HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2012-02-23, Page 6PAGE 6. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 2012.Report could ‘throw awrench’ into plans: Ginn
Man receives probation
in Brussels assault case
Making some breakfast
Kelly Boven was doing his part at Saturday’s Easter Seals
Snowarama fundraiser, cooking hash browns and keeping those in
attendance well-fed and happy. While it did snow on Saturday, it was
the first time in a while, making snowmobiling tough. (Jim Brown photo)
Peter Terpstra of RR1,
Walton pled guilty to
assault, pleading down
from a charge of assault
causing bodily harm in
Wingham court on Feb. 16.
The incident occurred at
the Brussels ballpark on
July 23, 2011 at the beer
tent where both Terpstra
and the victim had been
drinking, said Crown
Attorney Laura Grant.
After a brief verbal
exchange, Grant said,
Terpstra struck the victim
several times in the head
with a closed fist. The
victim did not retaliate and
was then taken to the
hospital with what was
believed to be a
concussion. The victim’s
condition, however, was
later downgraded, said
Terpstra’s lawyer, when it
was found that he was not
suffering from a
concussion.
He stated that Terpstra
had never been in trouble
with the law before and
described the incident as
being a “one-off” and
asked Judge R.G.E. Hunter
to grant Terpstra a
conditional discharge.
Hunter agreed, granting
the conditional discharge
with a 12-month probation
period. Terpstra was also
ordered to have no further
contact with the assault
victim and Hunter also
imposed a five-year
weapons prohibition.
FAILURE TO
COMPLY
Holly McDonald of
Walton was found guilty of
failing to comply with a
no-contact order imposed
by the court in January of
2011.
The interaction occurred
on Sept. 25, 2011 when
McDonald was observed
having a conversation in a
truck with the man she was
ordered to have no further
contact with after an
assault conviction.
McDonald’s lawyer said
the man was someone who
McDonald had been in a
relationship with, but was
no longer seeing in any
capacity whatsoever,
stating that the relationship
was now through.
Hunter found McDonald
guilty and imposed a $100
fine on her. McDonald
stated she was able to pay
the fine in full that day.
CRIMINAL
HARASSMENT
Kenneth Wakefield of
Toronto was cleared of
charges of criminal
harassment by Hunter after
a trial in Wingham on Feb.
16. Wakefield was charged
with making criminally
harassing phone calls to
his wife, Cindy Wakefield
of Wingham.
Cindy was the only
witness called in the trial
as she testified to receiving
phone calls from Kenneth
between October, 2010
and December 2010 when
she said Kenneth was not
supposed to be contacting
her.
Being examined by
Grant, Cindy stated that
Continued from page 1
work or not but we were taking
all the risk.”
While the location is now
considered a boon for the
community both because of the
finances put directly into the
Central Huron coffers and
because of the spinoff business,
it didn’t start like that according
to Watt.
“Originally it was difficult to
convince people it was a good
thing,” she said. We faced the
public opposition, not the
provincial government and had it
failed, the raceway would have
been responsible for the
investment.”
The slots and raceways across
Ontario employ 60,000 people
and pay out $1.5 billion in wages
annually according to Watt and
that, along with support given to
local economies, would be at
risk if the plan went ahead.
“We support the rural
communities,” she said. “That’s
why the plan started so the
raceways and horse breeders and
the government could make
money and stimulate rural
economic development.”
Watt said that the raceway puts
half of the money it receives, 10
per cent of the total earnings of
the slot, towards the purse for
racers and the rest for the
running of the facilities which
includes paying local
horseshoers for their services,
buying products like hay from
local farmers and paying local
veterinarians for caring for the
horses.
The implications of the
decision are also something that
Central Huron Mayor Jim Ginn
is concerned about.
“The municipality, as well as
local shareholders, get revenue
from the casino but we have
other concerns as well,” he said.
“We have based economic
development in that corner of
Clinton on the presence of the
raceway and the casino. This
would definitely throw a wrench
into those plans.”
Ginn said that he doesn’t see
how cutting off an entire industry
could provide any help balancing
a budget.
He also said that people need
to remember that the province
benefits the most from the
centre, taking 75 per cent of the
revenue generated.
The timing of the
announcement is also
concerning, according to Watt.
“Many of the buildings are
being paid off,” she said. “We
are looking at starting a $3
million expansion to the
Raceway. This revelation could
nix that and stop $3 million
worth of local contractor and
professional business.”
She said that Hanover is in the
middle of a $10 million project
right now.
While the recommendations
are more vague than Duncan’s
early announcement indicated,
according to Watt, she doesn’t
believe that Drummond knows
what these decisions will result
in.
“The decisions are made in
isolation,” she said. “They’re
made from the paperwork side
and have no relation to what
could actually happen and what
impact cutting back funding in
this and other forums would
cause.”
She said that she believes the
decisions are very much
influenced by the fact that the
current minority government is
almost entirely from urban areas
as many of the decisions will
hurt rural development.
The entirety of Drummond’s
suggestions cover everything
from the cost of busing children
to school to a drastically
‘streamlined’ health care system
and can be found at
www.fin.gov.on.ca/en/reformco
mmission/
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Continued on page 18