PAGE If - PLAINDEALER - WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 12, I»H EDITORIALS Another Tyrant The Latest gadget is the radio beeper. Employees and others stick it in a coat pocket as they begin the day. If the boss wants to talk, he calls them on the beeper, it beeps, and they answer. a bore or a wrong number. In stores, it's the rare salesman who has manners enough to let the telephoner wait while he finishes with the customer at hand. Now beepers. They're available in hotels for guests who want to get switchboard messages instantly. Real estate sales personnel wear them. Outdoor workers carry them and even store employees. Now not just the telephone interrupts the customer, beepers 00 too! Today's customer has every right to begin a purchase with "I'd like to buy a so-and-so, and please turn off your beeper." Do-lt-Yourself Solar An engineer at the University of Florida says many Americans can build their own solar water heating system. He estimates homemade cost at about $300, compared to commercial prices up to $1,500, and says savings can pay for the system the first winter. But, Dr. C.C. Baird warns, only those handy with tools, who know simple plumbing, and who abide by building restrictions, should undertake the job. In brief, one three-by-eight foot solar collector will heat 40 gallons of . water a day. Two are needed for a family of four, plus a well insulated 80-gallon tank. A metal sheet painted black, in a well insulated box, is connected with tubing leading to a glass-lined tank. Glass (superior to plastic) covers the top of the box and either an electric pump or gravity can move the heated water to the tank, which should be indoors or heavily insulated. More details can be obtained from a fact sheet (EC-44) at county extension offices in Florida and in some other states. With minimum professional help, millions of Americans can build this solar system. Solar energy systems, and efficient wood stoves, are the energy trend of the moment, for economic reasons. Building Permits (CityofMcHenry) The following building permits were issued by the city of McHenry during the month of September: Alvin Schaefer, 4304 Sioux lane, garage. Albin Marrow, 3916 Clearbrook, water connection. Ray Blaa, 1706 Rogers, siding. James F. Chaps, 924 N. Royal drive, single family dwelling. Robert Simmons, 1002 Oakwood drive, siding. Wolfgang Ziegler, 307 Dale avenue, single family dwelling. Rudy DeVires, 1707 Rogers, siding. Robert Weber, 5010 W. Ashland drive, single family dwelling. Richard McGrath, 1716 N. Flower, addition. Donald Meyer, 5107 Sandburg drive, single family dwelling. Donald Meyer, 5107 Sandburg drive, pool. r, 5109 W. Cambridge drive, single family Frederick Hemker, dwelling. Dennis J. Hall, 4606 Ashley drive, solar room. McHenry Hospital, 3516 Waukegan, garage park lot. McHenry Hospital, 3516 Waukegan, garage storage. Mr. Liear, 4311 W. Parkway, single family dwelling. Mr. Suresh, 4619 W. Prairie, single family dwelling. Lois Shea, 4507 W. Rt. 120, advertising sign. Bertilla Freund, 1311 N. Park street, water connection. Robert Miller, 4304 W. Crestwood avenue, alteration. March Builders, Incorporated, 1813 N. Beach, single family dwelling. Richard Mann, 5016 W. Willow lane, garage. March Builders, 5007 W. Prairie, single family dwelling. Mary B. O'Neil, 3712 Waukegan, garage. Residential Development Group, 5203 W. Windslow circle, condo. Residential Development Group, 418 N. Waters Edge drive, condo. Residential Development Group, 5202 W. Windslow Circle, condo. Brittany Builders, 5316 W. Shore drive, single family dwelling. Brittany Builders, 5413 W. Shaman drive, single family dwelling. E.E. Black, 3809 W. Main street, garage. March Builders, 4408 Prairie, single family dwelling. March Builders, 2010 Oak drive, single family dwelling. Donald Gerstad, 303 N. Dale avenue, garage. Alan Fine, 110 Ashland drive, single family dwelling. Robert Nellis, 4220 South, siding. James Thompson, 4815 Chesterfield, fence. McHenry Realty, 4909 W. Rt. 120, advertising sign. Lloyd R. Haack, 725 N. Country Club drive, alteration. Durbin & Stowall Realty, Rt 120, realty office. First National Bank of Woodstock, Prairie, single family dwelling. « Mrs. M.G. Bocian, 4905 Prairie, fence. McHenry high school, 1017 Hanley street single family dwelling. (County of McHenry) Building permits recently issued by the Department of Building and Zoning for McHenry County include: Diamond Head Builders, 1811 Cassandra Lane, McHenry, to build a single family residence at 3661 Pitzen Rd. in McHenry Township for an approximate value of $60v000. Permit and service tee-$297. •" Diamond Head Builders, 1811 Cassandra Lane, McHenry, to build a single family residence at 3691 Grand Ridge Court in McHenry Township for an approximate value of $60,000. Permit and service fee-$248. Alexander P. Stanulis, 8203 Kuhn Rd., Solon Mills, to build a pole bam at the same address for an approximate value of $11,500. Permit and service fee-$82. James Neumann, 516 N. Fairview St, Mt Prospect, to build a single family residence at 3818 Lincoln Shire Dr. in McHenry Township for an approximate value of $57,000. Permit and service fee-$255. Gary E. Leske, 504 Glenwood, Lillymore, to raise the home and install a basement at the same address for an approximate value of $8,000. Permit and service fee-$21. Vincent Kaminski, 9019 Pine, Wonder Lake, to build an addition to the existing building at the same address for an approximate value of $10,000. Permit and service fee-$82. Terry Toepper, 1005 N. Cherry Valley, McHenry, to build a single family residence at 709 Cherry Valley Rd. in Nunda Township for an approximate value of $80,000. Permit and service fee-$273.32. Completion of eight hospitals recently authorized for the Veterans administration will For Your Information Deer friend*, The funeral is a rite of separation. H confirms tho reality of death. This, psychiatrists say, is a necessary beginning toward healthy ed|ust- ment to loss. There aro some who want to deny that a person has diod and their life on earth has ended. Viewing the body serves to reverse the denial and promotes acceptance of the death of a loved one. Respectfully, PETER AVJISTEN & SON FUNERAL HOME M -Merry, Illinois 385-0063 SAMPLE BALLOT 1. PROPOSITION TO INCREASE EDUCATIONAL TAX RATE (INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS: Mark a cross (X) in the space opposite the work indicating the way you desire to vote.) Shall the maximum annual tax rate for educational pur poses of Community Consolidated School District Number 15, McHenry and Lake Counties, Illinois be increased and established at 1.78 percent on the full, fair cash value on taxable property as equalized or assessed by the Depar tment of Local Government Affairs instead of 1.38 percent, the maximum rate otherwise applicable to the next taxes to be extended for said purpose? YES Basically, what a 'yes' vote Saturday on a proposed increase in the Education fund means is that the board of education will be able to maintain the present high quality of education in the district, according to Assistant Superintendent Fred Kusch. A 'yes* vote will also mean that the district will once again work toward abating the existing deficit which has been created by the failure of the state to fully fund education in the state. The district was moving toward eliminating the deficit until this year. Then, only 89 percent funding from the state sent the deficit on the rise, even though the district cut hundreds of thousands of dollars from the budget. A 'no' vote on the proposed tax increase means that the board of education will have to reevaluate each and every program, and curtail accordingly. District personnel promise that it will continue to offer the best education possible. A 'no' vote would result in the size of classes being increased. The board will decide what areas of the budget would be-reduced should the increase fail. Kusch stated that he envisioned administrators and aides being eliminated. Aides in the district are not "extras". Rather, they take the place of teachers. For example, one teacher and one aide in a classroom can accommodate approximately thirty-five students, whereas, without the aide, the teacher would then be required to teach thirty- five students. 2. PROPOSITION TO INCREASE OPERATIONS, BUILDING AND MAINTENANCE TAX RATE (INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS: Mark a cross (X) in the space opposite the word indicating the way you desire to vote.) Shall the maximum annual tax rate for operations, building and maintenance purposes of Community Consolidated School District Number 15, McHenry and Lake Counties, Illinois, be increased and established at .35 percent on the full fair cash value of taxable property as equalized or assessed by the Department of Local Government Affairs in stead of .25 percent the maximum rate otherwise ap plicable to the next taxes to be extended for said purpose? YES The Building Maintenance fund only involves the salary of one maintenance person. Many of the other expenses are "fixed", such as paying the electric gas bills, etc. Since 1968, revenues received from the Building Maintenance fund have increased 78 percent. During the same time span, expenditures have increased 138 percent. Kusch indicated that the district is already attempting to conserve energy every way possible, outside of freezing tile students out of the classrooms. Supplementary income into the Building Maintenance fund of between $45,000 and $50,000 will be lost beginning next year, which will soon put the fund deep in the hole in a short period of time. It is hard to explain what a 'no' vote in the Building Maintenance fund will do. That, of course, is up to the board of education, jusch guessed that the (me maintenance person being paid out of the fund may be released. However, it was noted that the release of this person would result in having to contract out for repair work, meaning that there may not be any savings at all. Otherwise, it probably means more belt-tightening. Since many of the expenditures in the Building Maintenance fund are "fixed", there is little opportunity to save money. At the present time, the fund is not in bad financial shape. Canal Treaty and Alternatives Omar Torrijos, the military dictator of Panama, has discovered shuttle diplomacy. On Monday • less than three weeks after his last visit - he sUpped into Washington for breakfast with Hamilton Jordan, the aide whom President Carter has picked to be sales manager for the canal treaties. After that, Torrijos set off on a two-week, ten-nation tour that includes Canada, Israel and Western Europe. Torrijos' objective is to get statements of support for the treaties from canal-using nations and, in the case of Israel, to "win over any missing Jewish votes in the U.S.," as a well-informed Panamanian put it. Now that ratification hearings have begun in the Senate Foreign Relations committee, the tempo of the domestic sales campaign is stepping up, too. Treaty sup porters are worried about last week's Associated Press poll showing 50 percent of the American people opposed and only 29 percent for it. Mr. Carter's problem is that it will be increasingly harder to change minds or corral all the"undecideds" as time goes on. No Vote Now Senate Majority Leader Robert Byrd says there is no chance of the treaties coming to a vote during the current session of Congress. If, however, the matter drags on till late January or into February, election opponents will begin making the treaties a major 1978 issue. Meanwhile,- the treaty negotiators and congressional supporters are up to bat first in the hearings. Opponents will be heard in a week or so. Much opposition focuses on worries about U.S. and Western Hemisphere security. Since the basic treaty would remove the rights of sovereignty that are the foundation for the U.S. presence now, there are fears that the erratic Torrijos - or some successor - might sud denly nationalize the canal and demand full U.S. withdrawal long before the termination date of the new basic treaty in 1999. There is opposition, too, to the large amount of money (a basic $10 million and as much as $80 million a year, up from $2.3 million now) we would pay Torrijos' government each year till the end of the century. Opponents argue that canal tolls high enough to generate the kind of money Panama is counting on can't be justified; that the U.S. taxpayers would end up subsidizing the deal. Torrijos needs the money! his government is nearly bankrupt. Its indebtedness rose from $167 million just before he came to power, nearly nine years ago, to approximately $1.5 billion today. Interest on Panama's public debt is $96 million a year now, up 44 percent from a year ago. Holding The Bag New York and International banks are almost as anxious as Torrijos to get the treaties ratified and start the money rolling. They will be the ones holding the bag if Torrijos defaults on his loans. Opponents are talking about alternatives to the treaties, including one that could give Panama's economy a sharp boost. It is the Terminal Lake- Third Lock plan. First proposed several years ago, it is complete on paper and awaits only a green light. It would modernize the canal so that all but a few of the world's largest ships (supertankers) could use it. The plan would take nearly ten years to complete at a cost of $1 -2 billion. Panamanian con tractors and workers could be engaged extensively in the PUBLIC PULSE (The Plaindealer invites the public to use this column as an expression of their view on subjects of general interest in our community. Our only request is that the writers give signature, full address and phone number. We ask too, that one individual not write on the same subject more than once each month. We reserve the right to delete any material which we consider libelous or in objectionable taste.) NO WELCOME •Editor: "My husband and I are newcomers to the McHenry area and were contacted by the Welcome Wagon service Sunday, Sept. 18. At that time, an appointment was set up with a representative for a visit with us Tuesday evening, Sq>t. 20. On Tuesday morning a slight emergency arose and our construction. Once completed, the modernized canal would attract more traffic, hence increase revalues. There are other alternatives under discussion. I'll cover several of them in my next column. Tuesday evening appointment had to be cancelled. I made several calls in order to reach the representative to notify her of the cancellation so that she would not make the trip to our house and find us not at home. I.finally did reach her, and at that time, we set up another appointment for Tuesday evening, Sept. 27." "On Tuesday, the twenty- seventh, my husband and I rushed home from work in order to await the Welcome Wagon rep. We waited all evening, and she neither came nor called to advise she would not be able to keep the ap pointment. We have not heard anything from her since, and can't help but feel a little an noyed that the same courtesy we showed her when our first appointment had to be can celled, was not returned when she had to cancel our second appointment? "We don't consider this much of a welcome! "Sincerely, "Mrs. Geri Wasielewski "McHenry" Editor's Quote Book The mighty hopes that make us men. Tennyson HE mm •jnnnfiwn^yn m •Jl Wmm add almost 7,000 beds to the nation's largest health-care system. •1 1 t t c I c t t ' I c I I I K r K ( I • C Are You New In McHenry Area ? Do You Know Someone New? WE WOULD LIKE TO EXTEND A ROYAL WELCOME TO EVERY NEWCOMER TO OUR AREA ! ! M ! CALL JOAN STULL 385-5418 • w rnrnumm Ton Tick J ony Fick GIVE ME A CALL FOR THE FACTS ON LOW-COST HEALTH INSURANCE. I D LIKE TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ON LOW-COST HOME OWNERS INSURANCE. I D LIKE TO SHARE WITH YOU THE FACTS ON LOW-COST LIFF INSURANCE % % l KNOW YOUR AREA-ROYAL WELCQMFJK)E§4^fi£^r ; [ f r » ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ r » ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ » » ¥ » ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ » » ¥ ¥ ¥ ¥ » » W Chuck Lewandowski Call us for Details 385- 2304 A M E R I C A N F A M J I j r AUTOHOMElSEA^^n^ ̂ AMERICAN FAMILY MUTUAL INSIMANCI a COMPANY* MADISON, WIS. U701 . --OUR NEW LOCATION1 Corner of Crystal Lake Blacktop & Rt. 120, McHenry. III. EARL R. WALSH & JACK WALSH INS. Fir*, Auto, Farm, Ufa Representing ' RELIABLE COMPANIES 4410 W. Rt*. 120, McHenry MS-M00 DENNIS CONWAY AUTO-LIFE-FIRE State Farm Ins. Co. 3319 W. Elm St. McHenry, III. 305-7111 DR. LEONARD B0TTARI 303 N. Richmond Rd., McHenry Eyet examined • contact Lens** Glasses fitted. -,v. Men., T we*., Thurs., Fri., 4-0 p.m. Twos., Thurs., Fri., 7-9 p.m. Sat., 9:30 to 3:00 Ph. 30S-41S1 or 30S-2M2 McHENRY COUNTY OFFICE MACHINES SALES-SERVICE A RENTALS M on-Sat •-5:30 Friday til 9:00 93 Grant St., Crystal Lak* Ph. 459-1224 McHenry Telephone Answering & Letter Service • Answering Service • Cor, Telephone ft Paging Service • Complete Mimeographing ft Printing Serivce • Typing ft Photocopying Ph. 385-0258 "GATEWAY TO YOUR FUTURE" CALL US Farm Equipment George P. Freund, Inc. Case • New Holland 4102 W. Crystal Lake Rd. McHENRY Bus. 385 0420 Res. 385-0227 J815) 385-4810 Firell i RADIAL TIRES FOR ALL CARS Europa Motors Inc 2318 Rte . 120 815-385-0700 • PATZKE CONCRETE* McHENRY - ILLINOIS FOUNDATIONS • FLOORS * SIDEWALKS FREE ESTIMATES: 815-305-9337 ilMftgl Coputt! Jm. at our quick-quick-action copy cantor. FINEST QUALITY COPIES MADE ON XEROX EQUIPMENT See us, also, for every kind of Printing Need!! PRINTING 3909 W. MAIN 385-7600 i TRAILERS USED HILUBORO « OWNlT DUMP-FLAT8EDS-CAR HAULERS Stidham Horse & Cattle Trailers Plus A Complete Lin* Off Brod*n Winches ADAMS ENTERPRISES 301XW. Kf. 120 AAcHENRY, ILL.