Lhanrhphlpr Hrralh Assault Weapons Ban
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J lHanrhpHlpr Hrralh Manchester, Conn. — A City of Village Charm Newsstand Price: 35 Cents Friday, July 7, 1989 Assault weapons Y ban due gered in January, when a man By Carolyn Skorneck The Associated Press opened fire with an AK-47 and other weapons on a schoolyard in WASHINGTON - The govern Stockton, Calif., killing five child ren, The man, Patrick Purdy, ment will permanently bar an estimated 90 percent of the later killed himself. Semiautomatic versions of as assault-style weapons whose im portation has been suspended sault weapons such as the AK-47 since spring, administration and the Uzi carbine have become sources said today. popular with drug gangs, and The Bureau of Alcohol, To their use in illegal activities has bacco and Firearms, expected to skyrocketed in the past year, announce the ban later in the day, according to law enforcement has been studying the use of the officials. The Uzi carbine has suspended four dozen styles of been imported since the late weapons to determine if they fit 1970s. the requirement that they be used A study by The Atlanta Journal for sporting purposes. Constitution found that an Patrick Flynn/Manchattar Harald The Gun Control Act of 1968 assault-style gun is 20 times more bans the importation of weapons likely to be used in crime than a THREE TRIES — Conferring during the first vote on the Elizabeth Paterson, left. Rose Fowler and Town Manager that are not used for legitimate conventional firearm. sporting purposes. However, the NRA has opposed budget for the current fiscal year during a town meeting John Elsesser. It took three votes to get the budget The suspension involved a total limits on the rights of law-abiding approved. in Coventry Thursday night are Town Council members of about fourdozen individual gun citizens to own the weapons, styles, and the permanent ban saying the solution to any prob covers most of them, the sources lem is to lock up criminals. said. In April, ATF Director Stephen Coventry finally approves a budget Higgins said the weapons under study “ are basically paramili By Jacqueline Bennett the cuts they had to make in the son’s remarks. cians better realize it and tune Housing tary in appearance, they are budget in order to get it passed. “ We (the board) voted against down what they’re asking for to Manchester Herald large-capacity magazines.” “ We. the Town Council, come our consciences to bring it (the what we can afford.” The ATF said recently that COVENTRY - On the third here tonight with less confidence budget) down to a no mill Resident Charlotte Kennedy importers were preparing to program and less enthusiasm ... this is a increase," he said. countered those comments. try, voters unanimously passed a flood the country with close to 1 $14.1 million budget Thursday lean budget,” said Elizabeth Mickel said that all three “ I think the message of the last million of the weapons should the Paterson, a member of the Town budgets had full support of the two budgets is that we have that will require no tax rate suspension be lifted. The suspen four Democrats and three Repub become a people of greed — suspended increase for this fiscal year. Council. sion covered new import permits About 140 residents attended Paterson said the council put licans on the board. unwilling to share our resources as well as those weapons for WASHINGTON (AP) - Hous the Special Town Meeting at together the initial $14.5 million “ There was no splitting of with children and people of which import permits already ing Secretary Jack Kemp is Coventry High School to act on budget “ with visions of a growing votes, but commiserating on need.” had been granted and which were suspending a program designed the $14,119,382 budget. Voters had and developing town.” cutting,” said Mickel. Police Chief Frank Trzaskos en route to this country. to provide apartments for low- twice reJected earlier budgets After that budget and a $14.4 But School Street resident warned that a $10,000 cut from The bureau, which has the and moderate-income elderly that would have required in million budget were reJected, Bernard Gilbert scolded town police overtime will affect re power to control imports, does not people, the third program can creases in the tax rate. “ we set aside our ideals,” Pater officials. sponse'time of officers. He said regulate domestic manufacture celed or frozen at the Department Members of the Town Council son said. “ Sometimes we have to vote calls for help will have to be of weapons, so similar weapons o f Housing and Urban and Board of Education made it Board of Education Chairman against the budget because we made in the United States would Development. clear they were not pleased with Lawrence Mickel echoed Pater can’t afford it.” he said. “ Politi Please see BUDGET, page 10 not be affected by the action. Kemp’s decision Thursday fol Several bills pending in Congress lows a highly critical audit of the would control or eliminate many program by HUD's inspector of the U.S.-made assault-style general that said many of the weapons. proJects were approved despite Hay fever season could be worst ever The ATF has estimated that warnings by agency analysts that domestic makes account for they were unnecessary or too HARTFORD (AP) — Record rainfall triple-whammy” for the estimated 25 tory services and community medicine at three-quarters of the 3 million large. throughout the Northeast may turn the hay percent of the population with such St. Raphael, said unlike antihistamines, semiautomatic rifles now owned The program already has cost fever season into the one of the worst ever allergies, Warren predicted. which are taken after symptoms emerge, by Americans. Colt Industries Inc the government $119 million in for ragweed, experts said. Hay fever sufferers arming themselves this new drug may be taken as preventative suspended sales of its AR-15, the direct payments to cover defaults the battle against itchy, watery eyes and medicine. “ All indications are it’s going to be an most popular of the domestic on HUD-insured mortgages, absolutely atrocious year,” Kenneth swollen sinuses frequently choose antihis Warren said there are alternatives to assault-style semiautomatic ri Kemp said. The cost is likely to Warren, a spokesman for the Hospital of St. tamines, which can cause drowsiness and medical treatment. fles, in March. grow, he said, because defaults Raphael in New Haven, says. other side effects. “ There’s a lot you can do to guard against now total $250 million and are President Bush, a hunter and a While ragweed, the cause of hay fever, About half the patients respond to a misery,” he said. Warren advised people expected to continue. lifetime member of the National won’t be in bloom for another three weeks relatively new prescription drug which prone to hay fever to keep a dehumidifier in Kemp also said the program Rifle Association which opposes or so, mold spores are abnormally high keeps the hystamine from entering the their basement, to remove old furniture and was not serving those it was limits on weapons, came into because of the humidity. Warren said. blood supply and thus minimizes the other dust-collectors from the basement, to office opposing any bans on the created to help, citing a HUD- irritating symptoms. clean out closets and to vacuum dust from Combined with the profusion of pollen from assault-style weapons. backed proJect in Palm Harbor, grasses and other sources, it will mean “ a Dr. Paul Goldstein, chairman of ambula under beds. A public outcry over the availa Fla.. that he said charged $2,100 a bility of the weapons was trig- month rent for a two-bedroom apartment. He promised to revive the Retirement Service Center Pro Murder arraignment brings a sigh of relief gram after rewriting its guide lines to target resources to low-income elderly. frequently. “ Insured housing programs ■ felony murder, arson murder, After receiving two calls Thurs Suspect is held first-degree sexual assault, first- Neighbors recall day that she termed “ hysteri “In a way, he’s a peculiar administered by HUD must by degree assault, and first-degree cal,” Shanley said she wasn’t acting guy,” Fiske said. their nature take risks," Kemp on $500,000 bond assault of a person over the age of visits to victim sure what to expect. But she All other residents interviewed said. “ With this program costing 60, police said. Police said a fire found most of the residents to be at the complex asked that their $120 million to date, I would had been set at Martin’s apart names not be used. rather take these risks by target By Maureen Leavitt By Maureen Leavitt calm. One woman said she recalled ing resources ... to lower-income Manchester Herald ment to cover up the crime. Manchester Herald News of the murder on March 8. LaPointe was escorted into the 1987, had sent shock waves helping Martin put drops in her eyes and seeing LaPointe come to Please see CANCEL, page 10 A Manchester man charged court wearing a navy blue T-shirt Richard LaPointe was a through the elderly housing com her apartment every day to run with raping and strangling his and blue jeans. A slight man who church-going man who fre munity. Security was high at the errands for her. wife’s grandmother two years is described by sources as being quently visited his wife’s grand complex, as off-duty police offic The woman remembered La ago was ordered held on $500,000 slightly retarded, LaPointe stood mother before she was found ers patrolled the grounds from Pointe being short-tempered with TODAY bond during his arraignment in expressionless before the court.