European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 1, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 b the stars and stripes Friday november % 1991 jetliner evacuation tests injure 47 one paralysed by the new York times los Angeles a recent evacuation tests in a jumbo jetliner has left one woman paralysed and at least 46 other people injured after they jammed their Way through mobbed exit doors and plunged Down escape slides inside a pitch Black hangar. The injuries occurred last weekend during two separate tests conducted by the Mcdonnell Douglas corp. On its md-11 jetliner. Operating under Federal aviation administration guidelines the company was testing to see if a version of the plane reconfigured to hold 410 seats instead of the Normal 287 could be evacuated within the government time limit of 90 seconds. Although there were at least 11 injuries including broken Bones during the first test Mcdonnell Douglas went ahead with a second test. During that Drill Dorothy Myles a 60-year-old resident of Long Beach Calif., where the tests took place was paralysed from the neck Down when her spine was broken. Myles apparently hit the hangar floor after sliding headfirst Down the planets escape Chute. Myles remained in serious condition at the Long Beach memorial medical Center on wednesday and doctors expect her to be paralysed permanently a d Ron Yukelson a spokesman for the Hospital. Yukelson said six other people were treated for fractures and that two of those were admitted to the Hospital and released on tuesday. The authorities and company executives said the remainder of the injuries were cuts and bruises and did not require hospitalization. Most of the people participating in the tests were volunteers from among Mcdonnell Douglas employees. Myles was a member of a group of 54 people recruited from local senior citizens centers to take part in the tests. Renee p. Handler a spokesman for Mcdonnell Douglas said the group was recruited to meet a government requirement that 15 percent of the passengers be 51 or older. They were paid $49 for the Day. A handler said both tests were conducted under strict government regulations and took place in a darkened hangar to simulate a night time emergency. In each Drill there were 410 passengers and 11 Crew members. Neither Drill met the 90-second time limit. Families join ranks of homeless by the los Angeles times Washington a there is a new a and ominous a face on americans expanding homeless population families with Young children have become the fastest growing segment of the population now living on the nations streets. A 1990 Survey by the . Conference of mayors of 30 american cities shows that families with youngsters now represent at least one third of the homeless population a up from a relative handful a decade before. In los Angeles new York Louisville by. Alexandria a. Kansas City Philadelphia san Antonio Trenton . And Portland ore., families account for More than 40 percent of the homeless population according to the report. Experts say the increase in homeless families stems from a variety of factors a sudden personal misfortunes exacerbated by difficult economic conditions the increase in single Parent households generally and a Rise in the number of divorces and in the number of women who Are choosing to live alone. A a growing number of the homeless Are persons who subscribe to mainstream values norms and aspirations but have experienced some situational misfortune that severely impacted their lifestyle a says a 1991 report by the National Urban league. Studies also show that the Overall face of the homeless is changing. The homeless population is younger now More than half of the people in shelters and on the streets today Are under the age of 35. By contrast five years ago there were so few homeless children that burgers gospel Mission did not even include them in surveys. Now children make up almost a Quarter of the people sleeping in their shelters he says. A Survey by the child welfare league of homeless shelters across the country estimates that there Are Between 100,000 and 200,000 children in homeless families with an average age of 6 years old. To help Deal with the problem state and local social a growing number of the homeless Are persons who subscribe to mainstream values. But have experienced some situational misfortune that severely impacted their lifestyle. A the National Urban league korean automaker tops Lemon list group says los Angeles up a a consumer advocacy group wednesday named Hyundai As the a biggest Lemon of All major automakers based on its Lack of responsiveness to customers who buy a defective car. A a Hyundai a attitude toward consumer defective car Law claims is nothing Short of contemptuous a said Merrell Vannier director of the consumer rights Center of Glendale California. The rating published for the second year in a Row by the Center was based on six factors warranty reimbursement warranty complaint service a Lemon Law refund replacement programs arbitration programs secret warranties and Legal defense tactics. Following Hyundai on the centers list of the worst offenders were Mazda Nissan infiniti Subaru Volvo Bow Isuzu Mercedes Benz Jaguar and Saab. In contrast Honda Acura was rated As the Best in responding to problems. Service agencies Are turning to a new approach a pushing for transitional and Long Range programs for the homeless rather than just offering one night shelters. But Helen r. Keys a program director for the children s welfare league of America said local resources to carry out the new approach Are scarce. A a there a not a lot out there for prevention a keys said. A Many cities Are still dealing with crisis oriented  seat Belt use reaches 59 percent in . Washington apr the american Public increasingly convinced that safety belts save lives is buckling up in increasing numbers with even some a hardcore non users joining the trend state surveys show. Transportation Secretary Samuel k. Skinner told a news conference wednesday that As result of a summer Long Campaign of education and enforcement safety Belt use in the United states has reached 59 percent. Skinner called that a significant Milestone in the drive to achieve president Bush a goal of 70 percent Seatbelt use by the end of 1992. Four states a California Hawaii Maryland and Oregon a already have reached the 70 percent safety Belt goal Skinner said adding that 10 additional states have reached the 65 percent use level. The transportation department said that Seatbelt use at the end of the summer ranged from a High of 85 percent in Hawaii to a Low of 28 percent in Rhode Island. Safety belts have saved 4,800 lives this year Skinner estimated. He said 25,000 lives have been saved by Seatbelt use since 1983, when the first state safety Belt usage Law was enacted. Land of goers building firm sued in California wildfire from wire reports Oakland Calif. A a multimillion Dollar lawsuit was filed wednesday in the deadly Oak land Berkeley Hills fire claiming the owners of the property where the firestorm began and several other co defendants were responsible for the disaster. Melvin Belli the famed san Francisco attorney filed the Superior court suit on behalf of seven individuals who lost their Homes and belongings in the oct. 20 Blaze that killed 25 people and destroyed Over 3.000 Homes and apartments. The suit seeks to hold several people responsible for the damage caused by the fire. The defendants include Ralph and Adrienne Jesch the owners of the property where the fire began Victor Allis whose construction company was working on the site at the time of the fire and Manuel and Raphael Godinez two workers at the site. Also named was Parkwood Montclair partners who owned an apartment Complex that burned Down in the firestorm and Pacific Gas and electric which the suit said had a negligently failed to provide an adequate and Safe emergency contingency backup Power Supply to the water pumping system that failed during the fire. The suit claimed the owners of the Parkwood apartment Complex a failed to take adequate Steps to prevent fire from engulfing the apartment Complex a thereby fueling the fire in its Early stages. Empire state building sold new York a the Sale of the Empire state building is about to be closed for $40 million to a member of the family of j. Peter Grace chairman of w. R. Grace amp co., the Wall Street journal said thursday. The journal said the Price for the 60-year-old skyscraper was depressed because its owner Prudential insurance co. Of America had leased it to a limited partnership that will pay relatively Low rents for the next 84 years. Otherwise the journal said the building might have brought More than 10 times that amount. Real estate investor Peter Malkin and real estate magnate Harry Helmsley make up the partnership. The report said that a condition of the Sale was that the buyer not be identified. The 102-Story, 2.3 million Square foot building opened on May 1,1931. Jury acquits woman Alfred Maine a a woman who claimed she shot her abusive husband in self defense was acquitted of murder wednesday by a Superior court jury. The panel deliberated about four hours before returning the innocent verdict in York county Superior court against Jacqueline Bevins 51. Jurors said they believed Bevins Story that she killed her husband John Bevins after enduring More than two decades of physical and emotional abuse at his hands. Blues Singer Dies Atlanta a rhythm and blues Singer Billy Wright whose flamboyant performing style and wild costumes influenced later performers including Little Richard has died. He was 73. Wright died of a pulmonary embolism monday at an Atlanta Hospital. 13-year-old kills father National City Calif. A 13-year-okl boy shot and killed his father after the two argued Over the boys poor report card police said. Lepolius Miller Iii 36, of san Diego was killed monday night at the National City Home where the boy lived with his grandparents police sgt. Timothy j. Darton said. The boy whose name was not released fled the House but later surrendered. He was arrested and remained in juvenile Hall on tuesday. Prosecutors had not decided whether to charge the seventh grader. A we done to know Why the kid chose this Avenue to vent his anger a Darton said. A from what we re told he received one poor Grade and the rest were a a bus and cos. He san otherwise Good