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Members of the Fox Riverfront federation, an association of property ownert extending south from McHenry, agreed Wednesday night that there was progress with efforts for boating safety and shore preservation following an We were almost past the stooped old genl)f|$an with faltering steps when thee* was an audible, "Hello". As the uanpcpted greeting was made, we experienced some regret that we had not thought to make the initial gesture of friendliness. Farther down the street a woman of perhaps 60 years flashed a wide smile as she hurried by. But her walk was was not so fast that she failed to offer a "Good Morning" and then add as an afterthought, "Yes, it really is a good morning". In the small supermarket, we inquired where a metropolitan newspaper might be available. The manager not only took the time to answer but asked where we were from and than inquired about our home state. We knew this small town we were visiting for the first time in 30 years had grown little. Most stores on the two- block Main street were in business, but a Mock long canning factory had shut down and an occasional broken window carried the message that this was no longer a thriving town. > But what it lacks in prosperity it makes up in spirit. As the supermarket manager expressed it when we ob­ served the friendly community, "We think it's a plus". And a plus it is! This little town, and others like it, may not be attracting big business interests, and it may be adding a conservative number of new families. But it has something else. For the 1,900-plus people who live therie, friends aire oh every block, and ' share with each other, and with something we sometimes te to unimportance in a fast community. It is true, the once popular movie theatre long ago closed, and the choice if) feeding a family is between two stores. But the plus of friendliness which the store manager observed is n6t the only one. There is a modern library and several historical rooms devoted to area artifacts that would do credit to a metropolis. Two artists, one acclaimed nationally, make their contribution of (Condoned on peg* 18) earlier meeting with representatives of local and state government agencies. The emphasis was on the McHenry County Sheriff's department, whose fleet of three boats seemed to provide a visible and effective control of ac­ tivities on the river as the season opened. Some members still expressed dissatisfaction about guidelines for river closing and no wake areas when the water is high. One owner noted that his "property is going down the river" when the water is up and there is fast boating causing wakes that eat up the shoreline. Another noted that "all shore property owners are losing about a foot of land a year" and suggested that each owner protect his riverfront with a seawall. Frank Novak, lockmaster at the State of Illinois McHenry dam, whose responsibility includes some regulation of the river level and aiding the sheriff in river closing decisions, suggested that from his observations the river may not have the capacity to carry the water that it once did due to channel changes and "flood plain en­ croachment." He said some state and federal agencies were studying the river regarding flood control and other factors Novak also recalled that the river channel south of the dam has not been dredged since 1962 and it now has been narrowed by infiltration of silt. This has resulted in a number of shallow areas and newly deposited sand bars, and more complaints are being received from boat operators about groundings and bottom damage. Novak noted that marking of the channel probably will not be completed until after July 1. He had requested supplies of buoys and chains from the Department of Conservation which dispenses the money from boat registrations, but the current year's budget is exhausted, he said, and he probably won't receive more supplies until the new fiscal year beginning in July. He received only about half of the buoys requested. He noted that any donations of serviceable used or excess chain size 2-0 would be of help to his people in completing the job. Sheriff Henry Nulle reported that the county had secured "River Closed" and "No Wake" signs for use on bridges and at marinas when required. He said the board has also authorized the purchase of two new larger boats and the con­ tinued use of an existing one for the river 'patrol. In addition, his depart­ ment intends to launch its pontoon boat equipped with floodlights for a night­ time anti-theft patrol. Also added to the equipment are two county purchased marine radios and one by the "Power Squadron" membership. These will aid cooperation with Lake county river enforcement personnel, he said. Sgt. George Meyers, in charge of the sheriff's department boat patrol, recalling when the patrol was an ill- equipped orphan of the county, ex­ pressed satisfaction with the new well supplied fleet. He believes that now the Sheriff's department can implement the new program which they worked up following the guidelines expressed by the riverfront organization With a system of booms, signs, notification through the subdivisions calling chain, and the cooperation of local and Chicago radio stations they will be able to notify people who use the river of closings or restrictions when needed In response to audience questions about noise and empty beer cans on the river. Meyers said there was a legal limit of 90 decibels for boat engines which his men would enforce although he did not have a noise meter There is (Continued on page 18) Name Little Rt. 120 Hearing Plan A public hearing on the proposed improvement of Illinois Route 120 between Charles street and Park avenue in McHenry will be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday. June 23, in the McHenry Community high school East campus theater. Green street. That ^announcement was made by the Illinois Department of Transportation on, Wednesday The presentation^ will (discuss such topics as the need for the project, the design alternative under consideration, right-of-way acquisition and relocation assistance, construction staging ana detour, and the tentative schedule. f Preliminary reports, including a Draft Project report and a preliminary structure report will be available for viewing one hour prior to, during and following the hearing. Peanut July 1 A pert and pretty Tonya Dodge has mixed feelings about relinquishing her title as McHenry's Little Miss Peanut Wednesday, July 1. Her successor will be named in judging scheduled for 7 p.m. in the American Legion clubhouse on Ringwood road. Tonya is shown above with Dr. Dnn Jannotta, chairman of the McHenry Kiwanis club annual competition. Girls between the ages of 6 and 8 years of age will vie for the title. They must reside within McHenry High School District 156 or Johnsburg School District 12 boundaries to be eligible. The first 2S to enter on or before June 25 will be judged on poise, pertness and personality. An entry coupon appears elsewhere in this issue. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD by Anthony Oliver he. Illinois Housing Development uthoritv < IHDA> has denied a request for funding the construction of a 48-unit. rent subsidized apartment complex for the elderly in the Falcon development, on McHenry's north side, according to Mutual Attraction The attraction was mutual, as evidenced by this picture. While their parents inspected some of the machinery that keeps Shamrock Beef Cattle farm running, their offspring found more interest in the animals. Two young lambs seem curious about the limelight in which they suddenly find themselves, but seem to be enjoying the attention. More pictures of Farm Visit day at the McHenry farm appear elsewhere in this issue. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD Mayor Joseph Stanek. who made the report at Monday night's council meeting Ostensibly, the denial came because of a lack of access to the site, a 4.5 acre parcel lying about 200 feet south of McCullom Lake road in the un­ developed Falcon subdivision The lack of any access at present and the un­ certainty of when the subdivision will build out were the primary reasons for rejecting the financing request The developers of the proposed project. Irv Coppel and Anthony Bono, received council approval for the housing project in late April Their petition included three variations, two of which were contingent upon suc­ cessful financing arrangements with IHDA The council approved variations which would have allowed an increase in the number of units to be built, from 46 to 48 and a decrease in the number of required parking spaces per unit, from 2 to 1.5. Both of these variations were tied to IHDA financing. The third variation allowed for the construction of a building with three floors of habitable dwellings The Zoning ordinance presently allows only two-and-a-half floors of living space. This last variation was not tied to the financing arrangements and a multi- family complex of three stories could still be built on the property. According to Mayor Stanek. ^ the developers are also involved in the construction of an 88-unit apartment complex in the McHenry Lakes Estates subdivision, on the west side of Route 31 The mayor commented that this development would have the room to accommodate apartments for the elderly The 88-unit development is slated to include three buildings, each of three stories on 5.49 acres at the intersection of McCullom Lake road and Orleans street THE MCHENRY PLAINDEALER "SEKHNO THE CHAISOL.4KES REGIOS SISCE 1875" VOLUME 105 NUMBER 93 FRIDAY., JUNE 19. 1981 1 SECTION 20 PAGES 25' No Conference Alignment Johnsburg Stymied Page 18 Members of the Johnsburg Rescue squad. Spring Grove Fire department and Sheriff's police inspect the wreckage of a motorized glider that crashed Wednesday morning in a farm field near Spring Grove. The pilot of the craft. William Patience, of Ingieside, was pronounced dead at the scene. STAFF PHOTO-WAYNE GAYLORD An airplane crash late Wednesday morning on the Richardson farm, near Spring Grove, claimed the ltfe of the pilot, William H. Patience, of 703 Route 59, Ingieside. Patience was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash by McHenry County Coroner Alvin Querhammer. According to McHenry County Sheriffs police, a witness to the mishap said Patience was flying a homemade ultra-light glider at a height of 100-200 feet when the engine stalled and the glider crashed. Men and equipment from the Spring Grove Fire department and Johnsburg Rescue squad responded to the scene. The county police are continuing an investigation into the crash which was reported at 11:11 a m June 17. Priority For Area Proposals In 2000 Transportation Plan * FREE TV Guide In Today's Edition The proposals include bypasses around the City of McHenry on both the east and west sides. On the east, it is proposed that Chapel Hill road would be extended in a southwesterly manner to connect with River road, south of Snug Harbor On the west, the plan calls for a connection of Curran and Ringwood roads and an eventual connection to Crystal Lake road, south of the city Other improvements designated in the McHenry area include the con­ struction of a bridge across the Fox river, probably an extension of Bull Down On The Farm 1981 Sty I• Page 17 SHAW NWDtA NCWt SMVICf , The McHenry County Board adopted the Year 2000 transportation plan at Tuesday's regular meeting, but not without some opposition from at least one District III board member Thore Emricson, District III. voiced his disappointment with the plan because "nothing was proposed for the western half of the county." James Rakow. county highway superintendent, said the plan was based on population projections for the Year 2000 These projections, according to Barton Aschman associates, the firm •hat prepared the plan, estimate an increase of nearly 100.000 people over the 1978 population of 140.000 The plan is designed as an overall framework for the county, but does include a number of transportation corridors which affect particular municipalities. The plan is intended to facilitate decisions concerning short- lerm transportation and related land use actions The plan indicates a need to ease congestion in a number of areas, particularly along the various Fox river crossings Valley road, between McHenry and McHenry Shores The controversial FAP 420 project, which would run through northern Lake county, through McHenry county and on up to Wisconsin, hats taken a back seat in the Transportation plans due to "wishy-washy" polictical activity, according to Tom Huemann. Huemann noted that $16.2 million has already been spent on the project, whicl/has met direct opposition from environmentalists in McHenry county and indirect opposition from road planners in Lake county. The environmentalists are concerned about possible damage to the Volo bog and delta kames near McHenry In Lake county, road planners are striving for a Lakeshore freeway north to Milwaukee, rather than directing their efforts to FAP 420. "McHenry county has been had...," Huemann said. "The money was there for McHenry county and we've been taken There was f71 million there for FAP 420 and we are still so far away that we haven't even got the EIS (en­ vironmental impact statement) done " With the approval Tuesday, the plan becomes the official guide for ongoing transportation decisions The County board will now undertake design projects for three recommended corridors - west McHenry, Route 31 to Randall road connection and Algonquin bypass Transportation committee member, Fd Buss, commented that the Route 31- Randall road connection would probably be the first project un­ dertaken