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VOLUME 97 NUMBER 44 . - FRIDAY, DECEMBER, 29, 1972 14 PAGES TEN CENTS THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER "SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875 $99,000 Deficit College Board Studies Financial Situation Set Zoning Hearings Of Interest Locally Two zoning hearings of local interest are scheduled next week. On Jan. 4, the county board of appeals will hear the petition of Melvin V. and Evelyn J. Harms and Robert and Lynette Banasack in the village hall of Spring Grove at 3 p.m. The petitioners are asking for an amendment of the zoning ordinance, or a conditional use permit, to use a parcel of land now zoned "F" farming district, for operating and hiring snowmobiles and off-the- road motor vehicles, for sales and service of these vehicles, for a gift shop, food WHOOOO? - Sorry, nobody's answering as Mr. Wise's line is busy. Plaindealer Photographer Wayne Gaylord learned that holiday shoppers were attracted to an owl perched on the telephone line outside a Riverside drive store. Arriving on the scene, Gaylord found the owl taking forty winks high above the milling throng (top photo). A light sleeper, he was aroused by the whistling of the photographer and Gaylord snapped his portrait from various angles. From his exposures, three negatives were selected. Used together, they created this interesting work of art. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Numerous Holiday Week Crashes Are Reported Thoughts linger past the holiday as we prepare to greet the new year with some reluctance. With all of the tragedy in the news, 1972 and its holiday season were pleasant for many of us, and for this we are grateful. Still somewhat dazed bv the hectic pace of pre- Christmas, we reflect with some amusement on our own observance of the day. Realizing that Christmas is many things to many people, we feel a compulsion to reflect on our own pleasant memories. CHRISTMAS IS...Santa(the real fellow in the red suit with a ho, ho, ho) and Ronald McDonald pulling up in the front of the house, running in and passing along the spirit that only these two seem to possess. We couldn't bring ourself to look out on their mode of tran­ sportation for fear of being disappointed at not finding Donner and Blitzen. As he waved his familiar "To all a goodnight", we noted a striking resemblance between Santa and Alex Adams. And to be sure, Ronald was none other than Ken Schopp. CHRISTMAS IS...receiving a card from a relative on which the printer has misguidedly directed the name to the back page -- and all with the ex­ planation that, "I know you'll understand". CHRISTMAS IS...a very special card from a co-worker who understands our No. 1 problem as a surplus of stray cats. This particular edition of holiday cheer, with appropriate photos, carried the sentimental message, "Wishing you a very Merry Christmas - and that goes for your darned cats too". CHRISTMAS IS...waking up to a television set gone askew and a basement drain that challenged us to send a steady stream of water through it. (Continued on page 14) Two children were slightly injured in a two-vehicle ac­ cident which occurred Saturday morning about 10:30 at the intersection of Front and Southgate. Three-year-old Tanya Butler was a passenger in a car driven by her mother, Patrice M. Butler, of 1718 N. Knoll, McHenry, and five-year-old Matthew Schoenfeld was riding in an auto driven by his father, Richard W. Schoenfeld. of 121 E. Jamesway, Cary. Both youngsters were taken to McHenry hospital for treat­ ment. Mrs. Butler was south bound on Front street when her daughter distracted her and suddenly she collided with the Schoenfeld auto. Schoenfeld said the Butler auto crossed the center line and struck the left side of his auto. Mrs. Butler was ticketed for (Continued on page 14) $1,000 Blaze Guts Bungalow Damage was estimated at about $1,000 in a fire which entirely gutted the kitchen area of a Lilymoor bungalow in the early hours of Thursday morning. •- Fire Chief Glenn Peterson said a deputy on patrol saw smoke rising from the building about 3 a.m. He alerted the McHenry department, which sent men from Companies 1 and 3 to the scene. The last known owner was Robert Fuson. The house ap­ peared to have been aban­ doned, and mail in the box indicated that no one had been in it since last June. The fire was of undetermined origin. beverage facilities and an amusement and recreational area open to the public. The property, containing about 20 acres, is located on Wilmot road, about three miles northeast of Spring Grove. The other hearing will take place at 3 o'clock Wednesday, Jan. 3, at the city hall on Green street in McHenry. The petitioners are John Hawley, Jr., and G. Davidson as trustees for Northern Pump Co. A conditional use permit is asked, allowing continued use of a restricted landing strip on a parcel of land south of Mc- and*v~ Cullom Lake road. f r • The County college board of trustees was urged to consider the financial situation in regard to next year's budget at their meeting held last week. College president, Dr. James Davis, announced that the current budget has a deficit of $99,000. He informed the board that should the state board of higher education approve a recom­ mendation for increased state aid, the deficit could be greatly reduced. Davis noted that 30 per cent of the college budget is ob­ tained through local taxes which are realized from the seven cent tax rate for the Educational fund. The state recommends that 40 per cent of the budget be from local taxes. "If two cents more were levied by the district, MCC would be levying 40 percent of the budget and it would then balance," Dr. Davis reported. Davis noted that the three cent levy for the building and maintenance fund should be sufficient for several years. State laws forbid transferring money from one fund to another. At the present time, MCC students pay $12.50 a credit hour and taxes provide the remainder. State recom­ mendation for tuition is $10 a credit hour. Another solution to the budget deficit was the recruitment of additional full time students for the second semester. This would increase revenue and offset a normal drop-out rate which occurs at the close of the first semester. The college staff and faculty are planning to contact mid­ term high school graduates, returning veterans and drop­ outs from state universities as well as others who are prospective MCC students. Vocational enrollment this year was up 42 per cent, with transfer enrollment up 2»/2 per cent. The automobile mechanics class was described as "over subscribed". A construction progress report from Dr. Davis related that ground breaking is scheduled for April 10,1973, and part or all of the applied science building will be ready for classes in the fall of next (Continued on page 14) home had been entered during the past week. Taken from the premises were a portable television set, a record player with detachable speakers, two new walkie talkie radios and several bottles of unopened liquor. Sheriffs deputies were called to investigate the attempted theft of pheasants from the Spring Grove Pheasant farm at 912 Main street, Spring Grove. Tuesday night about 10:30, the owners of the farm heard noises from the area of the pheasant pens. They drove out into a field and found seven bags of pheasants had been placed outside a fence which had apparently been cut by wire cutters. Their arrival apparently frightened off the offenders, who were forced to abandon the bags when they fled. Fifty- three of the birds were freed but four died. Investigation is continuing into a report that a vehicle had been seen parked in the area prior to the attempted theft. PLAN CHURCH ADDITION - Plans for a new church building at St. Paul's Episcopal church have reached the fund raising phase. Chairman of the fund raising committee, Atty. John Licastro has assigned teams to call on all church members during the month of January to obtain pledges for the building fund. The teams will give a presentation as to costs and methods of financing proposed. The new building is planned as an addition to the present church which was erected in 1956. Burglaries And Theft Under Investigation The home of Betty Lehman of 2908 Shorewood drive, McHenry, was burglarized sometime last week. A door had been pried open and the following items were taken: three 8-track tape players, one with twin speakers, a new toaster, a pair of binoculars, an electric fry pan, a movie camera and several bottles of liquor. Joseph Splendoria of 404 Mineral Springs drive, McHenry, reported that his Near Record High Volume Holiday Mail Postmaster Leroy Smith this week had the highest praise for all mailing customers who helped the McHenry post office successfully complete the formidable task of smoothly, handling this year's Christmas mail and delivering it on time. "Christmas mail volume reached a near record high in McHenry", Postmaster Smith said. "The fact that local media cooperated in advising the public on our suggested mail early dates, and that customers heeded our request to mail early made it possible for postal workers to get through this very heavy mailing season," he added. Smith was just as en­ thusiastic in praise of his staff and employees. Fire Destroys Flower Cart A blaze of undetermined origin destroyed one Harvard business building and caused damage to two others late Wednesday night. The Flower Cart, located at 29 N. Ayer street in the city's main business district, was entirely gutted. Strain's Grocery and Market, located next door, had considerable smoke damage and there was some damage also to the Harvard State bank. Several nearby fire depart­ ments, including Woodstock, Hebron, Marengo and Capron, 111., and Walworth and Fon- tana, Wis., were called to assist in bringing the blaze under control. No estimate of damage had been made at 11 o'clock Thursday morning. McHenry Youth Nominee For West Point A young McHenry man is included among Congressman Robert McClory's nominees to compete for appointment to the U.S. Military academy at West Point for the class that enters in 1973. He is Alan F. Estis, son of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Estis, 2217 W. Fernview Lane. Congressman McGlory makes his selections based on a competitive system, using the academic scores, achievement tests, and Civil Service examination scores of the applicants, as well as letters from recommenders, ex­ tracurricular activities, and other pertinent information. The academies will make the final selections from among the nominees. There are two vacancies to be filled for the West Point academy. Two other McHenry county youths are among Mc­ Clory's nominees. They are Jeffrey C. Menge, son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Menge of Marengo, and James A. Hubbard, son of Mr. and Mrs. George W. Hubbard of Crystal Lake. Foresee Expansion Need At Spring Grove School At the December meeting of the board of School District No. 11, Spring Grove, Supt. Frank Tavano informed members that he had contacted the Capital Development board about a need for additional rooms due to the anticipated enrollment. The latter board will loan District 11 the money, interest free, needed to build a junior high school provided the district's bonding power has been exhausted and the need exists. The Capital Development board will meet with Tavano in July, when a decision on future building needs will be made. Several items included in school policy were reviewed at the meeting. This policy states that a pupil whose residence is changed to that of outside the school district during the year may continue to attend Spring Grove School District No. 11 for the remainder of that school year. Transportation must be provided by the parents. The superintendent or principal may suspend a student for a period not to exceed 10 days. Such suspen­ sion is to be reported im­ mediately to the parents or guardian of such pupil along with a full statement of the reasons therefor, and a notice of their right to have the matter reviewed. It was noted that the school district shall not become in­ debted in any manner or for any purpose to an amount, including existing in­ debtedness, in the aggregate exceeding six per cent on the value of the taxable property. The school board may, by proper resolution, cause a proposition to increase the annual tax rate for educational purposes to be submitted to the voters at any general or special election. The maximum rate for educational purposes which may be levied is 3.00 per cent. The board may also cause a proposition to increase the annual tax rate for building purposes to be submitted to the voters. The maximum rate for building purposes which may be levied is .55 per cent. Moving Day Through City Streets Far in advance of the customary March i moving day, a big moving operation took place through the city's business districts Wednesday. The home, owned by McHenry hospital and located just east of the present parking lot, was recently sold to Herbert P. Freund and was being moved to Charles street to make room for expanded hospital parking facilities. Only part of the home was moved Wednesday. The remainder will make the trip within a few days. The scene above is on Green street, near the city hall. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD 5