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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2006-11-02, Page 4Looking Back Through the Years Nov. 5, 1959 Beloved CNR station agent of 35 _ years, Walter C. Kerr was retiring his service after a good run. Keir started working for the CNR as an assistant in Milverton in 1914, and continued moving from place to place. Planning to stay active well after retirement, Kerr would be replaced by his own son John, keeping the career running in the family. Rumours were circling in the global press that Princess Margaret of the royal family would be announcing an engagement of hers to Canadian lawyer John Turner. The princess was rumoured to have gotten permission from the Queen, despite the religious differences between the princess and her supposed fiancée. Although a French newspaper called this story true, British court circles denied the report. Nov. 2, 1960 Great amounts of sympathy and thoughtfulness were demonstrated as a group of people eagerly, helped out a fellow neighbour. Neighbours of Mr. and Mrs. Orval McGowan brought tractors and ploughs to complete the fall plowing on the family farm. Mr. McGowan had been a patient at Victoria Hospital in London for a number of weeks, and could not make it home in time to finish the fields for the winter. Quick to help out were his neighbours, including Earl Caldwell, Clarence Johnston, Mason Bailey, Robert Marshall, Mervin Datema, Robert Carter, Gordon Carter, Maurice Hallahan, Jim Walsh, and Ralph Caldwell. A flight commander who fought in the Second World War found a creative way to keep his memories of his service. RAF Flight Commander Kenrieth Wallis constructed a touring car made of WWII -airplane parts: headlamp covers, starter motor housings from a German jet aircraft; engine magneto, from a Spitfire fighter and door handles, throttle levers from a Lancaster bomber. The entire coachwork and interior of the car were constructed of old unused aircraft materials. Oct. 17, 1973 Blyth firefirefighters were called upon to aid others from across the county in fighting a vicious blaze. Blyth joined the forces of Clinton, Seaforth, and Brucefield to battle a serious fire at a factory in Vanastra, the former air base south of Clinton. Blyth's aid was needed because of its advanced equipment. A pop machine filled with almost 100 bottles of soda was stolen from the front of a convenience store. Though the thief may have had lots of muscle to move such a large item, they may have been lacking logic skills, since, according to the owner of the machine and the convenience store, there was no money whatsoever, having just been' emptied and refilled. Elected as the new leader of the Conservative party was local politician Glen Webb. The former Huron County warden was named the president of the Ontario Progressive Conservative Association, the Riding of Huron, succeeding William J. Dale of Seaforth. Nov. 4, 1987 A fire in Ethel nearly demolished a family home. A blaze was extinguished just in time at the residence which was located at the junction of County Roads 16 and 19. Fortunately, no one was home at the time of the fire, but the flames burned through the west side of the roof. There was also a good deal of water damage. No estimate was known at the time, but a considerable amount of roof repair would have to be done. A rare biological event took place at a Westfield cattle farm. Triplet calves were born at the family farm of Jim and Lorraine Hallahan. Delighted by the rare .occurrence were the Hallahan boys, Ryan, Patrick and Jamie, but this was not a first-time happening. The mother cow, affectionately named Gusty, had given birth to twins twice before. Two Blyth natives were the top runners at the annual Huron-Perth secondary schools cross-country meet. Kim Medd of Central Huron Secondary School was the junior girls champion at the meet, and later placed 11th at WOSSA. Steve Souch, also of CHSS, was the champion of the junior boys event, and placed seventh at the WOSSA meet. The entire Morris Twp. council and most of the -staff were on hand to deliver the toWnship's new $120,000 • snowplow to the newly- appointed official snowplow driver. Qn hand to present the machine were: Champion re- presentative Dave Wallace, deputy- reeve Clem McLellan, reeve Doug Fraser, councillor Howie Morton; grader operator John Sith; clerk- treasurer Nancy Michie; road superintendent Lloyd Michie; grade operator Bob Dickert; councillor Bob Grasby; and councillor Bert Elliot. A Blyth child suffering from leukemia returned from his special trip to Disney World. PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2006. Editorial Opinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Ken Warwick & Kelly Quesenberry The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $32.00/year ($30.19 + $1.81 G.S.T.) in Canada; $92.00/year in U.S.A. and $100/year in other foreign countries. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. PUBLICATIONS MAIL AGREEMENT NO. 40050141 PAP REGISTRATION NO. 09244 RETURN UNDELIVERABLE CANADIAN ADDRESSES TO CIRCULATION DEPT. PO BOX 152 BRUSSELS ON NOG 1H0 email: norhuron@scsinternet.com Canada We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. The Citizen P.O. Box 429, P.O. Box 152, BLYTH, Ont. BRUSSELS, Ont. Nom 1H0 NOG 1H0 Phone 523-4792 Phone 887-9114 FAX 523-9140 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca 4Mo Member of the Ontario Press Council OMIT= ocria CNA We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscriph or photographs. Contents of The Citizen ore 0 Copyright Sharing the pain Huron County Federation of Agriculture's decision last week to seek the closing of snowmobile trails on farmers' properties threatens to pit town against country, even within the county. Early angry reaction by non-farmers only exemplifies the lack of understanding, and sympathy, towards farmers, even in our small towns and villages, let alone our cities. Farmers feel they're alone and taken for granted, and their action is a cry for help that nobody seems ready to give. Farmers producing grains and oilseeds have been asking, in vain, for a risk management program from the federal and provincial governments. American farmers have just experienced their best three years in history because they have programs that top up prices if world markets fail. Canadian farmers have had their worst three years in history thanks to the "mad cow" crisis and poor crop prices and a lack of similar support program. The federal government says it can't afford the farmer- proposed risk management program, at the same time it rang up a $13 billion surplus last year and a booming surplus early this year. Non-farmers find it hard to take farmers' plight seriously. A common comment about last winter's farm tractor protest rallies was "How can they be so hard-up when they're driving that big, expensive machinery?". These comments miss the reality that as society pays less for food, farmers must make up the financial difference with greater efficiency and the only way they can do that is farm more land, which requires larger equipment — which becomes part of the debt burden when prices fall. Urban opinion is also skewed by the sense that one farmer seems pretty much the same as another. So seeing a poultry or dairy farmer prosper makes people think all farmers should be doing well. The rules of the game are different. This is much larger than just a farm issue, especially in rural Ontario. Dependent as we are on the farming economy, we should all be concerned about this farm income crisis. It's hard to find farmers under 40 years of age at a farm meeting these days. The average age of a farmer has crept past 60. These older farmers can't farm forever. When they go, who will fill our churches? Who will shop in our stores? With no young farmers there are fewer children for our schools. And who will own the land we want to snowmobile on? Perhaps the Federation's action is not the best one, but the rest of us can't go on expecting farmers to provide food and land for our use without helping them fight for a better deal. Unable to get politicians to listen they're hoping that the protests of snowmobilers and the businesses who serve them, will carry more weight. Let's hope they do. — KR Giving up right and left Both the left and the right of-the political spectrum have been urging us to give up on lost causes lately. The federal government says we can't meet Kyoto Protocol commitments so proposes we do nothing to reduce global warming before 2050, bringing outrage from the'left. On the weekend, many Of those same people were parading, calling for Canada to give up on Afghanistan and pull our troops out. Both sides want us to duck our responsibilities. The right ignores the reality that global warming is happening and we may endanger the planet's future by ignoring it. Those who would leave Afghanistan ignore the reality the Taliban would again subject innocent people to their harsh regime. Giving up doesn't make either issue go away. KR Letter to the editor THE EDITOR, We fundraise as a group to cover Are you a family looking for an all travel expenses to bring the amazing experience next summer? children to Canada. Huron County for Children of There are many benefits and Chernobyl is looking for loving rewards to be gained frrom hosting a families to host a child from Belarus child and a wonderful learning in the summer of 2007. experience for our own children. Our charitable group was formed Host families may request a child, in 1998 for the purpose of bringing boy or girl, whom they think would children here to Canada for a respite be best suited to fit in easily with visit. They are still suffering from their family life. They are invited to the effects of the Chernobyl nuclear attend an information meeting on diasster in 1986. Their homeland is Thursday, Nov. 2 at 7:30 p.m. at affected by the toxic pollution found Central Huron Secondary School in the soil, plants, food, air and library, Clinton to learn more about water. the program. Our fresh air and nutritious food For more information please call helps to improve their immune me at 519-527-2060 or Jack Bender system and reverse the ill effects of at 519-565-2243. radioactive contaminants they are Sincerely, exposed to on a daily basis. Our Lynne Dawe, tender, loving care gives them a Chairperson, reason to smile and a fighting Huron County Children for chance. Chernobyl.