European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday March 17, 1992 the stars and stripes a Page 3base closing May turn Limestone to dust Limestone Maine a built at the height of the cold War Loring fab brought jobs and people to Maine a austere potato growing Frontier with Canada. It is the closest . Military base to Europe an Ideal launching spot for b-52 bombers Kc-135 refuelling tankers and f-15 fighter jets. On its 14,300 acres Are a 30-bed Hospital a department store supermarket dining Hall 1,717 apartments and three dormitories that can House 1,440 people. Loring generates $152 million a year in salaries alone. But now Limestone is one of dozens of communities across the country grappling with what life will be like after the military clears out. The nearby base is targeted to be shut Down in october 1994. Will the Limestone area in Maine a Northern tip become wilderness once again a a it a going to unravel our very social fabric in All of the communities in Central Aroostook a said Tom Stevens manager of Limestone a town of 1,200. A the military folks bring a unique worldwide perspective to the area a he said. A they have a lot of Energy and Good ideas. We re going to lose people friends cultural Exchange ideas housing and  trouble signs Are appearing. A Home values have plummeted. Business has declined at some stores because residents worried about the future Are buying Only essentials. Families Are beginning to leave for new jobs. Canada a Quot j Loring fab it Maine Augusta o h  Atlantic oceans amps of All the impending base closures air Force officials said shutting Down Loring would have the most devastating economic Impact because of its Remote location four Miles from the Canadian Border. Stevens 37, is moving later this month after 12 years As town manager to take a similar Post in Standish 20 Miles West of Portland. Deciding to leave a was very very difficult Quot he said. A my future Here has limited  local officials filed a Federal lawsuit saying the air Force used fraudulent data to bolster the Case for closing the Loring which was built Between 1947 and 1953. Senate majority Leader George j. Mitchell and other members of the Maine congressional delegation argued to no Avail before a commission deciding on base closings that Loring should be kept open because of its strategic location. Loring is the single largest employer in Aroostook county providing 3,300 military and 1,300 civilian jobs. An additional 3,900 jobs Are indirectly tied to the base state officials said in a report to the commission. Within three years of closure the county will lose 20rubbering it in a phony Check decorates a sign near the office of rep. Robert Mrazek d.-n.y., who has been tagged As no. 2 on the House list of rubber Check writers. Mrazek accused of bouncing 972 checks says this is an exaggeration. An aide to the congressman protested sunday a there is no Way the number 972 is  the no. 1 offender on the congressional bad Check list is former rep. Tommy Robinson of Arkansas. Israel denies illegal sales of plans Jerusalem up a prime minister Yitzhak Shamir denied monday that Israel had illegally sold american weapons technology to third countries and suggested that reports it had betrayed . Confidence were a  several . Newspapers reported recently that Israel had shared secret plans for Patriot missiles and other weapons with China and South Africa. Shamir addressing the question for the first time in Public said his country had abide by its agreements. A the recent publications in the United states Are false a Shamir told reporters on a trip near israelis Border with Lebanon. A this is All a Frame up and i very much Hope that this wave will come to an end quickly. A Israel does not generally breach its Purchase agreements and we act according to the  Israel has been accused of using american technology from the sidewinder heat seeking air to air missile in its own Python 3 air to air missiles that it exported to China. It is also suspected of using the technology in anti tank missiles sold to South Africa and Cluster bombs sold to Ethiopia and Chile. Members of Shamire a Cabinet charged sunday that the leaking of information involving israeli weapons sales was orchestrated by the Bush administration to apply pressure on Israel in the Middle East peace process. The stories were particularly embarrassing to defense minister Moshe Arens who is on a we Klong trip to the United states. Arens was scheduled to meet with defense Secretary Dick Cheney on monday and Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii today to discuss the allegations. Left Wing politicians in Israel have accused israelis parliament of negligence for failing to set up a subcommittee to provide supervision for arms sales. But right Wing lawmakers denied the allegations painting them As american attempts to further discredit Israel percent of its economic base including 8,500 jobs $152 million in annual earnings and the exodus of 15,000 residents the state report said. Bernard f. Ryder superintendent of Limestone schools said the District will shrink from 1,502 students to 318 students when the base closes and will have to Lay off 135 of its 185 employees. A everyone is scared Quot said Jim Cote who runs an Auto repair business near the base. His wife works in Ryder a office and May lose her Job. Local officials Are beginning to plan for life after Loring. They Are looking for new uses for the base which May not be easy to convert. State officials warned that converting Loring to civilian uses a will be greatly impeded by the presence of 42 hazardous waste Sites on the  their report estimated it will Cost $800 million to clean up the Sites. Spirits were lifted somewhat when the Pentagon confirmed in january that Loring is one of several Sites being considered for the nations first strategic defense initiative or a Star wars Quot missile defense base. Lorings civilian employees worry about How or if they will find new jobs. Karen Edgecomb 29, has worked for More than five years As a laundry Presser at the base and makes $9.30 an hour. A the Money is real Good and you can to really find anything for that kind of wages around Here a said Edgecomb who has a 7-year-old daughter. A a there a just no jobs in the  in Maine Calls on state to legalize pot Starks Maine apr angry Over drug raids residents of this tiny Western Maine Village narrowly adopted a Resolution asking the state to legalize marijuana. The Resolution passed 45-42, Calls on the legislature to prohibit bans on the cultivation Possession and Sale of cannabis hemp for agricultural and commercial uses such As for fiber and feed. It also asks lawmakers to legalize the Possession of up to 2 pounds of dried Lowers from female marijuana plants. The vote saturday followed a series of Well publicized drug raids by the states Bureau of intergovernmental drug enforcement. A this is military intimidation Quot Ralph Smithers said during a fiery town meeting before the vote. A the people in Russia reached a Point of saying a enough and they gained democracy. They have More democracy in Russia than we do Quot he said. Smithers talked about helicopter surveillance of the Countryside by pot Hunting drug agents. Other speakers charged that drug agents shoved  in their faces and expressed fears that the wrong House might be raided and occupants injured. But Kerry Herbert who opposed the Resolution accused pot growers of a dragging landowners into a felony action by planting this stuff on other Peoples  town clerk Jane Brackett said the last minute registration of three new voters a All supporters of the Resolution a raised some Legal questions. She said she  be surprised if someone challenged the vote. But town meeting Moderator Frank Russell said a it was our feeling that since the town clerk was Here and available to Register residents who wished to be registered that we would Register  five Hundred people live in  poll says americans will vacation More in 92 Cambridge mass. Apr More americans plan to travel this year than last an indication of rebounding consumer Confidence in the Economy according to a Survey. The fifth annual travel trends Survey by american express and Arthur d. Little inc., found 76 percent of those polled planned one or More vacation trips of at least three Days. The finding was a 36 percent increase Over 1991. A we predict that by the end of this year the a re word that has dominated this Industry will shift from recession to recovery Quot said Harry Boden of Arthur d. Little. The average household spending on vacation travel for 1992 will be $2,500, the Survey found