Wilkes Rips King's, Sets Record With 10-0 Start

311 Non-emergency Number Also Faces Hang-up

Wednesday, January 14, 1998 &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Page: 7B 





AROUND TOWN &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 CALL CENTER SCHEDULES SESSION: The next meeting of the Call Center/Customer &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; Service user group will be from 1 to 4 p.m. Jan. 22, at Sallie Mae's call
centerThe meeting will focus on human resource issues. Breakout sessions are
planned. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Sallie Mae is located at 220 Lasley Ave. in Hanover Industrial Estates. To
register, call Kathy Feitcher at 821-6034. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 SEMINAR ON ASSESSING YOUR WEALTH: Merrill Lynch is sponsoring a free
financial and estate planning seminar at 7 p.m. Jan. 26, at the East Mountain
Inn in Plains Township. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The seminar will help participants assess where they are financially today,
where they want to be in the future and how to get there. Scheduled topics
include asset allocation, net worth, insurance, estate planning and new
investment options. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 For information, call 829-8024. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 NATION &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 NADER BLASTS CREDIT CARD RATES: Ralph Nader criticized Chevy Chase Bank on
Tuesday for charging "outrageously high" interest of 25 percent and 27.5
percent on certain credit card accounts. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The consumer activist said he had received complaints from consumers paying
those rates who insisted they had never missed a monthly payment, never paid
late and were paying more than the monthly minimum on their credit card
balances. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Spokesmen for the Maryland thrift institution didn't return telephone calls
seeking comment. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 FED TO STUDY INTEL DEAL: The government declined Tuesday to block Intel
Corp. from buying a leading computer graphics-chip maker but said its
investigation of the $420 million deal will continue. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 In a statement, the Federal Trade Commission said it decided against
seeking a preliminary injunction to block Intel's purchase of Chips and
Technologies Inc. of San Jose, Calif., a leading manufacturer of the graphics
controllers that make it possible for computers to display images. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 But the agency added, "Because we have concerns about the impact of this
transaction on competition in markets for certain computer components, we have
chosen to continue the investigation into the lawfulness of the acquisition." &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Intel, based in Santa Clara, Calif., makes the microprocessors that run
more than three-fourths of all personal computers. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 UPS PICKS UP PILOT NEGOTIATIONS: Recent airline labor deals might point the
way to a quick agreement as contract talks resume this week between United
Parcel Service and its pilots. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The negotiations, which broke off in November after the sides couldn't
agree on wage levels, resume today in Washington, D.C. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Negotiations have been going on for two years between UPS and the
Independent Pilots Association, which represents about 2,000 pilots. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 By last fall, the sides had agreed on all points except how much to raise
pilot pay. The pilots rejected a UPS proposal that would have raised wages
21.3 percent, with more than half that raise coming in 2001 and 2002. Instead,
they sought an immediate 21 percent raise retroactive to Jan. 1, 1996, plus
2.5 percent annual raises through 2002. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The company had just been through a two-week Teamster strike that cost it
$600 million and didn't want another walkout. So federal negotiators suspended
negotiations for two months to avoid problems during the holiday shipping
season. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 During that suspension, a number of other airlines signed contracts or
reached tentative agreements, including a Federal Express agreement that gives
a 25 percent retroactive raise and a Continental Airlines contract with an
almost 28 percent retroactive raise. Both those agreements include future
raises, as well. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 ASIAN MARKETS RISE, DOW FOLLOWS: Stocks rose Tuesday, led by the battered
technology sector, after several Asian markets began to rebound from a series
of sharp slides over the past week. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 The Dow Jones industrial average rose nearly 85 points to about 7,732, the
blue-chip barometer's best performance in two weeks. &nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; 
 Broader indexes also posted sizable gains, with the rally accelerating just
before the closing bell and the day's main event- a profit report

Around Town 
Call Center Schedules Session: The Next Meeting Of The Call Center/customer 
Service User Group Will Be From 1 To 4 P.m. Jan. 22, At Sallie Mae's Call 
Center.

Around Town Call Center Schedules Session: The Next Meeting Of The Call Center/customer Service User Group Will Be From 1 To 4 P.m. Jan. 22, At Sallie Mae's Call Center.