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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2014-07-30, Page 44 Huron Expositor • Wednesday, July 30, 2014 www.seaforthhuronexpositorcom Ilion Expositor PUBLISHED WEEKLY — EST. 1860 RO. Box 69, 8 Main Street Seaforth Ontario NOK 1 WO phone: 519-527-0240 fax: 519-527-2858 www.seaforthhuronexpositor SUN MEDIA A Quebecor Media Company NEIL CLIFFORD Publisher neil.clifford@sunmedia.ca MAXWELL BICKFORD Advertising Rep. max.bickford@sunmedia.ca DIANNE MCGRATH Front Office seaforth.classifieds@sunmedia.ca WHITNEY SOUTH Multimedia Joumalist seaforth.news@sunmedia.ca SUBSCRIPTION RATES 1 YEAR $50.00 (47.62+2.38 GST) 2 YEAR $95.00 (90.48+4.52 GST) SENIORS 60 WEEKS $50.00 (47.62+2.38 GST) 120 WEEKS $95.00 (90.48+4.52 GST) Publications Mail Agreement No. 40064683 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPARTMENT RO. Box 69 Seaforth ON NOK IWO For any non -deliveries or delivery concerns: phone: 519-527-0240 Advertising is accepted on condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid for at the applicable rate. In the event of a typographical error, advertising goods or services at a wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn at any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for reproduction purposes. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canadian Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. Canada' editorial Distracted driving a potentially fatal flaw OMI Agency Driving can be a dangerous business. But it does not have to be. Why is there such a seeming obliviousness to those who do not share the roadways responsibly? Most provinces now have distracting driving laws — some penalties more harsh and enforced than in other areas. It is time law enforcement gets more serious about executing these laws, understanding from a "proof" standpoint, it can be one of the most difficult tickets to stick. According to the Canadian Automobile Asso- ciation, cellphones remain one of the most com- mon distractions for drivers. Drivers text -mes- saging on a cellphone are 23 times more likely to be involved in a crash or near crash compared with non-distracted drivers, according to a 2010 Virginia Tech Transportation Institute study. Why are you on your phone, at least one that isn't hands-free? Not so many years ago, you had to wait for a phone booth. You have made it this far, why do you have to be yakking on your phone? Now there is a competitive communication function that is a reality of doing business today, but the selfishness of not giving the road your entire attention is morally bankrupt. And it doesn't mean just phones. It means reading (yes some people read while driving, huh?), lighting smokes, putting on makeup, looking through a CD collection. In Alberta, distracted drivers are three times more likely to be in a crash than attentive drivers. Kids in cars as passengers, especially infants, also impact your odds of being distracted, so plan for that. The RCMP found in 2010 that 104 fatal acci- dents in B.C. involved distracted driving. Distracted pedestrians can be a big problem, too. How many of us have been at a busy inter- section or crosswalk trying to keep traffic flow efficient only to have to make a quick stop and/ or wait because some moron is composing a text message while wallcing. Smarten up or become a hood ornament. We all share the road — motorists, cyclists, pedestrians — and we all share responsibility to give the effort our entire focus. Do we have your attention now? Good. Eyes on the road. To everything - turn, turn, turn Column Whitney South Huron Expositor The first time I saw a wind turbine, I was in my third year at university in Toronto. I woke up groggy from the bus ride just as we were passing the CNE. Casually glancing out the window, I remember feeling absolute shock, as a giant white structure appeared, towering over Lakeshore Boulevard. Honestly, I felt like I had fallen into a scene from War of the Worlds. There it was, bigger than I could've ever imagined, casting an imposing shadow I wouldn't soon forget. Looking past its size, I couldn't help but wonder why the blades weren't moving. Wasn't that the point, to capture wind? From that day on, the things fasci- nated me. I wasn't impressed, or angered, just fascinated. Over the years, I began to see more and more. Heading out to Goderich for a camping trip or travelling to London to visit friends, there they were, still not moving. That is, until last week. I was making my way to Bayfield to meet a friend for dinner, when I scanned the horizon, finally catching a glimpse of a working turbine. It must've been a busy day for the wind companies, as my cousin sent me a video showing another group out near London, spinning away. The message accompanying it ada- mantly declared, "Look! They've moving!" I guess I must've mentioned my observations to her once or twice before. At the end of day, I realized regardless of how many turbines I had seen all across Ontario, it had taken me over a decade to witness one actually turning. This phenomenon added even more questions to the growing list I already had swirling around in my head. When I first moved to Huron County, I knew I was going to end up hearing a lot of discussion about wind power. As with most things, my first reac- tion was to immerse myself in research. To find out everything I could about turbines and to learn the facts, pure and simple. Unfortunately, it wasn't quite as simple as I thought. Peer-reviewed research can be found standing up for both sides of the debate, leaving me with no real answers. But still I pressed on, in hopes of understanding what it means to live in a municipality so deeply entrenched in controversy. During my first couple weeks, I found myself at several council meetings packed with motions and votes on everything from proposed community funds to road user agree- ments and baseline sound studies. Though I wasn't shocked at the amount of passion present on both sides of the debate, I was surprised at how many people would share their opinion with me, but not make them heard in council chambers. When council was to vote on whether or not to accept a commu- nity fund offered by St. Columban Energy, Huron East Against Turbines (HEAT) members filled the room, ready to let councilors know they weren't interested in accepting any funding from the energy company. Council voted against the fund five to four, a seemingly controversial move, considering the municipality had already suffered a huge cut to their annual budget to the tune of over $300,000. I assumed this was the wish of the people of Huron East, as no residents showed up to sup- port the motion. I was proven wrong the very next day as many people bent my ear with the opinion council had made a terrible mistake. As a journalist, it's my job to remain unbiased when it comes to many things including politics, municipal council and even fund- raising. The controversy surrounding wind turbines is no different. I continue to try and educate myself on the pros and cons of wind power, taking in everything each side has to say with the deepest respect and understanding for their posi- tions. Hopefully everyone else is doing the same. In the end, I encourage everyone to never hesitate in standing up for what you believe in, but make sure you truly understand what you're fighting for. SEAFORTH HURON EXPOSITOR — HOURS OF OPERATION MONDAY: 9:00 - 5:00 • TUESDAY: - CLOSED • WEDNESDAY: - 9:00 - 5:00 • THURSDAY: - 9:00 - 5:00 • FRIDAY: - 9:00 - 5:00 • SATURDAY & SUNDAY: - CLOSED ADVERTISING DEADLINE: FRIDAY AT 2:00 • PHONE 519-527-0240 • FAX: 519-527-2858 www.seaforthhuronexpositor.com