Hartford Courant from Hartford, Connecticut • Page 362

Al 6 THE HARTFORD COURANT: Wednesday, June 8, 1988 Cats threaten piping plover comeback Continued from Page 1 of the birds last year. Bull estimates there are about 20 pairs in Connecticut. The Audubon Society leases a piece of Milford Point from the state for wildlife restoration. The area is adjacent to part of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge.

The plover is a small shore bird, about 6 inches long, with a sand-colored back and white underparts. It has an orange bill with a black tip, orange legs, a narrow black band around the neck and a black bar across the forehead. The eggs, laid in a depression in the sand that sometimes is lined with small bits of shells, are a faintly greenish cream color, well freckled with brown spots. The bird and the eggs blend easily with the sand. Before they can fly, which takes about three weeks, the chicks walk back and 'forth through the wire fence, as the adults do.

"As soon as those young birds come through the fence, the cats patrolling the fence zap them," Bull says. The problem is not confined to Milford Point, nor is it confined to plovers. Cats, some of them pets, some of them abandoned and wild, have caused increasing problems in more developed areas, such as Milford, in recent years. "It's not uncommon, and it may occur in more places than we know about," says Inez Connor, public affairs specialist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Northeast office in Boston.

She says cats also have killed plover chicks in New Jersey and Maine. She says the public for the most part is unaware of the problems that abandoned pets can cause. "Wildlife and pets don't mix," is one message the service has sought to spread, she says. "It's a big problem, and a growing problem," Bull says. "As the state grows, you have more cats." The problem in restoring the plover population is growing even as federal, state and private authorities increase their efforts to preserve the birds.

In Rhode Island, there have been protests because Moonstone Beach was closed to allow the plovers to nest. At Milford Point, the state this year has begun a public education program in hopes the problem can at least be reduced. Stacks of information sheets explaining the problem and urging cat owners to keep the pets off the streets have been left in the area. But if cats continue to roam, there is little the state or the Audubon Society can do. Julie Victoria, a wildlife biologist with the state Department of Environmental Protection, says that if a cat is caught in one of the state traps at Milford Point, it will be returned to the adjoining neighborhood.

"We don't want to upset any of the cat owners down there," she says. Any cat released could, of course, return to the nesting area. "That's the problem," she says. Bull thinks the cat problem is so widespread that the solution should be mandatory licensing, just as dogs are licensed. At Milford Point, for example, where dogs and cats are not allowed, officials could trap roaming cats and send them to the pound.

An unlicensed cat would be held. In the case of a licensed cat, the owner would be -notified to pick the cat up. But pet owners would be expected to resist the cost and trouble of licensing. The Audubon Society has no plans at the moment to seek such legislation, says David P. Sutherland, its director of environmental affairs.

At the turn of the century, the society sought unsuccessfully for 10 years to have a law passed requiring that cats be licensed. Sutherland says the society first will look at educational or other programs to reduce the problem, such as setting up meetings with pet owners in areas where there are problems. "Something has got to be done," Bull says. Joe Tabacca The Hartford Courant Piping plover eggs are in a fenced area at Milford Point to protect them from trampling by man, a major reason for the bird's decline. Richard Reihl remembered as an achiever, and a friend believe this, but The Reihl brothers said they liked to invite Richard to play cards, partly for his companionship but mostly because he lost a lot of money.

Reihl, who was 33, was the third child in a family of achievers. His father, Rudolph, runs a Waterbury insurance agency, and his sister is a student at Yale University Divinity School. His three brothers, John, Robert and David, work respectively as an insurance executive, an architect and construction manager, and a biomedical engineer. The children's mother, Helen, died in 1980. Reihl's own resume is impressive.

He graduated at the top of his class from Cheshire High School, studied electrical engineering at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and graduated with a degree in computers from Boston University. He was a credit or two away from a master of business administration degree at the University of Hartford, his family said. He worked as a systems analyst at Aetna Life Casualty specializing in computers, and had been accepted into a selective professional association. Jim Casso, a private consultant who worked at Aetna during the latter part of 1987, said Reihl had an introspective personality, but was very considerate and helpful. "Richard gave me a lot of his time and help," Casso said.

"I learned more from him in the two months I worked for him than in the two years before that." When Reihl wasn't at work or school, he could be found teaching basic economics to students at Lewis Fox Middle School in Hartford, as part of Junior Achievement's "Project Business." Aetna recognized Reihl's volunteer efforts in a March advertisement in The By BILL KEVENEY Courant Staff Writer When Richard Reihl was 14, he built a wooden fort in the back yard of his family's Cheshire home. Big deal. Lots of kids do that. This one, however, had a working telephone, electric lights and a television set. Throughout his life, Richard Reihl was no stranger to accomplishment, and his brutal killing outside his Wethersfield condominium last month left family members and friends wondering what, not if, he would have achieved in the future.

"He had a fulfilled life. He was satisfied with his accomplishments," said his older brother, John. "He was preparing himself for many more accomplishments," a younger brother, Robert, added. Those close to Reihl grieve at his loss, but they are committed to having him remembered as more than a gay homicide victim. "Our emphasis as a family unit is to try to impart that Richard stood for much, much more," Robert said.

Reihl's family and friends described him as an upbeat, caring individual who had an infectious laugh. "He had a real gift for lightening up the heavy," Reihl's sister, Nancy Leckerling, said in a eulogy at his funeral May 19. "What's been most striking about Richard is that he was always smiling," said Michael Michaud, a friend. "He was very kind, very warm, very bright." During a recent interview at the Cheshire home of their father, Rudolph Reihl, family members tempered the shock and sadness they felt with reminiscences about Reihl's lighter side. "He was a terrible driver," always getting into accidents, his brother, John, said, laughing.

"He'd always call and say, 'You're not going to Ambiance deal is seen as possible Continued from Page 1 and agency that can possibly aid us in obtaining a fund that would enable us to present a plan." Zampano said he favors dividing any fines paid to OSHA among the injured workers and families of those killed in the accident. But he would not discuss whether that would be done or what OSHA's position on the matter is. Meadow said that neither he nor Zampano had suggested that OSHA drop the cases, although he would welcome any contributions to a settlement fund. U.S. Rep.

Christopher Shays, District, and U.S. Sen. Lowell jP. Weicker, have introduced bills in the House and Senate that would divert any OSHA fines paid by the companies to a trust fund set up for the victims. The session Tuesday, where Zampano's efforts were discussed, was the opening round in an appeal process in which an "administrative law judge may even near cuguurciiis iium the accused contractors for a for OSHA, predicted that if jid settlement is reached, it would ytake at least 12 months to com-Splete interviews and engineering Xtests necessary before the hear- ings began.

U.SMA nronosen tne tines asr wuiuuci, dia uiuiiuia duel uie lui- i i 1, i i mncn nf thn nnrHnlM, fimchcH aDarimem Dunainc. mL. i i i a study by the National Bureau of Standards, which found that the most likely cause of the collapse was failure of a component used to lift concrete floors during the construction process. me uureau unuings ana OSHA's actions have come under severe criticism from the accused contractors, one of which has said OSHA's case is so full of inaccuracies that an independent board should be set up to find the real cause of the collapse. The contractors fined were Texstar Construction $2.5 million; TPMIMacomber, $2.5 million; Lift-Frame Builders Fairfield Testing Laboratories, and Preforce $1,000.

All five contractors have appealed the fines. That, in effect, has transferred the cases to OSHA's independent review commission. Contractors will argue their cases before Richard De-Benedetto, an administrative law judge for the commission, who will rule on whether OSHA's actions against the contractors were warranted. One of the five cases may be settled before the appeal hearings begin next year. Carol Swe-tow, a lawyer representing OSHA, told DeBenedetto Tuesday that OSHA and Fairfield Testing Laboratories were close to settling.

Concerns have been raised in the past about whether contractors involved in L' Ambiance have enough money to withstand legal costs and the decline in business resulting from publicity since the collapse. Texstar already has filed for protection under federal bankruptcy laws. David Turlington, a Texstar attorney, said Tuesday that no mat-. ter what the outcome of the civil cases or the OSHA cases, Texstar intends to pursue its investigation into the cause of the collapse. In addition, attorneys for the contractors, except Fairfield, agreed to draft an order to be signed by DeBenedetto that would allow contractors to do tests on debris and at the construction site, if a state judge does not move quickly on pending requests.

Contractors have been waiting more than a year to do such tests. Courant Staff Writer Deborah Duffy contributed to this story. Activists to fight for gay rights Continued from Page 1 and-lesbian violence," said Steven Gavron, co-chairman of Connecticut Coalition for Lesbian and Gay Civil Rights. "We cannot tolerate it any longer." Some of the speakers emphasized gay solidarity and challenged attitudes. "We have built a mighty movement," said Elizabeth Toledo of the All People's Congress, a national gay-advocacy organization.

"So we put the bigots on notice. We will not cower and we will not hide." Gavron said the group will monitor the handling of the cases of Sean G. Burke, 17, and Marcos Perez, 16, the Hartford teenagers charged in connection with Reihl's death. Each faces a charge of felony murder and first-degree robbery. Observers from the group will sit in on court proceedings, he said.

Toledo said gay-rights supporters will hold a public demonstration when Burke and Perez are arraigned. The anti-violence project also will examine media coverage of the Reihl killing and of homosexuals in general, and will protest "sensation-alistic journalism," Gavron said. Gavron saidmembersofthe coalition were distressed by an article in Sunday's Courant that described nightly activities at a downtown area known as The Block, a homosexual pick-up spot. In a confession to police, Perez said he and Burke met Reihl while driving around that area. At Reihl's invitation, the two teenagers went to his Wethersfield condominium, where they reportedly robbed Reihl and beat him with a log until he was dead, Perez said in his confession.

Gavron said the article about The Block was irrelevant to Reihl's killing, perpetuated dangerous stereotypes about homosexuals and increased the chances of violence against gay people. Mike Jenner, managing editor of The Courant, said, "Sunday's story was fair, responsible and absolutely relevant and newsworthy." Some gay men quoted in the story criticized practices on The Block, he said. The anti-violence project also will push for discussion of homosexuality and homophobia in high schools, starting in Hartford, Gavron said. Two other speakers, Michael Michaud and the Rev. Joseph LaMade-leine, said the Roman Catholic Church's attitudes contribute to prejudice and violence against homosexuals.

"Homophobia and homophobic violence clearly exist in our society and particularly our church," said Michaud, president of DignityHartford, the local chapter of an organization of gay Catholics. LaMade-leine is chaplain of the organization. In a press release issued Tuesday, the Rev. John F. Whealon, archbishop of Hartford, deplored the killing of Reihl and anti-homosexual violence.

He called upon Catholics and others to treat homosexuals with compassion and understanding and to end discrimination. In Washington, a gay-rights spokesman said the national study shows that the gay community Is under siege, confronted by the acquired immune deficiency syndrome epidemic and a rising tide of anti-gay violence. f'We're battling AIDS and we're battling a second epidemic; violence," said Kevin Berrill, director of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force's anti-violence program. Sen. Alan Cranston, issued a statement calling on the Senate to pass pending legislation requiring federal collection of statistics on crimes motivated by prejudice against a person's race, religion, ethnicity or sexual orientation.

A similar bill, introduced by Connecticut Rep. Barbara B. Ken-nelly, D-First District, was approved in the House last month. 1. 1 Suspects were seen as average teenagers "He was certainly one of the most outstanding volunteers we had," said Diane Hayden, Junior Achievement's director of operations.

Reihl had started in Junior Achievement as a student, selling table lighters made from Budweiser beer cans, his brothers said. In his spare time, Reihl was a photographer he once won an award in a national contest a sailor and an ardent traveler. "We're not building him up here. You can't imagine what type of person he was," said Terry Reihl, John's wife. Reihl's family, though, proud as they are of his accomplishments, remembers him most of all as one of their own.

"It's just the lack of a component of our family," John said, explaining the loss of Richard, known as Rick to the family. "He was one of us in thoughts, in mind, in spirit." He was also gay. That fact, a hushed secret or open trauma for many families, apparently never caused a problem in the Reihl house. Reihl told his family he was gay 14 years ago, Robert said. "He confirmed he was gay in a very prepared and very easy way.

There was never any shock," Robert said. "We accepted Rick for the way he was," John said. Family members said Reihl did not appear to have a long-term relationship with anyone, but that he often brought friends to family holiday gatherings. The family welcomed Reihl's guests, they said! Family members and Reihl's gay friends said they were surprised by police reports that said Reihl met the two teenagers clandestinely for sex in the loop of streets called The Block in downtown Hartford. In a confession that was part of the arrest affidavit, Marcos Perez, 16, MARCOS J.

PEREZ of various crimes, including armed robbery and assault, over the past 30 years. It is unclear how much time Sean spent with his father. Burke's lawyer, F. Mac Buckley, would not comment and his mother could not be reached. But friends and teammates had good things to say about him.

Burke is a junior at South Catholic and played quarterback on the varsity football team. A few students, chosen randomly at Bulkeley and South, knew Perez; Burke seemed to be known by many at his school. At Bulkeley, Chris Bonaluto, 15, said he played Little League baseball with Perez. Marcel Gervais, 17, said he was friends with Perez from the neighborhood. They characterized Perez as someone who liked to kid around, but who was not rowdy.

Besides baseball, Perez and Burke were interested in basketball and football, friends "said'. Burke, especially, was known for his athletic abilities. "He's a kid that has been in good standing academically and behav-iorally, here at South," said the Rev. William O'Keefe, school president. "He is a likable young man.

He was not by any means, at least in the context of school, not a boisterous young man. He is relatively quiet." Although some students at South were under the impression Burke RICHARD REIHL one of the teenagers charged with killing Reihl, said he and Sean Burke, 17, the other suspect, met Reihl while driving in the loop. "It's shocking to us, those details," Robert said. "I'd say it was highly out of character for Richard to initiate something like that." John said: In the affidavit, Peter Daly of Windsor Locks, Reihl's former roommate, said Reihl liked to pick up men 16 to 21 years old and brought them home on three or four occasions, but did not say where Reihl had met them. Michaud said Reihl visited Hartford gay bars, but that cruising areas such as The Block was not his style.

"Richard didn't cruise the back area," Michaud said. "He wasn't into the clandestine kind of cruising." Although the public focus has been on the events of their brother's final hours, Reihl family members said they hope people try'to realize there was much more to him. In her eulogy, Leckerling quoted her deceased brother's philosophy on the issue: "You will find that the power, admiration and respect you get will be strongest when you take pains to listen, to feel, apd to understand the other person." SEAN G. BURKE had returned to school this week, O'Keefe said he had not. Burke is doing his schoolwork at home, O'Keefe said.

"We are working with him to make sure he does complete the work for the ne Football teammates had only kind words for Burke. Jeffrey Godlewsky, 18, captain of the football team, describes Burke: "He's a very, very strong leader. He never lost control. When he played football, the key thing is to keep unity." Dominick Zito added, "He would always go out of his way to help." For instance, if someone made a play, Burke reassured the player, and if someone had a tiff with a girlfriend, Burke was willing to listen to the problem, they said. Others who talked about Burke and Perez also praised them.

In describing Perez, Edwin N. O'Leary, who was manager of a Little League team on which Perez played first base and pitched, says, "I would consider him sort of a shy, introverted type of an individual. Certainly not boisterous." He characterized Perez as sportsmanlike, saying, "This thing he is being accused of is very aggressive, and that's not in character with him because I consider him a laid-back kid." By JACQUELINE CUTLER Courant Staff Writer Marcos J. Perez, 16, wanted to be a lawyer. Sean G.

Burke, 17, was a star athlete. The two Hartford teenagers seemed to be the sort most parents would be proud to call their own. The young men, best friends for eight years, are charged with robbing and fatally beating a Wethersfield man May 15. In a signed statement to police, Perez said the three met at a cruising spot outside a gay bar in Hartford. Perez remains in Hartford's Weston Street jail because his mother, Barbara, cannot post the $200,000 bond.

Burke was released Thursday after posting $200,000 bond. The confession from Perez details a brutal killing in which Richard Reihl, 33, repeatedly was hit on the head by both youths, using a fireplace log. Reihl's hands were bound with duct tape and the youths returned to his front yard after the attack, where Reihl was struck with the log again to make sure he was dead, the confession said. They picked Reihl, Perez wrote, because they knew he was gay. From those close to them coaches, friends, family and a school administrator the reaction to the charges against the young men has been one of bewilderment and shock.

They described the two as regular youngsters, who played Little League baseball, were on high school sports teams, liked movies and were polite. As Vincent Giuliano, 17, a friend of Burke's from South Catholic High School, said after school earlier this week: "Don't take it under the impression that he's some kind of murderer. He's just a kid. You could have been talking to him instead of one of us." Perez is the youngest child and only son of Barbara Perez. A mother of three, widowed in 1979, Perez talks about her son much as mothers always have she repeats that he is a good son, not a perfect specimen, but one with innate sweetness.

She recounted how he recently stayed on the phone until 3 a.m. to help a girl who threatened suicide. He was sometimes prone to the lapses typical of teenagers. "I had to practically beat him up to get him to take the garbage out. He wasn't that good," she said, but, "He wasn't running the streets at night.

He went up to Goodwin Park to shoot hoops up there. He knew to get allowance, he did chores. He was your basic, average teenager." "And, I can't help but wonder sometimes if the last name" has anything to do with what she called less than glowing media reports. "Do they think he is some trashy Puerto Rican kid? He is as good as Sean Burke is." Perez attended South Catholic his freshman year and Bulkeley High School his Sophomore year until he withdrew recently. He did maintenance work (though his mother was quick to say "not broom- and mop-type to earn money for tuition.

He planned to leturn to South Catholic and repeat his sophomore year. Since he was a child, Perez wanted to be a lawyer. He was going to hire his mother as secretary and give her half the money he earned, she said. Recently, his interest in becoming an attorney waned. Because he was unsure about career choices, he was considering enlisting in the Marines, she said.

Since he has been in jail, he has become suicidal, his mother said. While not devout, Perez was baptized, received his first communion and confirmation and still attended St. Augustine's Church. Burke's father, Martin "Sonny" Burke, a former professional boxer, is in a Massachusetts jail, and records show he has been convicted I.