidney disorder fought a bitter Legal a. Battle with his parents Over whether he was mentally fit to handle his own affairs. Co Star Todd Bridges who played Coleman a brother was involved in a lengthy series of arrests ranging from carrying a concealed. Weapon to a at Plato. Tempted murder. In the latter Case Bridges was acquitted on attempted Mur Der and assault charges in connection with t ieuys9 shooting of a crack cocain dealer. Plato played the daughter of acre Konrad Bain whose wealthy Char cute a it As left to raise the Young sons of his recently deceased housekeeper