October 31, 1995
Web posted at: 12:00 p.m. EST
NEW YORK (CNN) -- A former director of a Parkinson's disease charity faces charges he embezzled more than $870,000 in donations. Frank Williams, 54, is accused of stealing the money from the American Parkinson's Disease Association. Parkinson's disease, a degenerative brain disorder characterized by body tremors, is thought to afflict about 1.5 million Americans.
There was no indication the money went to nursing homes as intended. It was unclear what Williams did with the money, federal prosecutors said. Williams, who resigned in April, was arrested Monday. If convicted, he could be sentenced to five years in prison and fined $250,000.
CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (CNN) -- The space shuttle Columbia continued to orbit smoothly on Tuesday, NASA said. It is hoped that a series of experiments being conducted on the 16-day mission will lead to more effective drugs, fire-fighting materials and semiconductors. One of the latest science experiments carried out by astronauts examined the influence of chemicals on a liquid protein solution. The experiment used a water drop one inch in diameter, much bigger than water droplets on Earth.
Columbia is scheduled to land Sunday at 6:54 a.m. EST (1154 GMT) at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
DETROIT (CNN) -- Thousands of Devil's Night volunteers are credited with keeping down the number of pre-Halloween fires in Detroit. The city, which on a normal day has 40 to 60 fires, expected to release Devil's Night numbers on Wednesday. The Detroit News reported 41 fires had been confirmed at midnight, far fewer than 182 reported last year and the 297 that burned in 1985 when the burnings of trash piles and houses peaked.
Stung by last year's failure to keep Devil's Night arson down, Detroit officials signed up thousands of volunteers to patrol neighborhoods, launched an extensive awareness campaign, and limited the dispensing of gasoline in portable containers.
In Camden, New Jersey, about 3,000 people volunteered to help in that city's campaign to prevent fires in what's known there as Mischief Night. Camden avoided a repeat of 1991 when 133 fires were reported. Six building fires were reported late Monday.
LITTLE ROCK, Arkansas (CNN) -- "I'm not bitter ... but all the little children lose," said Jennings Osborne after being found in contempt by the Arkansas Supreme Court. The businessman turned on 175,600 Christmas lights outside his home last year -- down from more than 3 million in 1993 -- but that was still too many.
The court Monday ruled Osborne had violated an order to tone down the display. It said 175,000 lights was still "a massive commercial lighting display" inappropriate to a quiet neighborhood. Osborne was fined $15,000, given a suspended 10-day jail sentence, and ordered to pay fees and attorneys' costs totaling $7,000.
SOUTHFIELD, Michigan (CNN) -- Five doctors and a psychologist have formed a group, called Physicians for Mercy, with Dr. Jack Kevorkian to write guidelines for doctors to help patients commit suicide.
The group said it will create "guidelines and protocols for merciful, dignified, medically assisted termination of life." The doctors plan to work independently of established medical groups.
Kevorkian, 67, has acknowledged being present at 25 deaths since 1990. He is awaiting trial in two 1993 deaths and also is charged with assisted suicide in two 1991 deaths.
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- The House approved legislation Monday that would provide $25 million to Habitat for Humanity. The Georgia-based organization has built 35,000 low-cost homes in the United States and abroad using volunteer labor.
The legislation, if it becomes law, would be the first federal assistance for the group. Among the high-profile participants and supporters of Habitat are Former President Jimmy Carter and House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
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