Old Man River Opens Again To Barge Traffic

THE slowly receding upper Mississippi River reopened to commercial traffic Aug. 23. It was good news for the barge industry, which lost some $3 million a day during the recent floods.

The river was closed beginning July 11 for 830 miles. Southbound traffic was allowed to resume Aug. 22 and northbound traffic Aug. 23. Sections south from Minneapolis had been reopened earlier. The Missouri River was back in operation Aug. 21, and the Illinois River was reopened Aug. 23.

Some restrictions remain. Recreational traffic is being allowed, but caution is advised. Detroit convictions

People cheered Aug. 23 at the corner where Malice Green died, after two former police officers were convicted of murdering him in a beating.

Some grumbled, however, when a judge acquitted a third policeman of assault and allowed convicted officers to go free until sentencing Oct. 12. They face up to life in prison.

Mr. Green's Nov. 5 death raised tensions in Detroit because the officers were white and Green was black. However, no testimony indicated that the beating was racial.

Mayor Coleman Young said justice was done with the convictions of Larry Nevers and Walter Budzyn on second-degree-murder charges. Verdicts were returned by largely black juries.

Former officer Robert Lessnau was acquitted by Judge George Crockett III. All three former police officers and Sgt. Freddie Douglas, the supervisor at the scene, were fired after the death. Mr. Douglas, a black, will be tried later.

Lawyers for Mr. Nevers and Mr. Budzyn said they would appeal. Boston housing grant

Boston officials say a $50 million grant from the Department of Housing and Urban Development, awarded Aug. 24 for renovation to the public-housing project in Mission Hill, will create 300 jobs and help to unite the community.

Boston Housing Authority Director David Cortiella said funds will go toward hiring security and management, reducing the 822 units to 538, and constructing private entrances, yards, and streets the community will use.

Mission Main, built in 1939, is one of New England's oldest developments. It neighbors the hospital district and several educational institutions.

But Mr. Cortiella said the project's reputation for drugs and crime caused project residents to have trouble getting jobs.