HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 1998-02-18, Page 1700 + 50 GST750 Wednesday, Feb. 18, 1998 Vol. 14 No 7
I can't believe they're gone
A shocked Tanya Verburg grimaces as she watches the curly locks of husband, Raymond,
fall to the floor. Raymond and Dan Baarda volunteered to have their heads shaved, by the
highest bidder, Friday night, as a fundraiser for 12 youths from Blyth Christian Reformed
Church. The youths will be participating in SERVE, a Youth Unlimited project, which will
send them to communities in Wisconsin, Iowa, Washington D.C. and Ontario to provide help
wherever it is needed. The fundraising campaign is well underway as $1,500 of the $5,000
required has already been raised.
Brussels woman
celebrates Lotto
649 win
See page 2
Sports
Belgrave Girls
play fundraising
hockey games
See page 8
Special
Honouring
members of the
Scouts, Guides
See page 11
Adjudictors
named for Sears
Festival
See page 27
JK lives in Huron
By Janice Becker
Citizen staff
Always a contentious issue,
junior kindergarten caused debate
once again at the Avon Maitland
District School Board meeting.
Support, Feb. 10, varied among
trustees on whether or not to keep
the program in Huron and imple-
ment it in Perth.
With planning already underway
for 1988-99 staffing, administration
was seeking an agreement of some
kind from trustees.
In advising principals in the west
to begin advertising for junior
kindergarten enrollment, Associate
Director of Education John Patter-
son asked trustees to confirm their
intention to continue the program
and got it.
Northeast Huron Trustee Colleen
Schenk said she has been inundated
with calls and letters from parents
supporting the program, with only
three against it.
When asked about the implemen-
tation of junior kindergarten in the
east district (Perth County), Senior
The Clinton Public Hospital
hosted the official opening of their
Ophthalmology Service Feb. 12.
Helen Johns, MPP Huron officiated
at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Through a Strategic Alliance
with the London Health Sciences
Centre, the Clinton Public Hospital
has developed a local eye clinic and
cataract surgery program which is
supported by the Department of
Ophthalmology at the University of
Western Ontario.
The service started in October '97
with biweekly clinics and the
cataract surgery program began late
in November. The surgery days are
biweekly on Wednesdays followed
by a clinic the next day. This
ensures that patients see the
Ophthalmologist the next day
following surgery.
The Ontario Provincial Police
Mount Forest Crime Unit is now
investigating numerous occurrences
regarding altered Goods and
Services Tax (GST) Government of
Canada rebate cheques.
These cheques have been stolen
in the Hamilton, Toronto area and
have been cashed in Drayton,
Goderich, Harriston, Listowel,
Mount Forest, Owen Sound,
Seaforth, Stratford and Walkerton.
Police are asking merchants, gas
bar operators and grocery store
clerks to pay attention to the
description of any person and any
vehicle they may be driving, to
Administrator Jeanne Dionne said a
decision should be made by early
summer to allow consideration in
the staffing formula.
Director of Education Paul Car-
roll said it could be pushed back as
far as August but implementation
would be much more difficult.
Leslie Wood, West Perth, Perth
East and St. Marys trustee, said she
would support retaining the status
quo until a decision could be made
for the entire board.
Board Chair and Trustee for Cen-
tral Huron, Abby Armstrong said
she would not support the continua-
tion of junior kindergarten as par-
ents in her area were not supportive
and felt this was not the type of
program which should be offered.
Carroll pointed out that the pro-
gram was mandated by the
province and the board cannot
implement a program which is not
in compliance.
In a vote by ballot, Armstrong
voted against continuation, Trustee
for South Huron, Bob Allan
abstained due to lack of informa-
tion and all other trustees supported
the motion.
Janice Cosgrove, site
administrator said, "To date, we
have seen 267 patients in the clinics
and performed 26 surgeries. We
project a total of 70 surgeries to the
end of March '98."
This service demon,trates how a
rural hospital, working with a
tertiary care centre, eau develop its
role and provide access to local
service which meets the needs of
the community. It is in keeping
with the vision of the Rural and
Northern Health Care framework
by integrating and co-ordinating
care, "giving the right care, in the
right place, at the right time".
"The expertise afforded us by the
Alliance ensures we will offer the
same quality of care but in the
comfort of the patient's own
Continued on page 3
help police in this investigation.
The cheques are being altered by
posting an additional number in
front of the amount on the cheque.
A cheque in the amount of $76.00
could be changed to $676.00.
On Friday, Feb. 13, an attempt
was made to pass an altered GST
rebate cheque at the Seaforth
Grocery Store. The cheque was in
the amount of $976.
The alert cashier who had heard
the warning through the media
suggested to the male person to go
across the street and cash it at the
bank. The person was not seen
again.
Clinton hospital opens
ophthalmology service
Merchants told
to check cheques