The Tennessean from Nashville, Tennessee • Page 13

3 Lee Beaman Mayor wants offer probed FROSTAl 2B Deaths 7B Weather 8B Page 6B SATURDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1990 ME 6 vacdme claims Sled A County RIJf9 Old Hickory I M.11 Hendrtsonville The attorney became familiar with the program when he represented a Nashville couple whose 9-week-old son died in June 1988, the morning after he received the standard childhood immunization for diphtheria, pertussis (whooping cough) and typhus (DPT). The couple was awarded $250,000 in damages, which is the maximum allowable under the law in case of death. There is no limit to the amount of damages which can be awarded. Lawyers across the country wno handle such cases reported similarly large numbers of inquiries as the Oct 1 deadline neared for filing claims resulting from vaccinations received before October 1988, Ashworth said. "There are a lot of people out there who have been injured by these things," Ashworth said.

The National Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, enacted in 1988, provided that through Oct 1, 1990, "Anybody who had ever been damaged by a live virus vaccine By KIRK LOCCINS Staff Writer Nashville attorney Larry Ash-worth says he received "a flood" of inquiries about a federal vaccine compensation program shortly before the Oct 1 deadline for filing old claims under the program. Ashworth said yesterday he and his law partner, David High, filed six such cases with the U.S. Court of Claims in Washington last week. But, Ashworth said, "We just did not have time to examine all of the claims that people called about." could file for compensation," the attorney said. From now on, he said, such claims must be filed within two years after the vaccine is received.

But Ashworth said, there is legislation pending in Congress to extend the Oct 1 deadline for filing claims which are more than two years old. The law requires that "full medical records" be filed with the claims, which must be submitted to the U.S. Court of Claims, Ashworth said. Sleep in! Hendersonville bypass is the darling of commuters Leaves not just things of Composting saves By ELLEN MARCULIES Slate Writer HENDERSONVILLE Some commuters actually looked forward to the prospect of driving in to Nashville to work yesterday. "I'm tickled to death," said one.

"I'm really excited about it," said another. "I anticipate it's going to knock off quite a bit of time and ease the pain of commuting. We've all been 'anxiously awaiting this," said a third. Those comments heard Thursday afternoon from Hen-dersonvillians who spend a substantial chunk of time driving to and from work in Nashville five days a week referred to the long-awaited opening of the Hendersonville bypass. Now the final section of the thoroughfare is open, and the consensus is in: The bypass makes the daily trek a lot easier.

"It was just perfect It saved me 15 minutes in traveling time last night and 10 minutes this morning," said Susan Cook, an underwriter for Greenwich American Underwriters. ill fir jfj iff I wmmmiM a ift 1 i-ftfe, 1 fx. space in landfills By ANNE PAINE Staff Writer Autumn leaves aren't just pretty, they're com-postable. And, composting is what several individuals and groups around town including Metro are doing with them. The result is mulch and a money savings because the leaves don't go to a landfill.

The pro-aU cess itself is not too complicat- UN ZD ed. Recycling sites "It's like making a big hero in Nashville list- sandwich," explained Mike ed. Holt horticulturalist for Van- derbilt University. "You start with a layer of leaves, spread a half-foot to a foot deep. Next you spread on a thin layer of old compost an inch or so." Layers are alternated and built up in this manner so the microbes in the old compost help the rawer materials to begin "cooking." The pile heats up as fungus and microgranisms break down the leaves into a nutrient-rich material that can be mixed with soil.

The result at Vanderbilt's compost site on Natchez Trace is large, brown mounds of compost of various ages that are turned and spread with a front-end loader. It works well for the leaves and needles that fall from many of Vanderbilt's 5,000 trees, Holt said. It supplies all the mulch the university needs for its normal landscaping and plantings. But not every composting operation is on this scale. "It can be as complex or simple as you want" said Tammy Driscoll, Metro government's assistant recycling coordinator.

Backyard composters are using leaves, grass clippings, weeds, vegetable peelings and some other kitchen scraps held in homemade bins. The Metro Recycling Office has information on composting that will be made available to anyone who calls 862-8620. About 18 of the waste generated in Davidson County is compostable, Driscoll said. Gary Grac Staff "It wasn't too crowded. It was just a straight shot through.

It was one of the easiest drives I've had in driving to Nashville for two years," said Cook. She will "probably use the extra time in the mornings to sleep, knowing me." John Prentiss, a Hendersonville alderman who has been commuting to his job as an account executive at Honeywell Inc. for 16 years, had the same enthusiasm. "It was great. I just zipped right on down there and never even slowed down until I got to 440 and 21st.

Yesterday afternoon, I got out of my chair at a quarter to five and walked in my front door at 20 after five," he said. "I'm just tickled to death." Most of those interviewed yesterday reported it took 15 minutes less to make the drive 30 minutes instead of 45. Portions of the bypass known locally as Vietnam Veterans Boulevard have been open since 1988. But, the final leg the connector to Interstate Turn to PAGE 2B, Column 4 don't know anything about? He's the one trying to play games." Keiffer, a trucker and part-time professional wrestler from Dallas, signed a warrant against Ford after the incident that resulted in a charge of aggravated assault against the Memphis Democrat and funeral director. The trucker said Ford was trying to barrel past stalled traffic in his Mercedes Benz on Interstate 40 near Lexington when the senator gestured obscenely at Keiffer.

"I just waved at him and he pulled his gun out through the sunroof and shot at me," Keiffer said. Ford, who at first denied any incident occurred, has said four truckers tried to run him off the road. cal responsibility for the decision and ignore public opposition based on social, economic and general welfare concerns," the suit contends. John Kennedy, a Metro attorney who represents the board, said yesterday he knew the lawsuit was going to be filed but had not seen and could not comment on it Board chairman Robert Thomas said that the board considered "the total picture" when it approved the expansion for an additional 344 tons of garbage to be burned daily. "I think they are grasping at straws," said Thomas, who did not vote on the issue because of a poten Pro-wrestling trucker 'hammers' at Sen.

Ford beauty Today last day? for voter signup Today is the deadline to register for Tennessee's Nov. 6 election. Davidson County residents can register in person 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the Howard Office Building, 700 Second Ave. Room 153.

Identification is required. These are the office hours for neighboring counties' election offices: Williamson County, 9 a.m.-l p.m.; Dickson County, 8 a.m.-noon; Cheatham County, 8 a.m.-noon; Rutherford County, 9 a.m.-noon; Sumner County, 9 a.m.-l p.m.; Wilson County, 8 a.m.-noon; and Robertson County, 8 a.m.-noon. A comprehensive Metro recycling ond year a composting site at the Metro plan calls landfill By BRAD SCHMITT Staff Writer Truck driver Nelson J. Kieffer doesn't appreciate being called a redneck, especially by someone he says tried to shoot him. Keiffer blasted state Sen.

John Ford who supposedly shot at the trucker during a traffic jam Tuesday for being a poor representative and for "acting like a crazy man." And Keiffer definitely did not like Ford saying of the incident, "It sounds like a bunch of rednecks playing games with an election year coming up." In a phone interview yesterday, Keiffer responded, "Why should we try to play games with someone we in Bordeaux where bulk leaves not in bags are accepted. The mulch there is used as cover for the landfill. Also, Metro has taken bids for a tub-grinder to chew up wood waste to use for erosion control and mulch. At the Woodbine Community Center, a community-sponsored compost pile is in operation. hoping when people start raking their leaves, they'll bring them by," said Cathy Frey.

Rex Perry Staff Terence Demonbreun empties a bag of leaves into a truck. The leaves will be taken to to Vanderbilt University's compost heap. Environmentalists: Plant pollutes t'i h. HOLIDAY Columbus Day a Closed DOpen I I Metro offices Metro schools State courts State offices Federal courts Federal offices Banks Financial markets unavailable. The lawsuit asks Chancellor C.

Allen High to send the matter back to the board, which decided Aug. 9 to uphold an earlier decision to grant the variance. Board members agreed to the variance last spring on the condition that the expansion be accompanied by the installation of a "front-end separator" to pull out recycl-ables and items that should not be burned, such as batteries. More than a dozen people testified against the expansion when the board heard BURNTs appeal of the variance in August tial conflict of interest. He said at the time that his law firm does business with a potential bidder on the project.

The lawsuit was filed by attorney Russell T. Perkins on behalf of Bring Urban Recycling to Nashville Today, or BURNT; the Bordeaux Action Committee; Waste Watchers of Tennessee; the Woodland Greens, a political group active in environmental causes; and six individual members of those organizations. Perkins referred questions to attorney Ronald McNutt, who practices in the same office. McNutt was By CYNTHIA FLOYD Staff Writer A lawsuit filed yesterday charges the Metro Health Board ignored social and economic concerns when it agreed last summer to allow an expansion of the Thermal Transfer Plant. The Chancery Court lawsuit filed by incineration opponents accuses the board of simply "rubber-stamping" a request by Public Works and the Thermal Transfer Board to grant a carbon monoxide emission variance that would permit the expansion.

"This approach was adopted by the Board of Health to avoid politi ROBERTSON MONTGOMERY The Montgomery County Labor Council, representing 12 area unions with 4,000 members, has voted unanimously to endorse former Clarksville Mayor Ted Crozier in his bid to unseat incumbent Mayor Don Trotter. "We endorse Ted Crozier because we feel his election would be in the best interest of organized labor and the city," E.S. Weatherford, president of the council, said yesterday. Crozier served as Clarksville' mayor from 1978-86. By TERRY BATEY WILSON Whiskey in Watertown will be one of the major issues on the city's Nov.

6 general election ballot after a petitioning effort collected enough signatures to have a referendum on package liquor sales. Wilson County Registrar Lynn Harris said supporters of package liquor sales submitted petitions yesterday with the required 38 signatures necessary to have the issue brought before Watertown voters. The sale of any alcoholic beverages is prohibited in the city. By WARREN DUZAK RUTHERFORD A pilot recycling program begins in the county today with grand opening ceremonies for dropoff centers in Smyrna and Murfreesboro. Bins in the parking lots of the county's three Kroger stores will accept corrugated cardboard, newsprint, glass, plastic beverage containers and metal cans.

The Smyrna ceremony will be at 10 a.m. at the Lowry Street Kroger and the Murfreesboro ceremony at 1 p.m. at the Northfield Boulevard Kroger. By CHRIS BELL Crop $prtrt9flti production 8 'J SOURCE: Tenn. Dept of Agriculture, 1989 Soybeans 900,000 bushels Corn 2,170,000 bushels: Wheat 1 ,050,000 bushels Tobacco 7,616,000 pounds Staff CHEATHAM The county Beer Board, win meet for the first time at 9 a.m.

today to choose a leader. Commissioner and Beer Board member S.O. Henley said the board will pick a chairman and secretary. Licensing will not be discussed. By JAN BOTTS 1.

TOr.iOnROV.TS TEKMSsWAN7FmIT Fisk Area festival.