Florida Today from Cocoa, Florida • Page 1B

Indian River Secllon Saturday, May 16, 1981 Additional Indian River news Brevard news State news AM Indian River Church News i Jewish group Rabbi Richard Aider of Tenrole Beth Shalom re S.cently attended a conference In Washington, D.C. J' for rabbis and college professors. The conference concentrated on the critical Issues facing Jewish communities worldwide. In describing his experiences at the conference, Agler said, "We wrestled with the problem of assimilation, the role of Zionism In the 1980s and sought answers to the religious questions that face today's youth, hardly to be considered trifling Issues. "But in the middle of a presentation by a panel of distinguished scholars we learned that the president had been shot not a half mile from where we were meeting.

No issue could be more critical than "Though we learned that he would be all right, me sense 01 snocK ana dismay were not easily dispelled. We gathered together to recite Psalms, on behalf of the victims. It was good therapy but too many questions lingered unanswered: Why have our leaders so often been victimized by madness? Is our culture to blame? Why has the great progress in so many areas of U.S. life been accompanied by consistent Increases In violent crimes? There are no ready answers. But we must keep on asking and looking for a glimmer of truth from the scriptures." Temple Beth Shalom is having a picnic May 31 from noon till dusk at Hobart Park in Winter Beach for its second annual outing.

All members and guests are invited to attend. Be ready for fun, playing, snacking and socializing. Hal Sommer, Barry Auerbach and Steve Auer bach are taking The cost is $3 for and $1.50 for children. Dr. G.

Julius Rice will speak on "Organized Re 'llgion" at the 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. services of the 'Community Church Sunday. The new adult choir will present special music at the 9 a.m. service.

The choir anthem at the 11 a m. service, will be "We Thank Thee, God" by Richard Warner. Sunday School for children Is held at the same time as both worship services. Children attend the first part of the service and then go to classes. The April Circle of the Women's Fellowship will have a picnic at the Retreat Center at, 6 p.m.

Tuesday. The October, November, December and. January circles of the Women's FellowshiD will hold a I lunch at Memorial Island at noon Wednes Visitors are always welcome at activites of the Community Church, 23rd Street and 19th Avenue. If "prFlorlda "Theater" Excalibur at 7 and 9:30 p.m. I.

Lawsuit halts utility takeover i ByBETTNORCROSS TODAY IMI Willi' GIFFORD Slapped with a $4 million lawsuit, Indian River County officials, decided Friday not to seek permanent custody of the Treasure Coast Utilities water and sewage Officials had until Tuesday to decide whether or not to ta.ke over the facility and to present plans on how to clean up operations. Two alternate cleanup plans still will be submitted to a circuit court judge, but the decision not to take over the system was clouded by company owner Travis Salter's lawsuit. The county commission now cannot be called Impartial a prerequisite for re ceivership County Attorney Joe Collins said at Friday's special meeting at the county compound on South Glfford Road. Commissioners all agreed with Collins. The commission took temporary charge of the faltering utility, which serves about 300 south county resi dents in the Whispering Palms and Dixie Gardens subdivisions, following a court hearing April 29 before Circuit Judge Ken Shard.

Sharp.revoked the com pany' operating permit, citing non compliance with state regulations. The Judge also ordered Salter to pay the county 250 a day to operate the plant. After the court proceedings, Salter threatened "a fat lawsuit against Salter's suit claims Interference cost him his company and that the commission wants to monop otlze the local water and sewage business. Those named In the S. District Court suit include the five current and four past commissioners, attorney Collins and the county.

According to officials of the state Department of Environmental Regulation, the system was operating below state health standards despite repeated warnings The DER started the court action that resulted in the county's temporary takeover. Salter agreed with transferring ownership but was upset with the order to pay the county. A hearing on the receivership is set for Thursday, Collins said. Commission Chairman Pat Lyons said the whole purpose of transferring ownership Is to help the company's customers He said customers will be helped "whether or not it's the county." In March, customers complained their water was undrinkable and that the sewage plant wasn't' operating. Some said raw sewage was more than a foot deep in certain places places The county made several attempts to alleviate immediate health hazards, including disinfecting the area around an inoperative lift station Collins said he wouldn't speculate on what the judge will decide Thursday.

"It's up lathe wisdom of the court," he said. The commissioners also OK'd Collins' search for an attorney to represent all the defendants in Salter's suit Collins said he can't represent them because he is named in the suit At the start of the meeting, engineer John Robbins, representing the county's consulting firm, said interim corrective measures could cost either 165,000 or $90,000, depending on which of the commission's plans is used The cheaper alternative would use the existing Zak "lf Tomorrow is Pentecost Sunday and will be observed In the Sunday school hour at Tabernacle A Baptlst Church for the junior high, senior high and adult classes. Activites begin at 10 a.m. Dr. O.R.

Foster will preach during the 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. worship services Sunday. The Rev. David Foster will give the mid week service at 7 p.m.

Wednesday while Foster teaches the family training class. Jean DeLong will meet with the ladies for soul winning visitation at 9:30 a.m. Thursday. The church is located at 100 South Old Dixie Highway. Sunday is the first service of a New Testament, non denominational church, Christ Bible Fellowship.

Pastor John Ferber believes that "the only way to please God is to be where God wants you, when he wants you there, doing what He has gifted you to do" so he Invites anyone of any age, regardless of station In life or denominational background to dome to the new church. Services will be at 11 a.m. in the Sebastian Elementary School library on Main Street, Sebastian. Life For Youth Ranch Is offering day camps, resident camps and horsemanship camps beginning June 8 and ending Aug. 14.

Day camp will run all 10 weeks while resident camp runs for eight weeks. Horsemanship camp runs for two weeks. Day camp Is for all school age boys and girls, including those of kindergarten age. Resident camp is for children age 8 through teens and horsemanship camp is for ages 10 through teens. The first one week horsemanship camp Is already full, but there are still plenty of openings for the second horsemanship camp.

Th ranch has 80 acres on Ranch Road (82nd Avenue1) with a large dining hall and two large pavuions. Camp activites mciuae norseqaca naing, pony cartSv go carts, swimming, canoeing, sailing, tuning, archery, bike trails, riflery, volleyball, soccer, arts andcrafts, puppets, campfires, hayrides and free timewith Bible story and song time each day. Cabuls have bunk beds with restrooms and showers A Qualified staff of 63 will be on hand to meet the needs of ttie camrs, physically, spiritually and mentally. Flfwmerfibers of the staff are college age counselors coming from all parts of the country. J4efsemanship activities are conducted by illfied and accredited Instructors.

Waterfront ac tivites are under the direction of certified water safety instructors and all waterfront personnel are accredited life savers. more Information and reservations, contact theanch office at 557 2446. Indian River Movies Plaza Theater I Take This Job and Civ Shove fat 7 and 9 p.m. Plaza Theater II Friday the 13th at 7:15 and 9:15 p.m." BhLr TMlBf VfSVlSSSSSSSSSSaMBS" BSSSSf aiMMTBriMf A Ttlr nlhr JOE COLLINS named with panel In cult Sheriff's detective Sid DuBose testifies from his hospital bed Friday at Indian' River Memorial Hospital, while Circuit Judge Royce Lewis, background, and attorneys listen. DuBose, hospitalized for an emergency appendectomy, verified the account of a Sebastian woman, who testified that Jim Eric Chandler sold her the rings of Harold and Rachel Steinberger shortly before noon the day the couple was murdered.

Chandler jury hears last defense witness By tfAY McNULTY TODAT Staff Writer VERO BEACH Prosecutors and defense attorneys will present their closing arguments to the jury when Jim Eric Chandler's first degree murder trial resumes Monday, morning. The defense rested its case Friday, after jurors' heard Indian River County sheriff's deputy Sid DuBose's bedside deposition. the last defense witness called, suffered an appendicitis attack Wednesday night. Attorneys took DuBose's sworn testimony Friday morning during a 35 minute hearing at Indian River Memorial Hospital, where the detective is recovering from emergency surgery. Wearing a white and blue hospital gown with a white surgical bandage wrapped around his stomach, DuBose corroborated the 'testimony of Sebastian barmaid Nancy Doyle.

Doyle testified last week that Chandler sold her Harold and Rachel Stelnbergers' wedding rings at the Shedhouse Bar shortly before noon the day the Stelnbergers were brutally murdered. "She told me, as best as she could recall, that he sold her the rings between 11:30 a.m. and 12, (noon) July 22," DuBose, propped up in a special hospital bed, said with a hoarse voice. Prosecutors placed the time of the murder at between 11 a.m. and noon July 22.

Medical examiners had narrowed the Defense lawyers argue that Jim Chandler, who they contend was seen with other people at the time the murder occurred, has an alibi. time of death tp between 9 a.m. and 1 m. that day. Defense lawyers argue Chandler, who they contend was seen with other people at the time the murder occurred, has an alibi.

Chandler, 26, is accused of slaying the Stelnbergers during a July 22 robbery at the elderly couple's isolated Sebastian Highlands home. An eight count grand jury indictment charged him with two counts of first degree murder, two counts of robbery with a deadly weapon, three counts of dealing in stolen property and one count of aggravated assault. The final witness to testify. Dr. Franklin Cox, told prosecutors it's possible Chandler could have bludgeoned the Stelnbergers to death with a baseball bat without their blood spurting onto his clothes.

Cox, a local medical examiner who helped conduct the Steinberger autopsies, was called to testify by prosecutors during the rebuttal phase of the trial. "In your expert opinion, is it possible for someone using a 33 inch long baseball bat to smash someone over the head without getting any blood stains on his clothing?" asked State Attorney Bob Stone, holding the photographs of the Stelnbergers battered and bloody bodies in one handand swinging the alleged murder weapon in the other. "With a bat of that length plus the length of a man's arms, blood would not be found on the perpetrator," Cox replied Cox responded similarly when asked about the knife wounds, "If the knife wounds were inflicted after death, as they appear to have been, then there would be no splurting of blood and, therefore, no blood would be found on the perpetrator," he explained, Lillian Messer, Chandler's mother, testified Thursday that she found no blood stains on Chandler's shirt when she washed It shortly after the murder. Defense lawyers renewed the motion to have all eight charges against Chandler dropped, arguing that prosecutors failed to present enough evidence to present the case to the jury. They also filed a motion seeking a mistrial, claiming some of the evidence admitted was irrelevant and prejudicial, denying Chandler a fair trial Circuit Judge Royce Lewis denied all motions Fellsmere mayoral contest failing to draw candidates FELLSMERE, Although Monday is the deadline for qualifying as a candidate for the city's mayoral race, when the city hall doors closed Friday, no one.

had. The seat was vacated April 9 when then Mayor Joe Suit quit, saying the non payingpaying public post was interfering with his private job. Suit's resignation necessitated a special election set for June IS. Ironically, the former mayor Is the only candidate so far, according to Terrl Cosner, deputy city clerk. "He has picked up his papers, but he hasn't brought them In yet," Cos ner said at about 4:50 p.m.

Friday. Any interested city resident has until 5 pm. Monday to complete the necessary paper work, open a campaign account and pay the city a 112,50 filing fee. Suit couldn't be reached for comment. Meanwhile, Acting Mayor Alvln Thomas chaired the council's regular meeting Thursday that included positive action on pay raises for several city employees.

While Police Chief Russ BUlingsley will get an additional 500 a year. Assistant Chief Curtis Fretwell was granted a $1,200 yearly In crease and Sgt. Vance Roach, $300 a year more. City Clerk Patti Roberts' salary was raised from 1186 to $200 a week. A 30 cent across the board raise was granted to four public works employees foreman, Henry Murphy; heavy equipmentequipment operator Herman Patterson; and laborers Ivan McGhee and Randy Cosner.

Fretwell's and McGhee's pay raises follow their 30 day probationary period. The others' were six month raises. The council meets next on June 11 at 7:30 p.m. In city hall. Infant injured by auto in driveway i3r VfiRO BEACH A 1 year old girl suffered a broken leg Thursday night when she was struck by a car In front of her home.

i Indian River Memorial Hospital officials said Amanda Loldl, 2333 First Court S.E., was In fair condition Friday afternoon. The driver of the car, Robert Allen Heath, 17, 174 21st St. S.W., Vero Beach, was not charged, according" Jo the Florida Highway Pa ftrol. Heath was attempting to back out of the Lokll's driveway at 8:20 p.m. and did not see the young girl standing behind his car, a highway pa; trol spokesman sail The child was admitted to the hospital Thursday.

Held 72 patents Inventor, philanthropist Edward Poitras dead at 74 VERO BEACH Edward Poitras, a local inventor with 72 active patents to his credit, died Wednesday at Indian River Memorial Hospital at the age of 74. Poitras, whose titles include inventor, engineer and philanthropist, was director of research for the Ford Instrument Co. and managing director of the Lombard Governor Co. He designed the star racking controls for the Mount Palomar 200 inch telescope in California. Bom In Rumford, he moved tQhis 1411 Camino Del Rio home in Vero Beach five years ago.

He graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with both bachelor's and master's degrees. Poitras was awarded the President's Certificate of Merit by President Harry Truman and the Naval Ordinance Award for his work during World War II. He was a member of the Office of Scientific Research and Development and was responsible for developing shipboard gunfire control, anti aircraft gunfire con trot and low level bombslght. 'Among his 72 patents are inventions relating to gyroscope devices, bomb sights, thermal controls, plastic blood bags and blood handling equipment, fire and explosion detectors, surgical detergent dispensers and paint colorant dispensers. In Verb Beach, Poitras was a member of the Blood Bank Committee of Indian River Memorial, Hospital and had memberships at the John's Island, Riomar, Twin Oaks and Westside tennis clubs He also owned cjtrus groves here and in Winter Haven.

Memorial services are scheduled for 2 p.m. today at Trinity Episcopal Church in Vero Beach. Survivors include his wife, Dorothy Willlard Poitras of Vero Beach; two sons, James W. Poitras of Holllston, and Edward W. Poitras of Winter Haven; brothers and sisters, Joseph A.

Poitras of Holiday, Henry S. Poitras of Long Beach, Irene Johnson of Winter Haven and Evelyn St. Louis of New Port Rlchey; and 'six grandchildren. No calling hours are scheduled. Cox Gifford Romani Funeral Home In Vero Beach Is In charge of arrangements.

Contributions may be made to Indian River Memorial Hospital..