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The Citizen, 1998-09-30, Page 14-Cross Canada campaign hunts for man wanted on warrant for murder Is one of Canada's most wanted murder suspects living in your community? That's a question Detective Bob Wilkinson of the Toronto Police Service wants residents across the country to ask them- selves during a coast-to- coast commun- ity newspaper campaign to catch Dennis Melvyn Howe. A first-degree murder warrant was issuedfor Howe in 1983 following the murder of nine-year- old Sharin Morningstar Keenan of Toronto. Keenan went missing from her neighbourhood park and her body was found in a rooming house refrigerator nine days later. Although a warrant was issued for Howe's arrest, he has managed to evade capture for more than 15 years. Police believe the suspect, now 57, has assumed a new identity and is living in Canada, possibly in a rural area. "Most of his adult life, he was constantly in contact with the authorities for one reason or another," Wilkinson said. "It seems strange a person like this could just up and vanish." Community newspapers across the country are hoping Howe will reappear during their-Nowhere To Hide campaign. This week a copy of this story with an age-enhanced photograph of Howe is being distributed to up to 10 million newspaper readers from coast to coast with the help of the Ontario Community Newspapers Association and the Canadian Community Newspapers Association. It is hoped Howe will be located through the efforts of this campaign. Wilkinson, an investigator with Toronto Police's cold case homicide squad, said Howe, a drifter, is no stranger to "rugged, rural living." Wilkinson said it wouldn't be a surprise to discover Howe is living in the woods somewhere. "But even if you live in the back woods, you have to come to town once in awhile. You have to get some supplies." He may be working as a handyman in a rural area and venturing into town once a week for supplies. "He was in bad health from the word go, so if he was living the life of a hermit, he would probably require medical attention," the investigator said. At the time of the murder, Toronto Police describe Howe as being five feet, nine inches (175 cm) tall, about 165 lb. (75 kg), with wrinkles on his forehead, a gap between his teeth, hairy chest and arms, square shoulders, a scar under his chin and crooked little fingers. Police said he is left- handed, had a deep, jovial laugh, walked quickly, smoked heavily and frequently used the term "Turkeys". Anyone with information about Howe is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. For more information about Dennis Melvyn Howe, visit the Nowhere To Hide web site at http://www.simcoe.com/news/murd er/. On Sept. 21 at approximately 7 p.m. officers were advised of a theft of money from a residence on Conc. 8 of East Wawanosh Twp. A 75-year-old woman was approached that morning around 11:30 a.m. by a "smooth talking" male. He came to the door asking about tools that had been for sale at the house earlier in the summer. The man brought up vehicles and she took him to the garage to show Last year in Ontario, over 900 people were killed as a result of collisions on provincial highways and byways. Community Services Officer Const. Don Shropshall said that more than 88,000 injuries and 215,000 collisions cost the economy millions of dollars in lost wages, not to mention the excessive financial strain placed on the health care system. In these collisions, speed, seat belt non-use and impaired driving were the main contributing factors. For the third straight year, the Ontario Provincial Police will be A new route that winds its way through Huron County was officially launched on Saturday, Sept. 26 at a sold out party called the "Blues & BBQ in the Barn" near Hensall. The Harvest Trail showcases 76 stops to choose including farm gate operators, agri-food producers, shops, farms, bed & breakfasts, country inns and restaurants - that specialize in local produce. It is a self-guided tour like the winery routes, that visitors can take throughout the year with the aid of a colourful directory and maps produced by the organizers with the financial assistance of a Canadapt grant from the Federal Ministry of Agriculture. The Hawk 103.1 FM radio in London hosted a bus load of Londoners who enjoyed a bus tour through Huron County on the first official day of the Harvest Trail. Their stops included "In the Garden" Bed and Breakfast in Parkhill, Jerry Raders Home Style Catering in Zurich, "Brentwood on Local singers and songwriters are being invited to take part in a special recording to celebrate the 1999 International Plowing Match (IPM) in Huron County. A limited edition CD and cassette recording to feature Huron County musical talent will be produced this fall. The recording will feature original material by Huron County residents and entries are being accepted until Friday, Sept. 25. Twelve performers will be chosen from the entries to take part in the recording session at Renaissance Studios near Blyth in later September. The finished recording will be released at the IPM barbecue to be held at Varna on Thursday, Oct. 29. Cliff Edwards is organizing and producing this recording project and he noted, "Huron County has a tremendous wealth of talent. This recording will promote local artists a 1975 Dodge Charger. While in the garage the man's vehicle horn honked several times. This man then told the woman his cellular phone was ringing and he had to leave. The man ran to his vehicle and left the residence. A short time later the lady found that someone had entered the house gone into her bedroom and stole money from her purse. Taken was $1,430 in $20, $50 and $100 bills. targeting high risk drivers as partners in Operation Impact, 1998, a National Safety Campaign aimed at reducing death and injuries through enforcement and educa- tion, to be held Saturday, Oct. 3. The Huron OPP local initiatives will be to enforce all speeding violations throughout the area, along with those drivers who fail to stop for traffic lights and stop signs in the county. Secondly, vehicles will be checked to make sure seat belts are in use and that child restraint seats arc being installed and used properly. Thirdly, the the Beach" in St. Josephs, the village of Bayfield and Fotheringham Farm near Brucefield. The grand prize for the contcstahts was a weekend for two at the "Pleasant Pheasant" bed and breakfast near Bayfield. The bus tour ended their day at the "Blues & BBQ in the Barn" event which was held on the Hensall farm of Cas and Adrian Bayley. Food was prepared by Pineridge barbecue, Jerry Rader and many Harvest Trail members. A lively auction raised money for the Huron Tourism Association with close to 100 items donated from Huron County businesses. "This is the first of many bus tours and events to celebrate tourism in Huron County" advises Project Manager Cass Bayley. "The 1998 tourism season is still in full swing and many businesses report an increase of over 35 - 50 per cent from last year due to fantastic weather and the U.S. exchange rate. Huron County is receiving and help to raise money and publicity for the plowing match." He encourages all Huron County songwriters and singers to send in cassettes with their work. Entrants are asked to send two samples of their work, one ballad and one up- tempo, along with any lyric sheets. Songwriters who don't sing may also use Huron County singers to interpret their song. "We're looking for a cross section of music on this recording," Edwards noted. "From stand-out solos to instrumentals." One thousand copies of the CD and the cassette will be produced and sold over the next several months to promote the IPM which will be held near Dashwood in September of 1999. For those who are interested in submitting a musical cassette, they may be sent to: IPM-CD/Cassette Project, Huron County Planning Department, Court House Square, Goderich, Ontario N7A 1M2. The male in this case is described as medium height and build with thick dark hair on the bushy side and was clean shaven. The vehicle leaving this location was a light blue, two tone pickup truck. People are being warned to watch out for this man and to contact , police with any information that will help solve this case or contact Crimestoppers. enforcement of impaired driving and alcohol related offences will be strictly enforced throughout Huron County. During the 24-hour, nation-wide campaign in 1997, officers from 216 police services stopped close to 314,000 vehicles, laid 11,700 seat belt charges, along with 7,600 other traffic offences and 438 impaired driving counts. The Ontario Provincial Police shares the vision of Operation Impact in making Canada's roads the world's safest by the year 2001, said Shropshall. excellent reviews from our international visitors and will be the focus of an aggressive marketing campaign throughout the winter to promote the area for 1999." Locals win at IPM '98 Congratulations to all those who represented Huron County at the 1998 International Plowing Match in Frontenac County. Stephanie MacDonald of Winthrop, Huron's Queen of the Furrow contestant did Huron proud in the way she represented the county. Tim Devereaux, RR 5, Seaforth, plowed in Class 2 Group 2 and won a $2,500, two-year scholarship at one of the Ontario Colleges of Agricultural Technology. Paul Dodds, RR 2, Seaforth, plowed in Class 2 Group 4. He was reserve champion of that class. Darcy Flanagan, Dublin, and James McNaughton, Kippen, plowed in Class 2 Group 1. Pat O'Rourke, Dublin, and Gerald Corbett, Hensall, plowed in Class 2 Group 2. Armstrongs earn dairy awards First time was the charm for Huronia Farms, RR2, Auburn, at last week's Ontario Dairy Discov- ery in Brampton. Showing there for the first time, the Jerseys of Fred Armstrong, earned prizes in several categories. A three-year-old captured third, while a four-year-old won second and first. Armstrong also received second for mature cow, as well as first for breeder's herd. He was presented with the Pre- mier Breeders Banner for most points on animals bred and owned by the exhibitor. Help protect the environment, Reduce, reuse and recycle PAGE 14. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1998. Thieves scam lady, steal money IPM seeks singers OPP focus on high risk drivers Blues launch Harvest Trail THANK YOU The Huron County HIV/AIDS Network would like to thank the following individuals, merchants and organizations for their support of the "6th Annual Walk for AIDS". "Remember When" Seyler's Foodland The Old Mill Zurich Pharmacy Luann's Country Flowers Archie's Service Centre Rice's Store George Sill's Olde Village Accents Home Hardware Blyth Festival Theatre Nifty Corners Buy the Pound/Mercantile Hildebrand Flowers Tom Brown Stedmans Zellers Sizzler's Restaurant Wal-Mart Tasty-Nu Erb's Country Kitchen The Looking Glass Parkside Drive-In Flower Magic Restaurant Pizza Train Dominion Tavern O.P.P. Dan's Auto Service And especially to: Zehr's Food Plus in Goderich for their more than generous donation of fruit & veggie trays, hot dogs, beverages and cookies. Thank you to everyone who sponsored a walker, and to all the people who came out and walked. The total raised was approximately $3,000.00