European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 6, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 a the stars and stripes sunday october 6,1991illinois enacts aids notification la critics say it will waste Money give false sense of Security Springfield Iii. A gov. Jim Edgar signed the nations most far reaching aids notification Law Friday requiring Illinois health care workers with the aids virus to notify patients. Under the Law if health care workers done to notify their patients the state will. It also requires people with the aids virus to notify their doctor or other medical workers they come in Contact with. Quot it is crucially important that those who May have been exposed a both health care providers and their patients a be notified and counselled As quickly As possible Quot Edgar said in a statement. Other states have Laws limiting the Indian leaders meet Columbus direct descendant Washington a Cristobal Colon of Spain a direct descendant of Christopher Columbus and american Indian leaders embraced at a meeting Friday at the Spanish embassy to pledge their Friendship and joint efforts to heal ancient wounds stemming from Columbus discovery of America five centuries ago. Colon 42, an officer in the Spanish Navy read a Handwritten letter of Quot greeting to the indians of America Quot in which he expressed Hope that the Spanish and american Indian communities Quot can make the world a better place than that which we  representatives of the 40 native americans who attended the embassy reception gave Colon a package of wild Rice from Wisconsin and a ceremonial Woolen Blanket from Oregon As a gesture of Friendship. It was believed to have been the first Contact Between american indians and a descendant of Columbus since he was credited with discovering America nearly 500 years ago. Some Indian groups were understood to have bitterly opposed the meeting of reconciliation. Many american indians Harbor longstanding resentment against Columbus and his Spanish followers for introducing diseases to the new world enslaving and decimating the Indian population and ravaging their lands. Quot neither you nor i were present to witness this first encounter Between the spaniards and the indians a Colon told the Indian guests referring to his ancestors Landing on an Island in the Bahamas on oct. 12,1492. Quot perhaps because of this there exists a Beautiful Opportunity to begin now to examine the pages of history so that we will never again fall into the same mistakes which occurred due to Mutual misunderstandings and the mentality of that time especially the particular human Debili ties a Colon said. Quot let us go Forward on a righteous  work that infected health care workers can per Obiji or requiring them to inform patients before providing care. But no other state has such a Broad notification Law according to the aids policy Center at George Washington University. Critics say the Law will waste Money and give people a false sense of Security. Quot it is a response to Public hysteria a said Mark Ishaug Public affairs director for the aids foundation of Chicago. Quot it will do virtually nothing to Stop the transmission of  the american civil liberties Union of Illinois said it May Challenge the Law on grounds that it violates constitutional rights to privacy. The Acle also criticized the Law because it fails to provide state counselling for those notified about possible Contact with the aids virus. A a they la just be left hanging there a said John Hammell director of the aclus state aids project. Edgar spokesman Mike Lawrence rejected the aclus argument. A the View is that state government has fulfilled its responsibility by notifying the patient and urging him to seek counselling a Lawrence said. Patients and doctors Are generally considered at risk of transmitting the disease Only during Quot invasive procedures a treatment involving cutting and blood health officials have indicated. Experts have said even invasive procedures create Only a minuscule Chance of infection when done properly. Only one health care worker a Florida dentist is known to have infected patients. The legislation also would require a defendant charged with sexual assault to undergo aids testing upon a court motion by the alleged rape victim. Tom Shafer spokesman for the state department of Public health said the measure is expected to Cost is million Over the next two years. W %. A a a Christopher Columbus descendant Cristobal Colon. A Colon who is the 20th direct descendant of Columbus said his words were offered in Quot Friendship understanding and affection Quot with the Hope that Quot together we can make the world a better place than that which we  he then embraced Michael Chapman a Menominee Indian from Wisconsin who was standing at his Side. The other Indian guests included Ada Deer a Menominee from Wisconsin who is running for a House seat in next years elections and representatives of americans for Indian Opportunity. Officials from the National Congress of american indians the largest and oldest Indian organization in the United states also attended. Warning issued to . Citizens living in Panama Washington up the . Government acting on intelligence reports Friday urged americans in Panama to avoid nightclubs Quot and other gathering places it suspects Are being targeted by violent panamanian groups. The state department said in a statement it had received Quot unconfirmed reports that panamanian dissident groups May be planning to carry out violent attacks. At bars discos and other gathering places particularly those frequented by . Personnel and  a state department official however said a i would probably describe it As More a criminal threat than a political one a suggesting drug traffickers As a possible source for the alarm. The official added that the government had received information linking unnamed groups to particular clubs patronized by . Citizens. A a we re always faced with specific or general information Quot regarding potential threats the official said. Quot in this Case i would say its  in March 1990, a grenade exploded in the my place bar in Panama City killing a . Soldier and wounding others. Two groups Loyal to former Leader Manuel a. Noriega said they carried out the incident. Nonetheless reporters were told that the possible threat revealed Friday was not linked to the trial in Miami of Noriega who is charged in a 10-count indictment for drug trafficking and receiving millions of dollars from the drug Barons whom he allegedly protected. Quot i done to think it has anything to do with the trial Quot the state department official said. About 25,000 americans live in Panama including 10,000 . Service members government employees businessmen and  Swap spooky stories tall tales Jones Boroughf Tenn. A Doc Mcconnell says stories can Ripen to perfection in Rural Hawkins county where Quot the Moon comes Over the mountains in Mason  he and 13 other featured storytellers entertained hundreds of people with their tall tales Friday at the 19th annual National storytelling festival in Tennessee s oldest town. Mcconnell a stories arc Rich with details of his youth in the tuckers Knob area of Eastern Tennessee. He sometimes plays the Banjo As he relates them. On Friday he told of catching a Catfish that Learned to live out of water. Quot he followed me around and became my pet Quot Mcconnell said. But Homer the Catfish tried to follow Mcconnell to school one Day and fell through a Hole in a Bridge and drowned. A Down there in the water Lay old homer.,&Quot Mcconnell lamented. The festival in Jonesborough founded in 1779, Drew 60 people when it opened in 1973. More than 6,000 Are expected before this years event closes today. Storytellers come from across the nation. They Tell Mountain stories modern tales myths and ghost stories to crowds under Large tents. Other storytellers can be heard at the swapping ground where listeners sit on Bales of Hay. The festival is sponsored by the National association for the preservation and perpetuation of storytelling. In 1973 it had Only four featured storytellers spinning yams from the Back of a farm Wagon. Joe Greene of Marshville n.c., said this is his first festival. He came because he had listened to stories As a child. Quot i like ghost stories and i like tall tales Quot he said adding that he is getting material to pass on to his 15 grandchildren. Linda Funk a school librarian from Findlay Ohio said storytelling helps develop children a language skills. A Oral language is the Best part Quot she said. Quot storytelling is a wonderful Way to get kids to express themselves. It develops their listening skills  she encourages children to get stories from relatives and share them at school. A they want their Chance to get up and Tell their stories Quot she said. It was Fredrica reads third year at the festival. Quot now our kids come from Atlanta. Its addicting a she said. A i think stories touch a chord. You go away feeling  Sally Rogers a featured storyteller Sang Between her stories. She told of her third Grade music teacher who was a the oldest music teacher  the woman taught Rogers Uncle and father and later generations and then Sang at her fathers funeral