The San Bernardino County Sun from San Bernardino, California • Page 9

Business: Kaiser puts brakes on auto racing plansB8 Inland Empire Catharine Hamm Asst. Managing EditorMetro (909) 386-3874 Fax (909) 885-8741 The Sun Section Wednesday October 13, 1993 Metro Final Inside: Sun readers speak out on Prop. 174B3 rite w8Kf Health She said seeing so many confirmed cases of the severe A-Beijing variety of influenza so early in the year means the country is in for a really bad flu season. Flu symptoms include fever, muscle pain, weakness and a dry, hacking cough. The only protection is a vaccine, which was not available when a global pandemic of influenza killed 20 million people in 1918.

Nowadays, the vaccine is varied each year, custom-designed by the federal Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta to contain the influenza strains that were Mack said special flu immunization clinics for Medi-Cal and low-income patients have been established throughout the county. "The charge is $3 per shot, but no one is ever turned away." People who need flu shots include anyone age 60 or older, those of any age with immune system disorders such as cancer or AIDS, or those who have chronic heart or lung diseases. Flu shots also are needed by people with diabetes, chronic kidney disease and anemia, including sickle cell disease. Area flu and pneumonia Immunization cllnlcsLlst B3 Flu symptoms Symptoms include fever, muscle pain, weakness, dry hackingcough. WHO NEEDS SHOTS? Anyone 60 or older People with immune system disorders such as cancer or AIDS People who have chronic heart or lung diseases People with diabetes People with chronic kidney disease and anemia, including sickle cell disease Doctors agree the country's in for a bad flu season, but it's difficult to pin down a Southland arrival date for the dangerous virus.

By Marilyn Leary Sun Medical Editor The public health department is waiting for the other shoe to drop. The first cases of the dangerous A-Beijing influenza virus showed up in southern Louisiana late last month. It won't be long, according to state and federal predictions, before the particularly virulent strain of flu works its way west. "There haven't been any confirmed cases of influenza in California, anyway, not yet," Dr. Robert Murray said Tuesday.

Murray, an epidemiologist with the state Department of Health Services in San Francisco, said it would be difficult to pin down the exact arrival of the Beijing flu on the West Coast. "It's like trying to identify the very few first rain drops of an approaching storm." Reported cases of influenza usually are expected in November or December in the United States, said San Bernardino County epidemiologist Sarah Mack. present during the previous 12 months. i ms year, ior me nrsi lime, Meaicare ill pay for flu shots given to the elderly. wi Housing In brief THE CAR OF THE FUTURE The Big 3 automakers met last month with President Clinton to discuss the car of the future.

Those cars would be revolutionary, not evolutionary, the automakers said. Two San Bernardino County residents shared their ideas for the car of the future at The Sun's request. Their ideas, from streamlining to steam engines, will be forwarded to the auto manufacturers. Meanwhile, here are their thoughts: Rent control talks 1 11CCUCU SAM ROWLEY of Sky Forest thinks that everything old should be new again. He fongs for the designs of the '60s and the three vehicles harken back to the days of those machines.

They're sleek, they're streamlined and they're sporty. But they're also for the family. Rowley's vision of the car of the future centers on the so-called "family sports ear," designed for the baby boomers who miss the muscle and mystique of their first ears in the '60s but need something practical for the energy-concious, inconspicuous '90s. His cars would be done with fiberglass or aluminum or both; reinforced with a sturdy framework and rollbars. The interior would resemble the cockpit of a jet plane with full Instrumentation.

Rowley recommends soundproofing by filling the doors with foam to keep the noise down. But not too far down: He thinks drivers long for the "mellow rumble" from the engine. "You want a little sound of muscle," he said. At first glance, this family van doesn't look too different from today's vans. But wait a minute what's that other set of wheels? It's the six-wheel family transporter, a vehicle that looks something like the Volkswagen vans of the '60s.

That's by design; Rowley said. "It's a nice family car where you could put four to six people, just like the old VW buses," Rowley said, "Six wheels would be for weight, Instead of four-wheel drive, you would have better traction. It would be great in the snow." One other interesting aspect: Hydraulics would raise or lower the vehicle to make it easier to navigate in snow ov-'m off-road. Finally, panoramic windows wrap the vehicle. To keep the sun from blazing in, Rowley suggests photo-gray windows that automatically darken when the sun hits them.

I JAMES COLLINS of San Bernardino thinks a steam engine will power the car of the future. 4 13 6 12 Desert murder trial delayed VICTORVILLE The trial of a Victorville youth accused of a double murder in Hesperia has been delayed until at least December because his attorney also represents former Adelanto Police Chief Philip Genaway, on trial in San Bernardino. Jury selection tentatively had been scheduled to start this week in Victorville Superior Court for David Seidel, 18, accused of murder and robbery in connection with the deaths of former Hesperia sheriffs deputy Harvey Wol-cott, 50, and Donald Howie, 70. The two men were gunned down Nov. 26, 1991, in Wolcott's pawn shop in Hesperia, where Howie was a customer.

Authorities said the killings occurred during the theft of 60 rifles, shotguns and handguns. The defendant's attorney, Chuck Nacsin, represents Genaway in a trial under way in San Bernardino Superior Court. Genaway is charged with 38 felony counts stemming from the alleged embezzlement of $32,000 intended for police work in Adelanto. Loma Linda OKs tax district LOMA LINDA The city council approved a special tax district for the Bryn Mawr region Tuesday night to help pay for storm drains in a proposed housing development in the area. Under the proposal, people buying new homes in the Rancho Linda development near Beaumont and Whittier avenues would be responsible for paying the $6.5 million cost of putting in storm drains and a debris basin for the project.

No other city residents would be required to pay for the storm drains. The 135-acre area, which is currently undeveloped except for the new Bryn Mawr Elementary School, has been prone to flooding as rain water washes down the hills flanking the city's southern border. "This is one of those things that, whether we like it or not, we've got to do something about, and we may just as well do this," said Councilman Elmer Digneo. New law could help noncustodial parents SACRAMENTO A bill signed Tuesday by Gov. Pete Wilson could give a reprieve to parents facing major increases in their child support payments.

SB 541, by Sen. Gary Hart, D-Santa Barbara, would give some noncustodial parents up to a year to phase in up to 70 percent of the increase in their child support payments. Judges could authorize the phase-in period for child support orders issued before July 1, 1992. The provision is intended to help noncustodial parents who saw their payments hiked two, three or more times as a result of legislation enacted in 1992. The bill also would smooth out glitches that resulted in an erratic payment schedule for high-income noncustodial parents and give some noncustodial parents credit for time spent with their child.

Sun Staff ancrtVire Reports i "The so-called steam engine of the future will certainly not look like those used on the locomotives that pulled Santa Fe trains over the Pass not too many years ago, he said. Instead of steam, this engine will be driven by hot gasses that are formed by burning fuel and air or oxygen in a closed container, or boiler. From this process, pressure and heat are created. The pressure, converted into kinetic energy, can be directed where it's needed. In this case, Collins suggests that it could be used to power a Stirling cycle engine, which is a steam engine.

One advantage of such an engine is that when the vehicle is not moving for instance, at a stop sign no fuel is being used in idling. In fact, the engine comes to dead stop. To start it, you apply the pressure by using a throttling device and reactivating the engine. As to what the car of the future might look like, Collins envisions a glass bubble canopy that starts out over the engine, moves up to give head room for the pilot and steering wheel in the middle, then sweeps out on either side to encompass a 9 Ram piston 10 Sparkplug 11 Mounting flange 12 Cooling manifold 13 Thermal insulation 14 Wire screen 1 Power outlet 2 Gas-expander injector 3 5 Hemispheric part of pressure vessel 4 Wire screen 6 Cylindrical part of vessel if needed 7 Liquid injector 8 Suction discharge reed valves The Highland City Council is reluctant to approve a mobile home rent control ordinance and want the park owner and tenants to negotiate. By Suzanne Roig Sun Staff Writer HIGHLAND Residents of Silver Creek Mobile Home Park and the park owner must sit down and talk about rent control before the City Council will consider imposing a city-wide moratorium on mobile home space rents.

The park owner, Knickerbocker Associates, last week announced it would not increase space rents until July. By law, park owners must give mobile home owners 60-day notice for any increase. Park residents became upset when Silver Creek representatives last month passed out a questionnaire that residents interpreted to mean their space rents were about to increase. David Wendorff, a representative for the owner, told council members Tuesday night that his company will meet with residents to spell out a plan to keep their mobile home living affordable. About 40 Silver Creek mobile home owners a senior citizen park also attended the meeting and urged the council to adopt an emergency moratorium on space rents until a permanent rent control ordinance could be adopted.

"We're asking you (the council) to protect us now," said Beverly Phillips, a Silver Creek mobile home owner. Phillips, who represents the 65 Silver Creek homeowners, and representatives from four other parks in the city have joined forces to see to it that the city adopts a rent control ordinance. City Councilwoman Jody Scott said she was reluctant to vote on an ordinance that would affect the entire city without first talking to all the other mobile home owners and park owners. About 90 cities in California have some kind of rent control ordinance that tie space rent increases to a percentage of the cost-of-living index. Silver Creek home owner Viola Sanfacon said she has seen her space rent increase from $70 a month 16 years ago to $220 in July.

The previous owner in-creiised space rents $20 before selling the park to Knickerbocker. "This is something we should have done after we incorporated," Sanfacon said. "I'm not interested in becoming a landowner, nor could 1 afford it, nor am I interested in a lease." City Councilwoman Laurie Tully-Payne said it was unfortunate that the residents misinterpreted the questionnaire. "The residents were burned in the past and the new owner got off on the wrong foot," Tully-Pay-ni said. "It will take timj to establish trust." semicircular seat tor tour passengers.

BETTS GRIFFON EThe Sun Lake Arrowhead mom wins custody fight Courts held to determine who gets permanent custody of 1 1-year-old Raquel, 9-year-old Nicholas and 6-year-old Nichole. In the meantime, there's little likelihood that the legal system will work any more quickly for other parents, said Supervising Deputy District Attorney Dwight Moore. "We've hired one person in the last two years. We are at the point where we do not have a clerk in our file room," said Moore. "I don't see anything getting any better." So Varney is offering some advice to parents facing divorce and child custody battles: "I wouldn't suggest anyone go through court if you can settle (custody issues) yourself." As she spoke, her 6-year-old daughter gave her a hug.

Asked how it felt to be home, Nichole smiled. "Nice." she said. By Richard Brooks Sun Staff Writer SAN BERNARDINO A Lake Arrowhead woman claimed victory Tuesday in her 4'a-month battle to prod authorities into enforcing a court order that granted her custody of her children. "We ended up singing and dancing. It was great," Theresa Varney said several hours after being reunited with her three missing children.

A divorce triggered the child custody battle. Varney thought she'd won the fight last May when a judge awarded her temporary custody and ordered the district attorney to help find the youngsters. Instead, Varney discovered that only one prosecutor and one investigator are assigned to hundreds of such cases in San Bernardino County. So she agreed to do the legwork herself. After a private investigator tracked down her estranged husband and the missing youngsters, authorities issued an arrest warrant and last week sent an investigator to Alaska to claim the children.

The months of frustration melted Tuesday. "The kids wanted to tell me everywhere they'd been," Varney said. "That told me they were still bonded to me they wanted to share all their experiences." At least one more court hearing may be Gynecologist faces disciplinary action in sex abuse case Crime naked on the floor of the examining room. The medical board charged that Sweet performed a "grossly inappropriate" pelvic examination of another woman patient while falsely telling her she had a vaginal lump, Adler said. Alleging professional misconduct by the physician, the board charged that he was alone with both patients while they disrobed in the examining room.

Adler said the state is not alleging criminal misconduct relationship with a married patient in 1991, and falsely told the woman such a relationship was acceptable between a physician and patient. Deputy state Attorney General Steve Adler said the medical board also alleged Sweet falsely claimed the sexual relationship began only after the doctor-patient relationship had ended. The woman said she was drugged during an examination at the dortor's office and awoke By Chuck Mueller The Sun's High Desert Bureau An Apple Valley gynecologist faces disciplinary action following charges by the Medical Board of California that he sexually abused two patients in the course of his practice. The board charged Dr. Brian Sweet, 47, with professional misconduct and called for a hearing to ''etermine if the allegations warVant revocation or suspension of his license to practice medicine in California.

Sweet, who was issued a medical license on Sept. 30, 1985, could not be reached for comment. The telephone at his office on state Highway 18 in Apple Valley has been disconnected. In a formal accusation, the bogrd charged that Sweet initialed and maintained a sexual.