European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 28, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Tuesday june 28, 1994 . The stars and stripes Page 5nevada leads in smoking death rate Atlanta apr Nevada topped the nation in the rate of smoking related deaths while the mormon churches prohibition against using tobacco keeps Utah relatively smoke free. Overall smoking related deaths Are declining. These were some of the conclusions of the governments first state by state look in five years at cigarette smoking the single most preventable cause of premature death in the United states the centers for disease control and prevention Analysed deaths in 1990 and found that 20 percent or 415,226, were caused by smoking. A 1988 estimate found that 434,000 people died from smoking related cause improvements in the emergency care of heart attacks and strokes and better treatment for cardiovascular diseases offset a slight increase in lung cancer deaths said Mike Siegel of the cd cd a office on smoking and health. Quot Only a Small percentage could be due to a drop in the smoking rate Siegel said. The cd looked at each states deaths from cancer cardiovascular and respiratory conditions diseases among infants and Burn deaths caused by smoking. The Agency then Analysed the numbers using formulas based on the prevalence or percentage of adults who smoke and on the risks of health problems among current and former smokers compared with nonsmokers. It estimated that in each state males had about twice As Many deaths attributable to smoking As females. Smoking look its heaviest toll in Nevada where 24 percent of All deaths in 1990 were blamed on tobacco use. The cd linked 2,234 Nevada deaths to smoking for a smoking related death rate of 478,1 per 100,000  s rates May be attributable in part to its Large number of retirees. Eighty percent of its residents were born elsewhere said Willie Edwards the Nevada health departments first tobacco education and information officer. Next door in Utah pressure of another kind led to the nations lowest smoking related death rate. Just 1,228 people died from smoking in 1990, 13.4 percent of the states total for a mortality rate of 218 per 100,000 people. Mormons account for 70 percent of Utah s population giving them a huge influence on smoking prevention according to John Brockert the states director of vital statistics. Still health officials Are  we think it could be better and we have programs trying to convince people not to Start a Brockert said. The cd also tallied up the years of potential life lost in each state by comparing average life expectancies for each smoking victim with the person s age at death. As the most populous state california1 Ted the nation on this scale. With 42,574 premature deaths the cd figured smoking robbed the state of 498,297 years of potential life Alaska one of the least populated states had the lowest number 6,720 years from 402 deaths. Wild weather floods leave 5 dead in South by the associated press storms rumbled across the South spinning off tornadoes and. Causing flooding blamed for five deaths dozens of injuries and heavy damage. A 10-year-old girl was killed Early monday when a suspected Tornado blew off the second floor of a House Between Grayson and Loganville East of Atlanta said sgt. Steve Cline of the Gwinnett county ga., police. Rescuers took two hours to free eight others from the Homes debris. A woman was killed and two people were injured about 7 30 . When a storm demolished a Mobile Home near Farmington South of Athens said Oconee county sheriff Scott Berry. A tree fell on a House and killed a Man in Kinston n.c., in one of seven counties in that state where the National weather service issued Tornado warnings. In Western Kentucky two people drowned sunday afternoon when a flooding Creek washed their car off a Road. Seven people were injured when a Houseboat capsized at Lake cumberland1. Wind gusting to 100 Mph in parts of South Carolina left thousands of residents without Power knocked Down Trees and caused property damage across the state. Joe Baxter emergency director in Law rence county tenn., said an at Tornado sunday night damaged More than half the buildings Iii Iron City a town of about 450 people on the Alabama line. Residents were evacuated until authorities were Able to Seal leaking propane tanks. At least three people were injured in Alabama where tornadoes were confirmed touching Down near Lexington and Tanner late sunday night said Eddie Hamby of the Alabama emergency management Agency. The storms d am aged at least 70 Home s in Georgia and downed Power lines in at least 14 counties said gov. Zell Miller who ordered state agencies to help local governments with debris removal and Public safety. Three campers at a Park and three members of a family who live in a Mobile Home were among at least 21 people injured in Georgia on sunday Ana monday. Georgia Power co. Said at least 15,000 customers were without Power at 8 . Monday Down from about 50,000 overnight. The National weather service said heavy rain flooded streets in Roswell a. The storms which broke a dry spell churned up ahead of a cold front coming Down from the North. U.s., North Korea set new talks Washington a the United states and North Korea will reopen High level talks Over the communist governments nuclear program july 8 in Geneva the White House announced monday. Press Secretary Dee Dee Myers said there was no scheduled end Date to the discussions. A the talks will continue As Long As they re productive a she said. Assistant Secretary of state Robert Gallucci will head the . Delegation. Myers said she had no information on the Agenda for the talks. A South korean newspaper reported that the United states will offer to Exchange diplomatic Liaison offices with North Korea if it agrees to open its secretive nuclear program. The offices would be the first step in a two stage program that would eventually include formal diplomatic recognition of the North the newspaper said. Myers said the report was premature. A we can to say that. That s something that has not been worked out a she said. The United states has said it would improve diplomatic relations if North Korea cooperated Over concerns for its nuclear program. Cuban refugee Levels hit 14-year High Miami apr twelve More cubans floated toward Florida on monday bringing the number of cubans arriving by sea this year to More than any year since the Marie boat lift of 1980, the coast guard said. Fishing boat Crews spotted nine people in 14-foot Rowboat and a group or three off the Florida keys on monday morning bringing the total number of arrivals this year to 3,665. With the year less than half Over that is nine More than in All of 1993 and the biggest annual tally since cuban president Fidel Castro allowed a boat lift at the port of Mariel 14 years ago said Petty officer Ron Wyman. That operation brought nearly 125,000 cubans to key West in the Spring of 1980. A the total of 1,117 so far this month also set a Post Mariel record for a single month easily eclipsing the 726 counted in april Junior Difatta watches sunday As his winning catch a 1214-Inch, 1-Pound rat is weighed by his Stepdad Chuck och tech at a Baltimore rat fishing  anglers cast for Beady eyed catches Baltimore a. Chuck och tech knew exactly where he wanted to cast his Hook a just Down the Middle of the Alley near that water a och tech said Early sunday. He was t talking about easing a carefully tied Fly onto the surface of an inviting Pool in a challenging Trout Stream or flipping an artificial Frog onto a Lily pad. Och tech was one of nearly 40 contestants who cast Hooks baited with Bacon smeared with Peanut butter bits of hot dog or raw Steak Down garbage strewn alleys for the yellow Rose saloons second annual rat fishing contest. Junior Difatta och tech a Stepson took first place reeling in a 1214-Inch, 1-Pound rat. A Chuck you catch it Honey and ill club it a said och tech a wife Shirley Difatta a red aluminium baseball Bat at the ready. A look look look. There goes one a the us anglers paid a $3 Entrance fee covering the Cost of trophies and a donation to Charity to cast their bait Down alleys in the East Baltimore neighbourhood. They aimed for puddles that might attract rodents to drink or particularly pungent piles of household garbage. A a we re sportsmen a said och tech who organized the first tournament last year after Reading about the City a rat problem Quot there s a lot of technique to it a no artificial lures Trot lines Bells whistles or firearms allowed. No stuffing rats with Lead or steel shot a for in any other manner in which to increase its weight Quot the contest actually has a purpose. A what we re trying to do is bring attention to the problem a och tech said. A a there a More rats in Baltimore than there Are people Quot thanks for the help but no thanks say City officials. A this just docs not sound like a responsible Way to address a rat problem a said Zack Germroth a spokesman for the City a department of housing and Community development. A what this is doing is drawing More rats to the neighbourhood than getting rid of them a Germroth said. The department warned the yellow Rose Sapa Loon to Stop holding the contest last year he said. A How can you attract something that a already there a och tech responded