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$ PAGE 22 > PLAIN DEALER WEDNESDAY. DECEMBER 13.1978 Your Police Department by Officer Jim Fitzgerald Seek Nominations For Conservation Directors THE LAW SERVES YOU Public Relations Officer McHenry City Police Phone 385-2131 As much as some of us hate to admit it, summer is over and the winter season is now here, with all its cold days and snowy weather. It is also time for the snowmobiles to be dusted off, oiled up and generally gotten ready to "have at it" come the first major snowfall Before we all go riding off into the nearest snowbank, here is a brief reminder of the laws pertaining to safe snowmobile operations All snowmobiles must be registered with the Department 2of Conservation, just like a boat, and the number issued to the snowmobile and the sticker must be attached to both sides of the cowling before you can operate j;he snowmobile legally nn~,pf6perty other than your own private property Your snowmobile must have at least one white light to the front and one red lamp to the rear, both giving off light strong enough to be seen at least 500 feet away Also, you must have at least 16 square inches of reflective material on either side of the cowling of the snowmobile, of which the .number assigned to the j machine, when put on with i reflective material, can be * included when adding up the 16 £ square inches, and a brake * i system in, good operating concfitioitN^ Here are some other laws regarding the safe operation of a snowmobile: You cannot 1 Operate snowmobile too fast for the conditions available, or so fast as to be unable to stop in time to avoid an accident with another machine, person, or other person's property 2 In a careless, reckless, or negligent manner, or under the influence of intoxicating beverage or drugs :v Without the proper lighting or registration 4 On someone else's property without the property owner's written permission 5 Operate a snowmobile upon any roadway or highway, except to cross the road at right angles, and then only after stopping your snowmobile before crossing, and after yielding the right of way to any cars on the road 6 Operate a snowmobile along side a state highway or other road, unless you are more than 15 feet away from the road and are traveling in the same direction as the traffic on the road 7 Operate a snowmobile if you are under the age of 10 years If you are between the ages of 10 and 12 years, you may operate a snowmobile only if accompanied by a parent, or a person who is 18 years old and is approved of by the parent. If you are older than 12 years, but under 16 years old, you may operate a snowmobile if with a parents, or with a person who is 16 years old if the person is approved of by the parents. The Department of Con­ servation does have a program to instruct people under the age of 16 years old in the proper operation and safety of snowmobiles which, when completed, will allow a person under the age of 16 years to operate a snowmobile A cer tificate will be issued to the person who completes the course Contact the Depart­ ment of Conservation or a snowmobile dealer about available classes If you should have an ac­ cident with your snowmobile where there is damage to property of more the $100. or there is an injury, you must report the accident to the Department of Conservation within five days if only property damage, or 48 hours if there is an injury Snowmobiles are great fun. when either ridden alone or in any of the numerous clubs in the area Have fun. but be safe, and within the law Nominating petitions for persons desiring to serve as a director o^ the McHenry County Soil and Water Conservation district are available at the district office. 1143 North Seminary, Woodstock, ac­ cording to Betty Hegner, chairman. This announcement is being made now because of the time involved for people to obtain the necessary signatures and to have them forwarded to the state office Signed petitions should be returned to the district office by Jan 15. There is considerable con­ fusion among the general public as to what a Soil and Water Conservation district is. This is very understandable for there are separate divisions of state government that have something to do with soil and water conservation and at least as many federal government agencies plus private organizations dedicated to some branch of conservation. Soil and Water Conservation districts are legally constituted units or instrumentalities of state government created to administer soil and water conservation work within their boundaries They are not branches or agencies of any federal department They are managed by an elected and unsalaried board of directors made up of local citizens. Election of directors of the McHenry County Soil and Water Conservation district is being held Saturday, Feb. 10. during the hours of 10 a.m. to 4 p.m Polling location sites are Central school in Harvard. Hebron township office in Hebron. City Council chambers in Marengo and the McHenry County Courthouse cafeteria in Woodstock GOVERNOR'S INTERN PROGRAM -Governor Jam^s R Thompson announced last week that internship ap­ plications are now being ac­ cepted for the Governor's 1979 Summer Fellowship program. Persons eligible to apply are Illinois residents presently enrolled in a college or university, who will be at least a junior by fall 1979. and first year graduate and professional students Interns will work from June 15 to Aug 15 with a minimum salary of $600 a month, will be placed in a variety of state positions in either Chicago or Springfield, and will attend weekly seminars dealing with various aspects of state government. Applications are available by mail from 160 N LaSalle, Room 2000. Chicago 60601. or at college or university placement offices. by the Illinois State Bar Association CRIME VICTIMS MAY BE ELIGIBLE FOR COMPENSATION If you are the victim of a crime and sustain personal physical injuries, if you were dependent for your support upon a victim who dies as a result of a crime, or if you are related to the victim and you paid for reasonable medical or funeral expense for said victim, you may be eligible for com­ pensation under the Crime Victims Compensation act. The Illinois State Bar association says the law has two major purposes. 1. To help reduce the financial burden often imposed on innocent persons who are seriously injured by "the following violent crimes murder, voluntary man­ s l a u g h t e r , k i d n a p p i n g , aggravated kidnapping, rape, deviate sexual assault, aggravated arson, arson, in­ decent liberties with a child, assatilt. aggravated assault, battery, aggravated battery, heinous battery, reckless conduct 2. To encourage cooperation with law enforcement agencies by requiring that victims, in order to be eligible for com­ pensation, must have promptly reported the crime to the proper police authorities and must have fully cooperated with law enforcement officials. Other factors affecting eligibility are requirements that the financial loss is over two hundred dollars, that the victim and the criminal were not related and sharing the same household, and that the injury to or the death of the victim was not attributable to the wrongful conduct or provocation of the victim If you are found eligible, compensation may include medical and hospital expenses, loss of earnings up to five hundred dollars per month, funeral expenses and loss of support. There is no recovery for property loss or damage or for pain and suffering R e c o v e r y a m o u n t m a y b e affected by compensation the victim receives from other sources and in any event may not exceed ten thousand dollars Proper filing of your claim is important. Within six months of the date of injury, you must file a Notice of Intent toFilea Claim with the attorney general's office. These forms are available from the attorney general's office Next, after the attorney general has received your notice, an application for compensation will be sent to you. You then have two years from the date of injury to return this application for compensation to the Illinois Court of Claims in Springfield, 111. Your claim will be in­ vestigated by the attorney general's office, and a report sent to the court. The final step will be a hearing at which you may appear with or without counsel and present witnesses The court's decision will be mailed to .you. The law provides that claims will be investigated and determined regardless of whether the criminal is known and regardless of whether any arrests have been made and regardless of whether a suspect was found guilty or not guilty. WHAT'S NEW A whole house water filter installs on 3/4-in. cop­ per water line easily without use of special tools. Two types of replaceable car­ tridges -- one for rust and sediment, another for taste and odor. Report Record Child Abuse A record 13,453 cases of suspected child abuse and neglect were reported in Illinois during fiscal year 1978 According to Margaret Kennedy, director of the state Department of Children and Family Services, reports in­ creased 46 5 percent over the previous year She predicted that more than 20,000 reports would be filed with DCFS in fiscal year 1979 which began last July 1 Miss Kennedy's remarks accompanied official release of the department's fiscal 1979 child abuse and neglect reporting statistics / P»6T the first time, in fiscal year 1979 reports from downstate counties out­ numbered reports from Cook county - 7,579 to 5.874 Abuse reports were UD in all categories, Miss Kennedy pointed out Neglect, beating, multiple injury, and sexual abuse .continue to head the list There was also a sharp in crease in reports involving the poisoning of children from two in 1977 to 11 in 1978 Seventy-five youngsters are known to have died from abuse during fiscal year 1978- 26 more than the year before Ap­ proximately three-fourths of the victims were under age 3 Of those professionals mandated by law to report, teachers, law enforcement officials, and medical per sonnel accounted for the majority of reports Illinois enacted its first child abuse law in 1965 In 1966. DCFS received 483 reports of abuse By 1973. the number of reports had grown to 1,160 In fiscal year 1978, reports were 13.453 ~ "The massive growth in the number of reports stem from changes in the state's reporting laws in 1973 and 1975, coupled with a number of public awareness campaigns following the changes." Miss Kennedy said, In 1973, persons required to report were expanded from physicians and hospital per sonnel to include teachers, law enforcement officials. Illinois Department of Public Aid caseworkers, day care center staff, social workers, and others who come into contact with children as part of their professional activities. Miss Kennedy pointed out In 1975. a neglect category was added and the maximum age of children covered by the law was raised from 16 to 18 These additions led to in creased reports of child mistreatment The same year, legal im munity was extended to include all persons who report suspected incidents of abuse and neglect Previously, only certain professionals were granted this protection, Miss Kennedy explained Miss Kennedy said reporting of abuse and neglect cases accelerated sharply during the final quarter of fiscal 1978, and this increase has continued into the current fiscal year "The $5 1 million sup­ plemental appropriation now before the General Assembly is in response to this trend." she said "The new funding will strengthen the department's ability to initiate an in­ vestigation within 24 hours of the receipt of each report as required hv law Copies of DCFS child abuse reporting statistics may be obtained by writing the Office of Community Relations. Illinois Department of children and Family Services, 1 North Old State Capitol Plaza. Springfield 62706 YOU AND YOUR PET By Robert L Stear. D.V M Manager of Veter inary Services Norden Laborator ies • By Robert L Stear D V M.) l oot ( are For Your Pel One way to help your pet put the "best foot forward is to spend a few minutes each month examining its feet Cats and dogs especially need checking for three reasons nails may need trimming cuts or other injuries may need treatment, and foreign objects lodged in the paws may need to be removed Pets can best be examined after a play period when they are tired and relaxed or during a regular grooming session A dog's nails are the proper length when they barely touch the floor when the dog stands squarely on all four feet Longer nails dragging along the ground put pressure on the toes and joint above t^e paw forcing the dog to walk flat footed The nails themselves become brittle and may split and crack when too long Most dogs that live indoors will need their nails trimmed about once a month You can do the job yourself or ask your veterinarian for assistance For best results at home use clippers designed for pet use Ordinary scissors do not have the leverage necessary for a clean cut through the hard nail surface Buy clippers that fit comfortably in your hand and have the salesperson explain their use Once you begin to trim the dog s nails don't let the pet squirm away this will only encourage further resistance Your aim is to trim the hard crust of the nail just beyond the quick, which is the live pink flesh within the nail You may be able to see the pink blood vessel centered in the quick with the aid of a bright light held behind the nail Some dogs also have an extra toe, called a dewclaw attached to the side of the leg several inches above the paw The nail on this toe must also be clipped If your pet 's feet have been long neglected, it might be better to let your veterinarian do the first trimming It is harder to determine if a cat s claws need trimming, as they retract into sheaths when not in use Generally the cat maintains its claws at a comfortable length by shar pening 'and thus shortening > them on anything handy, usually the furniture Some cat owners prefer to declaw their cats rather than fight to trim the nails Con siderable debate surrounds this procedure Many veterinarians acknowledge that surgical removal of the cat s front claws is necessary if certain cats are to live indoors Declawing is performed under anesthesia on cats three or four months of age or older The claws and supporting tissue are com pletely removed and normally never grow back again The cat ran still defend itself with the teeth and claws on the back feet There appear to be no psychological effects declawed cats still flex their to^s and appear to "knead carpets in a contented fashion There are veterinarians who discourage removal of the cat 's defense mechanism especially for cats that spend a great deal of time outdoors They r e c o m m e n d b e h a v i o r modification -a loud noise or some water sprinkled on the cat when it claws the wrong ob­ jects If your cat persistently scratches furniture or rugs, discuss the situation with your own veterinarian Even if your pet never needs its nails clipped, there are other reasons to examine its , feet You should remove the oc casional seeds, thorns and debris that lodge between the toes to irritate the skin Check especially those spots where your pet repeatedly licks and bites the fur If there's nothing to be seen, perhaps your veterinarian can identify a fungus infection, embedded glass or wooden splinter, or abscessed bite Sometimes pets need help in cleaning their feet Animals walking across newly paved roads in summer rapidly ac cumulate a ball of tar and dirt on each foot Work quickly with a kerosene-soaked rag to remove the tar and rinse thoroughly with soapy water to remove the kerosene since both kerosene and tar are poisonous compounds that can cause illness in a pet In summary, foot care may not rank next to the need for rabies or distemper shots, but it is important to your pets overall well-being 'Dr Stear regrets that he is unable to personally answer letters from pet owners He suggests that readers consult their own veterinarians when their pets have problems) Prices effective while quantities last. We reserve the right to limit quantities. Qet $2 back every time you say Christmas with Coleman: PRICES EFFECTIVE WEDNESDAY.- DEC SUNDAY. DEC. 17 13 THRU In This Christmas give the gift of the great outdoors' And get a special gift from Coleman --a $2 rebate for practically every Coleman product purchased between November 15. 1978 and January 31. 1979 HP"""" MimW8c Coleman® 20 Sal. Colossal Coolor Coleman" 3 Lb Sloeping/Slumber Bag Double Mantle lantern World's most popular lantern! Fuel copacity 7 pint* Burning t ime - • hours No 220JI95 Our Reg. 23.86 Sale Price 21.76 less *2 rebate Our Reg. 48.96 Sale Price 37.87 less *2.00 rebate Our Reg. 26.96 Sale Price 21.87 Propane Double Mantle Lantern Our Reg. 19.97 OTf Sale Price 16.97 H ̂ #f less *2 rebate Double Mantle Lantern loss $2 robato Colors, assorted. Capacity, 80 quarts Outside Dimensions, 28"x15'/4"x15- 7/8". Handles, recessed, plated steel with bottle openers. Shipping Weight, 22 lbs. Feature, safety latch Double montle works from 16 4 oi or 14 1 o i bott le or bulk tank with adaptor No. 51I4A700 Thickly quilted sleeping bog insures con tinuous warmth and comfort. No. 8144 c. Coleman Easy-l i te valve auto _ _ motic cleaning generator Our Keg. 28.86 t ip rust resistant f inish Sale Price 25.86 N° less 2 rebel* i# Coloman8 Catalytic Hoator a. Coleman" Propane Deluxe 2-Bvrner Campstove Water Weight About 59 per cent of a child's body weight is water and an adult 's can range between 45 and 69 per cent -- depending on the age of the person Water is inside and outside every cell in the body The blood that carries nutrients and waste products away from those cells is com­ posed largely of water Every food contains some water To­ matoes, for example, are 93 per cent water Our Reg 42 97 Sole Price 37.87 loss s2 robot* 35 87 Our Reg. 38.96 Sole Price 32.96 less *2 rebate For all -oround performance and reliability of operations -- outdoorsmen con alwoys count on a Coleman" cot, 3 000-5.000 BTU. No. 513A70I. The campstove thot o p e r o < e s f r o m disposable bott les or ref i t loble bulk tank Ap­ pro* 10 000 BTU ea burner No S4IOA/00 8 Coleman' Deluxe 2-Durner Campstove Unmatched for outdoor cooking eff ic iency and ease An outdoorsman's n e c e s s i t y ! A p p r o * 25 *00 ITU No 30 96 Our Reg. 33.43 Sale Price 29.87 less *2 rebate Coloman® Classic Tont 87 Our Reg. M05.86 Sale Price *79.87 less *2.00 rebate 75 C DAILY f-9 SUNDAY 10-4 I A homo away from homo. That's a Coleman* Tont. Moisture. wind, rowgh-hou*e and flame roslttant. With double-stitched lop-felled seams to toko the stress...Lock-O-Matic' od|ustable polos to toko up the slack and take on the wind...v)nyl coatod floors to keep out ground moisture...ruged wldotrock tippers and big nylon •croon*. , 4400 W. RTE. 120-McHENRY RTI. 47 « COUNTRY CLUB RD.-WOODSTOCK >