European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday july 14 1990 the Star band stripes a rage 7 by the Washington Post Washington a remember the $435 Hammer and the $640 toilet cover of the Early 1980s? meet the $668,000 Farsi Nile machine the $1,868 toilet cover and the $999 pliers. 6f the 1990s. But these Are no Ordinary pieces of equipment. This air Force fax machine according to one senator can pump out pages after a nuclear blast or receive a document after submersion in 3 feet of water. Quot the Public has been led to believe that the spare parts horror stories of the mid-1980s were corrected a said sen. Charles e. Grassly a Iowa and sen. William a Roth jr., a Del in a recent letter to the Pentagon a inspector general. A we have recently uncovered data that show the department of defense is still paying exorbitant prices for spare parts and Supply items a they cited a Long list of examples a $1,868 toilet cover bought As a spare for the c-5 transport plane a $999.20 pair of pliers a $120 cup dispenser and a $343.08 altar vase for a military Chapel. On thursday sen. Cart Levin d-mich., weighed in with yet another example an air Force decision to develop and buy 174 fax machines costing about $668,000 each when development costs and spare parts Are  said the air Force regulations a required that the machines withstand a nuclear blast operate after being immersed in 3 feet of water and function from minus-25 to 125 degrees  an air Force official thursday disputed some of the costs saying the service has paid $32.9 million for 173 fax machines and an additional $40 million for 250 sets of spare parts and 173 a War readiness spare kits special support equipment maintenance equipment and diagnostic equipment Quot the spokesman said the machine called the a tactical digital facsimile a was purchased As result of needs that arose during the Vietnam War and the raid on Libya in 1986. A it is heeded because it is a specialized system that allows you to transmit timely High Quality imagery maps and other materials to our air Crews for combat Mission planning a the spokesman said. Levin argued a the heart of the problem is that the air Force developed ridiculous specifications for these machines without considering available  not so said the air Force a the commercially available fax does not provide the safeguards necessary to allow worldwide deployment under a variety of environmental  Small commercial fax machines can be purchased for about $ 1,000. The air Force fax machine built by Litton industries inc. In College Park md., is lightweight rugged and durable according to the Pentagon spokesman. The spokesman said it can be used with either Public telephones or military lines and can use numerous encryption devices for transmitting classified material. Tom Bailie far right discusses the report on radiation leaks at the Hanford nuclear reservation thursday As his neighbors listen. Residents near Wash nuclear Plant vent anger Over past radiation leaks Richland Wash. Apr people who live downwind from the Hanford nuclear reservation reacted with anger and Relief thursday about the governments disclosure that enough radiation spewed from the base to cause cancer. A i feel like they used us for Guinea pigs and i done to feel like they cared one Iota what happened to us either or our families a said Betty Perkes a Farmer in Pasco which is next to the 560-Square-mile reservation. An Independent panel of scientists released preliminary data thursday that showed some residents in the Early years of atomic bomb building in the 1940s could have been exposed to Large doses of radioactive iodine. For a few infants the doses were As High As 2,900 Rati Over three years. One Rad is the amount of radiation a body Organ would absorb from about a dozen Chest a rays. Terry Fra be of the stale health department said radiation standards allow a maximum of live rads a year for Industrial workers although individual organs can handle greater amounts. Survivors of the . Atomic bombings of Japan at the end of world War ii received thyroid doses estimated at 130 Rad laramore said adding that some nuclear Medicine treatments use doses As High As 800 rads.  people living directly East of the installation during the years of heaviest releases of radioactive iodine called a news conference after the report was released a we really believe we re getting the truth now a said Tom Bailie a Mesa Farmer whose family a history of cancers and other medical problems have been extensively chronicled in news reports about the Down Winders. Although the government cannot be sued under the doctrine of Sovereign immunity Bailie said compensation could be sought through Congress similar to that recently Given to uranium miners for Rad Alion related illnesses. A the Federal government owes something if folks have been harmed by these Emily releases of radiation a rep Sid Morrison a Wash whose District ,.di s the reservation said in Washington pc residents gave a Litany of family health problems including thyroid dysfunctions and cancers that they attributed to the radiation releases. A for a lot of years i have been Hunting every scrap of newspaper i could find to see Why this is happening Quot said Mary Pengelly who lives in Kirkland and was raised near Pendleton Ore. Quot it makes me feel that maybe we re going to see some  the technical steering panel was appointed in 1988 after health concerns were raised by the release in february 1986 of 19,000 pages of previously classified Hanford environmental documents. The preliminary study results came a Day after Energy Secretary James Watkins admitted past Hanford emissions May have caused health problems. John till a South Carolina consultant who chaired the 18-member panel of scientists and experts cautioned that the figures were not meant As health risk estimates. But till added a these numbers Are significant because that is a lot of folks. That dose level is significant enough to strongly justify a thyroid dose  the Hanford environmental dose reconstruction project concluded that most people living near the Hanford site from 1944 to 1947 were exposed to Low doses of radiation. The study covered 270,000 people living in 10 Washington and Oregon counties. But up to 13,500 people May have received doses of More than 33 Rad of radioactive iodine from the milk they drank. About 1,400 infants and children living in the area received 15 to 650 Rad till said including a Small number of infants who May have received doses of 2,900 Rad or . Court oks Mecham bid for office Phoenix apr former gov. Evan Mcchamp can run for office again despite his 1988 impeachment and ouster from office the Arizona supreme court ruled thursday. A impeachment essentially a political process is not subject to judicial review Quot the slates highest court said in a unanimous decision. A any Appeal from the impeachment conviction lies in the electoral  a former Highway patrolman Dennis Ingram challenged much am a re election bid saying the Arizona Constitution automatically barred him from running again. The justices decided 5-0, that the state Constitution was unclear on that Point and that a selection the ultimate weapon of democracy is favored where any doubt  Mecham was convicted of misuse of about $80,000 Given him by supporters and obstruction of Justice in a cover up of an alleged death threat made by an aide. Quot As expected inc court made the Only decision that we could see that they could make Quot Mecham said at n Campaign Slop in Yuma. A we appreciate that and now lets get on with the election and let the people do the choosing of who their next governor s going to be and get on with solving the critical problems of the  Mecham filed As a gubernatorial candidate last month for the sept. 11 Republican primary. He faces four primary opponents. With incumbent democratic gov. Rose mofford stepping Down the gubernatorial race is wide open former Phoenix mayor Terry Goddard is considered the democratic front runner. Ingram contended Mecham a impeachment and conviction automatically barred Mecham from Ever again seeking office. Quot in a disappointed  said Michael Meehan. Ingram s lawyer. Ingram has declined to discuss his motivation for filing the Challenge to Mecham a comeback attempt