European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 5, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday november 5, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 7 reservist who skipped Gulf duty is arrested Indianapolis up a a woman army reservist was jailed saturday at fort Benjamin Harrison on military charges of not reporting for duty with her Reserve unit which had been ordered to saudi Arabia. Stephanie Atkinson 23, of Murphysboro 111., was arrested Friday at her Home on a military desertion warrant a sheriffs news release said. She was taken to fort Benjamin Harrison to await action by a military court. Atkinson was nearing the end of her military obligation As a reservist when her Fairfield 111., unit was called up for Active duty. The 300th adjutant general postal co. Was ordered to report to fort Benjamin Harrison for training before being shipped out to the persian Gulf on oct. 23 As part of operation desert shield. Rather than show up As ordered Atkinson attended a peace rally in new York and has told reporters she is a a conscientious  she has said she did not want to take part in the Bush administrations mobilization on behalf of saudi Arabia and Kuwait. A thousands of Young people will die a Atkinson said in a recent interview. A i think its purely for economic reasons. We want cheap Oil. A i find it hard to believe a majority of the american split on the ques people support this a she said. Atkinsons divorced parents Are spa. Tion. Her father has said he opposes her  Mother supports it. Atkinson said she contacted a lawyer in Boston to help her formally declare her objector status and has been working with her Boyfriend on writing to accompany her request for objector status. She said she stopped driving for fear an arrest on a minor traffic violation would trigger being jailed for desertion. There was no one available at the army base saturday to comment on the reason for the decision to Issue the desertion warrant. Juk or. Passes . Bar exam on his 3rd try from wire reports new York a the third time was the Charm for John f. Kennedy jr., who passed the new York state bar exam after two highly publicized failures a newspaper reported saturday. A the hunk finally does it a trumpeted the new  front Page. One National Magazine has named Kennedy one of the sexiest men in the world. If Kennedy had failed on this try he would have been out As a prosecutor in the office of Manhattan District attorney Robert Morgenthau who allows his assistants Only three shots at the test. The state Board of Law examiners has not officially confirmed Kennedy a Success but the Post said official word about the test will come from the state this week. It quoted informed sources it did not identify. The son of slain president Kennedy also took the Connecticut bar exam and Learned Friday he had passed it but passing that test would not have allowed Kennedy to practice Law in new York and thus save his Job. Kennedy 29, who graduated from new York University Law school in 1989, earns $30,000 a year As a prosecutor. He could not be reached for comment. A spokesman for Morgenthau said the District attorney does not allow his assistants to speak to the press. Once the state appellate division formally admits Kennedy to the bar he will get a $1,000 raise. Connecticut officials said they did not know Why Kennedy took the Connecticut exam or if he planned to practice Law in the state. Kennedy has been assigned to a unit that focuses on White Collar crime Low level political corruption and other felonies and was part of a three member team of prosecutors who investigated illegal wiring of drug Money from storefronts in Manhattan to the dominican Republic. His Cousin Robert f. Kennedy jr., failed the bar exam in 1982 and resigned As an assistant District attorney amid charges of drug abuse but entered a drug treatment program received a suspended sentence and probation and was admitted to the bar in 1985. Kennedy a sister Caroline Kennedy Schlossberg 32, passed the bar exam on her first try three years ago. She is the Mother of two Small children and is not currently practising . Town still in Shock from 1985 flood Parsons . Apr Darwin and Phyllis Michael thought they were Safe even when 10 inches of rain fell in the mountains near their Home five years ago. Their House was 27 feet above and 600 feet away from the South Branch River. But their Home was demolished when the South Branch and several other Rivers in Eastern West Virginia overflowed their Banks on nov. 4, 1985. The record breaking floods killed 47 people and caused $570 million in damage. The Michaels knew they were in trouble when the water began gushing into the second floor bedroom of their Home in Petersburg 60 Miles East of Parsons. They wound up Riding their attic like a raft and spent the night clinging to the limbs of a Walnut tree. At Dawn the next Day they found themselves 200 Yards from what used to be their Home. There was nothing left. The bricks were gone. The cinder Block foundation was gone. The Concrete slab the House sat on was gone. It even pulled the footers out of the ground a Darwin Michael said still amazed at the Force of the water. Five years Haven to erased the memory of the flood for area residents. A the flood is still very much on their minds. Its still a topic of discussion every Day a said Ron Castle a Parsons businessman whose television and appliance store was gutted. The flood came after Nightfall with Little warning. The water poured Down the narrow valleys with brutal Force twisting Railroad tracks into corkscrews and scouring Farmland. Trees automobiles buildings and Bridges were washed away. The debris battered Homes and businesses to pieces. More than 3,500 Homes and 180 businesses were destroyed and hundreds of thousands of farm animals were killed. Forty three Bridges were destroyed and 80 were damaged. Areas Economy is still hurting from that flood. Most business owners had no flood insurance and were forced to take out Federal Small business administration disaster Relief Loans. Jane Barb 57, owns a drug store and four rental properties in Parsons and estimates her debt at More than $200,000.the sea owns me lock Stock and barrel a Barb said. A i will never live to get out of debt. Everything i have is mortgaged to the  nevertheless she a among the Success stories. Remains of a Brick building and smashed pickup truck testify to devastation resulting from the 1985 flood. Marywin Mcclain Smith editor of the weekly newspaper the Parsons advocate save just 13 of 96 businesses m the Parsons area escaped damage in the flood. Since then 18 businesses in town either failed to reopen after the flood or opened Only to close again. Among the casualties were the Only two downtown department stores. George Smith Marywin a husband said at least two other businesses Are in trouble because of the flood and disaster Relief Loans a made More with the heart than with the  the Michaels used their life savings and some Volunteer help to build a new House. But this time they Are building on a Hill 700 feet above the River and a mile and a half away from it. The Michaels Are still working on their House. A people will be working for 10 years a said Tucker county clerk Nina Buchanan. Buchanan said she was still working on her own Home in Parsons. Work also continues on Public buildings and Otic structures damaged by the flooding. Steve Simpson state Public assistance officer for that office of emergency services says the Federal Emer gency management Agency has provided $62 million to it rebuild roads Bridges water plants and sewer systems about $16 million in work remains to be done. While the rebuilding continues Many flood survivor also must Cope with the fear that floods May Conn again. Many report being drawn to the Riverside during heavy Rains As if standing there will hold the water in it Banks. A i do it myself a said Frank Brown director of the Potomac Highlands Guild mental health Center in Petersburg. A i done to mind a hard rain. But by the second Day i Start looking. People Are very Touchy about