European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 17, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 6 b the stars and stripes tuesday december 17,1991 truck with radioactive Load crashes Burns on Highway Springfield mass. Apr a tractor trailer carrying radioactive material crashed and burned on an interstate Early monday As it tried to avoid a wrong Way Driver but none of the hazardous substance was released officials said. Three people were injured when the truck swerved into a Guardrail to avoid a car about 3 a.m., police said. Wooden packing for the trucks hazardous cargo burst into flames on interstate 91 near two Large downtown hotels. The truck was trying to Dodge the car that drove onto the interstate going in the wrong direction said state police sgt. Richard Catellier. Bridges and interstates leading into downtown were closed As a precaution causing a huge traffic Jam. Major routes into downtown were reopened several hours later but a two mile stretch of the interstate remained closed. A fire dispatcher said the truck was carrying about 11,000 pounds of uranium dioxide from the general electric Plant in Wilmington n.c., to tote Vermont Yankee nuclear Plant in Vernon Al. But fire spokesman Bernie Welz said officials later said the 11,000 pounds included containers and the radioactive substance. A the radioactive material is in steel containers so the Hazard for leak is almost nit a a Welz said. Officials said the Accident posed no threat to Public health and safety. The Driver of the truck Joseph Dunn 58, of Tulsa okla., was treated for injuries at Bay state medical Center and released a Hospital spokeswoman said. Medical waste turns dream into Nightmare for homeowners san Jose Calif. A when newlyweds Michael and Karen Graham dug up a tree outside their new dream Home they unearthed a dirty secret a Hillside of medical waste and trash. Cleaning it up could Cost $1 million. A we fell in love with this House and now we re living on a Landfill a Karen Graham said. A i want to stay but not with All the the grahams bought the House in August from a 77-year-old retired nursing supervisor. She worked at a nursing Home where she said she got intravenous tubes syringes kidney dialysis bags and other used medical devices. Irene Pisciotta who moved to Fresno said she took Home plastic bags full of. Medical waste from the Casa Serena nursing Home in san Jose and used it As fill in her Back Yard and Creek bed to scare gophers and burglars. A a in a sorry this All happened a Pisciotta told the san Jose Mercury news in what the newspaper described As a rambling and tearful Telephone interview. A i certainly did no to do it to Hurt there has been no answer at her House since wednesday. Pisciotta told the newspaper she did no to Tell real estate agents about her secret Landfill because a you could t see neighbors said they Hadnot seen Pisciotta take out trash in the 29 years she lived there. The grahams who As property owners Are liable discovered the waste in september. Last week they sued Pisciotta the nursing Home and real estate agents to pay for an estimated $1 million or More cleanup Bill. A your House is worthless now a said Graham who borrowed Money from his Mother to help make the Down payment on the $265,000 Home. A but Here we sit stuck on this mess paying $2,500 a month in House Karen Waldrop administrator of Casa Serena where Pisciotta worked from 1979 to 1988, said nobody was aware the supervisor apparently was taking Home medical waste which legally must be destroyed or burned. And the three real estate agents who helped close the Sale said they did no to find any hidden garbage when they inspected the property. Michael Graham holds up in tubes that he found in the Yard of his newly purchased Home in san Jose Calif. A from what i understand nobody knew this was there except the owner a said Bryant Mcomber attorney for the Cornish amp Carey real estate Agency. The View from the yellow and White House with Brick trim overlooks a Lush Yard with Orange Trees Bushes and vines that continue Down Over a Hillside above los gatos Creek which runs into san Francisco Bay. Upon closer inspection however in tubes Many bloodstained and with Needles still attached Are seen entwined in the foliage. Lift a Rock and plastic bags Pill containers and specimen trays and syringes appear. Dig deeper and plastic bags and trash from styrofoam trays to nylons and food containers Are revealed. The grahams found a 1970 Calendar. Baptist elementary school nixes los Angeles apr a Baptist elementary school has ruled out old Saint decorations saying the Jolly gift giver threatens the real meaning of Christmas. The ban at Lindley Avenue Baptist school in suburban Tarzana 20 Miles Northwest of los Angeles does no to sit Well with some parents. A Santa has very Christian roots a said Linda Buckley whose 4-year-Ola son attends the school. A the s a very generous Man who gives freely of himself. What s wrong with kids learning about that a Buckley and her husband have organized a pro Santa petition. On Friday Bob Buckley dressed As Saint and demonstrated outside the school. They say the ban is foolish because the school allow displays of Reindeer elves Candy canes and Christim Trees. School officials were scheduled to discuss the policy monday night. James Dean pastor at Lindley Avenue Baptis Church which operates the school said a the image it Santa Claus dilutes the emphasis on the birth it some parents support the school s decision. A if you re worried about your child not learner about Santa Claus take him to Public school a pared Bonnie nine said Friday during the protest. follows new now president from wire reports Washington a Patricia Ireland became on sunday president of the National organization for women a but not without arousing some controversy. Ireland recently revealed she has a husband in Miami and a female companion in Washington. Ireland a lawyer and former flight attendant has said she plans to continue her relationships with both her husband and her female companion. But she has declined to Label herself lesbian or bisexual or to go into detail about the relationships. She has said lesbian rights is one of now a four priority issues and the organization employs a full time staff member who focuses on the of five killed Stamford Conn. A a pregnant Mother of five was killed when a car allegedly driven by her Boyfriend rammed the car she was in. Marie Claudie Francois 30, i As travelling Home with a Friend saturday when the car was hit from behind and sent crashing into a Wall police sgt. James Delano said. The Driver suffered cuts and bruises. Louis innocent 21, was charged with first do Gree manslaughter and second degree assault. He was being held sunday on $500,000 bail pending his arraignment monday. Detective sgt. Robert Tymon said innocent fled the scene then showed up at police Headquarters to report an Accident. Francois sister Madeline Zephir said Francois and innocent began dating three years ago and lived together. Zephir said her Mother took the children Ages 2 of 11, Home with her Man gets life Detroit a a Man convicted of murdering his brother in Law who had recently returned from the persian Gulf War was sentenced monday to life imprisonment without parole. Michael Cato was convicted dec. 2 of first degree murder in the death of spec. Anthony Riggs. A life sentence without parole is mandatory in Michigan for a first degree murder conviction. Riggs who worked As a Patriot missile crewman in the War originally was thought to be a victim of random Street violence. He was killed 10 Days after returning from the Gulf. Authorities later accused Cato 20, of planning the killing in an insurance scam benefiting his sister who had asked Riggs for a divorce. Murder charges against Toni Cato Riggs were dropped when a judge ruled that Michael Cato s confession could not be used against her. Prosecutors Are appealing that ruling. Riggs was shot on March 18 outside the House of his wife a aunt. Riggs stationed at fort Bliss Texas was in Detroit to help Toni Cato Riggs move to a new artwork removed Shreveport la. A a three photograph artwork was removed from an Airport exhibition because one of the pictures is of former Kun flux klan Leader and failed gubernatorial candidate David Duke. A i done to think we Are dealing with a piece of Art Here 1 think we Are dealing with a piece of political literature a said Airport director Roy Miller. The untitled piece shows a Large picture of Duke a Republican running for president after losing Louisiana a Runoff for governor flanked by pictures of a carnival Snake handier and an ominous landscape. Miller said he ordered it removed Friday at mayor Hazel beards request. A i did no to know she was an Art critic Quot said artist Stan Carpenter. He said his statement was artistic not political. A i think people ought to make up their own minds a Carpenter said adding that he wont fight the removal. Duke a Louisiana state representative was out of state and could t be reached for comment an aide said
