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HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2005-06-29, Page 5Opinion New York an eye-opener of a city From Page 4 And during our escape from New York on Friday night we ended up driving through an Jewish -Orthodox community where hundreds of families were out in the streets dressed in black and were all heading somewhere together. All told, my visit to New York City was as much of an eye opener on what urban life in one of the world's biggest city's is like just like Seaforth was an introduction on what it's like living in a rural area. The only difference is, I'd gladly take the smell of wafting manure over the smell of sewer gas any day. Just a year later, remarkable changes have happened in town of Madaba Kate Johnston, a fourth-year student at Sir Wilfrid Laurier University, is back in the Middle East on an archeological dig in Jordan. This is her second year digging in an Iron Age buried city. It still amazes me, even a year later, how much and how little the town of Madaba has changed. There are buildings now two storeys high that didn't have foundations laid last year (one of them being a whole wing and pool in the hotel I am living in), restaurants have closed and shops have disappeared altogether. And yet, the hotel manager greeted me by name, as did several shop owners, and welcomed us back to this town for the second year in a row. The biggest difference between this year and last is that last winter it rained. This means that there are fields of grain, wheat and barley, all throughout the countryside. It is not Saskatchewan by any stretch of the imagination, but this year there are plants and flowers and water in the wadi (though not where we drive through it, thankfully.) It is quite remarkable. There are fewer people in Madaba because of this. The farmers have not had to leave their land to find work. This year, they have food to trade. The site has not changed very much either. Parts of it have collapsed, and I spent the better part of two days last week clearing out something that I had already excavated Last season, but for the most part, there was not very much interseasonal damage. It was very much like coming home, even though every once in a while there will be a definite reminder that however much I like it here, it is not and can never be anything like home. The rhythm of the dig has been easy to settle. into this year. Early mornings are a cinch when the sun is already up anyway, and napping during the hot time just makes sense. The food is taking some getting used to (though, I have decided it is much easier to adapt when one is not already sick), but second breakfast is very much improved, and even the Haret Jdoudna food has been good, though we still have to dodge the purses to find the entrance way. Pottery washing and bone registration still take up most of our afternoons, and the evenings are spent with our homework on the roof of one of the hotels, listening to the wind and counting kites as the sun sets. The magic I felt last year is still very much around me. The team is very much smaller this year, about half the size, and there are more French people than last year. It was definitely easier to learn everyone's names this year, and even though I miss last year's group at odd moments (usually when Pedro the Donkey has a meltdown), I like this year's team very much. Everything is still getting into gear. Work is being organized and reshuffled, new ideas are being tested, evaluated and discarded, and the life at camp is falling into pattern. By the end of next week, we shall be all set for whatever Mudayna might throw at us this season, and for my part, I can hardly wait to see what we catch. News This year's poor air quality days surpasses last two years' total By Jason Middleton Expositor Staff While the summer has hardly started, Huron County is close to having more poor air quality days this year than it had in total during the past two years. A recent study by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA) said that summer smog in Huron County could cost the health care system $3.22 million, will be the cause of 39 premature deaths, 107 hospital admissions and will amount to 362 visits to local emergency rooms. The OMA also predicted that smog will lead to 193,110 sick days across Huron County and will cost $2.43 million in lost productivity at workplaces. However, Elda Tindall, an emergency room nurse at the Seaforth Community Hospital, said that she has not seen many patients come in with respiratory problems caused by smog. "i think people are pretty wise," Tindall said. "Anybody who has a chest condition should stay indoors. They take pretty good care of themselves generally." As for an average person, it's hest to take it easy on air quality advisory days, Tindall said. "You have to treat the day symptomatically," she said. "if it bothers you, get out of the air." According to David Phillips. a senior climatologist with Environment Canada, 50 per cent of the pollution that causes smog comes from the Ohio valley while the rest is caused in Ontario. "I think there is a perception that smog is a big city problem, but it is an Ontario problem," said Pam Scarfe, public health manager with the Huron County Health Unit said. Scarfe said people need to come up with ways to help spare the air on smoggy days. "This is a day that everybody needs to be thinking what they can do to make a difference," she said, adding not barbequing and turning down the air conditioning a few degrees can help. Phillips explained that smog is made up of two parts: ground level ozone and air borne particulates. The ground level ozone, Phillips said, in a recent phone interview, is a result of the "crud" created from burning fossil fuels and usually comes from tailpipes and smokestacks. Although it is not what causes the hazy looking smog, Phillips said ground level ozone is what causes eye irritation and eats away at monuments and paint. Coupled with temperatures above 30 degrees C, the ground level ozone's chemicals are cooked which causes the chemical reactions to take place. second part of smog, Phillips said, is caused by air borne particulates which create the dirty-. looking air and can become lodged deep into people's lungs. The Quoted `I think there is a perception that smog is a big city problem,'- Public health manager Pam Scarfe According to the Ministry of the Environment's Web site, the Air Quality Index is an indicator of air quality, based on hourly pollutant measurements of some or all of the six most common air pollutants: sulphur dioxide, ozone, nitrogen dioxide, total reduced sulphur compounds, carbon monoxide and fine particulate matter. When the air quality index rises above 50, an air quality advisory is issued. Since May of this year, the Ontario Government's air quality recording station in Grand Bend has recorded five poor air quality days in Huron County. Phillips said that we have had more summer this year than we had all of last year and said he expects that trend to continue. Last year, Huron County reported two poor air quality days between the months of May to October, while 2003 reported four poor air quality days. While warnings during the Parking for Canada Day's fireworks could be crowded This year's Canada Day fireworks in Seaforth might be complicated a little by the fact that the Seaforth Agricultural Society's Tractor Elimination Draw is being held the same weekend, says Huron East Fire Chief Marty Bedard. "lt will he the same great display but it's going to he a little tricky with parking and people being able to see," he says. The traditional site for fireworks in Seaforth, the grounds at Seaforth Public School, are no longer suitable since additional buildings have been added to the grounds in the past few years. And, the tractor draw will mean tents, fencing and limited parking at the Agriplex. "Hopefully a lot of people will be able to walk up and plop down a lawnchair and the rest can park at the arena." he says. The Huron East fireworks display consists of $6,000 in fireworks, of which $1;000 is funded by a federal heritage grant, $1,000 is paid by donations from the public and the rest by the municipality. Along with the fireworks display at dusk, Canada Day begins with the traditional Firefighter's breakfast,at the Seaforth Fire Hall. poor air quality days are often aimed at the young and the elderly, Phillips said everyone should take it easy. "It creates health problems for everybody, but not necessarily to the point of making us bedridden," he said, adding that even healthy people's lung capacity is reduced during a poor air quality day. "Last year people were complaining about the weather — it was too wet, too cool, too cloudy — but people with respiratory problems thought it was the best year ever." During poor air quality days, Phillips suggested that people should limit their activities and consider doing them before 5 a.m. or after 8 p.m. While Phillips does not think the solution to help fix the smog problem is not easy, there are things that can be done to help. Phillips suggests that filling your car before 8 a.m. and after 8 p.m. will help limit the number of fumes added to the atmosphere. Also, people should consider using bicycles or walking instead of driving. "They would help, but it's like trying to blow into a hurricane to get it to stop," he said. THE HURON EXPOSITOR, June 29, 2005-5 LAWN QUESTIONS? Organic Programs 4120 Available Accelerl W Vipecilvcd, 524-2424 -Trust the Professionals - 'AA's& GREENHOUSE • Annuals • Bedding Plants THEY'RE HERE! . . .1 i .. •,: T -Shirts, Sweatshirts, & more! w now4 e:,•-• available of graphics 1..mlr.U.ry 12 Main St Seth 527-2055 v?liF 11 i/h� I • rano rots ,,, � , • Hanging • ets ,, • Professional Landscape Designer r Specials ii Hanging Baskets;, Buy 1 Get 1 at 1/2 pries C .�l/_ Annuals •/1, Buy ,Il �l/, Ni,, Get 1 FREE ` = /11 Open •V' Thurs. 1 pm -8 pm /i ii Fri. & Sat. 9 am-5pm A or by appointment Bert & Carol Reinink v & family _1/ 43079 Hullett AtcKlllopRd. , %1\ 4kmWf \\I Family Paradise Campground T 527-0761 ti �` ,,1,, " 4r NOTICE TO THE RATEPAYERS OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CENTRAL HURON Interim Tax Bills second installment is due June 30th, 2005. If you wish to use the monthly pre -authorized payment plan, please contact the Muicipal. Office prior to December 31st, 2005 for the 2006 taxation year. Church Services You are invited to attend these area churches St. Thomas Anglican Church " Jarvis cIAi Spell Fr. Michael Atkins St.arish Office 527.1522 Sunday, July 3"' Worship at 9:30 a.m. JOIN US FOR COFFEE AT 9 A.M. FR. MICHAEL'S FAREWELL SERVICE EVERYONE WELCOME St. James Roman Catholic Church Welcomes you 14 Victoria Street, Seaforth 527-0142 Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm 'a Sun. 11:00 am Father Richard Anthony Hurdle Bethel Bible Church An Associated Gospel Church 126 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982 Sunday Worship Hour 11 am Sunday School 9:45 a.m. gmon •vu e United Church Sunday, July 3" to Sept. 4" Worship at 10:30 a.m. CLOSED July 17, 24 & 31" Interdenominational Service at Northside United Jury 31' at 11 a.m. Steve Hildebrand Lay Pastoral Minister in Training No Sunday School untll September EVERYONE WELCOME NORTHSIDE UNITED CHURCH 54 Goode.ich St. w. Sun., July 3'4, 2005 No Services During July Rev. John Gould First Presbyterian Church Goderich St. W., Seaforth I Rev. Henry Huberts Sunday, July 3'd Service at 11:15 a.m. HURON COUNTY FAMILY HEALTH TEAM ORPHAN PATIENT REGISTRATION Are you a patient without a family physician in Huron County? If you or a family member does not have a family physician, the Huron County Family Health Team is beginning to register orphan patients. At this point in development the information requested includes: name, address, phone number, email address (if applicable), and date of birth. WHAT IS A FAMILY HEALTH TEAM? A Family Health Team is an approach to primary health care that brings together different health care providers to co-ordinate the highest possible quality of care for you - the patient. It will be designed to complement professionals such as doctors, pharmacists, nurses, nurse practitioners, and more. The Huron County Family Health Team has a mandate to make primary health care available to orphan patients. WHY REGISTER EARLY? This registration does not guarantee immediate service, but will create an orphan patient database for the implementation of the Huron County Family Health Team. Early registration is an excellent idea to help in the development and organization of a comprehensive health care program. Geography and local health concerns will help us tailor our services for you. Please register yourself and family now! TO VOLUNTARILY REGISTER: Phone: (519) 527-1618 1 In -Person: Seoforth Medical Centre Fax: 1519) 527-2076 28 Centennial Drive Email: huronFHToneObellnet.ca Seaforth, ON NOK 1 WO