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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-01-24, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 24, 2008.EditorialsOpinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie GroppAdvertising, Ken Warwick & Lori Patterson The CitizenP.O. Box 429,BLYTH, Ont.N0M 1H0Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152,BRUSSELS, Ont.N0G 1H0Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.comWebsite www.northhuron.on.ca Looking Back Through the Years 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 $32.00/year ($30.48 + $1.52 G.S.T.) in Canada;$101.00/year in U.S.A.and $175.00/year in other foreign countries.Advertising is accepted on thecondition that in the event of a typographical error,only that portion of the advertisement will becredited.Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth.PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON N0G 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com Jan. 24, 1962 An urgent request was made to residents of the area by the local firefighters. First of all, residents were asked to wait five to 10 minutes after a fire alarm sounds before calling the telephone operator to inquire about the whereabouts of the fire. Many times, telephone lines are jammed with curious neighbours, delaying the calls made by the fire fighters themselves to get directions to the fire. Second, residents were asked to again wait before following firetrucks to the fire location. Many firefighters take their own vehicles to the fires, but instead of following right behind the firetrucks, they find themselves locked in traffic consisting of locals going to watch the event. On the same note, these people who choose to drive to the fire to watch sometimes end up arriving before the firefirefighters then take up valuable parking space, forcing the emergency vehicles and firefighters to park further away from the fire than necessary, making the journey back and forth longer, burning precious minutes that could be spent extinguishing dangerous fires. In general, the public was assured that they weren’t being told they could not go the fires, but simply asking that they wait until the firefighters can safely and quickly fulfill their duties, without interruption or delay. German photography enthusiast Helmut Gernsheim had put his famed collection up for auction. The collection of rare photos, cameras, and books on photography, valued at about $560,000 at the time, was pushing Gernsheim and his wife out of house and home. After having no luck with offering the collection to Britain, Gernsheim extended the offer worldwide, with Munich, West Germany, already making a bid on it. The most rare piece in the collection was the first photograph ever taken, one of the view of a courtyard taken by the French inventor of photography Nicephore Niepce in 1826. Other photos of interest included some taken by Alice in Wonderland author Lewis Carroll, catalogued in his own writing. Gernsheim hoped that the city with the winning bid would use the collection as the starting block for a photography museum, complete with lecture and study halls for students. Gernsheim hoped also that if such a museum was created, that he and his wife, who had already authored 17 books on photography, would have positions on staff. Jan. 21, 1981 Londesborough resident Gary Sottiaux had returned from a hiking trip which took him along one of the longest trails in North America. Sottiaux had completed a 2,600 mile hike along the Pacific Crest Trail, a trip which follows the eastern coast all the way from the Canadian border to the border of Mexico. After seeing an article on the trail in National Geographic, Sottiaux attempted the hike the first time and made it about two-thirds of the way. This time, though, he made it from start to finish, returning home in time for the holiday season. Playing at the Park Theatre in Goderich was the motion picture Flash Gordon, featuring music by Queen. Also playing was the classic Mountain Family Robinson. Jan. 24, 1990 Councillors for the Village of Blyth were still locked in conflict with one of the largest employers of the village over who should flip the bill for renovations to the local ball diamond. A meeting was held, and attendants included the council, its lawye representatives from the business, Blyth slowpitch League representatives, and Huron Pioneer Thresher and Hobby Association representatives. Council issued a statement, but no agreement had been made. The main issue was that costs had far overrun estimates for the job, and now the problem was decided who was to blame, and who would be writing the cheque. Many hoped the issue would be resolved soon, because it had put the village council and a prominent local business at odds. On a lighter note, the Huron County Crime Stoppers were taking a moment to look back and appreciate their success. The Huron County division of Crime Stoppers had only been in place for 20 months, and already it was estimated that over 35 cases had been solved largely in part with the many tips from anonymous callers. Over $110,000 in stolen property or drugs had been recovered in the area, and local police hoped that this success would continue to aid investigations. Jan. 10, 1995 The investigation into two break- ins took place in Brussels. First, thieves broke into Oldfield’s Pro Hardware, and were able to make off with a video camera before alarms set in. Second, another break-in occurred at McNeil’s Auto Body, with thieves stealing $25 in cash before fleeing alarms. Police still had no suspects in the case, and another robbery had already occurred at the Blyth Legion, where cash was taken from the safe. By Terry Otto, OFA Farm input costs are on the rise, and there has been lots of discussion around the obvious culprits like energy expenses and feed costs making it more and more difficult to turn a profit. However, one expense that is on farmers’ radar screens yet rarely thoroughly examined is fuel costs. Questions like - why is diesel more expensive than gasoline and why is my exemption from road tax on farm vehicles not saving me any money - are reoccurring. Despite popular belief there are some rational explanations and also some tips on how to leverage an advantage on fuel prices. Diesel fuel, especially this time of year, is sought after for heating oil as it is a dual purpose fuel. The demand is great and as result price is driven upwards. Crude oil prices are fluctuating on a daily basis and contribute to pricing woes experienced by the consumer and farmer alike. Try to pick your purchase times if you have bulk storage to avoid competing against home heat demand. Coloured fuel, reserved for unlicensed or off-road vehicles used in: farming, forestry and construction is exempt from road tax and is supposed to cost farmers less than the typical 14.3 cent per litre tax imposed on fuel for licensed vehicles. Again farmers are noticing that their price for coloured fuel is often the same as that of consumers and sometimes costs even more. There are hidden costs involved. Farmers may not realize that fuel suppliers are building in their own expenses in the price. For example, if a supplier owns your fuel tank and you are tied to that company for fuel, you are likely on the hook for delivery costs, labour, tank insurance and maintenance. If you own your own tank you will have more leverage to price shop and bargain with suppliers. Farmers should be asking for a breakdown of the price to find and negotiate hidden costs. Diesel is a farm input cost which is eligible for GST rebates. Check to ensure the GST tax rate has been reduced to the proper five per cent since Jan. 1 and claim it. Fuel used even in licensed vehicles but used for farm business activities such as delivery of cattle or picking up seed is also eligible for a GST rebate. Lastly, it should be noted that we are still feeling the effects of refinery incidents last year in southwestern Ontario and fuel capacity is still being challenged. So whatever the price, don’t let the tank go dry. We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Thanks for cleaning up There’s always a tendency to say things were better in “the old days” but anyone with an accurate memory cannot say that about winter road maintenance and urban snow clearing in this neck of the woods. Through improved technology, the willingness of taxpayers and municipal officials to pay the price for winter control and the dedication of municipal employees, Huron County residents have never been less inconvenienced by the reality of living in the snow belt. Take the situation in our urban areas. Years ago the main streets of towns like Brussels and Blyth shrank as winter went on as the banks grew into mountains. There’d be a track through the centre, sometimes as narrow as a single lane. Pedestrians ran out of room on the sidewalks and had to take to the street. By 30 years ago the municipalities were periodically trucking away the banks. Today, snow removal crews are so efficient there’s hardly ever a bank to worry about. In rural areas, the combination of re-engineering and rebuilding of roads plus more and better equipment has allowed dedicated road maintenance to keep roads much cleaner and safer. Next time you see one of these workers, or the municipal politicians who oversee them, say thanks. — KR ‘I’m the boss!’ There’s a certain sort of politician you see at all levels of government from the municipal to the federal level — the kind who thinks that winning an election means winning a lottery that gives you total control for the remainder of your term. The firing last week of Linda Keen, president of the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission by the federal government demonstrates once again that the government of Stephen Harper is that kind of government. Keen had insisted the Chalk River nuclear reactor be shut down after months of not meeting safety regulations. That closure caused a shortage of medical isotopes around the world. The government, rightly, overruled Keen’s decision and had the plant operate again in order to cut that shortage (taking a chance there wouldn’t be a nuclear accident). Still, Keen’s job is to make sure nuclear plants operate safely. This one wasn’t. But her job description puts her beyond the control of the government. The Harper government has shown in the past it resents anyone, from judges to arms-length officials to the Canadian Wheat Board that it can’t order around. Some of these agencies are arms length precisely to prevent political interference. You can’t fire everyone who is doing his or her job, just because you disagree with them. The government’s attitude gives pause to wonder about bestowing a majority on them in the next election. — KR & OFA Commentary