1998, The News Briefly, Nov. 12, No. 1

National

Gingrich quits as speaker - WASHINGTON - Faced with mutiny in his ranks and open challenge to his leadership, Rep. Newt Gingrich, R-Ga., stunned the political world and announced Friday he would not run for reelection as House speaker.

The announcement, in the wake of Republicans’ poor showing in the election, marks an abrupt and ignominious end to the spectacular political career of a conservative colossus who has dominated Capitol Hill for four years. Colleagues said they expected Gingrich to resign his seat and leave Congress, perhaps as early as the end of this year.

Gingrich’s sudden decision sparked a bloody power struggle among Republicans fighting to succeed him.

In a telephone conference call to House Republican colleagues scattered across the nation, Gingrich said he was resigning because he had concluded that he could no longer be an effective leader of the party.

Noting that the party needed to unify so that it could govern with its majority narrowed by Tuesday’s disappointing election results, Gingrich told his colleagues, “I’m incapable of leading that unity.”

Glenn returns home to hero’s welcome - CAPE CANAVERAL, FL - John Glenn returned to Earth in triumph Saturday aboard space shuttle Discovery, ending a journey of nearly four million miles that took him four decades to achieve.

Minutes after landing, an exuberant Glenn called out that he felt fine.

“This is PS2,” the 77-year-old senator said, referring to his status as payload specialist No. 2. “I’m better known to a lot of you as John, and I want to reprise a statement that I made a long, long time ago, except this time it is: One-g and I feel fine.”

To NASA’s relief, Discovery’s drag chute did not pop out of its open, damaged cavity as the shuttle lined up with the runway on final approach and glided on in.

Commander Curtis Brown Jr. didn’t get the go-ahead for the noontime landing until practically the last minutes. Gusty wind threatened to send the shuttle to the backup touchdown site in California, but flight controllers determined that conditions were safe.

State

Pulp, paper industry cuts 450 more jobs - MOBILE - The pulp and paper industry shredded another 450 jobs in Mobile on Wednesday, part of recent developments some say show the cracks in the state’s economy.

Purchase, N.Y.-based International Paper said it will fire the workers at its Mobile operation and another 50 in Selma as part of a global reorganization to cut costs.

Earlier this year, Kimberly Clark Corp. said it will let go 450 of its Mobile employees for the same reason. The layoffs will happen in late 1999.

Pulp and paper is not the only Alabama industry facing sudden change thanks to worldwide financial troubles; the state’s steel producers, which employ almost 10,000 people, say they will issue hundreds more pink slips unless they get relief from illegally priced imports.

Siegelman now opposing tobacco lawsuit - MONTGOMERY - Gov.-elect Don Siegelman, who on the campaign trail criticized Gov. Fob James’ refusal to sue tobacco companies, is now warning James not to start a last-minute court fight against the cigarette makers.

Siegelman in a Friday letter warned that he would try to block any attempt by the lame-duck Republican governor to file a tobacco lawsuit.

“I am sure that you know national negotiations are presently underway between the states, including Alabama, and tobacco companies, and it is my intent to complete these negotiations together with Attorney General Bill Pryor,” Siegelman wrote.

State GOP group removes Hooper - The Alabama Republican House caucus has removed state Rep. Perry Hopper Jr., R-Montgomery, from its ranks because of his support for Democratic candidates.

State Reps. John Hawkins of Vestavia Hills and Jim Carns of Mountain Brook said the caucus voted to remove Hooper on Thursday while caucus members were meeting at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center.

A number of caucus members would not comment on the Hooper removal, but several said the vote came partly because Hooper, a lifelong Republican, had cut a campaign radio spot for state Sen. Hinton Mitchem, D-Albertville.

Mitchem had a Republican challenger, Steven King, in the Nov. 3 election.