European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 30, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 a a a the stars and stripes saturday june 30,1990 a amps to Stop publishing . Edition by Randy Mcclain financial writer the stars and stripes . Edition which provides More timely coverage of stateside sports than any other English language newspaper in Europe will Stop being published july 13. The afternoon edition is being terminated because it costs too much to produce and deliver to the 12 military communities in West Germany where its sold stripes management said. Circulation manager Deane b. Mcdermott said the . Edition sold Only 4,282 copies a Day according to an april Survey and it required four extra distribution routes and several extra truck Drivers to deliver. The morning newspaper sold in the same locations had a daily circulation in april of 11,652, outselling the . Almost three to one. The . Sports final ran up unacceptable overtime costs for printing and deliver according to managing editor Mert Proctor who said that he regrets the loss of the . Col. Gene e. Townsend editor in chief of the stars and stripes said he also regrets that the . Must go but said the extra edition is a luxury that the newspaper can no longer afford. A anywhere that i see a newspaper go out of business i feel almost like i have lost a Friend a a Townsend said. But the . Edition was a costing us significantly More to produce than other editions of the paper on a per unit basis a he said. The . Edition was losing Money at a rate of $ 150,000 per year Mcdermott said. Townsend added that the relatively weak . Dollar in Europe and the Prospect of cuts in american troop strength were other factors that contributed to the demise of the . A we can to justify this particular product at a time when we re tightening our Belt in other ways a he said. A i regret that we have to suspend the . At this time but the same economic factors Are driving this decision As Are driving other decisions throughout Europe and  sports editor Bob Wicker who first proposed the afternoon sports edition said he is frustrated by the .�?Ts cancellation and he thinks Many Loyal readers will be too. A i feel like it was the Best service our newspaper provided a Wicker said. A i feel like we have a unique audience one that a younger and More sports oriented than anywhere  the . Edition has been produced by the stars and stripes since feb. 10, 1988. Originally it was distributed in Darmstadt Frankfurt Wiesbaden and a Rhein main a All in West German earlier this year the .�?Ts distribution area was expanded to include Heide Berg Mannheim Kaiserslautern Ramstein a Sembach a Karlsruhe Hanau and Mainz. The locations were chosen because of their proximity to the stripes printing Plant near Darmstadt. The . Was promoted in West Germany with the slogan a last nights sports  because of the six to nine hour time difference Between Europe and the various time zones in the United states sporting events generally end too late to be included in the stars and stripes two morning editions in West Germany. The . Solved that problem by being printed about 10 a.m., which is late enough to include coverage of West coast baseball basketball and football  about insurance hoax backfires by Chuck Roberts and Randy Pruitt staff writers even the Best intentions sometimes backfire. Such was the Case at Giessen and Hanau when military authorities recently sought to warn gis about an insurance dividend hoax. Things went awry and the hoax not the warning appeared in the base newspapers. The publication breathed new life into what has become a mean spirited 25-year-old joke. Unknown hoaxers periodically put out information telling veterans that the . Government owes them Money. The fraudulent information states that Congress passed a a a recent Bill entitling veterans to dividends on i insurance they earned while in the service. A Veteran with four years of service is due $528, the information claims. Veterans Are urged to Contact the veterans Center in Philadelphia. The truth is that no Bill was passed recently and no one receives dividends by writing the Center. The Rumor reared its ugly head again when editors of the Giessen courier and Hanau Herald used a Story outlining the dividend plan. The Story was distributed by the 3rd  div Public affairs office in an Effort to warn people about the hoax. But the editors of the papers pressed by deadlines failed to read the second sentence of a division press release that accompanied the Story. The first sentence asked the editors to a convey this message to your audience  the second sentence said that a the attached flier is an example of a 25-year-old hoax which has taken advantage of thousands of War  about 30 soldiers in Giessen and 15 in Hanau called the newspapers for More information. Polly Green editor of the newspaper at Hanau said her staff relayed the Correct information to callers. She said she has received no More phone Calls since she ran a correction. Bonner Day a Public affairs officer with the department of veterans affairs in Washington said the hoax has been around for a a number of years. We done to know How it starts or How to Stop  Day said about 2.8 million veterans received More than $ 1 billion in dividends this year. However they Are policyholders who continued making Premium payments after their discharge. These policies were issued following world War ii and the korean War. Joe Mccann Deputy assistant director of insurance for the department of veterans affairs in Philadelphia said the Only insurance the department is issuing is insurance that covers service related disabilities. Active duty military personnel Are covered by a $50,000 group life insurance policy offered through Prudential insurance co. Of America. Discharged service members can Purchase veterans group life insurance a five year non renewable term policy also offered by Prudential. That policy pays no dividend Mccann said. Mccann said his office receives about 1,500 of the bogus applications per week. A in years past we be been up to 4,000 a week a he said. News update cigarette sales san Francisco apr cigarette sales have dropped 14 percent and state tobacco tax revenues have More than tripled since voters approved a tobacco tax hike in 1988. A proposition 99 is doing exactly what the tobacco Industry feared most Steve Harmon the american lung association state president said. The state cigarette tax was increased from 10 cents a pack to 35 cents by proposition 99, which voters approved in november 1988. The sales tax took effect january 1, 1989. Cigarette sales have since dropped from $2.54 billion in 1988 to $2.18 billion in 1989, while the states tobacco tax Revenue soared from about $253.8 million in 1988 to $764.4 million in 1989. names Soldier found dead in River Wertheim West Germany a  officials have released the name of the Soldier who apparently drowned after falling off of a dance boat last week. The body of pfc. Keith Orlando Crockrum 22, of 3rd in 35th Field arty regt 72nd Field arty brigade in Wert Heim was found floating in the main River wednesday. The Cannon Crew member had been missing since saturday night when he attended a privately sponsors disco boat ride. He is survived by his Mother Sadie Crockrum of Hattiesburg miss., and his father Edward e. Crockrum of Slidell la. W. Germany to begin collecting fee from airlines to pay for Security Frankfurt West Germany a amps a the West German government on sunday will begin charging airlines a 3.50 Mark Security charge for each passenger who boards their flights in the country. But a spokesman for Frankfurt International Airport said he was Uncertain whether the airlines would pass the fee on to passengers. In a spot Check a reservations clerk at pan american said the airlines passengers would be charged the fee and a spokesman for Northwest airlines said the Carrier would not pass along the charge a a at least in the  Werner Merz Secretary general of the Board of airline representatives in Germany said the West German transportation ministry has ordered airlines to report their passenger totals each month. The ministry then will Bill the airlines 3.50 Marks about $2.15, for each boarding. A the ruling Means you pay the 3.50 Marks every time you Board a plane in West Germany. So if you change planes within the country you pay again a Merz said. The spokesman for the Frankfurt Airport said Security costs had skyrocketed and that the government was trying to recoup part of it with the tax. Last year Frankfurt International Airport had about 14 million boarding passengers. The airports in Munich and Disseldorf had about 5 million and 4 million respectively. Merz said the airline group had protested that the Security fee was unconstitutional but the plea was ignored. A we feel Security is a state affair and the state should foot the Bill not the passenger a Merz said. A Schaffenburg a arts support Center to be studied for possible closure Heidelberg West Germany a the commander of the . Army Europe on Friday ordered a study on the feasibility of closing the . Army recreation services support Center Europe in Aschaffenbur. The study will review a the operational administration Al and physical efficiency a Usa eur spokeswoman Millie Waters said Friday. The Center provides recreational entertainment and artistic support to the command including Craft supplies costumes and graphic Art. The study commissioned by Gen. Crosbie e. Saint also will consider alternative sources for the services currently provided at the Center on Schaffen Burgos Taylor Barracks about 25 Miles Southeast of Frankfurt. The support Center employs 69 local National and 33 . Civilian workers Waters said. The centers commander it. Col. Gary Miller informed workers of the study  German officials at Federal stale and local Levels have been notified of the study As have representatives of the German head works Council. Usage urn a Deputy chief of staff for personnel will conduct the study air make recommendations to Saint by Early August. Saint then will inform German officials of his intentions. A final dec Sion by the Usa eur commander it be made following input from the German works Council