The Burlington Free Press from Burlington, Vermont • Page 12

hp jtJurltaijtnn Births 2B Deaths 2B Courts 4B Wednesday, April 19, 1978 Quick-Spreading Fire Guts Eight Burlington Apartments 1 Vermont I Roundup 1 toward the lakefront. Thick, black smoke was pouring from windows that had been broken by the heat. Sue Holman, in her stocking feet and a sleeveless shirt, held her 5 month-old son Larz in a sweater as she stood across the street from the burning building. She said she had been feeding her son in a bedroom and had gotten up to go to the kitchen to see her roommate, also the mother of a 5-month-old boy. "It was almost like there was a small didn't know what to do at first," she said.

She returned to the bedroom she said, and "It was all flames outside the window right where my baby was lying on the bed. grabbed Larz and ran." Ruth Bogart lived in the upstairs apartment adjacent to that of Ms. Holman. Mrs. Bogart and her 16-year-old son Bill were in the kitchen at the rear of their apartment.

Turn to FIRE, Page 2B By WILLIAM H. BRAUN Free Press Staff Writer A fire that spread so rapidly one tenant called it "incendiary" destroyed eight apartments in a wooden, two-story building at 63, 65 and 83 North Ave. in Burlington Tuesday night. Several dozen residents escaped with little more than the clothes on their backs. But there were no injuries to tenants or to firefighters.

The two-alarm fire was reported at 9:50 p.m. and heavy smoke was still pouring from the building at midnight. All eight apartments were rented. The names of all the occupants were not available Tuesday night, however. By the time firefighters arrived, the rear porches of the connected buildings were alive with bright orange flames that illuminated the steep bank dropping down Jpy I do I i Essex Center Man Hurt Critically ESSEX CENTER Wilfred King 34, of Essex Center was in critical condition with multiple injuries at the Medical Center Hospital in Burlington Tuesday night after he was struck by a car as he was crossing the street in front of his house, police said.

The driver of the car, which was traveling west on Vermont 15, was Charlene Kappel, 41, of Underhill, police said. The impact threw King up onto the windshield and then he rolled off the vehicle's right 1 side, police said. Springfield Office Destroyed by Fire SPRINGFIELD Fire Tuesday gutted a three-story wooden building containing the Valley Carpet and Tile Co. on Clinton Street. The alarm was called in about 5:30 p.m.

and it took firefighters 2lz hours to bring the fire under control. "We had quite a workout," Deputy Fire Chief Karl Schoolcraft said. No one was injured, he said. The fire's cause was not known Tuesday night. Selectmen Decide To Let Library Pick Own Books Th Associated Press SPRINGFIELD Selectmen have decided to let the town's library decide what books should be on the shelves.

The board voted unanimously Monday to continue the policy of making library trustees responsible for book selection procedures at the Springfield Public Library. They investigated the procedures after a resident complained that obscene books were available at the library. Fm Press Photos by ELAINE ISAACSON Resident Debbie Metivier comforts son, Michael; neighbor Alice S. Powney, wipes eyes after fire gutted a North Avenue apartment in Burlington Panel Urged To Advise Flynn Renovation By ROB ELEY Free Press Staff Writer With serious consideration of its major report slated to open next week, the Burlington Civic Center Committee was urged Tuesday to include a renovated Flynn Theater as part of its recommendations. By mid-May the civic center group hopes to present final recommendations to the Planning Commission on the size and scope of a possible downtown activities center.

That list of suggestions will be a distillation of two reports to the committee, one recommending a new convention and performing arts center and the second calling for the purchase and renovation of the vintage-1930 Main Street Flynn theater. Meeting with the Champlain Arts Coun cil, the Civic Center Committee accepted both reports and set next Tuesday as the date for beginning discussions on the Planning Commission recommendations. The major question, aside from the decision to forge ahead with planning for the center, will be whether the center should include a large theater. "We ask that you recommend that the Flynn be part of the solution," said Andrea Rogers, who chaired the council's committee that studied the Flynn. The committee's major report, mapped by a team of design consultants, calls for construction of a exhibition hall, 8,000 square feet of assembly space, 6,000 square feet of meeting rooms and a theater.

Pet Wolf's Fate In Board's Hands The Associated Press SANDGATE The state Fish and Game Board is expected to act this week on a Sandgate man's application to keep his pet an 11-month-old timber wolf named Sharika. Ed Wallin, 31, who lives in a secluded area of the southwestern Vermont town, said he bought his wolf from a North Carolina breeder seven months ago. He said the 100-pound wolf is people-shy, and runs free for hours at a time usually staying in the vicinity of Wallin's remote cabin. State officials said Wallin must get a permit to keep the wolf. Though he is going through the procedure, Wallin said he does not expect the state to grant him the permit.

Jim Stewart, a fish and game coordinator, said the state strictly enforces rules on the importation of wild animals. He said such animals must be closely regulated because they could carry diseases that could threaten Vermont game populations. He said only one other Vermonter has a permit to keep wolves an East Thet-ford veterinarian who keeps his two wolves in an enclosed kennel. If the permit is denied, he said, Wallin can either dispose of the animal "humanely," or take it out of Vermont. Otherwise, he said, the state could confiscate the animal and dispose of it.

Wallin said he anticipates a battle with state officials over possession of the wolf. But he said he will go to court, if necessary, to keep his pet. The report says the four components of the center could be built for $16 million with the theater taking the largest amount of money at $11 million. The Flynn report, on the other hand, recommends purchase and renovation of the existing theater for $2.1 million. A smaller experimental theater might be added in adjoining buildings at an added cost.

"Our vote was unanimous," Ms. Rogers said of the council's deliberations on its report. "The Flynn should be the first priority because it meets the most needs." The arts council has described the Flynn project as a means of meeting the needs of local artists and others while the city explores plans for another theater. The renovated Flynn would have a 1,250 seating capacity. Civic Center Committee Chairman Frank E.

Dion said the theater size and location question would be one of the first topics up for discussion before the group next week. William N. Aswad, Planning Commission chairman and center group member, asked whether a theater, like that recommended in the design team's report, would satisfy all performing arts needs. John C. Gravel, representing the Lyric Theater local production company, told the committee that group would not be able to use a larger theater.

He said if both options were pursued there would be some competition for events. A spokesman for the Vermont Symphony Orchestra said the musical organization would have a difficult time filling a larger theater, since it now faces problems filling smaller buildings. Noting that sporting events had been cut from the proposed civic center after no need was found for such additional facilities, committee member Brian Brennan suggested the group was finding no large theater is needed. Agency Asked To Clamp Down On Paper Firm's Discharges Selectman Chester Scott, also a Windsor County senator, said his examination of a report on the procedure satisfied him that the policy should remain in effect. Scott said the town had agreed earlier to observe the American Library Association's "Library Bill of Rights," a document aimed at combating censorship and establishing parental responsibility for children's reading habits.

Goshea Lawyers Asking Retrial MIDDLEBURY Lawyers for Robert Goshea of Rutland, convicted of murder in December, presented arguments for a retrial in Addison County Superior Court Tuesday on the grounds the man Goshea allegedly murdered may have been seen in Burlington recently- Defense attorney Donald Griffith said the prosecutor, Rutland State's Attorney John Liccardi, was aware of the alleged sighting and neglected to tell the defense counsel. Robert Johnson of Rutland said last month that he had seen Ronald Rodgers, the alleged murder victim, or a strik By NEIL DAVIS Free Press Capitol Bureau MONTPELIER The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is considering whether to take action against the International Paper Co. for allegedly illegal discharges into Lake Champlain during January. EPA enforcement attorney Robert Matthews said Tuesday the agency is responding to a request from Vermont officials to cite the company for violations of its discharge permit.

"We can do a number of things, but we haven't decided which," Matthews said. "We can call them up and tell them to clean up. We can issue an order. We can turn them over to the U.S. attorney for prose cution," he said.

Whatever the agency does, Matthews said, its policy is to inform the permit-holder the company before other parties. Acting Vermont Environmental Conservation Secretary Reginald LaRosa and Assistant Attorney General Benson Scotch met Monday to discuss the state's strategy in protesting pollution by the company. During their meeting, they contacted Matthews by telephone at his New York City office. "The federal government had not yet focused in on this problem," Scotch said later. "I told Bob Matthews we in Vermont regarded it as an urgent problem and that we want Turn to AGENCY, Page 2B Paquette Wants Two Police Budgets Combined 1 lN'' T' ing look-alike, in Woolworth last January, during Goshea's trial.

Johnson said he was Ave feet away from the man. Griffith said Liccardi should have informed the defense of the incident, as Johnson could have been called as a witness. Liccardi countered that he did not attach significance to Johnson's claim and did not consider him a pertinent witness. Deadline Near fy A By ROB ELEY Free Press Staff Writer Burlington Mayor Gordon H. Paquette Tuesday told the city Police Commission to rewrite its 1979 budget proposal to combine two traditionally separate department budgets.

Commission Chairman Antonio Pomerleau, meanwhile, said he will insist' that the two accounts remain divided in the spending plan that maps department operation for the next year. The mayor's request came during the first day of city budget hearings and was accompanied by indications that department requests for added manpower probably won't be endorsed by Paquette. Since the 1972 creation of a special Police Department tax, the commission has drawn up two separate budgets. One is funded by general tax revenues and the other is funded by a special 15-cent tax. Paquette asked commissioners to combine the two budgets and warned the group he would revamp' the proposal if he did not receive a revision by Friday.

The mayor said it is time that both accounts be "folded into one budget so we're looking at one picture and not at two." Likening the police tax to one passed years ago and earmarked solely for support of the city parks system, Paquette said if "we were still operating the parks on that tax we'd be a little short" of money. Backed unanimously by the commission, Pomerleau said he felt the special tax budget could not Turn to POLICE, Page 2B i For Registration ESSEX TOWN Local res idents who are not on the voter checklist and want to partici pate in the annual town meet ing next month must register Free Press Photo by STU PERRY MAYOR PAQUETTE REFUSES TWO BUDGETS rewrite requested by Friday Free Press Photo by STU PERRY COMMISSION CHAIRMAN POMERLEAU dual accounts for police defended to vote by Saturday..