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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2001-05-23, Page 1Schools in crisis Committee begins work on school closures By Scott Hilgendorff Expositor Editor The Huron Expositor was able to obtain a partial list of members of a community accommodation study committee which meets tonight (May 23). While attempts were made to obtain the information last week and yesterday morning, the Avon Maitland District. School Board planned to release the information this morning at a media briefing, prior to the evening's meeting.. "Unfortunately the membership lists haven't alt been received yet. We might not know them all until tomorrow night's meeting," said the board's communications officer Steve Howe Tuesday morning. A partial list, made available by Howe of members serving on the committee that encompasses Seaforth area schools, includes m u n i c i p a.l representatives Eric Gosse, of Ashfield, Colborne and West Wawanosh; Laurie Cox, of Central Huron; Dick Burgess and Fred Leitch, of Huron East and Bonnie Lafontaine, of Goderich. School council representatives so far include Evelyn Smith, Liz Brown and Donna Phillips Grande, of Victoria Public School; Maureen Agar, of Seaforth District High School and Shelley Kastra, of Holmesville Public School. The voting portion of each committee will include one representative from each municipality and each school council. Non- voting members will include school principals and the committee chair, the regional superintendent. The West Central committee will be chaired by superintendent Geoff Williams while superintendent Bill Gerth will chair the North coinmittee. Huron East's Se* COMMITTEES, Page 2 Inside... Two hurt in collision.. Pope3 Docks Rodney honoured. Pape 5 rl id Imams read b aortstAaris report... Pope 7 Scott Hilgendorff photo Constable Kevin Hummel explains the Crimestoppers program to students at St. James School last Thursday afternoon. Police appeal to kids for help through Crimestoppers By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Staff Crimestoppers is appealing to area children and youth to help police by coming forward with anonymous tips if they have any information about the arson fires that have plagued Seaforth's downtown during the past six weeks. Hands shot into the air when Huron County Crimestoppers representative Const. Kevin Hummel asked Seaforth Public School students why they thought he was visiting their school last Friday. "The fires in downtown Seaforth," answered students. Hummel asked students from Grades 4-8 to either call the 1-800-222-8477 Crimestoppers number themselves or ask an adult to call with any information about the series of nine arsons during the past six weeks. "It starts innocently enough with someone playing with matches but then they start a fire which can burn down the next building and the next. We don't like to see property damage but we can also see people getting killed and that's very serious boys and girls," he said. "You guys are the eyes and ears of Seaforth and so are your teachers and parents," said Hummel. He reiterated how dangerous it is to set fires, asking the students to shout back their agreement until they all answered in loud voices. Hummel told the students how Crimestoppers receives 130-150 calls a year in Huron County, 70 per cent of which lead to solved crimes. "A lot of Crimestoppers is knowing what's going on in your community, which includes your school and Seaforth. All we're looking for is that small tidbit, that final piece of the puzzle. You can stop the fires being done in Seaforth," he said. He gave examples of how an Exeter man was recently convicted of possessing $80,000 in marijuana (which he said would fill a four -bay garage) following a Crimestoppers tip. • And, he explained how all tips are. kept anonymous, with code numbers given to callers, who can then call back to police using their numbers to find out how their tip turned out and whether or not they would receive a reward. Hummel made a similar presentation to St. James See KIDS Page 2 Youth charged for one fire as police seek public's help By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Staff Huron OPP are concentrating on investigating the remaining fires and hope to resolve the situation as soon as possible, said Det. -Sgt. Dwight Peer yesterday (Tuesday), following last week's arrest of a 17 -year-old Tuckersmith youth. The youth has been charged with mischief under $5,000 in connection with the trash can fire in front of Tremeer Commercial Printing, one of the nine fires set in Seaforth over the past seven weeks. Two youths were arrested and questioned last Tuesday about the fires but the second young man was released without being charged. "It was a quiet weekend but we want to stress that we still need the community's help and we're more than willing to follow up any information the community can give us," he said. Peer said the OPP Crime Unit remains involved in the investigation while directed patrols, involving officers who have been briefed about the fires, are patrolling day and night. See OFFICERS, Page 2 Rachlis breaks own stereotype portraying clown By Sarah Caldwell Goderich Signal -Star staff Lorne Rachlis, is stepping out of the limelight as the Director of Education for the Avon Maitland District School Board and into the spotlight as a clown in the Goderich Little Theatre's production of Waiting for G.Doe. Taking a major departure from his day job as the self -described "stern guy at the end of a table in a suit," Rachlis is donning a multi -coloured wig and a red nose to sing a Clown - a -Gram to the tune of the Beverly Hillbillies. "Unknown to a lot of people Lorne is a very funny guy but it's a side that people don't get to see in his position as director of education. He doesn't get a chance too often to crack jokes," said Holmesville playwright Rob Bundy who cast Rachlis in the role. The small cameo appearance is in keeping with Bundy's success last year in casting famous short story writer Alice Munro in a small part in Come Back to the Gym, Mary Lou, Mary Lou. Bundy joked with Rachlis during Director of Education Lorne rehearsal that he used Munro last year and this year he's using him to draw attention to the play because he is well-known and the role in the play is a departure from his normal duties and responsibilities. However, Rachlis doesn't mind his notoriety being the reason why he was cast. Sarah Caldwell photos Rachlis and his two personas. "It's time for the workaholic to play a little," he said. The cast has been welcoming and he feels like he's part of the gang when he comes out to rehearsals. Other cast members include two secondary school teachers, a public school principal, a high school council parent and Bundy, the director of marketing and communications for the Adult Learning centres for the board. Rachlis laughs easily at himself when asked what his cast mates in the education field must think about seeing him as a clown. "They probably picture me like this anyway," he said. Rachlis ended up in the play at his request. Last ygar he was brought to see Bundy's play Come Back to the Gym Mary Lou, Mary Lou, and told Bundy afterwards that he would love to be part of a play like that. Bundy stashed the information away then asked Rachlis earlier this year. He doesn't hold auditions for his plays and often casts the same core group of actors with the parts written specifically for their acting styles. When he approached Rachlis with the part he told him he would have to look and act silly and that people would laugh at him. "He accepted it before he even read. the script," said Bundy. "He was quite happy to step out from behind the director's desk and See LAST, Page 2 Your community newspaper since 1860