HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News Record, 2014-01-01, Page 3year in review
FEBRUARY (CONT'D)
A strange threat
In February newspapers in Seaforth,
Goderich, Clinton and others received an
anonymous threat in the mail warning of van-
dalism for any farmers that had industrial wind
turbines in their fields. Local anti -wind groups
immediately distanced themselves from the
threat, which was signed "Regards, your neigh-
bours." It is unknown where it originated from.
HealthyAPPetite
Central Huron's Business Improvement Area
unveiled a new phone app that connects smart
phone users to maps, business directory and
recreational facilities in February. The app fea-
tures all businesses in Central Huron, not just
the BIA.
Buck and doe clampdown
Both Central Huron and Bluewater munici-
palities had a hard time coming to grips with
new regulations from the Alcohol and Gaming
Commission of Ontario regarding buck and
does. The AGCO stressed four main regula-
tions: no advertising in the newspaper or social
medial; having only invited guests attend; mak-
ing
aking no profit at the bar and doing away with
games of chance like 50/50 draws. Buck and
does have long been a way to raise money for a
bride and groom to be. Central Huron council
expressed concem this would drive the parties
out of municipal venues and onto private
property.
Budging the budget
Huron County decided a 4.83 increase to the
2013 budget was unacceptable. While 2012 saw
a one per cent increase over the previous year
the low rise was due to surplus cash and reserve
funds offsetting. Capital projects alone in
Huron County were about $15.2 million. Coun-
cil eventually pared the number down to 2.47
per cent over 2012 rates - or $19.60 per
household.
Parasport bid
Representatives from Parasport Ontario
toured Huron County as part of a selection
committee to determine where the 2014 Par-
asport Games would be held. In Central Huron,
the selection committee toured the REACH
Centre, Central Huron Community Complex
and the gymnasium at St. Anne's Catholic Sec-
ondary School. While the municipality lost the
bid, they were advised to stay in the running
from Parasport representatives.
Thunder and blighting
The Exeter weather radar had an interesting
discovery that posed real concern for Bluewa-
ter Council. Industrial wind turbines show up
as small clusters of thunderstorms on the
weather radar.
Off the Radars
The Clinton Radars had a tremendous sea-
son last year, with 20 wins and four losses in
regular season, including an 18 -game win
streak. However, the engine ran out of gas in
the playoffs, with a surprise upset for Clinton.
The Radars lost in four straight in their opening
round against the Monkton Wildcats.
Nuke the nukes
Central Huron has the potential to be a deep
Wednesday, January 1, 2014 • News Record 3
Soldiers from an infantry reserve unit from RCR 4th Battalion held winter training on Bronson Line
near Bayfield mid-January.
geological repository for nuclear waste, accord-
ing to the Nuclear Waste Management Organi-
zation. The NWMO has been examining 20
communities in western Ontario, though there
is a nine -stage process for a community to go
through before being approved as a repository
site. Central Huron passed the initial screening
Feb 19.
Surcharge woes
Turbine developers in Bluewater would have
faced permit fees of $14,000 and securities of
$420,000 per unit if a February bylaw went
unchanged. This included money for security,
decommissioning, legal and health effects. The
bylaw would come back to haunt council over
the year, with the fees eventually reduced to
about $14,000. The building permit fee bylaw
was challenged by NextEra and Northland
Power.
MARCH
Back in action
The Ontario Secondary School Teachers'
Federation gave the go-ahead to reinstate extra-
curricular activities in high schools, though the
decision was being left up to the teachers them-
selves. On March 6, we reported CHSS were
resuming some activities in the spring semes-
ter. Despite the political action that plagued
much of the school year, the school band was
still able to put on their scheduled perform-
ances. Winter sports, however, were entirely
lost. St. Anne's track, soccer, rugby and tennis
were all ready to go in the spring semester.
More moratoriums
Huron -Bruce MPP Lisa Thompson tabled
four motions in provincial parliament regard-
ing industrial wind turbines. Thompson was
asking the province to suspend all 1WT devel-
opment in the province until a federal study
was released, as well as conduct economic,
environmental and social health effect studies.
Ec-dev and agriculture
Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn gave a dele-
gation to senior bureaucrats from the Ministry
of Municipal Affairs this past year, asking for
changes to the provincial policy statement with
regards to managing agricultural lands. Ginn
argued the statement restricts uses for agricul-
tural land, making it hard for new homes to be
built on properties too small to farm, and limit
agriculture industries like feed mills to com-
mercial areas.
Drennan support
About 75 protestors gathered at the Huron
County Courthouse to voice their opposition to
industrial wind and to support the legal battle
of Shawn and Trish Drennan. The Drennans
were fighting the K2 Wind project, which would
see more than 140 turbines erected in Ashfield-
Colbome-Wawanosh.
Race for funding
due to drought, and producers expressed con-
cern about money taken from risk manage-
ment and put into research.
IPM in Huron
Huron County will host the International
Plowing match in Canada's sesquicentennial
year, after a successful bid in early 2013. Huron
was without competition in its bid for the 2017
IPM, which is also the 100th anniversary of the
match. This will be the fifth time the county has
hosted the IPM.
Lexi's on fire
St. Anne's athlete Lexi Aitken broke the
Canadian record in the pentathlon in early
2013. Aitken scored 3,416 in the event, more
than 50 points higher than the previous record
in the under 18 category. The pentathlon
included 60 -metre hurdles, high jump, long
jump, shot put and 800 -metre run. Aitken was
named Canada's Youth Athlete of the Year after
a stellar performance at the IAAF World Youth
Championships in Donetsk, Ukraine.
Cougar town
The Clinton Cougars cheerleaders were
ranked second in Ontario after a provincial
competition this past winter. The team beat out
12 other competitive senior teams to take sec-
ond in Ontario, heading to nationals in April.
The routine was changed just one practice
before the provincials after one of the cheer-
leaders sprained her ankle.
Breakin' the law
Central Huron Council was found to have
held two illegal meetings in 2012, according to
the Ontario Ombudsman. The revelation came
in March 2013, along with nine recommenda-
Employees at MDL Doors near Brussels found out in February they would not be returning to
work after fire destroyed the manufacturing facility. The business had been around for 25 years,
and the majority of employees had been at MDL for 5-15 years. All told, 112 people were out of
work because of the fire, which happened Wednesday, January 23.
The Clinton Raceway was one of six Ontario
horse racetracks to sign an agreement with the
Ontario government that would see three years
of transitional funding as the province sought
to shrink the slots and horse racing industry.
The industry employs about 60,000 people
province -wide.
Risk management
Huron Bruce's senior politicians met in Clin-
ton to discuss ineffective risk management pro-
grams this past year, at the behest of the Huron
County Federation of Agriculture. Common
threads for concerned farmers included The
previous growing season was severely crippled
tions to council. The recommendations
included ensuring closed meetings complied
with the Municipal Act, avoiding last-minute
additions, making sure staff direction is
included in resolutions from the closed session
and keeping recordings of closed meetings.
Peewees' big adventure
The BCH Peewee Rep Ice Dogs were OMHA
champions in 2013, with a record of 45-10-7 for
the year. The Ice Dogs defeated South Huron in
the final game, after a 3-0 sweep of the Loyalist
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