August 14, 1997

Many small towns across country, such as Pigeon Forge, Tenn, home of Dollywood, Dolly Parton's flower-laden theme park, have used local attractions to turn themselves into major tourist destinations; Pigeon Forge has developed tourism department that has contributed to town's success in taking in $545 million last year; nearby Gatlinburg pulled in nearly $307 million, also a record; there is transient quality to life in Pigeon Forge; many of thousands of new jobs are low paying and hard to fill; town officials acknowledge town's social problems; other small towns that have become major tourist destinations include Bar Harbor, Me, Branson, Mo, Eureka Springs, Ark, Jackson, Wyo, Sedona, Ariz, and Solvang, Calif; chart; map; photos (L)

Soldier Issues Threat The Army's top enlisted soldier threatened to show that top-ranking officers were not prosecuted for sexual misconduct. Page A26. Bibles on the Job The Government will issue guidelines today on how Federal employees may, and may not, practice their religion in the workplace. Page B6. Carey Faces Dilemma A proposal that would raise pension benefits for striking U.P.S. workers has Teamsters President Ronald Carey in a tight spot. Page A28.

After Big Swings, Dow Declines by 32.52 Stocks were generally lower after a day of wide gyrations. Prices initially rose sharply after economic reports by the Government contained few signs of inflation, but then receded into negative territory. The Dow industrials, up as much as 80 points early on and later down by just as much, ended the day at 7,928.32, down 32.52. $(Page D6.$)

Report by judicially appointed panel of specialists concludes that one year after major overhaul of New York City's child welfare system, child abuse investigators continue to endanger lives of thousands of children with same missteps and sloppy casework that led to death of 6-year-old Elisa Izquierdo; finds no improvement in quality of investigations of Administration for Children's Services, agency formed by Mayor Rudolph W Giuliani after series of errors led to beating death of Izquierdo in Nov 1995 (M)

Island Helicopters, company that operated city's largest helicopter service for tourists, is evicted from East 34th Street Heliport, losing its final skirmish in long legal battle with city over back rent and number of daily flights it sends over city; eviction will speed up city's efforts to close another heliport, at East 60th Street; photo (M)