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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-01-26, Page 1INPSYT Clinical Systems DR. ROBERT SHEPHERD ;'ractice in Psychology 148 Goderich St. W, Seaforth Phone Toll Free Fax 519.527.2669 800.352.3963 519.527.2588 Visit www.inpsyt.com for more information. IIMEMEMININIIIMMINIMMINSIONNUIellosea In brief Local man charged with assault after woman hit with shovel A 42 -year-old Huron., East man was charged with assault with a weapon after a 39 -year-old woman was knocked unconscious when she was hit in the head with a shovel on Jan. 23 at 3:15 a.m. at Heritage Estates near Seaforth. The assault occurred on Hensall Road after the couple got ,. into an argument after returning home and getting their vehicle stuck in the snow. The man was shoveling snow and the woman was walking away when the man threw the shovel and hither in the head. The woman was taken for medical aid and is in stable condition. The man at approximately 4 a.m. was arrested for the assault. Later during the investigation it was learned that another incident had occurred on Jan. 1, when the woman was allegedly assaulted, choked and given death threats. As a result, the man attended a bail hearing in Goderich on Jan. 24. He was charged with assault with a weapon, uttering threats, overcoming resistance to commit an indictable offence, assault and breaching probation. Pop machine damaged at Kate's Station Close to $200 in change was stolen from a pop machine that was forced open outside Kate's Station near Vanastra sometime overnight on Jan. 18. The Pepsi machine was heavily damaged after the thieves had forced the unit open. Anyone with related information is asked to call the Huron OPP or Crime Stoppers. Unlocked truck stolen in Seaforth An unlocked truck, valued at $35,000, was stolen from the laneway of a Market Street residence in Seaforth on Jan. 19, reports the Huron OPP. The owner had left the keys inside the white four wheel drive 2002 GMC extended truck in the ignition. The truck has personalized plates # FINN76. Anyone with related information is asked to call the Huron OPP or Crime Stoppers. maw Local science club for girls offered... page 5 Broomball tournament held in , Seaforth .. page 13 GICs & Mutual Funds RRSPs RRIFs RESPs Life & Disability Insurance Employee Benefits Retirement & Financial Planning Wednesday, January 26, 2005 $1.25includes GST Mimi i liwaa Mia 15 St. Seaforth 527-0794 Susan Hundertmark photo Scientific magic Marissa Scott, Grade 4 student at Seaforth Public School, is suspended in the air during a science magic show by Freddy Fusion at SPS last Thursday. Hospital to regain outpatient physio after provincial review of Alliance cost-cutting plan By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Seaforth Community Hospital will be regaining an outpatient physiotherapy service but will still lose beds after the province reviewed the Huron Perth Healthcare Alliance's cost- cutting plan, said Alliance chief executive officer Andrew Williams. The four -hospital alliance that administers hospitals in Seaforth, Clinton, St. Marys and Stratford, received a response last week from the province about its balanced budget plan as it looked to cut a $7 million deficit from its $85 million budget. The Alliance also received word that it would receive $1.4 million in one- time provincial funding. And while, $733,200 went to Stratford General, $215,200 to Seaforth, $269,100 to Clinton and $209,900 to St. Marys, Williams said the total will be used to offset the Alliance's $7 million deficit. "We received two positive messages from the funding announcement. One is that the province acknowledged the funding challenge around smaller hospitals and that the current approach is not working and two is the province acknowledged An Wil drew Hams the organizations that are trying to work through the (budget -cutting) process," said Williams. He said the Alliance will still have job losses but did not know how many. A total of 72 full-time jobs were predicted to be cut under its initial balanced budget plan. "It should be far less than the original number," said Williams. While the province announced $91 million for Ontario hospitals' restructuring costs and severence packages, Williams said the Alliance will still have to apply for that funding once the number of job losses are known. "Our goal has always been to See BED, Page 3 Seaforth one of four potential sites for ethanol plant in county proposal By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Seaforth is one of four locations in Huron County suggested for an ethanol plant in a recent submission to the Canadian Renewable Fuels Association (CFRA) and Ethanol Industry investors. A Huron County submission was made in January after an invitation by the CRFA, which is looking for five proposed sites after the Ontario government mandated that ethanol will make up five per cent of all gasoline in the province by 2007 and 10 per cent in 2010. The submission was presented to Huron East council at Tuesday night's meeting. The proposed site in Seaforth is located in the industrial park near the London . Agricultural Commodities building on Crombie Street. The 47 -acre Seaforth property has 25 acres zoned industrial and 22 acres zoned agricultural and abuts the Goderich mainline. The other three proposed sites in Huron County include Goderich, Hensall and South Huron. The Goderich site is a 43.5 , Seater& Site 'Mylan Iesif Ommosills OM) Pardmi l Highway Caret RN. MMrMojd Road r Ramey bolimeW Zan 'Oanvisrold Gavin Wats 20,000 0 1m lI a00 tqN a The site plan for an ethanol -plant in Seaforth Exeter Railway acre parcel pext to the • railway line in the east end of town, the Hensall site is a 70 - acre parcel on both sides of the Hensall District Co-op and the South Huron site is agricultural land at the north end of ,Exeter next to the railway fine. The. South Huron site is defined as a provisional site while the other three sites are defined as prime sites. See ALL, Page 2 Gambling addiction on rise in Huron County By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor As gambling addiction statistics continue to climb across Canada, Huron County's numbers are increasing at the same pace, says Huron Addiction Services counsellor Gail Huber. Huber, who began her job in September, 1999 when the province began funding a gambling addiction program, says she's seen a steady increase in clients during the past five years, with addiction to slots gambling topping the list. "Gambling addiction is on the rise in. Huron County and it has been for some time. We certainly are concerned about it and concerned about the degrees of addiction we're seeing," she says. "We're seeing marital break-ups, bankruptcies and huge debts. We're talking big bucks," says Huber. While no suicides have been related to gambling addiction in Huron County, she says 15 (more than double the six gambling - related suicides reported two years ago) suicides were reported to be tied to gambling in Canada last year. "Because it's (gambling addiction is) such a secret, it's covered up. We don't know all the statistics. A lot of suicides could be related to gambling," she says. Huber is quick to point out that she is not against responsible gambling of any kind. "It's supposed to be fun and recreational - as long as your bills are paid," she says. Teresa Roncon, senior manager of public relations for the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, says two per cent of slots revenue goes towards responsible gambling research, a total of $36 million across the province in 2004. "We try to look at the big picture. The majority of our customers treat gambling as a form of entertainment and we're aware that a percentage find it addictive. We're very committed ,to providing responsible gambling," she says. In, Huron County, Huber sees 45 to 50 clients with gambling addictions a year. As well, the Ontario Gambling Helpline received 20 calls from Huron County .in 2004, six more than last year's calls. And, while the numbers are not huge, Huber says she's concerned by the 25 per cent increase those numbers represent. While Huron County gambling addicts have,an average age of 45, Huber says there is no typical profile. People who get hooked on gambling come from all socio-economic backgrounds and income levels. But, they all share the same problems of family and marital trouble, legal difficulties, employment and school problems,, mental and physical health problems and See HURON, Page 2