European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 20, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes thursday August 20. 1987 Massachusetts welfare families get boost from state s High court Boston a welfare families must be Given enough in benefits to live in their own Homes the Massachusetts supreme court ruled in a decision officials said could Lead to doubling annual state spending on welfare. But the High court said the state department of Public welfare must Only ask for More , while the Burden of providing the Money rests with the legis  activists who say Massachusetts benefits arc 40 percent below the Federal poverty line hailed tuesday s ruling. The ruling came in a lawsuit brought in 1985 by the Massachusetts coalition for the homeless and the Massachusetts coalition for Basic human needs. They contended a 1913 state Law requires the Wel fare department to provide enough benefits under the Federal Aid to families with dependent children to allow families to live in their own Homes. The High court tuesday rejected the state s argument that the Law Means Only that welfare families should be kept together. The furnishing of accommodations in hotels motels and emergency shelters does not fulfil the depart ment s duty Justice Herbert p. Wilkins wrote for the court. About 500 of the state s 8-l.uoo welfare families live in hotels motels or shelters said welfare Depan men spokeswoman acc Chelminiak. The administration of gov. Michael Dukakis a to d that raising benefits to the actual Cost of living in Massachusetts As determined by the department would add $780 million a year to the current $500 million budget for Ardc. Thomas Glynn Deputy commissioner of Public Wel fare said the ruling underscores the need for the department and the legislature to work together on in creasing welfare funding. We Are extremely pleased and excited and anticipate Relief on the horizon said Katherinc Mainzer. Executive director of the homeless group. The court clearly affirmed the right of families on welfare to have benefits which meet living expenses and keep them within their own Homes she said. This is the highest level this Case can go. This is a Clear  the state supreme court said the welfare depart ment has the duly to formulate a budget that covers the Cost of raising children in one s own Home and must review this figure annually in Light of the Cost of living. The court said it appears the legislature was aware when it set welfare payments for the current fiscal year that they were inadequate. A department report compiled last August said the average family of three in private housing in greater Loston needed at least $11,117 a year to live or Dou ble the welfare benefits of about $5.700 at that time. Today s emergency shelters May have More than a casual resemblance to  the court said adding that shelters arc often overcrowded and disrupt the patterns of family life. In March a Superior court judge ordered the Wel fare department to increase benefits to a level that would allow recipients to live in regular housing. The stale appealed that ruling to supreme court. Go who neared Reagan copter faces a Wol probe Seattle a a Soldier who piloted a private plane that narrowly missed president Reagan s helicopter has been returned to Seattle to face question ing by his company commander for being absent without leave at the time of the incident. I it. Ralph William Myers arrived at Seattle Tacoma International Airport in Handcuffs tuesday night on a United air lines flight from los Angeles. He was accompanied by two military police guards from fort Ord. Calif who turned him Over to two guards from fort Lewis Wash. Myers 32, of Vancouver ore., said nothing As the guards and a port of Seattle police officer whisked him out of the terminal. The secret service questioned Myers on tuesday said Garry Jenkins special agent in charge of the Agency s los an Geles office. Jenkins said secret service officials would consult with the . Attorney s office on possible charges in connection with the flight. He declined to discuss a newspaper report that Myers and his passenger Oregon businessman Harlan Lee Jones lied in telling investigators that Myers inadvertently flew into the restricted air space near president Reagan s ranch while Myers searched the cockpit for a lost Contact Lens. In an interview with the columbian of Vancouver Wash., sunday night Jones Myers has maintained silence to reporters since his apprehension by authorities. Said the two men thought the Contact Lens Story would explain their erratic Fly , Myers did have a problem with Contact Lens irritation Jones added. Myers was lying Jones to a business meeting with Donald Nixon jr., former president Nixon s Nephew on aug. 13 when his plane narrowly missed Rea Gan s helicopter Over the mountains North of Santa Barbara where the presi Dent s Rancho Del Cisclo is located. The next Day the Federal aviation administration revoked the Pilot s License of Myers who was reported awol from fort Lewis on aug. 3.. Attorney s spokeswoman Mary Mcmenimen declined to elaborate on what charges might be brought against  Polich a civilian spokesman at fort Lewis who was Al the Airport said Myers was taken to the base and turned Over to the charge of his company com Mander tuesday  commander was to interview Myers and probably will make his recommendation within two Days Polich said. Possible punishment for being absent without leave could include a Fine a reduction in pay level or confinement he  is not a criminal charge Polich said and company commanders frequently take into account extenuating  record is clean of any similar incidents in his background Polich said. Officials quell disturbance at Texas immigration Center Houston a More than 300 aliens waiting to apply for amnesty at one of the nation s busiest immigration legalization centers chanted and pounded on windows after being told to leave officials said wednesday. The aliens some of whom had wailed outside As Long As three a s. Were told tuesday morning that they would not be allowed in because there was t enough staff to handle them. Immigration and naturalization service spokesman Rich Ard Rios said. About 25 police officers had to be called to quiet the crowd. Afler the crowd began to dissipate officials decided to let in the 100 to 150 remaining outside and All were taken care of tuesday Rios said. There was quite a mob. It was wild. It looked like a real riot was going to form said immigration attorney . Molina who had gone with two clients to the Center. The office was granted overtime and extra staff earlier in the summer to Han dle the steadily increasing demand for amnesty processing but extra workers were withdrawn after the regional office decided they were no longer needed said Houston ins director Ronald Parra. After hearing of the near riot however ins regional commissioner Stephen Martin approved All overtime and extra staff necessary to meet inc demand for amnesty in Houston. Beginning sept. I employers May be fined for employing illegal aliens. There s a lot of desperation because people arc getting pressure from their employers and that s their survival said Janet Pena. Administrator of the Catholic shanties immigration assist Ance program. 1 in 5 botches of condoms foils water leakage tests Washington a stepped up government testing of condoms since manufacturers Wen allowed to advertise Latex models As helpful in the prevention of aids shows about one in five batches ailed water leakage tests a spokesman said wednesday. The food and drug administration notified condom distributors on april 7 that they could claim their Latex products protect against aids and other sexually transmuted Dis eases As Long As the assertion reflects accurately the realistic expectations a consumer should Hau about the con Dom s  the letter said that with Ilie spread of sexually transmitted diseases it has become very important that users be fully aware that Latex condoms provide Protection but do not Gua Rantee it and that Protection is lost if condoms Are not used  the same letter advised the manufacturers importers and repackaged that the government would intensify its condom testing program. Fra spokesman David Duarte said that since Uicon. 204 batches of Latex condoms had been tested As of aug. 11, and 41 had a failure Rale that exceeded Fra standards. They were recalled be fore reaching retail distribution. The failure Rale was significantly higher among imported brands than Doc slip brands of the 106 Domestic Sample lots 11 failed. Of the 98 imported lots 30 failed