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The Lucknow Sentinel, 1994-02-06, Page 4Page 4 - Lucknow Sentinel, Wednesday, February 16, 1994 MINEINIPP 1y al�lliy� yi xs xgG.' ` (..0,fksM r6M>' `'�',' " dIAM4 Published weekly by Signal -Star Publishing Ltd at 619 Campbell Street Lucknow, Ont. P.O. Box 400, Lucknow, Ontario NOG 2H0 528-2822: Fax (519) 528-3529 Established 1873 • Thomas Thompson -- Advertising Manager Pat Livingston — General Manager/Editor ,Phyllis Matthews Helm - Front Office Subscription rates advance: Local Regular $2000 within 40 mi radius G.S T. incl Local Senior $1 700 within 40 mi radius G.S.T. incl Out -Of -Area (40 miles) - Regular $32.24 - Senior $29.24 G.S.T. incl. Foreign + U.S.A $9669 1 ' Publications mail registration no. 0847 held at Lucknow, Ont. Changes of address, orders for subscriptions, and undeliverable, copies (return postage guaranteed) are to be sent to Lucknow. Sentinel at the above address. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of •a typographical error, the portion of the advertising space occupied by the erroneous item together with a reasonable.allowance.for signature, will 'not be charged for, but the balance of the advertisement will be paid at the applicable rates. Time-honored values stand firm here For those of us who live In Lucknow and love It; the world outside can sometimes be downright unappealling. That's probably the case this week as we consider the story about the judge who ruled "lap dancing" Is just dandy In adult bars. For those who may not have heard, lap dancing Is the practice of some enterprizing strippers who for a fee, will come down. from the runway and sit In the laps of customers Who are permitted to fondle them. When complaints about lap dancing were brought before the court recently, a Judge. apparently condoned the habit and thereby put society's stamp of approval on It. Reaction by the general public has been mostly negative. In a poll done by a London radio station last weekend, all1of the callers were opposed to lap dancing as a legal activity In public places. Most Indicated they were sickened by such 'gross Indecency In public whether by the fondled, the fondier or the fondling -watchers. They said they feared for their children and grandchildren, and claimed they resented the court's decision on their behalf. Such swift denouncement of. lap dancing should be an ) encouraging sign for those who are deeply concerned about the declining moral standards of Canadian society. Perhaps Canadians are finally ready to . call a halt to a growing depravity In the nation. Maybe the level of wlckedlnees has sunk so low that the majority of Canadians can no longer ignore It. Could It be that at long last, Canadians will no, to climb out of the mire of perversion and gross Indecency that has gripped them and demand that the courts protect them from themselves? • In Lucknow and area, where proprletly Is stilt the community standard, we can take heart that time-honoured values and ancestral principles remain firmly entrenched In people of every age who live here. And we can be a little smug too, that In the '90s the rest of Canada yearns to be more like us. - SJK I I People unite for community Dear Pat, I'rn so • sorry, Pat,. that you are confined to your home and unable to write this column this week. I want you to know that you are missed by everyone at the office - and after this newspaper hits the streets, you will be greatly missed by your readers as well. I wanted to let you know, Pat, that I had a chat this week with Elaine Errington of the St. Helen's Women's Institute. Did you know that group was paying the bills for the one and only streetlight in St. Helen's? I think that's absolutely extra- ordinary. I wrote a story about it for the front page,'artd I'm really hoping it will help those ladies find ' a solution to their problem. It really made me think about the streetlights in front of my home - and how much I take them for granted. What would my street be like if those lights were suddenly darkened? And how much would it cost me if I were actually paying the bills, to keep them burning? It's how taxpayers lose sight of what it costs to run a municipality - and why folks complain more than they should. Rby Pat Livingston AMBLINGS • Anyway Pat, I got to thinking about the tremendous lesson to be . learned from the St. Helen's WI and the people of that community. Just imagine what it would be like if everyone had the same ,appreciation for municipal costs as those people do? I suppose you know that Women's Institutes seem to be dying out around the country. Young women are just not joining the organization that at one time was . the most exciting one to be found anywhere. Those were the days when the WI served a real need for women, helping them become better homemakers and mothers - and more informed, interesting, women in the bargain. But in 1994, women are well educated and fully employed. Many juggle .their careers with marriage, homemaking and child-rearing with very little time time left over for anything else. Any free time is spent doing something that is really important to them -• and while WI still offers some fine programs, it is growing more and more difficult to attract young members. . St. Helen's WI membership may not swell, but their uniqueand worthwhile project needs support. is there not some way the WI commitment can be met through the assistance of busy younger women and their families who value . the light at the St. Helen's .corner ... and want to preserve it?, I sure hope so. To me, it's just the kind of thing that can unite folks for even greater good in the community ... and provide satisfaction and pure pleasure for all those involved. So Pat, when you are well again and back at your desk, think about the St. Helen's streetlight and its„ significance. It's not only a light that marks St. Helen's, it's a beacon that points to an exceptional community with'a rare opportunity to show the way to others. You're fortunate to have people like that in your readership. • . Best wishes, SJK. It's election year, ,reader reminds West Wawanosh council members Dear, editor, My congratulations on your excellent article on the Grierson OMB decision. I hope your paper will send a reporter to the next • council meeting in West Wawanosh. As a tax paying citizen of West Wawanosh, I am very interested in how my tax dollars are being spent and I intend to find out. Now the OMB rules in favour of the Griersons and the council is going to seek legal advice. When .I walk into .a lawyer's office, I know it is going to cost me $200 for one hour and if he or she is a specialist, say in municipal law, you can tack on another $100. After all the, other legal fees in this matter, I now know why I have to pay one dollar for each bag of garbage I put in the dump ditch. I assume this is why the employees of West Wawanosh did not get even a small raise this year. These people are entitled to a raise. If for• nothing else they should , be rewardedfor putting up with this council. I was in the work force too long not to know that if you do not give your employees a yearly raise you are sending a message to them that demeans their self-worth and job performance. All this penny pinching is being done so this council can continue their personal vendetta against the Griersons. Having had dealings with) them myself, I found out one thing. This council will not support you in anything if you come from the city. Mr. Foster huffs and puffs that he was elected by the taxpayers to protect them and I sit there thit'tlFing I voted• for this guy and he is treating all of us like dirt. The Griersons were treated) as badly as I was, so I was not surprised when they deferred their case. It took me one year to get a simple reverence and rezoning and cost me $2250, so you see I must find out what they do with all our money. The citizens had better got out to these meetings, especially the one about the infrastructure money. Since when was Dungannon all the people of • West Wawanosh? Everyone should have a say in where that money goes. It might be wise to use it to fix the Grierson's road and save us some legal fees. If the West Wawanosh council continues to abuse the taxpayer, I do hope they remember that there is an election coming up. Yours ' truly, Catherine Stevens Cedarvale Farms Harness racing coverage l ed Dear editor. As a regular reader of your newspaper, I would like to make you aware that a large portion ' of yo readership (valued customers) ares devoted harness racing fans like myself./ Your . coverage of our favorite spot is quite limited and I thought it might be as a result that you are unaware ofsome of our Computer bandwagon is here Dear editor. I used to go to a bookstore or a library for a book of my liking. Time was spent, reaching the place. Time was spent browsing-. over titles. Time was spent reading jack- ets of bound books for being sure of -purchasing or borrowing the right book. At home, I had to make sure where I kept the book, Once, a friend borrowed it. He lost the book. I lost a friend. "You are losing time and oppor- tunities," a young man said. "You better adopt a modern way!" Today, I browse over the screen of my computer for the book of my choice. I depress a key and instantly the work I want to read pops on. Another key depressed: the first page of the book stares at me while a bottom line on the screen) 1'0 THE EDITOR asks how many pages I want to read,rat what page I wish to start my rending. Jolly gbgl show, eh? I venturedto write a letter to someone. "Do you want to save it?" the computer asked. I saved the letter by depressing a key. To 'amuse myself I read and reread my letter for days on end. Then, I boldly wanted to. see where my pensioner money went. So, .1 tinkered with figures and came up with an impressive document which I now modify each month. Now, at home, when they ask me where the money went between mailed old age cheques, I recall my spreadsheet and show "them" where the bloody money went. Little by little, I expand my knowledge. I got me a program teaching me some German., Another program has the computer playing II chess against me. , For most people, it is no'neces- sary to purchase an expensive com- puter. Computers are made like cars are made. Suppliers provide all parts; assembly lines provide any car. 1t is much too late for me to assemble such modern puzzles but the young man who advised me to change my way demonstrated it is feasible. He lives in Lucknow. And I am his proud grandfather. Yours truly, A. Joe Legrand. everyday accomplishments and contributions. Harness racing in Ontario is very job -creative in . that it employs directly, and indirectly, in excess of 30,000en and women. Racing has no em.ployment briers old the overwhelming majority-ofathe Work I is of a hands-on experience. Currently, Ontario is host to Stan dardbred (Harness) Racetracks and over two dozen teletheatre (off-site) wagering locations. In 1994, 6.1 million harness racing fans will attend a racing program in Ontario which includes over 4,100 combined days of ex- citing entertainment. Wagering revenues from those who choose to bet will contribute, to the Provincial Treasury $41.4 million in gross pari-mutuel taxes. As you can see, Ontario Harness racing generates large revenues, creates thousandsdf jobs and contributes substantially to the good health and fiscal stability of On- tario. , . Throughout the world, Ontario horsemen and women are recog- nized ashe leaders in harness racing ex ence. Annually, On- tario horses dominate the North American season ending Awards and this year voting results were no different. In 1993, the United States Trot- ting Association had 12 horse categories that each select a Mit I i dominant horse. Ontario owned or trained horses won eight of the 12 titles/. These include two-year-old winners. Wesgate Crown, Freedom Friend and Armbro Monarch. Three-year-old winners were Presidential Ball and Ellamony and Aged Trotting horse Earl. Aged 'Trotting mare Lifetime Dream and Aged Pacing horse Staying Together. • Staying Together also won the prestigious USTA Horse of the. Year honor for owner Bob Hamather of Exeter. In Europe, Ontario horsesand drivers also fare quite well and muchof Europe's prize. trotting stochas "Ontario Roots." In 1992 Sweden's premier race of the year the Sovalla Elitlopp was won by the trotting sensation "Billyjojimbob" owned by ,Mike and Lori Wade of Seagrave and expertly driven by Sunderland's, Murray Brethour. In closing, as you can see in this short letter, Ontario men, women, and horses dominate the harness racing world and we receive very little recognition for our efforts. For your next harness 'racing story, call the Ontario Harness Horse Association should ybu re- quire any facts. The O.H.H.A. office is open weekdays 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. and their telephone num- ber, is (905) 854-2221. Yours sincerely, Ellwood Irwin, Subscriber.