The Anniston Star from Anniston, Alabama • Page 1

Tuesday, May 1981 Vol. 102. No. 132 Anniston, 'Alabama's largest homeowned newspaper' Price 20 Cents 4 Biil4 few--. L- I.

AP WlrtflMtM Building cracks, gives way and hungry sinkhole claims automobile swimming pool and parts of three businesses, has "stopped growing. It Is 400 feet in diameter. (Please see story on Page 2A.) opening, and into the massive sinkhole. Officials hope the sinkhole, which has already gobbled up a home, six automobiles, a camper, most of a gives way, second picture, as the hole continues to grow. An expensive Porsche automobile, which had been parked inside the building rolls out through the A building in Winter Park, starts to crack, first picture, as a massive sinkhole eats away at the earth beneath the building.

The wall of the building HAVE A-GOOD DAY! fires missiles at Israeli Syria jets State Local ANNISTON CITY Prosecutor George Monk will be named city attorney at tonight's city council meeting, City Hall sources say. Details Page 6A. It came on the morning after Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin appealed to Syrian President Hafez Assad to "retreat from the brink" and withdraw the missile batteries from Lebanon. In New York, former Israeli Defense Minister Ezer Weizman said in an interview that the confrontation between Israel and Syria could easily lead to widespread fighting "I think both sides have climbed a very high "Ireerand the question is: Are they going to-leap at each other like Tarzans or find a way to climb down from the tree," said who resigned last May in a dispute with the prime minister over Mideast peace effosts. The reports, if confirmed, would be be Syria's first use of its Soviet-made surface-to-air missiles since they were moved into the Bekaa Valley on April 29, spurring the most dangerous Syrian-Israeli confrontation since the 1973 Mideast war.

It came while S. envoy Philip C. Habib was in Jerusalem on a mission to ease the crisis between Israel, which demands the -missiles1 be withdrawn- rom-Lebanonand Syria, which refusers to move them. The incident appeared 4b be a display of Syrian determination to keep their anti-aircraft missiles in Lebanon and use them if challenged. Lebanese citizens in Chtaura, a Lebanese city near the Syrian frontier, said they saw two SAM-6s blast off from half-track vehicles two miles south of the Lebanese border airfield of Rayak into the clear, blue sky toward the white vapor trail of the jets.

This reporter was shaken out of his bed by two explosions at 4 50 a and from his hotel window, saw two vapor trails heading' toward thefontrailsofJhe high-flying jets. The missile trails died out before reaching the jets. The jets did not bomb. Military sources said the SAM-6 can destroy targets up to 55,000 feet, and they speculated the Israeli jets were flying much higher than that. By ALEX EFTY Associated Press Writer CHTAURA, Lebanon (AP.) Syrian antiaircraft missile batteries fired at high-tlying Israeli jets over the eastern Bekaa Valley at daybreak today but none was hit, according to Lebanese who said they saw the firing.

The Christian Voice of Lebanon radio also reported that Syrian missiles were fired. Syria and Israel had no comment but Israel-Radio said unidentified Israeli sources denied the report. Israel has said Syria risks war if the surface-to-air missiles aren't removed, but. has shelved plans to knock them out to give President Reagan's Mideast troubleshooter more time to defuse the crisis. Scouting's highest honor awarded dung lifesaver Reagan asks changes in Social Security GOV.

FOB JAMES says he wants to protect local support for education by adding an executive amendment to a bill that would roll back property taxes on farm and Umber property. Details Page 7A. THE CALHOUN COUNTY Department of Pensions and Securities has made at least 126,000 worth of service reductions in two of its major welfare programs affecting nearly 1,000 persons. Details Page lA. VISITORS to' Anniston are often taken to the Museum of Natural History, a widely known and often praised facility.

But many visitors never learn Anniston is also home to a second museum, the only one of its kind in the country the Women's Army Corps Museum at Fort McClellan, This Thursday, it will host a WAC reunion. Details Page 7A DEATHS: Robert James Hilley, Mrs. Pearl Sims Baggett Ellis, Oscar Patterson and Austin Patterson, all of Anniston; Mrs. Faye Glover of Piedmont; Mrs. Johnnye W.

Huhn and Martin Glen Wesley, both of Talladega; Miss Mary Smith of Lineville, Rt. John Henry Harrell of Gadsden; and Robert Lee Richardson of Alpharetta, Ga. Details Page 8A. The Senate is saving room for President Reagan's full three-year tax cut- Page SA. BLOUNTSVILLE A 14-year-old Blount County boy has been awarded Scouting's highest honor for saving the life of a man trapped in a smoke-filled house.

Joey Pass of Blountsville, Rt. 1, was awarded the Honor Medal for Lifesaving during a ceremony Monday morning at J. P. Pennington High School in Blountsville. The First Class Scout was also honored by the executive committee of the Choc-colocco Council during a meeting Monday evening at Farmers Merchants Bank in Centre.

Joey, a member of Troop 158, is the first Alabamian in two years to receive the honor medal. Only eight have been presented in the United States this year. In approving the award, the Boy Scouts' National Court of Honor in Irving, Texas, said Joey, "using skills learned in Scout- (Please see Lifesaver, Page 5A) National pensions for those already retired Eliminating benefits to dependent children of early retirees. The system now pays benefits to children under or under 22 if they are in if their parents are retired, dead or disabled This would save $19 billion, the administration says Eliminating "windfall" benefits for retired federal workers who also collect Social Security benefits This would save $600 million by 1986. the administration said.

Tightening disability assistance requirements to require that a worker's disability be determined Solely by medical factors. The law now allows consideration of the, worker's "ageT education and job experience, as well as health. This would save $7.7 billion by 1986 The administration would also increase the waiting period for disability benefits from five months to six months, saving $14 billion And the projected length of a worker's disability for him to collect benefits would beincreased from 12 months to 24 months, for a saving of $2.8 Button Workers also would have to work (Please see Changes. Page 5A) By CHRISTOPHER CONNELL Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON AP) The Reagan administration today proposed sharp cuts in Social Security benefits for Americans who-retire early, greater incentives for people who work past age 65 and reducing the tax burden for workers who pay into the system. The plan, announced by Health and Human Services Secretary Richard S.

Schweiker, is a far-reaching set of proposals designed to save the destitute system from possible bankruptcy Highlights of the package, which is being submitted to Congress, include: More than doubling the penalty for people who retire before age 65. Instead of getting 80 percent of full Social Security benefits at age 62, they would get only 55 percent. Spouses would get 27.5 percent at age 62 instead of the current 40 percent. These changes, the administration said, would save $17.6 billion between 1982 and 1986. Abolishing limits on how much people between the ages of 65 and 72 can earn without losing benefits, for a projected cost of $6.5 billion.

Keeping the minimum age for full benefits at 65, instead of 68 as pro- THE BODY OF 17-year-old William Barrett was found early today in a wooded area east of Atlanta, apparently the 27th victim in Atlanta's series of killings of young blacks, police in suburban DeKalb County said. Details Page 2A. JOEY PASS posed by the House Ways and Means subcommittee on Social Security. Lowering Social Security tax rates on the 114 million workers now paying into the system. A 7.05 percent payroll tax scheduled to take effect in 1985 would be pared somewhat and taxes would be reduced from the current 6 65 percent by 1990.

Tax sick pay for the first six months of an employee's illness Currently, sick pay is untaxed. The administration calculates a saving of $2 6 billion from this proposal. Delaying for three months starting in 1982 the annual cost-of-living adjustment from July to October to save about $6.3 billion by 1986. The administration said the average beneficiary would lose about $100 in the first year under the proposal. The 11.2 percent increase due this July would not be affected, and deputy White House press secretary Larry Speakes said Reagan would honor his pledge not to reduce Social Security Sports Animal deaths warn of poisoned earth IT TOOK Gerry Cooney only 54 seconds of the first round to whip Ken Norton in their Monday night heavyweight fight.

Details on Page IB. BRUCE BENEDICT got a two-out, tenth-inning hit to send the Atlanta Braves past the Pittsburgh Pirates. Details on Page IB. it A lawsuit to free a Heard County (Ga.) tract for hazardous waste disposal is before the Georgia Supreme Court. Page SA.

Sports great Sam Byrd dies Weather SUNNY SKIES may return for a while. Details Page 8A. CLINTON, Mass. (AP) Chewbacca the 'cat was the first to go. She sickened and died almost overnight, and the veterinarian discovered that for some mysterious reason she was'missing lung tissue.

Lady the dog contracted a fatal cancer and another dog. Shannon, became bloated and died. When 11 prised ducks died over an eight-day stretch in March, the toll had risen to 20 animals in two years. THE STRING of deaths was followed by sudden, unexplained hair loss among some people in the area. And now this old mill town tops the Environmental Protection Agency's list of hazardous, waste trouble spots in New England.

The source of the problems may be a tannery that was washed out in a flood more than 100 years ago, or a wetlands that was filled in with trash. But officials don't know for the search committee that hired Bvrd at ACC in 1968. Jt has been said that Byrd was the only lete who played for national championships in two sports. He was an outfielder on the New York Yankees team that swept the Chicago Cubs in the 1932 World Series. In 1943 he won the Victory Open, today' equivalent of the Open.

During his years with the Byrd played golf on his off days and was often joined by the great Ruth. Ruth was a horrible golfer, Byrd once said, but Ruth loved to gamble. He usually won money on the golf course, too, because he made ure his partner was Byrd. Byrd played in the majors from 1929-36 (Please see Sam Byrd, Page SA) Former Anniston Country Club golf pro Samuel Dewey Byrd, who played major league baseball with Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig and professional golf with Byron Nelson and Ben Hogan, died Monday in Mesa, Ariz. He was 74.

A native of Bremen, Byrd was ACC's pro for 10 years before he retired in 1978. When Byrd's wife, Rae, died in 1979. he moved to Gilbert, to live with his daughter. He lived in Anniston 11 years. Byrd was a member of the Alabama Sports Hall of Fame.

Services will be Saturday at p.m. at Forestlawn Gardens with Gray Brown-Service Mortuary in charge. "Sam Byrd was a great combination of athlete and wonderful person," said Dr. Walker Reynolds of Anniston, who was on sure, and they're testing the soil, the water, the animals and the people in a concerted effort to pinpoint the problem and find a solution'. Ginny Frye, who saw the animals die at her "animal' starting in 1979, first turned for help to a scientist at the University of Connecticut, Dr.

Louis van der Heide. He tested the dead ducks and found they had been contaminated with lead and thallium. "WE LIVED her for four years with no problem, and all of a sudden it hit," said Ms. Frye. (Please see Poisoned, Page SA) "Also inside Calendar A Classified ads 4-5B Comics.

6B Dear Abby SB A Jeane Dixon SB Movies 7B MB Television 7B fttm to Hmt fttkm By mail. It pf to tm mcHom SAM BYRD.