European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 19, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a a the stars and stripes wednesday december 19, 1990 space Fli hoax or sweepstakes Houston apr the official soviet news Agency said tuesday a Telephone sweepstakes offering an american a Chance to travel to the soviet space station was a hoax. But the president of the american company promoting the offer said the Tass report referring to the sweepstakes As a a cosmic canard was a misunderstanding. A we basically have our contract in hand so we know that Wco re basically straight its just a matter of us finding out what a going on behind the scenes in the soviet Union to find out where the confusion lies Quot said Daviu Mayer of space travel services Gla Kosmos the soviet equivalent of Nasa said it did not know anything about the project soviet officials told Tass. Vladimir Zenkin Deputy commercial manager at the Enervia Agency said there were no deals to allow an american to spend a week on the space station Mir in 1992 or 1993, Tass referred to the sweepstakes As a  space travel services offered callers to a 900 number a Chance to win six months training a trip aboard a soviet rocket and a week on the space station Mir. Entrants paid $2.99 a Call. No Cost entries can be sent Hygail. Thousands of Calls monday the first Day the line was open overloaded the circuits. T Lic line was working again Early tuesday. 1 a space travel services corp. Has a Legal contract with no Enervia for a trip to the Mir space station aboard a soyuz vehicle a spokesman George Nelson  . Passes making makers Washington a the District of Columbia has approved the most far reaching gun control Bill in the nation a measure to make manufacturers and dealers liable for deaths and injuries caused by semiautomatic weapons. Quot mayor Marion Barryjr. Said tuesday lie has signed the Bill which cannot become Law until reviewed by Congress. Related Story next Page a i think we have to take All measures to try to get the guns off the streets of America a Barry said on a tag tvs Fox morning news. A the manufacturer has to begin to take some of the weight. We done to need those guns on the  / a. Barry said everybody who touches guns used in homicides should be held liable. The measure which was approved by the City Council last week would give private citizens the right to sue for damages from manufacturers and Sellers of semiautomatic weapons regardless of where the makers and dealers do business. / v Quot its time for these merchants of death to pay a Price a said Council member William Lightfoot who cosponsored the Bill a we can set a very meaningful precedent a a a1/ Quot officials in Washington which has the nations High contracts Are involved. One Between space travel and space Commerce corp. Of Houston and a second Between space Commerce and no Enervia of Moscow a Mayer said the Tass report was a obviously just a mis understanding and i Don t think it will be that difficult t6 Clear  the Winner to be selected in a drawing in december 1991, was to get the trip plus $500,000 in Cash or could forgo the trip and take $1.5 million a your Long term business strategy is to arrange for space travel opportunities for anyone who wishes to go into space a said James Davidson senior vice president of space travel services. Quot to introduce this service and our company to the general Public we be arranged for a Little sweepstakes. The trip to the Mir space station is the ultimate Advent  Davidson said the company has signed a contract with soviet officials but refused to disclose the terms. Mayer said the company would pay More than the $12 million paid the soviet by the Tokyo broadcasting service for a japanese reporters recent ride. 1 Sergei Zagorodny a spokesman for the International department of Gla Kosmos said he was unable to confirm the Deal. A a a i know nothing about this lottery a he said a but the soviets arc ready for commercial talks on launching any Man into the Mir station. The Only question is whether the Winner is physically fit for the  Cost homicide rate say that since january 1988 about 70 percent of the 8,500 guns recovered by police have been traced to dealers in neighbouring Maryland and Virginia. There is sure to be Strong opposition from the National Rifle association when the Bill arrives in con Gress for a 30-Day review period that begins when Congress returns to legislative business Jan. 23. Congress normally jets new City Laws stand but controversial measures sometimes become platforms for ideological debate and Are Defeated. A lobbyist for the or a Carl t. Rowan jr., called the Bill Quot frivolous and said it would a not have any Impact on Quot he violence. I done to think it stands a Chance in  the in a was instrumental earlier this year in the defeat of three congressional proposals to ban semiautomatic weapons. / Michael Beard president of the coalition to Stop gun violence said he believes the Bill would survive a court Challenge although no real precedent exists. A top aide to rep. Ron Dellums a Calif chairman of the House District of Columbia committee said Del Luis would support the measure. But the office of rep. Dana Rohrabacher r-calif., who also is on the committee said letting such a Law stand would be  a a Washington a the interstate Commerce. Commission voted unanimously tuesday to ban smoking on All regularly scheduled interstate bus service in the United states. Charter bus companies were Given the option of allowing passengers to smoke if the riders on the bus agree it should be allowed. The ban will take effect soon after the commission issues its decision in writing expected within the next few weeks. Lawyers for the commission said the change was supported by a wide variety of groups but was opposed by the tobacco Industry. Quot the lawyers said that smoking Lias been proved to be harmful to health and that tobacco smoke cannot be adequately ventilated from buses. The commission began its consideration of a smoking ban last March at the request of the american bus association and United bus owners of America the National Trade associations for the intercity bus business in april action on smoking and health an antismoking association filed a similar request but asked that it be imposed on All buses including Charters. The panels no smoking Rule affects passengers served by about 300 bus companies that cover interstate routes Ash has contended that bus passengers Are entitled to the same Protection from tobacco smoke As riders on planes and trains. It noted that Amtrak recently banned smoking in the last four rows of its super liner lounge cars and in most of its train stations. But trains still have smoking cars. Smoking is now banned on almost All Domestic airline flights except for flights to Alaska and Hawaii which each last More than six hours. Overseas flights Are not affected. Zachariah Toungate 8, and his Moth cart september discuss their Case against the school dress code in Bastrop Texas. Pony aimed student not Bastrop Texas up a the lawyer for a third grader who spends his school Days in isolation for refusing to Cut his Ponytail said tuesday that he Hopes an appeals court will strike Down the dress code As Early As  for the Bastrop county school Board asked a state judge tuesday to dismiss a lawsuit filed by the Mother of Zachariah Toungate 8. Charles Beall the lawyer for the Toungate described tuesdays hearing As a strictly procedural and said it would not affect his Appeal to the 3rd state court of appeals in Austin. A i believe they the appeals court will look at it pretty quickly a Beall said. On nov. 9, Bastrop county state District judge Harold towns Lee upheld the school districts dress code saying courts cannot interfere with local decisions. Quot Quot school Board lawyers have sought to thwart the Tonga test lawsuit on the grounds that the child smother september Toungate has no standing to file suit and that the complaint was improperly drawn. A a ��.,� Quot the child Scase began in late september when he was sent Home for haying a 7-Inch Ponytail a style that was allowed under last years dress code. A a a a. A a on oct. 5, Zach a As he is called a was required to Start doing his studies at Mina elementary school in a 12-by-15-foot windowless room a an arrangement called a an alternative education setting by school officials Zach eats by himself and for $35 a Day the school Calls in substitute teachers for him he has no physical education music or choir classes although the arrangement is a wearing Quot on the boy Beall said a a he a hanging in there largely because of the a tremendous outpouring of support from All Over the  a Beall said Zach recently received a card from eight marines assigned to operation desert shield in saudi Arabia. A they said a we can to believe we re Over Here fighting for Freedom and democracy and they re doing that to people Back in our country a a Beall said. Quot Zach a Story has been in time and people magazines and on lbs news can television talk shows and dozens of radio programs from Texas to Canada. But school officials in the town of 4,800 about 25 Miles East of Austin say the Media attention will not Force them to change the dress code in the Middle of a school year. _ a this is not a major Issue a said Ray Long school Board vice president. Quot a its hair he can grow Back. Its no big