European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 02, 1978, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes wednesday August 2, 1978 Senate votes hike for Veteran group Washington up the Senate monday unanimously approved an increase intensions for disabled and needy War veterans suffering from non service connected ail . Alan Cranston d-callf., the Bill s sponsor said it would improve incomes of about one million veterans Over 65 who have Low incomes and Are totally disabled while  to veterans and their dependents who do not have financial need. The Bill passed 854, would affect total of about 2.7 million veterans spouses another dependents. The legislation was designed to assure recipients an income above the poverty Stan Dard set by the labor department and to make sure Cost of living increases in social Security payments do not take away from Veteran  the Bill Cranston said a single War Veteran would get at least $3,240 a year. One with no other income and one dependent would get $4.24 a year compared to the current$2,544. The measure also allows a partial exclusion for income counting purposes of some earned income for elderly veterans and their  similar Bill has passed the House and differences will have to be worked out in a con Ference committee. Blocks hispanics. 84 who failed fireman test Are ordered hired Bridgeport. Conn. I a a Federal Lodge has ordered City officials to hire 84 Blacks and hispanics who failed a written firefighters test and thereafter to hire on a one to one quota system with half of new firefighters coming from minority groups. Bridgeport a City of about 148.000. Witha minority population of 42 percent has Only five minority members on a firefight ing Force of about 370. . District judge . Gilroy dal made his ruling monday two weeks after he voided a 1975 test failed by All 84 minority candidates. The test had been specially prepared by Hay associates of Philadelphia to be non discriminatory. Daly said the test failed to distinguish qualified from  same rank Back pay he ordered that the 84 minority Candi dates after passing a physical agility test within 120 Days be Given the same rank as26 firefighters hired in october 1976 and be Given Back pay reduced by the amount they could reasonably have made in other jobs since the original suit was filed by the association against discrimination in pm Pluymen estimates of the Back pay figure total about 2  also ordered establishment of a quota system and a Pool of minority Candi dates from which half of All new firefight ers would be drawn until there Are 125 minority members in the department. Temporary promotion sin addition Daly said no promotional exams could be Given until All minority candidates Are ready to take them. He said temporary promotions could be Given until the promotional exams can be  promotions Are not Ade quate said Bridgeport fire chief John Gleason monday when asked about the de  Daley s saying you can t have any promotions until minorities Are eligible for promotion. We re a number of men Down in the assistant chief rank. You mean Pecan t hold a promotion exam until the minority candidates Are ready for it we Llave no More fire  Gleason said the department has three Blacks and two hispanics noting that is a air Jamaica sick out ends new York a a contract agree ment was reached in Kingston Jamaica Between air Jamaica and its native jamaican pilots ending a sick out that bad knocked out Normal operations for two Days an airline executive said wry Low percentage in comparison to Bridgeport s racial  Raymond Rubens said the City would Appeal Daley s  test was tossed out As the result of a two week trial last Winter in which Bridge port attorneys argued that applicants race was not a Factor while lawyers forthe minority applicants said the test intentionally or unintentionally had a disparate effect on minorities because All had failed. Daly said one Section of the test involving 300 True or false questions was slanted against any applicant who showed intellectual inclinations. For example the Correct answer to the following questions was True philosophical questions Are a waste  when i was a child i showed no inter est in  the test also placed emphasis on pee approval. True was also the Correct answer for these questions i very much enjoy being comply  Good opinion of one s friends is one of the chief rewards for living a Good  on her own Uke the off sprig of every celebrity Hollywood s Judy Lewis would he to be famous throb go Kerm  s net a Sewe Omer to Shew my a vibe Beta regular to tie secret storm to series. Her Famon Parent . Up photo fumes Force 1,000 from Homes in Mich town moan. Men. A nearly 1,000 Milan residents were evacuated to local school or other temporary shelters after being routed from their Homes As gasoline fumes filled the City s storm sewer ones. Police estimated at least 1,000 Gallons of potentially explosive gasoline escaped into the City s storm drains monday when a de livery Man accidentally pumped the fuel Down the wrong Hole. At least two explosions and fires had been reported As Gas fumes seeped up through the storm sewers and into Are basements. Two firefighters reportedly suffered minor Burns fighting one of the blazes. No other injuries were reported. Officials at first hoped the spill would affect Only a few Hundred of the 4,000 res dents of Milan located about 20 mile South of Ann Arbor. Sentence of robber he lumps courtroom san Jose Calif. Up convicted Bank robber Dewey Baker escaped from Federal courtroom monday while us Chil Dren cheered him . 26, had just been Given a it year prison sentence by . District judge Wil Liam a. Ingram when he turned from the Bench an bolted for the  three children were la the courtroom and cheered hate on chanting go de Wey go witnesses  just galloped right out of court said san Jose police it. Don Ewing. Twas a setup a perfect  Baker charged with robbing ii Banks this year knocked Over one Spectator whose body tripped a Bailiff then slipped from the clutches of a probation office Rand ran out the building. The fugitive is known As the Checkbox Bandit who netted $14,000 from 11 Sag Jose Bank jobs. In each Case he pulled from a Check Book a note demanding Money before making Good us escape. Billboard Bandit seeks to restore f la lands Virginia City. Nev. Up the billboard Bandit has struck again leaving As his Only clue a wrecked  said he has been attacking billboards Between . 50 and Virginia City for months but has escalated his War in recent weeks. Using a Chain saw he knocked Down the last one on the stretch of Road the past  the destruction began a year ago owners put the signs Back up again. More than 20 signs valued at $20,000, have been  s not a sign Between Highway 50 and Virginia City Grace Jordan of the Vir Ginia City chamber of Commerce said. Texans Are mixing it up at a record rate for the same period of last  mixed drink sales for the first half of 1978 reached $321 million according to Bullock. It must be the dry weather he said. The state earned $16.7 million in tax Rev Enue from mixed drink sales during the second Quarter of the year. Austin Texas up the Texas weather has been dry but not texans. State comptroller Bob Bullock monday reported tax records on mixed drinks Indi Cate liquor is Selling at a record rate. Tex ans consumed $167 million in mixed drink during the april june Quarter of this year which is a 24 percent increase Over figures 1faa wants seat belts on during flights , a the government wants air travellers to remain seated wit their seat belts fastened during flights. The Federal aviation administration s proposed Rule is designed to prevent injuries Ifan Airliner runs into unexpected turbulence or makes a sudden Man Euver. The Faa says  pubic has until aug. 11 to comment before the Rule becomes final. Letters should &5s v is sufi elation admin Stra a. Office of the chief counsel agc-24 docket no. 17897,800 Independence ave. So Washington d.c., 20591 ii jul is Fth in Sie of Masi Faste,1ed Durins Landing and Eoff and at other times when the seat Belt sign is turned on usually when rough air is anticipated. Woman learns it s easy to get Hung up on a pet Chicago a Hattle Griffin s pet Puppy fell into a five foot Hole and she went after it head first and was stuck for eight hours. I was upside Down screaming for Hel but no one heard said Griffin 58. A neighbor preparing to mow his Lawn at6 30 . Monday heard her cries. He said Only her feel and Ankles were showing above the ground. Police were summoned and Griffin was pulled from the Hole. She was treated at a Hospital for expo sure and released. She said the Hole was next to her  poppy became lost sunday night she said and she went looking for it. The Puppy was resented unharmed. Two Quality Book publishers will merge a pair try . _ new York a _ two of new York City s most prestigious publishing House say an unfavourable economic climate has forced them to merge so that they May both continue to operate. Charles Scribner or. Said monday that two be. Charles scribes Sonand athenaeum. Will merge before the end of the year but will continue to operate separate divisions of the newly formed Scibner Book companies. Scribner and athenaeum chairman Alfred Knopf or. Agreed that the current economic climate has made it increasingly difficult to operate profitably on a separate basis. It is hoped that the Quality publish ing the two companies Are known for will be maintained by this  move will allow the two House 10 share sales warehousing shipping and of fice facilities. It May also forestall takeover attempts of either by a conglomerate