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VOLUME 101 NUMBER 28 WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1976 3 SECTIONS 36 PAGES 20' ' » Unanimous ftecomiwendotfon 4 Await Council Action On Annexation Set Forth County Goals THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER "SERVING THE CHAIN-O-LAKES REGION SINCE 1875" of funds. Finances will continue to be a problem under the structure we use. I like management by objectives. I don't want to spend money in a program that does not reach its goal. "The County board needs to study priorities, measure what we can do, and find the cause of problems we want to help solve." Elected on the fifth ballot in the first county board chair­ man contest since 1965, Klemm is confident board members are in a mood to work together despite the inevitable "politicking" that preceded the interesting series of ballots. This confidence in a cooperative attitude seemed confirmed in discussions following Klemm s election and efforts to move forward swiftly. The committee on committees (Continued on page 12) Traffic was blocked at the Ringwood road and Rt. 120 intersection about 10 o'clock Saturday night JT II * fT1! . * / after a power line snapped and fell across the highway. Numerom squad cars from the city and r di i I Tig J-jLSCI neat county police departments were called to investigate. Brilliant flashes of light seen for many miles were caused by shorting as the line fell to the ground. In all, 5 spans of wire fell. About thirty . t • 1 TXTm I O I customers wer$ without electrical power, a Commonwealth Edison company spokesman said, but LjITIP Lil&h ts i\ l&h t OK V al1 service was re8tored 5:15 Sunday morning. Cause of the l|»es snapping was believed to be t) ft thermal contraction in the extreme cold. ^ STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Renewed action to bring about changes in the zoning and health ordinances is an early goal of Richard Klemm, newly elected chairman of the McHenry County board. Klemm was elected to that post last week, succeeding Walter Dean of McHenry. Klemm. Nunda township resident who owns his own business in Elk Grove, recalled County board committees had conducted extensive studies and hearings on changes needed in the two ordinances -- health and zoning. With the election over and new board members seated, he anticipates other board members joining him in moving toward decisions on those needed changes. Klemm named a committee on com­ mittees which will help him with his decision on naming members of the standing committees, hopefully at the regular board meeting late this month. On that committee to advise the new chairman are Phyllis Walters, Dianne Easty, Thomas Hueman, Willis Simms, Ervin Walters and William Beese. Klemm anticipates the County board chairmanship will occupy a large amount of his time, but realizes the board has authorized the addition of personnel competent to serve in an administrative capacity if needed. Asked about filling the post, Klemm smiled and said, "I need to get my feet wet first and learn more about the immediate problems." Klemm and his wife, Florence, live in Prairie Grove, located between Crystal Lake and McHenry. "We need to study our priorities to make the best use Y:': ;" v. ^ Winning Card Design Susan Wickenkamp, senior at West, is winner of the annual Christmas Card contest at McHenry Community high school. Her Bicentennial design was chosen from the sixty entries submitted by students from all grades. Second place was won by Trish Frisby, a sophomore, and third place by Dave Alton, a senior Prizes were $25, $15, and $10, respectively. Susan is not a newcomer to the contest. She won second place her freshman year and first place her sophomore year. Her designs were described as simple, attractive and ef­ fective. Sue Wickenkamp displays her winning Christmas card design for High School District 156, which will highlight silver printing on a red card. Sue, a senior at West campus, received first place in the contest, and it isn't her first success in the same competition. As a freshman she captured second place in the contest and as a sophomore won first. She failed to enter last year. STAFF PHOTOS-WAYNE GAYLORD GIFT GUIDE A 32-page Last Minute Christmas Gift Guide, in color, will be part of the Friday, Dec. 17, Plain- dealer. It will include hundreds of gift suggestions to assist the shopping public in the final week before Christmas. The generosity and good will of the Plaindealer *»knows no bounds at Christmas time. For the remainder of the year we sometimes tend to share with the masses a tendency to be less than consistent in our charity. A good example was the effort of a new, young news reporter, Jeff Bonato by name. Instilled with the Christmas spirit, Jeff decided to do something admirable in compensation for eleven cents sent in a "Letter to Santa", requesting a picture of Mr. Claus. His idea emerged when no other constructive thought was set forth for use of the money. Searching far back in the photo file to December of 1975, he found a color picture of the good saint with a youngster on (Continued on page 12), Newspaper "Sampling" Since Dec. 1, and continuing until the first of the year, the Plaindealer is conducting the practice of "sampling" newspapers. Two mailing routes are covered each issue the newspaper is published. The purpose of "sampling" is to familiarize local residents with the Plaindealer arfifthe news area covered. Since it is impossible for mail carriers to be selective, both subscribers and non-subscribers receive the newspaper. In conjunction with the "sampling", the Plaindealer is offering an 8 digit calculator with every new two-year subscription or two one-year subscriptions. Battery Charge Follows Ice Throwing Incident A minor incident got out of control Wednesday evening, resulting in the arrest of two area youths for battery. Rick A. Fisher. 17. 1817 N. Sunset avenue. McHenry, and Jeffrey L. Foat, 17. 522 McHenry street, Woodstock, were arrested and charged with battery after allegedly The owners of the McHenry Sand and Gravel company will ask the City Council at next Monday's meeting to annex to the city 146 acres of land on Rt. 120. west of McHenry. Principal owner of the property, Charles Milter of McHenry, further will request that the annexed land be classified "1-1", heavy in­ dustrial use, rather than the usual classification for annexed property, R-l, single family dwelling. To that end, Miller appeared before the Zoning board Friday, and received an unanimous recommendation to the Council stating, if the city chooses to annex the property, then it should be classified "I- 1". The land being petitioned for annexation is property on the south side of Rt. 120, stretching from Draper road to Valley View school. It extends southward to a subdivision of homes, forming somewhat of a square, ap­ proximately 146 acres large. Presently, the Sand and Gravel company, of which Miller is the president, is operating on that land along with a few related businesses. When asked why he wanted his company to be part of the city rather than being under county regulation. Miller said he had two reasons. "First, the city presently only has a very limited amount of land which is zoned for in­ dustrial use," he explained. "When we are done with the pit, in approximately twenty years, the land will then be available for new industry so the city can continue to grow." The second reason surrounds the fact that the business of- Tickets Many, Injuries Few In Several Area Accidents Several accidents involving area residents occurred over the weekend, with many tickets being given out, but fortunately few injuries being reported Albert C. Pfeiffer, 3028 Tower road, McHenry, was ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accident after hitting David Blumenfeld, Evanston, Sunday at 7:30 p.m. Blumenfeld was traveling south on Lily Lake road at 10 mph and turned on his signal to signify his intention to turn left Pfeiffer, traveling behind the Blumenfeld auto, was unable to stop in time and hit the rear of the other car. Pfeiffer said he was traveling south on Lily Lake road at 45 mph (the speed limit is 30), rounded a curve, and hit the Blumenfeld vehicle. Fortunately, there were no injuries. Bruno A. Bartnik, Aurora, was ticketed for failure to yield the right of way after running into a car driven by Judith A. Clement. 118 Hill road, McHenry, at 4:45 p.m. Saturday. Ms. Clement stated she was westbound on Ringwood road (Continued on page 12) fices are going to be moved from their present Front street location to Rt. 120. "If the city doesn't annex the land, it will be losing valuable revenue," Miller said. Miller's son, Alan, testified to the fact that the Sand and Gravel company and related businesses paid the city $20,000 in sales tax last year, and another $2,500 in real estate taxes. "The Offices are going to be moved whether the land is annexed or not," the elder Miller said. "We just want to give our tax money to the city rather than to thife emmty". Miller also stated that, at least at this time, there are no plans for using city water, having already dug their own wells previously to the an­ nexation request. "We don't really have an ulterior motive for doing this." Miller said. "We don't benefit from this, the city does." The one concern from Zoning board chairman, Paul Fidler, was that the property wax very near Valley View grade school. "Our property adjoins trife school line," Miller said. "But we have five-foot woven wire fence and three strands of barbed wire on top to protect the children from any danger." With that question answered. the meeting adjourned and the board then considered the request Unanimous approval was given, and notice of the board's recommendation has been sent to the City Council. Monday, the Council will decide if the land should be annexed, and if it is, it most certainly will have an "1-1", heavy industrial use, classification. Miller also had good news for the residents of Crystal Lake blacktop who are tired of trucks traveling down their road. The entire cement operation will be moved from its present location on the corner of Main and Crystal Lake blacktop, to the new facilities on the an­ nexed land Thus, the sixteen trucks that McHenry Ready Mix now uses will not bottle up traffic at the intersection of Crystal Lake road and Rt. 120. Miller also assured the board that he will continue land­ scaping of the property in accordance with state regulations to keep the digging area from becoming a "gaper's block" area, which is recognized as a problem with other pits. The company president also assured the board that night operations of the business would not increase with the new (Continued on page 12) Set Annual Meeting Seek Record Setting Hospital Membership Drama Presentation throwing ice at, and hitting Mildred Sturm. 16. 1717 N. Park lane. McHenry Miss Sturm, an employee of a local restaurant, was taking a break from the job. and sitting with her parents in a roped off section of the restaurant. Foat and Fisher then began calling (Continued on page 12) Citizens of McHenry county and western Lake county are invited to join the not-for-profit McHenry Hospital corporation during the month of December, according to LeRoy E. Olsen, president of the citizen organization's board of directors. "McHenry hospital's annual membership drive is now under way," Olsen announced. "All persons who want to show their support of the hospital, and who want to participate in the decisions which will influence the health care of our area, are urged to join the citizen- sponsored Corporation." The membership fee is the same amount which it has been since 1956, according to Olsen. "If paid before Dec. 31, these dues also entitle the member to attend the corporation's annual meeting and dinner, to be held this year on Saturday evening. Feb. 5, at the McHenry Country club. "At the annual meeting, members of the Hospital corporation will hear activity reports from the board of directors, the Medical-Dental staff, the administration, and the auxiliary." The dinner program also includes an address by author and lecturer. Dr. Richard C Bates, of Lansing. Mi., and the distribution of the hospital's annual publication reviewing events of the past year "A service organization which aids the sick and injured all year long, needs a broad base of community support and encouragement," Olsen con­ cluded. "There is no better way to show that you appreciate the efforts made by hospital volunteers, personnel, and staff, than by joining with other citizens in the hospital cor­ poration. I hope we'll have a record-setting membership this year." Home Lighting Contest To Be Judged Sunday Rick Lane, president of the McHenry Area Chamber of Commerce, urges residents to make their entries soon in the annual holiday home lighting contest Judging will take place starting at 5 p.m. Sunday, Dec 19 Entries must be made by 4 p.m. Friday, Dec. 17, by filling in coupon that appears elsewhere in this issue and returning it to Plaindealer office Judging will be in three categories: original-amusing, colorful and religious. Prizes will be $50 for first place in each category and $25 for second place. * Because judging will start promptly at 5 p.m., all entrants are asked to turn on lighting displays at that time and leave them on throughout the evening Watson and Holmes search for important clues in the baffling Coeastley mansion mystery. "The Very Great Grandson of Sherlock Holmes", an effort of the McHenry East campus Drama club, features Mike Berlin, left, and Mike Davis. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD "The Very Great Grandson of Sherlock Holmes" a project of the McHenry East Campus Drama club, will be presented Thursday. Dec. 16 and Saturday, Dec. 18, at 8 p.m. in the West campus auditorium Tickets are available from cast members, at East campus and at the door The play is directed by Dan Stanowski and Joanne Wilson The spirit of Sherlock Holmes lives again, in "The Very Groat Grandson of Sherlock Holmes", as his grandson Sherwood and his (Continued on page 12)