HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1996-06-05, Page 1Amalgamation?
Is amalgamation
between
Perth & Huron
possible option?
See page 3
Close-up
Howard Kerr
honoured in
Ryerson publication.
See pages 5 & 6
Sports
Photos from
two local
track meets.,
See page 8
Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 — Seaforth, Ontario
Briefly
Grandson of
Seaforth couple
throws first pitch
The grandson of a Seaforth
couple, 10 -year-old Adam
Bisback of Kanata, pitched
the first ball at the Skydome
Saturday to start the big -
league baseball game
between the Kansas City
Royals and Toronto Blue
Jays.
He is the grandson of Ken
and Marjorec Linglebach of
Seaforth, and the son of Lori
and Al Bisback.
Adam earned opening -pitch
honours by winning a lucky
draw put on by a junior dia-
betes association, celebrating
the 75th anniversary of the
discovery of insulin, which
makes life easier for diabet-
ics.
Adam had been coached by
his dad. Saturday's opening
throw went to Blue Jay John
Olerud, and was by all
accounts an excellent toss.
The Saturday before a
woman from Walton,
Margaret Itoy, sang the
national a t in a Jays'
game at the Dome for
F d Women's Institute
of' .
•`o Day.
Hibbert book
being bound
From Scotch Broth ana'
Irish Stew..., Hibbert
Township's history hook is
now being bound at the print-
ers.
The book's official launch
is a week this Saturday, June
15, at the Dublin Community
Centre from noon till 4 p.m.
where editor Dean Robinson,
a Mitchell native now living
in Stratford, will be on hand
to autograph copies.
Township council ordered
1,000 copies of the history
and 750 have been bought
and paid for, with a sec' nd
printing doubtful.
Those who want a copy and
haven't ordered might be
wise to call the township.
Those who have ordered and
paid will he able to pick up
their copies at the launch.
Private air show
The residents of
Beechwood, near St.
Columban, got their own pri-
vate air show on Friday after-
noon, when one of thc jets
performing in the London
International Air Show on
Saturday, possibly one of the
six U.S. Air Force
Thunderbirds, left the Forest
City to practice maneuvers in
thc skies above McKillop
Township.
Visitors from Italy
Fourteen Italian students,
agcs 15-18, will be coming to
the Clinton arca July 27 for
four weeks as part of an AFS
(American Field Services)
exchange program.
Billets are still needed to
house the students who will
he in school in Clinton study-
ing English during the day
and doing other planned
activities.
Anyone interested in billet-
ing in the Seaforth arca can
call Jannekc Murray at 345-
2407.
June 5, 1996 — 75 Cents Plus GST
PHOTO BY DAVID SCOTT
BARN FIRE - The Seaforth Fire Department answered a fire call on Thursday at approximately 3 'p.m. at the farm of Bob Parsons of RR 2 Staffa.
Embers from a bonfire (in foreground) blew to a nearby barn spreading fire quickly in high winds. The barn was used for storage and didn't contain too
many items of valve, according to Parsons. There was no insurance on the barn. This was the third fire in three Weeks for the Seaforth Fire Department.
"Is there a law for Mr. Murray and a law for everybody else?"
Steve Murray sentenced. to
five months in Walkerton jail
BY MONA IRWIN
SSP News Staff
Provincial Court Judge
Garry Hunter dismissed all
explanations offered, by a
Goderich man's legal repre-
sentative for the man's
breaches of his hail condi-
tions.
"Is there a law for Mr.
Murray and a law for every-
body else?" Hunter asked
Thursday, as he sentenced for-
mer St. Columban resident
Steve Murray, 46, to five
months in jail after Murray
pleaded guilty to five counts
of breach of hail conditions.
Murray's actions amount to
"thumbing his nose at the sys-
tem," Hunter added. The
breaches involved contact
with a person who is a poten-
tial witness for the prosecu-
tion, and failing to report to
police when he left Huron
County.
Murray stood quietly as
Hunter pronounced sentence.
Defence counsel Tamara
Brooks, of Greenspan,
Humphrey, located in Toronto,
represented Murray.
"We've conceded the
breaches occurred," Brooks
said, but added Murray's
adtions were "childish and
immature acts by a man who
is seriously restricted in his
movements" by the conditions
of his release, and who is
"incredibly bored" as a result.
He doesn't even get to see his
two sons that often, she told
the court, because they live
outside of Huron County.
Brooks cited the numerous
community and church orga-
nizations in which Murray has
been active, adding, "His tics
to this community are long-
standing. They arc his life."
The Crown witness
involved is on the list of peo-
ple Murray is not allowed to
contact, directly or indirectly,
hut "there's no suggestion she
has evidence that is of impor-
tance to the case," Brooks
went on. "Hc [Murray] is
being monitored by the police,
by the community and by the
media. There's no suggestion
he's interfering with the
course of justice."
Murray was charged in
September 1995 with second-
degree murder in connection
with the disappearance of his
daughter, 15 -year-old Mistie
Nicole Murray. She has not
been seen since May 31,
1995.
In March 1996. Murray was
released after pleading guilty
to one charge of preach of hail
conditions. Before that,
Brooks said, he had no crimi-
nal record.
"Look, it's a simple choice,"
Hunter said. "He stays in jail
until the trial or he's released
into society on strict condi-
tions." At Murray's hail hear-
ing, held Oct. 4, 1995, the
Justice of the Peace "saw fit"
to release Murray, under strict
conditions, Hunter said. "His
choice is: he lives by those
conditions or he waits in jail.
"Only two months ago, he
breached conditions. He was
sentenced to time served. Two
months after he's released, he
commits five more offences.
If that isn't thumbing his nose
at the system, I don't know
what is."
Murray was arrested 13
days ago on the charges, and
held in custody until his court
appearance Thursday. Brooks
suggested they seek a review
of his bail conditions, and also
that his sentence be limited to
time served.
Whether or not the Crown
witness has 'important' infor-
mation, she is on the pro-
scribed list, Huron County
Crown Attorney Bob Morris
said, adding that the number
of bail violations Murray has
been charged with since then
is an aggravating factor. He
asked that Murray serve 90
days in jail.
Murray will serve his time
at Walkerton Jail.
The court session also
included Murray's preliminary
hearing, which has not yet
concluded. It was adjourned
until June 26. It is against the
law to publish any evidence
given during a preliminary
hearing, which is held to
determine whether there is
enough evidence to try the
accused.
Council 'looking for feedback
on 'phone system from citizens
Seaforth has a bit of a "bee
in its bonnet" about Bell, so
dirk' and administrator Jim
Crocker was buzzing about
town Monday in a council
effort to convince the tele-
phone company to go digital .
He was circulating a coun-
cil memorandum concerning
telephone service to local
businesses.
Council plans toformally
petition Bell Canada to
immediately upgrade its
switching equipment in
Seaforth. The municipality
and Bell have been holding
on-going discussions, and
some councillors, particularly
Deputy -Reeve Bill Teal!,
have indicated "they'll go to
the wall" on this issue.
According to the memo
Crocker was circulating:
"At present Bell Canada
has no plans to upgrade the
equipment in Seaforth. This
means that consumers in the
527 exchange cannot enjoy
the advantages of call
answer/call/display/call for-
ward/retrieve voice and many
other servicesavailableto 98
per cent of the population of
Ontario".
Council wants fast feedback
on any problems local busi-
ness or individuals`are expe-
riencing with Bell telephone
lines, that have a negative
impact on operations.
The clerk wants short writ-
ten summaries by June 17, so
these can be included in
council's formal approach.
Board not exceeding sale price
of centre with moving expenses
reported that the sale of the
building will save about $1
million over the next 10 ycars
in operating costs and major
repairs to bring the present
building up to standard. The
move will take place this
August in time for the .new
school term in September.
The recommendation was
passed that the hoard not
exceed the sale price in relo-
cation costs during thc last
meeting of the hoard to be
held at the Education Centre
on June 3. This action, it was
reported by thc Executive
Committee, will allow the
budgeted amount of $12,000
in operating costs for the peri-
CON-1Nl TED on page 3
BY AMY NEILANDS
SSP News Staff
The Huron County Board of
Education confirmed Monday
that the cost of moving its
administration offices to
Central Huron Secondary
School (CHSS) will not
exceed the sale price of the
Education Centre in Clinton.
The building was sold to
Doug Mason Building
Products Ltd. for a price of
$93,390 and that money will
be used by the board in the
relocation to the Centennial
Wing at CHSS, where the
Learning Resources Centre is
located. It was recently