August 17, 2000

Article on push to make wilderness areas more accessible to disabled people and resulting controversy over wisdom in doing so; National Forests in US Forest Service's Eastern Region--from Maine to Minnesota and Missouri to West Virginia--spent $2 million in last year and $18 million last eight on improving accessibility, and has been working on general guidelines for outdoor access; rebuilding of Galehead hut in White Mountains of New Hampshire for disabled by Appalachin Mountain Club discussed; some club members and some of local newspapers have ridiculed idea of making rustic 38-bed lodge accessible to handicapped as absurd waste of money; photos; maps (M)

Article discusses various obstacles that have hindered efforts to start high-speed ferry service from Connecticut to Manhattan; various proposals discussed; map (M)

McCain Faces Cancer Again Senator John McCain of Arizona has melanoma, a potentially severe form of skin cancer. He was treated for the same condition in 1993. PAGE A16

Vinny Testaverde, recovering rapidly from turf-toe injury, may play in Jets game against New York Giants (S)

Neuberger Museum of Art at State University, Purchase, NY, is exhibiting marble scupltures of Barbara Segal, inspired by Italian artists of Renaissance; photo; Jewish Repertory Theater is moving from Upper East Side to Times Square; opening attraction of 2001 season on October 10 will be world premiere of Arthur Laurents play, The Big Potato; watercolors of sailing ships by John Frederick Kensett, Alfred Bricher and James Buttersworth--Under Sail: Marine Art From Private Collections--are on display at Ethel Blum Gallery in College of the Atlantic, Bar Harbor, Me; photo; performances of Shakespeare's Midsummer's Night Dream by Pulse Ensemble Theater, Blunt Theater Company and Kings County Shakespeare Company noted (M)