European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 04, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday january 4, 1995 the stars and stripes Page 3 of Missry renovations still slated  I. \. $770/000 of go fore a red by Doyle Tillman  Bureau. Vogel Weh Germany the defense commis sary Agency will spend $170,000 to renovate the commissary in Kaiserslautern even though it plans to build a new $11.5 million store next year officials say the interim expenditures will save operating expenses and allow expanded operating hours. Renovations which should be Complete by feb. 28,will allow a return to Normal operations at the to Jelweh Market which was heavily damaged by fire nearly 18 months ago a deca Europe spokesman said the new commissary is scheduled to open in june1996. Money from the commissary Agency s 5 percent surcharge on All commissary purchases has been set aside for construction and new equipment and a site has been selected within a mile of the existing commis sary. However further congressional approval i needed which officials said they expect late this sum Mer or fall. The $170,000 will go toward the Purchase of new refrigeration equipment the repair of smoke damaged Walls reinforcement of beams and columns installation of new receiving doors and lighting and heating improvements. The primary financial Benefit of the renovations to the current facility officials said is that the store would no longer need three of the four refrigeration trucks and other equipment that has been rented from the army since the store reopened after the fire. Vogelle commissary improvements current hours. Tim Day through saturday 4? pm iks sunday n . To 5 . After renovations around feb. 28 tuesday through saturday sunday 9 am to 9 .11 . To 5 . Is without the renovations the commissary would pay the 37th transportation come another $289,430 to rent the vans and two flatbed trailers used As receiving platforms for deliveries until the new commissary can be built. Even with the improvements the Agency expects Topay $65,000 for one refrigeration Van it will use to transport meat from the meat cutting facility at the nearby Ramstein a commissary. Also elimination of the refrigeration vans will allow the commissary to reclaim about 40 parking spaces in front of the store the Vogel Weh store s warehouse and rear loading area were damaged in an August 1993 fire. The fire is still under investigation by air Force office of special investigations agents at Ramstein to. However agents on dec. 29 acknowledged that there is new evidence inthe Case and agents arc travelling to the United states to interview additional witnesses. The Kaiserslautern military Community steering group headed by air Force Brig. Gen. Jeffrey s. I Kington urged Acca Europe to make repairs in order for store hours to return to Normal or fire operating  the group oversees Quality of life issues in the. Kaiserslautern military Community. At present the store is open tuesdays through saturdays from 9 . To 7 ., and from 11 . To 5 . On sundays. Once repairs arc Complete the store will be open tuesdays through saturdays from 9 . To 9 ., and from 11 . To 5 . On sundays. Deca Europe agreed to make temporary repairs to the Vogel Weh commissary in spite of our Hope for anew commissary in order to provide better customer service eliminate some safety hazards and return the operation to its former closing hour of 9 .daily," William Mackrain said in a written statement. Mackrain director of deca Europe said he approved the repairs after consulting with commissary Agency officials in  also said Congress has asked his Agency to justify again the need for a new Vogel Weh commissary a development that could delay construction of the new store if Congress withholds consideration until next year s defense budget. Designs for the new commissary Are 35 per Curtt com plete Decca Europe officials said. Some blueprints Al ready have been drafted for the new store. Bills from Page 1 people who have already signed on with Mcdonald Range from 70 German Marks to 5,000 Marks Mcdonald said or about$46 to $3,289 at a current Exchange rate of 1.52 Marks to $1. Attempts on tuesday to reach Tele Kom officials at their Bonn Headquarters were unsuccessful. Officials from . Army and air Force Headquarters in Europe said they were not aware of any unusual problem with Tele Kom at other communities. Jim Hearn the Dex him army Are support team manager said tuesday that no one has brought the complaints to him but that he would ask officials of the 410th base support in what local customers can do for help. Dex him is 23 Miles East of bad Kreuz Nach and has about 1,750 army Community members Mcdonald said she began noticing a increase in her Telephone Bills in the fall of 1994. During the months of May through August Mcdonald said her Bills ranged from 600 to 900 German  in october she was surprised when her Bill jumped to More than 1,000 Marks.  That s when she called Tele Kom to find out Why. They said i owed it Mcdonald said. However since Tele Kom does not Send but itemized Bills Mcdonald said there is Dave Casey Heidi Mcdonald is trying to sign up 80 people to begin a class action suit against Tele Kom because she says people arc getting  was no real Way to prove otherwise forc ing her and the others to pay up or risk losing  the beginning it was causing prob lems with my husband because rethought i was using the phone excessively Mcdonald explained. Now he knows that people Are getting screwed Thomas said she gave up trying to re solve the Billing Issue with Tele Kom when she realized she was in a no win Situa Tion -. She said she has an appointment with a German lawyer today to review her Situa tion.-. ".,   is Dav Case Tammy a. Price says  going Home have had to pay inflated Bills because they did t have any time to straighten things  Tammy a. Price a family member who works at the local Post Exchange As an operations clerk also is puzzled at Tele Kom s Billing. Her monthly Billing has fluctuated wildly since August she said. She said other soldiers from her Hus band s unit cob 123rd support in main also Are experiencing Billing,.problems,." / v. This causes a problem for soldiers Leav ing Germany she said because in order to leave All balls must be Paidthey the so Dicks had to pay because they did t have any time to  Price said. Prank from Page 1 time later after they had run from the scene on foot Frady said. They were charged with damage to a Host country property he said in a statement. All of the soldiers were later released by the maps to their units Frady said. The soldiers charged in the incident arc staff sgt. Wilfor d r. Graham co a 1st in 15th inf reel sgt. Andy Stefan co a 1st in 15th inf regt sgt. James g. Wasson 3rd support in spec. Duaner. Friend he co 1st in 15th inf regt and spec. Timo thy , he co 1st inf brigade. Wasson was also charged with larceny of . Government property Frady said. The police spokesman said the 26-year-old sol Dier took six simulators from his unit and hid them. He Wasson invited three friends to a new year s eve party at his apartment which is next door to the apartment House later damaged by the simulators the spokesman said. During the eve Ning s Celebration four of the men exploded one of the devices in an open Field. Later they were joined by another member of their  before detonating the simulators the five men reportedly left the party and joined a group of German teen agers in setting off fireworks police said. 1 the damaged apartment building is adjacent to a . Government leased housing Complex occupied by 30 soldiers and their families from the Schweinfurt area said George of the spokesman for the 280th base support j3n in Schweinfurt. The army s criminal investigation come is investigating the incident. Runway Job May cause flight delays by Marian Hamilton Mediterranean Bureau Nass Gonella Sicily delays i both passenger and cargo traffic at . Bases in the Mediterranean May occur i mid january while is Gonella s main run Way is rebuilt base officials  on Jan. 17, is Onella s main runway will be closed for several , Means that the base one of the busiest military airports in the Mediterranean must divert aircraft larger than a c-130 Hercules to the Fontanarosa Airport in the nearby City of Catania base officials said. A parallel runway at Simonella will be a Leto handle smaller planes such As c-9 nightingales and c-130s, but category b flight Sand larger planes such As c-5 galaxies and c-141 Star lifters will be diverted to cat Ania. /.  b flights arc the Large Commer Cial aircraft used to Fly personnel to the states. "  A to simplify paperwork procedures for passengers incoming and outgoing person Nel will be processed at the is Gonella Airport and bused to their planes at Catania. The intent is for Bur folks not to go through the Catania Airport facilities at All said it. Cmdr. Chris St Innecker the base assistant operations officer. Catania is basically supplying Pur cat Bola place to land Park let Oft and pick up Pas sengers Park the buses and take off Stein acc scr said. Everything else will still be done at Sigoncllapotential space available travellers will also be processed at  that cannot be handled at Simonel la or Catania will be transferred to the american military Airport at Naples. This includes planes that used to fuel up at Sigo Noclla while in route to other destinations and most cargo destined for locations within the Mediterranean Steinnecker said. Lots of people Are going to work very hard to make this transition and the ensuing operations As hassle free As possible