European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 a the stars and stripes wednesday october 30, 1991 groups say Agency tests biased toward Large cars by the new York times Washington a two consumer groups have accused a Federal safety Agency of manipulating car crash tests to support the automobile Industry a Contention that stricter fuel standards would produce More dangerous cars. But in a caustic response the head of the transportation departments traffic safety Agency dismissed the claims. The accusations were made by Public citizen and the Center for Auto safety. The groups said Jerry r. Curry head of the National Highway traffic safety administration was seeking to influence Congress by frightening Drivers when he ordered the Agency to conduct tests and make a videotape that would demonstrate the safety of larger cars. The groups said Curry suppressed other tests that produced less dramatic results. Curry responded with an attack on Clarence Ditlow head of the Center for Auto safety whom he called a was non objective a person As you can get and someone with a no credibility in the traffic safety  but Curry avoided criticizing the head of Public citizen Joan Claybrook who headed the traffic safety Agency in the Carter administration. The Agency a pictures of a head on collision Between a Large and a Small car have been widely shown in recent televised and printed advertisements sponsored by the automobile Industry and its allies. The Industry contends that requiring Detroit to build More fuel efficient cars would Compromise safety by putting smaller Oakland Calif. Up a two heroes of the Oak land by Skelcy firestorm including a police officer who crawled into the collapsed Cypress Structure freeway overpass looking for victims after a 1989 earthquake were buried monday. Oakland police officer John w. Grubensky died oct. 20 while leading residents out of the fire ravaged Hiller Highlands subdivision. He was eulogized As a Man who a gave his All so others could  meanwhile a funeral procession of firetrucks manned by firefighters from around the state wound its Way through Oakland honouring battalion chief James m. Riley who died when he attempted to shield an elderly woman from a fallen Power line. The funerals were one of the visible signs that the lengthy recovery had begun. Overhead a helicopter la denied with 300 pounds of grass poppy and Lupine seeds roared to a drop site on the denuded slopes near the Hiller Highlands. Oakland plans to distribute 22 cars on the Road. The safety argument is at the heart of the debate Over legislation that May come before the Senate this week. The measure Calls for a 40 percent increase in the average cards efficiency within 10 years. Throughout the debate the safety Agency has contended that big gains in fuel Economy would come mainly from making cars smaller and subjecting passengers to added risks in collisions and rollovers. The Agency meant to underscore that message with its videotape. But according to the consumer groups the Agency did not publicize other tests it had conducted that did not support the claim at least not As vividly. Nor did it release detailed test results showing that the Driver of the smaller car in the video could have survived the Impact the groups said. In some tests conducted by the Agency the occupants of smaller cars fared better than those in larger cars. That could be the Case for example when the tests involved cars equipped with air bags. A these tests do not clearly demonstrate the safety problems of Small cars a said one government memorandum describing some of the tests that the safety Agency conducted. The memorandum and related test results were obtained by the consumer groups under a Law governing the release of official documents. Curry said that nothing in the testing program was deceptive. But he said that in Hindsight he might not have released the video if he had known it would be used As an advertisement for one Side in the debate. Tons of seed in an Effort to protect the Barren hillsides from mudslides. Elsewhere 120 California conservation corps members were spreading Straw blankets and Clearing away burned tree branches and Brush. In other developments a the Federal emergency management Agency handed out 60 checks totalling More than $47,700 for everything from emergency housing to Basic necessities. A the athletic department at the University of Cali fornia Berkeley announced it would donate $100,000 from the television rights from its game saturday against the University of Southern California to a fund for the 450 students faculty and staff affected by the fire. A state fire marshal office spokeswoman said the fire investigation was continuing. The firestorm claimed 25 lives and destroyed More than 3,000 Homes.  will work overtime for salvadoran refugees from wire reports Washington a the immigration and naturalization service will keep 10 offices open until Midnight thursday to accommodate Al salvadorans who want to remain and work in the United states for up to 18 months. The program established under a Law that protects nationals of countries experiencing civil strife expires thursday. The offices that will remain open late Are in Baltimore Washington . San Francisco los Angeles Houston Dallas Chicago new York St. Paul Minn. And Newark . The 10 offices account for More than 90 percent of the More than 170,000 applications filed to Date the ins  to ban Bird feeding Plymouth mass. A hundreds of water Fowhong a Pond will have to do without handouts after voters agreed to ban their feeding. Officials of this historic town said the Birds on Jenney Pond were fouling the water and eroding the ground. Residents voted 2,096 to 1,198 in a special election saturday to prohibit feeding the Birds. The ban carries a $20 penalty and takes effect March 1. A being kind to animals is now a crime in Plymouth a said opponent Dorothy Checci of Brien. A the message is very sad. Its perfectly Fine to shoot ducks for the fun of it but its illegal to feed them for the fun of  selectman Alba Thompson noted that Plymouth has More than 350 other Freshwater Ponds and 17 Miles of Ocean coastline. A a we re Rich beyond dreams in Ponds Here a she said. A if you want to feed the ducks All you have to do is walk a few Steps toward the  kills accomplice new Brunswick . A Holdup Man was shot and killed by an accomplice after the intended victim ducked authorities said. Reginald Jordan 23, was charged with murder and jailed without bail in the slaying of Joseph Thomas 27, Early sunday. Jordan Thomas and a third Man had robbed a person of $150 and a Gold Chain assistant prosecutor Thomas Kapsak said. The victim sensed he was about to be shot and ducked and the Bullet struck Thomas in the Temple Kapsak said. The third robber remained at Large  s taxes protested Portland Maine a saying they Are fed up with rising property taxes residents of an Island that has Long been Pari of Maine a largest City Are taking the first step toward seceding. Peaks Island residents voted 197-39 at a meeting saturday to hold a referendum sometime next year. A Bill to allow the residents to hold a november 1992 vote is being sent to the legislature. The islanders first talked of seceding in 1922, and the Issue arose again five years ago. Property taxes have doubled and tripled for some residents of the Island which lies less than half a mile off Portland. Russ Edwards a resident said a typical Island Homeowner with property valued at $138,000 would pay $3,093 in property taxes to Portland under the City a newest valuation which triggered the secession movement. Edwards said the local taxes would be roughly half that if the town were allowed to break  forced to land a was vegas a a United airlines dc-10 jumbo Jet in route from los Angeles to Denver made an emergency Landing in Las vegas Early a Ter be a it Craft lost Cabin pressure at 35,000 feet. F none of the 179 passengers and Crew was injured said United spokeswoman Sara Dornacker in Chicago. Was ebbing to its cruising Altitude of 37,000 feet when it experienced rapid de press nation Dornacker said. A oxygen masks deployed and the plane descended rapidly to 11,000 feet a she said. The plane made a Normal Landing. A the coffin of firefighter James m. Riley is carried by his son James a. Riley and members of engine company 17. Oakland honors heroes killed in fire