HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2015-11-12, Page 11THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 12, 2015. PAGE 11.
Deer hunt successful despite unseasonable warmth
It is hard to believe the wonderful
weather we have enjoyed this past
week. It was a good week for the
deer hunt, although I did hear the
complaint that it was almost too
warm, especially tramping through
the bush. The unfortunate deer had
to be butchered every day due to the
heat. There were successful reports
by the groups I heard about, some
doing so well, they were already
finished the hunt by Tuesday,
because they had already used all
their tags.
The next hunt will be the first
week of December, which I expect
will be very different weather.
The great weather also allowed for
many acres of corn to be harvested,
as well as some late white beans and
maybe even soys. There was lots of
manure spread and cover crops
sprayed. For those farmers lucky
enough to be finished with harvest,
machinery was being washed up in
pleasant conditions instead of the
cold of other years.
We send our get well wishes to
Barb Dunbar, who is a patient in
Listowel Hospital. We hope she is
feeling better soon and back to her
home. Our get well wishes also go to
Orval Bauer who was injured last
week. We hope he is resting well and
recovering while in a London
Hospital. We hope he is soon home
again.
The Winthrop women gathered to
celebrate birthdays from October
and November last week at the
Walton Inn. Having birthdays in
October were Judy Beuerman and
Brenda Bernard and the November
birthday baby is Yvonne Gubelman.
Joining for the breakfast celebration
were Judy, Yvonne, Karen Braecker,
Jennifer Vellinga and Jeanette
Robinson. Happy birthday ladies!
Two small communities within
Huron East had a large police
presence on different days last week.
The village of Cranbrook was
invaded by police midweek
searching for suspected persons of
crime. Thursday there was a larger
police presence in Walton due to a
stolen property investigation. It was
reported that a man was spotted
making off with stolen items from a
property. The canine unit was
brought in for a search but did not
turn up anything. At one count there
were 10 police cruisers, 12 officers
and two canine handlers in town. It
certainly made for a lot of
conversation in the village.
The plans are falling into place for
a very unique affair for the Walton
Hall. The ladies of the Walton
Women’s Institute and the Walton
Hall Board are going to host a dinner
and a night with Graeme and Rick,
and friends. What it will be about is
top secret, but if you ever had a
conversation with either of these
men, anything will be fair game for
topics. We can expect it to be
entertaining and hopefully a full
house!
The International Plowing Match
committee met at the Walton Hall for
its normal monthly meeting. We
understand plans are falling into
place, but a lot of work is still ahead.
Celebrating birthdays this past
week include Clara Glauser, Steven
Huether, Justin Morrison, Rita
Bowers, Terry Sloan, Jane Zwep,
Mark Bachert, Kevin Grosvenor,
Jeanne Kirkby, Darcy McCutcheon,
Johnathon Williamson and Brian
Pryce. Happy birthday to all.
Huron County Council approved
two proposed speed limit changes at
its Nov. 4 meeting, but not before
hearing from a Walton-area resident
who spoke against the changes.
Kevin Wilbee, who lives near
Walton and who is also a newly-
elected Huron East councillor, asked
to speak to council about the
proposed changes after the decision
was first made. Council approved
the changes at a committee of the
whole meeting last month, but
stopped short of confirming them
before Wilbee could make his case.
The two changes would reduce the
speed limits on County Road 25
approaching Blyth from the west and
on County Road 12 approaching
Walton from the north to 60
kilometres per hour from the
currently-posted highway speed of
90 kilometres per hour.
In speaking to council, Wilbee
admitted that the changes are “quite
minor” in nature, but that he wished
to speak against the changes on a
matter of principle.
The first proposed change he
spoke to was that on County Road
12. He asked local residents and
businesses if they had any safety
concerns, which had been cited in
the county’s documentation, and was
told they did not. In addition, when
Wilbee asked for specific examples
of safety concerns from the Huron
County Public Works Department,
they couldn’t be provided, which, in
his mind, raised doubt.
He also challenged the county’s
claim that the area just north of
Walton is “built up” as the report
stated. He suggested that the road is
still a highway through that stretch,
and the speed limit should reflect
that classification.
In regards to County Road 25
approaching Blyth, he said that even
if the Huron Pioneer Thresher and
Hobby Association felt the high
speed limit was a safety concern
during its annual reunion, that still
leaves 51 other weeks of the year
during which the event is not being
held.
He also said that he had found no
evidence of safety concerns along
that portion of County Road 25 to
warrant the county’s claims of there
being safety concerns.
It was his hope, Wilbee said, that
council wasn’t simply “rubber-
stamping” recommendations from
the Public Works Department, but
applying critical analysis and asking
questions, rather than accepting all
information provided by the
department as fact.
Huron County Director of Public
Works Steven Lund said that one of
the main factors in both of the
proposed changes was uniformity.
In both cases, all other entrances
to the respective town, whether it be
Blyth or Walton, had reduced speed
limits. It was his thinking, Lund
said, that speed limit decreases
should be similar for all entrances to
a town, especially in these specific
circumstances.
In addition, he said, the county had
received safety complaints
pertaining to both sites over the
years, but he could not cite specific
examples, as Wilbee had requested.
North Huron Reeve Neil Vincent
also disagreed with Wilbee, saying
that North Huron had asked the
county four different times to lower
the speed limit on County Road 25
approaching Blyth for a number of
reasons, not just due to the annual
Thresher Reunion.
He also said that the intersection
of County Roads 4 and 25 has
proven to be one of the most
dangerous in the county, so to reduce
the speed of drivers approaching it
couldn’t be a bad thing.
Both Central Huron Mayor Jim
Ginn and Goderich Deputy-Mayor
Jim Donnelly, however, said that if
the county is going to err, it should
err on the side of safety.
Despite Wilbee’s concerns,
council passed both speed limit
changes. They will come into effect
once the signs have physically
been changed.
By Jo-Ann
McDonald
Call
887-6570
PEOPLE AROUND
WALTON
NEWS
FROM WALTON
The big crunch
Students at North Woods Elementary School got to participate in the Big Crunch. Through the
Huron County Health Unit and Blake’s Apple Orchard near Brussels, apples were delivered to
the school where students, like the school’s Kindergarten classes, shown above, got to
simultaneously bite into their treats. (Photo submitted)
PHOTO OF THE DAY
Let us know what is happening in your area by
emailing a picture for possible inclusion
on our website’s “Picture of the Day”.
Please include a small caption about the picture.
Visit our website at northhuron.on.ca
- maybe your picture will be the
PHOTO OF THE DAY!
Email submissions to:
reporter@northhuron.on.ca
The Citizen
Wants to Hear from You!Wants to Hear from You!
The Citizen
County approves speed changes in Walton, Blyth
Huron County Public Health Professional Day
November 16, 2015
Did you know the Huron County Health Unit has
17 professions working to keep you healthy and safe?
Administration Professional • Communications Specialist
CFA Volunteer Coordinator • Community Developer •
Dental Assistant • Dental Hygienist • Dietitian •
Epidemiologist • Graphic Designer • Parent Resource Visitor •
Physician • Public Health Inspector • Public Health Nurse •
Public Health Promoter • Plumber • Program Evaluator •
Program Support
Thanks for all you do to prevent injury and disease,
promote wellness, and protect health!
Huron County
Health Unit - Huron County Board of Health -