HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 1999-08-11, Page 1r
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August 11, 1999
Si
includes r;5r,
Local weather
.W..sday--Mix of sun
artd cloud and northwest
winds 25 km/h. High 22
Thursday --Mainly sunny
High 27 Low 14.
Friday --Cloudy with
showers. High 26.: •
Saturday --Cloudy with
sunny periods and
showers High •29 Low
near 20
From Environment Canada
In brief
Checkers
invite
spectators
to play
and watch
mural artist
A table. chairs and
checkerboard have been
placed in front of Town Hall
to encourage people to stop,
have a game and watch
artist Allen Hilgendorf work
on a mural of the Seaforth
All -Girls Marching Band.
The mural is being
painted across the street and
people can watch the work.
which began last week,
progress.
"The Main Street is
designed to be not just a
place for shopping but for
socializing as well," said
Acting Deputy Clerk -
Treasurer Jane Taylor. who
decided to try the idea out
on Monday.
She said it would be great
to go further with the
concept with a place to sit
with umbrellas to have a cup
of coffee and visit.
For now, the table will be
there while Hilgendorf is
working on the mural.
'ikylor said they will "go -
from there" after the mural
is done.
Driver's
licence
suspended
for 12 hours
A 24 -year-old Seaforth
man had his driver's
licence suspended for 12
hours after his vehicle was
stopped by Huron OPP on
Goderich Street in
Seaforth last Friday at 3
a.m.
Stopped for a traffic
violation, the man was
found to have 'been
drinking and was given an
alcotest.
Counterfeit
$20 bill found
in Blyth park
A counterfeit $20 hill.
found by a boy in the
Blytb ball park, has been
given to RCMP for
destruction, reports the
Huron OPP.
The bill, created by
photocopies of both sides
of a genuine bill pasted,
together, was found
Saturday at '7 a.m. near a
beer tent set ftp for a local
ball tournament.
Paramedics pink -slipped
County predicts they'll keep their jobs for another year
By Susan Hundertmork
Exposdor Staff . _
Paramedics in Seaforth. Clintonand Zurich
received their pink slips last week; leaving them
wondering if they will have jobs by Jan. 1, 2000:
And. while their boss Brad Lucas has.refused.to:
comment on the situation. Craig Metzger, Huron
County's manager of corporate services. says
despite the pink slips. it'; very likely the
paramedics will keep their jobs for at least another
year.
Huron County -Council has beengiven g year's
extension to a Sept. 30 deadline from the province
to decide how it will provide land ambulance
services, which were. recently downloaded from
the province to upper tier municipalities, such as
Huron County.
"The question has been whether or not the
deadline has actually been extended." says
Metzger. adding that a provincial announcement
was made granting the extension but that the
- legislation u..elf has not yet been changed with the
provincial legislature -cu-rrently .on summer
holidays.
Because the paratpedics working for Seaforth-
Clinton Ambulance -Service and Zurich Ambulance
Service'belong to the OPSEU (Ontario.Public
Service Employees Union.►. they require -a four-
month notice of lay-offs.
Even though the current providers of ambulance
services in Huron County have been informed that
the county will betaking advantage of the deadline
extension.and will, therefore require their services
for the year 2000. Metzger says he guesses Lucas
decided • to _be. extra. cautidus by ;handing out the
lay-off notices.
"I don't see how a decision can be made by Septi
30. The only thing'ihat could happen is if a
councillor stood up and made a motion cold- but
that's not the path we're goingdown." he says.
"In our minds. the province will honor their
statements and grant the extension. We haven't
heard otherwise." agrees Huron'County warden
Hanging out .
Shawn Goodman, taking part in the Seatorth Cooperative Children's Centre's summer
playgroup program, enjoyed an afternoon on the playground equipment at Seaforth Public
School. That's where one of the centres programs operates.
__Scott Hilgendocff.photo
Carol Mitchell.
"It's an evolving public process and ( helieve -
.that _ambulance services will be providedcome fan.
l " she says. •. "
The county is planninga series of public
meetings this fall to determine which. of three
,options the public "prefers., The three option..
include contracting with existing ambulance
providers.. providing ambulance service,
themselves or tendering to select ambulant -2
providers. - •
Public input will. be, discussedat a committee
meeting on Nov. 18 and• the soonest a
recommendation_ could appear at county council
would be Dec.
However. without distributing lay-off notices to
staff now.: Lucas would be responsible for an extra
month's wages for paramedics if a decision not to
use existing ambulance providers .was ..omehow
reached by Sept. 30.
SN DEADLINE, Page 2
Walton expects
thousands
at motocross
nationals event
this weekend
1
By Scott Hilgundorff
Expositor Editor '
More than 10,000 people are expected in Watton this
weekend as more than 900 riders compete in the Walton
TransCan. the Canadian Amateur Nationals. .
And Matt Lee. an organizer for the event at the Walton
track, said this year is expected to be the biggest ever as • ;.
interest in motocross racing reaches new peaks.
The event brings 42 of the best riders in each of several
divisions. competing against one another for top honours
-after -a winter of training and cross -Canada qualifying races.
to secure one of the 42 spots.
Lee cites a growing interest in "x -:games." ports -like sky
surfingand mountain bike skills competitions, called
"extreme" sports, for the, increasing, interest in motocross
racing with its high energy dirt tracks filled with . jumps,• high
speed turns and risk to the riders.
"Motocross isthe original of them '*all:- said Lee. It existed
before the x -game genre•and now has tans: from both
motorsports and extreme games.
He also said the fact events like the TransCan have formed
make a difference. •
The sport used to be carried out by different clubs with
small groups holding their own local events but now. the
sport is more unified and interest can grow.
Lee said the past four years have seen significant. growth in
the sport.
In the past The Sports Network has covered the TransCan.'
and this year. it will be' featured on Sportsnet and the
Outdoor Life Network.
The action begins on Thursday and carries through to
Sunday with displays. vendors and weekend entertainment
adding to the action.
It is expected to be the largest site, in Canada tor di.pl:rtis
dedicated to off-road equipment this year with all the 21>00
motocross models on site.
Thele will also be a Honda mini -ride event where
Soe MOTOCROSS, Pogo 2
Huron -Bruce MP protests flag burning
By Scott Hilgsndortf
Expositor Staff
There's sornething seriously wrong
when someone can come into Canada
and burn the national flag, said
Huron -Bruce MP Paul Steckle this
week.
"'licking a flag and desecrating it to
make a -point is hardly what this
country is all about,"he said.
His comments come in response to
an incident last week where a handful
of Americans, protesting a Supreme
Court ruling that protects
homosexual rights, burned a'
Canadian flag in Ottawa to speak with Heritage
while members of the Royal v Minister Sheila Copps about
Canadian Mounted Police_ it and bring it up at next
and the Ottawa -Carleton, week's caucus meeting.
police watched. A letter is already
"I'm ashamed an being sent to Copps about
American would be allowed ♦ the issue and Steckle said be
to come in and do this," he has received a number of
said. adding while people calls • from angry
may. agree with the PoolStackle constituents.
protesters' viewpoint, he He's hoping a piece
can't see anyone agreeing of legislation preventing
with the course of action they took flag burning could be adopted
by setting the flag on fire. , without having to follow the slower
As far as Steckle can determine. process of a private members bill.
there are no laws protecting the flag ' He's also suggesting that
from being desecrated but he intends provincial flags be included in the
law or regulation, risking crossing
provincial boundaries to tie all the
flags into one piece of legislation.
He is fairly certain the issue will
receive support within the federal
and provincial governments..
including Quebec and the Bloc
Quebecquois. .
Despite the Bloc's support of
separatism. he doesn't think they
would oppose a movement to protect
the flag.
As far as Steckle could determine.
the only protection the flag has is
through trademark, laws that protect
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