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The Huron Expositor, 1998-03-25, Page 1 (2)Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 --- Seaforth, Ontario March 25, 1998 — $1.00 includes GST � Group intends to Seaforth was a feast for hockey fans last week. The junior Centenaires (white jerseys above) played three terrific games but got put out by a goal in the seventh and deciding game of their playoff series with Exeter. The local midgets advanced to the OMHA "CC" championship against Waterford. Our bantams and atoms put up a good fight but got eliminated in the semi-finals. Making good advantage of the March break, there were also three mini -tournaments for pucksters at the arena last week. Meanwhile, not to be out -done Seaforth's Stingers, our belle A ringette team, lost by a goal in the final of the Provincial championship at Whitby, without one of their better players. Details on pages 9, 10. 11, 12 -and 19. Children of Chernobyl to visit Huron County SCOTT HILGENDORFF SSP News Staff Twenty-one Belarus chil- dren. living in an arca that neighbors a "no go" zone around Chernobyl arc coming to -Huron County for a chance to rejuvenate themselves. "Their immune system is - low," said Lcesa Martens. coordinator of the Huron County chapter of the Canadian Relief Fund for Chernobyl Victims in Belarus. Shc said it is from a combi- nation of the contamination that remains from the nuclear accident at Chernobyl almost 12 years ago .and the poor .economy that keeps the chil- dren from receiving proper health care and nutrition. The children will come to thc county for six weeks this summer. Six families^in Godcrich arc involved in thc program. "Thcy can come over here and eat all the fresh vegeta- bles and fruits." said Barb MacKenzie of one of thc Goderich families. Even in those six weeks, MacKenzie said the children, between the ages of eight and 11, are given a chance to build up their immune system before returning home and to school Access to more. uncontami- nated food. -sends the child home with hettcr color and hettcr able to stay in school without becoming ill. Marlene said many of the children live without running water with dirt -floor homes heated by wood. They were all horn after the accident. April 26. 1986 but children in regions of Belarus have suffered a more than 100 - percent increase in thc occur- rence of thyroid cancer, nor- mally rare in children. Twenty-two per cent of the country's agricultural land received some fallout. Of this. 2,641) square kilomtcres can no longer he used for agricul- ture. Belarus, which borders Latvia and Lithuania, Poland, Russia and the Ukraine, had received most of the radioac- five fallout from the accident and 20 per cent of the country was evacuated with 1,700 - square kilometers..placed in a Complete exclusion zone. The children coming to Huron County are from Gomel which neighbors that zone. - While here, they will also' have' access to dental and medical care .they wouldn't normally receive at home. • Martens. from the Centralia arca, was involved in another chapter of the program last year and said another .family couldn't figure Out why the young girl staying with her wasn't eating. Most of her teeth were decayed and she couldn't eat. Martcnc said having a Belarus child in 'her homc last year was a life -changing expe- rience. Thcy still keep in contact with the child and her family, part of the program that brings them here and keeps them together. Now, Marlene said they think twice when ordering a • Solve group results possibly related to antibiotic misuse thc original strains. BY ELLEN DOUGLAS Lakeshore Advance staff writer There is not enough informa- tion to say whether or not the antibiotic resistant strains of E -coli recently discovered in Lake Huron arc a result of the misuse of antibiotics, Klaus Seeger, senior public health inspector for the Huron County Health Unit said. A Gallup poll of 403 Canadian doctors found 41 per cent of the physicians sur- veyed said they are likely to needlessly prescribe drugs such as antibiotics, a Canadian Press article recently reported. This misuse of antibiotics, the article states, is contribut- ing to the growing problem of antibiotic resistance in bacte- ria. These resistant bacteria are more difficult to treat than 1 • Dr. Beth Henning, medical officer of health for the Huron County Health Unit, said the best way people can prevent the emergence of these new 'super hugs' is to realize most minor infections will get better without the use of antibiotics. "People must be educated about their health." she said. "For example. people should know that at least 80 to 90 per cent of respiratory illnesses are caused by viruses (not bac- terial infection)." Thc group SOLVE, that recently discovered resistant E -coli bacteria in lake water, is made up of water -purity activists, farm organizations, municipalities, conservation authorities and health units. It recently released the prelimi- nary findings of testing done on samples from six Lake Huron beaches. "Thc whole purpose of the study was to reliably identify the source of the bacteria," said Seeger. Commenting on the reasons for tlic antibiotic resistance may be outside of SOLVE's scope. he added. Dr. Henning agreed that the two issues - the resistant lake bacteria and the misuse of antibiotics - cannot really be mixed at this point. Thc full findings of the SOLVE study are expected to be released in late March or early April. It is not yet known how much of the bacteria came from humans and how much came from livestock. What was found was that some bacteria were resistant to antibiotics used on both peo- ple and animals. • pizza and know the money spent on that could feed the child for a month. Martene wanted to continue with the program this year and thought there was enough sup port in -the arca to form a Huron County chapter. The challenge before the .chapter is to raise $21.00( to cover the cost of bringing the children to Canada. - Thc group is holding a walk-a-thon on March 28 in Exeter and is selling chocolate covered almonds. They arc also working with New Orlean's Pizza using a promotional card that raises money for the program and gives the person who pur- chased it. a deal on pizza. A Bclarussian Tea Room and Bazaar is being held April 18' in Exeter at the Royal Canadian Legion. It will feature Belarussian- style foods and there will be a raffle table, silent auction, bake table and rummage table to help raise funds. For more information about the program, Martcne can be contacted at 519-228-6861. challenge decision The intention is to chal- lenge the Scaforth District High School closure, if Avon Maitland School Board goes ahead with a decision to close the school to make room for a new board office. School Board Trustee Bob Allen says he's hopeful everything will turn out for the hest. Allan a former director of education for thc Huron' County Board of Education said there arc three possible grounds the issue could he fought on. One is the ministry of edu- cation has the power to over- turn an action by a school board. "The school board can decide on one thing, and the ministry could have it over- turned." The second issue is the courts could also overturn the school boards decision. If the process had not been proper- ly completed. "You have to follow certain rules of the ministry and also follow the boards own rules." He said the third case in point was the precedent set- ting case with the Ministry of Health' in Clinton.It was about to close the Clinton Public Hospital. The people of Clihton won the battle in court saying the hospital wasn't theirs to close. "Whether the school. hoard "It seems to me, it would is parallel with that, I don't take Only one person to know." change the vote. I'm just • Allan says he believes quite hopeful it will turn out Scaforth is not the appropri- for the best." _ , Transport available to board meeting ate location for thc hoard office. He views it as unfair to the majority of people who work in Stratford to travel 40 km to Seaforth and the minority. of people in Clinton who would travel 14 km. "There's no justice in that." The first and most promi- nent point is the removal of the SDHS. Allan says he's sympathetic to the people of Scaforth. "I'd have to see a financial and program analysis as well as a lot of other information before I was convinced it was proper to close it." He said thc highschool still has over 300 students which is basically what its always had. Hc, said his intention is to still oppose thc recommenda- tion before the trustees to place the hoard office in Scaforth. He said if he had to specu- late on the vote if it had been taken at the March 10 school committee meeting it would have hecn a 5-4 vote, adding the people have now had a - chance to re -think how they will vote. Allan said the Seaforth community has brought pres- sure, and will continuc to bring pressure to bear even at the March 31 meeting in Stratford. Buses arc available for members of the public to attend the Avon Maitland School Board meeting March 31 in Stratford which will decide the fate of the Scaforth District High School. Residents wanting to take advantage of this transporta- tion can sign up at the Seaforth Town Hall to hook a scat at minimal cost. The Avon Maitland School Board has decided to keep the meeting in Stratford even though town mayor Dave Scott and chairperson of the SDHS council Maureen Agar have requested a change of venue - "This matter has great con- sequences to our town. we felt it only fitting the meeting be held closer to us. It's imperative we stand together on this matter. Agar said. • If the board goes ahead with its plans to close the town high school to make way for a new Avon Maitland School hoard offices. thc Friends of Scaforth District High School intend to •chat-' lenge on legal grounds. Charles Smith. was the first to donate to the fund. He con- tributed $5,000 to the fund last week. Since that time -the fund has over $9,001. says Agar, ,who says the support from Scaforth haS been tremen- dous. Shc says another rally to show support for the Seaforth and District High School and our rural community is scheduled for March 30 at 11:30 a.m. It will start from. the high school and proceed down to the town hall. "It's time we stood together and remind people that rural areas arc alive and well," she said. Pat Ryan, left, staff member Cynthia Blackwood Theresa I.auzon and Dianne Muir kick up their heels as Elvis impersonator Rick Elliott from Parkhill performs tunes that kept Scaforth Manor staff and residents 'jiving' as they held a Tribute to the 1950s'. (Fitton photo)