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Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2003-10-29, Page 1010-1141 HURON IXPO$ITOR, ocToBaR 20, 2003 AUTOMOTIVE REFINISHING Mad' >leame 120 Harpsrlgr Rd. Hwy • Seaford' MOM (519) 522-2222 FAL (519) 522-2223 (11I11i]:1. Ws Dupont Automotive Mlshes ELECT Joseph Seili MAYOR of Huron East November 10th MAPLEWOOD MANOR Retirement Home 13 Church St., Seaforth At present we have Private and Semi -Private accommodations available. Features include: • excellent dining and snacks • dietician approved menus • laundry • housekeeping • medication administered by our professional staff • transportation arranged for -appointments • 24 hour friendly professional staff • beauty salon • barber services • daily activities • convalescent & respite stays available ORCA for more information contact Tracy Nash at 527-1440 Fax #527-2977 Maplewood Manor "Your Invitation to Gracious Retirement Living" News Testimonials needed to connect Huron, Perth Counties to high speed Internet By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Testimonials from anyone who needs high speed Internet in Huron and Perth Counties are needed to help earn the federal funding that's necessary to erect 14 towers throughout the area, says Brock Vodden, project manager of Huron Perth Connects. "We've got about 100 testimonials so far but I'd like to have another 200," says Vodden. "We still have to show a serious economic and social need for the system and we still have to prove it will be sustainable after it's built." Vodden submitted a proposal in June to Industry Canada, which is funding half of the costs involved in providing high speed internet through a program called Broadband for Rural and Northern Development (BRAND). While the first proposal was turned down three weeks ago, Vodden has been asked to resubmit with more direct input from residents of Huron and Perth, including institutions, businesses and community groups. He has a Nov. 8 deadline to collect ' as many testimonials as possible for another attempt at federal funding. "We'd really like a spectrum of the community with business and home requirements, such as children needing help with their studies, to show the extensive and varied needs," says Vodden. He says testimonials are lacking from businesses and institutions like hospitals and schools since many of them are located in urban areas and already have high speed access to the Internet through cable television. "But, where hospitals really need high speed in rural areas is when there's a storm and they need people, who are stuck at home but don't have a good internet connection," he says. Vodden says those people in Huron County who are still on a party line should send in their testimonials since they have no access at all to the internet. Huron East economic development officer Ralph Laviolette, says he's hoping rural residents respond to the need for testimonials since at least a third of the municipality is not covered by high speed access. "Strategically, in terms of helping local businesses, we're very much at a disadvantage without high speed access," he says. "A lot of businesses in the rural areas don't know what they're missing without it." Laviolette says he knows of several businesses in Huron East located in rural areas trying to do business on the internet overseas and across North America. "They have to be very patient with dial-up access since you have to sit and wait for a long time for corporate websites to come on screen and the connections click off easily," he says. The BRAND funding could provide up to half of $1.1 million towards a plan to build 14 tower throughout Huron and Perth Counties with Comcentric Networks, which is building the system and would pay the other half. Vodden says the federal funding is necessary because the plan will not be Ralph Laviolette economical in a low population area without it. Huron Perth Connects has been working on a plan to provide high speed internet access to both counties for two years. It includes representatives from both -counties of Huron and Perth, Stratford, St. Marys, the Huron Business Development Corporation, Perth Community Futures Development Corporation and the Perth County Information Network. Board no longer making mandatory visits to home-schoolers, but retaining relationships By Stew Slater Special to The Huron Expositor An annual visit by public school board officials is no longer mandatory for families in which children are taught at home. We've Moved We've Moved We've Moved We've Moved Ts > W E ' R E HERE . 0 .0 0 0 0 > 0) a > 0 2 a, > CU 0) 0 2 0) 0 CU > 0 C, CU iott"s ion nc. Is Now in Clinton Join us this weekend or any weekend in our New 1 Floor Shopping Location. Friday 10 am -6 pm Saturday 9 am -4 pm Sunday 12 noon -4 pm *sec «cuss ifaaet., uvlae voce SCG pal We've Moved Former Lobb Auction Barn . Bayfield Road 482'9364. \'Je ve Moved '"Ie ve t.loved mmitmE •anon an,aM panoL an a�j m 0 0 a 0 • 0 rp We've Moved a STRATFORD PIANO SALE! Fea«,ri,,, Grand, Upright & Digital Pianos! Thursday Nov 6. Friday Nov 7 & Saturday Nov 8 - New & Used - Financing Available Arden Park Hotel Orit.rr if) St Stratford Ccill 276-7834 for information or all appointment L ii:pen1 te11 111 Wk' !4 r+ Long & McQuade MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. w w •. 1 • • . - w • . • • • • . • • • Blit top administrators at the Avon Maitland District School Board say they want to retain relationships with home-schoolers, nonetheless. Education superintendent Barry Wagner delivered the board's annual home - schooling report to trustees, at a regular meeting Thesday, Sept. 23. According to the report, 197 students within the Avon Maitland catchment area received instruction at home during the 2002-03 school year, down from 217 in 2001-02. Of those, 182 were in the elementary age group. Wagner stated the total number of home-schoolers and the ratio between eletnentary and secondary age levels has remained fairly constant for several years. And a comparison of Wagner's report with those from previous years show another trend carrying through year after year: the presence of a cluster of home-schoolers in the area east of Wingham. One trend which did experience a drop was the total number of families those home -schooled children represent. Ir 2002-03, there were 15 fewer families.than the previous year, Wagner said. Despite a recent change in government guidelines, both Wagner and education director Geoff Williams offered a commitment to continue assisting families in which kids learn at home. Wagner explained that an August, 2002 memorandum from the provincial government provided direction on how• school boards should approach home-schoolers. Avon Maitland officials interpreted part of that memorandum as an indication that the board's previous policy of mandatory annual visits should not continue. But -his report states that "in order to maintain a positive relationship with home -schooling families, principals will continue to offer resources and to assist with assessment of the in- home program when requested to do so." After Wagner delivered, his report, Williams addressed trustees and gave the impression that the board has made a conscious decision to offer more to home-schoolers than what might currently be available from other boards. He suggested the reason is that almost.all home- schoolers are in the elementary age group, and board officials want to make sure that, when they reach secondary school age, they choose to attend an Avon Maitland secondary school rather than a Catholic or private institution. "I do get comments from other boards, wondering why Avon Maitland supports home-schoolers," Williams explained. "And the reason is that, because we provide that support, we know that virtually all of these students do end up in our secondary schools." CNIB entertained by Rev. Schwindt The Thanksgiving dinner meeting of the Bluewater Chapter of the Canadian Council of the Blind was held Tuesday evening at the Londesboro United Church with 45 in attendance including CNIB clients, escorts and guests. Excellent musical entertainment was provided by Rev. Schwindt of Clinton by tapping various sized bottles filled with varied amounts of water with wooden mallets. He also played his violin and then along with his wife Judith, they sang a duet. Ida White's guest, Louise Bluewater Chapter of CNIB from India gave a talk on conditions there and sang a song in her native Hindu. Evelyn Carroll installed the upcoming executive as presented by Roberta Wadell and Ida White. Ken Lingelbach of Seaforth gave a fitting reading on Tjtanksgiving and the meeting closed with the joining of hands for the singing of Blest Be the Tie that Binds. by Marjorie Lingelbach