chance

MOSCOW — Speaker of the House Jim Wright, winding up a weeklong visit to the Soviet Union, said Saturday that he will advise President Reagan that the United States has its best chance in 50 years to make an acceptable agreement with the Kremlin to reduce nuclear arms.

Wright (D-Tex.), who headed a delegation of 20 members of the House of Representatives, made the statement at a news conference.

Later, in a rare address on Soviet television, he declared that the United States and the Soviet Union are each spending nearly $300 billion a year for military purposes.

“What waste that is for both of us when human wants go unmet in both our countries,” he said. “We do have a common enemy–and the enemy is war itself.”

Wright gave highly favorable appraisals of Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev and Yegor K. Ligachev, considered the second most powerful member of the ruling Politburo, both of whom met with the congressional delegation last week.

“We believe they have been frank and honest and open with us,” he told reporters. “We think this moment in history presents the best opportunity we have had in the past 50 years to produce an agreement, mutual and verifiable, on reduction of arms . . . .”

‘An Acceptable Number’

Wright said later that he got “a feeling” after talks with Gorbachev that an agreement could be reached to remove medium-range nuclear missiles from Europe and reduce shorter-range missiles (those with a range of 350 to 1,000 miles) to “an acceptable number” deployed in Europe by the Soviets and the United States.

Rep. Dick Cheney of Wyoming, chairman of the Republican Policy Committee in the House and ranking GOP member of the delegation, also said prospects are bright for agreement on removing medium-range missiles from Europe.

“We’re close to agreement . . . and should be able to resolve the differences in the next few months,” Cheney said.

Wright and Cheney both said that they pressed hard on human rights issues during their private discussions with Soviet leaders.

“We suggested, for example, that the Soviet Union conduct a re-examination of people refused (an exit visa) for having knowledge of secrets,” Wright said.

Many refuseniks have been barred from emigrating on grounds that they were exposed to state secrets as long as 30 years ago. Wright said that Gorbachev has, in the past, suggested that the visa barrier should not apply for more than five or 10 years after exposure to secret information.

Rep. Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) said Soviet refusal to give exit visas to Soviet spouses of Americans is undermining efforts to achieve accords in other areas.

Nov. 14 (UPI) — Police have arrested a suspect in the shooting of John Beam, the Laney College athletic director who was featured in the Netflix series Last Chance U, according to authorities.

No further details of the arrest have been made public. Beam was taken to Highland Hospital in critical condition, CNN reported. A hospital spokesperson wouldn’t give further information.

The shooting happened at noon Thursday at the Laney College Field House, in the Peralta Community College District, which Laney College is a part of, the college said in a statement.

The Oakland, Calif., school went into lockdown. It remained closed for the remainder of the day.

Acting Oakland Police Chief James Beere told reporters during a press conference that officers arrived at the scene to find a victim suffering from a gunshot wound who was immediately taken to a local hospital.

The school district identified the victim as a “senior member of our athletic staff.” It was later revealed that Beam — who was featured in season 5 of the hit Netflix show about struggling college football athletes — had been shot.

“Coach Beam is a giant in Oakland — a mentor, an educator and a lifeline for thousands of young people,” Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement. “For over 40 years, he has shaped leaders on and off the field, and our community is shaken alongside his family.”

The suspect was earlier described as a male of an unknown race, wearing dark clothing and a dark hoodie. Beere said the suspect had been seen fleeing the scene.

“I know that there was some concern that this may have been an active shooter. We responded as if it was an active shooter,” he said. “I can tell you right now it was not an active shooter.”

Witnesses were being interviewed and surveillance footage was being reviewed, he said.

Beam is the athletics director but retired from coaching last year, CNN said.

“The Peralta community is devastated by his shooting and deeply concerned for his well-being,” said Chancellor Tammeil Gilkerson in a message to employees. “We are stunned and heartbroken that such violence has touched our campus and one of the most respected and beloved members of our Laney, Peralta, and Oakland community.”

Nov. 14 (UPI) — John Beam, the Laney College athletic director who was featured in the Netflix series Last Chance U, has been shot, according to authorities and officials.

The shooting occurred at noon Thursday at the Laney College Field House, the Peralta Community College District, which Laney College is a part of, said in a statement.

The Oakland school went into lockdown. It remained closed for the remainder of the day.

Acting Oakland Police Chief James Beere told reporters during a press conference that officers arrived at the scene to find a victim suffering from a gunshot wound who was immediately transported to a local hospital.

The school district identified the victim as a “senior member of our athletic staff.” It was later revealed that Beam — who was featured in season 5 of the hit Netflix show about struggling college football athletes — had been shot.

“Coach Beam is a giant in Oakland — a mentor, an educator and a lifeline for thousands of young people,” Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee said in a statement.

“For over 40 years, he has shaped leaders on and off the field, and our community is shaken alongside his family.”

Authorities are searching for a potential suspect, described as a male of an unknown race, wearing dark clothing and a dark hoodie. Beere said the suspect had been seen fleeing the scene.

“I know that there was some concern that this may have been an active shooter. We responded as if it was an active shooter,” he said.

“I can tell you right now it was not an active shooter.”

Witnesses were being interviewed and surveillance footage was being reviewed, he said.

Beam is the athletics director and head football coach at Laney, according to the school’s website.

As Trent Perry made his first collegiate start, he stepped into a familiar role.

The UCLA sophomore always plays point guard in practice, going head to head against star counterpart Donovan Dent. Whenever they play together in games, Perry has to shift his approach, becoming more aggressive in trying to grab rebounds.

But with Dent sidelined as a precaution because of a muscle strain Monday night at Pauley Pavilion, the Bruins needed Perry to assume the role of lead facilitator.

Finding out that he was going to start only shortly before tipoff, Perry received encouragement from his sidelined teammate.

“He really just said, ‘Keep going,’” Perry said of Dent. “Just kept giving me confidence throughout the entire game. You know, keep going right now, you’re the engine and just keep your team moving. Just be a leader.”

Perry eagerly complied, leading the No. 15 Bruins to an 83-62 victory over West Georgia that was far closer than the score indicated. The Wolves used a bombs-away approach that yielded a flurry of three-pointers and kept the game competitive for 25 minutes before Perry helped UCLA avoid embarrassment on its home court.

Making most of the highlight passes, including one in which he barreled into the paint before flinging the ball to teammate Eric Dailey Jr. in the corner for a three-pointer, Perry logged career highs across the board with 17 points, nine assists and five rebounds along with only two turnovers in 37 minutes.

It was a performance that pleased coach Mick Cronin, who said he was primarily concerned with Perry’s defense and ability to take care of the ball while finding his teammates.

“Off certain plays that we ran, he read the defense, did a good job with that,” Cronin said. “That’s what you’ve to do as a quarterback — calling the plays, if the quarterback can’t deliver the ball, you’re a pretty limited coach.”

With UCLA holding just a five-point lead against an opponent in only its second season in Division I, Perry ignited his team’s 10-0 push early in the second half that provided breathing room with an assist and a layup in transition. Eventually the Bruins (3-0) found themselves ahead by 20 points, leaving West Georgia (1-2) with no way to catch them even on a night when the Wolves made 13 of 25 three-pointers (52%).

UCLA also persevered thanks to forward Tyler Bilodeau’s 21 points on seven-for-12 shooting and Dailey’s 14 points. The Bruins were far more efficient on offense in the second half, making 14 of 25 shots (56%) to finish the game shooting 49.1%.

UCLA forward Tyler Bilodeau, left, tries to drive past West Georgia forward Kenneth Chime during the first half Monday.

(Ethan Swope / Associated Press)

But the outcome wasn’t a foregone conclusion until there were about 10 minutes left thanks to West Georgia’s success from beyond the arc. The Wolves made nine of 13 three-pointers in the first half before cooling off considerably.

“We were losing shooters,” said Perry, who was pump-faked out of the way on one three-pointer in the game’s early going. “Our deflection [total] was really low. Coach said comfortable teams make comfortable players. And they were pretty comfortable in our home gym, especially in the first half.”

Cronin said he was grateful that his team was challenged by a third consecutive lesser-conference opponent after struggling to put away Eastern Washington and Pepperdine.

“It was great that they made us compete tonight — we do not need a false sense of security,” Cronin said. “I’ve been doing this a long time, so the worst thing you can have is [an opponent] that just lays down, doesn’t pass the ball, can’t make a shot, you’re running and dunking, the crowd’s going wild. It’s such a false sense of security for what we’ve got coming Friday.”

Cronin was alluding to an early season showdown against No. 5 Arizona at the Intuit Dome.

UCLA will need not just Dent back but also the defensive intensity that has made Cronin’s teams far more formidable than they looked for much of Monday night. Dent likely will play against the Wildcats, Cronin said.

“He’s banged up, got a couple of different areas he’s banged up,” Cronin said. “It was a great chance to get him some rest.”

And, in the process, learn that the Bruins have someone else capable of running their offense.