March 17, 1998

Correspondence released by White House show former volunteer Kathleen E Willey, who vividly described sexual encounter with Pres Clinton on CBS News program '60 Minutes,' seemed to maintain cordial relationship with President years after alleged incident occurred; 15 notes written by Willey, beginning in May 1993 and ending in November 1996, asked Clinton for help getting jobs and also enthusiastically praised him during visit with mutual friend; included many warm messages to President, some signed, 'Fondly, Kathleen,' and one describing herself as Clinton's 'No.1 fan;' former business associates of her late husband, who committed suicide during fraud investigation, accuse her of blaming them during series of late-night threatening phone calls; Clinton reiterates his denial of any inappropriate actions toward Willey; says nothing improper happened; contents of notes discussed; photos (M)

Dr Benjamin Spock, noted pediatrician who gently coached anxious postwar parents to trust common sense in caring for children but was blamed by critics for self-indulgence of 60's generation, dies at age 94; his homey handbook, Dr Spock's Baby and Child Care, was one of bestsellers of all time for more than 50 years; photos (L)

New York Rangers defeat Ottawa Senators, 5-4; photo (M)

Sendmail, the most popular software used to deliver E-mail on the Internet, is getting a powerful set of tools to fight the junk mail known as spam, which is increasingly clogging cyberspace and filling mailboxes of Internet users with unwanted promotions on subjects as diverse as get-rich-quick schemes and pornography.

Federal investigators say law passed by Congress in 1996 and hailed as way to guarantee health insurance for millions of Americans when they change jobs or lose coverage is not working as intended; General Accounting Office says people who exercised rights under law are often charged premiums far higher than standard rates; some insurance companies reportedly discourage agents from selling policies to people with medical problems, who were especially supposed to benefit from law; Sen Edward Kennedy, co-author of legislation, says further Federal action may be needed to limit excessive premium increases for such individuals, but Republicans are likely to oppose Federal regulation of insurance rates, as they did in 1996 (M)