proceeds to add buses and routes and to increase the frequency of stops.

Rock Region Metro also could use smaller vehicles to add some community bus service in places such as Jacksonville, Sherwood and Maumelle.

In other areas, regular buses on some underutilized routes would be replaced with smaller vehicles for on-demand "flex" routes.

Plans also call for bus rapid transit, which is higher-frequency service using bigger buses and, sometimes, special bus lanes.

Two rapid-transit routes using West Markham Street, Kanis Road and South University Avenue would be established only if Rock Region Metro's partners agreed to continue their annual contributions.

Supporters say bus rapid transit would have platform stations that would serve as magnets for redevelopment.

Under the proposal, the partners' contributions likely would be smaller than the amount they pay now, ifExtra Services

Three Okinawans among former Hansenís disease victims to win compensation

Date Posted: 2001-06-01

A two-year-long trial questioning the legality of the governmentís segregation policy of victims of the Hansenís disease ended with the court fully agreeing with the plaintiffsí arguments. Upon hearing the courtís decision, the lawyers representing the Government decided not to appeal thus bringing the case to an end.

Thirteen former victims from Kumamoto, Kagoshima and Okinawa first brought the case to the trial in Ď98. Three of plaintiffs were former patients from Airakuen Sanatorium in Nago City and Nanseien Sanatorium in Miyako Island. Actually, the number of victims is estimated in the tens of thousands, but most of them refused to join the suit because they feared that the disclosure of their real names and possible publication