European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - May 22, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thursday May 22, 1986 the stars and stripes Page s up . Ayer May lose contract after scandal s by Norman Black a military writer Washington the Arney said tuesday it will forego an option to renew its recruit advertising contract and instead will solicit competitive bids fur work Worth roughly 185 million a year. The decision comes a month after a guilty Pica by tin executive of . A Crane to accepting 560,000 in kick backs Over the past 12 a cars while performing work on he army contract. , Ayr based in  York City has held the army s recruit advertising contract since 1967, although the contract has been reopened to Competition at least twice since then Ayr was the Only firm that bid for the work during the last round of competitive bidding in 1984. The army in a prepared statement stressed tuesday it was not dissatisfied with Ayer s advertising campaigns which arc built around the familiar theme. Be All you can be.". The service did say the conviction of Ayer vice presi Dent John a. Bidus had played a Rote in the decision. The army certainly considered that in the process of making the decision said maj Bruce Belt a Pentagon spokesman. In its prepared statement the army also noted a  round or competitive bidding will enable the army to. Negotiate a contract that strengthens controls on accountability and achieves some economies As  Bidus 58, pleaded guilty in Federal court in  York on april 22 to charges he took about  in kickbacks from subcontractors working with Ayer on recruiting films. He faces a maximum two years in prison when sentenced on june 4. Bidus who had 26 years with Ayr has been dismissed by the and Agency where he had the title of creative super visor. The army s recruit advertising contract has in. Recent years brought roughly js5 Mill Ion an Nua Fly to Ayr. . Ayer was ranked 21 is among the world s and Agency groups in 985 with Billings of ss26 million. The company s account with the army was negotiated a 1984 and became effective in october of that year. It featured a guaranteed one year work period with annual options for the next four years. Thus the present option i scheduled to expire sept. 30. The a my said tuesday it would negotiate Wilh Ayer to extend that contract period by three months through de Cember to is potential bidders time to prepare and submit their  -. The army will release its request for proposals nest month and has tentatively scheduled a pc bidding Confer ence for interested firms on june 27. The army plans to evaluate the bids and award a  contract in december to become effective on Jan. 2,1987. A similar  to that  held by Ayr with four annual renewal options is planned the army said. Bell said tuesday the army expects the  contract will also Cost about ss5 million a year but Hopes to receive offers from and agencies that include additional services for that fee. The decision to solicit  bids comes at a time when defense Secretary Caspar w. Weinberger is said to be dissatisfied with the amount of Money being spent by the individual military services an advertising. According to Trade reports Weinberger is debating a directive that would Force the services to slash their Indi visual advertising programs in favor of greater Reliance on generic joint service commercials. Donahue antagonist take dispute before mediator  York a Phil Donahue the. Television talk show Host who let his fists a his talking at an Airport last week went be fore a mediator with the Lyndon Laruche Follower who Donahue says baited him into Battle but it was another no decision. The Case was heard n session was held but there was no agreement said Peter Boyke director of the victim services Agency Center in Queens. He said Donahue 50, and his antagonist William Ferguson 24, of Ridgefield Park n.j., met for about an hour monday with mediator Elaine Palovsky. Whatever went on inside must be held confidential he said adding that Donahue and Ferguson left calmly. The next step is up to the two men. Either could Lake the other to court Boyce said. We have no present intention to go to court Bat i can t speak for Ferguson said Penny Rolhiser Donahue s press manager. There was no answer to Calls to Ferguson s Home. Rolhiser said Donahue would make no statement about the mediation other than to say the two sides were unable to come loan agreement and hat he wished it was Over. Donahue and Ferguson filed harassment charges against each other after port authority police separated them May ii at lao Urdia Airport. Then they agreed to submit to mediation under a City conflict Resolution system designed to keep minor disputes out of the court system. Donahue and his. Wife actress Mario Thomas were at the Airport to take a flight to Dos Lon and Ferguson was at a table distributing literature for Lar ouch a right Wing fringe political figure. According to Donahue Ferguson shouted obscenities and said you should be in  then the punches flew. Murderer of businessman electrocuted in Florida Starke Fla. A Ronald j. Straight was at peace with himself and his god when he died in Florida s electric chair for the brutal murder of a Jackson Ville businessman says the priest who spent Many of his last hours will him. The Rev. Joseph Maningat the roman Catholic chaplain at Florida slate prison spent much of tuesday Wilh straight who received two five hour court stays before he was strapped into the electric chair just after 5 . Straight 42. Became the third inmate executed this year at the prison near Stark. He was really very peaceful. He was ready to accept death Maningat said. Straight was sentenced to death for the oct. 4,1976. Torture slaying of Jacksonville furniture store owner James n. Stone. Co defendant Timothy Palmes was executed in november 1984. Stone was beaten with a Hammer and Slabbed is times. His body was stuffed into a hand made wooden coffin and dumped off abridge into a River prosecutors said straight and Palmes killed Stone because he refused to give them jobs collecting delinquent accounts at Hiss orc in a statement issued after straight s execution gov. Bob Graham said i nope that this sustained commitment to enforce the Laws of Florida will Servo As a message of deterrence to others who might consider such brutal crimes for personal gain or other premeditated  since 1979, 16 killers have died in the Florida electric chair. In All 58 people have been executed in the United Stales since the death penalty was revived in 1977. Straight entered the death chamber chewing gum winked at the witnesses and stared at mania Gal who offered a silent Blessing. The priest had heard straight s confession Given him communion and administered last rites two hours earlier. Asked if he had a final statement the prisoner said no sir.  six minutes after the switch was thrown he was pronounced dead by a prison doctor. I think he s getting just what he de serves Only 10 years too late said James d. Stone 59, the victim Uncle. Straight who spent 20 of his 42 years in prison had met Palmes in prison while serv ing time for burglary. When he left prison in 1976. Straight went to live in Jacksonville with Palmes and his Girlfriend Jane Albert who was a Book keeper at Stone s store. Palmes and straight both maintained they were innocent blaming Albert who received immunity from prosecution far testifying against them. Gun dealers fighting ban on machine guns Washington a one Day after president Reagan signed into Law a Bill easing the nation s gun Laws three gun dealers filed suit tuesday to Over turn the prohibition on the Sale or trans Fer of machine guns. Douglas l. Oefinger of Stamford Conn Robert i Landies of Chardon Ohio and Michael 0. Williams of Edmond okla. Said the  Law s prohibition on the Sale or Transfer of Allma Chine guns manufactured after May 19 violates their constitutional rights. In their complaint the dealers said the Treasury department s Bureau of Alco hol tobacco and firearms has told them it will enforce the regulation immediately the dealers said they and their Busi Nesses arc federally licensed and con. Trolled on transact Lions involving the Sale and Transfer of machine guns and Are subject to regulation by the Treasury department. They asked the . District court in Washington to Jim us a preliminary and permanent injunction prohibiting the government from enforcing the machine gun prohibition. Orfinger docs business As . Manufacturing and importing Landies As collectors Corner and Williams As m 4 w arms 21 Hurt 1 missing in of copter crash Las vegas nov. A a military helicopter crashed wednesday at an air Force bombing Range Northwest of Las vegas injuring 21 people on Board the chopper and leaving one person missing authorities said. Rescue forces launched a search opera lion following the i230 . Accident at the Nellis bombing and gunnery Range said Nellis fab spokesman col. John Kuminecz. Fourteen of those injured in the crash of the military Airlift card Hh-53 helicopter were treated at the base Hospital and released. Seven others were admitted far treatment primarily for Bone fracture Kuminecz said. He declined to give details of where the crash occurred or whether any other Craft were involved. Sands or time in the stars and stripes 40 years ago today. May 22, 1�46 in  York five persons were killed when a twin engined army transport plane crashed into the 58th Story of the 90-floor Bank of Manhattan building on Wall Street in a thick fog. 30 years ago today. May 22, 1956 defense Secretary Charles e. Wilson called a news conference at the Pentagon and dramatically ordered a Public showdown in the explosive army air Force policy Battle that has threatened to Force a congressional investigation. The army claims president Eisenhower is putting too much emphasis on air Power. 20 years ago today. May 22,1966 Cassius Clay retained his world heavyweight title in London when he Defeated Britain s Henry Cooper in the 6lh round of a scheduled 15-round bout. The referee slopped the bout because of a deep Gash Over Cooper s left Eye. To years ago today. May 22, 1976 president Ford predicted he will pick up More delegates in next week s primary elections than Ronald Reagan but he said the vote will be very close in some aisles