December 28, 1988

LEAD: In the South Carolina low country where rice was once king, a now-rare rice that used to be among the most famous in the world is making a comeback. Ten thousand pounds of Carolina Gold was harvested at Turnbridge Plantation in October, the first such harvest in 60 years. The rice is now making its way to the tables of those quick enough to order it.

LEAD: THE ECONOMY Ronald O. Perelman leads a group negotiating to acquire five deeply troubled savings institutions in Texas, with the help of $5 billion in Government aid over 10 years. It would be one of the costliest bailouts to date. [ Page A1. ] The Government should subject the insurance industry to antitrust laws, an A.B.A.

LEAD: The Interior Department today proposed rules that could open as many as four million acres of national parks and other protected Federal lands to coal mining.

LEAD: The cost of caring for an infant born prematurely is rising rapidly, and many companies have started special prenatal care programs for employees or their wives to prevent premature births.

LEAD: In a show of civic pride, this unlucky city on the rebound has trained spotlights on prominent downtown buildings, including one that is a block long but half empty.