European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 21, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes tuesday february 21, 1989 experts consider serious drought unlikely in 89 by the new York times Washington heavy Snow this Winter has brought much needed Mois Ture to the Northwest the Northern great Plains and the Rockies leading the agriculture department s chief meteorologist to Tell the White House and Congress that another serious drought is unlikely this year in the United states. If the Long Range forecast is accurate american Farmers could be heading for one of the most successful harvests since the Start of the decade department economists said adding that some places needed Only Normal rainfall for bumper harvests. But meteorologists from the depart ment Are monitoring some areas in the United states that remain parched among them California Eastern Texas and the Southern great Plains. And Independent researchers said those dry regions make them wary about predicting a successful Harvest. Because of dry areas in important growing re Gions of the world they Are worried about the world s food Supply. The experts agree that the world sup ply of Grain is precarious and that a severe drought in any of the important growing regions particularly North America would result in Large increases in the Price of Grain and political instability in poorer countries. The government s favourable Long term forecast for the United states was devel oped by or. Norton d. Strommen chief meteorologist at the agriculture depart ment and confirmed by scientists at the National oceanographic and atmospheric administration. We have seen encouraging Depar Tures from weather patterns that produced drought in 1988," Strommen said Friday. I m not going out on a limb and say it s going to be a Banner year. But we re looking for substantial recovery from  Farmers use the latest advances in biology and chemistry to help crops grow but moisture is still the main resource that determines whether harvests succeed or fail. Last year the driest Spring on record caused More than $10 billion in crop losses the costliest crop failure in Ameri can history. The Harvest of wheat Corn and other feed grains fell 27 percent to 198 million metric tons according to the most recent report by the agriculture department. Gasoline spill on Ohio River not expected to have big effect Cincinnati a seven barges carrying Gaso line broke free from a Tow boat sunday on the Ohio River and spilled about 40,000 Gallons of fuel into the River after striking a Railroad Bridge piling official said. Recovery of the gasoline was impossible because it had become diluted said Rich Carter assistant chief of the Ohio environmental Protection Agency s office of emergency response. No Impact has been observed thus far he said. All other downstream communities close enough to be affected draw their water from Wells or under ground aquifers Carter said. The River s speedy flow makes the spill unlikely to have much effect on water supplies or aquatic life he said. The rain swollen Ohio River crested saturday at 52.2 feet inches above flood stage and was falling sunday. The spill posed the most immediate threat to the Louisville ky., water system about 100 mile downstream. Gasoline tends to float on the surface and authorities said water systems served by the River could close their intakes until the gasoline floats past. The spill occurred downstream from the intakes of Cincinnati Swater system officials said. The barges containing leaded and unleaded Gaso line were being pushed Down River by a boat from an Ashland Oil inc. Refinery at Ashland ky., to an Ash land products terminal on the River in Cincinnati. Ashland spokesman Roger Schrum and the coastguard said two of the barges were leaking. Officials at the scene said several other boats helped recapture the Loose barges the incident occurred about 9 45 a.m., and River traffic was flowing normally by afternoon coastguard it. Chuck Polk said. The railway Bridge owned by Norfolk & Southern Railroad was inspected and was apparently not dam aged said Herb Nugent terminal train master for nor Folk & Southern. Gangs suspected in la area killings f to � t a � of i a Ilos Angeles a shootings apparently caused by disputes Between gangs killed four people on Friday and saturday authorities said. In Paramount Jose Ramiro 21, of los Angeles was killed by gunfire late saturday As he was standing in a restaurant parking lot deputies said. The shooting appeared to be gang related authorities said. Meanwhile a 16-year-old boy was arrested saturday for investigation of murder in the shooting death of Rick Wooten 20, of los Angeles. The teen Ager and last lost Man s club survivor Dies of 97 san Pablo Calif. A Alfred Furrer who on veterans Day toasted his late friends As the last survivor of a world War i last Man club has died at 97. Furrer of Richmond died sunday in Brook Side Hospital in san Pablo of congestive heart failure. His death came one year after the Sec Ond to last club member Victor Parachini die Dat the age of 89. As the last Man Furrer inherited a bottle of Champagne that had a Label signed by the Origi Nal members of the club that was formed in 1932 by 32 veterans from the san Francisco Bay area. Like similar clubs formed elsewhere fur re s last Man s club held annual parties. The club s original Champagne had gone bad after All those years so Furrer toasted the other club members last nov. 11 from a new bottle. It s a privilege to be honoured by people just for sticking around All this time but you know i had to Bury a lot of people along the Way he said at the time. I came through floods fires wars and my god. You come through it All and i Don t know if it s an Honor or a sort of  a native of san Francisco Furrer was 25 when he was drafted and sent to France. He ran a stationery store in Richmond was a former president of the Richmond chamber of Commerce and was named Richmond s Man of the year in 1959. Wooten belonged to rival gangs deputies said. Two teen agers were killed Friday. Roman Rico 14, of Hawthorne was fatally shot Fri Day night As he tripped and fell in a driveway while fleeing two pursuers believed to be members of a rival gang sheriffs deputies said. In Arleta in the san Fernando Valley a 17-year-old reputed gang member was shot and killed As he drove out of a shopping Center parking lot. His assailant walked up to the car and opened fire police said. Fight Over woman spurs stabbing Chase in Ward Columbus Ohio a a Man visiting his girl Friend at a Hospital stabbed an apparent rival then chased the bleeding victim twice around the orthopaedic Ward before the other Man collapsed near an Eleva Tor police said. Javon Perry 19, of Columbus was in critical but stable condition monday after emergency surgery Fol lowing sunday s violence at St. Anthony medical Cen Ter. Kendall Banks 30, of Columbus was arrested on the Hospital s seventh floor and charged with felonious assault police said. The stabbing followed an argument Between the two men in the woman s ninth floor Hospital room police detective Robert Locke said. It was an argument Over a Girlfriend he said. Banks pulled out a 3 /2-Inch Steak knife and stabbed Perry in the neck Hospital Security officer Paul Parker said. Perry ran out of the room and Banks still wielding the knife pursued him around the 32-bed orthopaedic Ward twice before Perry collapsed bleeding near a elevator Parker said. It was pretty bad he said. There s no doubt that if it would have happened out on the Street this Man would not have made  the officer said he pursued Banks and handcuffed him. Banks was being held in the Franklin county jail. The identity of the Girlfriend and her reason for being in the Hospital were not released. Stateside part of jumbo Jet found in Ohio wheat Field Columbus Ohio a a Farmer and his 13 year old son found half of a Landing gear door lost from a flying tigers Boeing 747 jumbo Jet in their wheat Field. Paul Pence 46, and his son Chris were inspecting the wheat Field for Frost damage when they found the door. The wheat Field is about 5 Miles East of the runway at Rickenbacker air Industrial Park where a flying tigers Boeing 747 landed without a door. Officials at the air freight company based in Colum bus said the other half of the double door which con Ceals the Landing gear during flight is still missing according to Pence. Man saved then charged with Drunken driving Laconia . A a police officer dived into a freezing Lake Early sunday to Rescue a Man whose truck had crashed through the ice and then charged him with Drunken driving officials said. Patrolman Jeffrey Stiegler was answering an Accident Call shortly after Midnight when he found David Poire 22, floundering in about 20 feet of water in Lake Winni Nesaukee screaming for help said it. John Maclennan. Stiegler radioed for help then took off his Sunbelt and radio and headed out onto the ice of the Lake located in East Central new Hampshire. Stiegler had to jump into the water to reach Poire. Both men were pulled to Shore by second officer Maclennan said. After he was rescued Poire was charged with Drunken driving and held at a Hospital overnight. Stiegler whose temperature had dipped to 95 degrees was treated for hypothermia and released Hospital officials said. Whirlpool Accident victim to collect $4.95 million Santa Ana Calif. A a 10-year-old boy left partly paralysed after he was sucked to the Bottom of a Home Whirlpool will get $4.95 million in an out of court settlement attorneys say. The 1984 backyard Accident at the family s rented Home in the los Angeles suburb of Fountain Valley left Adam Walters with partly paralysed legs speech prob lems and trouble using an Arm. He now uses a wheelchair. The homeowners and the rental Agency agreed to the settlement to avoid a costly court fight but maintain they were blameless their attorneys said. The spa maker Blue Haven was in bankruptcy and not part of the settlement. This gives Adam options for the future that he might not have had to go to school to have a career to get the physical therapy and medical help he needs said Robyn Walters the boy s Mother. Wooden girders to put Rusty Bridge Back in action i n9r, a a 38-foot Bridge that was closed for fear it would collapse will have its rusting steel girders replaced by Wood As part of Vermont Snew badge modernization program. The Meadow Brook Bridge which has a wooden deck and rails was closed last summer by selectmen worried that its rusting steel girders would no longer support truck traffic. Wooden Bridges save Money in the Short and thong run because they Are cheaper to build Don t have to be painted and Are immune to Salt said Dennis Borchardt of the George d. Aiken resource conserva Tion and development area a non profit organization dedicated to making use of local resources. I he project should be completed in june