The Citizen, 2005-11-03, Page 1The Citizen
Serving the^communities of Blyth and Brussels and northern Huron County
Volume 21 No. 43 Thursday, Nov. 3, 2005
r NH
I NORTH HURON PUBLISHING COMPANY INC |
Inside this week
Pg. 3
Pg-6
Pg, 7
Pg. 14
Pg-15
Local couple
receives recognition
Read the Word on
the Street
Blyth Lions donate
to Scouting
Belgrave project
yields 4,296 bushels
Anglican Bishop
honours locals
Grey
gets set
to party
in 2006
By Bonnie Gropp
Citizen 'editor-
There's going to be a party in Grey
next summer.
Huron East treasurer Brad Knight
informed councillors Alvin McLellan
and Mark Beaven that 2006 will be
Grey’s 150th anniversary. “The
140th had come together so well and
was such a success it was felt that
there might be interest in celebrating
(he 150th.”
The first contact was with some of
the people who had been on the
committee 10 years before. “There
seemed to be a general consensus
that we should organize something
for this anniversary.”
A preliminary meeting with this
group was held Oct. 19 to
brainstorm. One of the changes
suggested thep was to move the date.
“We think we will hold the
celebration on the July 7 weekend.
Howick is celebrating on the July 1
holiday and there is always the
Canada Day festivities in Atwood.
With July 1 being on a Saturday we
fell it was too much for one area.”
Also, Knight said, that during the
140th many events were held at the
school and it is likely that will need
to happen again. “We felt that it
would be better for getting the school
and students involved if we have the
celebration close to the end of the
school year ”
The committee is now looking for
the interest and input of the general
public to help make the 150th a
celebration to remember. “We want
as many people as possible to attend.
We arc looking for suggestions and
volunteers.” To that end a public
meeting as been set for Monday,
Nov. 7 al 7:30 p.m. in the Grey
offices on Newry Road just west of
Ethel Line.
A scream-worthy stroll
The Greenway Trail in Blyth was taken over by witches, pirates, ghosts and all sorts of strange
characters Saturday, Oct. 29 for the annual Witches Walk. Money raised went towards the
Blyth Fire Department.This year a giant pirate ship was set up at the end of the trail. It was
inhabited by the ghosts of pirates long gone. (Heather Crawford photo)
French immersion
By Stew Slater
Special to The Citizen
As expected, the Avon Maitland
District School Board will go ahead
with a preliminary “registration” for
possible expansions to French
immersion, outside the existing
single-site program at Bedford
Public School in Stratford.
Participating parents will be
cautioned, however, about a couple
of factors during the Dec. 5-9
initiative.
At a regular meeting Tuesday, Oct.
25, trustees approved a plan to gauge
interest in the expansion of French
Immersion to St. Marys, Exeter,
Goderich, Clinton, Wingham,
Mitchell apd Listowel. Prospective
registrants will be sought for entry
Tie one on during annual campaign
Nov. 2 marks the start of the
MADD Huron/Bruce Project Red
Ribbon Tie One on For Safety
Campaign.
The Huron Bruce Chapter is asking
residents to join them and Tie One On
For Safety by tying a MADD Canada
ribbon to their antenna, side mirror, or
into the program in September,
2006, at the Grade 1 and Grade 2
levels.
According to a report delivered to
trustees, “should 21 or more
registrations (across the two grade
levels) be received for a
(community), staff will complete an
analysis of the impact of
implementation of a French
immersion program.”
The report cautions, however, that
“a registration of 21 students will not
guarantee that a program will run.”
Any recommendations for French
Immersion expansion will be
brought to trustees on Feb. 14. An
accompanying report will identify
staffing costs, space issues, the
impact on schools from which
prospective students would transfer.
other visible location on their
vehicle.
The MADD Canada ribbon is a
symbol of a person’s commitment to
drive safe and sober during the
holiday season and throughout the
year.
The ribbon also serves as a
revisited
the predicted viability of the
program, and possible transportation
issues.
Trustees were informed about
staff’s intent to bring forward the
registration recommendation at their
previous meeting, Oct. II.
According to education director
Geoff Williams, comments and
questions raised at that meeting were
incorporated in the Oct. 25
recommendation.
Specifically, trustees raised
concerns on Oct. 11 about creating
the perception that a French
immersion program would move
forward without any hurdles if
sufficient preliminary registration is
achieved. That concern was
addressed in the Oct. 25 motion.
Continued on page 6
reminder to other motorists to drive
sober.
“MADD Canada is focused
on saving lives and preventing
injuries” says Laurie Dinning,
president of the MADD Huron/
Bruce Chapter. "This program will
help increase awareness during the
Meth in
local
schools
By Heather Crawford
Citizen staff
Not just a big city problem, the
scary fact is that dangerous drugs arc
here.
Frighteningly enough, the highly
addictive drug known as crystal meth
is said to be circulating around area
high schools
“There were a number of people
arrested [for using or selling crystal
meth) from Brussels, Seaforth and
Clinton,” Sr. Const. Don Shropshall
of the Huron County OPP said. “It’s
definitely in the area.”
The drug has recently appeared in
Perth County and has been spreading
through the area.
Shropshall said the majority of
people arrested for using or selling
the drug have been in their late 2()s or
early 30s. “Word is, it's in our high
schools. They are peddling it to
teens,” he said.
“There were 17 labs found in Perth
County and there are a couple of labs
in Huron," Shropshall said. “[Crystal
meth is] made up of poisons and can
be easily made.”
He said the labs use flammable
substances that could easily cause
fires and release gases in the air that
could cause lungs to collapse or
death.
The drug causes major side effects
to the body such as "weight loss,
discolouration of the skin, sores, and
there's a rapid aging process,”, he
said.
Alex Berry, supervisor at Huron
Addiction Services said the centre
has seen some clients who use crystal
meth.
“The community usually sees and
hears about [use of the drug] before
the addiction centres do,” he said.
"We know people who are using
[crystal meth] but we aren’t hearing
about it as much as Perth County."
Crystal meth is a stimulant and
Berry said people using it will feel
awake, alert, hungry, and thirsty.
“Long-term use of stimulants can
often result in people feeling
anxious, [experiencing] psychosis,
and weight loss.”
Berry said any drug that is injected
directly into the body or smoked is
going to be more addictive than
something that is ingested by eating
or drinking.
"Someone could use the drug one
time and continue to find ways to get
it,” Shropshall said.
This addiction then leads to an
obvious result of more crime in order
to support the habit. "Heavy drug
use, [we have found] leads to break
and enters and thefts.” he said.
holiday season by changing the
meaning of Tie one on she ex
plained.
The Huron Bruce Chapter had
seven Red Ribbon Kickoffs on Nov. 2
at 1 p.m. in Wingham. Walkerton.
Listowel, Exeter. Blyth. Goderich and
Kincardine.