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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-01-26, Page 1VING THE GREATER SEAFORTH AREA January 26, 1999 Si (includes GST) Local weather Wednesday --Cloudy with sunny periods and flurries. High -9. Thursday --Sun and cloud. High -10. Low -17. `1T!`! Friday --Mainly sunny. • • High -6. low -16 Saturday --Mainly sunny. High -4. low -13. From Environment Canada 0 In brief Developer warns Egmondville subdivision project could halt if schools are closed " Toronto developer Bill MacLean told trustees of the Avon Maitland District School Board Thursday that he'and his partners might have to reconsider a $5 -million retirement subdivision planned for construction in Seaforth this spring. "The closure of a high school has a lot more impact than what you might . think for a' retirement community. Simply the perception of a dying community is the exact opposite of what these people are looking for," he said. MacLean said the 250 homes planned to be built around the Seaforth Course for well-to-do urban seniors could generate $500,000 each year in tax revenue, 380,000 a year in services and 330 million in construction over the next five years for the community. He said construction was planned to begin in April or May this year. He added that his calculations show 250 couples spending about 324,000 each a year, adding 36 million incremental revenue to the surrounding community annually. And with the multipier effect, he estimated $42 million extra revenue from the development into the Huron -Perth community each year. "We still haven't spent the money yet and my two partners say there are lots of places we could • spend it. The possible closure of the high school raises many •serious issues for us," he said. "Perhaps you should be looking at other schools where these types of activities are not happening," he told trustees and staff of the Avon Maitland District School Board. By Susan Hundenmark Welk -a -thou... Pots 3 } Ailojrhhe Pales Masonic edge tnerrters are pMmed.... Page It Suspicious death Body linked to murder in Vaughan but cause of death not known While police could not say the body found Sunday morning in Egmondville was a murder victim at press time yesterday afternoon, the investigation is linked to the stabbing death .of a woman from Vaughan, near Newmarket. . Huron OPP are not saying how the body found in Egmondville is linked to the .Vaughan murder but it was discovered by an OPP officer who answered a call to the William Street residence in the early morning of Jan. 23. The officer was called to the home at 49 William Street when he discovered the body in the backseat of a car parked there. • The London Free Press has •confirmed the vehicle Scott Hilgendorff photo OPP continue to protect a scene at 49 William Street in Egmondville where a body was discovered by OPP early Sunday morning. While the discovery relates to a murder in Vaughan, it wasstill being treated as a suspicious death on Tuesday and not murder. belonged . to Michael Luciano, 38, who .has been charged with second degree murder in the death of Colleen Richardson -Luciano, his wife. He was charged by Fork Regional Police's Homicide Unit in Goderich but Huron OPP are not saying how or why Luciano came to be in Goderich. Huron OPP will not -gay what the call was but that it did not directly relate to the officer discovering the body which has since been identified as James Cooper. 38, of RR 4 Peterborough. "We're not sure if there was a reason given," said Detective Inspector Clancy Grasman of the OPP Major Cases Section of the Sunday morning call: The Toronto Star has reported Luciano was the uncle of the woman living at the residence but Gramtan could not confirm this. . "Th.ere is sortie type of relationship there. They weren't strangers," he_ said. Nothing has been released that would link Cooper to Luciano. his car, or how it ended up at the Egmondville residence where Cooper's body was found. An autopsy conducted on Cooper failed to reveal the cause of death. "Further forensic testing is being completed and hopefully we'll deterniine the cause of death." said Grasman. adding further physical evidence is being collected from the scene in' Egmondville-which has been cordoned off by police since See POLICE, Page 11 . School closure focus is splitting Local committee keeps sights on school board education critic visits and support grows f for campaign against provincial government By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Staff While leaders of Seaforth's fight to keep local schools open did not participate in a meeting with Liberal education critic Gerard Kennedy last week in Sebringville, he says he's still planning a trip to Seaforth. Kennedy asked for a moratorium on rural school closures and a fair, rural funding formula in the provincial legislature in December. At that time, he expressed interest in coming to Seaforth to help local efforts,to keep schools open. Carolanne Doig, a member of the Seaforth cluster study group says her group was called by Kennedy's office before Christmas but turned down a request to participate in a lobbying effort to create a fair rural education funding formula for the province. "We don't feel the critic can do anything for us," says Seaforth cluster study group member Carolanne Doig. "Our issue is keeping the high school open with our trustees and outboard. We're not prepared to fight for all high schools in Ontario." "We told them we had other fish to fry. We'd be better off if we could get the education minister here," says Doig. However, Kennedy says his office has been in touch with many people in Seaforth who would welcome his visit. "There's a very important situation in Seaforth reflecting what's happening throughout the province," he says. Kennedy says that since the official opposition is a part of the government. it's his job to point out when the provincial government is making a mistake. And. he says the current education funding formula that is forcing rural school closures across Ontario is a mistake. • "We were able to tum this government around on the hospital issue and we can do it now on the school issue." he says, adding how important it is for local parents to connect with parents fighting the same battle in other school boards. "What's happening is very predictable and all part of the political play. The boards and the parents are being used by the government. The government wants everyone to believe there's no problem with the funding formula and that the local hoard is to blame. Then. once this is over, (Ontario Premier Mike) Harris is planning to get rid' of the hoards." he says. Kennedy says it's "propaganda" that rural school boards have enough, money to keep all their - schools open. even though he says Conservative MPPs across Ontario are advising angry parents to call for a provincial audit when boards look to closing schools to balance their budgets. "Parents are being told by their members (of provincial parliament) that there must be something wrong with what the board is doing with their finances when the funding formula has put boards in such a straight See EDUCATION, Page 7 eBeau sentenced to four years in prison By Arty Zoethout Goderich Signal -Star Staff Sarah LeBeau was sentenced to four years in prison for the four lives lost in an accident that occurred in November, 1996. LeBeau sat shaking before the court as Justice Thomas Granger read his reasons for sentencing Monday in Goderich. "The enormity of the crime committed by Ms. LeBeau is beyond any real comprehension," said Granger. In delivering his sentence, Granger stated he hoped his sentence would send a clear message that society will no longer tolerate drinking and driving. "I am driven, to the conclusion, by the enormity of this tragedy that my sentence must attempt to send a clear message to those who contemplate driving in a reckless manner and/or while impaired that there is a high price to pay regardless of past exemplary conduct," said Granger. LeBeau will serve four years in prison for four counts of criminal negligence causing death, and four counts of impaired driving causing death. She will also serve a two-year concurrent sentence for impaired driving causing bodily harm and criminal negligence causing bodily harm. There will also be a 15 - year suspension of her driver's license. LeBeau was convicted in October of these charges surrounding the accident alit occurred near Varna on Nov. 24, 1996 killing Neal Atchison and Pamela King of Clinton and Brian Hill and Mark Webster of Stanley Township. Both LeBeau and Brandon Gardner of Vanastra were seriously injured in the crash. "Driving a car on a highway is a privilege and such privilege carries with it a responsibility for the safety of others using the highway as drivers, passengers and pedestrians," stated Granger. In determining 'his sentence_the judge noted that there were a number of "aggravating factors" in this case that indfcate precious sentences imposed for impaired driving are not deterring people from committing these crimes. Knowing the dangers of drinking and driving, LeBeau left a party near Varna after Amy Zoethout photo sN LAvi int, pogo 7 Satoh leBeou exits the Goderich courthouse with family. .1