European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 20, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes thursday june 20,1991 Plant explosion injures 21 Chino Calif. Up a an explosion ripped through an ammunition Assembly Plant tuesday ripping a Hole in the roof and injuring 21 people one of then critically. Authorities said. The explosion at Aero Jet ordnance occurred about 1 ., Chino Valley fire District spokesman Kurt Mantwill said. There was no  explosion was entered in a machine that is part of a loading and Assembly process for medium Caliper ammunition rounds. Aero Jet spokeswoman Edie Cartwright said. Mantwell said the initial investigation led officials to believe the blast was apparently caused by a malfunction in a loading rack where primers Are installed in cartridges for 25mm artillery rounds. The explosion Tore a 4-by-8-foot Hole in the ceiling of the Plant he said. One of the victims Otilia Belmontes 36, of Ontario was taken by helicopter to the Burn Ward at san Bernardino county Hospital and was in critical condition Mantwill said. Belmontes lost one Arm in the explosion and was rushed into surgery Asje a tors tried to save her remaining Arm Hospital officials said. She suffered Burns and trauma in the  other people were taken by ambit Lance to Chino Community Hospital on Lario Community Hospital and doctor s Hospital of Montclair where they were treated and released. Ten others were treated at the scene and released. Most of the victims complained of ear damage including problems with hearing and. Imbalance caused by the Force of the blast Mantwill said. A. A. The explosion was under investigation by Aero Jet personnel and the state occupational safety and health administration. A a a a a a a a a a a a a there was no immediate estimate of the Dollar loss to the Concrete Block building and its contents he said. The facility employs 150 people Aero jets Cartwright said. Congress i of rampant a drug Washington apr Congress is looking into allocations that Large quantities of addictive drugs from department of veterans affairs pharmacies Are entering illegal drug markets. A we can t let a pharmacies become warehouses for drug dealers a said rep. Lane Evans d-lll., chairman of the House veterans affairs subcommittee on oversight and investigations. Evans said the a is losing Large amounts of addictive drugs to the illegal drug Trade noting cases of theft in Oklahoma. Maryland and Maine. An Fri investigation in Maine found a 10-Ycar history of the tranquil Izer valium Heing stolen from the Augustava Hospital and illegally sold. Evans subcommittee was to meet wednesday to receive the results of a general accounting office study of problems in the vans supervision of its drug supplies. It also called As a witness a former a chief pharmacist convicted last year of stealing drugs from the a medical Center in Oklahoma City. Darrell Dean Bobinet. 46, was sentenced to 21 months in prison and fined 5100,000 last september after pleading guilty to stealing s 100,000 Worth of drugs and Hospital supplies Over a three year period and re we can t let a pharmacies become warehouses for drug  rep. Lane Evans Dell. Selling them for $250,000, he said he stole the drugs to pay for his children s private school and College expenses. Bobinet was in charge of a departmental budget of some $5.5 million. The medical Center said it conducted a routine audit around the time of his resignation last july and found nothing out of the Ordinary. A medical facilities Are stocked witly prescription drugs that May be Worth 100 times their purchased Price on the Street. Critics have claimed that such drugs Are an easy target for thieves because of what they say is the a system s lax Security poor bookkeeping and indifferent bureaucracy. At least $40 billion spent to buy illegal drugs Agency director says Washington apr americans spent some $40 billion to s50 billion on illicit drugs last year the nation s Drun policy chief said wednesday in the government s first Effort to put a Price tag on retail sales of illegal substances. 1 he report estimates a the amount of Money America s users actually took out of their pockets or look out of other people s pockets to Purchase  said Bob Martinez director of the office of National drug control policy. _ a it to u he Martinez gave a Range of s40 billion to $50 billion the report by his Agency was More specific. An aide Alekno lodged the total was a very rough  the study said retail sales of illicit drugs totalled some $40.4 billion last year. Of that $17.5 billion was spent for cocaine. S12-3 billion for heroin. $8,8 billion for marijuana and  billion for other drugs. The total declined from 551-6 billion in 1988 to $49.s Bdl Ion in 19>n before dropping again last year Accord ing to the report done by Abi associates in Cambridge mass., Tor Martinez s Agency. A although we re spending less on the consumption of illegal drugs we still devoted $40 to $50 billion to it in 1090,�?� Martinez said in remarks prepared for a National conference on slate and local drug policy. Quot Fop comparison consider that we spend about $45 billion on the criminal Justice system and about $ i to billion on elementary and secondary  Bruce Carnes the drug offices director of planning budget and administration said the study Analysed data already published by various Federal agencies. A the number is qualified in the report As a very rough estimate and its a Range of numbers a Carnes said a we say that its probably within this amount and that  not Only Are the conclusions rough estimates but the drug policy office said it a cannot be sure of the accuracy of All of the data on which the estimates  goof on verdict form lets suspect off Miami api a a Jueco Haslet stand a verdict that act a to cd armed robbery suspect even though the jury tre it a user voted to convict Shebry Cleare of armed Rehben. Two Aco. But the Foreman checked the wore to a a not Eui Irvy a on the verdict form. Tre  w read in court but Cleare had faced m. E  one count and the jurors did t realize their r.  it ached the courthouse parking lot. Do c to a. Juice Mema h. Green refused monday to a he said jurors the Opportunity to undo their error greens a. J o c. No. Convicted. He would Hoe been sentenced to life in prison As a habitual violent offender. Cleare is still in jail awaiting trial on cocaine Possession and robbery charges. Green complained that two jurors disobeyed her instructions not to talk with reporters about their june 4 verdict. The jurors had criticized the judge and Green said their minds were Quot contaminated by reporters questions. Green also angrily accused the state attorneys office of a a leaking news of the  Media. �?o1 Don t mind telling you this has become a farce a Green said. Her ruling acquitted Cleare of pointing a Cun at a Miami woman in january and stealing her purse and Bracelet. $1 Fine recommended in manslaughter Case from wire reports. Oklahoma City a doctor was found guilty of second degree manslaughter tuesday in the death of his wife who died after fat removal surgery in his office and the jury recommended a Fine of $ i. ,. ,. C or. Joe Bills Reynolds was charged in the sept. 7,1989, death of Sharon Reynolds. The jury returned its verdict tuesday after Clib crating much of the Day and two hours monday. Some jurors including Foreman Stanley Purton jr., called the verdict a Compromise he said the jury had been deadlocked at 10-2 in favor of acquittal. A some of us did no to feel an acquittal would have been proper a furton said. During dosing arguments prosecutors said Rey holds acted with reckless disregard while performing the surgery. The defense called the Case exaggerated speculation. A a actress Caulfield Dies los Angeles a actress Joan Caulfield who Avon acclaim on Broadway before moving to movies and television died of cancer tuesday. Caulfield 69, was admitted to Cedars Sinai medical Center on june 3 with advanced cancer and died at 5  Tuesday a Hospital spokesman said. She starred in More than 20 films mostly musicals but also in the Rains of Ranchi Pur with Richard Burton and Lana Turner in 1955. Caulfield starred in two television programs the Short lived Sutow and my favorite a husband which was on the air for two years. She also appeared on murder she wrote. Bill would protect umps Sacramento Calif. A Bill approved by the California Assembly would make umpires safer from players who take a swung at them. A the Bill which was sent to the Senate without debate tuesday on a 74-0 vote would double to oneyear the maximum jail term for striking officials at a Scholastic College or other athletic contest Amateur or pro. ,. Its sponsor rep. Tom Hannigan said the Bill was prompted by a reported increase in such at a tacks. A a. A a _ _ a. A "1 probably would enjoy that additional Protection a said Martin Tanihana an Umpire in the Sacramento City leagues. Hitting a sports official is now considered Battery punishable by up to six months in jail and a. $2,000 Fine. Jail escape plan foiled san Marcos Texas a three inmates had More than Oral Hygiene in mind when they purchased hundreds of Yards of dental floss  jail store. The three pleaded guilty to attempted escape tuesday for using the floss to make a ladder. Quot it was ingenious a said . Attorney Gerald Carruth. Quot they made the rope out of dental floss and used cardboard Salt and Pepper containers for stirrups on the  Arthur Harris Stier Ian James holds and David Gregory Surasky used smuggled Hacksaw Blades to saw through two panes in a window at the i lays county jail. Guards however spotted the missing panes and a search revealed the dental floss ladder which included strips from a mattress cover Carruth said. Quot that dental floss is Strong a the prosecutor said. A when its braided its like