HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 1999-06-30, Page 44 -THE HURON EXPOSITOR, July 7, 1999
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Published weekly by Signal -Star Publishing of 100 Main 5t., Seatordt..Publication
moil registration No. 0696 held of Seaforth, Ontario. Advertising is accepted on
condition that in the event of a typographical error, the advertising space occupied
by. the erroneous item, together with a reasonable allowance for signature, will not
be charged; but the botonce of the advertisement will be paid for of the applicable
rote. In the event of o typographical error, advertising goods or services at a
wrong price, goods or services may not be sold. Advertising is merely on offer to
sell and may be withdrawn at ony time. The Huron expositor is not responsible for
- the loss or damage of unsolicited manuscripts, photos or other materials used for
reproduction purposes. Changes of address, orders For subscriptions enol . .
undeliverable copies ore to be sent to The Huron Expositor -
Wednessday,-June 30, 1999
Editorial and 8esiness 011ie** • 100 Main St?ree1.,Seaforth
Telephone (519) 517-0240 Pax 1319) 527-2138
Moiling Address - P.O. Box 69,
Seofortls, Ontario, NOK 1 WO
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Publication Mail Registration No. 07605
Editorial
Community marches
with Seaforth band
Staff 'at the Avon Maitland District School baord
• have determined the Seaforth All -GMs Marching
Band will receive its full funding for this year. -
Good decision. •
The band has gone to great lengths offering a first
rate program for county students with much benefit
to the community.
And the community came forward willing to ensure
the band could continue without school board
funding if necessary. They've shown a true desire to
keep the band functioning and their donations are
still needed as band executive members point out
instruments are duct -taped together. Much good has
come out of the recent band crisis but let's not forget,
they still have to apply for funding each year.
The community's support could very well be
needed again next year.
STH
Opinion
"I pray to God that I might never have to face
another parent and say 'your daughter susan,' or,
'your son Bill - has just been -killed in a car accident'
You may think bush parties
are a lot of fun - but think
again! In 1993 eight teenagers
were killed after colliding
head on following an unsafe
passing maneuver. They were
- returning from a bush party.
Landowners, you could also .
be held liable despite taking
all the necessary precautions.
Even if police don't find out about
your party,how do you think you're -
going to get home? You're not foolish
enough to get behind the wheel after a
;night of drinking? Are you? -
This is an open letter to all parents of
young people everywhere. 1 am
writing in response to some of the
questions you ask me daily. 1 am not
one police officer; but I represent
- every officer in every city and town in
Canada. -
You may know me only. as the cop
who gave you a ticket last summer,
but I am also the guy who lives down.
the street from you. I am the parent of
four children and 1 share with you the
same hopes, ambitions and dreams
that you have for your children. 1 am
faced with the same problems as you
have. 1 share with you those moments
of agony and ecstasy. I share with you..
the feeling of guilt, shame or
disappointment when my boy or girl
gets into trouble.
The scene is a long stretch of
highway with a sharp curve at one
end. It had been raining and the roads
were slick. A car travelling in excess
of 126 km/h missed the curve and
plowed into an embankment where it
became airborne and struck a tree. At
this point, two of the three young
persons were hurled from the vehicle,
one 'into the roadway, where the car
landed on him, snuffing out his life
like a discarded cigarette on the
asphalt. He is killed instantly and he is
the lucky one.
The girl thrown into the tree has her
neck broken and although she was
voted queen of the senior prom. and
most likely, to succeed, she will now.
spend the next 60 years in; a
wheelchair. Unable todo anything
else, she will live and relive that
terrible moment over again many
times.
When I arrive, the car has come to
rest on its'. top, the broken wheels
Policing perspective
Compiled by -
Sr Constable Don Shropshall
have stopped spinning. Smoke and
steam pour outof the engine ripped
from its mounting by a terrific force.
. An eerie calm has settled over the
scene and it appears .deserted except
for one lone traveller who called it in.
He is sick.tohis stomach, leaning
against his car for support.
The driver is conscious but in shock
and unable to free himself from under
the bent steering column. His face will
be forever scarred by deep cuts from
broken glass and jagged •metal. Those
cuts will heal, but the ones inside
cannot be touched by the surgeon's
scalpel.
The third passenger has almost
'stopped bleeding; the seat and his
clothing are covered in blood from an
artery cut in his arm by the broken
bone that protrudes from his forearm
just below the elbow. His breath
comes in short gasps as he. tries
desperately to suck air past his blood-
filled airway. He is unable to speak
and his eyes, bulged and fixed on me
pleadingly, are the only
communications that he is terrified
and wants my help. i .feel a pang of
guilt and recognize him -as a boy I let
off with a warning the other night for
an open container of alcohol in his car.
Maybe if I had cited him then, he
wouldn't be here now. Who knows? 1
don't. . -
He died soundlessly in my arms, his
pale blue eyes staring vacantly, as if
trying to see into the future he wily
never'have. I remember watching him
play basketball and wonder what will
happen to the scholarship -he will
never use. Dully my mind focuses on a
loud scream and I identify it as the girl
who was thrown from the vehicle. I
race to her with a blanket, but I am
afraid to move her:
Her head is tilted at an exaggerated
angle. She seems unaware of my
presence and whimpers for her mother
like a little child. in the distance, i can
letter
hear .the ambulance winding
its way through the rainy
'night. 1 am filled . with
contempt for people who
' .propose lowering the
drinking age because they
will get booze anyway. so"
why not make it legal:. I am
frustrated with laws, court
rulings and - other legal -
maneuvering'that restricts my ability •
to do. my job, preventing this kind of
tragedy.
The ambulance begins- the job of
scraping up and removing the dead
and injured. i stand by, watching as
hot tears•mingle with rain and drip off
my cheeks.
I will spend several hours on reports
and several months trying to erase
from my- memory the details of that
.night..1 will not be alone. the driver
will recover and spend the rest of his
life trying to forget. i know the
memory of this fatal accident will be
diluted and mixed with other similar
accidents I will be called into cover.
Yes, 1 am angry, and sick at heart
with trying to do my job and being
tagged the bad guy. I pray to God that
1 might never have to face another
parent in the night and say' your
daughter Susan, or your, son Bill, has
just been killed in a car acsjdent.-
You ask me, why did this happen?
It happened because a young person,
stoned out of his mind. thought that he
could handle two tons of hurtling
death -at 128 km./h. It happened,
because•anadult, trying to be a "good
guy", bought or sold to some minor a
case of beer. It happened because you
as parents weren't concerned enough
about your child to know where he
was and what he was doing; and you
were unconcerned about minors and
alcohol abuse and would rather blame
me for harassing them when I was
only trying to .prevent this kind of
tragedy. It happened because, as
people say, you- believe .this kind of
thing only happens to someone else.
For your sake I hope it doesn't
happen to you, but if you continue to
regard alcohol abuse as just part ,of
growing up, then please keep your
porch light::on because some cold.
rainy night, you will find me at your
doorstep. staring at my feet with a
message of death for you.
Many believe one -tier will protect traditions, end divisions
To the Editor:
This letter is offered to correct certain
misinformation and a redress a number of
errors presented in a very emotional letter
published in some of the local newspapers
last .week, .on_the topic of single tier
government.
The group "Concerned Citizens for the
Promotion and Implementation of a Single
Tier Government in Huron" is a fast growing
public, representative and multi -partisan
• group of about 50 members from across the
County, who have recently come together for
several reasons. First, we are concerned
about the division being created among
municipalities and citizen groups within
communities as the 'two tier' system of
amalgamation is being explored. Second, we
believe that restructuring studiesmust also
include a thoughtful. rather than emotional, -
analysis of the 'single tier' option which
many of us believe will protect the traditions -
in our local community groups, will avoid
pitting one group against another, will ensure
representative and democratic representation
across the County,' and, above all, will.
provide the simplest and most cost efficient
municipal government. Yes, it will reduce
the number of elected officials dramatically,.
and it will minimize the number of
municipal administrators and staff. But our
concerns about higher property tax bills can
-Only be addressed by creating -maximum
efficiencies in the cost of local government.
We feel that we have to explore all options
and decide on the one that saves the most
money, while maintainingour services, style,
and standard of living. There will be no
impact - as suggested in last week's letter -
on schools and hospitals which can hardly be
considered as part of municipal government.
Coordinated economic development for job
,growth across Huron County will be
enhanced with a single tier government.
Recently, our group asked to be heard as a
public delegation at the Huron County
Council . - on 'July -8, 1999. The
Administration, Finance and Personnel
Committee for the County requested that we
make a special presentation to that group at a
public committee meeting so they might be
better prepared for our July appearance.
The last meeting of the concerned citizens
group included much welcome debate,both
about the single tier approach and the
manner of proceeding with our. quest. It is
clear to us that there iswidespreadsupport
for further study of the 'single tier' option.
At a recent meeting hosted by Colborne
Township - one good example of a divided '
community because of two tier restructuring
talks - a large majority of those in attendance
indicated a desire to conduct further study of
the 'single tier' option.
In any restructuring effort, the citizens of
Huron deserve. and have a right to expect, a
full and comprehensive studyof all options
for their local government. Taxpayers who
are not elected officials. nor employees of a
municipality have a right to be heard- now.
that a deadline has been imposed by Huron
County Council. The present round of 'visits
to local councils is to ensure that all locally
elected representatives. as well.as-County.
delegates are aware of our request. We are
not circulating a 'study': we are asking that
one be completed.
Local government restructuring will have a
profound impact on all of us. It is the most
difficult decision our elected officials will
ever be required to make. Whatever solution
isfinallydecided must address concerns
about bureaucracy, local input, costs, and
access to services. Solutions must not divide
our communities - in fact, they should
preserve existing community -tradition.
As Huron County reaches its decision point
in September 1999, for municipal
restructuring, it must look long and hard -at
the governance conventions that have been
established in other jurisdications - including
places like Brant County- - where
considerable success has been achieved.
Our elected officials are accountable to all
of their ratepayers. In the study of local
government restructuring, they have an.
obligation to study all options in depth. The
'single tier' alternative must have the same
consideration as the 'two tier' choices
presently being pursued. There is no
comprehensive and accurate study of this
option at this time. It should be completed. It
required the support of/County Council to do
Seo CLOSURES, Page 2
Hydro making good progress in Walton with street lamps
June 30, 1899 tractor offered by the Clinton Lions Club.
W. Cudmore'of Kippen. they hay King of Huron, A.Y. McLean was elected at MP in Huron -Perth riding
.shipped 200 tons of hay last week. with a-phtralitry-of 211.__ .
The service of -the laying of the corner. stone of the new Alice Christie of town suffered a broken ann when she
Methodist church at Kippen was observed. fell from a horse. An open catch basin on John St.
T.N. Forsyth of Kippen is making improvements on hisfrightened the horse causing him to stop suddenly and
out buildings. He takes pride in being in the front ranks throwing Alice to the ground.. •
with tasty farm. The sale of that part of the Sills Klock now occupied by
Alex Wilson: ;eft last week for the Old Country. He is a the Province of Ontario Savings Office to Messrs.
member of the Bisely team -this year. McConnell and Hays was completed. The POSO is moving
One of those 'happy events that usually cause a flutter of to the premises in the .Cardno block, recently. vacated by
excitement occurred at the residence of Wm. Graham, the Green Front Store.
Bnicefield, when his daughter was united in matrimony to June 27, 1974 •
Wm. James Sims of Blyth. The ceremony was performed by • The Seaforth Chamber of Commerce hosted their second
Rev Niel Shaw of Egmondville. concert of the 1974 season Sunday evening.
We are pleased to notice the name of James Baird of Members of the Seaforth Lions Club must have been the
Brucefield in the list of undergraduates who were busiest people in Seaforth over the weekend as they
successful in passing the recent exams in McGill College, marked the 50th anniversary of their Club.
Montreal. • Eugen Whalen, Canada's energetic Minister of
The Seaforth Bowling Club have received fmm Messrs. Agriculture, warned of the dangers in interfering with the •
Hiram Walker and Sons a beautiful memento of the normal pattern of production by the Conservative Partys
tournament held in Walkerville. election proposal of price and wage control. ,He spoke at
June 27, 1924 the Clinton Community Centre. '
Kistener Bros. of Manley, returned home on leave of Robert McKinley, seeking re-election frit. the Huron -
absence on sailing the Great Lakes until such time as the Middlesex riding, may hold a cabinet seat, should the
boats can remove their cargoes of wheat, as the elevators conservatives win the upcoming federal election. .
are filled to capacity. Lions Club members with a successful three-day
Harvesting pine roots is the oder of the day at Manley to anniversary behind them now are completing plans for the
prepare for the threshing season.- 39th annual summer carnival.. -
In the Years Agone
. Geo. Dundas, Mrs. David Boyd and Charles Boyd of
McKillop motored to Si. Catherines. They were absent for
five days and took Niagara iagara Fn1 ls.
S. Deitz of Zurich r h JT ac received a carload of dark red
brick for use on his new business block.
Lightning struck the Albion Hotel at Bayfield, ripping
o several feet of the ridge hoard.
The most severe electric storm that has visited Seaforth
in some years' broke about 8:30 on Friday evening and or
upwards of an- hour, night was made as bright as day and
the rain fell in torrenis. 'A chimney on the residence of Alex
Lowery was demolished and the barn of Mr. Bennett,
Huron Rd, was struck but fire did not follow.
The village of Walton is a very busy place these days.
The hydro is making good headway. Quite a number
intend having their houses wired. Street lamps would.be a
great convenience to the public.
July 1, 1949
William Henry Golding. of Seaforth, former member of
Parliament for Huron -Perth, was one of the six legislators
whose appointment to the Canadian Senate, was
announced by Prime Minister Si. Laurent.
Rufus. J. Winter of town was treated at Scott Memorial
Hospital, for injuries suffered in a fall from a cherry tree
recently.
John 'Sinclair of RR. Kippen was the recipient of a