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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2013-09-19, Page 1CitizenTh e $1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, September 19, 2013 Volume 29 No. 37 SPORTS - Pg. 8Locals win gold atsoftball nationals ART SHOW - Pg. 19 Honourable mentions fora pair of local artistsBUSINESS- Pg. 3Local business ownersprotest new developmentPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK: Plan appeal to move ahead Wawanosh club to represent region at Royal Winter Fair Fair time in Belgrave Mrs. Evers’ Grade 1 Class at Maitland River Elementary School invoked some butterfly black arts as they called on the magic of the Monarch Butterfly to help them make an impression in Belgrave during the Elementary School Fair parade last week. Last week was the 93rd installment of the fair that has meant so much to so many local students over the decades. It included the parade, displays and demonstrations. (Denny Scott photo) Central Huron Council now has a planner and lawyer on board to help chart a course for its appeal to Huron County’s Official Plan. In appearing before Central Huron’s Sept. 10 committee of the whole session, recently hired London-based lawyer Valerie McGarry and recently hired planner Allan Ramsey, of Ramsey & Associates, outlined the need to define the issues for the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) appeal. “This issue is very different from most issues of a planning matter,” said Ramsey, noting Central Huron’s options include asking for acknowledgement about a local planning matter while another includes asking to remove certain portions of Huron County’s Official Plan. While Councillor Alison Lobb noted there are certain aspects of concern that are governed by provincial policy, Ramsey said Central Huron does have the right to spell out its own guidelines so that developers know what the preferences are even if those guidelines cannot be enforced. Citing the industrial wind turbine issue as an example, Ramsey said Central Huron could ask for a minimum setback that is larger than the minimum spelled out by the province. “It does not stop them [developers] but lets them know what the host expects,” he said. “It all gets back to what you want, what you feel the issues are.” Ramsey said the good news about the current situation is Central Huron’s appeal is keeping the Huron A local group of 4-H Club members will be heading to the Royal Winter Fair in November to prove they are the best of the best when it comes to trivia. The event, which pits the Wawanosh Golden Girls, a group of local 4-H Club members including Jolande Oudshoorn, Jeanette Schramm, Reba Jefferson, Melissa Higgins and Kate Higgins under the coaching of Mary Ellen Foran, have taken on and defeated all comers at the county and regional contests held in July and August, and are prepared to represent zone five during the trivia-based Go For the Gold competition held at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto. The girls are spread out both across the area and, as some are attending school, across the province. They beat out competitors from Huron in the Go For the Gold county competition on July 17 then beat out fellow county winners from Bruce, Perth and Grey Counties on Aug. 21 and are now preparing for the provincial Go For the Gold competition on Nov. 2 in Toronto. Foran said it was no easy feat getting to where they are now. “Beating the other folks in the county and beating out the other counties, especially Perth, was tough,” she said. “Perth was by far the toughest competition, but the girls overcame them even though it was pretty close.” Representing Zone 5 against the other five zones will be a unique challenge, Foran explained, as the preliminaries for the provincial contest were. The questions are never the same year-to-year. “It changes every time,” she explained of the trivia question contest. “At the county level, we took questions from all the different areas the different 4-H groups started. At the county, they do the same and take the most popular clubs and base the questions on that. In the provincial competition, they see what was done across the province in the last year and base the questions on that.” She said, because the competition changes, there is no best way to prepare except to study and be ready. The questions, while varying, always deal with 4-H project materials, agriculture, food, current and community events. Because 4-H members are often farmers or know farmers, some have an edge due to subject matter, but Foran said that edge isn’t something to count on. “Sure, if you happen to be in a dairy club and the questions are about dairy, you will know more about that and may face those questions one year,” she said. “If you’re from a pork producing farm or part of a pork club, you need to learn more about dairy.” While the group has been told what’s coming as far as questions are concerned, it’s not an easy task for a team to prepare when they are as spread out as the Golden Girls are. Foran, however, said the group has tackled things in their own way. “We’ve looked at what we’re supposed to be covering,” she said. “We’ve said this person can handle these questions, that person can handle those. It’s really the only way we can do it with everyone all off in different directions. “At Thanksgiving, we’ll get together for practice and to quiz each other,” she added. While having an older group has made it difficult to practice together, Foran said the real goal is to have a team that wants to keep going, studying and preparing. “The girls are pretty excited for the competition,” she said. “They will study and they’re happy preparing and getting ready to meet at Thanksgiving and then go on to the competition.” Keep reading The Citizen for updates on how the team did. “ Like the builders of the Blyth Memorial Community Hall, we must be willing to forge a new path into the future of our community. In doing so, together, we will add a new chapter to the history of Blyth. 14/19 is only the first page of that exciting new chapter.” CRYSTAL TAYLOR BOARD MEMBER OF 14/19 By Denny Scott The Citizen By Cheryl Heath Special to The Citizen Continued on page 16