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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1978-01-12, Page 1• I' local inside this week 'kite Aura xpositor People "0 P.10 Novice team "B" Champs . P.13 Thedays of chewing P.14 Farmers will remain valiant P.16 •$12.0b a Year in Advance -"" Single copy 25 cents Whole No, .5731 119th' Year SEAFOITH, ONTARIO, TURSDA'4jA:NUARY ig, 1975 —':20 PAGES f. eates '1 he first winter storm of 1978 was„ petering out Wednesday aft two days .of high winds, • snow and intense cold wreaked havde in Huron and surrounding counties. . All area highways-were blocked Tuesday, as plows were pulledbff the reads late Monday afternoon. Blowing snow which reduced visibility to zero and caused heavy 'drifting, kept the plows in .• township work yards until • conditions Moderated. By " Wedeesday afternoon, area • highWays were passable; but winds were etill causing drifting ,., and white o.uf conditions, rnaking.! 'driving haiardous. Tony Chir, officer in charge, at the -Goderich • airport weather office, said the storm was at its height Monday when the 14 degree C temperature plus the 30 miles per hour winds gave a dangerous chill factor well below - 35°C.."Expesed flesh freezes fast in that temperataure", he' said. Winds gusting as high as miles per hour whipped the snow into - drifts, sealing off• many rural roads. Mr. -Chir djdfind ., something to be thankful, for, howeVer,' noting that this winter so far has not been nearly as severe as last yeai's January to • date on•-the- average., has been warmer than laSt,, Mr. Chit ,said. Roads Ministry of TransPortafion arid Wednesday 35 centimeters (et 14 the Goderich •weather station. inches) of new snow had fallen at DESTROYS DUBLIN HOME — Mitchell • firemen were called to the scene of a blaze in Dublin at about 8:45 a.m. Wednesday. The Ann. Street home of Mr. and Mrs. Doug Small ,Wae completely destroyed. No one was at home at, the time..A dog perished in the blaze. Fir:e DepartmPnt said yet been determined damage. A spokesman for tfie Mitchell the cause of the blaze has not . There are no estimates of (Expositor Photo) Communications officials •in Clinton said area highways were snow covered and slippery 'In places Wednesday, but traffic was moving• steadily. TwO MTC snowplows cleared an eight mile path along highway • 8 from Londesboio Tuesday to allow-chicken feed to be delivered to the farm :•of, Mike Dykstra, R.R.2, Clinton. About' 20,000 , broiler chickens were without 'feed, Road superintendent's in Tuckersmith, Hullett and Hibbert Townships could not be reached for comment Wednesday; is road crews struggled, to Open plugged concessions and sideroads. ' Campbell, road' superintendent in McKillop Township said Wedne'sday morning the 107 miles of road's in •.• the township . were' in fair Condition, but crews were still, working at widening them. • No Classes • For school children the storm . meant no classes as buses, students, and teachers were unable to reach the schools. ' Jack Lane, superiptendent of business for the Huron-Perth County Roman Catholic Separate School. Board Separate Schools were geperally closed except for a few open to local. Students., No' buses have been . running to any schools in this area so far this-Week. He said most of the "local students were ,not in their schools either on Monday or Tuesday. WedneSclay ,morning with . no buses running, there were" 37 Neils out of 159 at St. James' Separate School, Only four teachers 'were able to . get to schobl. At Seaforth Public School Wednesday morning principal Paul Carroll said. with no buses _running 129 of 357 pupils were in school with 15 teachers present, two with the flu and two ,stermbound whom he expected in later as roads were opened. Mr. Carroll said' it provided ,a period for those students at school , for remegial work or enrichment. He said there were "storm packages" sent home for children in the event of such storms and thus even those at rn hoe.were provided with work if they cared to do' it. At the Seaforth District High School it was reported there were "some bodies" but there have been no classes this_ week,. The teachers who made it are using- the time for class preparation and marking. W.D.Kenwoll, Superintendent of the Huron County Board of- Education, said about 16 schools • (Continued on Page 10) 4. • Off more than' 16 hours Mr. Cfiir saidthe Storm began late Sunday afternoon and by • II • Hydrofaiis ,in townships Between 150 and 200 hydro station early Tuesday morning hours but, about 30 were still .customers in, parts of McKillop, when high: winds caused the 'without hydro Wednesday Tuckersmith and Hullett den insulating yins to fall or Townships spent more than .16 float. his allowed movement and morning.' , hours without light, heat' or the conductors short circuit 4. . Jim Henderson of ' R: R.5, appliance's Tuesday, during the Severe weather' and road Seaforth, said their hydro was off height of the snowstorm which conditions hampered ,workm , from about 1 a.m. Tuesday until began Sunday night. but late Tuesday afternoon the .out 4:30, p.m. 'that afternoon. Walter Palmer, Area Manager were able to reach the scene by He, aid his pigs were fed and of the Clinton office of Ontario snowmobile, wateree by hydro but power ,was Hydro, said the trouble strarted Service was restored to most of restored fore they had to pi to at the Seaforth distributing the customers after about 16 "generator power". *2, Four councillors opposed tractor,. complete with 'loader and snowblower. Council also approved the purchase of a new snowhiciWer. fronfLukes Maehine Shop, The 72 ." inch blower wilf.C'ost $3,300. Mayor Cardno, reported that John Lyndon, -director of 'the Huron County •Housing Authority, will attend council's February meeting' to diseuss issues surrounding-senior citizens.. housings in"tho county.. Council ,accepted a tender from "Ken" MirTwindoWs -for storm , windows for the Town' Hall, Cost of the 13 windows 'will be $617.60. Deputy reeve Dale said the cost would 'probably be made up in a couple of, years through savings on' the heating bill for the building. Council will ask the fire chief to investigate ; the_„need for fire extinguishers in the town • hall,* garage, libtlry and community centre. A decision on how many extinguishers to buy will be made ,on the basis .of the chief's report. • • • Colouring contest draws area entrants The annual Expositor Christmas colouring' contest attracted entries from throughout the area, and judge Mabel Turnbull, a long time art teacher at Seaforth Public School, spent days pouring over the entries before coming up with first, second, and third place winners in each of the three • age ,categories. Winner in the five and under age group was Carolyn Roth of R.R,3, Kippen,,, Second place went • to Wendy Lammerant of R.R.1, Blyth. Third went to Jason Knights of Seaforth. • .,1 Anne Robinson of Walton was the winner in the six to eight year age group. In second place was Siobhan Keane of R.R.2, King. Ontario . Third place"...went of to' Debbie DeJong of 'R.R.2, N4onkton. First in the nine to twelve age group was Darlene Moore of Egmondvilte,, Sandra Hulley of S&rfoll'Ir was second. Third was Wilma Van pyke of 8.12.4, Seaforth. , Seaforth councillors haven't budged in their positions on the issue of purchasing the Corrie Property on Main Street as the eventual site of a new fire hall. 'At special meeting Tuesday. \,1 /4 afternoon, a by-law to complete Nthe purchase was passek But four of the nine members' of council are still against the purchase. At council's . December ,meeting, a recorded . vote was called on whether to complete the terms of an offer to purchaSejlie. property for $20,000 or to loose the $2,000 holding fee that had, been paid up to that . point. Councillors Jim Sills; Ken Roth, and Bill Bennett voted against the purchase, as: did Reeve John and- land west of Railway Street 'Flannery. At the Tuesday will be re-zoned residential, if the meeting,,, when a' by-law was Ontario Municipal Board introduced which officially approves. completes the purchase, the four Acting on a report from the once more voted against the public works committee, council move. Voting for .it .were Mayor also approved the purchase of a Betty Cardno, deputy . reeve new tractor at the Tuesday William Dale,' and councillors meeting. Committee_ chairinan Wayne ElliS, Gerald. Groothuis, Jim Sills told council three and Irwin. 'Johnston. tenders.for the new machine had 'It isn't known how soon a new ; been received from Boyes, fire hall may be.built on the site. McGavins and Vincents. The' In other • business, council -tender from Vincents, for a 60 __p.assed_t_w.o..4ylaws -Kt—dieser' changes in the. Town's official, ...plan. A portion-of the industrial park south of the CNR tracks and bordering on Main Street will be• re- zoned highway commercial, HARD BTARTING This scene, on •Seaforth's main street Monday, was repeated countless times , . throughout Huron and surrounding counties as high winds and intense cold closed highways, schools and The Huron County Board of carry those costs. Hesaid that tile Education faces a tough year in Boards - recw isition • to 1978; both politically and municipalities has risen 100 administratively, , according to percent since 1973 adding that 1977 Board • chairman Herb the Board is still not in Brat Turkheim:" Mr.. Turkeini told the , financial, shape. board in his final address as The past chairman said that the chairman before turning the gavel trustees would have to be over to 1978 chairman John Elliott economic in their future decisions that ,restricted funding by the . but' would also have to remain provincial government and politiciaits. He 'said that declining declining enrollment Would. force enrollmen'f' may. make it appear the Board to'take a long hard look that closing schOols will save the at educatibn costs 'in Huron' board the money it needs; but County in the coming years. ' suggested that closing would not ' Mr. Turkheiin said a 'reduction be the answer. He added that the in grants &Om the province would board owes every ratepayer in the cause financial hardship for the county the right to an education board and that declining system for their children. enrollment would add' to 'the . He sighted the Vanastra PUblic problem. He pointed out that the School as an example of. the province is threatening to ., cut political responsibilities the back, grants,' and although no official figures have been given, it plows appears the cut will be from '4-6 help percent. He added that posts have I risen by that much at least in •the local ambulance past year and that grants are It took three snowplows and based on a student per capita ' four ohours to get a Box basis. Declining enrollment Ambulance 14 miles to a farm in would mean Huron is eligible for Grey Township Tuesday night., fewer grants than last year even wpiethuOdtig.. Watson answering a routine call, without cuts in provincial Gary Betties' and Robert s "We as a Board are going to first ran into difficulty about two have to ,take a close look at miles out pn the ,north road. education costs and use a great tnea trustees. ci a deal of. forsight when we make The county snowplow, a McKillop Township plow and a , ldisior he warned ,v Ryans Bulldozing plo assisted h fin the ambulance on the trip to the Mr. Turkheim said that 17th concession of Grey. A edueation cost in Huron" have patient requiring oxygen was risen dramatically in the past five brought to Seaforth, CommUnity years and that the Board hag40 Hospital on the retail? 14 mile trip sked Huron municipalities to without further problems. Seaforth taxi drivef Marjorie Maloney fractured her left wrist last week when she slipped (et) an icy path on, Centennial Dave. • 4 Corning out the roadway to No. 8 Righvvay she found the road slippery, 'and to avoid skidding out Onto alp main highway, she trgctor, .with bucket, front end loader and cab, for $11,000 plus tax, was approved by council. The price is after a trade in, allowance of $2,600 for the town's old IT DOESN'T GET Stuck — At least' one area resident had the answer to the transportation problem in this weeks storm. This tractor took its place beside the cars parked on Main Street Monday afternoon. • (Expositor Photo) Slips on. ice Taxi driver is injured pulled. into-a- snowbank, Getting. out of her car to look the situation over she slipped and bietke her wrist. The police took' her to the hospital for treatment: • Wednesday morning she reported her son Pat 'has been _providing service to the customers and today was back driving herself. Seaforth clerk., Jim Crocker., Tuesday morning 'had a narrow escape when, the snowmobile he was riding to work, in mt. abandoned car buried in' the snow, on the 8rt59fild road.„ He was no injured but the windshield on his snowmobile was shattered. businesses' Monday and Tuesday. Main roads were open Wednesday but many schools , remained closed. (Expositor Photo) Board has. He said that opening the school, in Vanastra last year was a "foolish move 'but a political one". He- said that trustees really "had no choice" but to open the school because of the reaction from taxpayers in Vanastra at the time the decision was made. He said that Clinton Pubtic School could not handle students from Van'astra and the- Board was considering . busing students to other schools 'as an alternative. In a public meeting the trustees met with "500 ratepayers ready to throw bricks at them if they Made the wrong decision" he claimS. Mr. Turkheitri said that if the Board started looking at schools in the County with the idea to cloSe some, one of the, first to be considered would be Hensall Public School, a school' in his constituency. 1* added that Hensall would only be closed over his dead body . "I would only hope that trustees put. themselves in the position of the Board member in whose area a school is being closed", ne said; "A trustee from Winghant should make his decision considering , how he would feel if the scheolwerein his locality". .Mr. Turkheim said if the board was to solve its problems it would have to concentrate on, communications and would have to work ava unit. He said that in the past. 'a few trustees have carried the work load for 'others and that that situation'would have to change. He didn't feel (Continued on Page 10) B of E faces tough year Turkheim says 4 nt! ;:474.0.4 ,