European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Monday october 14, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 5probe targets fraud at missile test site los Angeles up a a Federal investigation is uncovering evidence that civilian workers at the Pacific missile test Center at Point Mug calif., defrauded the government of million of dollars and took kickbacks and bribes from contractors the los Angeles times reported sunday. The probe also has found questionable practices by a handful of base officers in the Purchase of merchandise for their offices the newspaper said. The newspaper reported that a Federal grand jury indictment is expected next Spring to disclose a number of charges against personnel at Point Mug the 45-year-old weapons testing facility in Ventura county 60 Miles South of Santa Barbara. A we will look at everyone who was involved at Point Mug a said assistant . Attorney Patricia Beamon in los Angeles. A it s mostly civilian  one investigator told the times that civilian personnel on the Navy payroll accepted bribes from suppliers in the area. The investigation began in 1989 when Federal agents began looking into reports of kickbacks bribes and phantom invoices camouflaging merchandise that was never delivered to the base and to nocal an Oil company which has offshore Oil platforms in Ventura county. Some of the kickbacks included tools microwave ovens refrigerators and Home improvements. So far the investigation has resulted in a grand jury indictment against three people charging them with conspiracy to defraud the Navy base and nocal. One of the defendants pleaded guilty this month. The newspaper said investigators reported that As Many As two dozen civilian employees at the Navy base May be connected to the fraud. Beamon said the total Cost of the fraud to the government could be More than $3 million. In addition the report claimed investigators said Point Mug officers May have ordered merchandise not authorized by the Navy and May have covered up the purchases by creating phony orders for Navy authorized goods. A we still Don t know How High up the kickbacks and corruption go a one investigator told the newspaper. About 13,000 military and civilian personnel work on the oceanfront missile test facility. Since its creation in 1946, the base has launched More missiles than any other . Government testing Range maximum Morphonios to retire As judge Miami up a one of the nation s toughest judges Ellen j. Morphonios dubbed a maximum Morphonios for her penchant for sentencing criminals to hundreds of years in jail says she a retiring. The Dade county circuit judge notified gov. Lawton Chiles by letter Friday of her intent to step Down from the Bench after 20 years. Morphonios 62, who was profiled on cd so 60 minutes by the late Harry Rea Soner in 1988, told the Miami Herald she plans to return to radio and is working on a Deal with an out of town station. The judge a former Beauty Queen who was Florida a first female felony prosecutor and Dades first female circuit judge is retiring 15 months before her current six year term expires. A a in be served Long enough. Now is the time a saturday s Herald quoted Morphonios As saying. She said her retirement has nothing to do with operation court Broom the state and Federal corruption investigation of Dade county s judiciary. Investigators reportedly tried to catch Morphonios in some wrongdoing but could not. The probe already has re in the stars and stripes suited in the resignation of one judge and the indictments of three sitting judges and one retired Jurist. Morphonios is scheduled to testily at the trial of David Goodhart a retired judge accused of offering Morphonios Money to fix a Case in her courtroom. The Herald reports its sources have said Morphonios tossed Goodhart out of her office. The judge has refused to comment. A i m obviously a witness a she said. A and 1 know i m not supposed to talk about it and in a not going to talk about  among those indicted were two close friends of Morphonios a Dade circuit judge Alfonso Sepe and county judge Harvey Shenberg. A the problem is these Are very close personal friends of mine that i love dearly a she said. A Harvey Shenberg is like a son to me. He is one of my kids. Sepe and i have been buddies for 30 years. A it is a two edged thing. From a personal standpoint my heart absolutely Breaks in two. In a devastated. It has just torn me  Morphonios has been uncharacteristically silent during the months since the judicial corruption probe became Public. A fall i be tried to do in this thing is exactly that which is right a she said. A and i m going to keep right on doing it and keep right on taking my lumps. That a the Way it goes. Life goes on. The hell with  Morphonios said she had discussed her retirement with her two sons last year before the court Broom scandal erupted. She said her retirement has a lot to do with frustration with the overburdened and under financed criminal Justice system. A a in a getting a Little tired a she said. A my patience string is not As Long As it ought to be. A a in a a Little tired of seeing someone i sentenced to forever and a Day walk out the door and be Back in my courtroom for another horrendous crime a she said. A i sent him away and Here he is a Boom a Back  Morphonios earned her reputation by imposing harsh sentences including one sentence of 1,698 years to a criminal convicted of a string of robberies. When a woman testified in Morphonios court that she stopped a would be rapist by shooting him in the Groin. Morphonios chimed in with a Nice  judge Ellen j. Morphonios10 years ago oct. 14,1981 a the United states planned to Send military equipment and possibly advisers to Sudan and Egypt to fend off a libyan threat but officials ruled out any combat role.20 years ago oct. 14,1971 a Dean Acheson 78, Secretary of state during the turbulent years just after world War ii and architect of much of the United states cold War strategy died at his Sandy Spring md., farm.30 years ago oct. 14, 1961 a officials reported that maj. Gen. Albert Watson ii . Commander in Berlin went to soviet Headquarters at Karls Horst to deliver a stiff protest against East German authorities shooting wildly into the american sector of berlin.40 years ago oct. 14,1951 a after appearing in a record tying 10 world series having a lifetime batting average slightly better than .325 and being selected As the american leagues most valuable player in 1939,1941 and 1947, 37-year-old Joe Dimaggio of the new York Yankees announced that he would retire from baseball. New York Man seizes hostages after killing 4, including his father new York apr an unemployed Man opened fire in a House Early sunday killing his father and three other people and critically wounding two others before taking hostages in a Home nearby police said. The 47-year-old Man identified As Andy Brooks began firing a Shotgun inside the House in the Little neck Section of the Borough of Queens at about 2 20 a.m., said police inspector James Courtney. Brooks father two men and a woman were shot to death and two other men were hit and critically wounded he said. The identities of the victims were not immediately released. Two bodies were found in the House and two others were in a shed behind the Home. The gunman lived at the House with at least two of those who were slain police said. He fled after the shooting to a House about two Miles away in great neck Long Island and took a Man and woman hostage inside late in the morning Courtney said. The male hostage later escaped. The gunman fired a shot at the Gardener when he went into the House but the shot missed Courtney said. He could be seen sitting next to an open window with a Shotgun. Police established Telephone Contact with the gunman said Nassau county police officer Bill Bendel. Police wearing bulletproof vests surrounded the Home and complied with requests from the suspect by first bringing a single can of soda and later a six pack. A neighbor was brought out of the House next door on a wheelchair and was being Given oxygen. Police had occupied his Home. Smelly problem stalks town s streets Corydon ind. A people strolling downtown watch out for them. Some make sure the coast is Clear before they venture outdoors. This Southern Indiana town has been infested by skunks a hundreds of them by some residents estimates. A it s nothing to see one walk right Down the Middle of the Street Here in town big As you please. They re everywhere and nobody s Ever seen anything like it a mayor bred Cam Mack said. The invasion began in Early August residents say. As the Skunk population has increased their Lear of people has waned. Quot we were sitting outside in the front Yard one night and three of them came up and started walking toward us. I threw a chair at them but it was just like they were tame a said bartender Shirley Austin. Carol Norton let her Golden retriever Honey Dew in the House one night Only to find it had been sprayed. After one month and a Bath by the veterinarian Honey Dew still reeks. Quot they Tell me it takes a Good four to six weeks to get it All out Quot Norton said. The nocturnal animals emerge from their daytime hideaways around dusk. Cammack said. They descend on the town of about 2,500 and spend the night scavenging for food. You can to just shoot the varmints in business and residential areas the mayor said. He has asked the state department of natural resources for a trap hut that poses other problems. A your Street superintendent is a big woodsman Quot Cammack said. Quot he loves to Hunt and trap but he says he won t have nothing to do with any