NATION IN BRIEF : NATIONWIDE : Record Cold Grips Much of Country

Arctic cold blamed in at least 32 deaths in the last several days gripped the East and Southeast. A large section of the Northeast was colder than much of Alaska. Smethport, Pa., tumbled to 22 below zero and Wilcox, Pa., reported 20 below. Several low temperature records were set or tied: 10 at Atlantic City, N.J.; 13 at Baltimore; minus 4 at Hartford, Conn.; 7 (a tie), at New York City, and 10 below at Syracuse, N.Y. But Anchorage had 37 near midnight and Palmer, Alaska, dipped to only 41. Elsewhere, snow showers and freezing rain and gusty winds pelted Michigan.