Elko Daily Free Press from Elko, Nevada • 12

A12 Saturday, February 13, 1999 ELKO DAILY FREE PRESS, Elko, Nevada Lander signs BLM lease for fire fighting base I News capsules foot taxiway and seal coat the apron and taxiways. "We're trying to get some stability to keep the base here," Smith said. The BLM has had almost a free ride the past few years and if the county were to ask a little more, then it's not unreasonable," Muller told commissioners. The BLM previously paid no rent and $50 per landing. The BLM will lease 1.7 acres, an aircraft apron and fire hall.

County Manager Bonnie Duke noted the BLM increased the county's lease fees on Austin airport from $100 to $4,600, on the Kingston airport from $100 to $1,760 and for the Mount Lewis Communication Site $2,259 to reflect "fair market "It's a very good asset for the county and we want to keep it here," Lander County Commissioner Bill Elquist said. Rick Harless, owner of Harless Aircraft Services, said he also would like the terms of his contract extended to 20 years. Harless has four years left on his contract, in which Lander County pays him $73,000 per year to be the airport fixed base operator and allows him free use of hangar space for charters and repairs. Harless said without the BLM fire fighting base he wouldn't be in business. "There are a lot of people who are employed because of this tanker base," Harless said.

But he added, "We can look at attracting some other things other than BLM." ByMarkWaite Lander County Commissioners this week agreed to sign a 10-year lease with the U.S. Bureau of Land Management for a fire fighting base at Battle Mountain airport. The BLM will pay $7,000 per year plus $90 for each aircraft landing on a lease basis so the agency can undertake improvements. The lease replaces a memorandum of understanding that was to expire April 2, 2000, with an option to renew for another 10 years. "We anticipate taking this tanker base to a full, blown tanker base.

Right now it's just a staging area," said Jerry Smith, field manager for the BLM Battle Mountain office. "We're looking at investing $750,000 in this facility." Dave Davis, BLM fire management officer, said a nationwide BLM study recommends stationing an air tanker at Battle Mountain airport for at least 90 days to establish a Northern Nevada Air Service Center, lessening the need to fly aircraft in from throughout the country. The BLM plans to expand a loading ramp for the tankers, build storage tanks for fire retardant and other improvements, Davis said. Over 10 years, the BLM Battle Mountain fire fighting base has averaged 136 landings per year. Peter Muller, a consultant for Knight-Piesold, proposed the $90 landing fee, which he said was average for airports calculated at a rate of $1.12 per 1,000 pounds but recommended a $10,000 lease, saying the $7,000 lease fee was "definitely below market." But Smith said the BLM cant negotiate more and threatened to close the fire fighting base because of environmental reasons.

Smith said the BLM will have to spend $300,000 to build a catchment area recommended by BLM inspectors after ammonia-based chemicals used as a fire retardant were found to be running into the airport storm drains. Without the BLM fire fighting base, Muller said the runways would be maintained to a strength of 30,000 pounds, or at most 60,000 pounds, but instead have to be strong enough to accommodate tanker aircraft weighing more than 100,000 pounds. "It seems that the BLM is responsible for probably 50 percent of the capital cost that goes into these facilities and also for the operating and maintenance cost," Muller said. Smith said the fire fighting base is only used five months per year and the lease is only for improvements built by the BLM. Smith said the BLM fire fighting base enabled the county to obtain Federal Aviation Administration grants to pay 94 percent of the cost of airport improvements.

The county reconstructed part of a runway, installed drains, a runway lighting system, two helipads and apron floodlights in a $2.3 million project completed last year. The county is applying for $666,250 in grants to install an Automated Weather Observation System, rehabilitate a Critics fear scaring off violence victims the imprisonment of (Muslim clerics), their displacement and banishment and the domination and tyranny" against Muslims. Spy sentenced TAMPA, Fla. (AP) A former U.S. Army soldier who plotted to deliver sensitive defense documents to Hungarian and Czech agents while stationed in West Germany has been handed a 25-year prison term Federal officials said the espionage involved one of the most serious breaches of U.S.

and NATO security during the Cold War. Kelly Warren, 32, of Warner Robins. was sentenced Friday. She pleaded guilty in November to conspiring to commit espionage while stationed with the U.S. Army 8th Infantry Division headquarters in Bad Kreuznach, West Germany, from 1986-88.

She helped prepare classified documents that concerned the Allied defense of Central Europe in case of an attack by former Warsaw Pact countries, plans for the use of nuclear weapons and documents related to chemical warfare. "The compromise of this classified material was devastating to our national security and with this information the enemy probably could have defeated a conventional counterattack," said retired Gen. Clayton Otis, a former commander in chief of the Army in Europe. Warren was the fifth person convicted of taking part in the scheme. One man was sentenced to life in prison and ordered to forfeit $1.7 million.

Another man got 36 years in prison, and two others 18 years. Snowmobiler dies TRUCKEE, Calif. (AP) A ski resort lift maintenance employee died after the snowmobile he was riding hit another head on. Andrew Miller, 25, of Paradise died about 9 a.m. Friday on a trail at Squaw Valley Ski Resort, where he worked.

Miller was thrown from the snowmobile and hit his head on the shock absorber of the front end of one of the machine's skis, said Brian Olson, a California Highway Patrol spokesman. The snowmobiles were traveling in opposite directions as both rounded a corner. Neither the passenger riding on Miller's machine nor the two people on the other snowmobile were hurt. Olson said. All were Squaw Valley employees.

Helicopter crash TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) A medical helicopter crashed into a house as the pilot struggled through stormy weather to return to a Toledo hospital. All three aboard a doctor, nurse and pilot suffered various broken bones and were in serious condition late Friday night at St Vincent Mercy Medical Center, a hospital spokesman said. Injured were Anne Leitnick, 45, of Toledo, a registered nurse at St. Vincent's; David Hartman, 33, also of Toledo, a staff physician at St. Vincent's; and the plane's pilot Mike Tajak, 41, of Toledo.

No one in the house was injured. The crew had taken off from St. Vincent's to fly to Community Hospitals of Williams County in Bryan about 50 miles to the west. But Tajak. the pilot, tried to turn back due to bad weather.

Witnesses said it was and windy at the time of the crash. ADA ruling RICHMOND, Va. (AP) A federal appeals court ruled 2-1 Friday that a regulation contained in the Americans With Disabilities Act is unconstitutional. The court said states can charge disabled people for such things as handicapped license plates and parking placards. The ruling by the 4th U.S.

Circuit Court of Appeals voids the regulation in five states Virginia, Maryland. North Carolina, South Carolina and West Virginia. Other federal courts, in Ohio and New Jersey, have ruled that states can't charge for the license plates and placards. The latest ruling stems from a case in North Carolina. Five disabled residents sued the state, saying the Department of Motor Vehicles broke the law by charging $5 for handicapped parking signs.

The residents argued that the ADA prohibits states from charging for programs that give the disabled equal access. A federal judge dismissed the case. The 4th Circuit upheld the district judge's decision. The ruling does not affect the rest of the ADA, a broad federal law designed to protect disabled people from discrimination. Justice Department spokesman Gina Talamona said department lawyers were reviewing the decision and had no comment Family slain TULSA, Okla.

(AP) Edwin Bell didnt leave a note behind to explain his suicide or why he took the lives of his mother, his estranged girlfriend and their three young children, police said. The victims of Friday's bloody rampage at an apartment were identified as Bell's mother, Linda Farris, 45; Markita King, 21; and Ebony, 4, Essyce, 2, and 8-month-old Marjonna Bell. Officer Andy Phillips said Ms. King had moved to Tulsa from Oklahoma City, apparently "to get away" from Bell. He and his mother were in Tulsa to visit the children, Phillips said.

Nadler Farris, Bell's stepfather, told Oklahoma City television station KOCO-TV that his stepson was abusive to Ms. King. "(But) I never suspected he would kill her nor anyone for that matter," Farris said. "Most certainly not his mother. That's the most shocking part of all to me." All the victims appeared to have been shot with a 9mm handgun, and it did not appear that there was a struggle or that anyone tried to flee the room, he said.

Authorities said they felt certain it was a murder-suicide because of the way the gun was positioned near Bell's body. Police said the deaths were the largest mass killing attributed to one person in city history. Bombing suspects RIYADH, Saudi Arabia (AP) Saudi Arabia said Saturday that a deal to secure the handover of two Libyan suspects for trial in the 1988 bombing of a Pan Am jet over Lockerbie, Scotland, was almost complete. "Positive results in the Lockerbie case are close by," the official Saudi Press Agency quoted Prince Bandar bin Sultan, the Saudi ambassador to the United States, as saying. "All the details will be presented to U.N, Secretary-General" Kofi Annan, Bandar said.

Earlier this month, Bandar visited Libya and held talks with Libyan leader Col. Moammar Gadhafi in what appeared to be a final attempt for a solution before the United States and Britain demand new sanctions against Libya. The only outstanding dispute was over where the men Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi and Lamen Khalifa Fhimah would serve jail sentences if convicted by Scottish judges sitting in a special court in the Netherlands. Britain and the United States insist the men be jailed in Scotland. The bombing killed 270 people, mainly Britons and Americans.

U.N. sanctions, in place since 1992, ban air travel to and from Libya and limit the sale of oil equipment. Commander relieved NORFOLK, Va. (AP) The commander of a Navy destroyer that sustained extensive damage in a collision with a Saudi Arabian container ship last week has been relieved and reassigned to shore command, the Navy said. The Navy on Friday cited a lack of confidence in Cmdr.

Daniel W. Chang's ability to command the VSS Radford after the accident. Chang, who took command of the ship Oct. 22, was to turn the vessel over to Cmdr. Ray Snell Saturday.

The 563-foot Radford remains moored at Norfolk Naval Station while sailors unload cargo, fuel and ammunition in preparation for dry-dock. The Navy and the National Transportation Safety Board are investigating the collision, which happened 25 miles offshore from Virginia Beach on Feb. 5. One sailor suffered a broken arm in the accident. Navy engineers are assessing the destroyer, which may have to be scrapped if structural and weapons system damage is beyond repair.

It would cost $1 billion to replace the warship. Bomb threats CAIRO. Egypt (AP) A previously unknown Islamic group has threatened to bomb U.S., British and French embassies in Europe, a London-based Arabic daily reported today. The al-Hayat newspaper said it received a handwritten letter from the Armed Islamic Front warning that it would target the embassies of the United States, Britain, France and five Arab countries. "They are targets to bomb in all European capitals," said the letter, which was printed in the paper.

Al-Hayat did not name the five Arab nations targeted in the threat It said the authenticity of the letter could not be verified. The letter indicated the attacks would be carried out in retribution for "the muzzling of the mouths and (Associated Press) The grounded freighter New Carissa, which has broken in two, continued to burn off the Coos Bay, coast late Friday afternoon. The ship was set on fire Thursday night by Navy demolition experts and split apart during the night. Coast Guard claims success in rescuing coast of Oregon CARSON CITY (AP) Critics of a bill to penalize people who make false domestic violence claims say it would discourage legitimate claims and even its author said some revisions are needed. But Assemblyman Barbara Buckley, D-Las Vegas, says the premise behind AB52 is valid, and she's hopeful an Assembly Judiciary subcommittee can work out flaws in the measure.

AB52 applies to people who request temporary restraining orders against abusive mates. If passed, it would force people who falsely accuse their partners of attacking or intimidating them to pay all the accused's court costs associated with the restraining order request. "You cannot have a system that discourages people seeking protection. On the other hand, you need to do something about people who abuse the system." Buckley said Friday. "We need to be really getting at people who absolutely lied and make sure we are not prosecuting any victims." Critics included Sue Meuschke of the Nevada Network Against Domestic Violence, who told the Judiciary Committee the measure would keep women from seeking protection from the courts.

"Many, many, if not most victims of domestic violence have been told Iby their abusers! that no one will ever believe them." Meuschke said. Under the proposal, one of the first things a woman will have to do is read and sign a document that says she understands the consequences of lying about being attacked or stalked. Meuschke said that for many domestic violence victims this is tantamount to being called a liar and would keep them from going ahead with their requests. "I air. certain that this piece of legislation will be another tool a batterer can use to control their victim and it will be sanctioned by the judicial system." Meuschke said.

Also opposing the bill was Barbara McCarthy, a domestic violence master in Washoe County who said it's rare for a woman to lie about being attacked by her husband or boyfriend. And the person accused of violence has always had the right to appeal any ruling made by a court, she added. "We are constantly trying to address the due process rights of the accused." McCarthy said, adding that lying under oath or in court documents is already illegal. Buckley was backed by Valerie Cooney, a Carson City family attorney ho said there's abuse of the legal system in domestic violence cases. "I'm not a person out there disbelieving that there is a domestic violence problem in the community.

But I know that there are abuses going on." Cooney said. Cooney added that lawyers will sometimes have a client apply for a restraining order to get the upper hand in a child custody case, even if that client was never attacked. Courts are allow ed to consider accusations of domestic abuse and any legal action taken as a result of abuse, including restraining orders, when deciding which parent gets custody. Buckley admitted to lawmakers that her proposal is "not perfect" and needs more work in a subcommittee. She said that if the subcommittee can't work out the flaws, she'd let the measure die.

COOS BAY. Ore. AP) With the bulk of its fuel burned in a boldly conceived fire, the grounded tanker New Cartssa lies broken in half and smoking in the surf as cleanup crews labor to shovel up what oil washed onto the beach. By late Friday, only three patches of beach within a three-mile stretch were reported heavily oiled, and the sandy strand closest to the ship had only light streaks of black left behind by the receding tide. "We did the right thing." said Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Gene Maestas.

"By burning the oil we prevented it from spilling into the ocean." Coast Guard Capt. Mike Hall added, "Every gallon that is burned means one less gallon in the environment and the coastal habitat." The 639-foot ship, a Japanese-owned freighter, ran aground in the surf Feb. 4 a mile north of the entrance to Coos Bay with nearly 400,000 gallons of diesel and tarlike bunker oil on board. It began leaking Monday as the pounding waves widened cracks in its hull, sending streaks of goo over six miles of beach. Experts made the daring decision to burn the fuel before the ship broke up and fouled Oregon's scenic coastline.

A Navy demolition team used 400 pounds of explo sives to crack open the fuel tanks and set the heavy bunker fuel ablaze within the hull of the crippled ship. Hours after the fuel erupted in a tremendous fireball, the ship broke into two huge pieces, which experts said was expected and no reason for alarm. Based on infrared images of the burning wreckage Friday morning, experts estimated that about two-thirds of the fuel had burned away, and that no more than 10 percent of the load had spilled onto the beaches. With winds blowing the smoke up the coastline and away from town, Oregon environmental officials said that even the air pollution from the burning wreckage was minimal. Mike Szerlog of the Department of Environmental Quality said the air pollution levels in Coos Bay were "less than a good day in LA." Authorities estimated that by Friday night, nearly 90 percent of the fuel had burned and much of the rest was reduced to a waxy residue.

After the fire, the rest of the oil will be removed, and the wreckage cut up and hauled away. Burning of a ship's oil to save beaches had never before been tried in the Lower 48 states, and officials said that the success with the New Carissa could make it a more common option. Superintendent applicants reviewed William Tilton, Christine Smith and Bob Dyer. Cindy Adams was appointed as an alternate member. Trustees wanted to appoint a resident from Pine Valley or Diamond Valley, another from Beowawe or Crescent Valley, and a third from Eureka township, in addition to representatives of administrators and unions.

In other business, trustees approved a contract with Christine DePaoli to be the school nurse through the school year, 150 hours at $21.75 per hour. The board also passed on first reading a policy on trawl by its members. Travel requests must be approved by the school board before the trustees receive per diem reimbursement. Trustees with less than six months on Eureka County school board this week appointed an eight-member committee to review applications for superintendent. The application deadline is Monday.

The committee will meet Saturday, Feb. 20. to review the applicants and attempt to narrow the field to 10 finalists. Those 10 applicants will be reviewed by the school board next month with the help of consultant Dave Noonan. from the University of Nevada.

Reno. Superintendent Neil Stevens' resignation takes effect June 30. Those appointed to the committee are: Crescent Valley High School Principal Andrea Trow. Eureka County Teacher's Association representative Minta Savage: Eureka Schools Classified Association representative Ethel Buffington; Faye Morrison. their term, who are not running for reelection, may not apply.

Trustees may not travel out of state at district expense more than once a year and not more than twice during a four-year term. The policy defines appropriate conventions as those sponsored by the Nevada Association of School Boards or National School Boards Association. Airport advisers discuss terminal Representatives of the city's airport terminal consultants, Knight-Piesold and Leigh Fischer, will brief members of the Airport Advisory Board when they meet in special session at 7 p.m. Monday at city hall. The consultants and board members will review and discuss plans, financing and construction of the proposed new terminal.

Airport Director Cris Jensen and City Councilman Glen Guttry, a member of the advisory board, also will report on their tour of seven airport terminals in Colorado late last month. Holiday Elko County schools will be closed Monday for the Presidents Day holiday. All city, county, state and federal offices, as well as banks, also will be closed. Schools and offices will reopen Tuesday. Stock quotes Trout task force meets in Jarbidge Fri.

Close Week Albertson's Ameristar Fri Close 30.81 12.19 1825 0.00 325. Placer Dome. Pacificorp BarrickGold. .19.63 B.M Gold L75 0.00 Royal Gold Week 0.00 .1.00 0.06 2955 .1.94 0.06 Echo Bay Sierra Pacific Southwst Gas -3425. Jarbidge River Bull Trout Task Force will hear an overview by the U.S.

Fish and Wildlife Service on development of a fish recovery program when it meets at 11 ajn. Tuesday at the Jackpot Recreation Center. Al Pfister. assistant Fish and Wildlife field supervisor, said the discussion will focus more on the process of creating the plan rather than on specific actions. Pfister said recovery programs in place for the Klamath and Columbia rivers will serve as models, but "we need to tailor a plan to the individual situation in the Jarbidge." Fish and Wildlife Service has until April 8 to decide whether to formally list the bull trout as threatened in accordance with the Endangered Species Act An initial emergency ruling was published last August, triggering the April deadline for a final ruling.

Pfister wouldn't comment on the services pending decision, but said, "There's some serious concern about the bull trout numbers up there." Specific threats to the native bull trout population, if identified in the final listing, would dictate the recovery program's action plan to eliminate those threats. Pfister said the plan would take a year to formalize, allowing time to implement concerns raised during a public comment period. "We try and get a draft version out as soon as we can after the final rule is published," be said. For now, Pfister said, Tuesdays meeting would be a chance to begin public discussions on the procedures for how the plan will be developed in the coming months. Also on the meetings agenda, the Nevada Division of Wildlife will review data collected during the 1998 field season.

The Jackpot Recreation Center is located on Progressive Road, three blocks east of VS. 83. Wal Mart 8438. Getchell 28.75 0,19 Hi Desert Min 0.66 Homestake 9.69 ItL Game Tech 20.19 JC Penney 38 .138 Microsoft 157.75 Minorco .15.88 0.38 -i32L89 DJI Average Nasdaq NYSE 30yrTreas. Nikkei 225 Amex -5424.

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