European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 12, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes sunday August 12,1990 fleeing wildfires a Rachel Chang who was forced to leave gives her name and address to Ranger closed to visitors Friday after lightning her camping gear behind after fleeing Kevin Mcmillan in Hopes he can help kindled fires blocked the main roads wildfires in Yosemite National Park her retrieve the items. The Park was leaving campers stranded. Church officials May Check grave of Black slave up for sainthood new York not the remains of a former slave May be exhumed later this month by the roman Catholic Arch diocese of new York As one of the initial Steps toward the possible canonization of the Man As the first Black american Saint Church officials said Friday. The Church wants to unearth the grave of Pierre Toussaint who was known for his generous work with the poor. Toussaint was born into slavery i Haiti in 1766 and gained his Freedom before dying in new York City in 1863. A hearing on the removal of his re Mains is scheduled for aug. 28 in the new York supreme court. He is buried in old St. Patrick s Cathedral cemetery in lower Manhattan s Little Italy. As Long As the Church knows where the burial place is they said let s take a look at the remains said monsignor Robert o Connell the pastor of St. Peter s Church at 16 Barclay St., where Toussaint attended mass for 66 years. It s not  the Church is seeking permission fro the health department to raise the cof Fin because Toussaint does not have an relatives. The major reason for inspecting the grave is to verify that the remains Are indeed Toussaint a said monsignor Rob Ert Sarno an official of the congregation for causes of saints in Rome. The exhumation will also reveal whether Toussaint s body is in a pre served state but Sarno said that is extremely rare and a minor  the other pieces of evidence Are major and important he said. To reach sainthood Toussaint Mustbe beatified the stage when a candidate is called blessed. That requires proof that he lived a life of heroic virtue and was involved in a Miracle. Sarno said the Church is investigating several possible miracles. Two miracles arc needed for canonization. Since there Are no witnesses left to testify whether Toussaint lived a life of he Roic virtue Sarno said the Church must rely on Toussaint s letters and diaries. Toussaint moved to new York Cit from Haiti after the French revolution with John Berard do Python his owner in 1787. Toussaint was a Hairdresser s apprentice and do Python allowed him to keep some of the Money he earned. Do Python returned to Haiti and died leaving his family in dire Straits. As his popularity As a Hairdresser grew Tous Saint secretly used his earnings to sup port the family for 20 years. Do Python Swidow later freed him. He would put on the uniform of Valet and serve the people while he was footing the Bill for the dinner o con Nell said. That takes a lot of  Toussaint bought the Freedom of an other slave Juliette Noe and married her in 1811. O Connell said Toussaint raise Money to help neglected children and build orphanages and churches. When yellow fever killed hundreds he nursed people Back to health or helped them die in dignity. St. Peter s is also where Eliz Bethanne Seton the first american born Saint converted to catholicism in 1805. O Connell said the congregation Hope Toussaint will be the second Saint the Parish can claim. Cardinal John o Connor began the canonization process in december. Red Cross restructures blood Banks Washington a red Cross blood services Are under a new centralize National management to Correct problems with the Way blood Bank accidents and errors arc reported and reviewed. The red Cross said it has scrapped it system of local control for blood services in 54 regions which Supply More than half the hospitals in the United states. Under the new system each regional pro Gram is run by an officer appointed by the National Headquarters and the officers will report to a new senior vice president whose Only responsibility will be the group s $500 million blood Bank program the a. Lion s largest. The red Cross also announced major expansions at its National Headquarters. The staff responsible for evaluating the local blood programs and following up on their Accident and error reports will double from eight to 16. And the unit that makes sure the red Cross complies with Federal regulations will nearly triple from five people to 14. The changes symbolize a recommitment to our goal of ensuring that the american people can count on a blood Supply that is Safe and adequate to meet their needs Redcross chairman George f. Moody said. The restructuring arose from searing self examination As Welt As months of scrutiny by the news Media and the food an drug administration he said. Moody said the new centralized Structure became necessary because of the increasing complexity of the blood services business inthe past few years. He cited new tests for hepatitis and the aids virus As major fac tors. Stephen Richards named Friday As executive vice president of the red Cross acknowledged procedural and record keeping problems. But he added we have not seen any evidence of contaminated blood being transfused into a patient As a result of those problems. Brad Stone an Fra spokesman said the Agency is encouraged by the red Cross latest moves particularly the trend to centralize operations. We feel that the Steps they be out lined today Are a very significant move ment toward. Improving the Overall Efficacy and safety of their system Stone said Friday. He said Many of the past deficiencies noted by the Fra have been in part due to problems with standardized procedures and communications Between the National office and various  one Fra inspector Mary Garden told a congressional hearing last month that the National Headquarters some times took months to review reports of aids cases linked to transfusions oxblood collected by red Cross centers. Garden also said the headquarter staff had violated Fra regulations at times by failing to file reports when do nors tested positive for hepatitis or were at risk for contracting the aids virus. Electrician blamed for fatal fire gets prison term new Haven. Conn. A an electrician whose faulty work caused a House fire in which a 12-year-old boy died was sentenced to five years in prison. National Trade groups said the ease marked the first time an electrician was found criminally liable Formwork that caused a fatal fire. The judge also called it a unique Case. Richard e. Sal 49, was convicted in june of Sec Ond degree manslaughter in the death of Burton Gor Man ill who died of smoke inhalation in a 1988 House fire in East Haven. In passing sentence Friday Superior court judge Joseph t. Gormley or. Said he found disturbing Sal unwillingness to accept any blame for the fire. He also ordered Sal to serve five years probation after his prison term. Defense attorney James Ullian said that at most Sal was guilty of Sloppy workmanship. He said the verdict would be appealed. Investigators said Salz s faulty installation of a heat ing unit in the basement of the Home of Burton h. And Louise Gorman the victim s grandparents caused the fire. Prosecutor Michael Dearington said Sal did no simply make a mistake but was guilty of flagrant reprehensible egregious  the fire was linked to a baseboard heating unit Sal had installed in the basement. Sal connected the 120-Volt heating us t to a 240 Volt circuit Box causing it to overheat and the Wall panelling to ignite. He also failed to attach a nut that would have tripped the circuit breaker when the Heater Short circuited prosecutors said. Salz committed numerous other electrical code Vio lations such As ignoring the manufacturer s instructions Tor installing the Heater and failing to get a per Mit Tor the Job they said. Despite the criminal charge against him the stat electrical work examining Board this Spring gave Salz a Journeyman s electrician s License which require that his work be supervised. His contractor s License which allows an electrician to work without supervision was revoked in july 1989. Ullman said Sal has been unable to get a Job As a electrician but has been working As a plumber