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The Citizen, 1988-07-06, Page 1One-Stop Access New plan simplifies aid for elderly See page 5 Teams win titles Brussels Bantams, Blyth Inn win consolation See page 21 Hullett Days Community party returns See page 11 Dungannon man killed in motorcycle crash Serving Brussels, Blyth, Auburn, Belgrave, Ethel, Londesborough, Walton and surrounding townships. VOL. 4 NO. 27 WEDNESDAY, JULY 6, 1988.45 CENTS A Dungannon-area man died instantly early Saturday morning when the motorcycle he v.as riding collided with a car in East Wawanosh township. Sgt.J.R. McKee of Wingham detachment of the OPP said that Floyd Courtney, 26, of RR 1, Dungannon had just come over the crestofa hill on Concession 4-5, about three kilometers west of Highway 4, when he was struck by acar pulling out of a driveway. The accident occurred at about 1:30 a.m., police said. The driver of the car, a 16-year- old male, cannot be identified under the provisions of the Young Offenders Act. Sgt. McKee said that the incident is still under Against the backdrop of a cornfield badly seared by the unseasonable frost that ravaged much of the county on June 28, Morris Township fanner Ross Nichol of RR 4, Brussels, examines some of his own ruined stalks. Crop experts across Huron say that both the corn crop and the bean crop, which was also damaged, could recover - but only if they get a plentiful rainfall within the next week to end six weeks of drought. investigation, and that charges are pending. Mr. Courtney’sdeath brings to a total of three the number of Huron County residents killed on motor­ cycles in the county within one week. LastSaturday, James Dallas of RR 1, Brucefield and his daughter, 13-year-old Nicole Dal­ las, died instantly as the result of a collision between the motorcycle theywereridingandacaronthe Baseline Road, south of Auburn. A spokesman for the Goderich OPP said that the driver of the car in the June 25 accident, 19-year- old VanderveldeofRR 3, Lucknow, is being charged with dangerous driving causing death. Mr. Van- dervelde will appear in Goderich District Court on August 2 in connection with the incident. OPP find pot plantation worth $150,000 Officers of the Wingham O.P.P. are investigating the cultivation of a large quantity of marijuana in a secluded area of Grey township. An OPP spokesman said Monday approximately 800 plants with a projected street value of over $150,000 were found after an investigation which originated with a concerned farmer finding the marijuana on his property. Charged with cultivation of a narcotic are Harry Singh, age 47, his wife Maimoon Singh, age 40, and their son George Singh, age 21 of RR 2, Baden, Ont. Also charged isa 17yearoldyoungoffender. The parties were released pending a court appearance in Wingham Provincial court July 27. Freak frost hits drought-damaged crops As if Huron County farmers didn’t have enough to worry about with their crops suffering the effects of the worst drought since the “Dirty Thirties,’’ many fields were hit with a killing frost on June 28 that has left plants twisted and seared. Ten to 100 per cent of individual fields spotted all across the county were touched by frost as the temperature dipped to minus three degrees in some areas, says OM AF crop specialist Brian Hall at Clinton. The central part of the county - the Blyth, Brussels, Winthrop and Clinton areas - were hardest hit, although damage has been reported from all over. Corn, much of it already stressed by the prolonged drought, shows the worst damage, although beans in many areas have also been damag­ ed or destroyed. ‘ ‘The amazing thing is that many of the (damaged) crops could still come back - if we getrain within the next few days,’’ Mr. Hall said. But that’s the problem: no rain has been predicted for the near future, as southwestern Ontariojoins most of the North American continent in the grip of the drought which has already decimated crops across the west and mid-west. Strangely, there seems to be no pattern to the frost damage, as both hollows and rises in the same field can show varying degrees of frost kill, while the same crop across the road remains unscath­ ed. The very fact that many beans are still so stunted is likely what saved them from being frozen - being so close to the ground, they were likely protected by the soil’s retained heat, he suggested. Despite predictions last week that many crops would be lost by this week if no rain fell, farmers and crop specialists generally agree that most crops are still “hanging in there’’despite the to come, predicts Hensall Co-op beans don’t get going soon,’’ he drought. agronomist John Vander Burgt. said. “White beans are looking But worse problems could be yet “Harvestcouldbejustamessif the Continued on page 8 Yes, June was a dry month Well-known local weatherman Boyd Taylor of RR 3, Walton, has confirmed what most of us certain­ ly suspected: that the June just past was one of the driest on record. Mr. Taylorsaidthat his Environ­ ment Canada weather station at his Orchill Farms and Orchards on Concession 9-10 Morris Twp. had recorded only 16.5 mm. of rainfall in June, making it the driest month in a long time. Bv contrast, the rainfall in June, 1987, exceeded 102 mm., Mr. Taylor said, although that total was helped considerably by the 46 mm. - nearly two inches - that fell on June 22 alone. Rainfall for the month hasaveraged 65.13 mm. over the past six years, with June, 1983, showing a fairly meagre 40.4 mm., while the month in 1984 and 1986 showed a more normal 88 mm. and 86 mm. respectively. “This has certainly been the driest year I’ve seen since I started keeping records in 1977,’’ he conceded, adding that the month will also go down as one of the cooler Junes on record, despite several murderous heat waves when the temperature rose briefly into the high 30’s. Up to three degrees of frost was registered on the night of June 28, heavily damaging corn and bean crops across the county, while lowland frost touched several areas on both June9,and 10, theweatherman said. The thermometers provided by Environment Canada are set to record the high and low tempera­ ture for each day, maintaining that mark until the temperature for each is either exceeded or until the weather observor shakes it down, Mr. Taylor explained.