HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2009-07-09, Page 1Welcome
Dr. Michael Curtis and Dr. Carmen Schmitz were officially welcomed to Huron County last
week by members of the Clinton Family Health Team and the Regional Equine and Agricultural
Centre of Huron (REACH). After working here for several months, Curtis and Schmitz have
decided to practise in Huron County permanently. They will begin practising in Clinton in
September. Being outdoor enthusiasts, they had expressed interest in horse riding, leading to
the gifts of riding equipment as well as lessons. (Shawn Loughlin photo)
On July 2 at approximately 6:30
a.m. a resident on Burns Line in
Hullett was awakened by the sound
of people inside the house. When
she looked out, she saw two females
loading property into a pickup truck
and attempting to steal fuel.
The driver is described as a white
female, thin, approximately 20 years
old with long straight brown hair.
The passenger of the vehicle is also
described as a thin, white female
with long, straight, brown hair who
appeared to be in her 20s.
The truck was determined to be
stolen from Perth County. It is
described as a 2008 burgundy Ford
F-250 pickup with Ontario marker #
FJ9629. It has wide mirrors, two-
tone paint, four doors and running
boards.
Several items were taken from
inside the residence including
electronics and a purse.
Anyone with information is
encouraged to call the Huron OPP at
1-800-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers
1-800-222-TIPS(8477).
For the first time in its history,
there will be a Canadian Blood
Services blood donor clinic in
Blyth.
The event, sponsored by the
Masonic Lodge in co-operation with
the Blyth Fire Department, is being
held at the arena, Wednesday, July
29 from 2-8 p.m.
According to Greg McClinchey, a
Mason and a North Huron
councillor, Blyth’s small population
has been the reason behind why
there has never been a clinic held
here before.
To make sure they will be able to
continue hosting a clinic,
McClinchey said they need to see a
good turnout.
“We are hoping for 120 people, so
I’m encouraging all Blyth residents
to take part.”
McClinchey said that while
people can stop in that day, it is
preferred that they phone ahead.
Call 1-888-2-donate (1-888-236-
6283) to reserve a time.
“And if you can’t donate we
would love volunteers as well,” said
McClinchey.
Blyth gets blood donor clinic
The South West Local Health
Integration Network (LHIN) is
holding a series of 17 public
information meetings to discuss the
future of local health care.
Local sessions include July 29 in
Wingham at the Knights of
Columbus Hall, July 23 in Seaforth
at the Seaforth and District
Community Centre, Sept. 16 in
Goderich at the Knights of
Columbus Community Hall and July
13 in Listowel at the Listowel Golf
Club.
All sessions will take place from 7
p.m. to 9 p.m.
The sessions hope to provide a
forum where the public can hear
about current trends and issues as
well as express their ideas and
concerns about the current local
health care system.
The LHIN also hopes to
celebrate recent enhancements to
the health care system as well
as receive public feedback on
proposed priority areas for
improvements.
South West LHIN
to host meetings
Call it a “two for one” deal.
Physician recruitment lead Gwen
Devereaux and the local Family
Health Teams have brought two new
doctors to Clinton to take new
patients starting in September.
Dr. Michael Curtis and Dr.
Carmen Schmitz, after working in
the area for several months have
decided to make their placement
permanent.
This comes at just the right time,
says Devereaux as Dr. Martin Salter
has returned to his home province to
practise and Curtis and Schmitz will
be taking over his patients as well as
accepting new ones.
There will be notifications in local
newspapers soon featuring details on
how orphaned patients can sign up
with the new physicians.
The announcement of Curtis and
Schmitz’s decision was made at the
Regional Equine and Agricultural
Centre of Huron (REACH) where it
was also announced that through the
Municipal Economic Development
Fund, Schmitz and Curtis will have
access to the centre for training and
events in the coming year.
Upon arriving in the area, Schmitz
and Curtis, who are both outdoor
enthusiasts, expressed a desire to
learn how to horseback ride. In
addition to being granted access to
the centre, they were also given
some riding gear to help them on
their way.
Curtis said that the recreational
aspect of Huron County played a big
role in their decision to practise here.
“We like to work in a place that we
can play as well,” he said.
The couple is very active and
involved in many outdoor sports
such as cycling, swimming, diving,
hiking and now, horseback riding.
Central Huron reeve Bert Dykstra
said this achievement is an important
one for Clinton as well as Huron
County.
“The Municipality of Central
Huron understands the need for us to
take an active part in helping to
secure access for our residents to
health care professionals. We are
very pleased to welcome Dr.
Michael Curtis and Dr. Carmen
Schmitz to our community,” he said.
“The REACH Centre and its
amenities is a significant example of
the quality of life investments that
will help to attract young
professionals to this region.”
Robbery victim sees
thieves load pickup
CitizenTh
e
$1.25 GST included Serving the communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County Thursday, July 9, 2009
Volume 25 No. 27COMMUNITY- Pg. 7Local teen goes to the dogs SPECIAL - Pg. 11 A salute to the Grade 8graduates beginsAGRICULTURE- Pg. 6Young Farmers from Englandspend time in Huron CountyPublications Mail Agreement No. 40050141 PAP Registration No. 09244 Return Undeliverable Items to North Huron Publishing Company Inc., P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, ON N0G 1H0INSIDE THIS WEEK:
Doctors practise,
and stay, at CPH
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen
With the Sept. 1 deadline set by
North Huron council for pulling out
of the Blyth-Hullett landfill site
looming, councillor Greg
McClinchey expressed some
concerns at the July 6 meeting.
North Huron notified the landfill
board last September that they
wanted out. However, McClinchey
said, since that time there has been
no action taken.
“September is coming and we
have nothing to go with. It’s a policy
decision of this council to bring
some order to our landfill strategy.”
North Huron currently has three
landfills, the Hullett site, one in East
Wawanosh and another in Wingham.
The decision to pull out of the Blyth-
Hullett site, which is located in
Central Huron will hopefully save
some money.
“It’s a ridiculous expense to
maintain landfill site,” McClinchey
noted.
At a recent board meeting, Central
Huron put forward “some thoughts”
said McClinchey, and “we
committed to take it back to this
council and get some thoughts.”
However, he mentioned a
comment that raised some concern.
“Whether it was off the cuff or
not, one person actually said that
they hoped if they did nothing we
might forget about it,” said
McClinchey. “I’m telling you now,
that this council’s wishes will not be
met.”
McClinchey noted that there had
been some discussion about other
municipalities being allowed to use
the site.
“As a co-owner we’re responsible
to maintain and close the site. If they
run it for 10 years after we stop
using it, then close it, why should
North Huron taxpayers have to
pay.”
“We need to be emphatic that
Sept. 1 is the final date. We need to
let them know if it comes and goes
as we suspect it will, what action we
will take.”
Clerk-administrator Kriss Snell
said the township can “forcibly sever
co-ownership” and get their name
off the title.
“That’s what we want,” said
McClinchey, making a motion that
Central Huron be told of this
decision, which passed
unanimously.
NH not about to forget plan
By Bonnie Gropp
The Citizen