Matthew Purdy column notes that former New Jersey Gov Jim Florio's lead is shrinking as Democratic primary for US Senate approaches; cites Florio's contention that powerful Democrats in northern New Jersey are supporting his wealthy opponent Jon S Corzine because he is 'walking ATM machine' financing all their political ambitions (M)

Our Towns; Florio Carries Big Baggage And a Lead

Allan Kozinn reviews recital by pianist Alfred Brendel at Carnegie Hall; photo (M)

Brendel Traces Connections And Illuminates Transitions

Lisa Belkin's Life's Work column on eighth annual Take Our Daughters to Work Day; drawing (M)4

Take Your Feminism to Work Day

Article on New York Knicks basketball player Allan Houston in view of upcoming second game of playoff series against Toronto Raptors (M)

Houston and His Defense Can Still Be Distant

R W Apple profiles Hominy Grill in Charleston, SC, which serves traditionally big and bountiful Southern-style breakfasts; recipes; photos (M)

Where the Biscuits Meet the Gravy

Article on how tight labor market is breaking the gender 'rules' a lot easier in jobs that once were male dominated; focuses on Nannette Cooper, who has set her sights on becoming premier pipe fitter and welder; Cooper comments; photo (M)

At Last, A Pipe Fitter's Wrench Of Her Own

Congressional Budget Office estimates cost of building national missile defense system would be nearly $60 billion; graph; Pentagon, which does not dispute figure, has only one more chance to prove that technology works before Pres Clinton makes decision this summer; one of two tests of full system has succeeded so far (S)

Missile Defense May Have Price Of $60 Billion

 Renault to Sell Truck Unit To Volvo and Focus on Cars  Volvo is acquiring the truck unit of the French automaker Renault in a $1.5 billion deal that will create the world's second-largest maker of trucks and buses behind DaimlerChrysler.    The agreement, which came the same day that banks in South Korea agreed to sell the bankrupt Samsung Motor to Renault, signals Renault's intention to shift its focus away from trucks and commercial vehicles and to concentrate on the automobile business. [Page C4.]

BUSINESS DIGEST

New York Mets beat Cincinnati Reds, 6-5; photos (M)

With Spotlight on Griffey, Mets Are the Real Stars

Microsoft Corp's president-chief executive Steven Ballmer tells employees via e-mail that company will not be broken up no matter what newspaper headlines say; says nothing in current case justifies such actikon; tells employees they will receive new stock options to shield them financially from recent slide in company's stock; assurances follow reports that Justice Department will ask Federal Judge Thomas Penfield Jackson to break company in two; leaders of department's antitrust division are summoned to White House, where they give Pres Clinton's economic advisers detailed briefing on case and their remedy proposal, which is to be submitted by April 28; photo (M)

Microsoft Management Tells Workers There Will Be No Breakup

Little Havana's shops, restaurants, cafes and markets are shuttered as Cuban-Americans in Miami protest federal government's action in removing Elian Gonzalez from their midst and returning him to his father; photo; ten percent of government workers and many teachers and children stay home, but essential services are maintained and rest of city bustles as usual; ten members of Florida Marlins baseball team sit out game with San Francisco; Cubans honk horns, wave Cuban flags and gather later in day in carnival-like atmosphere, although many view day as solemn protest (M)

Little Havana Locks Its Doors In Quiet Protest

Murder of livery cab driver Jose R Olivares in the Bronx, eighth such death this year in New York City, illustrates difficulty of stopping slayings, despite police efforts; photos; map; four teenagers Olivares had picked up are charged with shooting him in robbery attempt; Police Department has deployed hundreds of officers, including decoy cabs, each night, but Comr Howard Safir warns that drivers without partitions put themselves in great danger by picking up hails and allowing passengers to sit in front seat; police hold out some hope that partitions will ease danger (M)

Slaying Shows Police Efforts Are No Cure-All for Cabbies

Shopping secondhand stores, once passion of eccentric minority, is becoming mainstream activity; some consumers are looking to resale industry as cheaper way to buy various goods; heightening demand is fact that industry has worked hard to transform itself, with many store owners adopting sophisticated marketing techniques, building chain operations and adding stores in affluent suburbs; stores that sell used goods have installed better lighting, dressing rooms and even coffee bars; sales at pawnshops, antique stores and secondhand shops have been growing nearly twice as fast as other retail; Census Bureau figures show Americans spent some $12 billion on merchandise bought at secondhand stores in 1997, about 30 percent jump from 1992, after adjusting for inflation; Census estimates, which will not be confirmed until 2002, suggest that industry grew 23 percent, to $17 billion, last year; operations of some secondhand retail chains, including Grow Biz International and Goodwill Industries, noted; graph; photos (M)

They Can Get It for You Resale; Secondhand Stores Moving Into the Retail Mainstream

Shooting of seven youths outside gates of National Zoo, one of Washington's top tourist attractions, jolts self-confidence capital has built with new mayor, budget surplus and crime reduction; Mayor Anthony Williams comments; 16-year-old youth is arrested; he apparently opened fire from across street into crowd leaving park after celebrating African-American family day; several youths are wounded, including 11-year-old boy now on life-support; large groups of youths had been fighting in park all day; zoo is closed for day; photo (M)

Capital's Confidence Is Jolted by Shooting At the National Zoo

Article on importance of grits in cuisine of Charleston, SC; recipes; photos (M)

Corn's Higher Calling: Grits

Political storm over Elian Gonzalez grows fiercer as Senate Republican leaders call for hearings on Justice Department's decision to use armed agents to remove 6-year-old boy from Miami relatives and return him to his father; Vice Pres Gore again distances himself from administration policy; Atty Gen Janet Reno defends raid, but Sen Trent Lott says he wants Judiciary Committee hearings; Elian and family are moved from Andrews Air Force Base to house near Wye River conference center in Maryland for more privacy; federal appeals court, at uncle's behest, expands order for child to remain in country for now, barring Elian from any diplomatic sites; also asks government to respond to Lazaro Gonzalez's request for independent guardian; Pres Clinton praises Reno's action as long overdue and asks for space for family to heal; photo; State Department will allow four Cuban schoolmates and one parent each to visit Elian; senators question Reno, INS Comr Doris Meissner and Deputy Atty Gen Eric Holder; Democrats are supportive, Republicans critical (M)

SENATE WILL HOLD HEARINGS ON RAID ON HOUSE IN MIAMI

Nasdaq composite index gains 228.75 points, or 6.6 percent, to close at 3,711.23; Dow Jones industrial average rises 218.72 points, or 2 percent, to 11,124.82; Standard & Poor's 500-stock index gains 47.58 points, or 3.3 percent, to 1,477.44; graph; charts (M)

Broad Rally Lifts Nasdaq To 6.6% Gain

Ben Brantley reviews Jitney, August Wilson play presented at Second Stage Theater under direction of Marion McClinton; photo (M)

Finding Drama in Life, and Vice Versa

Supreme Court appears ready to overturn Nebraska's ban on what state calls partial-birth abortion, on ground that law potentially applies to many more abortions than specific late-term procedure that Nebraska now says it intended to outlaw; what is not clear from arguments is whether justices, six of whom support underlying right to abortion, would go further and rule that state cannot ban particular method, even using more finely-tuned statute; ruling limited to vagueness of Nebraska law would invite other states to amend their laws; Congress has passed more precisely-worded bill, which Pres Clinton is expected to veto; arguments in Court quoted; photo of demonstrators outside (M)

Justices Appear Set to Reject Law Banning Late Abortion

Gabriel Byrne, Irish actor who has won critical acclaim for his performance in current Broadway production of Eugene O'Neill's A Moon for the Misbegotten, describes overcoming fears about being able to pull off difficult role; photo (M)

Facing Down Demons Nightly And Coming Out Exhilarated

Laying out his economic vision more fully than ever, Al Gore offered himself as a fiscal conservative and steward of the Clinton administration's economic formula and prosperity. He said he would reduce the national debt steadily with a goal of eliminating it by 2013.    Article, page A18.  

Gore's Economic Plan

 Nasdaq Surges 6.6%  Stocks rose sharply, with the Nasdaq composite index climbing 6.6 percent, its third-biggest percentage gain. The Dow Jones industrials rose 2 percent, and the S.& P. 500 was up 3.3 percent.   PAGE C1

INSIDE

William Grimes's Critic's Notebook column says tourist rush that has transformed Charleston, SC, in last 10 years has brought with it unexpected benefit of slew of good restaurants; says it is hard to think of another US city with population of less than 100,000 with more dynamic, promising restaurant scene; photos (M)

Southern, Stylish and on the Rise

Anthony Tommasini on recording of original cast album of Saturday Night, Stephen Sondheim's first musical, which recently opened on Broadway; Sondheim guides cast through recording of entire score; photo (M)

Side by Side With Sondheim For His First; A Recording of 'Saturday Night' Gets the Composer's Touch

Aqueduct and Belmont Park officials are trying to contain West Nile virus, which killed seven people and nine horses in New York last year; are concerned that mosquito-borne illness will destroy multimillion-dollar race horse; photos (M)

April 26, 2000

Headlines from April 26, 2000

Our Towns; Florio Carries Big Baggage And a Lead

Brendel Traces Connections And Illuminates Transitions

Take Your Feminism to Work Day

Houston and His Defense Can Still Be Distant

Where the Biscuits Meet the Gravy

Billboard 200

No Strings Attached

Return Of Saturn

Supernatural

Unleash The Dragon

Unrestricted

Historical Context for April 26, 2000