European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 7, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday March 7, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 5australian group claims a. Jackpot Richmond a. Api a an australian lottery Syndicate came Forward thursday to claim a $27 million Virginia lotto Jackpot amid reports that it tried to Corner a winning share by spending $5 million. Since the buyers come from outside the United states it could take until the end of next week to determine the tickets Validity said Kenneth w. Thorson the states lottery director. A this is the first time we Haven to awarded a Jackpot when the winning ticket was presented a Thorson said at a news conference. A we have to validate who bought the ticket where the Purchase was made and How the Purchase was made. The where and How Are very  the Jackpot a the largest Ever in Virginia a would be paid in 20 annual instalments of Little More than $1 million after taxes. Representatives of Lowe Lippmann nominees ltd., a subsidiary of the International lotto fund of Melbourne Australia presented the ticket. No one from the firms appeared at the news conference. A they explained their Purchase procedures that the tickets were bought at a number of chains that they paid for some of the tickets by Cashiers Check at the store by Check at the Headquarters and by Cash a Thorson said declining to give further details. The fund reportedly tried to Corner a winning share in in the stars and stripes the feb. 15 drawing buying about 5 million of the possible 7.1 million numerical combinations. Players choose six numbers Between 1 and 44. Lotteries in most other states use a wider Span of numbers vastly increasing the number of possible combinations. The fund is the brainchild of Stefan Mandel of Melbourne. He told the new York times last week that he has severed his ties with the company which pools Money from members to buy chances on Large jackpots worldwide. The number of investors with a share in the winning ticket Wasny to immediately known but australian regulators said the fund Thorson raised $7.5 million from 2,500 investors from 1988 to 1991. Thorson said if the Syndicate has 2,500 members each would receive about $400 a year. Farm fresh inc. Supermarkets has said a Man paid $2 million at the chains Headquarters. The winning ticket 4 came from a Chesapeake farm fresh Market. Thorson said this week that state regulations might require that tickets be paid for at the store where they were issued possibly invalidating the winning ticket. Also regulators this week approved language clarifying that Rule but gov. L. Douglas Wilder Hasni to approved it yet. Regulators also have approved emergency rules ordering retailers to give preference to customers lined up in person to buy the $1 lottery tickets ahead of people with Large blocks of ticket orders. No regulations existed on Block sales when the ticket was bought. Law enforcement agencies in the United states and Australia reportedly Are investigating Block Sale transactions to ensure the tickets were not being resold for profit. The australian fund declined to answer questions about the winning ticket last week but some australian investors said they were informed that they had won. The australians weren to the Only people to buy mass numbers of tickets. Of the 32 states with lotteries Virginia is the first to experience an attempt to Corner a winning ticket state officials said. It also is the first state to restrict ticket buying. 10 years ago March 7,1982 a comedian John Belushi who portrayed the consummate Slob on television s saturday night live and in the movie animal House died at a Hollywood hotel. Police said the 33-year-old actor appeared to have died of natural causes. 20 years ago March 7,1972 a in the Pentagon a first draft Call since october Secretary of defense Melvin r. Laird announced that 5,000 men a month would be drafted Over the next three months Down from 10,000-a-month Call for the final three months of 1971. Laird attributed the reduced draft figures to the withdrawal of . Troops from Vietnam. 30 years ago March 7,1962 a East German police removed the Zigzag Cement barriers that forced vehicles to slow almost to a Stop in order to Cross at checkpoint Charlie the american crossing Point from West Berlin to East berlin.40 years ago March 7,1952 a in Korea More than 2,000 rounds of communist artillery pounded . Lines and troops in the a Heartbreak Ridge Quot sector were barraged with propaganda leaflets urging surrender. Construction worker Robert Perez checks to see whether anyone is inside a car that was washed Oit the Road by floods in Houston. Flash floods leave Houston in a mess world War ii50 years ago today 7 mar.1 a 9 a 4 -2 British forces Retreat from Rangoon and pegu fighting their Way North through japanese units that have infiltrated behind the British lines the loss of Burma s Only major port Means the Colony s defenders must rely on air Supply. The dutch defenders on Java begin surrendering. After Nightfall japanese troops begin Landing at Salamata and lae on new Guinea. Houston a thousands of people searched for their vehicles thursday a Day after Flash floods forced people to abandon them on highways. Two of four handicapped children rescued from their nearly submerged school bus remained hospitalized thursday in fair condition authorities said. School officials plan to Honor the bus Driver and a police dive team that rescued the children with cerebral palsy when swirling water swept the bus off the Road. The children Ages 5 to 11, had to be Cut Loose from their wheelchairs. A i said a i can to let my babies die a bus Driver Luvenia Blackmon said thursday. Blackmon 34, who can to swim said she held on to each child As they floated in an air pocket in the bus while divers helped pull them to safety. Blackmon and the children were treated for minor injuries. The Houston intercontinental Airport reported 4.56 inches of rain wednesday a record for the Date. Most areas got 3 to 6 inches with isolated areas reporting up to 8 inches. At least 100 residences in a neighbourhood near the san Jacinto River below Lake Houston still had water inside them thursday night said Frank Gutierrez of the Harris county flood control District. A the River has crested and it is receding. But there is still a lot of water out there a said Gutierrez who had worked at an emergency Center throughout the night wednesday. Thousands of residents who weathered the late afternoon storm wednesday spent hours retrieving cars abandoned on interstates 10 and 45, . 59, and other Low lying roadways. A a we re trying to take two or three Calls at a time a said Joann braches a receptionist for the Houston police department who helped motorists locate vehicles throughout the City. Tow trucks worked throughout wednesday night to Clear the highways. On interstate 10 alone hundreds of cars were left submerged after Flash flooding turned the 10-Lane freeway into a River. A when you get 8 inches of rainfall in a seven hour period that a what happens a Gutierrez said. All the highways reopened by mid morning thursday. Mayor Bob Lanier has asked state and Federal officials to declare the City a disaster area. Damage was estimated at Between $25 million and $50 million he said. At least two schools cancelled classes for the Day because of flood damage. The hotel that president Bush Calls Home when he is in Houston had to be evacuated because of Flash flooding. It remained closed thursday. The houstonian hotel and conference Center shut Down wednesday when heavy Rains pushed the Buffalo Bayou Over its Banks and into the hotels Power Plant. About 200 guests were relocated. Barring of Confederate Flag at Citadel games urged source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith a publishers inc. World almanac Book of world Nat ii. Bison books corp1981 Charleston . A the Citadel can improve race relations by barring cadets from waving the Confederate Flag at games and limiting the playing of Dixie a panel said thursday. The panel has been studying the racial climate at the state supported military Academy since last fall. The 17-member panel found a no legitimate tie Between cadets and the Confederate Flag which was never flown during several Battles that cadets from the Citadel fought during the civil War. The committee concluded that a race relations in general on the Citadel Campus. Are not at the same level of negativism As has been reported at Many campuses in the United  but it found there Are some problems that need to be addressed. Similar suggestions were made five years ago by the state human affairs commission after a Black Cadet was hazed by five Whites