The Citizen, 2006-08-31, Page 1B l'YT 11
it 111:7 • fsy
Pot seized
OPP Const. Dave Gillan stands beside a truckload of marijuana plants, 1,163 in total seized
Sunday from a location on a Marnoch Line property in East Wawanosh. The plants, which
were three to seven feet in size, and have a street value of upwards of $1 million, were found
after a call from a concerned farmer. OPP encourage residents to report suspicious activities
such as strange vehicles near bushlots or fields or empty planting pots found along the
roadside. (Vicky Bremner photo)
Broken Hearted win battle
Inside this week
Family shares their Pg. story
Pg. 8
Pg. 9
Lakers organization
has new president
Over 55 players
win title
Da
1
Saluting local ball
8' and soccer teams
36 John Tory visits
Pg. Blyth Festival
e Citizen
Volume 22 No. 34
Thursday, Aug. 31, 2006
$1 (94c + 6c GST)
Wheat crop
shatters
records
By Heather Dietz
Citizen staff
Winter wheat in Ontario is
expected to shatter all records in
2006. Production was estimated at
2.5 million tonnes, as stated on Aug.
25 by Statistics Canada.
Farmers in Huron County are
having the luxury of -yielding 100
plus bushels of hard-red winter
wheat per acre. Although the yields
are high, this Means that the protein
levels could to be lower than
normal.
The hard-red winter has had an
excellent yield and been of top end
quality.
The spring-hard wheat was also at
a premium and made grade.
Although having hard-red winter
wheat with 11 percent protein, the
farmers make less profit, but due to
the large volume of wheat, they are
making up for it.
Roger Swance, crop control at
Cook's Division in Walton says,
"It's been an exceptional year, with
the best wheat yield in a long time."
"The wheat is planted in the fall,
we had a favourable winter,
moisture atthe right time and timely
rains. A combination of the weather
helped- to achieve the high yields of
wheat." Swance said
Cook's has had to transport large
volumes of wheat to various ports,
in Goderich and the U.S.A. It's even
been loaded on ships to be
transported elsewhere.
They need the storage to be ready
for when the corn and beans are
ready to be harvested.
- Producers are reminded that with
this year's record wheat harvest and
with soybean harvest just around the
corner, it's crucial to move your
wheat right now if you want harvest
delivery.
Elevator and terminal space for
wheat is currently moving smoothly
and efficiently at or near capacity,
but the risk of not being able to
deliver when and where, may exist
by mid-September when soybeans
start competing for resources.
Forum
to look at
housing
needs
A public forum is being held to
determine what needs are out there
regarding affordable housing.
Consultant Tim Welch will be
leading the discussion on
Wednesday, Sept. 13 from 1 p.m. to
4 p.m. at the Legion Hall located at
56 Kingston St. Goderich.
The discussion will focus on the
general needs and what type of
affordable housing is required and
in what part of the county.
Don Brisson of Housing Services
is the co-ordinator for the forum
and says that the results of the study
should be ready mid-October. -
"The survey is not complete yet,
that's why we are having this
consultation to find out from the
public what the need is," Brisson
said.
Participants will be 'asked for
their input on what can be done to
- help meet these needs.
Huron
rocks at
Huronstock
To celebrate the launch of the
Huron County Health Unit's
SPARK website, the SPARK youth
team invite you to rock at
Huronstock!
This day-long, substance-free
event will include music from many
local bands, local vendors and
interactive health booths.
You will hear Farewell to
Freeway, Shotgun Rules, Sydney,
TraceNine, Perish, and many more.
SPARK is a youth-driven website
which will tackle tough, local Huron
County issues like drug use, binge
drinking and depression, by those
living with these pressures every
day.
The SPARK youth team has
decided to make this a pharity show,
with all proceeds from the egent
going to the Musical Instrument
Lending Library (MILL).
Like SPARK, the MILL has also
been inspired and created by lotal
youth.
Huronstock hits the Clinton
Grandstands on Saturday, Sept. 23
from 4 p.m. until midnight.
Organizers are looking for youth
to help out with this event.
Volunteering at Huronstock means
free access into the show, a free
event t-shirt and free food during
their shift. They can use the time
towards community hours for
school.
To find out more, visit SPARK at
www.youthspark.ca. Mark Sept. 23
on your calendar and we hope to see
you there.
By Heather Dietz
Citizen staff
On Aug, 26 bands from all over
Canada converged in Blyth for the
2006 Canadian final of the Global
Battle of the Bands competition.
The winner, The Broken Hearted,
a band from Montreal beat out 24
other bands to he crowned Best New
Band in Canada. The band has the
opportunity to travel to London,
England all expenses paid to
compete in the World Final.
The finals will be held Dec. 10- 12
in the Astoria Theatre. The Broken
Hearted will compete against 35
other international bands,, for the
right to be crowned Best New Band
in the World.
The winner will get $100,000 U.S.
and will embark on a world tour.
This year's national director Jeff
Nesbitt is confident that the band
that won was the best to represent
Canada in London.
Of the local event Nesbitt said the
attendance could have been bigger.'
"It was a little disappointing,
because you always hope for a good
crowd."
Even though the weather didn't
co-operate, "I was really happy with
how the show went, the bands did a
really great job, and they put on a
really great show," Nesbitt said.
The show kicked off at 2:30 p.m.
and went into the late, late evening.
The top five saw the Saigon
Hookers from Kitchener claiming
second place. Third place went to
Astronaut from Sarnia. Fourth place
went to the Abandoned Souls of
London, and rounding out the top
five was Boy in December from
Goderich.
There were three judges on hand
to witness the performances. One
was from 94.5 The Bull, London
Ontario Rox, and a judge from audio
On-site from Toronto.
The Broken Hearted started on the
Montreal music scene as a rockin'
blues trio, who have shared the stage
with musical icons, Jeff Healey,
Elvis Costello and James Cotton.
They have played such venues as
The dog days of August are soon
behind us and heralding the
unofficial end of summer is Labour
Day.
This Monday is the long weekend.
Staff at The Citizen, however, will be
on the job. The Blyth office will be
open, though deadlines for editorial
the Montreal Jazz Fest for two years
in a row. As well as performed at the
Ottawa Jazz and Blues festival. In
2003 they were nominated for Best
New Blues Artist for the Maple
Blues Society and rising blues artist
in 2005. They won the award in
2003.
There were many people that
helped make this event a success,
said Nesbitt from Dave Campbell,
the stage hand, the judges, and many
of Nesbitt's friends and family who
were there to help with the gates and
clean-up.
"Overall I'm pretty happy with
how it went. The crowd was great,
the bands were awesome to work
with. It was good day." Nesbitt said.
Nesbitt plans to come back as
national director next year. The site
has yet to be determined for next
year's show.
and advertising have been moved up
to noon.
The Brussels office will be closed,
but submissions for that week's
paper can be put under the door for
pickup at noon on Monday.
Have a safe and happy Labour
Day weekend.
Office open Monday