European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 28, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes thursday december 26,1989 e. German politician accused in scandal Berlin a the head of a new East German opposition party wednes Day withdrew from talks Between East Germany s coalition government another opposition groups after he was accused of corruption. The announcement came As the talks which concern the future course of the country resumed wednesday after a Christmas break. Wolfgang Schnur chairman of the democratic Awakening party was accused in the newspaper Junge Welt of using his position to obtain a Large apartment that originally had been allocated to family with several children. The 45-year-old lawyer denied the allegations but said he was withdrawing from the talks until the matter had been clarified. He said he was the target of a massive Campaign aimed at discredit ing him and his party politically. He also claimed his Mother who is jewish has received threats from Neo nazis. Schnur elected Chain Nan of demo cratic Awakening earlier this month when the opposition group met to constitute itself As a political party said he would seek a vote of Confidence from the party Board. Since the fall of hard line communist Leader Erich Hon Cockcr on oct. 18, East germans have been intent on rooting out corruption. Most such allegations have entered on the top Levels of the now ousted communist party leadership. East German leaders have Institute dizzying changes following protests by hundreds of thousands of people for democratic Reform. It opened the Berlin Wall As part of loosened travel restrictions in november promised free elections and called for the talks Between communist and opposition leaders. Honecker s successor. Egon Krenz also resigned As president and a non communist replaced him in a new coalition government which includes the communists and four traditionally Allie parties. Communist Premier Hans mod Row is handling Day to Day affairs until the free elections. The talks involve 37 representatives from five established political parties including the communists and representatives of 16 opposition groups. The discussion group is acting As a watchdog group on Modrow s govern ment until the elections May 6. Jung Welt a youth oriented newspaper once closely Allied with the communists made the allegations against Schnur. Schnur s party has maintained close contacts with West German officials Butis split on the question of reunification. It has also called for a free Market system in East Germany although there is a Dis Pute on this topic As Well. His movement has existed As a party for Only two weeks and its National in fluence is still hard to assess. November Home soles Rose to year s highest level Washington a sales of existing Homes spurred by falling mortgage rates Rose 3.2 percent in no vember to their highest level this year a real estate Trade group reported wednesday. The National association of real tors said sales of existing single family Homes Rose to a seasonally adjusted annual Rale of 3.59 million units last month the fastest sales clip since last december. The 3.2 percent october to Novom bar increase was the biggest percentage Advance since a 4.5 percent Rise in a gust. Sales in october had fallen a slight 1.1 percent. Hews updates Virginia election Richmond a. A the losing candidate gained Only 113 votes in a re count that certified the Victory of Democrat l. Doug Las Wilder As the first elected Blac governor in the nation s history. The re count conducted at re publican j. Marshall Coltman s re quest was certified by a three judge panel. While accepting the results the Coleman Camp claimed the tally uncovered evidence that thou Sands of felons voted illegally indicating a need for election Law re form. The re count found that Wilder Defeated Coleman 896,936 votes to 890,195 votes. The difference was 6.741 votes making the gubernatorial race the closest in Virginia history. The tally certified by the state Board of elections on nov. 27 showed Wilder winning by 6,854 votes. Typhoon Jack Agana Guam a weakening typhoon Jack began to Drift toward this . Territory in the Western Pacific wednesday and was forecast to at least Brush the Island on Friday according to civil defense officials. Late wednesday the storm was 190 Miles East of Guam moving West Southwest at about 3 Mph. Its sustained wind Speed was 85 Mph with gusts to 100 Mph. On tues Day its sustained winds were 135mph. It. Richard Bouchard of the joint typhoon warning Center Here said that at the rate the storm was weakening it could lose typhoon status sustained win Speed of at least 74 Mph before it passes South of Guam. The storm had in stalled about 200 Miles cast of Guam since Early tuesday. John Tuccillo the association s chief economist predicted that falling mortgage rates would boost Home Salesin coming months As buyers take advantage of favourable financing terms. According to a Survey by the Federal Home loan mortgage corp., the National average for fixed rate Loans dipped to 9.69 percent last week As rates continued to decline from their recent High of 10.22 percent in sep tember. The median Price for Homes sold i november edged up 0.4 percent to $93,000. While he Northeast had the most expensive median sales Price in october the West took the top spot in november with a Price of $150,200. The Northeast was second with a me Dian Price of $145,800, followed bythe South at $82,400 and the Midwest at $70,900. The median is the Point at which half the Homes sold for More and half for less. Many housing analysts said they have detected signs that sales arc slow ing in High priced areas of the country such As the Northeast and West As potential buyers balk at the prices. But realtors president Norma Flynn said he did not believe doom and Groom scenarios predicting a com ing housing recession because of the High prices. People who arc predicting hard times for housing Are not considering How much prices Rose in High cos areas Over the past few years Flynn said noting that the median resale Price in the Northeast has climbed 85 percent in the past five years. In november the sales increase was led by a 9.2 percent jump in sales inthe South where Homes were sold at an annual rate of 1.42 million units in november. Sales were up 3.2 percent in the West to an annual rate of 640,000 units. The Northeast nested a1.7 percent Rise to an annual rate of 590,000 units. Sales in the Midwest were Down 4percent to an annual rate of 450,000 units. Mailman accused of gunning Down dog los Angeles a a mailman accused of fatally shooting a dog named Skippy allegedly opened fire As the dog s owner was headed outside to give the mailman a bottle of Vodka for Christmas police said. I got to the door and Boom said Tammi Brody 27. Owner of the 2 year old German Shepherd mix. I Don t know what happened. He just freaked out and shot the dog. For absolutely no  letter Carrier Floyd Burtran Ster Ling 34, of Pacoima was arrested after the 1 45 . Shooting tuesday in sub Urban Arleta 20 Miles Northwest of downtown los Angeles police officer Sidney Benaske said. Sterling was released without being booked but the Case was handed Over to the District attorney s office for possible Misdemeanour charges of cruelty to Ani Mals or discharging a weapon in City Lim its bin ask said. Sterling was on his rounds when he allegedly shot Skippy with a .22-caliber weapon from the driveway while the dog was about 15 feet away on the sidewalk police said. Brody said she had just stepped to the door to give the Tetter Carrier a bottle of Vodka tied with a Green Bow. Sterling a letter Carrier in the neigh boyhood for about four years told Ponce he had been bitten by Skippy and had complained about the animal to postal officials Benaske said. But Brody said Sterling had gotten along Well with the dog. He was a very Friendly dog. The mail Man knows him he watched him grow. I Don t know Why he would do that shoot the dog. He s a very Nice Man she said. Postal officials said the matter was under investigation. Cafes gasoline prices up 9 cents a gallon Munich West Germany is gasoline prices at Exchange service stations in West Germany and the nether lands increased by 9 cents per gallon sat urday. Diesel fuel went up 15 cents in West Germany but there was no change in Price in the Netherlands. The new prices were attributed to higher wholesale costs and a weaker Dol Lar cafes Europe spokeswoman bar Bara Kirsch said wednesday. This is the first increase for gasoline since april. Over the past eight months the Price for super unleaded dropped 17 cents a gallon in West Germany. Diesel fuel however has gone up 27 cents per gallon in West Germany during the past three months. Customers buying diesel had enjoyed a 22-cent Price drop during the summer. In West Germany the new prices per gallon at Exchange pumps Are super leaded $1.27 regular unleaded $1.22super unleaded $1.27 super plus unleaded $ 1.50 and diesel $ 1.42. Prices for 100-liter Coupon books in creased by $2.40 for most gasoline. A 100-liter Coupon Book for diesel went up by $3.90. The Price for 100 liners of super leaded is $33.60 regular unleaded $32.20 super unleaded $33.60 super plus unleaded $39.60 and diesel $37.50. In the Netherlands super leaded it now $1.33 per gallon super unleaded $1.33 super plus unleaded $1.39 and diesel $1.23. The Price for 100-liter Coupon books of super leaded is $35.10 super unleaded $35.10 and diesel $32.50. Super unleaded is available in the nether sin 40-liter books for $14.68. Cafes stopped announcing gasoline Price increases in Advance in april. Stuttgart police killer was not sex Soldier Stuttgart West Germany is police said wednesday they Nave no evidence that an african who killed two policemen before being shot to death in August was a former . Soldier. Authorities initially believed that the Man had been a Soldier. However they now scythe Man originally identified As Albert Amend actually was Frederic by Ida Otomo 48, of Bassila a a Cameroon. By Ida Otomo had lived in West Ger Many since 1981. As Ament he claimed in an application for political Asylum that he was a liberian and that he had served in the . Forces in Cambodia and South Korea from 1965 to 1968. Police spokesman Herbert Gassmayer said . Officials did not find any re Cord of military service. Becida Otomo stabbed five police officers on the Vaisburg Bridge in Stuttgart on aug. 8, killing two of them before a policeman s Bullet Cut him Down. Police were responding to a report that he had assaulted a Streetcar ticket checker. A police investigation revealed that Cameroon issued a passport to Becida Otomo in March 1966. He worked occasionally As a bricklayer in Strasbourg France from 1968 to 1973. In Early 1974, he went to the United states. His visa to attend school in new York was Good until mid-1975. But . Officials arrested Becida Otomo As an illegal alien in february 1978 in new or leans and deposed him to Cameroon two months later. He appeared in Ham Burg West Germany three years later and applied for Asylum