European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - April 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 a a the stars and stripes saturday april 14,1990toxic space tomatoes no says Nasa Washington apr Tomato seeds distributed to schoolchildren were exposed to cosmic radiation during six years in space that could produce poisonous fruit it was reported Friday. However a Nasa scientist called the report a unfounded and  a there is no Validity that this presents a Hazard to schoolchildren a said William h. Kinard chief scientist for the Long duration exposure facility de which carried the seeds As one of 57 experiments. An unsigned memorandum from a Nasa contractor described the danger As a Remote a according to the los Angeles times which obtained a copy of the memo. But the memo said the research director at Park seed co., which gave Nasa the seeds a seemed to favor against eating the tomatoes. The times said the memo was written by Nelson Ehrlich associate director of the aerospace education services program at Oklahoma state University which oversees nasal a school programs. A there is a Remote possibility that radiation caused mutations could cause the plants to produce toxic fruit a the memo said. Radiation Levels in space Are higher than those on Earth. No such warning was included in materials sent to 180,000 teachers involved in the Experiment. The project is designed to give 4 million students the Chance to study How space exposure affects living tissue. Kinard who is at the Kennedy space Center in Florida said that no tomatoes have been grown from the seeds which were brought Back to Earth in january when the def was retrieved from orbit by the space shuttle Columbia. A to think that from this very very Small Sample we have in space that something strange is happening is just unfounded and unreasonable a he said. Kinard said he had been in Contact with officials at the Park company in Greenwood ., and a there is not a report from Park that says that. They Are As much taken Aback at the report As we in Nasa  Jim Alston research director for the seed firm was not available for comment. The times said National aeronautics and space administration officials admitted thursday there was an a a infinitesimal risk of poisonous tomatoes. They defended the decision not to warn teachers and students about eating the tomatoes saying they should not be eaten As part of the Experiment anyway the newspaper said. The space exposed Experiment developed for students seeds was among 57 experiments carried aboard an 11-ton satellite launched by shuttle astronauts in april 1984. About 12.5 million seeds were stored on Board in aluminium canisters. The satellite Laboratory was to remain in space Only 10 months but because of delays and the challenger explosion it Wasny to retrieved until january when the shuttle Columbia brought it Back to Earth. We so Deputy director of Nasa s educational affairs division said the two Page document obtained by the times was a not an official Nasa  the memo apparently was sent bv5m weeks ag0 t0 the Nasa jul teaching Center in suburban la Crescenta which has been distributing the seeds throughout Southern Cali forma. Ehrlich said the memo was meant As background information for about 30 employees making school presentations nationwide. One los Angeles participant in the Experiment the City run Ramsdall Art Park dropped out after learning of the memo this week. A special planting ceremony involving children in an afterschool education program had been scheduled for wednesday but Park officials at the last minute substituted potted seedlings for the space exposed Tomato seeds. A Lavaly Experiment twelve year old . Wang conducting an Experiment on volcanoes gets an overflowing response from Inez Sehgal a sixth Grade class at Forest Avenue elementary school in Montgomery Ala. When the fake lava started getting out of hand the kids erupted with laughter. Flight museum Hopes to Cash in on soaring prices of Antiques Santa Monica Calif. Apr a Pilot on a sentimental journey once could have picked up a surplus world War ii fighter for about $2,000. However the asking Price today can soar higher than $1 million. Hoping to Cash in on a craze that has become a Rich Many a Hobby the museum of flying in this los Angeles suburb plans an auction of historic aircraft on May 19 and 20. A we believe this will be the most historic auction of antique aircraft Ever a museum president David Price said. Quot its like mounting a Broadway show. You done to know if its going to work until opening  Price who operates Golf courses for a living comes to life when he is flying a spitfire dubbed  Apollo astronauts Wally Schirra and Buzz Aldrin were among aerospace notables who showed up thursday to lend their support at a preview of the planes listed for Sale. Planes that were once abandoned in Rusty hangars and barns have been lovingly restored. P-51 Mustang fighters that once escorted bombers through nazi flak sport fresh paint jobs and Jaunty names like  a few years after the War Price said a shrewd Bargainer could have picked up a surplus Mustang at a country Airfield for As Little As $2,000. The same plane now commands a $500,000 or More Price tag. A rare restored p-38 lightning twin Boom fighter of the sort that once knocked Down japanese Zero fight ers in the Pacific is on the auction Block for More than $1 million. The auctions proceeds will be used for aviation scholarships and museum restoration. Price Hopes some investors or altruists will buy air planes then keep them at the museum where they will be maintained in flying condition. Hundreds of thousands of people attend air shows every year and the air and space museum in Washington is the Best attended of All the smithsonian institution displays. A the fighter planes hark Back to chivalry and Knighthood a Price said. A the men who flew them were heroes and everyone responds to that i  children particularly Are drawn to the flying exhibits Price said. A the kids can smell the gasoline and they can see that these air planes Are not relics a once said. A a they re not  a these planes Are works of Art in their own right a said Dona d Douglas jr., whose father built the dc-3 and count peace. The auction will be held at the museum grounds next to the Santa Monica airports runways on the site where army air corps planes built by Douglas departed in 1924 on a historic round the world flight. One of the biplanes from that flight hangs in the museum. Ess other planes made famous in War and stateside Ford recalling 86 vans for Seal replacement Detroit up a Ford motor co. Is recalling about 101,000 Aerostat vans from the 1986-Model year to replace seals Between the fuel tank and filler pipe. The recall involves Aerostat vans made Between november 1985 and May 1986, Ford said adding that it received an unspecified number of complaints of fuel leakage and gasoline doors in those models and that a potential for fuel leakage occurs when the tank is full or nearly full. Ford will make All repairs free of charge at authorized dealers after owners Are notified by mail company spokesman Jim Trainor said. Ford was not aware of any fires attributable to the problem he said. The recall affects 1986-Model Aero stars Only although the Seal design is the same on later models Trainor said. A the dealer and customer reports Only have to do with those 1986 models a he said noting that a material or manufacturing defect May be to blame. Champion spark plug to quit Toledo Detroit Toledo Ohio up a the Champion spark plug co. Has announced it will close plants in Toledo and Detroit and move the work to facilities in Burlington Iowa and Cambridge Ohio. There Are 430 salaried and hourly workers at the Toledo facility and 245 in Detroit. It was not immediately known if transfers would be offered. The company said it will meet with the Union regarding the timing and effects on the employees. Champion has operated in Toledo since 1910 and Detroit since 1950. Champion has had its Headquarters in Toledo since 1913. The company founded by the Stranahan family was acquired by Cooper industries of Houston in March 1989 in an $800 million Stock Deal. During the past several years Champion has been shifting production to other states including moving its aviation spark plug division to Liberty  Readers digest starting French family Magazine new York up a readers digest association inc. Will launch a new monthly Magazine in France this fall As part of the publishing company a strategy to expand operations overseas. C a budgets Famille family budgets will contain news feature articles and tips on topics ranging from a Vegs and borrowing strategies to the Best ways families Ca budget for their children a education As Well As Lel activities like vacation a said readers digest the up usher of the most widely read Magazine in the Worl 1. Budgets Famille to debut on French n�wssta1� a october will target the 30 to 45-year-old Parent upper and Middle income families the publisher s a budgets Famille is readers digests first of g Start up publication since the company announce year a plan to expand its operations overseas to b acquisitions and the launching of new special a magazines