The Tampa Tribune from Tampa, Florida • 33

SOUTH FLA THE TAMPA TRIBUNE Section r- LOCAL NEWS "I TAMPA, FLORIDA, THURSDAY, JULY 31 Lee School Board Rappe For Small Teacher Raise Vt the administration of the schools, and too little "on the classroom activities down where the action really takes place." "They talk about buying a fancy computer," he said, "and I don't know of one thing a computer could help me with in the classroom. Those things are expensive, and the county already has one." School officials said they were aware of the LCTA requests, but had no comment on them. School officials and the LCTA have not gotten along too well since the teacher walkout, and a court suit later by the Florida Educational Association which forced the Lee board to pay back $38,000 to the LCTA which the board had levied as a fine after the walkout. UP1 By WARREN CANON Tribune Staff Writer FORT MYERS Lee Coun-ty Teachers Association officials yesterday said they have informed school board officials that teachers are discontent and "losing ground" because of small pay raises and rising costs of inflation. Circus 'Gorilla Lady' Legend Ends With Alps Death Of MToto's Owner Euen The Losers Live A Good Life RIG LI KG BIM5 left are: Kikuyo Ohsuka, Miss Japan; Shava Levy, Miss Israel; Harriet Eriksson, Miss Finland, and Joanne Barrett, Miss Australia.

AP VVirephoto These are the four runnersup in the Miss Universe Beauty Pageant held at Miami Beach this month. They have another week to enjoy the sun before departing for Brazil and a fashion show. From 8 As Hearings Continue Public Remains Un-GenTel jT COMMISSIONER RAINEY said, "The universal complaint is why must we pay the By JACK BRIGGS Tribune Staff Writer VENICE Mrs. A. Maria Hoyt, a gentle, diminutive and aristocratic woman whose contribution to the legend of the Ring-ling Bros, and Barnum Bailey Circus spanned more than a quarter century, died last week of injuries received in an auto accident in the Austrian Alps.

Mrs. Hoyt, whose quiet devotion to her pet gorilla, M'Toto, was legendary in the circus world, became associated with the circus in the early 40's. M'Toto joined the famous Gar-gantua billed as the "world's most ferocious as a feature attraction with the Greatest Show on Earth. M'Toto was captured by Mrs. Hoyt while on a safari in Africa with her late husband, E.

Kenneth, Hoyt. The young female gorilla was raised in her home, and Mrs. Hoyt maintained almost daily contact with her pet even after she was loaned to the circus. M'Toto's ownership was never publicized until recent years, when Mrs. Hoyt consented to have her name associated with the gorilla.

M'Toto and Gar-gantua's names were syno-nomous with Ringling Bros, and Barnum Bailey Circus until Gargantua I died in the early 50's. Mrs. Hoyt always main- By JAMES WALKER Tribune Staff Writer ST. PETERSBURG The Florida Public Service Commission collected another day of grievances against General Telephone Co. yesterday and scheduled two more overtime sessions to handle the backlog of unhappiness caused by telephone service in Pinellas County.

Twenty-two witnesses poured out their discontent the Bayfront Center in the second day of the PSC swing through General Telephone territory. At day's end, so many were waiting Commission Chairman William Mayo set another St. Petersburg hearing Sept. 18 and a follow-up Sept. 19th in Clearwater.

"THAT ISN'T a telephone company, that's a catastrophe," characterized witness Herbert Bernhardt. The 21 others spent the day embellishing the theme. The Western Union franchsie owner in Dunedin said his Christmas and Valentine business was wiped out because the telephone company wouldn't tell callers Western Union's number was changed. George Williams, vice-president of the LCTA, which represents about 80 per cent of the classroom teachers in the county, said he had met with a school board member and the school board attorney over the matter, but no action has been taken. He said the cost of living went up locally last year 5.7 per cent, and salary increases weren't keeping up with rising cost.

The school board is presently compiling its budget for the coming fiscal year, and plans a $138 yearly increase for teachers. "Based upon last year's salary of $5,987," said Williams, "it would take at least $299 for the teacher to offset the rising cost of living in Lee County. The school board has offered only $138 in increases for the coming year. "This means the individual teacher is going to take a $161 loss in pay based upon a five per cent cost of living increase, and projected reports for the coming year tell us that the increased cost of living will exceed more than five per cent." "There's a lot of discontent," said Williams, "and the teachers feel they're caught in a real bind." The board has tentatively approved beginning teacher salaries of $6,125, which is $138 over last year's salary. The increase for beginning teachers also affects senior teachers, because raises are scaled for all teacher of all experiences.

"The teachers are on a fixed income," said Williams, "and what the board sets now the teachers have to live with regardless of how much more the cost of living increases for this budget year. They can't go ask for raises." Williams said the board takes the position there isn't enough money available to raise teacher salaries five per cent, but yet he can't obtain a budget to study. "I went up there three times trying to get a copy of the budget," he said, "and although I was told it was available to the public, everytime I tried to look at a copy, they told me to come back later, some corrections had to be made." He was speaking of the tentative budget, because the final budget hasn't been ap proved by the board. Williams said if the budgets were available before they were approved, and not after they were approved, there was a chance LCTA officials might be able to find places to save money in the budget. "It doesn't do any good to look at a budget after it's approved," he said, "because then it's too late." He said the board was spending too much money on School Budget Approved PUNTA GORDA (By Staff Writer) The Charlotte County School Board has approved a budget of $4,261,083 as tentatively approved earlier this month.

State and federal programs and other sources, will provide more than half of the total budget. The balance will come from a 9.31 millage levy and a debt service levy of .64 mills. A total of $3,312,453 will go for school operation; $467,442 for debt service; $541,588 for capital improvements; and $119,047 for contracted 4 WAR 'Will. A.r h'k Top Billing Mrs. Hoyt's treats and also was cared for by M'Toto's keeper, Jose Tomas.

The young male, called belongs to the circus and carries on the tradition. Almost exactly a year ago, Mrs. Hoyt and her pet were separated when M'Toto died of old age at 38. At the time of her death, M'Toto was the old-', est living gorilla in captivity. M'Toto was buried in a simple wooden box.

Mrs. Hoyt continued to maintain -her daily visits in taking flowers to where M'Toto was buried every day. The visits ended when Mrs. Hoyt left this summer for Bab Gastein, a spa in the Austrian Alps. ing, one objector said and under the circumstances the petition objects to a change the petitioner no longer desires.

"If this comes back up in a week, two weeks, or a month, we'll have to do this work all over again," Stanley Swartz, one of the opposition group, said. Planners declined to make a decision, though, choosing to honor the petitioner's request for withdrawal of the rezoning plea, therefore, the protestors, offering only verbal opposition, declined to submit their petition until such time as Windmill Villages resubmits its rezone request. Windmill Villages of America, Inc. presented another petition regarding other acreage, planned as a site for the fourth mobile home park in the county. This petition, also seeking a rezone from residential to mobile home park, was referred to the rezone committee for further study.

The land involved is 71 acres lying between Oneco and Little Pittsburgh Roads, just west of U.S. 301 and is planned for development of a 182 unit rental park featuring underground utilities, cablevision, a heated swimming pool, recreational hall, shuffleooard court and putting green. 2 Meeting Confusion Caused By Petition Withdrawal rar.sndfnrs.Garqonttfa MOM I 111 llimo Gorillas Got tained a home near M'Toto where she could visit the gorilla every day. Since 1961, when the circus established winter quarters in Venice, Mrs. Hoyt has lived In Sarasota, except when M'Toto traveled to New York for her annual ap-pearance fn Madison Square Garden.

When Mrs. Hoyt visited her pet, she always brought her some sort of sweet, and frequently a brightly colored flower. She would sit and hold hands with the massive gorilla, unobstru-sively hidden from public view in the service area of M'Toto's climate-controlled cage. M'Toto's cage mate, a young male gorilla billed as Gargantua II, shared in tion may be re-submitted at anytime, but a denied petition can only be re-submitted after a period of six months. A petition had been prepared by protestors, for submission at yesterday's meet- Dairy Waste Disposal Study Set In Manatee BRADENTON (By Staff Writer) The wheels are about to be set into motion in Manatee County for a dairy waste disposal study which could produce information and guidelines beneficial to dairy farmers and officials throughout the state.

County Environmental Engineering Department Director Chris Angelidis met yesterday with T. C. Skinner, agricultural engineer of the Florida Agricultural Extension Service and officials of Hoods Dairy to discuss plans for the study, which will be conducted cooperatively by Hoods Dairy, Manatee County Health Department and the University of Florida. Angelidis will request a meeting with State Health Director Vincent Patten, tentatively slated for Aug. 7, to discuss the possibility of the state assisting in the program.

Iff i TJT 1 ft "It's not a telephone on the wall I have; it's an ornament that should have a decoration in it," he added. Bernhardt's testimony brought titters, then roaring laughter from the audience. THE ST. PETERSBURG session was marked by the appearance of Charles Rainey, county commission chairman, who handled over a file of complaints; and Rep. Don Stafford of Clearwater, a critic in the legislature of utility regulation.

"I'm objecting to the high cost and the low quality service," said Stafford. He said a "creditility gap" exists between customers and the telephone company. Stafford said he was told he could transfer his business number to another address and took a lease on the new space. Then the telephone company said it didn't have the lines, he said. His assertion that General Telephone pays $22 for a telephone set compared to Southern Bell's $11 brought an objection from Hugh Macfar-lane, counsel for the company.

Chairman Mayo admitted the testimony. "I think he's close enough," Mayo said. hard, because I was so happy," said Mrs. Mazucci. "I told her, 'We'll see you tonight.

She followed us with her eyes, all the way to the door." Joanne's physician, Dr. Robert C. Price said everything is proceeding well for the chronic kidney failure victim. "IT'S A GRADUAL progression," he noted. "She still is not breathing adequately on her own to take her off the artificial respirator.

"Her uremic pneumonitis is gradually clearing up, but we anticipate there will be traces for two or three weeks. Her blood pressure is all right, although it isn't normal yet." The blood urea nitrogen (BUN) count is fluctuating between 40 and 60. A count of 20 is normal. Joanne's was 240 when she entered TGH on July 16, and had leveled out at 120 when she began receiving dialysis last Thursday. "After the dialysis today," said Dr.

Price, "it will go down to 35-40, gradually creep back up during the next 48 hours, and then go back down after her next dialysis. "This is the range any chronic renal patient will reach." A St. Petersburg retiree begged not to let the telephone company change his number again. Every time they do, he testified, he draws a barrage of unwanted calls. "I had 17 calls for St.

Anthony's Hospital in one day," said David Kready. "When I went home for lunch today from this hearing, I got another." Pinellas customers lodged complaint upon complaint of being falsely promised dates when to expect private line service, Others described embarrassment because, they said, the operator erroneously would tell callers the number was out of service, implying the bill was unpaid. "THE PARTS companies are coming out to see of I'm still in business; customers are coming out to see if I'm alive," Bernhardt said. "They (telephone officials) told me my hearing is bad so I went to the doctor. My hearing's fine.

Then they said it's the fan in my shop," he continued. "It's never General Telephone's fault, it's always mine." Telephone connections are so bad they sound "like Mr. Zapeto talking to Pinnochio under water," he said. Yesterday, for the first time since July 12, Joanne was improved enough for that little bit of soup to supplement her intravenous feeding. And when her parents, Mr.

and Mrs. Dominick Mazucci of North Fort Charlotte, visited her for the 15 minutes allowed yesterday afternoon, she was alert enough to communicate with them. Joanne still couldn't talk she won't be able to until the tracheotomy device is removed but she could nod. And she did. "I TOLD HER that her sister and her whole family are moving down here in August," beamed Mrs.

Mazucci. She referred to Mr. and Mrs. Edward DeCristi of Deer Park, N.Y., and their four children. "Joanne nodded her head she was trying to talk but she couldn't with that thing in her throat." In his excitement over seeing his daughter so improved, Mazucci referred to Joanne's god-child as Rita DeCristi.

Mrs. Mazucci spoke up and said, "Your god-child Sally Ann will be here soon." Joanne was alert enough to catch the error, and nod 'Yes' when her mother corrected it. "Then I started crying so Joanne Happy After Soup, Talk To Parents nation's highest rate for grossly inefficient telephone service?" He called General Telephone promises a "Disneyland fantasy of things yet to come The PSC continued the for-mat it adopted in Tampa, hearing public critics first. For the second straight day their testimony "consumed the proceedings. Although the telephone company has its testimony in justification for keeping $4.2 million in rate increases, it has yet to deliver it from the witness stand.

Finally, Fred D. Learey, GenTel president, issued a statement yesterday attempting to soften the punches. "It is obvious," he said, "when people are encouraged to attend a public hearing with the expectation of possible lower prices based on complaints indeed, a vocal group of individuals will respond. And, it is not unrealistic to believe that this type of hearing would attract people to complain who would otherwise be more tolerant in any service situation." HE ASSERTED GenTel is meeting all service standards promulgated by the PSC. It is this point that is at issue in the hearings and which will determine whether the company must reduce its rates.

During the day, Macfarlane leaned toward permitting critics to vent their feelings but he challenged Walter Hey-wood, the Dunedin Western Union manager in an exchange with ominous tones. "Mr. Heywood, what did you mean a few minutes ago in the back of the room when you said I'd better not cross-examine you or you would take care of me?" Macfarlane asked. Heywood: "I didn't say that. I said 'we'd have Macfarlane excused him from the stand.

Sarasota Sets Legislative Weekend Dates SARASOTA (Special) -Local chamber of commerce officials announced yesterday that the 12th annual Sarasota County Legislative weekend has been tentatively set for Jan. 9-10. theme and format of the weekend, to be headquartered at the Azure Tids, will be announced later by the planning committee. As usual, social functions for the visiting legislators will be Friday night, Saturday noon and again Saturday of these dates. Tentative plans call for a Sunday brunch for the legislators.

A ladies' brunch is also planned during the weekend. By ALINE MILLER Tribune Staff Writer BRADENTON Confusion reigned yesterday at a Manatee County Planning Board meeting regarding what should be done about a suddenly withdrawn rezoning petition. The petition, submitted by Windmill Villages of America, a firm which has three rental mobile home parks under development in the county currently and a fourth in the planning stages, involved 23.86 acres of land 200 feet north of 66th Avenue West, just east of U.S. 41, near the original Windmill Village development in this county. Planning Director Neno Spagna informed the planning board the petition had been withdrawn by the petitioner just prior to the meeting.

Since there were those in attendance wishing to be heard on the petition to rezone the land from residential to mobile home park, it was decided the public hearing would be held as scheduled, over protests from some of the planning board members. But three objectors in the audience were reluctant to register their objections unless the planning board agreed to either deny cr approve the petition at this lime. Under the ordinance, a withdrawn peti By MARY ANNE CORPIN Tribune Staff Writer Happiness is being able to turn onto your side by yourself and take a mouthful or two of soup and "talk" with your parents. Along with her latest four-hour kidney dialysis treatment, these were the major events yesterday in the life of Joanne Mazucci. Important events, if you've hovered between life and death for the past two weeks.

The petite 23-year-old still is In critical condition in an Intensive Care Unit of Tampa General Hospital. She became the object of international attention when her family was faced by a hospital policy which requires that chronic kidney failure patients guarantee payments of two years treatment ($30,000) in advance, before they can be placed on the life-saving artificial kidney. SARASOTA COUNTY pledged the payment for Joanne, and the Central Florida Kidney Foundation has been organized to set up funds to assist other chronic kidney failure victims. The hospital itself is anticipating a deficit of $1-2 million in unpaid welfare bills this year. si.