European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 2, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and strips monday May 2,1994 Washington a the social Security administration spent $32 million on employee bonuses last year at a time it was pressing Congress for millions More to Deal with serious problems in its disability programs. The largest single award a $9,256 a went to an executive who had been on the Job for less than three months. A a a a two thirds of the Agency a 65,000 employees got a Cash Bonus in 1993, according to social Security spokesman Philip Gambino. Records obtained under the Freedom of information act show that the biggest award went to Lawrence Thompson who was named the Agency a second rank ing executive by health and human services Secretary Donna Shalala on july 19. His Bonus recommended by social Security commissioner Shirley Chater and approved by Shalala was for the fiscal year that ended 73 Days later on sept. 30 Gambino said. Thompsons annual salary is $120,594. Social Security is not unique among Federal agencies in awarding employee bonuses. But the Agency a decision to spend $32 million is striking because social Security lobbied Congress last year for additional Money to process a growing backlog of disability claims. Some ill and injured workers have died lost their Homes or turned to welfare while they waited for their first social Security Check. Rep. Rick Santo runt of Pennsylvania the senior Republican on a separate ways and Means subcommittee that oversees a part of social Security said an Agency that admits to serious problems in its disability programs should not be rewarding a the people in the system.�?�. A a the Money we gave them to clean it up  be going of bonuses a he said. A v. A. Congress gave the Agency ail extra �200 million to Speed up those decisions and Riep. Jim Bunning Ray questions whether social Security would have been Able to i v Nance its bonuses without that Money. Bunning the senior Republican on the House ways and Means social Security subcommittee called the bonuses outrageous and criticized the Agency for giving Thompson such a Large sum after such a Short time on the Job. / a v a ,. A. A to get $9,256 for 2�?~a months of service in the social Security administration a that is an outrage that we All ought to be made aware of a Bunning said this week. Disclosure of the awards comes at a time of growing problems for the Agency. A record number of people Are applying for disability benefits severely straining the Agency a ability to evaluate their cases quickly. Applicants have waited a year or More to learn if they will receive disability payments. Callers complain that they cannot get through on the Agency s toll free hot line or that telephones ring unanswered. A a. A in the stars and stripes 10 year Sago May 2,1984 British police said they found a weapons Cache inside the former libyan embassy and obtained proof that someone inside the building had fired on a libyan dissidents rally killing a policewoman. 20 year Sago May 2,1974 a president Nixon a edited watergate tape transcripts presented a picture of a White House in trouble and a president who once suggested an aide a had Damn Well better make a hush Money payment. 30 years ago May 2,1964 a soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev denying an agreement with the Date president Kennedy for permitting flights Over Cuba said continued . Violations of cuban airspace a can have disastrous  40 years ago May 2,1954�? police waded into crowds of West berliners weeding out communist rowdies trying to break up a Western sector May Day rally.50 year Sago May 2,1944 a sgt. Desalesa. Glover of Pittsburgh a gunner on a b-24 bomber faced retirement at the Ripe old age of 16 after fibbing about his age when he enlisted at 14. A a a a a =. World War ii 50 years ago today May 2 1 a 9 a 4 4 Spain backs away from its pro Axis stance withdrawing Spanish troops from the Azul div on. It. _ the soviet front and cutting exports of raw materials needed by Germany. For munitions production. In Washington the . Joint chiefs of staff orders Geri. Joseph Stilwell to do More to boost  of airborne supplies Over the Himalayas to . Air Force units operating in China. Source 2194 Days of War w. H Smith publishers inc. The world almanac of world War it by on books corp., 1981 official defends Deal Over ameses property by the new York times Washington a a Justice department official has denied that an arrangement allowing Aldrich Hames and his wife to keep three colombian properties represented an improperly generous Concession to the spy couple. Ames a Cia officer who along with wife Rosario pleaded guilty to espionage charges thursday will be allowed to keep a ranch and two apartments in Colombia As part of the couples plea agreement with the government Law enforcement officials said saturday Federal prosecutors who initially said after the plea hearing that the agreement would leave the ameses penniless agreed not to try to seize the couples real estate in Colombia apparently As a last minute Concession to overcome Rosario Arnest reluctance to pleading guilty with her husband. The Justice department official who spoke on condition of anonymity said prosecutors agreed to the property Deal Tii part because the government lacked the authority to demand forfeiture of real estate overseas and because one or More of the properties was held in the name of Ames Beaumont Texas a the Kun flux  participate in a state Highway cleanup program because it would intimidate minority residents of a Public housing project a Federal judge ruled Friday. . District judge Joe Fisher said the states interest in de segregating the Complex outweighs the klan a first amendment right to free speech. Klansmen Michael Lowe and James Hall or. Applied dec. 10 to adopt a two mile stretch of Road in Vidor. The adopt a Highway project enlists civic groups and nonprofit organizations to help Clear left Rosario Ames Mother. Other officials have said that prosecutors were anxious to strike a plea agreement with Rosario Ames because they had Little direct evidence showing she had actively aided her husband. The properties include a coastal farm in a Rural area of the country an apartment in Bogota and a vacation apartment in a historic District of the Seaside City of  have never placed a Dollar value on the properties and one official said saturday that they were heavily mortgaged. \ Rosario Ames is an american citizen but she was born in Colombia and plans to return there after her prison sentence after the couples arrest feb. 21, family members took the couples 5-year-old son Paul to Colombia to live with Rosario Ames Mother. A at the hearing in Federal court thursday Aldrich Ames a 31-year career officer at the Cia pleaded guilty to spying for Moscow and tax evasion. . District judge Claude a Hilton sentenced Arnes to life in prison in return for lenient treatment of his wife and for Aldrich Ames Promise to cooperate in an evaluation of the damage caused by his spying activities. Rosario Ames pleaded guilty to lesser espionage offence and a tax charge. Hilton postponed her sentencing until August. A a a a a a a ans Ter from state roadways. The Road that the klan sought to adopt runs near a Public housing Complex that a court ordered desegregated in 1985, the Complex remained segregated until 1993, when Federal housing officials moved in four Black families. The families quickly moved out saying they were threatened and harassed. Federal housing officials moved 14 other Black families info the Complex this year. The Kjan conducted several rallies in Vidor in 1993 to protest the complexes desegregation. New Denver Airport in pattern Denver apr the mayor considered postponing indefinitely the opening of Denver International Airport As technicians tried to fix its computerized baggage delivery system saturday. The. Opening of the $3.2 billion Airport has been delayed three times since oct. 31, mostly because of problems with construction and training schedule setbacks. The likelihood that it would open As scheduled May 15 appeared slim at Best after a three Day test of the baggage system failed to get it working. Mayor Wellington Webb is expected to make a formal announcement soon. One killed 10 Hurt in gang shooting from wire reports los Angeles a a group of people leaving a party got caught in a Nail of gunfire exchanged Between rival gangs Early saturday. One part Gocr died and 10 alleged gang members were injured authorities said. A a v. A woman was killed in the 12 30 . Shooting in the City a Walnut Park area sheriffs deputies said. Her identity Wasny to released. The injured were taken to three hospitals. One of the wounded an unidentified 18-year-old Man was in critical condition at Harbor Urcla medical Center authorities said. Inscriptions changed Washington nine inscriptions on the Vietnam veterans memorial were changed saturday to reflect that some service members who had been listed As missing were killed in action. They had been listed As missing in action when the memorial was dedicated on veterans Day in 1982, but the defense de p Art me n t acc e Ive d the remains of the nine men in 1993 and earlier this year. Changed were the names of James a. Branch Carl f. Karst Oscar Mauterer George c. Mccleary and Wayne e. Pearson All of the air Force John w. Frink Byron k. Kulland and Ronald p. Paschall of the army and Ralph a Foulks or. Of the Navy. A a a a a Hawaii pact of d Honolulu a state and county government workers accepted a new four year contract ending a 12-Day walkout that left residents unable to receive Hospital services or obtain marriage or Drivers licenses. More than 16,000 workers from three bargaining units of the Hawaii government employees association had walked picket lines before voting Friday to accept the Deal which includes pay increases. Harding hearing set Portland Ore. Tonya Harding a disciplinary hearing before the . Figure skating association is set for june 29, a Federal judge Friday lifted a restraining order delaying the hearing. The Ussa could strip her of her 1994 . Championship or bar her from the association for life. Harding pleaded guilty six weeks ago to hindering the investigation into the Jan. 6 attack on rival Nancy Kerrigan. She is on probation and must pay $160,000 in fines and other costs