Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 6B

Florida 6 Friday, December 28, 1984 Chimps get retirement home Four circus chlmpanzeM sent to raMarch lab In New Mexico alter thalr owner died In Augual will finish Ihalr yaara at a Florlda horn tor animal. Butchi. Chipper, Louie and Tony, ol tf Rlngllng Bros, and Barnum ft Bailey Circus, will go to tho Wnd Animal RatlranMnl VUlag In Waldo, norlfMast ol Gainesville. Several groups negotiated ttia chimps' rateasa from the research lab. The State Jet copter crash kills Label le pilot TOOAV Mire far tea 91 1 failure slows response, officer dies LABELLE An aviation buff making the short four mile hop from his home to a rural airport died Thursday when his jet helicopter apparently lost power and plowed into the ground in a fiery crash, officials said.

The victim was tentatively identified as Clarence Davis, 42, of LaBelle, said Sgt. Tommy Hearn of the Glades County Sheriffs Office. Because of the incendiary nature of the crash, positive identification was impossible until dental records could be checked. Arocena: I'm innocent of conspiracy charge MIAMI Convicted terrorist slayer Edu ardo Arocena, imprisoned leader of the militant Omega 7 anti Castro group, pleaded Innocent Thursday to an indictment charging him with conspiracy to possess illegal firearms and to four new counts involving machine guns. At a morning arraignment, U.S.

District Judge William M. Hoeveler accepted the pleas and delayed the scheduled Jan. 9 trial on the conspiracy count until a later, "unspecified dale. Also pleading innocent to. the conspiracy charge was Milton Badia of Miami.

The 41 year old Arocena was sentenced in June 1984 to life plus 35 years in federal court in New York City following his conviction for the murder of a Cuban diplomat in 1980: He was also convicted on 24 other charges, some involving bombings and other terrorist acts. 'Mama Cat' Cadogan dies in Orlando ORLANDO Katherme "Mama Cat" Cadogan, who took in and cared for hundreds of homeless youngsters for more than three decades, is dead at the age of 65. Cadogan, who had suffered a stroke two years ago, was found slumped over in a chair near her desk at her home, for children on Christmas Eve, said one of her adopted daugh ters. Cadogan, whose home has become an institution in the black community, began taking care of abandoned children ''shortly after moving to Orlando in 1943 from her birthplace in Sawdust, near Quincy in Gadsden County, After years of financial struggle in operating her home at various locations, a businessman raised the funds that enabled her to establish what became the Cat Cadogan Home for Children. Reagan calls Floridian with Christmas wishes JACKSONVILLE Petty Officer 3rd Class Frank Kelley is among a small percentage of Navy servicemen that has had a chance to talk to his commander in chief.

President Reagan. Christmas Eve, Kelley and four other servicemen around the world received holiday greetings from Reagan, according to a Pentagon spokesman. The 20 year old Kelley, a native of Clearwater, took the call aboard the guided missile frigate USS Estocm in the Indian Ocean, which is based in Mayport. Oldsmobile executive plunges to death SARASOTA Oldsmobile executive Eric Reist fell to his' death from an eighth floor balcony Wednesday night at a hotel here, a sheriff's spokeswoman said. Reist, 43, was the top executive at Old smobile's Data Communications Division in Lansing, Mich.

He and his wife Linda had come here to spend, the holidays with, relatives, said Sarasota sheriffs spokeswoman Linda Sabattini. Sabattini said the sheriff's office is listing the death as accidental. Crash kills two near Homestead HOMESTEAD A single engine aircraft crashed into an isolated area of southern Dade County Thursday, killing two people, Metro Dade police said. Officer Larry Chilson said it wasn't imme idiately known. if.lhe was flying i out of nearby Homestead General Aviation airport, the larger Tamiami Airport a few miles to the north or from a private strip in South Dade.

The identities of the victims had not yet been released. Small plane missing on flight to Georgia PENSACOLA A small single engine airplane with only the pilot aboard has been missing since Sunday somewhere! between Cross City and Sylacauga, Ala, a Civil Air Patrol spokeswoman said Thursday. Lt. Cathy Clay, public affairs officer for the Air Force's civilian auxiliary in Pensacola, said the CAP is searching for a white Aeronca Champ with red trim and lettering piloted by Thomas Eason of Sylaeauga, which is near Birmingham. TIM AtMCiated Pnu MIAMI BEACH A police officer who apparently shot himself by accident lay mortally wounded for 15 minutes while rescue squads, misdirected by a glitch in the 911 emergency system, rushed about on the south end of this resort city, officials said.

John Koppin, 22, was unconscious from loss of blood when finally found in the bedroom 6f his own home by a fellow officer who decided to Check there. Koppin died later Wednes day at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Doctors said the delay in treatment lessened, his chances of surviving a bullet wound that severed the femoral artery in his groin. Police spokesman Howard Zeifman said the shooting looked to be an accident that happened, while Koppin was putting on his uniform to work the evening shift. His .357 cali ber Magnum revolver was found near him in the bedroom of a cottage on the grounds of a vacant estate on Hibiscus Island.

Koppin, with two years on the force, dialed Miami Beach's "911" operators at 2:14 p.m. "He said, 'This is Koppin. I've been shot. And that was it," said Miami Beach Police Classman. The operator was unable to get additional information.

Normally, the 911 system, automatically displays the telephone number from which a call is made. But this time, the device flashed "OOOOOOO" instead. In desperation, the operator dispatched help to the address of the next number that appeared on her computer screen. It was the wrong address, that of an ice cream store. Police units then rushed to other outlets of the same chain, but found nothing.

Officer Ben Kratzer then raced to theTcsidential island, off a causeway Between Miami and Miami Beach, and found Koppin bleeding to death. It, was 2:29 p.m. The wounded officer never regained consciousness. Classman ordered an immediate probe into the apparent failure of the 911 system. "We have not determined at this time what caused the failure.

Zeifman said Thursday. "We have an ongoing investigation with Southern Bell and our own investigators, trying to pin this thing down. Southern Bell spokesman Larry Mixon said he has worked with 911 systems for 10 years and had never encountered a similar problem. bbbbbbbbbbbV MaV "Mil viBbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbI i "jrtv WlMAl jVt wLi kaBBBBBBBBBBBiijEataBBBBBBBBT)5M BB1bBBBBBBbBmbBbV'BBW 4flBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBW BBFfei2 Police believe airplane lost wing in flight TODAV AP AUTHORITIES, TOP, EXAMINE POLK COUNTY WRECKAGE LATE WEDNESDAY workers, bottom, remove five of six bodies from Bradley Junction site Thursday TM AtMCiotMl Prw MULBERRY A single engine airplane apparently lost a wing in and crashed into a phosphate surface miningmining area, killing at least five family members aboard, sheriffs officials said Thursday, The body of a sixth victim the Wednesday night crash was' believed in the wreckage, scattered over a large area. The deid included a father and his three children and the man's sister in law, said Lt.

Don Holcom of the Polk County Sheriffs Department. Searchers had not recovered the body of the sixth victim, Jerry Long, brother of the dead pilot, Holcom said. Holcom identified the known dead as pilot James Long, in his 40s, from Bloo mington, his children Vickie, .14, Jim, 12, and and Jerry Long's wife, Barbara, in her late 30s. The children's mother, who is divorced from James Long, lives in Chicago, Holcom said. "The debris was scattered all over.

It looks like the plane disintegrated," he said. The Piper Cherokee was en route from Bloomington to Naples, on Florida's southwest coast, and went down at about 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, said FAA spokesman Jack Barker in Atlanta. The craft left Columbus. at 5:47 p.m.

after a refuel' ing stop, he said, and there were no radio reports from the pilot of any trouble. "Initial investigation indicates that the aircraft lost a wing in mid air, twt the exact cause of the accident Is pending investigation by the FAA." said a statement by sheriffs Sgt. Mark McFall. Inspection teams from the FAA and the National Transportation Safety Board were on the scene. The recovered bodies were taken to the Lakeland Medical Centersaid Holcom.

Sheriffs officials said they didn't know how the Longs were employed. The last listed owner of the plane was Swart Restaurant Corp. of Decatur. said an FAA duty officer in Atlanta. However, he said the ownership records could be outdated.

Debris from the aircraft was discovered about 9 p.m. Wednesday by an employee of the IMC Kingsford Mine near Bradley junction, just south of Mulberry. The area is about 30 miles east of Tampa. Documents: slain officer put up a good fight Th Associated Prt NEW PORT RICHEY Before she was killed, a wildlife officer put up a fight in which she kicked one assailant and grazed him with a shot from her service revolver, court documents said. Margaret "Peggy" Park, 26, was gunned down at point blank range Dec.

13 while on duty aione in a remote areas of north Pinellas County. Park, a two year veteran of the state Game and Fresh Water Fish Commission, was investigating reports of illegal night hunting and burning in the area, offi cials said. Tuesday, officers from the Pasco County Sheriffs Department arrested Martin Grossman, 19, and Thayne Nathan Taylor, 17, both of New Port Richey, and charged each with first degree murder. They were arrested on the basis of sworn' statements made by an informant who used to live with Grossman and his mother. Taylor, who made a brief appearance in juvenile, court Wednesday, also gave Pasco County officers his version of the events in a sworn statement that named Grossman as the gunman.

Meanwhile, a Pasco sher a iff dive team recovered a shirt and two pairs of blue jeans Wednesday from a lake in southwest Pasco County. The bloody and partially burned clothing, jammed into plastic bags, was discarded by Park's killers, the informant told authorities. Christmas Day, the informant ted officers to a wooded area in west Pasco County where twb guns lay buried. One was a 9 mm Luger automatic, pistol, and the other was Park's .357 Magnum revolver. Taylor told officers that Park ordered Grossman out of the van and asked for, his driver's license.

She also asked whether he had any guns in the vehicle, and Grossman said no. Park then found the Luger under the driver's seat. Park placed Grossman under arrest and walked him back to her patrol truck. At that point, the 5 foot 2 game officer and Grossman, who is 6 feet 4 and weighs 220 pounds, began to struggle and Park was hit in the head with her flashlight, Taylor's statement said. Grossman called Taylor to Battered beaches concern Daytona Th AtMCiatetf Prw DAYTONA BEACH Eroded sand dunes, ravaged beach steps, undermined sea walls exposing rust stained sections which had long been under water.

That was the legacy of a Thanksgiving weekend storm which battered Florida's tourism ty Northeastern seacoast. While "the problems we're greater Tn Srr Augustine Beach to the north and Bethune Beach to the south, the four day storm left Daytona Beach hotel and motel areas an unsightly mess which concerns owners. "Just think how many tourists ride down our beach and 'return home to tell their friends' and neighbors that Daytona really looks run down," says' Gary Brown, owner of the Sun1 I Viking Lodge. Brown heads the Motel Ho 1 tel Association, which is calling i for a 30 day beautification program to deal with broken concrete, defaced sea walls and paint stripped away by. the pounding waves.

Names of long forgotten motels appear on sections of walls 'uncovered by the wind and water. Lines between painted and unpainted sections, indicate where sand dunes once rested against the concrete. Paint and hardware stores have joined in the beachfront beautification campaign by offering discount prices to the 132 members of the association. Contractor Bill Justice has offered reduced prices on his pressure "painting work on the sea walls. Some establishments have already begun cleaning up.

The Lido Beach Motel features new artwork on its sea wall, by the owner's son, a graphic artist. Manager Cvonko Belfranin said the nautical, painting was needed because, there is more exposed 1 wall to' cover. Bamey Stout, manager of La Playa Motor Inn, said it would cost about 2,000 to rebuild beach steps and a sea wall and to i June Hackler, manager of Driftwood Beach Motel, went on the beach after1 the storm and found 10 feet of dunes missing and a naaie not seen ori 'the beach since the 1960s. Metrorail to start nighttime service Th AimcIsM Pmt MIAMI Metrorail, Miami's mass transportation system, will start regular nighttime service next Wednesday am) may begin regular weekend schedules Jan. 21, transportation officials said.

Long criticized for its early bird, limited schedule, officials decided to expand Metrorail's service after receiving requests from downtown businesses and nighttime workers. Trains along the 10 stations that opened May 20 and the five that started operating Dec. 17 will make their usual stops every 12 minutes between 6 a.m and 7 p.m., said Armando Vidal, deputy director of the Metro Dade transportation i.depanmentThenahe.trainiwill stop every. ralf hour until midnight. Hundreds of new riders from hospitals and government buildings clustered in the Civic Center area are expected to use the commuter trains.

An estimated 5,000 people work the night shifts at hospitals in the Civic Center area. The service was not begun sooner because a 10 mile south stretch of tracks was needed to test new train cars, many of which arrived later than expected from the manufacturer. Also, the training of drivers and other rail workers' took longeMhan planned, Vidal said. The, north leg of the tracks was wired only recently, allowing that part to be used for testing new cars and freeing the south part foe passenger rides, said Bart Kane, Metrorail's chief of operations. He also said it wasn't until recently that there seemed to be enough riders to just ify the longer schedule.

The decision to expand service was made Dec; 17. when Metrorail opened five stations in north Miami, extending the line by four miles and servicing the Civic Center area, which includes complexes such as Jackson Memorial Hospital, the Metro Justice Building and the Dade County Jail. help him. As Taylor reached for the gun, he said Park kicked him in the groin, which caused him to fall backward. Park pulled her gun and fired it once, and Taylor said the bullet grazed his left hand and his left forehead.

Taylor then told officers that Grossman wrestled the gun away from Park "and at point blank range fired a single shot into the back of her head." Taylor said Grossman then retrieved his driver's license and the .357 Magnum, and they drove to Grossman's house. Toxic waste no hazard, official says The AuacialM Prau TALLAHASSEE Blood lead levels three to four times greater than normal discovered in four Jackson County residents near a battery salvage company don't mean the toxic waste site is a health hazard, a county health administrator said Thursday. "I can say. this unequivo theSapp "Battery site, based upon these results, does not constitute a public health problem at this time," said Dr. Joyner Sims, head of the county's public health unit.

Sims released results Wednesday of follow up testing on 115 county residents conducted by the Department of Health and Rehabilitative Services. Three weeks ago. the county I tested 1.568 residents around the toxic waste site. "If we conducted a survey of the entire county for blood lead, we could expect similar' results, so the (four) cases are) not an unusually high instance of. blood lead, compared to the size of the sample we took." Sims said..