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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes-Advocate, 1978-06-01, Page 1■V Two die Two area residents died, another remains in critical condition, and several others sustained various injuries in highway accidents this week. Dead are Exeter automobile dealer Donald E. Taylor, killed in an accident on Highway 401 west of London, and Elizabeth Templeman, RR 2 Staffa, who died when the car she was driving was wrapped around a tree just east of Exeter on Highway 83 early Friday morning. Mr. Taylor, who operated the local Volkswagen dealership for over 10 years, was returning alone from Windsor where he had picked up the new Audi Fox he was driving. He had been accompanied to Windsor by his wife, Joanne, who had returned home and was unaware of the accident until notified by Exeter OPP One Hundred and Fifth Year DON TAYLOR 1. . . dies in crash DEMOLISHED — These photos show two views of the car in which a Staffa area woman died early Friday morning. The 10-inch tree imbedded in the car was pulled out by the roots in the impact. Staff photo Claims if s hazardous To inspect grandstand The grandstand at Ex­ eter’s community park could be on its last legs with the pronouncement by recreation administrator Kirk Armstrong that the structure is potentially hazardous and unsafe. Armstrong told the South Huron Rec centre board of management Monday even­ ing the grandstand was in a bad state of dis-repair . He said “this is only my opi­ nion. I’m no expert but the grandstand should be in­ spected by the proper authorities and be repaired or removed as necessary.” In reply to questions from board members, Armstrong said the town and Board could be held liable if an ac­ cident was to take place at the grandstand site. The Board decided to erect barriers preventing access to the grandstand. The structure will be in­ spected by the board of management at its next meeting. . A report presented to the Board by the recreation grounds committee in April recommended the structure be removed due to the lack of proper utilization of the facility. The lack of a paved park­ ing lot for the rec centre seems to be creating a few problems with Armstrong saying he had received a complaint from a neighbor­ ing resident about the dust. The homeowner told Armstrong he had cleaned his swimming pool out five / Constable Frank Giffin. A member of the local Lions, Mr. Taylor was killed when he lost control of his car, careened off barrels at an underpass and struck a transport tractor-trailer around 7:30 p.m., Thursday. The Exeter man’s car was demolished and the truck sustained damage of $2,000, but the driver was not in­ jured. Mr. Taylor was dead on arrival at St. Joseph’s Hospital, London. An obituary notice appears elsewhere in this issue. Miss Templeman, 21, was killed instantly in the violent collision with a tree on High­ way 83 around 1:00 a.m., Friday. Her sister, Nancy, remains in serious condition in University Hospital, London, with multiple in­ juries. They are the daughters of Mr. and Mrs. John Templeman, RR 2 Staffa. or six time already this spr­ ing. While the Board agreed that a problem'definitely ex­ isted, there was some dis­ agreement as to the best solution. Armstrong said he had the town’s work crew apply calcium chloride on the most heavily travelled por­ tions of the parking lot but this was only a very short term solution. To pave the parking lot would cost approximately $1.50 a square foot or around Big Brothers planning events Al Verschary, a director of the Sarnia Big Brothers, will be the guest speaker at the first annual meeting of the Exeter Big Brothers on Tuesday. The meeting, open to all interested people, will be held at the town hall. The one-year-old organiza­ tion will conduct an election for the board of directors as well as outline the work un­ dertaken to date. A report will also be given on plans for the upcoming run/walk to be held on June 10. It is billed as a cross­ Canada tour, but par­ ticipants will make the journey without leaving the confines of Exeter. An advertisement for the event, giving full particulars appears elsewhere in this issue. in accidents, several are injured Also injured in the ac­ cident was Susan Norris, RR 2 Staffa. She has been released from hospital. The three girls were returning home after playing ball in Exeter, when their car went out of control and skidded sideways into a 10- inch tree, which was uprooted in the impact. The dead girl took the full impact of the blow and it took almost two hours to extract her body from the twisted wreckage. She was pronounced dead at the scene by corner Dr. Charles Wallace. The Exeter fire depart­ ment was called to the scene when police feared a fire may break out with gas dripping from the wreckage. They sprayed water on the vehicle as two tow trucks were used to pull the tree away from the car. Damage in the accient was $10,000 for the entire sec­ tion. When Armstrong said the centre did not have that type of money for such an under­ taking, Jerry MacLean wondered if the people who had not contributed to the building fund could be solicited for donations to help pay for the parking lot. Tar and chipping the lot could be done for $.50 a square foot or $3,000 for the lot. Armstong said, and would last for about three years. He said this would be cheaper than applying calcium chloride every year. The Board authorized Armstrong and the town to work out the best possible solution for the problem. Final approval to the schedule for fees and charges for the Exeter and District swimming pool was given at the meeting. The major change that was made has been es­ tablishment of two week sessions rather than three week sessions. Armstrong said the children will be get­ ting the same amount of in­ structional time in the shorter time period. He said the change will cut costs and increase revenues. For public swimming, it will cost $.25 if you are un­ der 18 and $.50 if over 18 for daily swimming sessions. Season passes will be $12 and $18 respectively. Adult swimming classes will cost $5 per week. Please turn to page 3 estimated at $2,700 by in­ vestigating OPP Constable Larry Christiaen, who was assisted by Cpl. Dave Woodward and Constable Frank Giffin. Three members of a Dash­ wood ball team sustained injuries when the van in which they were riding struck a mail box, went through a fence and came to rest against a tree in Russeldale around 8:00 p.m., Friday. Driver of the van was David Atthill, Exeter, who sustained cuts and bruises. Most seriously injured was Dave Robinson, also, of Exeter, who was taken to Stratford Hospital and had his spleen removed. Another Exeter youth, Brian Mercer, had a cut on his forehead. Three other players in the van escaped injury. They were Brian Rader, Joseph Becker and Steve Desjardine of the Dashwood area. Damage to the van was listed at $3,500. Damage amounted to over $13,000 in the seven ac­ cidents investigated by the Exeter OPP this week. J.'■ EXETER, ONTARIO, JUNE 1, 1978 FLECK PLANT COULD MOVE There were no violent in­ cidents on the Fleck picket line this week, although a bus and cars carrying non­ striking employees to work on Tuesday had to turn around after being halted by a human wall of unionists and sympathizers. Four United Auto Workers locals and a busload of professors who were atten­ ding a conference at the University of Western On­ tario, put a tight picket line at the struck plant and OPP stood back and watched as the bus and cars failed in a first attempt to get in. The bus left the plant at 5:45 a.m. and returned around 9:30 to take the workers to Fleck after the demonstrators had left the scene. Police kept a low profile, and while there were large numbers in the area again, those officers at the picket line simply stood back and watched or took pictures. A week earlier, a group of OPP in riot gear had pushed their way through a picket line attempting to stop the bus outside the rear doors at the plant, and this resulted in three women and one Windsor man taking action to lay charges of assault against the police. While the Fleck picket line was quieter this week, the strike continued to make headlines across the province and resulted in con­ siderable debate in the On­ tario legislature. Last Thursday, NDP leader Michael Cassidy demanded that Solicitor- General George Kerr be fired for failing to control the OPP activities at the strikebound plant. It was Wednesday’s violence that led the NDP to demand that Kerr be fired. Cassidy called the police action an “outrageous and completely unprovoked assault”. Police, he said, “struck women and men to the point of making them un­ conscious” and “set upon” pickets with nightsticks. Police, said the solicitor­ general, have a duty to up­ hold the law and it is illegal for a picket line to deny access to a plant. He also suggested that the OPP don’t like being caught in the middle of the dispute. “They are getting sick and tired of it. They want the strike settled, I’ll tell you that right now”. On Thursday, Ontario Federation of Labor presi­ dent Cliff Pilkey, led a demonstration at Huron Park, the workers delayed their arrival at the plant un­ til after the picket line had departed. Pilkey challenged labor minister Bette Stephenson to come to Fleck and tell them what she’s going to do to bring the strike to a successful conclusion. He said he was convinced The rash of crashes started on Thursday when a vehicle driven by Vicky Clarke, RR 3 Dashwood, struck a telephone pole on concession 14-15 of Stephen, just south of sideroad 20-21. Damage was set at $1,500 by Constable Christiaen. Five people were injured, none seriously, in a two car crash on Friday afternoon on County Road 2, south of Highway 84. Drivers in­ volved were Antonio Mat- tucci, RR 1 Hay, and Edwin Serving South Huron, North Middlesex & North Lambton Since 1873 Price Per Copy 25 Cents ■ Advocateimes that ministerial intervention is the only way the strike is going to be settled. • Pilkey also termed the police intervention “ludicrous” and asked how provincial treasurer Darcy McKeough can “make cut­ backs in education and other areas and justify spending millions on a spiall strike”. The bill to Ontario tax­ payers for policing the strike has run to more than $1 million, Kerr told the legislature on Monday. He told reporters he is asking for legal advice from ministry officials on whether the company and the union involved could be billed for part of the policing costs. It has been indicated that the Fleck strike is the most expensive labor dispute in which the OPP have been in­ volved. Plant could dose In another development, Fleck president Fred Berlet said that closure of the plant and relocation are among alternatives which could be considered if the strike con­ tinues to cause economic pressures on its operation. Berlet said contracts have been lost since the strike began on March 6, and “significant numbers of jobs” that were “borderline ‘ profitability-wise” have been affected. Fleck, he said, lost several contracts because they were unable to deliver consistently and the presi­ dent said that some of the striking workers would probably not be re-hired because of the lost con­ tracts. Even if the strike is settl­ ed, Fleck’s problems would not be over. The dispute has developed a deep schism between workers and strikers and several of the former have indicated they couldn’t work with the strikers if they did return. NURSERY OFFICIALLY OPENED — The official opening of the Huron Hope Nursery School in its new location at the ARC Industries site in Dashwood was held Thursday. Cutting the rib­ bon was Reverend Andrew Blackwell, a past-president of the South Huron and District Association for the Mentally Retarded and a prime mover behind the original setting up of the school. Assisting in the ribbon cutting were Ann Cann, nursery chairperson and Myra Lovell of the nursery committee. Staff photo Regier, Zurich. They were injured, along with passengers John Voisin, RR 1 Varna; Robert Reid, Hensail; and Jerry Smith, RR 1 Hensail. Constable Don Mason set total damage at $4,000. There were two accidents on Saturday, the first oc­ curring in the morning when a vehicle driven by William Pole, RR 1 Dashwood, rolled over in a ditch on Highway 84, west of Zurich. Pole sustained minor injuries and damage to the vehicle was listed at $1,800 by Constable Giffin. The other Saturday ac­ cident involved a vehicle operated by Paul Loth, Kitchener, which collided with guide posts on Highway 81 east of Grand Bend. The driver escaped injhury and damage was set at $1,110 by Constable Mason. A similar accident oc­ curred on Sunday, when a car driven by Mary Thomas, London, struck a guide post on Highway 81 in the same vicinity when the driver swerved to avoid striking a dog. Constable Al Quinn wasSCHOOL QUEEN CROWNED — Carol Allen dance, Friday night. Grouped around the Queen are the other Princesses Maureen Muller, Donna Riddell, Pauline Gielen, Joanne VanRaay, Julie Bedard and Tammy Baker. Staff photo named South Huron District High School Queen at the annual At Home Marks another milestone Open Dashwood nursery school “This residence marks another milestone in what we think has been a rapid growth,’’ stated president Bob Southcott at the official opening of the new location for the Huron Hope Nursery School on Thursday. The school which had previously been housed in the Alhambra Hall south of Grand Bend, began opera­ tion unofficially the week of May 16 in the house on the ARC Industries property in Dashwood. Officially opening the school were Reverend An­ drew Blackwell, Myra Lovell and Anne Cann of the nursery school committee. According to Don Campbell, executive direc- at $1,150. listed damage at $450. P , 7....... The other area accident Bend, and Gary Hugill, t___ ___„ ____ ____... occurred on Monday evening Waterloo, collided on High- vestigated and set damage when vehicles driven by “ “way 83 west of concession 16- M FIREMEN ASSIST — Exeter Firemen were on hand to spray water on the Templeman car as two tow trucks were used to pull it free from the tree. Staff photo social ser- portion of one of the tor of the South Huron and District Association for the Mentally Retarded, the renovations to the home cost in the neighborhood of $25.- 000 with the ministry of community and vices paying a that cost. Campbell said main reasons for the move was it would be more cen­ tral to the area which the association covers. He said in some cases, travelling time would be cut as much as 50 percent with the more central location. At present there are 10 children using the facility with three paid staff members guiding and 40 volunteers the children’s Douglas Martin, Grand 17 in Hay Township. Corj- * stable Wally Tomasik in- development. An’ increased awareness by the public has helped in­ crease the number of children attending this year as compared to last year. The location of the nursery school in the village should stimulate the children’s development with the increased activity that Dashwood would offer over the country setting of the Want appointment of crown attorney The appointment of a permanent Crown attorney for Huron County should be announced by the end of June, the regional Crown attorney said Monday. R. F. Chaloner, also acting Crown attorney for the county since January, said the area would be better served by a permanent Crown attorney. “He’d be on the ground whenever the police wanted him,” he said. “I just think it’s a busy county and it needs a full-time Crown.’’ The county has been full-time Crown since was court without a attorney Coichrane provincial January, Chaloner has been in getting approval for an exemption to the provincial government’s hiring freeze. Huron County council passed a motion May 26 urging the attorney- William appointed judge in said the delay hall, Campbell said. One of the changes that will take place in the 1978-79 school year will be the in­ troduction of an integrated nursery with non­ handicapped youngsters from the area taking part. In addition, the school will be operating two hours longer per day with the ex­ tra time available due to the reduced travelling. general’s office to make the • appointment as soon as possible. Ed Oddleifson, executive committee chairman of county council, said the motion was made because of a rumor the province did not intend to replace Cochrane. Chaloner denied that possibility Monday. Mobile feed mill damaged in fire Exeter firemen were call­ ed to the scene of a fire in Kirkton around supper time on Thursday. The blaze had been extinguished when they arrived. Brian Hardeman had been grinding some metal on a mobile feed mill when a spark ignited a nearby con­ tainer of gas. The truck was slightly scorched as was part of the ceiling in the gar­ age.