European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 4, 1995, Darmstadt, Hesse                                . Sets traps for exotic new germs Washington apr a new Strain of meningitis quietly made its Way from Norway to Spain jumped Over an Ocean to cause epidemics in Cuba and Brazil a and then somehow sneaked into Oregon and began sickening americans. Now the government is setting up the nations first Early warning system for these emerging diseases with regional detection offices whose Mission will be to discover exotic new germs and detect the return of old ones before they cause deadly outbreaks. A a this country is woefully unprepared to Deal with new emerging pathogens a said or. David Fleming Oregon a state epidemiologist. A these regional centers to keep us ahead of this evolution Are something new and needed if we Are going to win that  the centers for disease control and prevention is starting programs in four states Oregon California Connecticut and Minnesota. The four emerging infections programs will tackle a few of the nation s underfunded health threats every thing from food born illnesses and super bacteria to the meningitis just uncovered in Oregon. A a a it a a different approach and nobody a exactly sure How it will pan out but. Ultimately the Hope is to be Able to prevent people from getting these various illnesses a said or. Arthur Reingold of the University of California who is helping run that states program. Infectious diseases Are on the Rise. New ones evolve from animals mutate or Migrate from other countries. But the nation has no Way to warn doctors when a disease is about to strike so the cd last Spring planned a $75 million to $125 million global Sentinel system a but it did no to have the Money. This fall when the cd won $6.7 million to fight emerging infections in fiscal 1995, it began phasing in the network starting with the four states. All four will track invasive bacteria such As group a streptococcus commonly called a flesh eating bacteria a that made headlines around the world last year each state has special projects a Oregon is fighting the new bacterial meningitis,1 an inflammation of the membrane surrounding the brain and spinal Cord. Group b meningitis is fairly rare typically hitting Only infants and toddlers. But a new b Strain called et5, is increasing and hitting older children and Young adults. It was discovered in Norway and spread to Spain Cuba and Brazil. Then Oregon uncovered et5 which it blames for More than doubling its group b meningitis cases from 22 in 1991 to 56 this year. A California is fighting Valley fever caused by a fungus that grows in the soil in parts of California Arizona Nevada new Mexico Texas and Utah. A Connecticut is analysing the risk factors for Erhlin Chia bacteria that infect the blood cells and can cause anything from a mild flu to death. This infection possibly spread by ticks is often confused with Rocky Mountain spotted fever Lyme disease and other febrile illnesses but no one knows How widespread it is. A Minnesota is studying food borne illnesses and ways to prevent them. In the stars and stripes 10 years ago Jan. 4,1985 a Finland invest gated reports of explosions related to its search for a soviet missile that crossed a projecting tip of Norway before going into Finland. Norway was preparing a formal protest to Moscow. 20 year Sago Jan. 4,1975 a the nations unemployment rate soared to 7.1 percent for december As americans without jobs totalled More than 6 million for the first time since the great depression. 30 year Sago Jan. 4,1965 a House democrats in a secret vote of 157 to 115, stripped All seniority rights from two of their Southern colleagues who openly supported Republican sen. Barry Goldwater d-ariz., for the presidency. 40 year Sago Jan. 4,1955 a unidentified gunmen mowed Down panamanian president jos6 Antonio rem6n with a Hail of machine gun fire and police arrested 20 people. 50 year Sago Jan. 4,1945 the . 8th air Force assault on Supply lines feeding nazi forces in the ardennes salient thundered into its 12th straight Day As More than 1,000 b-17s and b-24s blasted Road and rail centers at a dozen Points. World War ii 50 years ago today Jan. 4 1 -9-4 american sailors scuttle the . Escort Carrier Momaney Bay. Off the Philippines after it sustains heavy damage in Kamikaze attacks on ships massing for the Luzon invasion. British troops overrun Burma s Akaab Island. Three British earners launch air attacks on Oil refineries in japanese held Sumatra in Belgium heavy fighting rages in the German salient in the ardennes. Source 2194 Days of War w. H. Smith. Publishers inc. The world almanac of world War ii Bison books corp., 1981 a Quot want to adopt ads on billboards bring new Hope to couple Farmers Branch Texas apr As their chances of adopting a child seemed to fade Mike and Anne Shaffer decided to take their search to the  on Friday two billboards went up announcing a Mike and Anne want to adopt. We arc state approved. 214 675-baby.�?� a i feel we were competing with 3 million other people for 50,000 infants a said Mike Shaffer who lives in this Dallas suburb. A i really wanted to search for something novel or that Hasni to been  since the ads went up in Dallas a one on a Highway the other on a main Road a hundreds of pc Pic have called from across the country to offer the names of adoption agencies stories and encouragement. The she affers met monday with one woman who is four weeks pregnant. Shaffer said they a clicked a but he remained cautious. A no one really can Promise you a child a he said. He was speaking from experience. Last year a pregnant woman agreed to give the sheaf frs her child. But she changed her mind six weeks before she was due and decided to give the baby to her aunt and Uncle. A that was a Tough experience for us a said Shaffer president of a company that distributes electrical and mechanical Industrial products a it Wasny to like having a child die i would never say it was anything that serious. But we did lose a child. We made the mistake of naming the child which even bonded us  a the she affers have been married for six years. They found out Arnie Wilson rounds out his world ski expedition with a run at Brick Enridge Colo., on the last Day of 1994. Two britons take global slant on everyday skiing Dillon Colo. Apr it was a Tough Job but someone had to do it. A. Arnie Wilson and Lucy Dicker spent 1994 skiing. Every Day. Across five continents from a slope in Blue cow Australia to a converted dump in Villa Olivia Iii Wilson a ski correspondent for the financial times a Esquire Magazine and the British broadcasting corp., do lev self lev so Vas choking a hatched the idea to celebrate his 50th birthday. The a times and other businesses sponsored the Odyssey. About four years ago that Anne Shaffer a homemaker  have children. They ruled out a surrogate Mother because of religious beliefs. Foster parenting seemed too painful because they would eventually have to give up the child. Orphanages seemed to offer even less Hope. _ some adoption agencies said they weren to accepting any More adoptive parents. Other agencies said Shaffer 44, and his 36-year-old wife were past the age limits for adoption. A so the couple turned to the billboards which were to run for three Days and rented two cellular phones to take the Calls. Only a few people called before a Story on their quest appeared in sundays Dallas morning news. Then came a barrage of Calls starting with about a half dozen while they were in Church. A we were asked to move into the crying baby room a Shaffer said. Merritt Turner a Counselor at adoption Access in Dallas Quot said the she affers should stick with an Agency. A the networking is not As successful a that a my under standing a she said. A it sounds like they re going through a lot of extra work and  but the she affers arc hopeful and credit their Strong Christian Faith with helping them persevere. A a the lord is leading us through this entire process a said Anne Shaffer who recently earned a masters degree in biblical studies. A a when we feel the lord closes All doors we will Stop. Right now we feel like this is his plan for  the two britons skied the Rockies the san Gabriels the Himalayas the Alps and a snowy Argentine Volcano. To close out 1994, they Rode the slopes at Copper Mountain Breckenridge and Keystone in Colorado to set a record for skiing every Calendar Day of the year. Of course they did no to always ski on Snow. In India they found themselves Miles from the White stuff. A we skied Down ravines on rocks and debris with the very Strong possibility of avalanches a Wilson said. Why a a actually we re both quite stubborn people a he said. Calif. Apr a teen age baby Sitter teamed up piece of Chicken Erato a la save cd a a girl who was choking Caby Jill cry who Wasny to identified called the Fng Blue number saturday and reported the 4-year-old girl was hf.�hsn1c.c��?onty firc department dispatcher Eddie Pickett caught in the Heimlich Man Euver to dislodge the caught in the girl s Windpipe. Hadst   do i a and 1 told he ?n75n.hc ,.a, got the food fryc and the 4-Yca