European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 4, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 4 the stars and stripes wednesday August 4,1993 town slices into levee to Avert close shave workers replace sandbags along . Highway 54 near Jefferson City mo., before beginning repairs after floodwaters from the Missouri River had shoved Concrete dividers aside. V from wire reports a historic Illinois town deliberately Cut a levee on the Mississippi River in a bold Gamble to save itself. In Prairie Durocher where the Trench built a fort in 1722 and where tourists now go for country inns and Fine French food emergency officials initiated the approach a similar to battling a Brush fire by setting a Back fire a to let the River flow through and they hoped deflect water from the town. Meanwhile one River town after another fell victim to levees that were designed to protect them and instead betrayed them. But those Little broken levees a upstream and downstream a helped save this City. The Mississippi which had been forecast to reach unprecedented Heights monday and Strain St. Louis Concrete flood Wall like never before actually dropped during the Day because of busted levees downstream in Illinois that gave billions of Gallons of water a release. A the poor people in Illinois. I kind of feel that saved us said Margaret Lindemann whose St. Louis Home escaped serious flooding. A those levees breaking in Illinois saved  those Breaks sunday and monday in Rural Monroe county 111., created a mass of water that inundated the farm town of Valmeyer and menaced Prairie Durocher to the South. The . Army corps of engineers assisted by the . Coast guard opened up a 400-foot Section of the levee tuesday in the bid to save Prairie do  levee is along the River West of the town. A dredging boat shaved about 3 feet off the. Top of the main Channel levee allowing the. Swollen River to slowly run through the Gap. Authorities in the town expected 58,000 acres of Farmland farmhouses Ana 18th-Centuiy fort Chartres would be flooded by the deliberate levee break. The reconstructed French fort is made of Stone and Concrete and was not expected to be damaged. With nearly All the 850 residents evacuated from the historic town workers continued to buttress another levee nearer the town with Rock hoping to raise it to 52 feet As a last line of defense. A the danger there is that we done to know. We really have not tried to have a controlled levee break before a Randolph county Board chairman Dan Reitz said monday. If their plan worked not Only would it save Prairie Durocher but it could Stop the water from swamping 30,000 acres of prime Farmland and the town of Chester about 20 Miles Southeast. The town of 8,200 has a maximum Security prison. Across the River in Ste. Genevieve mo., town officials asked begged and finally threatened residents to evacuate As the Mississippi pressed toward a 49-foot Crest tuesday. A if we have to physically remove them from their Homes we will physically remove them a emergency services chief Mick Schwent said. The efforts came As the flood of 93 wound Down. The flood has contributed to 46 deaths and caused $10 billion in damage in nine midwestern states. Elsewhere in areas already struck by flooding residents focused on cleaning up and assessing the damage. Authorities in Rock Island 111., opened a free dump site for people to unload everything from an old sofa to a Muddy doll. A what can i say the River is Beautiful but you can to fight it a said Doug Morse of Muscatine Iowa As he unloaded a trailer piled with remnants of his family a riverfront House. Residents in St. Louis were hoping the worst was Over after weekend flooding attacked hundreds of houses and businesses in suburban Chesterfield and St. Charles. Wins confirmation for supreme court Washington apr the Senate on tuesday confirmed Ruth Bader Ginsburg As the 107th supreme court Justice and the second woman to serve on the High court. The vote was 96-3 As the Senate completed one of the quickest and smoothest supreme court confirmations in recent years. Ginsburg 60, won several important supreme court rulings on women a rights As an attorney for the american civil liberties Union. During 13 subsequent years As a Federal appellate judge she won a reputation As a moderate Jurist who Sticks closely to judicial precedent and avoids rulings based on her personal opinion. During her confirmation hearings she pledged to a get it rights without bringing any specific political philosophy to her work. Chosen by president Clinton to Ginsburg replace retired Justice Byron r. White Ginsburg is the first person named to the High court by a democratic president in 26 years. She will join the first female Justice Sandra Day of Connor who was nominated by president Reagan in 1981. In keeping with tradition senators sat at their desks As the Roll was called and stood one by one to announce their votes. The galleries were packed with spectators. Voting no were Republican Sens. Jesse Helms of North Carolina Don Nickles of Oklahoma and Robert c. Smith of new Hampshire. Democratic sen. Donald w. Riegle or of Michigan was absent. White House spokeswoman Lorraine Voles said Ginsburg would be sworn in next tuesday at the supreme court and the White House. Senate cuts Back Clinton s plan for College Aid Washington a the Senate on tuesday approved president Clinton a plan for students to Exchange two years of Community service for College tuition. The House adopted broader legislation last week and the measure now goes to a House sen ate conference committee. The Senate a 58-41 vote ended Ai bitter partisan dispute Over the legislation which was scaled Back from Clinton a original five year $9.5 billion proposal to a three year program costing $1.5 billion. Sen. Edward m. Kennedy d-mass., floor manager of the Bill hailed its passage As a an important Milestone for  democrats and republicans had worked together a to find common ground Quot on the legislation he said. Republican Leader Robert j. Dole of Kansas said the contentious debate had improved the program. A at least we reduced the Cost of this program a he said and the Senate a injected some sanity into Volunteer  democrats forced the vote after quashing a week old Republican filibuster Friday. They had accused republicans of trying to Embarrass Clinton but gop senators said the program was too costly. The Senate Bill would spend $300 million in the first year of the program $500 million in the second year and $700 million in the third year. Students who completed two years of Community service work would receive College stipends of $4,725 a year for two years. Both the House and Senate reduced the figure from $5,000 to keep it lower than the $5,250 military people can receive. The White House was not certain of the number of slots that would be open to students. As of Fri vote next As Washington a Louis Freehe a nomination i Fri director Breeze through the Senate judiciary committee on tuesday headed for a full Senate vote before the week is out. Without discussion the panels 18 members voted unanimously to approve the nomination of the new York Federal judge who was praised by senators of both parties during his speedy 3v4-hour confirmation hearing last week. A full Senate vote is expected before Congress starts its summer recess Friday in line with White House wishes to get Freeh on the Job As soon As Possi Freeh would take Over a Bureau racked by months of controversy generated by an ethics probe of its previous director William s. Sessions who was fired two weeks ago by president Clinton. The Fri Post carries a 10-year term but its occupant May be removed by the president for cause. The 43-year-old Freeh who is a Freeh former Fri agent and Federal prosecutor told the committee that he would fight crime on All fronts while remaining free from political influence and increasing the n 11mk/ir a . -__1 a a 4 a it la the number of minority and female agents. At the confirmation hearing Freeh praised sessions for u a a a standing efforts to diversity the Fri work Force ouf o  Pic Rui Wix Tui. Sessions was ousted 5v years after taking office an six months after a Justice department report accuse him of ethical lapses. Republican sen. Alfonse m d Amato of new York called Freeh a a Man of extra great integrity and Independence while sen. Sam Nunn d-ga., said Freeh a has becom a legend on his own not by Chance not by