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PAGE 2 • PLA1NDEALER - FRIDAY. SEPTEMBER 14. MM Opinion/Politics ---- Hearts open wide to help wildlife Capitol Update: New legislation helps minority-owned firms There are two sides to every dispute, and if there is a governmental unit in charge it is reasonable to assume its members have what can be referred to as "the upper hand". This was the situation that existed as a large group of county citizens interested in the welfare of wildlife confronted the McHenry County Con­ servation trustees last week. The fact that the citizens were asking for nothing for them­ selves may have been the wedge that prompted a compromise on the part of the trustees. TO usin' &, anderin BY KAF The decision to make a change in the manner and . amount of support for wildlife care came to public attention suddenly. Actually, the factors prompting that action have been building for a number of years. Simply, the wildlife* rehabilitation program has been growing because of the remarkable dedication of a growing number of interested persons, most of whom receive no compensation. The amount of money for lease of a building fri which to care for the aban­ doned and sick animals, plus other costs, have become a concern for the trustees. This concern prompted a proposal for Che selection of one of two alternatives to help solve the problem. --,-- *:Should the program, with no changes, continue but be moved to Glacial Park, north of Ringwood? This proposal was based on the fact that the park land is owned by the district and the building lease, in the amount of about $7,000 annually, expires soon. Or should the district actively pursue an arrangement for rehabilitation through a private contractor? This method would eliminate the rehabilitation of all except endangered species and considerably reduce the present program. The proposals were unac­ ceptable tor a number of reasons explained to the trustees.. It became evident that this program of saving and rehabilitating wildlife in all forms-whether or not they are the most important in the ecological scheme-is something which can't be brushed aside. It is an emotional entanglement in which an increasing number of us find ourselves entrapped. When we see a couple of hundred hungry beaks open to noisily greet our appearance with corn and bread at the McHenry beach, we could turn and leave no more easily than we could refuse a hungry beggar at the door. When we set out a handout at our back door for a dog or cat too frightened to eat until we have left, there is no choice.. These are living creatures and there would be no rest within us if we refused to try to make living at least tolerable. No matter that beyond our reach are thousands of others that will suffer or perish because there is no one who cares. We feel compelled to contribute even a small bit for those that come our way. It was this special breed of individuals who confronted conservation trustees last week. They filled the historic old oplra house and tried, not* always successfully, to present their case without emotion. That their sincerity was noted by the board was undeniable. Otherwise this group of m$n dedicated to the success of the conservation effort would not have agreed to a compromise. • A motion which met with unanimous approval will renew the lease of the present building for another year. In the meantime, a rather new group, Wildlife in Need Foundation (WIN) will try to muster even more support for wildlife rehabilitation in McHenry County. Wisely, the president of WIN turned down an offer to assume full responsibility for the program which would be doomed without governmental 4ielp. However, WIN will seek members and financial con­ tributions to assure a continuing program. Like other, simitar movements, leaders and followers sometimes expect too much because they realize how much there is to be ac­ complished. They know, too, from first hand experience, that what they are doing has a£far reaching effect that rarely meets the eye. We have been called "bleeding hearts" and indeed we may be. But the young mother who greeted two neigh­ borhood children with a but­ terfly and the request, "Can you fix him?" knows that her offer to help will encourage kindness in youngsters who are exposed daily to the cruelty of humans. As she left us, this volunteer with petition in hand said brightly, "We have to take care of all of them, whether they're endangered or not. Remember what the bumper sticker tells us, 'God don't make no junk.' A letter with a contribution, or an offer to help in some other way, may be directed to the non-profit WIN, Post Office Box 524, Woodstock, 111. 60098. The resotise of the public will and abandoned McHenry County. Editorial: DUI crisis shows no mercy •;DUI - driving under the influence - has grown to almost epidemic proportions here in Illinois and across the nation. I; The drunken driver knows no bounds, shows no mercy, accepts no Quarter. When they climb behind the wheel after have a few "quick ones" they become an accident waiting to happen. Often, in in- ceasing numbers, the worst occurs, the number of drivers killed.on McHenry County highways rose about one-third in 1982, from 18 to °f^Lne1, PUD"? W11f 24. And drunk drivers accounted for about 28 percent, or 13, of the 45 ermine the welfare of injured drivers involved in fatal accidents in the county in the last year. an a an wildlife in The Plaindealer series introduced you to people who were family members and friends of the victims of drunk drivers. Victim? who had their lives ended or forever chained to pain and suffering for simply' 'being in the wrong place at the wrong time." ; For too long this nation has looked upon drunk driving as a nuisance; a minor problem that receives only lip service. But as groups such as MADD - Mothers Against Drunk Driving - began to organize, their voices joined with others have made local, state and federal lawmakers and law enforcement officials take action. ! In McHenry County Circuit Court, the number of DUI cases in­ creased last year by nearly 60 percent over 1982. Even the courts, long criticized for laxness in DUI cases, have increased slightly the number of court-supervised sentences for drivers found guilty of DUI. I . Another facet of the DUI problem, at least in Illinois, is the young driver under 21 who travels across the state line to Wisconsin, where liquor can be legally purcliased by 19 and 20-year-olds. The accident rat^ in counties bordering Wisconsin itself has increased so dramatically that police on both sides of theJ'blood border" have set up special patrols to catch young drivers. It is apparent that something more must be done to bring this tragic problem under control. We suggest the following: - The Illinois Secretary of State should be given administrative revocation powers to suspend the driver's license of anyone who is found to be drunk during a roadside breathalyzer test or who refuses to take the test. Driving privileges should be suspended until a trial or other court action is over. - An increase in educational programs to make the public more aware of the great DUI problem and to educate convicted DUI of­ fenders to help them conquer their problem. These educational programs may lessen the numerous not guilty verdicts handed down by juries, a great many which presently side with the person accused of drunken driving. - An increase in state and federal funds to local law enforcement units to battle DUI cases on the highway. These funds could be used to purchase breathalyzer units, additional squad cars and special ; training for officers. Even with these recommendations in place, the problem of drunken driving will never be completely wiped out, but we have • come a long way to making our highways a safer place for all of us. Legislation to aid small businesses, including women- and minority-owned firms, were among major bills recently signed into law, according to state Rep. Dick Klemm (R.« Crystal Lak£). Among the bills recently signed into law were . the following: -Small Business Assistance (HB3091) Creates a new Business Assistance Office to aid Illinois firms and also in­ corporates several recom­ mendations of tbe 1984 Illinois Conference on Small Business. The assistance office will provide information about state and federal contracts which Illinois firms can bid on, study the effect state rules have on small businesses, work with state agencies to develop flexible regulations for small firms and establish a statewide network of small business development centers to provide technical and managerial assistance to small firms. -Minority and Women Business (HB 2325) EstaMishes a 10 percent goal for minority- and female-owned business participation in state contracts and creates a Minority and Female Business Enterprise Council to monitor compliance with the law and encourage the development of minority and female-owned businesses. -Utility Deposit Relief (HB 3239) Prohibits utility com­ panies from requiring a deposit of more than two months (in­ stead of the current four mon­ ths) estimated utility charges from small businesses. For the purposes of this legislation, Small businesses are defined as those with 50 or fewer em­ ployees. -Handicapped Parking (HB2441) Exempts handicapped drivers from having to pay parking meter fees or overtime parking tickets. Establishes a $50 fine for unauthorized parking in a handicapped parking zone. -Car Seat Discounts (HB2883) Aljows insurance companies to offer discount^ on liability in­ surance for customers who have child passenger restraint systems. Insurance companies may also offer discounts on the purchase price of child passenger restraint systems. -Employee Access to Records (HB 2950) Exempts companies with fewer than five employees from legislation enacted last year giving employees the right to inspect and copy their per­ sonnel files twice a year. Last year's law presented a burden to very small businesses, whose owner-operators could be forced to hire a personnel officer just to maintain the files needed to comply with the law. --University Bookstores (SB1470) Prohibits state colleges and universities from operating general merchandise stores in competition with local private retail stores. University bookstores and food and beverage outlets are allowed, but other types of general merchandise outlets are not. This was done to protect small, locally operated stores against unfair competition from tax­ payer- subsidized retail businesses. -Bad Check Artists (SB1602) Persons who habitually pass bad checks would be liable for triple the amount of the bad check. This is aimed at cutting the estimated $700 million in losses Illinois firms suffer from bad checks each year. The triph damages would only apply ifjme bounced check is not /pepaid within 30 days. -Asbestos in Schools (SB 1644) Requires all public and private schools to identify and remove or „ encWse any asbestos materials in the schools by July 1, 1989. -Drunken Driving (SB1484) School bus drivers who drive drunk will face a penalty of up to three years in jail and a $10,000 fine. The normal penalty for drunken driving is one year in jail and a $1,000 fine. -Fleeing Arrest (SB 1794) Creates the offense of FAMOUS NAMES Sleep Sale! gF Tremendous SIP1. Take Home Savings! 17! (delivery-«voilable) 10-8 MON-FRi 10-5 SAT & SUN No-Interest 90-Day Plan (min. purchase) ,V#n #• < See More. Old Volo Super Sleep Savings! ^ ^ See Other Ads in^r •>, this Paper! 4 Old Volo Revolving Charge On Route 120-% Mile West of 12 Between Fox Lake & Wauconda 815-385-3896 The New Sertapedic' Posture Support System. 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By channeling the public aid benefit hike through the energy assistance grant program, Welfare recipients will not lose any federal food stamp benefits since energy assistance is not considered in the computation of food stamp benefits. --Alternative Energy (SB 1801) Makes changes in the state's definition of "natural gas" to allow the transport of methane gas through pipelines. This was done to encourage the production of methane gas, which can be extracted from landfills and garbage dumps. -Trade Zones (HB 2953) Allows communities and cor­ porations to apply to the U.S. Commerce Department to operate a Foreign Trade Zone. These zones are duty-free "islands" to which foreign and domestic products may be shipped for storage, exhibition or further manufacture or processing. Custom duty need not be paid on these products until Uiey are ready for domestic consumption. -Political Filings (HB 2775) Clarifies the law and establishes a clear penalty for public of­ ficials who fail to meet state deadlines for filing statements of economic interest. Officials who fail to file the disclosures within a month of the May 1 deadline would forfeit their office. • ait U McHenry m « laindealer McHenry Herald (USPS 335 200) Established 1875 . 3ftli West Elm Street Phone 815-385-0170 , Circulation 385-0178 McHenry, Illinois 60050 Published Every Wednesday & Friday at McHenry, Illinois Second Class Postage PAID at • McHenry, Illinois / by SHAW FREE PRESS NEWSPAPER GROUP -POSTMASTER Send address changes to McHenry Plaindealer 3812 W. Elm St., McHenry, - Illinois 60050 Subscribers are requested to provide immediate notice of change of address to the McHenry Plaindealer, 3812 W. Elm St., McHenry, III. 60050. A deduction of one month from the expiration of a subscription will be made where a change of address is provided through the Post Office deportment. j Thomas C. Miller-Publisher Donna Bertulis-Editor £toarb Winning i l f tospaprr MEMBER NATIONAL NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION SUBSCRIPTION RATES In McHenry County By Carrier 50 Week lYearbyMail $19.00 Outside McHenry County 1 Year by Mail $27.00 - Are you new to the area? Moved to a new precinct? Celebrated your 18th birthday? DON'T LOSE YOUR RIGHT TO VOTE! REGISTER THIS FRI & SAT AT McHENRY STATE BANK . As a public service. The League of Women Voters will be registering voters at McHenry State Bank's Main Building(Corner of Green & Elm Streets) FRIDAY SEP! 14 mom 9 TO 3 1 4:3010 7:30 SATURDAY SEPT 15hmmVTO 12 m McHENRY STATE BANK MEMBER FDIC rVmri ttttttttttttttt? i v i y riTrrn v i v iv i s'T'iTrTTTTTTJ McHenry City Police Officer 9s Assn. BENEFIT DANCE Featuring "Yrilftgy" and McHenry City Jazz Band SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 1984 7:00-10:00 P.M. McHENRY HIGH SCHOOL WEST CAMPUS GYM DOOR PRIZES (Winners need not be present) 1*t PRIZE- SHARP 19" COLOR TV . -> • lUtiMtdllA (<Im> l lrfijrt'hfo'n Im * 4 !>.%• M1I.M RfclrilU*.'.! -5 - 2nd PRIZE: > 3rd PRIZF.: SONY AM-FM STRRF.O TABLK RADIO - - HI.SI IHI. BASKF.T Ol BOOZK Hw.iMi.-il l.i II..UI.U'. t .nulv (mif! - . , ml I.V *mimi DONATION. $3.00 TICKETS MAY BE PURCHASED AT THE POOR OR AT THE McHENRY POLICE STATION v - ' j)