The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise from Seguin, Texas • Page 1

Space shuttle explodes Teacher, six crew members believed dead CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) Space shuttle Challenger exploded as it carried schoolteacher Chrlsta McAuliffe and six crew members into space today. There was no indication of the fate of the crew, but it appeared there was no way they could survive. It was the first such failure in 56 such U.S. man-in-space missions.

The shuttle rose spectacularly off the launch pad at 11:38 a.m. ESTand was climbing smoothly trailing a 700- foot geyser of fire when suddenly it erupted in a huge fireball and shot out of control. A voice at Mission Control said, "We are checking with recovery forces to see what can be done at this point. procedures are in effect." The voice said, "Vehicle has ex- ploded. We are awaiting word from any recovery forces downrange." There were seven crew members aboard, including Mrs.

McAuliffe, a 37-year-old New Hampshire teacher selected as America's first citizen in space. Mission Control said debris from the shuttle impacted several miles out in the Atlantic and that recovery forces were speeding in that direction. The other crew members were commander Francis R. Scobee, 46, pilot Michael J. Smith, 40; Judith Resnik, 36; Ronald E.

McNair, 35; Ellison S. Onizuka, 39; and Gregory B. Jarvis, 41. Mission Control said parts of the spacecraft fell at 28.64 north latitude and 80.28 degrees west longitude, just a few miles off Cape Canaveral. Ships and helicopters raced to the area and the control center said paramedics had leaped into the water.

There was no indication how much of the shuttle was intacl. The explosion was a devastating setback for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration after successfully carrying out 24 space shuttle missions in slightly less than five years. Challenger was a $1.2 billion spacecraft, one of four in the fleet. The flight was the second of a record 15 shuttle flights that NASA had planned this year. It probably will be months now before another shuttle can be launched, while engineers try to determine what went wrong.

NASA said the explosion occurred about 60 seconds into the mission, at a point when the astronauts were beginning to throttle their engines up to maximum speed to reduce the forces of gravity during liftoff. The explosion also occurred about the time Challenger was to enter a period of maximum aerodynamic pressure when wind and other atmospheric conditions would place the maximum force on the outside of the vehicle. The shocking spectacle of the explosion was seen by millions of people around the country who were watching the launch on television. All 1,200 students at Mrs. McAuliffe's Concord High School were cheering the televised launch when a teacher yelled for them to be silent because something appeared to be wrong.

As it became clear there was an explosion, stunned students mur- mured "This can't be We can't be watching this." Students, who were gathered in the auditorium, were ordered back to their rooms. Many of the youths went reluctantly, protesting that they wanted to be allowed to continue watching. White House spokesman Larry Speakes said President Reagan was "concerned" and "saddened" at the accident but had no immediate details. "We don't have any more information than what is being provided the public on television." Challenger was one of four shuttles in NASA's fleet. There was no indication whether the explosion occurred in the solid boosters or in the main engines fueled by hydrogen and oxygen from the main tank.

When Challenger lifted off, its huge fuel tank carried 526,000 gallons of volatile liquid hydrogen and oxygen. Mission control reported that there was no indication of any problem with the engines, the solid boosters or any other system and that the shuttle just suddenly blew apart. Radio communications and telemetry abruptly ended. There was total shock and disbelief among workers at the shuttle assembly building as they watched Challenger break up in a ball of fire and white and orange smoke. "I can't believe it," said a young woman, almost crying, as she stood among coworkers outside the building.

"I can't see the orbiter what happened to the orbiter," said a young technician. Vol. 97 No. 104 8 Pages in 1 Section TX 75381 unty Since 1888 January 28, 1986 USPS 488-700 25C Fisherman drowns below Red Mill Dam ByMIKEBARBEE Staff Writer Patrick O'Neal of San Antonio drowned in the Guadalupe River below Red Mill Dam at approximately 4 p.m. Saturday while fishing in waders.

Witnesses say O'Neal was out in chest-high water with his waders on, probing the river bottom with a stick. Suddenly he dipped below the surface and his waders filled with water. His waders made it difficult to swim. The river swept him downstream and one witness said his head bobbed up a couple of times but then he stayed down." Precinct 1 Justice of the Peace Walter Bargfrede ruled the death an accidental drowning. Otto Voigt of McQueeney lost a Johnson 15-horsepower boat motor valued at $1,000, an Auto Shack battery valued at $47 and a gas tank valued at $50 to thieves sometime in the past few days.

He reported the theft Friday to the Guadalupe County Sheriff's Department. A thief or thieves broke and unlocked a window in Truman Mantooth's home at Rt. 6, Box 700,. Seguin. Mantooth lost an RCA videocassette recorder valued at $500, a Toshiba videocassette recorder valued at $400, a 20-gauge Stevens single-shot shotgun valued at $50, a Daisy pump pellet gun valued at $35 and two TI calculators together valued at $150 in the break-in.

Someone stole Ernest Lehman's 1977 Ford Super Cab pickup truck sometime between Thursday and Sunday, he told the sheriff's department. Lehman of Rt. 2, Box 562H, New Braunfels, said he truck on his farm and had left the keys in it. Linda Louise Sommer reported that her home at Rt. 6, Box 668, Seguin, had been burglarized at about 6:30 p.m.

Friday. Sheriff's, deputies say they suspect a group of illegal aliens. Sommer's neighbors say they are "sick and tired" of a group of illegals who roam their area. Sommer lost an AM-FM radio and cassette player valued at $65. Commissioner balks on EMS board plan By RON FELLOWS Staff Writer Over the objections of Commissioner James M.

Brannon, Guadalupe County commissioners on Monday approved a proposed Emergency Medical Service board restructuring agreement with the city of Seguin. The City Council already had approved the agreement. Brannon came to the commissioners' meeting Monday morning with a six-point paper outlining the reasons he wanted the agenda item tabled. His paper called for a "study of other approaches on funding EMS and SAFES (ambulance service in Schertz)." This, Brannon said, "should be done in a workshop with represen- taives from EMS and SAFES present." Brannon told the court that he did not believe the proposed new board could accomplish anything until studies were completed. He said in his discussion paper, "We still have not received a comprehensive report from EMS, such as the one we received from SAFES." Brannon also discussed the problem of transportation to the hospital of choice which he said needs to be addressed.

"Some people in the Redwood area desire to be taken to the hospital in San Marcos. A number of people around Schumannsville, River Bend and Clear Springs area desire to be taken to the New Braunfels hospital. A large number of people from the Schertz, Cibolo, Marion and Northcliffe area desire to be taken to a San Antonio hospital," Brannon's statement said. "SAFES will transport to the hospital of choice or to the nearest hospital as dictated by the type of medical problem. EMS will only transport to Guadalupe Valley Hospital unless the medical problem dictates otherwise," Brannon said.

Brannon's discussion paper sais the commissioners "must look at the cost to the county and be fair with our financial support to all sectors of this county." "At the present time, we are spending about $411 per person that the Seguin EMS picks up from the unincorporated part of this county. We are spending about $43 per person the Schertz EMS picks up from the unincorporated part of this Brannon moved that the agenda item be tabled and rescheduled "after more work has been done and we have thhe results of the rollback election which will dictate the amount of money the county budget has." When there was no second for his motion, Brannon told the other commissioners, "I don't feel we've done our homework." The others disagreed. Commissioner George Grein and County Judge James E. Sagebiel both said they considered Brannon's discussion irrelevant to approving the restructuring agreement and appointing a new board. Sagebiel said the board is needed to carry on the work.

On Commissioner Monroe See County dads, Pg. 2 Supper sounds MEMBERS of the Seguin High School Jazz Band entertained Friday night at the Seguin Band Booster barbecue chicken supper at the Seguin- Guadalupe County Coliseum. The high school and middle school bands provided dinner music for their supporters at the dinner which is the first of its kind for the boosters. More than 1,500 plates of food were served. (Staff photo) Cold blast races into Deep South By SCOTT WILLIAMS Associated Press Writer A killer freeze threatened Florida citrus groves and Georgia onions today after "one monster of a storm" delivered heavy snow and freezing rain that blacked out more than 100,000 people from the Northeast to the Deep South.

The storm was blamed for at least nine deaths from New York to Alabama on Monday, when the weather forced schools to close in at least 12 states and sent dozens of homeless people to Alabama shelters. While much of the East shivered, parts of the West and even New England basked in record high temperatures. The temperature early today at Lewistown, was 45 degrees, warmer than the 42 recorded in Miami. The 33-degree reading in Portland, Maine, topped the 30degrees in Orlando, Fla. The temperature in New York City's Central Park dropped from 33 degrees at 9 p.m.

Monday to 15 degrees at 4 a.m. John F. Kennedy International Airport was closed for just over hours and some flights were diverted because of poor visibility and high winds, authorities said. As subzero wind chills stretched from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast, Florida's citrus belt with two-thirds of the season's grapefruit and orange crops still on the trees braced today for four to eight hours of deadly temperatures below 28 degrees and possible multimillion- dollar losses. "Every degree and every hour is critical;" said Doug Bournique, head of the Indian River Citrus League in central Florida, where growers had been hit by killer freezes the past two winters.

"About the only thing we can do now is pump the water (on the citrus) See Icy blast, Pg. 2 Gunman holds up station Pistol-toting bandit hijacks cash from Boeder's Exxon Breakfast to By RON FELLOWS Staff Writer An armed bandit held up Don Boeder's Exxon service station, 1098 E. IH-10, Monday night and escaped with an undetermined amount of cash. Ismael Garcia, who was on duty alone about 8:50 p.m., told police that the gunman walked into the station from the highway and asked for a dollar's worth of quarters in exchange for a dollar bill. When Garcia opened the cash register, the man pulied out what appeared to be a nickel-plated caliber revolver.

He then ordered Garcia to step back. The man reached across and scooped out all the currency from the register. Garcia said the robber ran out the door and headed south toward IH-10. The gunman was described as being a white male, about 20-26 years of age, with short brown hair, about 5-feet, 8-inches tall and weighing about 150-160 pounds. He was wearing a waist-length blue jacket, blue jeans, and black and white tennis shoes.

A Seguin woman already awaiting trial on two counts of forgery was arrested again Friday on three warrants charging her with writing forged checks. Brenda Higgins, 25, was jailed after being unable to post $9,000 in bonds, $3,000 on each of the latest charges. Bond was set by Justice of the Peace Walter Bargfrede Jr. Higgins is charged with passing three forged checks, totaling $2,200, to First Commercial Bank. According to police, Higgins is still awaiting trial after being indicted several months ago on two forgery charges.

A Seguin resident was arrested Saturday after being charged with burglarizing a home a week earlier. Donald Ray Adams, 22, of 519 Tampico, was charged with the burglary of the home of Adolpho Saldua at 431N. Milam. Saldua reported to police Jan. 18 that he saw two people leaving his house when he returned home that evening.

The burglars dropped a television set as they fled. They got away with a $500 videocassette recorder, however. The victim said he recognized one of the suspects later identified as Adams. Charges were filed against Adams Friday and he was arrested the following day. Municipal Court Judge Robert T.

Ryan set bond at $3,000. A second suspect is still being sought. One house burglary was reported Monday afternoon. Woodrow Sanders of 1625 Hays told police that someone entered his house through a bedroom window sometime during the day Monday. Taken from the home was a portable black and white television set valued at $100.

Several burglaries were reported over the weekend. Michael Wash of 656 Flores reported Sunday morning that someone broke into his home and stole a $400 Pioneer AM-FM stereo cassette player, a 21-inch Toro lawnmower valued at $200, a black and white television set valued at $80, an antique wash stand with bowl and mirror, a lawn edger, several coffee pots, two telephones, an eight-track tape player, a cassette tape player and a heater. Police recovered a safe stolen in a burglary sometime Saturday night at GAMCO Builders 216 Missing from the safe are two caliber revolvers valued at $300 each. The burglars missed 15 silver dollars still inside the safe, police said. See Police, Pg.

2 INDEX Sports Comics Image Classified Pg. 3 Pg. 4 Pg. 5 Pg. 6-7 Outlook: Sunny and warmer today; high in the lower 70s; south winds 15 mph.

Turning cloudy tonight; low in the mid 40s; southeast winds 5-10 mph. Partly cloudy and warm Wednesday with a high in the lower 70s and south winds 10-15 mph..