European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 6, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a the stars and stripes tuesday november 6,1990 desert song up singers Amy Grant and Garth Brooks announce the formation of operation desert song at a recent news conference in Nashville Tenn. The operation was organized to boost morale of . Sol Dicks in the Middle East by distributing audio tapes donated by Christian and country music record labels. Dinkins denies report he backdated evidence new York a mayor David Dinkins office disputed a report that fed Cral prosecutors have evidence indicating he used a backdated letter to prove he did not evade taxes on a Stock Transfer. Spokesman Albert Scardino called the Story in sundays new York new Day Quot shameful and dishonest journalism based on Quot unfounded allegations Quot and the mayors attorney Charles Stillman insisted the letter is legitimate. The letter became an Issue during the mayoral Campaign last year when Republican Rudolph Giuliani questioned whether Dinkins had paid appropriate Federal gift taxes on the Transfer of Stock in a Cable to company to his son. In 1986, Dinkins said he transferred 588 shares of the Stock to David Dinkinsjr. At no Cost. After Giuliani a accusation Dinkins said he had sold the Stock to his son for $58,000 and thus Wasny to subject to gift tax. He released copies of a Handwritten a notarized Quot dear dad Quot letter from his son a dated oct. 30, 1985 a As proof of the Sale. Nasa downplays cocaine As isolated incident the fact that Dinkins had once valued the Stock at $1 million and that he failed to pay taxes for four years 20 years ago added to the controversy. A Federal investigation of the Stock Transfer ended in july with no criminal charges but a City probe continues. New Day citing an unidentified source close to the Federal grand jury that investigated the matter reported sunday that an imprint of a phone number on the letter suggests it was written in 1988 or 1989. Investigators though could not prove it conclusively the source said. The number is that of a Media related company that the younger Dinkins would have had Little reason to Contact in 1985, when he worked As a producer for lbs sports the newspaper said. Dinkins son is now an Independent to producer and would have had reason to dial the number in 1988 or 1989, it said. . Attorney Andrew Maloney in a confidential report summarizing his findings for a special City investigator in july Sard he found Quot substantial evidence the letter was not written when dated new Day said. Cape canaveral Fla. Up a a Small amount of cocaine found in a space shuttle hangar Likely belonged to an individual and does not indicate a widespread drug problem at the Kennedy space Center a top Nasa official said monday. Forrest Mccartney director of the Kennedy space Center told reporters there is no evidence drugs were involved in any of a number of embarrassing mishaps and accidents at the spaceport earlier this year. Quot its been suggested perhaps that could have been involved in some of the incidents we be had a Mccartney said. A we have not found that and in analysing each one of those instances we have not found a common thread that would cause you to think that. A i done to see any evidence whatsoever that links drugs to the incidents or accidents that we be had a he said. In the meantime engineers at launch pads 39a and 39b Are pressing on with plans to launch the shuttle Atlantis around nov. 16 and its sister ship Columbia just two weeks later around nov. 30. Atlantis had been scheduled for Takeoff Friday night but problems with the ships secret spy satellite payload forced air Force Mission managers to order a delay. While Mccartney would not discuss the Progress of work to repair the payload he said the space plane should be ready for launch next week. A the 16th, give or take a Day or so is the Best guess now. That a a reasonable planning time a he said. A a in a not speaking for the department of defense. But if you were to ask me what a a Good planning Date now. I think the Middle of the month is reasonable to  As for Columbia an internal Nasa Rule Calls for three weeks Between shuttle missions so data from one flight can be studied before launching the next. Mccartney said Agency managers Are studying ways to reduce the time needed for a Post flight assessment of Atlantis a Mission in order to launch Columbia around the end of the month. A a we a like very much to Fly Columbi Aget it Down and get it Home before Christmas a he said. A but we re not going to waive any of the looking what we look at Between missions. As for drug use at the space Center a Small packet of cocaine was discovered Friday morning in orbiter processing facility a of a no. 1 where the space shuttle discovery is being serviced after a Mission last month. Mccartney said an Alert individual spotted the drug under a desk in the of and called Security personnel. It was a a very Small amount a Mccartney said and a it was very Clear that it belonged to perhaps an individual rather than some. Big operation. I think when we get Down to it what Well find is that unfortunately some individual has a  the cocaine discovery was the latest in a series of embarrassing incidents at the Kennedy space Center. The most recent Accident involved a 9-foot-Long, 70-Pound beam that fell in the shuttle Atlantis engine room As the ship was being hoisted into the vertical launch position. The beam was part of an Access platform that was accidentally left inside the shuttles engine compartment. Atlantis did not suffer any major damage and Mccartney said drug use at the spaceport did not appear to be a Factor in any of the incidents. Wanted wife for Sale furniture Bloomington ind. A furniture maker Vernon l. Mefford is offering a real Deal and he stalking about More than just 10 percent off on a rocking chair. He a offering a $1,000 Reward to anyone who helps him meet and marry his Ideal woman. A a in a trying a different Way to meet the right person of my dreams a Mefford says a the Standard Way of dating just Hasni to been very successful for me. In be just found it to be a painful and empty  Mefford 44, has been wed twice before and has two grown sons from his first marriage. He said personal problems ended those marriages but they did no to sour him to the idea of trying again. He has printed fliers describing the kind of woman he a looking for a slender woman in her late 20s to Early 40s with a Beautiful smile and Christian values who is intelligent honest and willing to reciprocate his love. On the other Side of the flier is a Price Sheet for his handcrafted swings rockers and end  says a amp a funds paid for prostitutes Dallas up a a former financial officer for defunct Vernon savings amp loan testified monday he was ordered to disguise payments for prostitutes As Christmas Bonus checks written with taxpayer guaranteed funds. A i was told to Call and get eight girls for this party and our girls for that party Quot said Garrison Roth testifying in the fraud trial of former Vernon owner Don Dixon. Quot i remember having to Rush to Cash the checks before the saturday parties and the Banks closed so there would be plenty of Cash to hand out a he testified. Quot everything had to be done in  one Check which Roth identified from a stack of government exhibits was for $2,275 and was used to procure women in december 1983, he said. The Check was marked a Christmas Bonus a a yes there was a Christmas Quot said Roth in answer to defense attempts to ridicule the pretence of the Check a but it was not a Christmas for any Vernon employees. It was Christmas for the girls who came to our  at one party guests a politicians borrowers friends of Dixon a were taken aboard a luxury yacht for a Southern California cruise. Other parties involved trips in antique cars and private jets. Roth said he turned Over a procurement duties to another Vemon associate after he left the organization in late 1985. Defense attorneys tried to shake Roth a recollection of the parties noting he did not remember who attended each one. A a you can to Tell which vice president of Vernon was Here and which was there a said attorney Billy Ravkind. A you know about the girls but you done to know about the  Roth compared his recollection to that of a boxing fan. A you May not remember All the contenders there in the ring a he testified. A but you remember the ring and the fact a fight took place. I remember the girls and the fact there were  Dixon contends the parties were held to woo potential customers and politicians and represented legitimate business expenses. In a 38-count indictment the government said Dixon illegally used Thrift funds for prostitutes and political contributions and to support a lavish life style Dixon a Thrift failed in 1987 at a loss of $1.3 billion. Roth said he remembered paying $300 each for eight girls to accompany a group of Vernon executives on a boat ride for eight hours. A that was in 1983,�?� he testified. A the rates probably have gone up since then a on Cross examination Roth acknowledged that one Check earlier identified As a payout to prostitutes was actually payment for the use of antique cars by Vernon directors. Testimony is expected to continue for at least three weeks with witnesses including a California Madam former borrowers and Vernon executives