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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2008-03-13, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MARCH 13, 2008.Editorials Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie GroppAdvertising, 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 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website 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 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 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON N0G 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com March 14, 1962 Blyth firefighters were called to Wingham after a massive fire broke out at CKNX Radio and TV station. The fire was thought to have been started after an explosion in the electronics lab, and within minutes flames had climbed to the top floor of the building. By the time Blyth’s firefighters arrived the old structure had been completely destroyed and focus was on salvaging the newer addition of the building. Total damages were estimated at a staggering $750,000. The radio station continued to operate from its mobile unit and television carried network programs in the evening. Famous astronaut John Glenn encouraged young men who want to take part in the space program to get the finest general education they can. He made these comments during a press conference held in front of the Senate Space and Aeronautics Committee. Viewers of the long-running British sitcom ‘Coronation Street were grief stricken at the death of a popular character. Run over by a bus in the script, the character of Ida Barlow was mourned by devoted viewers. Many even sent flowers and cards to the production office of the show. This was just a small example of the cult-like following the show had gained. March 11, 1981 Blyth council donated $2,000 to the Wingham and District Hospital. The hospital was to use the money for expanding their labs, rewiring, creating more space for physiotherapy, and converting a portion of their 10 bed pediatric ward into more usable space. Some were skeptical of the way the hospital had chosen to fundraise, requesting grants from surrounding municipalities based on percentages of patrons from that area. A representative of the hospital, however, stated that this would become necessary in the future. Most of the other municipalities approached for grants agreed to donate, and not much more opposition was seen. A small but determined group of music enthusiasts from the Clinton area stood their ground at a crowded board of education chambers meeting. They presented a petition bearing 460 signatures of taxpayers who wanted a credit course in instrumental music included on the Central Huron Secondary School curriculum for 1981-82. The group also stated that just by questionnaire alone there were over 45 students who would enroll in a first-year instrumental music program if offered. It was eventually decided that a credit course for music would be established in the fall of 1982, pending favourable reaction from students and school faculty. Only one trustee was opposed to the decision. Continuing with issues facing Central Huron Secondary School curriculum, the year-three machine shop course would not be offered in the fall of 1981. The decision was made despite a large group of local people arguing that the need for skilled machinists in the area was ever increasing, and that both F.E. Madill in Wingham and South Huron District High School had full enrolment in their machine shop courses. To make up for the gap in learning, the Grade 12 machine course would be offered the same year, and this credit could be earned either through regular day school, or by attending the night school program at CHSS. Insufficient enrollment was cited as the main reason for removing the course. March 14, 1990 A chimney fire created extensive damage at a home in McKillop Twp. The family was confined to the ground level of their home after a chimney fire left their home ‘unlivable’as described by Blyth fire chief Paul Josling. Most of the damage had been caused by the sheer amount of water needed to extinguish the fire, and fire damage to the roof and attic. Despite the $25,000 worth of damage however, the man of the house did not want to leave the home where he had lived since birth. The rest of his family had gone to stay with relatives. Harvey Garniss was retiring after 32 years of delivering rural mail. His reliable services would be missed, but Pat Brigham was to take over his mail routes. Playing at the Lyceum Theatre in Wingham was the Disney classic, The Little Mermaid. Also playing was “A true story of innocence lost and courage found”, Born on the Fourth of July starring Tom Cruise. The film had also been nominated for eight Academy Awards. March 7, 1990 A 74-year-old woman was sent to hospital following a three vehicle accident on Highway 86 at County Road 12. The woman, a resident of Bluevale, was struck by a westbound vehicle, pushing her own vehicle into a tractor trailer stopped at the intersection. The woman sustained major injuries and was taken to Wingham District Hospital by ambulance. She was also charged with failing to yield. Damages to the vehicle were listed as moderate. THE EDITOR, Brussels Minor Soccer still needs some new blood. Many hands make light work and new ideas are welcome. Please come out and keep soccer alive in Brussels. We need some new directors and we are getting desparate for a referee-in- chief. This person needs soccer knowledge and must be willing to gather lists of refs, get them to the ref training, get the refs scheduled for games and submit their hours to the treasurer. Occasionally the ref-in-chief will need to ref the games when the scheduled ref is unavailable. Without a ref-in-chief there can be no soccer season. With over 150 children registered last season, surely someone out there can help. As for directors there are not a lot of responsibilities. We meet three to four times a year, we all help with registration and help where needed. For any questions, please contact any person on our executive: Jusan Jared VanVliet, Kathy Nichol, Thea Harding, Jacquie Waechter, John VanVliet or Steve Silcock. Please help keep soccer in Brussels. Brussels Minor Hockey Executive 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 When ‘good guys’ go bad The council of the Town of Brockton (that’s Walkerton to those of us farther afield) said this week it’s time to step up pressure on the provincial government to come through with the $65 million promised to families and businesses affected by the Walkerton water tragedy. It’s been five years now since the money was promised but the government is still dragging its feet. Officials say they must determine the validity of each claim and not throw our money around. Most of us like to think of our government as a protection for the little guy against the powerful and heartless. But there are too many examples of cases where the government becomes the powerful and heartless agent, acting in the name of saving our tax dollars. Recently, after a 14-year court battle a Chepstow-area couple, Ben and Maria Berendsen, won a $1.7 million award against the Ontario government. The Berendsens had their lives ruined when their family and dairy cattle started getting sick on the farm where they lived at the time near Teviotdale. They discovered that prior to their buying their farm the Ministry of Transportation had buried used asphalt, stripped off Hwy. 9 during a reconstruction, on their farm and toxic chemicals had leeched into their water supply. The judge in the case chastised the provincial government for taking a “cavalier and careless attitude” to the matter. Adding insult to their injury, recent news is that the province plans to appeal the decision. They would no doubt argue they are protecting your interest because they might be forced to clean up dozens of other toxic sites across the province at great expense. On the federal level, after promising compensation to victims of residential schools, the Canadian government is dragging its feet in issuing the cheques, doubly injuring the people who were most damaged by the abuse they received in the schools. As these victims are getting older, the cynical might suggest the government figures the more of them who die, the less money has to be paid out. All of this is being done in the name of you, the taxpayer. We are as complicit in this as shareholders of companies that knowingly endanger the lives of customers with faulty products, because it would hurt profits to fix the faults. We all need to tell our governments to be the “good guys” again and bring justice to the abused, not be the abuser. — KR Their oil, our pollution When the federal government announced a plan to deal with carbon dioxide produced by the Alberta tar sands development by forcing companies to pay to have the greenhouse gas piped deep under ground, Alberta Premier Ed Stelmach made his usual complaint about Ottawa interfering in his province’s business. The tar sands belong to the people of Alberta, not to the people of Canada, he said. Stelmach recently announced a plan to deal with greenhouse gas that has targets so far in the future, it makes Stephen Harper sound like David Suzuki by comparison. Like a rich man who resents being asked to share society’s burdens, even if he helped create them,Alberta claims the rights the oil patch gives it, but no responsibilities. All Canadians, must deal with the pollution the oil industry brings. People around the world will suffer because of climate change caused by carbon dioxide. Alberta says we have no rights to “interfere” in their money-making, polluting ways. — KR & Letter to the editor “When you meet someone for the first time, you aren't meeting them, you're meeting their representative.” – Chris Rock Final Thought