European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 05, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes . Friday november 5,1993 Fri son san Francisco a with the half hearted approval of their chief and the voters police officer Bob Geary and his wooden sidekick Brendan o Smarty hit the streets wednesday. San Francisco voters 51 percent to 49 percent approved a ballot measure tuesday allowing gear to take the ventriloquist s Dummy with him on patrol. As Geary took the 10-Pound Brendan on a Victory walk around the North Beach neighbourhood wednesday he got mixed reactions. Of you Cutic shopper Penny Small 72, Coo Edas she kissed the Dummy on one of its prominent red checks. But real estate agent Frank Boides 56, said i think it s ridiculous. We spent a lot of Money put Ting it on the ballot. I m offended by  police chief Anthony Ribera had opposed the measure saying Geary overstepped boundaries Nec Essary in a paramilitary organization. But on wednesday Ribera grudgingly went along with the fun. I be known Bob Geary a Long time and i m sure hell be prudent in the use of Brendan Ribera told Oakland television station a thu. I think the Vot ers Are kind of saying let s loosen up a bit let s no take it so  in 1991, Geary bought the puppet As a tool to smooth relations with the Community especially children. The idea generated National publicity All of it positive. But police brass eventually decided the puppet made the department look silly they told Geary to leave o Smarty in his locker unless he had written permission to take it on patrol. Geary fought Back raising $10,000 to put the Issue before voters. Officer Bob Geary and his wooden ventriloquist Dummy Brendan o Smarty Chat with citizens in the China town North Beach beat of san Francisco on wednesday after voters let Geary keep the Dummy on patrol. Puerto rican teachers strike against reforms l san Juan puerto Rico a teachers have gone on strike against the Island s Public schools to protest re forms they said would jeopardize their Job Security and amount to privatization of the educational system. The teachers whose strike began wednesday said they would remain off the Job indefinitely and would Appeal a temporary injunction the government obtained against the strike. Few pupils reported for class wednesday at the 1,600 Public schools despite a Well publicized plan by gov. Pedro Rossillo to keep them open. Only a few schools were functioning normally. Teachers carried yellow and Black ban ners demanding the revocation of a Law that created Community schools. Rather than being directly under the education department As in the existing system the Community schools have boards with significant authority Over administration finances teachers schedules and curriculum. The boards include teachers parents students and other Community residents. About 40 Community schools have been started since the Law was passed in june. Teachers say the new system would violate Job Security rights gained Over the years and by allowing schools to raise their own funds would Lead to inequality in education. We Are not willing to lose in one blow the rights gained Over so Many years of struggle said Alfredo based who has taught Spanish for 28 years. The teachers also Are seeking the Revo cation of a voucher system for Transfer ring from one school to another. The system along the lines of one California voters rejected tuesday provides $1,500 toward school assignment changes for students who qualify. Vouchers could be used for Public or private schools. Jesus Delgado a spokesman for the teachers federation Union has said the funds would be better used for scholarships for gifted students and assistance for needy students. The government sent about 8,000 pub Lic employees throughout the Island to counter the strike. The striking unions the teachers federation and the teachers association include about 39,000 of the Esti mated 45,000 teachers and school administrators. A third smaller Union that voted against a strike said it would not Cross picket lines. Gop senator assured officials probing alleged rifling of files Washington a the Senate approved five nominees for diplomatic posts wednesday after gop lawmakers angrily accused the Clinton White House of improperly searching the files of Bush administration officials. The nominations of the five were stranded for week by Republican objections a pressure tactic aimed at compelling administration action on complaints about the alleged file search. The Clinton administration assured the republicans it is looking into the matter. Sen. Mitch Mcconnell r-ky., then lifted his hold on the nominations and the five got voice vote approval. The five confirmed nominees Are Alan John Blinken chosen to be ambassador to Belgium. Tobi trister Gati to be an  of state. Swanee Grace Hunt to be ambassador to Austria. Thomas Loftus to be ambassador to Norway and Daniel Spiegel to be the . Representative to the european office of the United nations. Mcconnell had exercised his rights under Senate rules to halt action on the nominations. He acted after news reports said a White House search had been con ducted of personnel files on 160 state department political appointees in the Bush administration. The Washington Post reported in september that the White House sought the files stored in the state department s archives in Hyattsville md., months after the employees had left the Agency. Among the files were those of Jennifer Fitzgerald a close Bush associate and the chief of his Senate staff when he was vice president and Elizabeth Tamposi who reportedly conducted a search of presidential candidate Bill Clinton s passport files. Reports of the latest file search came one year after state department employees in the Bush administration allegedly searched the passport archives for information on Clinton and his Mother Virginia Kelley. Mcconnell said he asked for an explanation about the latest search from the state department and attorney general Janet Reno. The state department referred the Issue to its Independent inspector  Agency also said the search was inadvertent. That was t sufficient for Mcconnell who placed toehold on the nominations. It is not about the nominees the senator said Dur ing a contentious Senate debate. The reason we re Here is we Don t have Many levers available to get the administration to  late wednesday both the Justice and state depart ments sent letters to the Senate assuring lawmakers that the administration is moving As swiftly As it can on the investigation. Pepsi cola hoax results in probation for woman Boston a a woman who lied about finding a hypodermic Needle in a can of Pepsi cola was sentenced to two years probation wednesday. Prosecutors did not seek a prison term Forcinio Martinez 54, of Lawrence because she had no criminal record and did t intend to sue Pepsi assistant . Attorney Mark Pearlstein said. She pleaded guilty to lying to the . Food and drug administration about product Tam Pering a felony. Martinez was one of hundreds of people who claimed they found Needles i Pepsi cans last Spring. Not one claim was verified. Pepsi said the hoax Cost it about $40 Mil lion in lost sales and image problems. Martinez was the 16th person sentenced for making bogus claims about Needles in Pepsi cans. Martinez made her claim june 15. She picked up a Needle and a Pepsi can in a Park and told family members that the Needle had been inside when she tried to take a drink. She said Sofce gothic Kjad had Chest pains. Martinez repeated the claim to newspaper an television reporters who were at the Hospital when she was released. Neither Martinez nor her attorney would say Why she made up her Story. She admitted to the fib after investigators uncovered inconsistencies. P