European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 24, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 a the stars and stripes thursday october 24, 1991questions flare up following fire by the los Angeles times Oakland Calif a As questions mounted about the handling of the devastating fire in the Oakland and Berkeley Hills the death toll Rose to if tuesday with 57 others declared missing and feared to have perished in the worst California wildfire on record. The Blaze which mushroomed from a Small grass fire never completely extinguished was declared contained monday. By that time it had destroyed More than 2,500 Homes townhouses and apartments a Many million Dollar properties with views overlooking Oakland and san Francisco. Among them was one owned by former baseball Star Reggie Jackson. The number of fatalities and Homes destroyed was expected to Rise As Crews search for bodies in the ashes and assess the full extent of the damage now estimated at More than $5 billion. In Washington president Bush declared the fire zone a Federal disaster area. Investigators meanwhile began to focus on the cause of the Small fire that started saturday including the possibility that it was sparked by construction workers having a Barbecue. The six acre Blaze in the grizzly Peak area was Quot contained but not completely put out by firefighters saturday. They kept equipment in the area and monitored the scene off and on saturday night a but at times left it unattended. On sunday As firefighters watched the embers were whipped up by hot winds that quickly carried them into the heavily populated Hillside neighbourhoods. In interviews tuesday officials from other agencies and fire experts around the stale raised questions about Oakland s handling of the original fire. They suggested that firefighters took a risky step that backfired when they left the Small Blaze  says he won t run for third term Olympia Wash. Apr gov. Booth Gardner on tuesday ruled out seeking a third term saying the pressure of the Job has begun to affect his health and he needs a rest. Quot i pc always left being governor was an experience. Not a career,�?T1 Gardner. 55, said at a Capitol news conference with his wife Jean at his Side. A a there a a lot of Wear and tear on one but its been a great  Gardner who leaves Ottliee in Gardner january 1943. Also said he wont seek fellow Democrat Brock Adams . Senate Seal As Long As Adams runs for re election. Gardner denied he was a victim of a popular term limit Miti Alne on the nov. 5 ballot lie predicted the initiative which would bar Bun from a third Leim would lie found  by the com is. Ron Dol Nuvi. One of Gaul Neil a closest add Isis and an Aie Hilyet of his first Victory in 1>n4, said Gardner Quot Leils very Good about the Job he a done Pai Tieumai a about the second term and the High profile he a brought to Washington  a your policy is you make sure a fire is cold a with All the hot spots out a before you walk away Quot said Clark Pearson a fire inspector with the los Angeles county fire department. Joe Ruhindi chief of fire Protection for pm Square Miles of Bushland in the last by the Washington Post Washington a a Sharp loss of Conli once in the nations Economy is eroding president Bush a support for re election Aee ording to the latest Washington Post Abc news poll. Quot in the Survey 47 percent of those polled said they were inclined to vote for Bush next year while 37 percent said they would prefer the unknown democratic nominee. I hat is the first time Bush so Are elect number has dropped below 50 percent in the Post Abc poll. It also represents a Steep decline from the 6s-20 percent Lead Bush enjoyed Over an unknown demo Fiat last March at the Etui of the persian Gulf War. By the i us Angeles Rimes los Angl los a dead men Don t Tell tales but in los Angeles Al least they can legislate. Ill at was Dennist i aled tucs Dav by Howard i my die former los Angeles councilman w to died in its i. Quot a routine motion filed by Fimi in 19,s3 was unanimously approved he the Civ Council on tuesday without debate and without any apparent concerns about die status of die motions author. Bay regional Parks system also faulted Oakland firefighters for failing to pursue mop up operations saturday night. Ruhindi said that Oakland fire officials dismissed his firefighters then on sunday told them the danger had passed and to retrieve their hoses. Need a president who can set the nation in a new direction. But 44 percent believed that Quot we need to keep the country moving in the direction George Bush has been taking us Quot the poll of 1,53b randomly selected americans was completed monday night. 1 he margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage Points Bush s increased vulnerability was clearly linked to concerns about the sluggish recovery and the growing fears of a a double dip recession Quot a second economic downturn after a Brief weak period of growth. Those same worries have prompted Bush in recent Days to press his advisers to come up with a plan to stimulate the Economy. Through a quirk in City Law Council motions slay current and pending until they Are passed Defeated or filed a no matter How Long it takes. And some have a very Long wait. At least nine Lomci Council members including three who have died have dozens of motions pending. In All records show there Are More than 1,2110 motions pending before the City Council with hundreds More than 5 years old and dozens older than a decade. When his firefighters arrived sunday to pick up their equipment Rubini said they noticed unattended hot spots. They reattached their hoses and started dousing the embers Rubini said but by then winds had kicked up and the fire was on the verge of bursting out of control. Bush s re election chances Hurt by sluggish Economy poll shows ill t a to cite Tiiu incy i ulant a agreed with the statement approved of Bush a handling of the econ i Muir it clips let Cgeorge Bush we omy Down 5 Points in the last month councilman dead but his proposal s revived in la. A and 70 percent said they agreed with the statement that Bush Quot spends too much time on foreign problems and not enough on problems in this  that figure has increased slightly since september when 66 percent agreed. Overall the percentage of americans who say the Economy is getting worse has increased from 41 percent last month to 56 percent in the latest Post Abc Survey. And unemployment has replaced drugs and crime As the nations biggest worry. According to the poll 19 percent named unemployment As the biggest problem facing the country up from just 7 percent in March. Overall 42 percent of those questioned named unemployment the Federal Bud get deficit or some other economic problem As the nations biggest concern up from 26 percent just last month. Finns motion which would limit the length of trucks allowed on City streets to 65 Teet languished in the City Council Lor three years before he died in office. Councilman Hal Bernson w to seconded in no a motion eight Venus ago said he was unaware it was one of dozens of items routinely approved tucs Dav and added that he did not recall its original purpose. A it must have sounded like a Good idea at the Lime Quot he said with a smile