The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutHuron Expositor, 2005-08-17, Page 1RoserT TRAVEL FOR ALL YOUR TRAVEL NEEDS • Airline Tickets • Package Cruises • Rail Tickets • & More 482-7771 Toll -tree 1-800-668-7477 45 Albert St., Clinton Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2005 $1.25 includes GST GIC IifA Ie.r Aug Mao Al vas as alibi av7 samia.O.rrg us surfs Best 111.1.C. Rags 3.% 3.% 3.% •DUNDEE .mss $M,rss.... • •M•l• 11•11•41. 1,••••1.1.1 ll l • I.14:11:1l :111111ii! 26 Main St., Seaforth 527-2222 111 1)Fit't Seven guns stolen from two Huron East residences during break-ins Seven guns were stolen from two Huron East residences during break- ins over the weekend. Two rifles, a .22 caliber semi-automatic Remington rifle and a .303 older army rifle were among the items • stolen from a house on Beechwood Line sometime overnight on Aug. 12. Someone entered the house between 6 and. 11:30 p.m. while the owner was away and ransacked it. Also stolen were two Bell Express view satellite receivers and a 20 -inch Hitachi colour television. Five firearms, including a Cooey Model $40 20 -gauge shotgun, Savage Model 1904 .22 caliber bolt -action rifle, Savage .22 caliber Model 87D semi-automatic rifle, .38 caliber Colt revolver and a .32 caliber Hopkins and Allen Dictator revolver, were stolen from a Sports Drive residence in Huron East the next night on Aug. 13. Again, the house was ransacked sometime during the night. Other items stolen included a DVD player, movies, a cordless phone, American and Canadian currency, alcohol and a gun cabinet. Anyone with any related information is asked to call the Huron OPP or Crime Stoppers. Three thefts in Seaforth Huron OPP are investigating three thefts that were reported over the weekend in Seaforth. Two • colourful hammocks, valued at $250, were stolen from a fruit stand and greenhouse on Main Street. Three black Noma lights were stolen from a residence on Sparling Street and two solar garden lights were stolen from an Ord Street home. Anyone with related information is asked to call the Huron OPP o Crime Stoppers. Man Seaforth Public School I! planning peace garden... pair 5 Tyler Listman competing at motocross nationals ...page 12 Susan Hundertmark photo Close call at home Seaforth Pee Wees' catcher .Craig Windsor concentrates as the ball comes in too late to tag a Stanley player during the first game of a year-end tournament in Kirkton on Friday. Seaforth went on to win the game and the tournament. For more details and pics, see page 14. Trillium Foundation approves funding for three local projects By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Three Huron East organizations have received Trillium Foundation funding as part of $675,400 awarded to 20 not-for-profit and charitable groups throughout Huron, Perth, Grey and Bruce counties. The Van Egmond House in Egmondville will receive $20,500 to renovate a shed into an interpretive centre for school groups and community gatherings. Funding will add heat, lighting, insulation, new doors, storm windows, drywall and wheelchair access and improve the use of the 24 by 32 -foot building behind the main house and carriage house. "We had our fingers crossed - we were certainly hopeful we'd get the funding," says Peter Spittal, of the Van Egmond Society. While school groups now tour the main historical house, mostly in June, Spittal says an Spittal says the educational programs will begin with the Grade 3 curriculum on pioneer life, with demonstrations of pioneer life skills, such as rope making, rug hooking, butter making and spinning and weaving. "We usually have all those people around for O11Ute d 'We had our fingers crossed - we were certainly hopeful we'd get the funding,' -- Peter Spittal, of the Van Egmond Society interpretive centre would allow schools to spend more time on site in a classroom setting studying ocal history. A seven -member education committee, comprised mostly of retired teachers, has been set up to create the education package for schools, predicted to become available in September of 2006. "The grants Ciderfest," he says. "But, before, we couldn't do it (offer the school program) because the house was too insecure and too full of antiques." Eventually, the program will also be aimed at Grade 7 curriculum on the history of Upper Canada and the Rebellion of 1837, which involved Col. Anthony Van Egmond. As well, Spittal says the program could turn into a tourism attraction in the future. The renovations are expected to begin after Ciderfest is held at the end of September, says Spittal.. As well, the Seaforth Lawn Bowling Club is receiving $11,000 to replace equipment and maintain the quality of the lawn bowling green and the Vanastra Curling Club is getting $29,000 to replace ice making equipment. are meeting the needs of groups that support our rural communities. All of these groups improve the quality of See VAN EGMOND, Page 2 Test wind tower giving Suncor some troubles with transmitting local data By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor While it was erected at the end of June, a test tower that will determine if four country blocks of McKillop can become a Suncor wind farm, has been giving the energy company some difficulties. "We've been having a few problems," says Kolja Vainstein, a tenewable energy engineer with Suncor Energy in Alberta. While the 80 -metre tower is supposed to transmit the data it's collecting to Alberta by cellphone, problems with the antenna have created the need for an employee to collect the data by visiting the site. "It stores a lot of data - it measures the wind direction, speed, temperature and barometric pressure. But, someonti's had to pick it up during the last few months," he says. The tower was erected on the faun of Christa Eckert, of Hydro Line Road and if the data is favourable, a wind farm could be a supplemental source of income for close to 30 landowners in the arca. Farmers who live within the section of McKillop that is bordered by Hydro Line Road, Roxboro Line, Hensall Road and Summerhill Road have been approached by Suncor avid a number have signed lease option agreements with the energy company. Farmers could make approximately $10,000 a year for the acre or two of land that will house a wind turbine. Vainstein says the data needs to be collected for the next two or three years before a decision will be made but adds that the test tower is showing local Zoning first hurdle cleared for beef plant residents that Suncor is serious about its plan to explore the option. "Everyone's hoping it will turn out since it's in everyone's interest," he says. Steps that need to be completed before a wind farm can begin include an environmental sensitivity analysis, looking at the local wildlife and socioeconomic effects of the proposed project. "It takes a look at migratory bird paths, whether there's any endangered species in the area and whether we should go ahead with it," says Vainstein. As well, transmission studies must be done, stakeholder meetings mpst be held and permission must be sought from the local government. "There arc a lot of steps involved and we've crossed a few small bridges so far," be says. By Susan Hundertmark Expositor Editor Huron East council approved a zoning amendment on Tuesday, clearing the first hurdle for a proposed beef packing plant in Brussels. "It's the first hurdle and the biggest hurdle. Without the zoning, we can't do much," said Mayor Joe Seili. The amendment changed 45 acres (18 hectares) on Newry Road and on the same property of the Brussels livestock yards from general agriculture, restricted agriculture and recreational residential to agricultural commercial -industrial - special. The new zoning category includes a holding symbol that will be removed by council when it is satisfied that conditions of a development agreement will be met. While the amendment was passed without much comment by council, Seaforth Coun. Joe Steffler said he thought the situation was "win-win, a no brainer." Close to a dozen farmers appeared at the Aug. 9 council meeting to support the proposed development and Clerk -Administrator Jack McLachlan said council had received more than 50 letters of support. Paul Nichol, manager of the Huron Business Centre who is involved in the writing of the beef processing plant's business plan, attended the meeting as well. Nichol said after the meeting that planning is going well and that he's seeing a lot of enthusiasm both from the public and from area beef producers for the idea. "We're starting with a fresh plan. It's going to be state of the art," he said. Nichol said a similar plan was floated 12 years ago when a Toronto beef processing plant looked into relocating to Brussels but added the timing wasn't right. "The mentality has changed with the BSE crisis. Producers are eager to see it happen and this needs to be producer -driven," he said, adding that 12 years ago, producers could ship their cattle to the United States more easily. "Brussels has one of the major livestock sales barns in the province and this is the heart of beef country - it makes a whole lot of sense," he said. Seili said a meeting of farmers and industry groups was held Friday in Wingham to continue planning the business and feasibility plan. Huron Federation of Agriculture president Nick Whyte attended the meeting and said the more than 20 participants were feeling See FARMERS, Page 5