Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2000-08-16, Page 1August 16, 2000 $1 (includes GST) Local weather Wednesday --Mix of sun and cloud. High 23. low 15 Thursday --Mix of sun and cloud. High 27. Low 15. Friday --Mix of sun.and cloud, Chance of showers. High 26. Low 18.. From Environment Canada In brief 714. 1'101i��Cr , show goes ahead despite wet weather hurting some plants From weather that was too dry to weather that was too wet, it's been a tough few years_ for the Seaforth Horticultural Society and its annual flower show. Two years ago, the show was cancelled because the dry weather left flowers in too poor a state to bring in enough entries for a show. Last year saw a successful event but horticulturglists struggled with poor growing conditions. Now, . : with wet• weather, organizers aren't sure what to expect in exhibits this year because some plants and flowers hay a done extremely well while others have all but drowned. "Impatiens seem to love this kind of weather. My irises have turned up.tbeir toes and died in this wet weather," said Pat Rodney, -an organizer of this year's show. "We hswE changed some of the classes," she said. For _exaasple, miniature roses are now combined into a general rose class. The show features classes for children and about 70 other divisions for floral and plant arrangements. There is also a "show table" that isn't judged but gives people a chance to show off plants they are excited about or think people would find interesting. The show is held today (Aug. 16) from 3 to 5:30 p.m. and 7 to 8 P•m- Winners of this year's show will be announced at 8 p.m. By Scott Hilgsrreorff Trucks to slay off side streets NIP $ kn and fitness cf ta: pont • Pogw1 Council hires legal firm for PUC deal Stratford seeking other utilities, could lead to lower rates By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Stott Seaforth's town council hired the legal firm Smith Lyons at, its Aug. 8' meeting to review the offer'of purchase by the city of Stratford for the Seaforth PUC. •. "Brussels and Hensall are going to hie the same solicitor to do their offers at the same time." town administrator Jack McLachlin told town council. Council voted during a special meeting July 19 - to enter into negotiations with Stratforti after two presentations by 'Stratford's mayor. chief administrator and PUC foreman and by Hydro One Network Inc. While council moved into closed committee of the whole to discuss the two offers. the two presentations were made in open session. McLachlin said council chose Stratford over Hydro One because of the service and proximity of Stratford. • Ron Shaw.. Stratford's-chief administrative officer. told council that purchasing Seaforth's PUC. was a logical extension of Stratford's hydro service. said the minutes of the meeting. "They were very confident that they would be able to provide first class service to the citizens of Seaforth exactly as they provide first class service . to the citizens of Stratford," said the minutes. Stratford PUC manager Peter Switzer said that along with Seaforth. Stratford is also working on tentative agreements with Si. Marys, Milverton. Brussels, Hensall and Zurich and while the Stratford PUC hopes to become the major hydro supplier for Huron and Perth Counties, he said they lost Exeter and Listowel to Hydro One. the former Ontario Hydro "[guess it was those towns' view that they got a better offer from Hydro One." he said in a recent telephone interview. Scott Hilgendorff photos • Robert. Campbell is`rescued" during a relay race held Friday at Seaforth Lions Pool in the final day of a special 'Fit for Heart' program that saw a week's worth of fun and exercise programs directed toward building better heart health. Steffler seeking top spot in election for Huron East By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Staff Seaforth Reeve Lin Steffler. will be running for mayor of Huron East in November's municipal. election. she told town council at its Aug. 8 meeting. • ' • But Seaforth Mayor. Dave Scott•also announced he will not be seeking re-election. • "Atter months of deliberation; •t have decided not to run in the next election. More time for my family is the number one reason." he said. . Steffler said she wants to be part of the challenge of bringing five diverse municipalities together under one umbrella when Seaforth, Brussels and the townships of Tuckersmith, McKillop and Grey amalgamate into the• municipality of Huron East.. "It's a.very interesting time and l want the opportunity to work in that. I want to see Huron East become the biggest and best part of Huron County," she said. Keeping 'an .ambulance station within the municipality and ensuring viable water quality are two of the issues of concern to Steffler in her bid for rnayor -of Huron East. "Keeping the ambulance will be an ongoing battle and nutrient management is a keen interest of mine," she said. "1 can't believe that farmers are deliberately polluting the water system but the right to farm carries some. responsibility." Keeping Seaforth District High School open is also on Steffler's agenda. "Just because the community won a court case doesn't mean we can stop -. we have to keep pushing. The one thing I don't want to see is the high school closing in June of 2001," she said. Steffler is the. only candidate to announce her intentiontd run for office in the next municipal election. Simi STRATFORD, Pogo 2 Youths charged • •• m crime spree Fifty-seven charges. have been laid against sit young offenders in connection with. a- number of break and- enters and thefts in Huron County including several ' in Seaforth and the area. The incidents took place between July 2 and July 13 and Were cleared _after an investigation following the arrest of two youths accused of stealing a 1990 Nissan from Grand Bend after. being stopped in McKillop Township: Since the investigation, youths, including three females and threemales from: London, Usborne Township. Exeter. Seaforth, Blyth arid Clinton, have been charged in connection with a break in at the. Queens Hotel in Seaforth -where a- quantity of alcohol was stolen and . from a garage and restaurant in Clinton where money was taken. ' Charges were also Iaid in relation to vehicles that had been damaged in Seaforth and Tuckersmith Township. • The list of charges includes: 13 counts of. break, enter and theft, nine thefts over $5,000. nine thefts under 55.000; five mischief' under 55,000, six fail to comply with court orders. five breach of probabtion and seven possession of stolen property. One youth was also charged with trespassing. dangerous driving and tailing to stop for police. • The six appear in Goderich' court on Sept. ••14. Hospital focus gr_auppoints to need for public relations By Scott Hilg.ndorff Exposaor Editor - ,A public relations effort to convince people to use Seaforth Community Hospital and restore trust in rural hospitals was a need identified after a community focus group meeting Aug. 2. . "We need to better understand why people are going elsewhere for health care." said Bonnie Adamson, president of the Huron Perth Hospital Partnership at the meeting. It was held as part of the evolving hospital partnership,' about two years old, as it now strives to find ways to . improve the services at its nine hospitals and find out what expectations the community has for _ the facilities. A discussion about • medical services and. how what hospitals can offer has changed in the past 10 years led to questions from the partnership to the. community about why people.go to hospitals in London for treatment they could receive locally. "We have. a tremendous number of patients who go to London tor services that are available right here," said Dr. Stan Brown, a member of the partnership's administration team. He said if they could et patients to stay here, it would free�up surgery in London, reducing sometimes long Quo ted waiting lists there. For example,. he said there's no reason for a patient to leave the Huron Perth hospitals for London to have 'cataract surgery. Brown said patients think the care is better because the centre is bigger but suggested there would be more personal attention in a smaller hospital with the same kind of professional care in the city. . "We have some tremendous physicians in Huron Perth," he said. But one area resident said, ''(here is a lack of trust in the local system. 1 don't know how that developed." He referred to a rural family whose child -was •working in a ,field, developed a high temperature and became very sick. They saw an intern at the Seaforth hospital who made one diagnosis and then, a .short time later, an experienced doctor made -a more accurate .diagnosis of "farmer's lung." Because of the first misdiagnosis, he said, "Now they bypass Seaforth for anything." He also said there is very little public relations done by the partnership hospitals. He pointed out if the family had gone to a city hospital in that situation, they could have had to wait a week or more to learn the SM DOC, i is• 1. Your community newspaper since 1860