European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 12 a a a the stars and stripes to i \ of to put pfc if a a if it l lo/1. In. Svia thursday january 17,1991 a i. De a owner trying to save Genie in Vermont. From press dispatches James Mcgrath believes there is a much larger Issue at stake than the 19-foot-High, 10-ton Genic that sits outside his carpet store to Mcgrath owner of the upper room design Center in the Western Vermont town of new Haven the Battle with local officials Over the future of the Genie is about his civil rights. A this Isnit about a Genie a he said. A a its about Freedom of expression. Ill pursue this to the . Supreme court with every Nickel i have if that a what it  a a a a. A a. A a a the Genie joins a veritable zoo of sculpture along Vermont roadsides a Gorilla holding a car a Squirrel in red suspenders a horse and a rooster to cite a few. All the sculptures adorn business establishments in a state that outlawed billboards in 1968. Vermont Law prohibits All off premise signs and any on premise signs larger than 150 Square feet. New Haven population 1,200, citing local zoning ordinances has ordered Mcgrath to take Down the statue a a a a. A / a a a a a Quot a a a a a Quot to he town argues that it Falls under the definition of a Structure and that structures require permits something Mcgrath does not have. Mcgrath argues that his statue is a work of Art and hence exempt from the ordinances. A lord their definition of Structure  Broad that a pair of boots sitting on the front Lawn would be a Structure a he said. A this is a hand sculpted statue not a Structure.�?�. V David Ross chairman of the new Haven zoning Hoard of adjustment disagreed. A the Issue Here is that he built a 19-foot, 20,000-Pound, steel reinforced Concrete Structure without a permit and you can to do  the giant Genie emerges Aladdin like from a Teapot base. The lower part of the Genie is swathed in smoke and he is holding a carpet Over his head. On oct. 10, the zoning administrator notified Mcgrath that his statue was in violation of the town regulations he appealed the decision. On Jan. 3, the zoning Board of adjustment met and upheld the administrators decision ruling unanimously that the Genie was a Structure without a permit and also that it was 10 feet too close to the Road. This time Mcgrath has vowed to take the matter to the Vermont Superior court which hears All civil cases in the state. The issues still in the wings Are whether the Genie can be considered a sign and if so whether it would violate the local formula that determines the permissible size of signs in commercial Industrial  hot air balloon ride a British tycoon and his swedish Copilot were Well on their Way to becoming the first men to Cross the Pacific Ocean in a hot air balloon wednesday spokesmen for the project said. Richard Branson and per Lindstrand had safety hitched a ride on a Jet Stream at about 31,400 feet and were being propelled eastward by winds raging nearly 186 Mph said spokesman Hideki Beppu. About seven hours after liftoff the balloon was 795 Miles East Southeast of its launch site at Miyako Ojo japans v a j a a a /. A Quot. / Beppu speaking from Miyako Ojo by Telephone said that with the help of the Jet Stream the two adventurers had already set a Speed record for hot air bal looping a 180.9 Mph. The previous record was 162 Mph he said. A a the balloon a the largest Ever built a must cover roughly 6,200 Miles More than twice the distance record of 3,075 Miles Branson and Lindstrand set three years ago when they became the first men to Pilot a hot air Craft across the Atlantic. Miyako Ojo 588 Miles Southwest of Tokyo was chosen As the launch site because it is under the Normal course of the Jet Stream to the United states and a Safe distance from Busy Tokyo airspace. Although no one has Ever crossed the Pacific in a hot air balloon Japan a Rocky Aoki and three Arneri cans made the crossing in a helium balloon in 1981. Reagan s big birthday Bash Ronald Reagan s 80th birthday party feb. 6 will be a memorable one. The Bash will be held at a Beverly Hills calif., hotel and Margaret Thatcher former British prime minister Liza Minnelli Merv Griffin and country Singer Lee Greenwood Are among those confirmed to attend. The party was set up to raise Money for Reagan a presidential Library. A table for 10 is going for up to $25,000. In the Moolood Mark Purdey of Elworthy England some 150 mites West of London believes that playing music to his Herd of 70 Jersey cows results in More Wiiki Quot cows like music and it increases their milk production Quot he said before playing his saxophone. Mandrell hospitalized country Star Barbara Mandrell has been hospitalized in Nashville tenn., with pneumonia after returning Home from a family ski vacation. Mandrell was in satisfactory condition tuesday at Baptist Hospital said spokeswoman Aileen Catcher. The Singer was hospitalized saturday when she returned Home from Aspen colo., with her husband and three children said publicist Jeannie Ghent. Mandrel is expected to have an extended Hospital stay Ghent said.2 live Crew wins a round a the rap group 2 live Crew did no to violate copyright Laws with their Takeoff of Roy Orbison shit a pretty woman a a Federal judge has ruled. Thomas a. Wiseman a . District judge in Nashville tenn., ruled monday in favor of the rap group in a lawsuit brought by Acuff Rose music inc. Over a song similar to Orbison a 1964  scout governor add another item to new York gov. Mario Cuomo a credentials girl scout. Cuomo was presented with a girl scout membership pin tuesday in a state Capitol ceremony in Albany to announce state Energy saving programs. A do i have to sell cookies Quot Cuomo asked. A the governor said he has paid for a at least 1,000 boxes of girl scout cookies from his three daughters who Are now grown. A in my heart in a a girl scout a he  dear Abby in this mornings paper i read another tragic Story about a 10-year-old boy who discovered a gun hidden in his House. While examining it he accidentally shot himself in the neck severing his spine and now he a permanently paralysed from the Waist Down. Recently my husband and i decided to buy a gun for our own Protection but first we accompanied a Friend who is skilled with guns to a shooting Range so we could learn How to handle a gun. Our attitude about guns quickly changed from total ignorance to great respect Tor the immense Power of destruction a gun holds. A suggestion to All parents children need to learn respect for guns. Just because you done town a gun does no to mean that your child will never encounter one. Dear Abby first buy proper ear Protection a mus then take someone who has had experience with firearms and go to a Safe shooting Range some Are better supervised and therefore safer than others and instruct your child on the proper Way to hold and shoot a gun. We decided that the potential dangers of keeping a gun in our Home far outweighed the benefits so wre will not be purchasing a gun. We have no children yet but when we do they will learn very Early How powerful and dangerous guns Are whether we own one or not. W Kirsten in Houston dear Kirsten How Wise you Are. Children see guns in action on to in the movies and in their comic books so they need to learn that guns Are not toys they Are dangerous weapons that have the Power to maim and kill people. Anyone who is interested in learning a or teaching a gun safety to children should Call his local police department and inquire about classes that teach gun safety to children and adults. Be assured dear readers Pam not promoting the Sale or use of guns i am promoting safety in a country where 250 children accidentally killed themselves a sibling or a playmate last year. Dear Abby Here a another a i saw Lindbergh land in Paris Story a in 1927, we were three Young women Sisters living in Paris with our Mother. We were at a cocktail party when our Friend a1 Laney who was the sports editor at the Paris Herald Tribune telephoned to say a get out to Lebourget some crazy7 american has just flow Solo across the Atlantic a luckily Mother had a car and Driver so w e were Able to get there in time to see Lindbergh land we Are now grandmothers living in Minneapolis. Margaret Bell Sprague Andrea Bell Autenreith Ruth Bell Osgood