HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1997-05-14, Page 1J
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Education
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Sports
The I1uron Exp1A icor
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See motes 9-16
Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 — Sedforth, Ontario
Hit and run
will cost town
under new
legislation
A hit and run to a traffic
pole that knocked out the
lights at Seaforth's main
intersection un April 20 will
probably end up costing this
town more than it would
have before the start of that
month
Works Superintendent John
Forrest told council last
Tuesday a transport truck hit
the north-east traffic signal
pole that Sundae and didn't
stop to report it. Witnesses
subsequcntl}• have said they
saw it but couldn't identify
the. company or truck's
licence number. The damage
wasn't -noticed until the next
day.
"The pole had to be
reptaced..and because it is a
steel post exclusive to MTO
traffic lights. it was replaced
by MTO -in Stratford and will
be billed to Seaford)." Forrest
reported.
• The light is on provincial
Highway 8 through town, a
"connecting link" ,bv previ-
ous definition. but Ontario
handed over such links to
many municipalities and
stopped paying. for work on
Seaforth's at the start of
April. Connecting links are
now the responsibility of the
municipality they run'
through.
Clerk Jim Crocker says the
provincial transportation
mieistry's bill hash't arrived
yet.
Because the ligh) also con-
trols traffic flow on a county
road. which the provincial
highway intersects, council is
considering billing Huron
County for half the cost of
the hit and run.
Program merger
On the recommendation of
its recreation director,
Seaforth Council is pursuing
the merger of its suinmer fun
program with the annual
summer program similarly
run by the local children's
centre for the past five years.
"Wc have shared some ser-
vices to save money." rec
director Marty Bedard report-
ed. "In previous conversa-
tions with Shirley (Brooker,
manager of the children's
centre) she mentioned if we
would like to share the same
facility. It doesn't make sense
for two agencies to operate
the same program ,under the
same roof. Therefore 1 am
proposing that the Seaforth
Co-operative Children\
Centre -operate and adminis-
ter one suinmer children's
program."
4MAKES SENSE"
"It makes sense," !Deputy -
Reeve Bill Teall commented.
Council agreed to pursue it.
Bedard said .the roc office
could still help .with referral
and registration, and that his
biggest concern was that no
families which have been
enrolling in the town pro-
gram. "got lost in the shuttle."
"Do we want to give up out
summer fun program?" the
recreation director's report
asked. "Does the town want
to have input on how the
children's centre operates
their program,..vosts and
ho.w involved Should the
r etetaiion depttr.iauept be?"
May 14, 1997 -- $1.00 includes GST
PHOTOSeY OREOOR CAMPBELL
PeTTING ZOO -- Last week was the Seaforth Veterinary Clinic's annual petting .zoo. Young and old went on. tours all
week. A Lab puppy got a lot of attention from this group, from the Seafgrth Cooperative Children's Centre. -
Murray trial continues
Body would not have surfaced if in lake
SCOT f HILGENDORFF,
SSP News Staff
It isn't likely the body of
Mistic Murray would have
surfaced if it was in Lake
Huron. That's where Crown
Attorney Robert Morris has
alleged the body is in the
case against Steven Murray.
Murray was charged with
the second-degree -murder of
his adopted daughter. Mistic
Nicole Murray who disap-
peared May 31. His trial
began April 30 in Ontario
General Division Court
before Justice James
Donnelly and a jury of five
men and seven women.
-Moms wrapped_;up his case
in the seventh clay of testimo-
ny after the jury beard from
more witnesses, including
Mistie's best friend. She and
Utastamisismasala
4119410',T HILLoi rWoRFFF
P -News Staff
other witnesses testified to
Mistie's whereabouts on the
day she disappeared and of
how she deceived her family
into thinking she was at band
practice while she had
planned a rendezvous with 'a
new boyfriend only her best
friend knew about.
The case closed with
expert testimony on water
temperature and the effects it
would have on a body. pre-
venting it from surfacing or
decomposing.
Day 5,
7lteeday,'iit[ay, 6
Boaters -testify they saw
Murray in his boat alone
.while others testify to
Murray and his wtje's activi-
ties the evening of May 31.
A boater testified he spoke
to Steven Murray as Murray
came back into the harbor
after.a short trip1Iviay 31.
Murray was charged in
September 1995, in connec-
tion with the disappearance
of his daughter, Mistie, who
had not been seen since May
31. - .
On Monday, Crown wit-
nesses reported seeing
Mistie, or a young woman,
with Steve on his boat the
day the 16-year-olddisap-
Ross Carter of Kippen, .a
boater using the same
Goderioh marina as Murray,
testified he saw Murray in
the channel coming into the
harbor basin as he and his
family were heading .out in
their own boat.
The two exchanged -pleas-
antries as they passed at a
slow speed. Carter didn;t see
anyone else on the boat.
Carter also said -be did not
see Steve when they returned
mays he •4M not
Through his testimony and
lengthy cross-examination,
Steven Murray maintains he
did not kill his daughter.
"Mr. Greenspan, f love my
daughter. I didn't, I wouldn't,
i couldn't do harm to my
daughter," Murray said when
defence attorney. Brian
Greenspan, asked him if he
killed his daughter.
I'hc defence began its case
May 8, in the seventh day of
Murray's second-degree mur-
-der trial,
He is charged with the scc-
ond-degree.murdcr of his
daughter, Mistic Nicole
Murray. who disappeared
May 31. 1995.
Crown Attorney .Robert
Morris alleges --Murray left in
his boat May 31 with Mistie
and returned alone.
The trial began April 31 in
Ontario General Division
Court before Justice James
Donnelly and a 12 -member
jury.
In his opening remarks to
the jury of five men and
seven women, -Greenspan
said, "(Murray] and his fami-
ly still cling to the hope his
daughter is still alive."
Greenspan said twi¢000e
presented by Murray an¢
supporting witnesses would
show that Mistic was .not at
Murray's boat when sbe
arrived to take it out of -Snug
Harbour on May 31.
Witnesses would be cathed
to testify to this and others
would be called to testify
about sightingsKatie
after the da
pasted.
ter;
'Upon ;itis ‘4itiplation of
the Crown's.4�, Steven
Murray is As ifiot4o ;take
the maw ¢ sin till►. day
as his trite 4100414lr•
Murray testified he has not
seen his daughter since
around 8:30 a,m. on May 31
when she *od his wife, Anne,
left for school that morning.
Murray. wbo,in his opening
remarks. Greenspan said
insisted on .testifying ,to tel l
the jury ,he :did not kill his
4114100. SOW fOr more than
a 44YONOOPOIDODY and cross-
-etti4 ti1ftttipf as courtroom
crowds grew fo :their largest
since the, trial begot.
lite described lMlistie's
atIt?ptiotn :JP +19$2 IS his
about an hour later, around
8:30 p.m.
Joyce Carter, Ross's wife.
testified she saw Murray's
boat sitting in the harbor
when they came -back.
The couple were on the
boat with their daughter and
son-in-law.
On Monday. the son-in-
law, Kevin Adak. testified
that while he was on the boat
waiting for the Carters to
arrive, he sawSteve leave in
his boat with a young
woman.
On Tuesday. Joyce testified
that as the boats passed each
other, Adair commented that
he thought there had been
two _people in the Murray
boat.
The Carters' testimony dif-
fered from that of Adair's
who didn't mention seeing
CONTINUED on page 2
ter
Craig Ansi Dean, and wantctl
a girl. Anne ;had diffict44
pregnancies and the couple
looked into adopting.
Anne .hada taken a teachinft
position prior to learn
would be able to a
and Mistic came into 1
lives in the late summer
1983.
Steve, who worked
their hone in reat,es
insurance, kept -Mistic on
alternate + s she wits h
fruip Ki
Columbtll
with him***
why knew of stie
didn't mind seeing her.
Murray described a
Florida they took in
first six months with
if), and sad
raiurncd, *be was
she
Name change for
Huron Street in
Harpurhey
BY DAVID SCOTT
Expositor Editor
Harputhey's main road is in
fora name change.
Traditionally known as
Huron Street, it will now
officially be called
"Hatpurhey Road." The
name change is recommend-
ed by -the Huron County 9-1-
1
-l-
1 project committee. It was
thought there might be e
potential safety hazard hay
.ing .Huron Street and Huron
Road (Highway 8) in close
proximity to each other.
according to minutes from a
recent Tuckersmith council
meeting.
Tuckersmith Township
recently accepted the tender
of Birnham Excavation Ltd.
for the construction of the
storm drain .and road excava-
tion on William St. in
Egmondville. It was one of
five firms that bidded for the
.walk. thlisham's iota) tender
price was $52,609.40 which
"includes all manholes, catch
basins and DICBs."
The Clinton Fire Area
Board will go ahead with the.
purchase of a new fire engine
despite a few objections from
Tuckersmith to the draft
agreement of the fire budget.
Tuckersmith Council
objected "to the sale of capi-
tal assets (a rescue -van) of
the Clinton Fire Area Board
fur funding of the additional
cost. of the new fire -truck for
the department over the
amount approved by the fire
board members."
' The township council also
did not approve two particu-
lar clauses in the draft agree -
Mont, the first which -stated
three of the four fire board
members had to approve the
capital arid budget expendi-
tures and had to have 50 per
cent of the assessment.
• The four municipalities in
the Clinton Fire Area Board
are Clinton, Tuckersmith,
Hallett and Goderich
Township. Stanley Township
is a former member which
withdrew and is purchasing
service .from .the Clinton
board instead of being party
to the board. agreement.
Stanley is also served by the
B'rucefield Fire Department.
The second clause
rlickersmith objected to was
the one concerning purchas-
ing fire protection from
BrucAsfteld, something which
already appeared in the origi-
nal agreement.
•Tuckersmith objected to the
tw.o clauses which "were
inserted after the review of
the agreement at the ,Eire
Area Board."
'Tuciteratttitb ;Township
.recently lent .its support .to a
:resolution from the Town of
.Gananoque that .requests. the
ldonourable ;Robert
Auncitnatt to amend ,Bill 1Q5
.10 allow municipalities to
'POW into agreemcnts With
other municipalities -tv pro-
yidc all ,police sery.iccs
required.
Co-chairs appointed
Lir -Carting and Angela
Smith have beget appointed
co-chairs of the Seafortli
Alusiness �4�P rovement
Association (or :1997.