Redlands Daily Facts from Redlands, California • Page 3

Little change expected at Norton, March AF secretary visits Norton By BETTYE WELLS The United States Air Force is still the in the world, but the country will face a serious challenge from the Soviet Union 'by the early 1980s unless national defense systems are modernized and upgraded, Secretary of the Air Force told reporters at Norton Air Force Base yesterday. United States Air Force is the best 'in the world-our problem is keeping it that way," said Thomas C. Reed, the topranking civilian in the Air Force. Reed, who met with reporters for 15 minutes before leaving for the San Francisco Bay area early yesterday afternoon, said he attended a meeting at Norton earlier in the day to review the Minuteman missile program and visited -the Military Airlift Command Noncommissioned Officer Academy. Norton AFB is the home of the 63rd Military Airlift Wing and was the aerial port of embarkation for the Pacific and Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War.

It also houses the Air Force Inspection and Safety Center, the Air Force Audit Agency, and is the headquarters for the Aerospace Audio-Visual Service. Reed, 42, who has been Secretary of the Air Force for seven months, said there are no current plans to make significant changes at Norton AFB and described the base as "excellent facility." "The mission here is important," he said of the Military Airlift Command terminal, which is responsible for transporting cargo and personnel. With the end of the Vietnam war, there is less need for pilot-training facilities, he said, adding that the Air Force is looking at the possibility of closing two such facilities at an estimated savings of $150 million a year, the cost of a squadron of F- 16s. No significant changes are anticipated at either Norton or March AFB, he said, although the possibility of "civilianizing" or contracting out for audio-visual services is currently under study. would not be a significant change to Norton," he said.

"It would not be a major impact on the local economy, although it would be to the individuals." Both the ICBM missile system and The ICBM system must also be upgraded as a deterrent to Soviet missiles that allow the Russians to attack a wide range of targets with a substantially increased payload, he said. "It's better to spend money for offensive forces as a deterrent in the first place," he said. "It's hard to talk about winning a nuclear war in a rational fashion." "I think we'll face serious problems in the 1980s," he continued. "For five years the defense budget has been shrinking about 5 per cent a year in terms of real dollars. We cannot continue that.

By 1982 or 1983, the Soviets are going to be in a position to challenge the United States just because of their momentum. "Any President. going to look at that threat and reach the same conclusion we have (about modernizing defense About 5.8 per cent of the U.S. gross national product is expended for defense purposes, compared with 40 per cent during World War II and about one-sixth of the total GNP for the Soviets, he said. "The question is not whether we can afford it, but how much is enough," he said.

Reed said he knows that taxpayers are experiencing a serious economic burden, which is one reason the Air Force is continuing to evaluate the necessity of keeping specific bases open. Reed, who responded to reporters' questions firmly and unhesitatingly, said the all-volunteer military is "one of the great successes" of modern military history. "The service is now an organization people want to be in," not because they were drafted, he said. The acceptance of women into the Air Force Academy has been "one of the great non-problems" he has had to deal with, the Secretary said. Reed said he believes the attrition rate for women in the A Academy will be 7 to 8 per cent, about the same as for male cadets.

"We are not the first university to go coed," he said. "The academy is new and flexible. We have young officers as acting upperclassmen. It (the addition of women) is proceeding well." Mill Creek Firemen reject city offer, highway to ask for Council hearing open Monday The realigned portion of Redlands firemen today announced their unanimous rejection of minor benefits offered by the City administration, asking for a fullscale wage hearing before the City Council. Captain Joe Holley, 58 spokesman for the Professional Firefighters association, gave this notice to Robert H.

Mitchell, acting city manager, after a meeting of his members. Mitchell indicated that the a New wildlife study (Facts photo by Kenison) bomber force need to be modernized or face the prospect of a Soviet challenge by 1982 or 1983, said the former technical project officer for the Minuteman Reentry Vehicle System with the Air Force's Ballistic Missile Division. Attempts at modernizing the current bomber force of B52 Gs and Hs, the "youngest" bombers at 15 years, include equipping them with air launch cruise missiles, he said. But Reed, who graduated from the Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps program at Cornell University and served in the Air Force for five years, said he intends to ask Congress for the money to build B-1 bombers, which completed the 250th hour of flight-testing yesterday at Edwards AFB. The B-1 bomber, which has the capability of penetrating the Soviet Union, will be ready for production by fall, he said.

hearing would need to be sometime after Aug. 17. Having been denied all major requests earlier, the firemen today turned down Mitchell's three offers: reduction of the firemen's work week from 60 to hours, unlimited trading of shifts between firemen, and higher pay when personnel works in temporary higher ranks. "We feel now that we have to start all over again, hoping for better hearing by the Council Wild burros to show 'painted posteriors' Visitors and residents within the San Bernardino National Forest, in the Big Bear area, may note wild burros with painted posteriors running around, in the near future. According to Forest Wildlife Biologist Hugh Black, "The wild burros with color markings are part of study designed to develop a burro management plan for the Arrastre wild burro herd." Mike Coffey, wildlife biologist from Cal Poly, Pomona, will be conducting the wild burro study this summer.

Coffey will be color marking the wild burros with various colored dyes to identify individual animals. He will also determine their sex, age class, health, travel routes and areas of concentration. The burros will be marked using a low powered .22 caliber capture gun that shoots dye capsules. The capsules burst on impact with the burro and leave a colored dye on the animal's hair. The shot does not use any drugs and has no ill effect on the burro.

The study area is located five miles due east of Big Bear Lake and covers an area of about 20,000 acres. The objectives of the study are to determine population size and herd dynamics; to determine area of use and intensity of use; and to determine damage, if any, to other resources including competition with other wildlife species. After data has been collected on the Arrastre burro herd, a management plan will be developed with recommendations, alternatives and consequences of management. According to Black, "The study is important to us in Woman elected LOS ANGELES (UPI) Patricia C. Nagle Thursday was; the first woman ever elected president of the Los Angeles Board of Water and Power Commissioners.

Mrs. Nagle replaces Herbert C. Ward, who was elected vice president. Area News DAILY FACTS, Redlands, Calif. Friday, July 30, 1976- 3 Looks like cool, dry weekend The strength was broken today from a tropical weather front that drove humidity up in Redlands and vicinity for the last week.

According to the National Weather Service, a flow of cool, dry air sweeping throughout the state is bringing the humidity and temperature down, and the weekend outlook calls for even cooler temperatures. Highs will be in the 80s Saturday with just a hint of morning cloudiness to mar the day, according to the Weather Service. Lows will remain near the 60-degree mark. Clouds will continue to hug parts of the San Bernardino mountains and thundershowers will remain a possibility in some locations, according to the National Weather Service. The valley was hit with a wave of clouds late this morning but no rainfall is expected here through the weekend.

Air pollution levels are also expected to stay relatively light here, according to the Air Pollution Control District. No first stage health advisories are forecast anywhere in San Bernardino county Saturday. Youths ordered held in Olive Market case In separate detention hearings held yesterday in the San Bernardino County juvenile hall, juvenile court commissioner Robert Sutton ordered the two Redlands youths arrested for Monday's armed robbery and attempted rape at the Olive Avenue Market to stand for trial in two weeks. Sutton also decided that they would remain in custody at juvenile hall until the date of the trial. One of the boys, 14 years old, pleaded guilty to armed robbery in the first degree with the allegation that he was armed and did use a .22 caliber revolver, said Ray Pile, deputy district attorney of the juvenile division.

The older youth, 16 years old, pleaded not guilty to the allegations brought against him by the district attorney's office, Pile said. The robbery of the Olive Avenue Market was foiled by police after a neighbor became suspicious of actions of the two boys who entered the market, and she phoned the police. The store manager was being assaulted at gun point when three officers arrived two minutes after the phone call. Truck explodes LONE PINE (UPI) A gasoline tanker truck plunged off a Horseshoe Meadows Mountain road Thursday and exploded into flames killing the 22-year-old driver. than we have had from Mr.

Mitchell' and the City's negotiators," said Holley. "We are not asking for the world, but we do feel entitled to token consideration. "If we get a bare minimum at least a 5 per cent cost-of- living increase- we will still be behind other cities of the district," he said. "Redlands is the fourth largest city in San Bernardino county, but it is in the lowest 25 per cent when it comes to paying its firemen. "We want to be somewhere close to the average in both pay and benefits.

As it is, we're behind on everything except retirement, only average on that. "We realize," said Holley, "that the City is on an austerity program, and we have lowered our sights accordingly. And when the negotiators have claimed a lack of money, we have offered to gamble -to take our small raise if and when the City gets its Federal revenue-sharing funds for next year. We were told they wouldn't even take that offer to the City Council. "We were even denied the modest improvement in vacation schedule that was given to the City's miscellaneous employes," Holley complained.

The firemen's decision followed an impasse situation, which had come after numerous meetings with the City's negotiators and two with Mitchell. Highway 38 through the mouth of Mill Creek Canyon will open Monday with the nearcompletion of a $3 million construction project. The two-and-a-half-mile section of road, under construction for eight months, will be open Monday, although some employes of Yeager Construction Company may still be finishing some portions of the project, according to Juanita Barrett of the San Bernardino office of Caltrans. Jerry Muscavitch, resident engineer for the Federal Highway Administration, said that Yeager still has some work to do, but expects to have completed roadwork by Monday. Flagmen will be on duty to direct traffic, however.

Motorists are urged to drive with caution and may experience some delay, he said. The realigned portion of road extends from about the bridge at the entrance to the canyon to about Mountain Home Village. Steals sailboat CULVER CITY (UPI) A Detroit man who was stranded at sea for two weeks before being rescued by a Japanese ship Thursday admitted stealing the sailboat from a slip at Marina Del Rey. William 0gg, 22, pleaded guilty in Municipal Court to one count of grand theft of property and one count of taking a vehicle. Sentencing was set for Aug.

17. order to find out more about the wild burros and determine how we can best manage them." Coffey, who will be marking the burros and collecting the data, recently completed a study on the Bald Eagle at Big Bear Lake. Coffey's Bald Eagle Study gave the Forest Service some valuable information on how to better protect the Bald Eagle, an endangered wildlife species. According to Black, "This new study will give us information on how to best manage one of the four wild burro herds on the San Bernardino National Forest. The burros are protected under a Federal law." Need for monofilament creates new industry Local firm makes weed cutter refills By JUSTIN FOX Weed trimming machines that use rapidly spinning nylon fishing line rather than whirling metal blades are popular because of their safety and light weight.

The original designer and producer, Weedeater, grossed a profit of $46 million last year alone. Two local industries, Dunlap Mower and Leeco Manufacturing, are making the best of the success of Weedeaters and similar products manufactured by Sears, Penney's, and Black and Decker. Both firms produce monofilament refills for the nylon cutting line. Gordon Utter, owner of Dunlap Mower, began producing the refills in October for what he called "the fastest growing product for lawn and field." His products carry the trade name "Easy Feed," and include a plastic spool of wound nylon monofilament which he developed when customers complained that the original design didn't provide for replacement of frayed line. easy Utter patented his spool design and sold it under the name "Weed Line" until Weedeater, objected in court.

He later settled out of court and began producing the spools and coils of nylon under the "Easy Feed" title. Utter said that he was the first to prepackage the monofilament nylon line the in premeasured lengths. Previously, line was bought from dealerships where it would be cut from large coils kept in stock. Gets East Valley endorsement Tennessee freeway revised to two lanes THOMAS C. REED By ERWINS.

HEIN Latest version of the Tennessee Freeway, introduced yesterday by the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), won instant support as a Federally financed $16- million project. East Valley powers, led by the City of Redlands, endorsed a six-year plan to build a two-lane Tennessee route between the Redlands Freeway (Interstate Route 10) and Third street, north of the Santa Ana river. Alternate routes were discussed and rejected in an afternoon session of City, County and State representatives in San Bernardino. It was agreed to ask the countywide San Bernardino Associated Governments (Sanbag) for the endorsement that will begin the accumulation of funds for the job. East Valley communities will pledge 50 per cent of their Federal Aid Urban (FAU) allotments to this project for the next six years, it was indicated.

Once the commitment becomes official, Caltrans will resume its planning and right-of-way work, said District Director Jack Peddy. Expecting to act immediately, authorities spoke of getting Sanbag approval of the fun-. ding plan no later than September. Redlands, Loma Linda and County delegates carried the cause Thursday. San Bernardino's Mayor W.

R. Holcomb, reluctant at first, appeared to agree finally that the Tennessee route had merit. Planned since 1962 as a major all-weather crossing of the Santa Ana river, the Tennessee Freeway reappeared Thursday as a scaleddown rendering of earlier hopes. It reflected the present budget limitations of Caltrans, relying almost wholly on FAU funds. The immediate plan called for a three-mile stretch of new freeway, along the Tennessee street alignment, northward from Route 10 to Third street.

There would be only two lanes, dividing 42 feet of pavement, though right-ofway would be obtained for an ultimate eight lanes. An 850-foot bridge would be built across the Santa Ana river, and another crossing Plunge creek. There would be an interchange at San Bernardino avenue, and grade separations at Lugonia and Pioneer avenues. There would be widening of the existing Tennessee street interchange separation structure over Route 10, and two additional ramp connections to Route 10. A parallel drainage ditch would be built from Route 10 north to the river.

Most of the preliminaries have been completed, Planning Director Bob Redden reported, including the route's official adoption, the environmental process, and public hearings. Half of the right-of-way has been acquired, and construction could begin in 1978, extending through 1982. Caltrans spotlighted several advantages of the Tennessee plan, as compared with other north-south routes: -It will provide additional traffic capacity between Route 10 and Third street that will not be reduced by future development. -The road can be expanded to provide four or six lanes when needed. -It can be extended north to connect with the existing Route 30 freeway at Highland and Arden avenues, with 50 per cent of that rightof-way already acquired.

-It also can reach northeast to meet Boulder avenue at Base Line, providing a continuity of Route 30 if there is further delay in completing the Route 30 freeway. From Feb. 6 accident -It allows for future construction of a full freeway-to-freeway interchange between Routes 10 and 30 (the Redlands Interchange), with only a $215,000 loss involved in the initial Tennessee street interchange. -It will initially capture Federal Interstate (FI) funds in the sum of for construction and -of-way northward from Route 10 for six-tenths of a mile. This would include the drainage system, Lugonia avenue separation, and parts of the highway bankment and structural section.

-It provides for the capture of FI funds in the amount of $10-million for the Redlands interchange. -It insures the retention of State interest in Route 30, looking toward its future completion all the way', linking the two freeways in Redlands. -It removes State highway traffic from Orange street, between Route 10 and Lugonia avenue, reducing congestion and allowing Orange street to be relinquished to the City of Redlands. Although the Tennessee route was described as costlier, it was seen as superior in many respects to Orange and Alabama streets, the alternates studied by Caltrans. Peddy also emphasized that the six-year Tennessee program would call for only eight cents of Caltrans money for every 92 cents in Federal funds.

And the impact of converting Orange street into a major route would be "horrendous to the citizens of Redlands," Councilman Chresten M. Knudsen testified. John R. Shone, County highway engineer, favored the Tennessee route over others, rating Alabama street as second. Urging prompt action, he insisted that subdivisions in the Highland area were affected by the withholding of Route 30 right-of-way, "which should not be retained if it's not going to go." John Feenstra, local assistance coordinator for Caltrans, reported that the resources are ready, with more than $1-million per year to be added if Sanbag concurs.

Arguing at first for the improvement of Tippecanoe avenue as the route that might get the most patronage, Holcomb favored an additional study of alternate routes. But this drew opposition from several quarters, including Robert H. Mitchell, acting city manager of Redlands, who said it was subject to local congestion. The studying of routes outside of the State highway corridor would have to be done by local agencies, Peddy asserted, and Mitchell added that "we would be sidetracked several more years by extra studies." Peddy also insisted that "the route we adopt should be of regional significance. Loma Linda's Mayor Kent Dickinson added his support to the Tennessee line, preferring it to either Richardson street or Tippecanoe avenue in his own area.

He wanted a route farther to the east, and he also said it should be extended south to Barton road to benefit Loma Linda. Knudsen argued it would be "a breach of faith" to abandon the Tennessee freeway "after all the hundreds of man-hours of planning and meetings that have gone into it." He also reminded Holcomb that it was more in keeping with the legal purposes of FAU funds than some that had been recognized by Sanbag. Also speaking for the City of Redlands were John F. Shefchik, public works director, and John A. Donnelly, street superintendent.

Bodies of four found in plane It was the need for a more efficient way had no cash. So, he said, he put out the for refilling the frayed lines in these in- word that he was looking for backers. creasingly popular machines that lured Lawrence Industries, a MinneapolisWilliam Lee, vice president of Leeco based corporation, agreed to purchase 60 Manufacturing, away from his job with per cent of the ownership, leaving Lee the Briggs and Stratton Corporation, a with 40 per cent and a vice presidency. leading manufacturer of lawn mower Since then Leeco has had the reasources engines. to produce the more than 60,000 pounds of Because of his expertise in mowing nylon cutting line that it has shipped so equipment and sales, Lee was approached far.

by Utter in October to help develop the Leeco set up another plant in Minspooling and coiling processes to produce neapolis with six fulltime employees refills for the Weedeater machines. where the nylon line is The line Lee said that he saw the potential for then is sent to Calimesa where it is spun these inventions and quit his job with into coils and packaged for sale. Briggs and Stratton to work with Utter. Leeco coils and packages the nylon for This he did for the three months resulting similar in the "Easy Feed" products now the Sear's Weedwacker, and machines produced by Penney's and distributed nationally. Black and Decker, in addition to the refills Soon afterward, Lee decided to go into business for himfor the Weedeater.

self. Lee started Leeco Manufacturing with The company makes 14 different the money, some $3,000 he earned working products in all, and Lawrence Industries at Dunlap Mower. is developing a nylon string cutting He set up operations first in his garage machine of its own to be unveiled at the where he has a tool shop. There, he in- Las Vegas Garden show at the end of vented machines to coil the nylon refill August. lines with which he began his business.

He Meanwhile, Lee is concerned with now sells these machines to other moving the orders now. Boxes of nylon businesses for $5,000 apiece. spools and coil are stacked to the ceiling, Lee soon moved his company into the and Lee is talking about moving into a Trails 1 End Plaza in Calimesa as the first newer and bigger building to handle the orders for coils began to arrive in greater orders he expects to increase. numbers. But after two months, he was "One company made a profit of $46 overwhelmed with orders, he said.

million alone in this industry," Lee said. The company needed to expand, but Lee "The potential is almost limitless." The bodies of four Santa Barbara-area residents were recovered yesterday from the wreckage of their single-engine airplane that crashed almost six months ago near Shields Peak in the San Gorgonio Wilderness, about 17 air miles northeast of Redlands. The four have been identified as Gregory Ramallo, 50, a Santa Barbara jeweler, who was the pilot; Richard Vargas, 44, of Summerland, a postmaster and member of the Carpenteria school board; Royce Ewing, 34, and his wife, Sally, 28, both Santa Barbara residents and real estate brokers. Twenty members of the sheriff's search and rescue team, a county deputy coroner and representatives of the Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board SPOOLING AROUND- -Virginia Baxter, shop manager at Leeco Manufacturing, of Calimesa, winds one-pound spools of nylon refill line for weed trimming machines like the Weedeater and the Weedwacker. (Facts photo by Kenison).

were airlifted by helicopter to the crash site about 8 a.m. yesterday and completed the recovery operation about seven hours later, said a spokesman for the sheriff's department. Three of the plane's 0C- cupants were found inside the aircraft and the fourth had been thrown from the wreckage, officials said. All apparently died instantly. Wreckage from the singleengine Bellanca 230 was scattered at about the level in rugged terrain between Shields Peak and Mt.

San Bernardino that forced searchers to jump from the helicopters. A makeshift landing pad was constructed near the wreckage. One searcher said the plane looked like small white patches on the mountainside. There are still patches of snow in the area. The aircraft disintegrated on impact when it crashed in a storm Feb.

6 en route from Santa Barbara to Mexico. It was one of six planes flying to Guaymas, Mexico, with medical supplies for people left homeless during January floods. Four planes arrived safely and the fifth turned back because of bad weather. Friends of the four had searched much of southern California since the plane disappeared, but had concentrated on San Diego County and Baja California because of the flight plan filed before the plane disappeared. The plane's emergency locater beacon apparently never began transmitting after the crash, a spokesman for the sheriff's department said yesterday.

Authorities said they do not know why the plane crashed in the San Bernardino Mountains when the flight plan indicated the aircraft should have been 50 to 60 miles further south. The victims were all taken to the EmmersonRedlands mortuary where funeral arrangements are pending..