Reno Gazette-Journal from Reno, Nevada • Page 15

Citizens Strut in Centennial Clothing at Party il 1 I- it. li- J' pJ? fp i llii lip i If It i- it iHSSS ft- i. ANNIE MCDONALD EVA KELLY VANITA RUEGG ELLEN JENSON J. JOHNSON, G. JEFF Reno Evening PHONE FA 3-3161 RENO, NEVADA, WEDNESDAY, MAY 20, 1964 Parks Chairman Levels Charge At Kirkpatrick The chairman of the Sparks parks and recreation commission, Mrs.

Edmund Naphan, last night entered the controversy over the resignation of Dr. Harold Kirkpatrick as recreation director, accused him of missing many commission meetings. This morning Mayor Chester Christensen refuted the validity of the charge with the statement that the Hospital in Carson City May Become Public Facility TTie Lake Ditch: Oldest Floating Garbage Dump In the City of Reno en or MARY JEFF Golden Age Club Observes Special Month This is Senior Citizens Month and Mrs. Frank Liston, presi dent of the Reno Golden Age Club has the proclamations to prove it one from Mayor Hugo Quilici, one from Gov. Grant Sawyer and ne from President Lyndon B.

Johnson. Normally the Golden Age Club members from Reno and Sparks get together in any given month for a couple of dances, a party with movies and a trip or two out of town. This month of May has been even more filled with activities. Just the latter half of the month brought a luncheon trip to Pyramid Lake, a big Centennial Party yesterday at which old-time dress was the fashion and a film and danre this evening, trips to visit the senior citizens group at Grass Valley on the 22nd and 29th and entertainment of the Nevada City club in Reno on the 26th. The Reno Golden Age Club has 507 members, says Mrs.

Liston. Anyone age 50 or over can Join. Prospective members are asked to attend two functions at the Recreation Center, 190 E. Liberty and the members then decide on their suitability. There is a luncheon every Tuesday, a couple of dances each month plus the trips out of town and other special events.

Most of the members are retired and many are old-timers In the Reno-Sparks area. Many, says Mrs. Liston, were born and raised here. Her husband, Frank Liston, is an active member who hasn't yet seen fit to retire. He's 80 but he still works as a salesman for a local real estate firm.

Yesterday was, officially, Senior Citizens Day for this year, but the record shows that every day is such. Apart from the plans for other events this month and through the remainder of the eummer, a September trip to Alaska has already been arranged by the local club and almost the full quota of 120 have already signed up for the cruise. Sound like fun? It will be and there are still some openings, If you're old enough to know how to enjoy yourself. $8,100 Asked In Law Suit Over Accident A two-car collision is the basis for an $8,100 law suit filed in Washoe District Court by Donald C. Thulin, 349 Den-lowe Drive.

Named as defendant in the case is Mary H. Tait, 1948 Pittman Sparks. Thulin claims that on April 18, he was driving west on East Fourth Street when Mrs. Tait, headed east, cut in front of him, causing a collision. The plaintiff asks the court to award him $400 for car damage, $7,500 for pain and Buffering, $200 wage loss plus medjeal and court costs.

ft-r iVi I 5 i MINNIE LISTON Kiefzke Lane Commercial Plan Dropped A Regional Planning Staff proposal to change zoning on Kietzke Lane between Mill and Vassar streets, excepting the Hempstead Gardens Subdivi sion, to general commercial was dropped at a Planning Commission meeting last night. Commissioners had asked the staff to make a proposal zoning the entire area in one swoop, rather than receiving piecemeal requests for commercial zoning along the street. Recent requests for the C-3 zoning have come from automobile agencies, who seek to maintain operations on the street. June 2 was set for a public hearing on a proposed amendment to Chapter 14, Planning and Zoning of the Reno Municipal Code, to allow construction and operation of car agencies engaged in the sale of new and used cars and body repairs in C-lb (Neighborhood Com mercial) zones, subject to issu ance of a special use permit. Commissioners denied four change of land use requests in the area and noted that it would initiate the zoning ordinance change, thereby allowing the commercial uses requested.

Denied were: A request from Fred Kohlenberg for a change from neighborhood commercial to general commercial on about three acres located on the southeast corner of Market Street and Kietzke Lane. A request from Tony S. Taormina for a change from neighborhood commercial to general commercial on about 1.8 acres on the southeast cor ner of Miami Way and Kietzke Lane. A request from Marshall Matley and Robert Rogers from single family residential to general commercial on prop erty south of Roberts Street, and west of Kietzke Lane. Cal- Vada Auto Co.

plans an agency on the site. A request from Washoe Enterprises, Inc. from single family residential and limited multiple residential to general commercial on five lots between Roberts Street and Stewart Street on Kietzke Lane. HI PAGE FIFTEEN Branson said Carson Tahoe Hospital has always operated in the black, but "We have been in a precarious position a few times." This situation, he said, might eventually lead to closing the doors of the hospital. However, he said, this could not be foreseen.

"We might go for 10 years and not have to do it. But, the condition should not exist Vhere we do not have a cushion to fall back on." "We have always run in the DiacK, Dut aeaaoeats, ana peo ple who have no money that have to have emergency are and you can't turn them away make it increasingly diffi cult. unless we can collect our bills, we can't operate, just like any other business," Branson said. He said the situation has worsened in recent years be cause of the tremendous in crease in population in the area served by the hospital, plus the increase in traffic bringing in more accident victims, aome of whom have no money to pay for the treatment they receive. "The percentage of bad debts increases along with the per centage of occupancy," Branson said.

Body of Ely Hotel Fire Victim Found ELY (AP) A search parry found the body of Sam Akita- 43, today in the ruins of the Northern Hotel, hit by fire Sunday. 'kita. a Salt Lake Citv truck driver, had been missing since uij lire broke out early Sunday. The body, not badly burned, was identified by Sheriff Archie C. Robison, two friends and several city officials.

The search party located the body at the rear of the hotel on the bottom floor. "It looks as if he died of asphyxiation," Robison said. "We'll have to wait for the coroner's report to be sure." Robison said the ruins would be searched for two or three more days. "We hope not to find anyone else," Robison said. "He was the only person missing.

Akita, an employe of a local feed firm, had indicated he might go fishing over the week end. But he failed to show up for work Monday. Steadily rising costs, in creased demands for services lack of expansion funds have forced Carson-Tahoe Hospital to seek to become a county insti tution. "Any hospital today has got to have some backing of some kind. Private (community) hospitals just can't go on their own without godfathers or someone to back them," said E.

Bran son, president of the hospi tal board of directors. He said the decision to ask for support of Qrmsby and las County Commissioners to Douglas County Commissioners to become a public institution was hastened by the failure of the last fund drive for expansion money. "We had to face up to it then," Branson said, "we had to go to a county institution." Ormsby and Douglas County Commissioners have set in motion the machinery to allow the counties to acquire Carson-Tahoe Hospital, which is now a privately supported institution, if the voters approve. A meeting of the Carson-Ta hoe Hospital Association will be set in June to ask for dissolu tion of the association, pending outcome of the election, to give the facility to the counties, Branson said. The two county boards met in joint session in Minden Monday to pass a resolution to initiate and circulate a petition to make Carson-Tahoe Hospital a bi- county facility.

Petitions for county acquisi tion of the hospital would re quire signatures of 30 per cent of the taxpayers of each county to put the question of acquisi tion on the ballot next Novem ber. Branson said the hospital may never need a dime rrom the counties for operation. Optimis tically we may always run in the black. The only time we would ask for money would be for expansion." He said the federal Hill-Bur ton Act provides an additional source of money for construction, so the hospital won't have to look to the counties for all of the building' costs. State Director of Hospital Services Don Baker said that during the present fiscal year, the Carson area could receive 47.3 per cent of general hospi tal construction costs from fed eral funds.

It could receive half of the costs for nursing home construction, he said. IVE60TTO SHOUHRHVE SOT TO 6ET A HIT, AMD OJlNTHE 6AME IVE 60T TO I'VE 60T T0J But, as the city grows around the ditch, adjacent property owners move in on the ease ment. They build their yards and fences right up to the wa ter's edge. Now, as fast as the cleaners throw refuse up on the banks, the city residents shovel it back in. Recently, the city of Reno passed an ordinance requiring subdividers to fence ditches running through or adjacent to their property.

The action was taken for the protection of chil dren. The developers build the fences near the water's edge, leaving no space where debris can be shovelled, Pecetti says. And, as a consequence, the channel is becoming too narrow to accommodate machinery that could haul the debris away. Even Washoe County and the city of Reno have contributed to the problem. Both have built storm drains that empty into the ditch.

During heavy rains the drains deposit great quanti ties of silt and trash. The dtich company has considered covering the canal, but it is discouraged by the cost. Concrete lining, top, bottom and sides, can run to $140 per linear foot. Lately, the ditch owners have been seeking help from the city and county. It is hoped the two governments will contribute to the cost of maintenance and policing.

Meanwhile, company attorneys are attempting to establish the extent of the ditch company's rights. On the other hand, says Pe cetti, there's hope adjacent owners still may be educated. Some have been. Once they are fully aware of the consequences, some not only stop dumping but report any neighbor who does, he adds. A number of adjacent property owners count the ditch as a real asset.

Some plant elab orate gardens along the banks and others fit the ditch into their patio scheme. Some have lined the canal with concrete or stone for a neat appearance, and they keep the channel clear of trash. If that kind of attitude takes hold on a sufficient scale, Pe cetti concludes, the problem can be beaten. ANDSHSS 601H6J05EB ME- MAKE A FOOL OUT OF IN THE LAST find the signs floating at the headgates. If they get one resident to stop dumping, two new offend ers move in upstream, they say.

The problem is complicated by encroachment on ditch easements. These easements, as old as -the ditch itself, run 20 to 30 feet wide throughout its length. Ditch owners figure they have the right to dump refuse along the banks when they clean the canal each spring. Mosquito Fight Possible A U.S. Public Health Service technician will arrive in 'Reno June 1 to make a survey of the Truckee Meadows that could lead to an area-wide mosquito abatement program.

Les Beadle, Atlanta, will be assisted in the survey by sanitarians from the Nevada State Health Department and the city-county District Health Department of Washoe County. Dr. W. E. Winikow, district health officer, said he expects the survey to be completed in about two weeks.

The technicians will probably attempt to locate mosquito breeding grounds and the varieties of the insect prevalent locally, he said. Then, Beadle probably will take the data back to Atlanta for analysis, and will make recommendations, said Wini kow. A number of officials of Reno, Sparks, Washoe County and Hidden Valley Golf and Country Club met recently to begin mapping an area-wide war on mosquitos. At present, only the city of Sparks and the country club undertake a mosquito abatement program and both do so on a limited scale. During the meeting, the dele gates requested federal and state assistance, which is offered free of charge for such projects.

THAT LITTLE RED-HAIRED 6(L IS WATCHING i THE SAMS! ordinance under which the commission operates aoes not require attendance of the director at its meetings. "They (the commission) are advisors to the council. The director is not responsible to them," Christensen said. I've been very unhappy with Dr. Kirkpatrick.

He was excellent when he first beean in 1962, but since then he's been on a part-time basis," Mrs. Naphan said last night, adding, "He seems to have spread himself pretty thin." Kirkpatrick, whose appoint ment as recreation director for the Rail City was a part-time one, stated in his letter to May or Christensen that he felt there should be no city council members on the commission and charged that one such member was dominating the group. Councilman Dr. Albert De- Mers, who said he was the one referred to by Kirkpatrick, re ceived high praise from Mrs Naphan. She said DeMers "has done more for the commission and recreation then anyone." Mayor Christensen repeated his agreement with Kirkpatrick that there should be no council members on the recreation commission.

"The commission members are advisors to the council," he said, and a councilman cannot be an advisor to him- self." The mayor said the inclu sion of councilmen on the com mission was a custom which had been established some vears ago but was incorrect procedure. "The ordinance does not call for it," he stated. Are Thieves Planning A Party? Thieves who burglarized the Carson City Elks Lodge early today may be planning a party, but not as big a blowout as they could have had. The thieves consumed five sandwiches, then walked off with six bottles of sctoch, six fifths of burbon and approximately two cases of beer and about $175 in cash. They left about 5300 in liquor, Police Sgt.

Don Cave said. Cave said he suspected the burglary had been committed by youngsters. "It wasn't done by professional burglars," he added. Cave said the thieves took the insides out of a quarter slot machine, and money from other slots, plus about 5150 from a cash box and broke into a cigarette machine. By NORMAN CARDOZA Water customers are begin ning to call the Lake Ditch the oldest established permanent floating garbage disposal in the city of Reno.

In the four miles that it winds through Southwest Reno, the old canal collects everything from beer cans to Christ mas trees. Whether it settles or floats, this annual mountain of debris creates an assortment of nuisances for the people who use the water, says manager John E. Pecetti of the Lake Ditch Co. The 172 downstream water users have had about enough, he says. They've hired a couple of lawyers to see what can be done.

Tree trimmings, weeds, milk cartons, cans, garbage and ashes are some of the junk people throw into the ditch, Pecetti claims. They toss in a lot of five gal lon cans removed from nursery stock, too. These fill with silt and block the water's flow. On Saturdays, Pecetti says, the ditch runs green with grass clippings, creating a tremend ous irrigation problem lor downstream users. The grass collects in head- gates and irrigation furrows, forcing water users to clear and re-clear their channels to keep the water flowing.

A couple of residents flush their kennels into the ditch a travesty particularly disgusting to water customers. "People use this water in their swimming pools, says Pecetti, "and all of the farmers water their stock with it." City residents protested vig orously when the Lake Ditch ruptured during the high wa ters of February a year ago. The stream created considerable damage to homes and streets in the vicinity of Plumb Lane. It was a bunch of discarded Christmas trees that jammed at a bridge, forcing the water over the ditch banks, Pecetti says. The banks soon gave way and the full flow of water poured into town.

Each spring the ditch com pany sends workmen in to clear the canal of silt and debris. The volume of discarded trash removed is appalling, notes Pe cetti. Though ditch customers have been putting up with the situation for years, their patience grows thinner as the city grows larger. But they face discouraging odds in attempting to stop the problem. Water users believe they have the law on their side.

City residents evidently do not agree. The owners have tried posting the right of-way with signs warning of the consequences of illegal dumping. They usually I IJTIUI lis 11.