European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 28, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday August 28, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 5 hairline cracks in f-16s by the los Angeles times san Diego a structural cracks in the f-16n Falcon aircraft used to train Navy aviators have forced the cancellation of the current class at the famed top gun fighter Pilot school officials said monday. Pilots attending the school at Nas Miramar 10 Miles North of san Diego Fly the f-16s in simulated Battle against soviet combat aircraft. A they can to do it the training without the f-16s. Right now they re trying to look at some alternatives to use As adversarial trainers a said cmdr. Mark Van Dyke a Navy spokesman in Washington. Officials said they plan to inspect All of the Navy a 26 f-16s. Similar cracks have also been found in Many of the 1,800 f-16s flown by air Force pilots. But capt. Betsy Freeman an air Force spokeswoman in Washington said that the air Force does not consider the cracks a safety risk and has instituted a strict maintenance program instead of grounding the  top some of the planes were flown by the air Force during the persian Gulf War and performed without problems officials said. A Navy Pilot at top gun said the cracks cannot be seen with the naked Eye but Are located in critical Bulkhead areas that undergo tremendous stress during flight. The Pilot who requested anonymity said that the cracks were first discovered about eight months ago and have been found in 13 of the 14 f-16s used a gun pilots the school. The cancellation is a first at top gun where pilots chosen to attend the six week course a known officially As fighter weapons school a consider it a highlight of their Navy careers. Navy officials said monday that they were Uncertain whether the 20 pilots in the cancelled class would have another Opportunity to attend top gun. The next class is scheduled to begin in october but officials were Uncertain whether it will proceed on  researchers tackle a prickly project University of Massachusetts graduate student Molly Hale weighs a captured male Porcupine monday. Amherst mass. Apr How do you put a radio Collar on a Porcupine a very carefully a said Todd Fuller a University of Massachusetts professor of wildlife management who is using the devices to learn More about the habits of the quilted rodents. A the Porcupine was picked for study because it is considered a Good indicator of How other Forest animals Are doing and How healthy the Forest is. A and one of the Best things about them is they Are easy to study because they done to move far and can be easily caught arid re caught a Fuller said. Well at least in theory. It took two graduate students wearing thick Barbecue gloves the better part of the summer to refine their Porcupine bagging techniques. Along with a few scars Molly Hale and Sara Grei Semer now have about two dozen porcupines broadcasting their whereabouts around qua bin Reservoir. A we have been quilted quite a few times but nothing serious like a whack from the Tail a said Hale. A the quills relax when they the porcupines Are anaesthetized so they Are fairly easy to work with. But there were one or two that got too Small a dose. A you just have to yank them out As quickly As you can a she said of the barbs. A it does Hurt but if you done to do it quickly they work in deeper. And then its  initially Fuller hoped the porcupines would Waddle into Box traps baited with apples. Some did. Others were trapped in stick corrals the students set up under Trees. But the students have had to follow some reluctant research subjects up Trees. A we have a joke about them taking disappearing pills a Hale said. A you will know they Are in a certain tree and yet when you look up you can to find them. Despite their poor eyesight they Are Able to sense where you Are and scrunch around to just the right Angle where they can to be  once a Porcupine is in hand the researchers flip it on its Back to expose the unprotected underside and Tranquiline it with a shot in the meaty part of a Back leg Fuller said. The Collar goes on just behind the he quills of the head. A they have More neck than you would think said. A a it a just that when they Are frightened they Hunch their shoulders and pull in their head so they look like big round  the researchers eventually Hope to follow about 50 porcupines for at least two years to learn about their mating and feeding practices. Students will use the radio signal to find Trie porcupines in the Woods and observe them. The thorny subjects display a lot of individuality Hale said. A some Are quite docile a she said. A others Are pretty feisty and bang around in the  the Porcupine lives seven or eight years and has few natural enemies. Museum skeletons suggest that one of its prime perils could be falling out of Trees Fuller said. Fuller bristled at suggestions that the Porcupine is not the brightest of beasts. A they Are slow moving and people relate slow to Slu pid a he said. A but they have no reason to move fast and they do live a Long time so they can to be All that dumb.�?�. The stars and stripes10 years ago aug. 28,1981 a the United states requested a meeting with the North korean government to protest a violation of the 1953 armistice agreement after a missile was fired at a High flying . Spy plane in South korean or International airspace.20 years ago tapes detail mom s plot to have daughter become a cheerleader aug. 28,1971 a West German defense minister Helmut Schmidt said he believes a . Military presence in Europe will remain essential even if agreement is reached on an East West reduction of forces.30 years ago aug. 28,1961 a East German communist forces pulled their armoured vehicles and weapons Back from the dynamite Laden Border they erected in Berlin and posted guards carrying Only pistols to hold their new position. 40years ago aug. 28,1951 a president Truman urged striking Copper workers to return to their jobs. The Industry was paralysed when 58,000 Union members walked out and an additional 42,000 workers were idled. Houston up a jurors in the trial of a Mother accused of plotting a murder for hire to help her daughter become a cheerleader listened tuesday to tape recordings in which the woman repeatedly vowed her seriousness. The secretly recorded tapes outline a series of conversations Between Wanda Webb Holloway and Terry Harper her former brother in Law whom she allegedly contacted to help her hire a killer. Holloway is accused of solicitation of capital murder and attempted kidnapping in the alleged plot against Verna Heath. Prosecutors claim Holloway believed if Heath were killed Heath s daughter Amber would drop out of cheer leading Competition at a Channelview school Clearing the Way for Holloway a daughter Shanna to make the squad. In the tapes which were sprinkled with laughter Holloway and Harper discussed the logistics of the plot. The two frequently spoke at the same time and Holloway a voice often was dominated by harpers. Jurors were Given transcripts of the tapes to follow while the tapes were played but they will not be allowed to review the transcripts during deliberation judge George Godwin said. Holloway opened one meeting with Harper by discussing the upcoming cheerleader Competition. A this is a critical year. If she Shanna does no to make it As cheerleader this year she ainu to Gonna make it. Her ego can to take it anymore a Holloway told Harper upon their first meeting in a fast food restaurant parking lot. A i can to believe we re talking about this a Holloway said. A i done to know what i  Harper replied a Marc you wanting them dead or injured or disabled maimed or just disappeared a laughter is heard in response to harpers question and at one Point Holloway talks about the possibility of just having amberts legs broken. Holloway gave Harper a slip of paper on which he could list details such As heaths address and the Type of car she drove. Holloway refused to write the information and also said she had no interest in meeting the Hitman. A a in be been talking about this for two years a she said. A the girls the problem a maybe a car wreck where they both got it an explosion when they were travelling at night or something. Then it  look so  the tapes involve meetings and phone conversations throughout january. Harper repeatedly asked Holloway if she was serious and told her the Hitman was waiting on her decision. A i would like it done. Whether or not i can afford it i done to know a Holloway said. A a in a serious about  the two also discussed various things that could happen to Heath including having her kidnapped taken out of the country and sold into White slavery. Throughout the conversations Holloway expressed doubts about her ability to raise $7,500 to have both Heath and her daughter killed. Harper suggested targeting Only Heath at a Price of $2,500. A i wonder How that would affect the kid a Holloway said. Harper responded a definitely she would be  a wok lets say the Mother a Holloway said. She eventually agreed to give Harper a pair of Diamond earrings for the Hitman to hold until Holloway could give him the Cash at the end of february. A i have got something that might work for temporary purposes but the rest of it wont be Here until february. If you All done to want to wait that a Fine a Holloway said. Harper later told Holloway he had worked out a Deal in which the earrings would be accepted As Down payment. Harper and Holloway met in the fast foot restaurant parking lot Jan. 28 when she gave him the earrings and asked for details of How Heath would die. A the did no to Tell me what he was going to do he just said she wont be breathing much longer a Harper said. A i cannot stand the woman. Go for it a Holloway said