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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1998-12-30, Page 4Your Community Newspaper Since 1860 Terri -Lynn Dole - General Manager/Ad Manager Scott Nilgendorff - Editor Gregor Campbell - Reporter Lorry Dalrymple - Sales Pat Armes - Office Manager Dianne McGrath - Subscriptions/Classifieds A Bowes Publishers Community Newspaper SUBSCRIPiION RATE: LOCAL - 32.50 o yeor, in advance, plus 2.28 G.S.T. SENIORS: - 30.00 a year, in advance, plus 2.10 G.S.T. USA & Foreign: 28.44 a year in advance, plus $78.00 postage, G.S.T. exempt SUBSCRIPi1ON RATES: Published weekly by Signol-Stor Publishing 01 100 Main 5t., Seolorth. Publication moil registration No. 0696 heldSeaforth, Ontario. Advertising is occepted on condition that in the event of a typgrophical error, the advertising spoce occupied by the erroneous item, together wi a reasonable allowance for signature, will not be charged, but the balanceof the odvertisement will be paid for of the applicable rate. In theof a typographical error, odvertising goods or services at a wrong prices or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely an offer to sell and may be withdrawn of any time. The Huron Expositor is not responsible for the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materiols used for reproduction purposes. Changes of address, orders for subscriptions and undeliverable copies are to be sent to The Huron Expositor. Wednesday, December 30, 1998 tdIt.rial and nosiness Offices - 100 Main Streel.,tieaf.His Telephone (519) 527-0240 Pax (519) 527-2555 ptaillw� Andress - P.O. yes 69, !loafer*, O,Mrie, NOK IWO Member of the Conodion Community Newspaper Association, Ontario Community Newspapers Association and the Ontorio Press Council Publication Mail Registration No. 07605 1998 was wild and bumpy It was a wild and bumpy ride in 1998. While change is always a constant part of life, the past few years have marked an upheaval in virtually every aspect of our lives. Government, both provincial And federal, undertook reforms of every kind imaginable that, well into 1998, continued to send waves through communities --particularly small town communities which are more deeply affected by the threats of school and hospital closures. Through all the change, a strengthening of the community has also occurred. Seaforth proved it could fight for its future, holding off a potential school closure long enough for the next ripple of provincial change to more securely protect its future. Instead of a closed high school, the majority of the school board's operation has moved here, the equivalent of the opening of a small industry. Seaforth has also become the headquarters for the new hospital partnership, the remnants of one of the bigger bumps along the road of change in 1997. A business retention committee is actively working toward strengthening the town even more and a local museum is on the verge of opening in 1999. It could certainly be a good year in 1999. However, there still remain enough issues to make 1999 another bumpy ride as it looks like restructuring might finally come to a conclusion with physical boundaries changing. That remains about the only upheaval left that hasn't been worked out. And there will always be surprises. Life's life that. Here's to a year that will see most of the bumps ironed out and communities dealing with the usual concerns of life instead of how they're going to survive. Here's to a Happy New Year. STH How to access us Letters to the Editor and other submissions can be made to us by noon on Mondays at: huronexp @ odyssey.on.ca All letters and submissions must be signed and accompanied by a day -time telephone number. All submissions are subject to editing for both length and content. Don't forget to check out our homepage at: www.bowesnet.com/ex High school learns of closure dangers January 7, 1998 No plans, no cases of meningitis There are no plans in place, because there are no cases confirmed or suspect for Huron County, says the manager of the Community Health Division of the Huron County Health Unit. Marlene Price in Clinton says the cases which have occurred in the Kitchener - Waterloo area: "are isolated to that area." "We've had quite a few phone calls mostly from parents who have students attending either the university or the colleges in the Kitchener -Waterloo area," she said. Immunization for students will take place when they return to school after the Christmas break. No plans, no cases of meningitis There are no plans in place, because there are no cases confirmed or suspect for Huron County, says the manager of the Community Health Division of the Huron County Health Unit. Marlene Price in Clinton says the cases which have occurred in the Kitchener - Waterloo area: "are isolated to that area." "We've had quite a few phone calls mostly from parents who have students attending either the university or the colleges in the Kitchener -Waterloo area," she said. Immunization for students will take place when they return to school after the Christmas break. January 14, 1998 Seaforth going after board office for talks At Seaforth Council's first meeting of the new year last Tuesday night, it enthusiastically endorsed a letter y Mayor Dave Scott sent to the newly amalgamated Avon Maitland School Board seeking an "opportunity to discuss with the board potential office locations in Seaforth." Council formed an action committee, made up of the mayor and Court. John Ball, to pursue the initiative. "One•of the challenges Seaforth will likely have in the near future is newly created public spaces as a result of restructuring and downsizing initiatives .in Huron County," Scott's letter sent to board director Paul Carroll's secretary on the day before Christmas states. January 21, 1998 Director of education says 'Radical' changes or SDHS closure possible "Extreme or radical changes" are needed at Seaforth District High School or it is in danger of closing, the director of education for the Avon - Maitland School Board said in a telephone interview Monday. Paul Carroll, himself from Seaforth, said enrollment is dropping so quickly at the local high school that "it is going to have to find a different way to do things." Many high school students are finding they "can't get the programs they want" there, he said, and extreme or radical change is required by the school to address the challenge of providing "a comprehensive secondary school program in competition with other area schools." ,A warming story of kindness When Leo Greidanus of Seaforth decided he wanted to do something to help residents in Eastern Ontario, he had no idea of the enormous generosity of area residents. Residents of eastern Ontario have braved nearly two weeks of being without hydro due to ferocious ice storms. With the backing of the Northside United Church congregation and the Hensall Co-op he embarked on a labour of love, as two large grain tractor trailers carried 36 metric tonnes of firewood to residents of Lancaster and north Lancaster Saturday night. January 28, 1998 School board to reduce costs an additional $2.4 Million In a special meeting called to deal with a multi-million dollar funding shortfall, the Avon Maitland District School Board approved a plan to reduce costs by $2.4 million last Thursday, amidst accusations the director of education was encouraging divisiveness amongst board and staff members. Director of education Paul Carroll informed the board, before nearly 70 concerned spectators, that the reported $6.2 million shortage had been revised downward to $4.2 million and that the cuts and an appeal before ministry of education and training officials today (Wednesday) will bring funding into line for the "stub year" - January to August, 1998. Carroll said the projected shortfall was revised downward because current figures and new elements such as tuition fee transfers were used in calculations. Specialty cheese plant opens in Seaforth February 4, 1998 i� ,. -4( February 25, 1998 Labour of love at local high school; Unique CD Rom gives Canadian history glitz Our history is coming alive at Seaforth District High School where they have been working on a unique project for about a year now. It is a multi -media, double CD Rom package the school hopes will soon become a tool used for teaching an OAC history course in this province that's called "Canada in a North American Perspective." February 11, 1998 Cheese please?; Producer - run plant opens end of month in Seaforth Aiming to produce speciality cheeses to compete with imported products, area Jersey farmers have formed their own company in Seaforth. It is the first of its kind in eastern Canada. It's expected the new cheese factory will produce somewhere in the region of 50,000 kilograms of cheese per year, says president Bruce Schmidt. Interim tax bylaw passed; Downloading details indicate $51,000 in savings still need to be found to avoid tax hike this year Seaforth high March 4, 1998 Local pastor leaving for Belize Pastor Rick Lucas preached his last sermon as minister of the Bethel Bible Church last Sunday. He now prepares himself, along with his wife Wendy, and children Tyler, Hope and Nathan, for a two-year missionary term in Belize training other pastors. Missionary work is the completion of something he has always wanted to participate in, Belize being the ideal location. March 11, 1998 Avon Maitland board office for Seaforth but; Committee recommends SDHS be closed Seaforth may have lost its 120 -year-old high school but become headquarters for the recently amalgamated public school boards of Huron and Perth Counties, responsible Seaforth Council passed an might be some savings to be interim tax bylaw last had there, he explains. Tuesday night, based on 50 By strange weather; Syrup per cent of last year's mill threatened rate. It is due near the end of The unseasonably balmy this month. weather we've been having This town must reduce in the middle of this winter spending by $51,000 this may play havoc with this year or raise taxes, according spring's maple syrup crop to its take on the around here. downloading details that "Some of the sap is have so far been released by already gone, we've lost the Ontario government. some of it," says Barb Storey of RR 1 Seaforth, who adds sales of last year's syrup are booming because people are afraid this year's crop won't be anything to write home about. The devastating ice storm Quebec experienced recently may also be affecting this season's demand here. That province was the number one maple syrup producer in the world, but it may take 10 to 12 years to replace the trees that were damaged with the ice there and bring them back on line for maple syrup production. February 18, 1998 Seaforth, Clinton councils to explore controlling costs Seaforth Council has initiated an exploratory get- together with its counterpart in Clinton. The two councils meet next Thursday (Feb. 26) "to discuss areas of common interest," perhaps contracts, particularly in the area of controlling some joint costs, says Seaforth clerk/administrator Jim Crocker. For example, both towns run sewage lagoons and there school is recommended for closure by board School board staff oppose town location; Trustees asked not to consider move to Seaforth Staff at both Stratford and Clinton centers joined the debate, asking the Avon Maitland District School Board trustees not to consider the move to Seaforth. If the board decides this isn't an option, spokesperson Nora Darlington said, Stratford employees would oppose the headquarters being moved to Seaforth, one of the options being considered by the AMDSB. In two separate presentations requesting different results from the trustees, representatives at both centers clearly stated at the Feb. 10 meeting they, like many others have a vested interest in where the Administration Centre ends up. "Having the corporate headquarters in Stratford has been advantageous for students and staff alike, as well as those visiting from out of town because of its easy accessibility," Darlington read from a letter signed by a number of employees. # * timetabling problems. Principal Bruce Eccles says the idea is based on expanding "independent study," a learning concept in partial but limited use at the school right now, for instance, in English. for the education of 21,233 students. March 18, 1998 Missing girl image on Visa bilis The image of Mistie Murray, missing from Goderich since 1995, is arriving in three million homes this week. She is the fifth missing child whose image and personal information is being distributed on the backs of CiBC Visa bills that were mailed out this week across Canada through a new endeavor by Child Find. "Independent Study" emphasized; School !Mopes its proposal can eve timetable woes, stop tumbling enrollment Can "independent study" save Seaforth's high school? In limbo with possible closure looming due to declining enrollment, Seaforth District High School has come up with an interesting proposal on a different way of educating students. This new way might ease the school's chronic March 25, 1998 Group intends to challenge decision The intention is to challenge the Seaforth 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 best. Allan a former director of education for the Huron County Board of Education said there are three possible grounds the issue could be fought on.