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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2011-11-17, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2011.Editorials Opinions Publisher: Keith Roulston Acting Editor: Shawn Loughlin • Reporter: Denny ScottAdvertising Sales: Ken Warwick & Lori Patterson The CitizenP.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. N0G 1H0 Phone 887-9114 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca Looking Back Through the Years CCNA Member Member of the Ontario Press Council The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $34.00/year ($32.38 + $1.62 G.S.T.) in Canada; $115.00/year in U.S.A. and $205/year in other foreign countries. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON N0G 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com November 15, 1950 Members of the Brussels Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion were joined by 340 veterans visiting the village from the 10 centres of Zone 10 District C for the Legion’s Remembrance Day ceremony. The ceremony was held at Melville Presbyterian Church. At the end of the service, two new war memorial shafts flanking the existing 1914-1918 monument were unveiled. The new memorial shafts were inscribed with the names of soldiers from Brussels, Morris and Grey who had given their lives in World War II. As part of the ceremony, the Bannockburn Pipe Band led the long procession of veterans from the Brussels Town Hall to the church where they were eventually joined by the ladies of the Legion Auxiliary. At the ceremony flowers were divided among three mothers, now living in Brussels, who lost sons in World War II: Mrs. R. Wilson, Mrs. J. Speir and Mrs. R. McLean. November 19, 1975 Cathy Madill, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Ray Madill of Blyth, was chosen as runner-up at the Ontario Pork Hostess competition at the Royal Winter Fair in Toronto. Madill won the Huron County title that summer in Seaforth and was one of eight contestants in Toronto vying for the crown. The eventual winner was Marilyn Dale of Woodstock, Madill’s roommate during the two-day stay in Toronto. Madill, the youngest contestant, said that while it would have been nice to win, she was relieved in a way that her schooling at Central Huron Secondary School wouldn’t suffer as a result of her increased responsibilities from winning the contest. If the proposed bridge over the Maitland River on Concession 4-5 in West Wawanosh Township was to be built, it would be done so without the support of the provincial government. The government said it would not subsidize the project after council received a message from Len Authier of the Ministry of Transport and Communications. Jim Watson, proprietor of the Village Restaurant in Blyth, announced that he would be seeking the leadership role of the Progressive Conservative Party of Huron-Bruce. Rev. Edward Baker of Walton had taken matters into his own hands during the postal strike. In addition to hand-delivering letters and parcels to those in the area, he had also offered his services to those with items needing to get as far as Sarnia, London, Stratford and even to the U.S. However, despite his generosity, he had received few calls taking him up on his offer. November 19, 1986 An era officially came to an end on Nov. 17 with the takeover of Stephenson’s Grocery by Ron and Trish Clarkson. The couple was widely known throughout the village as the proprietors of the Brussels Variety Store. The business was renamed Brussels Village Market, with the sign that had graced the store for over 21 being replaced for the first time in over two decades. Former owner Bill Stephenson had not retired, however, saying that he would still have a strong presence at the store for at least a few weeks while the new owners got situated. A truck driver from Blyth won an award for bravery as a result of a rescue where he cared for and comforted a woman in a burning car until police officers and an ambulance were on the scene. Clarence Baillie, also a firefighter with the Blyth Volunteer Fire Department, said he didn’t even think about what he was doing and that helping the woman on Hwy. 401 near Toronto when her car struck a tree and went up in flames was just instinctual for him. Kathryn Todd of RR2, Lucknow emerged as the winner of the Nov. 17 election in West Wawanosh Township filling the position vacated when Jim Aitchison resigned. November 18, 2004 North Huron Council received the less-than-great news that the township was on the hook for an over-$10,000 retroactive insurance payment. The amount dated back to 1998, 1999 and 2000, when North Huron decided to opt out of the insurance package. The internet child pornography bylaw being championed by Grey Ward Councillor Mark Beaven officially became law in Huron East after its Nov. 2 meeting. The Majestic Women’s Institute in Brussels celebrated its 65th anniversary with a celebration held at Brussels Mennonite Fellowship on Nov. 10. The Ministry of Natural Resources received a report of a black bear in Huron County. The single sighting of the bear came from an agricultural field in early November in the Clinton/ Holmesville area. The Brussels Public School library was asking residents for their old books to fill out their shelves. The school’s principal said that for a school’s library to be “literacy rich” it should have upwards of 500 books. Brussels fell just short. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Canada Periodical Fund (CPF) for our publishing activities. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Your shopping dollars count Recently, someone was lamenting how many things she had to go out of her hometown to buy many necessities because there was no longer any local store selling them. This sad situation is in partly caused by the changing economics of retail businesses, but also a result of choices we local shoppers have made. At exactly the time over the past couple of decades when retail businesses needed to increase their volume because the profit margin on each item they sold was squeezed, local shoppers have taken their business to larger, out-of-town retailers, seeking cheaper prices and greater selection. Starved for the volume of business they needed to continue, one by one, long-time main street businesses have withered and died. Ironically, where once main streets were lined with retailers providing the necessities of life – food, clothing, medicinal drugs and hardware – now many stores are likely to be occupied (if at all) by businesses providing what would once have been considered luxuries. There has already been collateral damage in the depletion in the number of main street businesses that can support a family. Prosperous main street businesses were often the strongest supporters of local clubs and sports teams. Those merchants often were leaders in churches and service clubs, coaches of sports teams, members of councils and school boards, and just generally committed to their community. While our main streets are a shadow of the lively places they once were, many merchants are persevering. If you want to continue to have a community where a healthy main street is part of a healthy community, then remember to try to spend as many of your Christmas shopping dollars as possible with local retailers. Don’t help create a situation where you must go out of town for even more necessities. — KR Honour worthy young people While older people like to grumble the younger generation is self- obsessed and not involved in their world, there are some amazing efforts being made by young people to make the community and the world, a better place. Their efforts need to be celebrated. One opportunity is through the Ontario Junior Citizen Award nominations, operated by the Ontario Community Newspaper Association. Each spring the most inspiring event at the group’s annual meeting is the Junior Citizen’s luncheon when amazing stories of dedication, imagination, courage and perseverance by the top 12 Ontario Junior Citizens are celebrated. Stories like these need to be found and publicized. Not only do these amazing young people need to be rewarded for their efforts, but in putting their efforts in the spotlight, we may inspire other young people to take action – and reassure elders the future will be in good hands. The deadline for the 2011 awards is quickly approaching on Nov. 30. If you know someone aged 6-17 years, who is involved in worthwhile community service, contributing to the community while living with a disability, who performed an act of heroism in the past year or is a “good kid” who show a commitment to making life better or do things not normally expected of someone their age, please nominate them. More information on the Junior Citizen program is available at www.ocna.org or from this newspaper. — KR Learn from history As we celebrated Remembrance Day last week, we need also to recall what helped create the conditions that caused the last World War and try to avoid repeating them. The totalitarian regimes in Germany and Italy which precipitated World War II were able to gain power by preying on the frustration, bitterness and hatred caused by people suffering through the Great Depression with little hope their lives would improve. The current crisis in Europe sees youth unemployment at 48 per cent in Spain, 43.5 per cent in Greece and more than 29 per cent in Italy and Ireland. The lessons of history show that such problems can affect all of us, not just the local citizens, if they persist too long. — KR & Letters Policy The Citizen welcomes letters to the editor. Letters must be signed and should include a daytime telephone number for the purpose of verification only. Letters that are not signed will not be printed. Submissions may be edited for length, clarity and content, using fair comment as our guideline. The Citizen reserves the right to refuse any letter on the basis of unfair bias, prejudice or inaccurate information. As well, letters can only be printed as space allows. Please keep your letters brief and concise.