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auwrb Winning ilrtospaper 1978- Illinois Press Association N«*ws|mper ('ontest THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER SERVING THE CHAIN-O-IAKES REGION SINCE 1875 VOLUME 104 NUMBER 20 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 5, 1979 2 SECTIONS 30 PAGES 20' the blaze. Ed Kattner, Spring Grove fire chief, said the combined forces used eight vehicles and about 27 firemen. "It was a typical barn fire," stated Chief Kattner. "We don't see many of them, but they're sure hard to put out." The fire departments used approximately 8,700 gallons of water on the fire. Additional water was supplied by Thelen Sand and Gravel company, Route 173, Antioch. Chief Kattner stated that they were unable to determine the cause of the fire which consumed the barn and one chicken house. The main house was saved by the efforts of the firemen to contain the fire to the barn and with the help of a north wind. Kattner praised the work of his men as well as the help from Richmond^ "We work pretty well together," he said. "We have a good relationship." McGinnis' son listed the losses as 700 bales of hay, 100 chickens, an antique 1948 truck, tools, farming equipment, more than 80 sheets of plywood and a large supply of lumber, which was to be used to build a new residence. Andy McGinnis commented that his estimate of the damages was at least $50,000. Neither man had any idea of how the fire started. No one was home at the time. No one was injured in the fire. McGinnis' horse, "Pep­ per", was in a nearby pasture and "would have been in the barn in another two days". A calf, which had escaped, was retrieved. Early in the morning on Oct. 2, both McHenry Fire depart­ ment companies one and three responded to a two alarm fire in the Fritzsche estates near Lakemoor. When the companies arrived at 501 Herbert road, the house was engulfed in flames. The cause of the blaze, which destroyed the home, is still under investigation, according to Glenn Peterson, McHenry Fire district chief. Earlier in the week, the Spring Grove Fire department responded to a car fire on English Prairie road near Antioch. The car belonged to Robert Thorsgard of Antioch and. according to the Sheriff's police, the fire was deliberately s e t . v . \ Last Sunday, the Richmond Fire department was called to a car fire on Winn road. Frank Martin, of 4608 Garden Quarter, McHenry, said that when he tried to start his car, it backfired and started the engine compartment on fire. The car was destroyed before the fire department could extinguish the blaze. No Commitment On 420 $78,000 In Fire Loss "You work all your life for something, then this happens,*' stated Andy McGinnis of Wilmot-Johnsburg road in Spring Grove. He was speaking to Nancy Wells of Spring Grove, who was passing by enroute to a journalism class at McHenry County college when she spotted the blaze. Des Plaines, 111., at 309 Venice road, McHenry. Upon their arrival, the police found three people inside of the building. Two of the men said they were previous tenants. who had been evicted, and were "retrieving some personal property". Leighann Sorenson, 21, of 5418 W. Shore Beach, McHenry, (Continued on page 21) ... . McGinnis, a construction worker, was at work Tuesday morning at 9:45 when the fire was reported to the Spring Grove Fire department by MfTk Kerkman, a heighbor living a quarter mile north of the McGinnis farm. Mrs. McGinnis was working at the Phil May residence in Spring Grove at the time the fire started but arrived at the scene shortly after the first fire trucks came. and worked until mid afternoon to pat it oat. Andy McGinnis, the owner of the barn,estimated the total loss at abont $50,000. ' PHOTO BY JUDY EASTERBERG Spring Grove and Richmond Fire departments worked until 'H.SO in the afternoon to put out firefighters from the McHenry Fire department probe the still burning outside of a house in Fritzsche estates. The fire destroyed the house which was insured for $28,000, according to McHenry tire Department Chief, Glenn Peterson. Companies One and Ihree were called to respond to the blaze that lasted until about 3 a.m. Wednesday morning. STAFF PHOTOJWAYNE GAYLORD Five McHenry area residents have recently been arrested in connection with two separate burglary incidents. After what started out as an attempt to stop a car for a traffic violation Tuesday af­ ternoon, McHenry police were led on a high speed chase which netted two juvenile girls. Further police investigation, according to McHenry Police Chief George R. Pasenelli, revealed that the two girls, aged 13 and 14, had been in­ volved in a Lee street burglary the previous day. Earlier in the week, the Sheriff's police responded to a report of someone breaking into an unoccupied house belonging to Nate Hernandez of Above is the Spring Grove barn fire which destroyed the ham, a chicken house and a large amount of lumber. Both the Spring Grove and Richmond Fire departments were called to the blase Teen Girls Involved In Burglary "SURVIVE" CAR RALLYE - The above residents of the Pioneer Center for McHenry County were guest navigators for the recent Lake Region Sports Car Club rallye. How did they perform their task on the 53-mile route over the main and[»back roads of McHenry county? See the picture page in Section 2 page 8. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD No assurances were given on the Highway 420 (F.A.P. 420) project or on possible im­ provement of the Route 120 bridge for McHenry by Illfnois Department of Transportation officials at the McHenry County Municipal association meeting Sept. 26. While ad­ vising the assembled mayors and city officials of greatly increased funds made available in the transportation fund package.resulting from an agreement between Mayor Jane Byrne and Governor Jim Thompson, no commitments were indicated on specific projects. R a l p h . K i n g s b u r y , representative for the Chicago' Area Transportation Study (CATS), said that the decision not to designate the Burham Corridor in Chicago in the mayor-governor agreement will release over $2 billion for projects in the northeast counties and would be about equally divided between Chicago and its suburbs and the collar counties. Money will probably go into four major programs: 1- acquisition of supplemental freeway corridors; 2-major arterial improvements; 3- federal aid urban (FAU) projects; and 4-new tran­ sportation initiatives. Kingsbury noted that four municipalities in McHenry county (over 5,000 population) were eligible for FAU money and that some CATS projects were eligible for funding under new transportation initiatives. Mayor Joseph Stanek in­ dicated that 'the Illinois Assembly had just passed legislation providing matching funds for the federal money that was being freed by the agreement. Kingsbury urged the mayors to work together as a group to help select the best projects in the CATS program Cor funding. % Cesar Nepomoceno, IDOT jbtfipial, outlined the recently jJjroposed or approved *RTA sales taxes and other taxes and rates increases, detailed their distribution and also explained some of the decreases or eliminations that will be ef­ fective. The state is entering a bonding program for $400 million for road programs of which $200 million is slated for the six northeast counties which will be obligated for the 1983 Move Ahead highway program. Included in this program, are three projects for McHenry county: $5 to $10 million for upgrading of the US 14 corridor from Fox River Grove to Crystal Lake; $1,380,000 for resurfacing five miles of Route 31 from Route 176 to Algonquin; and about ' $6 million for widening and resurfacing Route 47 from the Wisconsin line to US 14 at Woodstock. A figure of $1,281,000 slated for replacement of the Route 120 bridge over the Fox under the "1-981-1983 Fall Behind program" is not assured, but Nepomoceno indicated it could also be considered under the FAP 420 corridor program. He said $320 million is being allocated for acquisitions for this corridor and for the Lake Front freeway near Waukegan and the Elgin-O'Hare freeway. Commenting on the officials' reports, Stanek noted, "This is one of the rare times we were treated fairly in this package and had to commend Mayor Byrne and Governor Thomp­ son". He also pointed out that the senior citizens were also considered although sales tax relief on food and medicine was not approved. They were given $150 allowance on their state income tax. The standards on allowable pollutants in effluent from municipal sewage treatment plants are relaxed, Dr. Hal Sundin of Baxter and Woodman told the mayors, and the attack now will be on industrial waste (Continued on page 21) Survive Car Rallye Library Delays Decision On Annexation Procedure The Fox Lake Library district board has decided to postpone, for a short time, its proposed annexation of part of the Johnsburg school district, it was revealed at a meeting of three board members and some concerned citizens ' last Thursday night Board member Kathleen Steichman said the decision to wait with the annexation proceedings was to give the district board time to decide on a boundary change. No details concerning the change were given at the meeting. Previously, the district board had considered annexing almost all of the Johnsburg school district, which is not served by any library district. The Fox Lake Library district board notified the school board of its intentions and also distributed petitions to get the signatures necessary to allow the annexation vote to be taken. The plan originally called for the annexation to be completed by early December. The school board responded by sending a letter to the library board which said, in part, that the district's proposed annexation would not be in the best interests of the community and that the school board wanted time to study other alternatives to an­ nexation. The underlying feeling of the school board was that the .library district was (Continued on page 21) Masonic Lodge , Marks 125 Years Memories of events experienced in their lifetimes, and of stories told by the men who preceded them, highlighted the 125th anniversary observance of McHenry Lodge No. 158, A.F. and A.M., heM*r Wednesday e vening, Oct. 3, at Crescent Bay Landing. Above, Charles » Kuhns, left, present worshipful master of the McHenry lodge, enjoys reminiscing with Lester Sherman, who held that post in 1925. They are t holding the original lodge charter. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD • When 1979 members of McHenry Lodge, No. 158, A.F. and A.M., met at Crescent Bay Landing for dinner Wednesday evening, the occasion marked a milestone for an organization that extends back to the early days of McHenry's founding. It was a celebration of the lodge's 125th year. In 1854, only 18 years after the first white settlers came to the banks of the Fox river, the Grand lodge of A.F. and A.M. granted a charter to the local. (Continued on page 2l) -« City Removes Itself From It's fall, and inevitably a major interest shifts to schools. Every community has hundreds ~ some thousands - of young people back in classes, and their varied activities can't fail to attract the attention of the public. The major emphasis may be in the area of sports, but we are caught up in the enthusiasm of other events as well. In homecoming, which will be observed this week at MCHS, the activities will in­ clude both sports and social, as well as highlighting the renewal of friendships for alumni and spotlighting the color of marching bands and floats. Possibly it's because homecoming marks the last important outdoor event before . winter that makes its appeal so great. Or maybe it's because the ingredients that make up homecoming have general appeal for all age groups. Whatever the reason, there will be feelings of nostalgia as alumni gather for the annual breakfast in West campus cafeteria Saturday morning, ~| It is our understanding that ' the biggest turnout, as might be expected, is always from the last graduating class. Wouldn't it be exciting if some year a group of graduates from 40 or (Continued on page 21) In passing a resolution at last Monday night's meeting, the City Council formally divorced the City from the Soil and Water Conservation district. According to City Attorney Bernard Narusis, the measure would result in a slight decrease in taxes and remove a costly soil study from the zoning process. Narusis added that the City requires a more rigorous soil study than the district. "The City requires on-site soil studies which prove that the soil can be built upon," Narusis said. He went on to say that the maps and studies provided by the district were guesses more than detailed studies. The move was authorized by a change in state requirements and had to be completed before the first of the year. When Park Director Peter Merkel presented an update on the progress of the Knox park - grant request, Alderman Nolan raised a question concerning the location and size of the swimming pool. Ms. Nolan said that to the best of her recollection, the size and location of the swimming pool had never been formally ac­ cepted. Alderman Pepping pointed out that the Council had only voted to include the pool in the grant request. Alderman Wieser said he was under the impression that the request could i>e cut back, i.e the pool pulled out of the request. (Continued on page 21)