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The Citizen, 2005-06-16, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, JUNE 16, 2005. Editorials Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Heather Armstrong & Dianne Nonkes The Citizen 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 $30.00/year ($28.04 + $l .96 G..S.T.) in Canada; $85.00/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 P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phono 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 E-mail norhuron@scsinternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca J^ocna <*cna Member of the Ontario Press Council We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright Signs becoming a joke As thousands of visitors begin streaming into Blyth next week to attend the Blyth Festival, followed by the Bluewater Kennel Club’s All Breeds Dog Show, many will wonder about those Communities in Bloom National Winner signs posted at the entrances to the village. If they look at main street they’ll wonder if the Communities in Bloom judges might have been drunk. Get off the main street and the pride that captured the attention of the judges is still evident but despite the best efforts of groups like the Horticultural Society and the Communities in Bloom committee, main street is a sad reminder of the pride that once got Blyth noticed. We have vandals who break windows and some property owners who board them over rather than fix them. Those vandals also undo the efforts of those who would spruce up the look of main street by pulling flowers from planters or stealing flower pots. Never fear — there’s still plenty of green from the weeds growing in the cracks of the sidewalk or along the sides of buildings. Some people can’t be bothered to walk 10 feet to a garbage can so leave paper coffee cups, pizza boxes and cigarette butts on the street. Some dog owners don’t clean up after their pets. All this seems to have the official municipal stamp of approval because nothing seems to be done to improve the situation. When Blyth was an independent municipality, village works employees cleaned the sidewalks so regularly it was almost obsessive. Now part of the Twp. of North Huron, Blyth is lucky to have its main street cleaned once a year. Are we, whether local residents or the municipality, writing off Blyth? With local residents turning increasingly to big box regional shopping centres, the future of the main street depends on the visitors brought to town by the Festival and the events at the campground. But who wants to visit a community with no sense of pride, that looks like it’s in the early stages of becoming a rural slum? It’s not too late to change this image but it’s going to take a concerted action by local residents and some leadership by our municipality to turn the tide. — KR Hang the expense! No matter how much one supports universal medicare, it’s hard to fault the judgement of the Supreme Court of Canada last week in saying that if the government medical system can’t provide timely treatment, the government can’t prevent people from getting private health insurance that will allow for faster treatment. To prevent people from getting faster care when you can’t provide it yourself is worse than the dog in the manger, as people are suffering or having their lives endangered because the government can’t get its act together. Yet it’s ironic that many of the people who demand the right to a private health care system and are willing to pay money for insurance or for private clinics, helped create the problems with the government system by demanding tax cuts that prevented the spending needed. Many of these people will declare that the government just can’t afford to continue with a totally government-sponsored health care system because it is eating up more and more of the provincial budget. But private health care is not cheaper in the long run. Doctors who are setting up private clinics, for instance, say it will allow them to spend more time with each patient. That’s a worthy goal but obviously it’s going to be more expensive health care to see, say, 40 per cent fewer patients. So obviously it’s not the cost of health care that bothers many opponents but the cost of government health care. They’ll gladly pay more money than they’re paying if it means they go to the first of the line for care, and not have to wait like everybody else. It’s strange. We claim to believe in equality but deep down we believe that if we have more, we deserve special treatment.— KR Letter to the editor Looking Back Through the Years THE EDITOR, I’m a health care worker concerned about the number of needlestick injuries in the workplace. There are an estimated 33,000 people injured from careless disposal of used needles each year. Considering the battery of tests each individual goes through at an average cost of $2,000 a person, it places a total cost of $66,000 on the health care system. Needless to say missing from the cost is the emotional effect on the individual and their families as results are not known until six months later. I feel the money spent on injuries would be better spent on safety- engineered devices which would prevent these accidents from occurring. 1 have noticed the United States and Manitoba have passed legislation to make it mandatory to use safety engineered devices. Don’t we as Ontarians deserve the same? Yours in safety, Steve Cook. June 16, 1948 Arnold Berthot purchased the butchering, business of Harvey McCallum. His announcement stated “I respectfully solicit a continuance of the patronage enjoyed by (Mr. McCalium). It will be my endeavour to serve you courteously and efficiently at all times.'’ The public school field and basket picnic under the East Wawanosh School Board was being held at Hirson Irwin’s Park on the 10th Line East Wawanosh Bridge. A program for all ages was being arranged. Everyone was invited to come and meet old school chums and neighbours. CPR was advertising special rail passes for the Canada Day long weekend. Between all points in Canada and to all United States border points it was a fare and one half for the round trip. The minimum special fare was 30 cents. A six-piece bedroom suite was selling at James Lockwood Furniture for $129.50. June 14, 1950 Postmasters were reminded that cash in all denominations found in the drop receivers and post office receptacles were classified as post office revenue. “Therefore, there is no alternative but to account for such to the dead letter office at Toronto.” Brussels Legion was planning a soap box derby. Playing at Seaforth’s Regent Theatre was Yellow Sky with Gregory Peck, Anne Baxter and Richard Widmark. This was “an outdoor drama with an unusual story twist. The desert scenes are good which will satisfy our western fans and our more critical drama fans.” Billed as the “laugh riot of the year” Ma and Pa Kettle Go to Town was playing at Listowel’s Capitol Theatre. , . A notice by chief of police W.H. Bell, stated, “No dog shall be allowed to run at large in the Village of Brussels during garden season. Any dog so found running at large, shall be liable to be killed and the owner or harborer prosecuted.” A monster band tattoo was set for the Brussels Agricultural Park. Participants were: the London All Girls Band, Bannockburn Pipe Band, 1st Div. RCASC Band from London, Hanover High School Girls Trumpet Band, Blyth Lions Club Boys and Girls Band and the Brussels Lions Club Boys and Girls Band. The program was under the direction of bandmaster A.C. Robinson. June was beauty month at F.R. Smith drug store. Specials included: home permanent refill kits, $1.95; lipsticks, 65 cents; nail enamel, 50 cents; nail polish remover, 29 cents; English lavendar toilet water, 65 cents and Yardley’s April violet talcum, 60 cents. June 14,1972 Some pet squirrels were providing interesting activity for a brother and sister in Brussels. The children had been kept busy feeding them with a baby bottle and getting nuts for them, since theanimals’ mother had been killed. After well over half a century of service, the large newspaper press at The Brussels Post was dismantled. The press had not been used since the beginning of the year when publication of the newspaper was done at a central plant. It was rodeo day at the Gordon Workman residence as young riding enthusiasts held a show. “There’s no reason why Huron County has to be the outhouse for Perth County,” Huron’s medical officer of health said after returning from a tour of the Listowel sewage lagoon and portions of the Maitland River. June 18,1986 Approximately 200 people watched the special parade to celebrate the opening of the new pool in Brussels. Many doctors across Ontario had heeded the call of the Ontario Medical Association to protest a provincial government bill to ban extra billing, and went on strike. Dr. Street and Dr. McGregor of Blyth and Dr, Bozyk of Brussels were still working. Brussels Lion Paul Mutter received an award for his outstanding achievements as chairman of the Brussels, Morris and Grey swimming pool project. The market at Brussels Stockyards traded on a broad demand with heavy shipments of lower-priced western beef putting further pressure on the Ontario market. George Collins was appointed to the Auburn board of trustees. Warner Andrews, who retired from the board, received a plaque for his long years of service to the community. June 17,1998 The ribbon was cut on the new playground equipment at East Wawanosh Public School. G&M Auto Parts opened in Brussels. A coach’s clinic was held in Brussels hosted by professional player, coach, referee and administrator Charles Scott-Field. Grey Twp. presented Mary Humphries of Walton with a Senior of the Year award. She was recognized for her community involvement. An emu was strolling about the yard of Dave and Brenda Linton in Morris enjoying fresh com plants. The bird had escaped from a neighbours a few weeks earlier and had been seen living in woodlots.