S.F.'S NIKETOWN FEATURES GROUPS TAKING SIDES ON RICE

          Northern CA's first and only NikeTown opens tomorrow in
     San Francisco.  The 49,840-square-foot store is located on
     Union Square at 278 Post Street and brings 141 new full- and
     part-time jobs to the Bay Area (Nike).  "Amid the glitzy
     opening" at the NikeTown premiere, human rights advocates
     yesterday protested "what they call the exploitation of
     thousands of workers" at Nike's factories in Indonesia. 
     Nike Dir of PR Jim Small, while "acknowledging" conditions
     at the company's 16 Indonesian plants "are not ideal," said,
     "The bottom line is: Do we abuse our workers?  Absolutely
     not."  49ers WR Jerry Rice was at the premiere opening and
     when asked to comment on the protest, he said: "It's not for
     me to reply.  I don't think it is fair for you guys to throw
     this in my face" (Dan Levy, S.F. CHRONICLE, 2/21).