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McHenry 1'W.IICIU y 1 V Since 1875 ainaealer 2 Sections 30 Pages 25c mmr«mu«w Friday August 17, 1984 Number 107 Volume 108 Members Fish kill termed 'natural' not chemical incident recruited to utility board The newly formed Citizens* Utility Board listened to area residents' concerns about the rising cost of energy and signed up members during a town meeting Tuesday at McHenry County College. Hie Citizens Utility Board (CUB) is a new statewide organization of utility rate payers, independent of any governmental ties, but formed by the state to represent the interest of residential and small business customers in utility rate-setting proceedings. Membership in the organization passed the 25,000 mark on % Tuesday. The purpose of the meeting Tuesday night was primarily to recruit members for CUB, and to explain the procedure for running for the board of directors that will be elected in December, and also to field the concerns of those in the audience on energy matters. Present at the meeting was Greg Lhidsey head of the1 McHenry County Defenders. Lindsey presented the energy concerns of his organization regarding their opposition to nuclear power, generation of clean coal powered electricity and the threat of Acid rain that comes from energy sources, as well as the conservation of energy. The four member panel ex­ plained that joining CUB costs each member $5 By Donna Bertulis Plaindeaier editor A large number of dead fish found scattered on the beach at Petersen Park Tuesday mor­ ning has been termed a "typical" summer fish kill by an Illinois Department of Con­ servation fishery biologist. According to Harvey Brown of the conservation department, the die-off had "nothing to do with the chemical* content of the lake or pollution." He called it a "dissolved oxygen problem" that was caused by the hot weather. Brown added that since the incident was more or less a natural process and not chemical-related, is should be perfectly safe for swimming. The best indication of a natural fish kill, he said, is by observing the activity of the fish. "With dissolved oxygen, they are real sluggish and gulping at the surface of the water. If it was a chemical problem, the fish would be splashing around frantically as if in pain." By now the dead fish have been cleared the lake has returned to a somewhat "nor­ mal" state. The incident is unlikely to happen again., unless the county experiences some extremely hot and cloudy or overcast days, said Brown. "It doesn't surprise me that it happened," Brown said Thur­ sday. "That's kind of the price you pay for shallow lakes." The fish biologist explained that fish kills otcur in many shallow lakes. Oxygen is produced through photosyn­ thesis with sunlight. Both fish and plants survive on the oxygen content in the water. But after several hot summer days, the water temperature in shallow lakes will rise. The warmer the water, the less oxygen that is held in it. "Shallow bodies of water also have lots of mucky areas and weeds, which can dissolve all the oxygen overnight," added Brown. Usually a fish kill claims the larger fish first, then the smaller ones, said Brown. He said he was surprised that even bullheads were found dead on the Petersen Park Beach. "But if anything, it will help the bigger fish in the lake grow even bigger," he added, since the kill thinned the fish population. Brown said he will be doing a fish population survey at the beach in the first part of Oc­ tober, at which time he will get a better idea of the cause and effects of the August fish kill. Community service, charm still qualities of this centenarian By Betty Smith Plaindeaier society editor Though 100 years old, Marco Marcozan of McHenry has a personality and pride in country and community that draws respect from those not half his age. On the morning of his 100th birthday, August 15, Marcozan attended a formal meeting of the Golden K Kiwanis Club. A two- year resident of Royal Terrace, McHenry, he has the distinction of being both the oldest, and newest member of the club. Ttie activities director for Royal Terrace described Marcozan as "one of our legal fees and payment of expert witnesses to testify before the Illinois Commerce Commission in rate hike cases. "The utility companies will typically spend $1 million dollars to make their case for a rate hike using money that comes from the same con­ sumers who will have to pay those higher rates," said Howard Learner, president of CUB's interim board. "They hire ah army of lawyers, accountants, and economists to make their case and the citizens are out there alone," said Learner. "We want to give the citizens better representation to put things a little bit more in balance." 100 year old Marco Marcozan showed that he was still a bit of a charmer when his fellow members of the Golden K Kiwanis Club sang "Happy Bir- Plaindealer photo, by Donna Bertulis thday" to him Wednesday. Following the serenade he saluted the club members, then blew kisses to the ladies present. favorites" and "a real char­ mer". Marcozan showed that charm following the club's serenede of "Happy Birthday". He saluted his comrades, then blew kisses to the ladies present. A second celebration^ of his memorable birthday will be a party, planned by family and friends, Sunday, Aug. 19, at the Whispering Oaks Community Center. Starting at 2 p.m., the invited guests will enjoy cocktails and the opportunity to extend their congratulations to the guest of honor. For some, It will be an emotional reunion after 10-15 years. Among the celebrant's family members and friends in at­ tendance, a special guest will be his sister-in-law, Delia Coyne, who reached the age of 93, Aug. U. A buffet dinner will be served at 3:30, featuring a beautifully decorated strawberry-whipped cream cake, a favorite of the centenarian. A highlight of the festivities will be a presentation of a bir­ thday greeting card bearing the distinguished^ signature of Nancy and Ronald Reagan. Marcozan was born in Macedonia, near Greece, on a silkwork ranch which his parents ran, He is a veteran of WW1, where he received several medals; and had worked over 45 years as a barber for the Con­ tinental Bank, Chicago. ^ He suffered the loss of his wife in 1937. She had succumbed to double pneumonia the year before the discovery of penicillin, and he was left with the formidable task of raising two children, ages 14 and seven, days. They are James Marcozan, now living in California, and Mrs. Joseph (Eleanor) Wein- bender of Whispering Oaks, McHenry, with whom he made his home for six years prior to moving to Royal Terrace. He enjoyed excellent health, never having had an operation, and was seldom sick. He always loved to play cards and shuf- fleboard, and was very good at darts. His favorite pasttime was walking, and in his 70's he thought nothing of walking four and a half miles to the Ran- dhurst shopping center, which he did frequently. During a phone conversation with Mrs. Weinbender, she said, "My father loved to travel and that's exactly what he did after his retirement, visiting almost every state in the U.S." She continued with a chuckle, "If you gave him an airplane, you'd never get him down." She affectionately described his present condition as being good physically, but at the same time, he exercises his rights as a senior citizen. He is in pain sometimes, but the exclamation qIf you were my age, your bones would hurt as much as mine do," is often used as an excuse to get out of participating in ac­ tivities encouraged at Royal Terrace. She proudly describes him as always being a stubborn and strong willed person and fondly recalls the memories of his saying many times to her and her brother, "You'll be the death of me yet," fully realizing now that it was just another one of the old sayings that were a part of one's upbringing in those Y-T • A A • ^ two en""1*611' ages 14 ana seven, nays. Opening arguments begin Whitt tnal Townshio tax ievv Rv Anirela Burden __n_ j _ii ...u. _i nf th» houeo" an A hp hit the "significant force" would have m J By Angela Burden Plaindeaier News Service A jury was told Wednesday that the state's evidence will show that Patrick E. Whitt beat David Garrelts with a baseball bat with the intent to kill his victim. Assistant State's Attorney Gail Moreland, in her opening statements at the murder trial in 19th Judicial Circuit Court, told the jury the state will show that the act of the accused man was intentional. * Whitt, 19, of McHenty, stands. accused in connection with the • April 1 death of 29-year-old Garrelts of 4110 E. Lakeshore Drive, Wonder Lake. Moreland said that Whitt was living with Margaret Moffatt at 2609 Emerald Court, McHenry, and that Garrelts was her for­ mer boyfriend. She told the jury that on the night of March 29 there was a party fet the Moffatt residence where Garrelts, who had been forbidden from coming to the house, showed up. "Ttiere were no arguments until Mrs. Moffatt arrived home about 11 p.m.," Moreland said. At that time, she added, Moffatt and Garrelts began arguing and when Garrelts refused to leaVe the residence Whitt took a bat and hit Garrelts on the back of the head and then swung it into Hie face of the victim. Moreland emphasized that Garrelts had no weapon and she called witnesses who also testified to that. "There is no big disagreement about what happened that night," Defense Counsel John Ridgway told the jury. He said the death of Garrelts was unintentional. "What happened was not murder. Evidence will show that Patrick Whitt thought he was justified and that his acts were appropriate for the situation." Ridgway said that Whitt was reckless and unreasonable. "However, he did not want to injure Garrelts...they were friends," the attorney said. According to Ridgway, the defendant and the victim lived together for a while. "They fished together, went out together, they were drinking buddies...and they both loved the same woman, Margaret Moffatt," he said. Ridgway said that Whitt was not romantically involved with Mrs. Moffatt. "She was the woman who provided him with a stable, loving and supportive home," the defense counsel said. Moffatt and Garrelts were at one time romantically involved, Ridgway told the jury. "On March 29, Mrs. Moffatt did not , want anything to do with Garrelts and she ordered him out Of the house," he said. After the argument between Garrelts and Moffatt, Ridgway said, Whitt wanted to be the man of the house" and he hit the victim with the bat. According to testimony, Whitt struck the victim first with the small end of the bat and when it appeared to have no effect on Garrelts, Whitt struck him a second time in the face with the large end of the bat. "It was a reckless and tragic act, bi^t it wasn't murder," Ridgway said. The 12-member juiy, eight men and two women, plus two alternate jurors, was selected and inpaneled during day-long hearings Tuesday before Judge Michael Sullivan, who p presiding over the trial. / According to testimony from Dr, Steven Delhimer, a neuro­ surgeon of Rockford, he first saw Garrelts on March 31 in the emergency room at St Anthony Hospital (where the victim had been airlifted March 30 from McHenry Hospital). The doctor said Garrelts was unconscious and there was "evidenas of* clinical brain death." " Delhimer said he, along with a surgical team, performed surgery on Garrelts brain and removed a blood clot and some tissue to relieve the pressure caused by the injury, which he said caused a "shifting of the brain." Garrelts died April 1 at the hospital, the doctor said. Moreland then introduced a baseball bat into evidence and Delhimer said a blow from the bat could have caused the damage to the victim's head. In his opinion, the doctor said. "significant force" would have been used to cause the injury. McHenry County Deputy Sheriff George A. Weber testified that he was the first police officer at the scene of the incident and that Garrelts was stiU concious. The victim told Weber that he had fallen down some steps at the home and when the deputy doubted that story, Garrelts admitted that "someone hit me with a bat," the officer testified. He said he went into the house, discovered blood in the living room and kitchen and found a baseball bat with blood and hair on it. Wfcber testified, that Margaret Moffatt told him on the night of the incident that she had been arguing with Garrelts and used the bat to protect herself. Later on, at the hospital, «eoordmg to Weber, when Mrs. Moffatt was told the seriousness of the injuries, she told the deputy she did not strike .Garrelts, but felt responsible because it was her home. A voluntary statement made by Whitt to Weber, who had initially charged the defendant with aggravated battery, was read into evidence. Whitt stated that he hit Garrelts on the head with the baseball bat. He said he hit the victim the second time because the first blow, "didn't phase him. He looked at me and I thought he was coming at me." drops for third year McHenry township taxpayers will get some good news when they receive their tax bills. For the third year in a row, the tax levy for McHenry Town­ ship's General Fund will be lower than the year previous. Township Supervisor Albert "Albie" Adams said the levy, passed at the Aug. 9 meeting of the township board of trustees, will be $270,000, down from the $297,000 in 1983. These monies are used to finance the various operations of the township, including mosquito abatement, assessor's operations and employees, elected officials' salaries, the Dial-A-Ride employees, general assistance, etc. "It funds whatever is involved in the township, exclusive of the road district," Adams said. "They have their own levy." Hie Road and Bridge Fund levy also passed at the meeting amounts to $729,750. Adams noted that in the four years of the existing ad­ ministration, the General Fund levy has been dropping steadily. In 1982, the levy was $333,000 and in 1983 it was $297,000. "This year, it's 10 percent less than it was last year," Adams said. A look inside. . . Tennis Author Page 20 WL Tax Levy . Page 3 Regular features Obituaries Page 8 Musin'& Meanderin' < Page 2 Soaps Page 4 New Classified Number 385 0178 <