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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1991-02-13, Page 1r• i " /" T -A Classifieds They really paX Call 235-1331 Serving South Huron GC Gaiser•Kneale insurance Call us for Comprehensive Competitive HOMEOWNERS 235-2420 North Middlesex & Larr1JJtuir S:nf:f 1873 Wednesday, February 13. 1991 75 cents <¢ { Inside Cholrfest Something powerful page 3 Restaurant Fish and chips special from England page 5 Sled races On the trails at Pinery Park page 8 Ex -Leaf A chat with Keon Second front Annual event Lions Celebrity Dinner page 14 `'iia ...�o�::'tA�: t�i%i::v'•: `..•:::,•ii..•.wh3.•H,::i>s 37 laid off at General Coach HENSALL - As of 3:30 p.m., last Tuesday, 37 General Coach employees were handed layok( po- lices according to United Brother- hood and Carpenters and Joiners Union local 3054 representative Ken Fenwick. Fenwick believes the layoffs are temporary, and contract negotia- tions with General Coach manage- ment have gone into mediation. The company's 91 member work force have been in a strike/lockout position since November 16, said Fenwick, adding he respects Gen- eral Coach manager Andy !manse's decision to layoff em- ployees rather than lock them out. Fenwick confirmed that General Coach workers will not strike. Fenwick said management and union representatives are "not that far apart in what they want stipu- lated in the contract, although de- tails from either side have not been released. "We changed a bit of our posi- tioning," admitted Fenwick. General Coach workers were called back to work on January 7 after a four week lay-off, to pro- duce homes for an upcoming show, and Fenwick believes at least some orders will come out of it. Imanse was unavailable for comment. Adjustments not minor' says Stephen Township STEPHEN TOWNSHIP - Lambton County's recommenda- tion to the Minister of Municipal Affairs over Grand Bend's expan- sion is being met with some oppo- sition. On Saturday February 2, the Lambton County Boundary Appli- cation Committee proposed that the village of Grand Bend expand into Huron County's Stephen Township. A report was sent directly to the ministry because in the commit- tee's opinion, the boundary adjust- ment which would take place is minor. Stephen Township reeve Tom Tomes however feels that it is not minor and the committee has gone against guidelines set in Bill 35. "Until all parties agree it is mi- nor, we feel the committee is wrong," said Tomes. The township is sending a mo- tion to the ministry telling them that the adjustment is not minor. The committee has recommended Grand Bend annex 450 acres of va- cant farm land in the township. Tomes noted that Bill 35, which was set up to help sort out the Sar- nia -Clearwater issue, states that the county borders cannot be crossed unless it is a minor adjustment. "Since it is a ministry report we will be replying directly to the min- ister on this and not to Lambton County," said Tomes. The recommendations made by the committee are not carved in stone and it could be quite some time before Grand Bend fords out how much new land the have ac- quired. "I think it will be a lengthy deci- sion." said Tomes. "I don't think there will be anything quick made on it. I think what Grand Bend is looking for is a quick fix to their fi- nancial problems and we don't in- tend to be part of it." Grand Bend t made applica- tion to expand 10 years ago when they wanted to take over lands in Bosanquet Township. That town- ship in turn filed an application of their own saying they wanted to an- nex the village. After several years of contempla- tion, interrupted by the adoption of Bill •35, the committee made their recommendations. That included Grand Bend expanding 150 acres into Bosanquet and Bosanquet an- nexing the village of Thedford. Tomes doesn't feel the farmers in his township are ready to become pert of Grand Bend. "We don't know if the land own- ers are at all interested in becoming part of Grand Bend. Any I've tasked to don't want to," said Tomes. Grand Bend will be holding a public meeting in April but as of yet it is not known whether a public meeting will be held in Stephen Township. White bean market could be wiped out, says board LONDON - The province's white bean market could be completely wiped out due to the new GRIP program, claims the Ontario Bean Producer's Marketing Board who are calling for government action to prevent such a disaster. The board has sent a letter to all MPs and MPPs of Ontario, warning therp"-thaj tie new GRIP (Guaran- tteed InReturn Program) may affect the profitability of soybeans and corn to the point where "the acreage shift could be so substan- tial that we in essence would not have a white pea bean industry left". The board also calls the GRIP program an "artificially created support program" that would put the producer "in the position where he has to choose between govern- ment programs and good cropping practices." The question about the GRIP pro- gram come when the future of the Tripartite Stabilization Program is also in debate. The board are ar- guing that ways should be found to help the Tripartite program over- come its high deficit and remain in effect until 1996. Others are sug- gesting the GRIP program should be extended to cover white beans as well. These topics are likely to be high on the list of discussion at the board -sponsored White Bean Day in London on Thursday at the Hel- lenic Community Centre. Rick Ingram at W.G. Thompson in Hensall said he had heard of the concerns over the future of white beans in the area due to the GRIP program. "I understand where they're com- ing from. If you put a hole in the fence, everybody *oes throu*h it," said Ingram, noting that if the board are right about the effects of GRIP on the farming practices in the area it could definitely pose a problems for the entire industry. "Something should be done to keep all crops in line," speculated Ingram, who pointed out that the GRIP program is not yet "written in stone" either. County assistance 4 highest since 1983 GODERICH - It appears as though Huron County is being hit very hard by the recession. During Thursday's session of county council, social services ad- ministrator John MacKinnon re- ported that the number of people in the county requiring social as- sistance has increased dramatical- ly. He said ,that in December, 90 cases were added and 50 more last month. s really' beyond our control with the unemployment. The same thing happened in 1983 at the last recession," said MacKinnon. "We're getting more and more applications of people waiting for unemployment cheques." He said some of them are waiting as long as three months for those cheques. Statistics provided by the social services show that there were 294 cases in December, an increase of 106, or 56 percent above the previ- ous year. As a result, the social services committee expects that its three major items in general assistance of basic needs allowances, board and lodging allowances and excess shelter allowances could increase as much as 50 percent. They have submitted a prelimi- nary budget to county council of $2,032,992, an increase of $990,915. Huron County's share of that budget is $458,041. That would include the hiring of another social worker. Zurich's Bob Fisher questioned whether or not some mcipienR were receiving .double intent;, "NM* the conn y tlOtfa*" idose and unemployment. MacKinnon said that yes, some- times this does happen. "All we can do is send them a let- ter saying they owe us." Exeter's Bill Mickle said, "It's something that has to be looked at. It's involving tax payers' dollars in both cases." Hay Township's Lionel Wilder wanted to know if farmers were al- lowed to collect social assistance. "We'd be turning them down," said MacKinnon. At the present time that's a county policy. Some counties do give them assistance." Drinks anyone? EXETER - Two male adults were caught having a late night cocktail early Friday morning at the Exeter Curling Club. Exeter Police arrested the two for break and enter and theft at the club at 205 Riverside Drive. Police chief Jack Harkness con- firmed they had broken into the bar at the club and were having a drink. Most of the items taken were recov- ered. One of the two were further charged with two more counts of break and enter and theft into the club at previous dates as it is the third time it has been broken into. Both are scheduled for court ap- pearances on March 12. Names of those arrested were not released. Tragedy avoided in Huron Park fire Smoke detector alerts family of early morning fire in kitchen HURON PARK - An early morning grease fire could have had much more serious consequences, speculate Fire Department officials, if a smoke detec- tor had not awakened the home's sleeping residents. The Stephen Township Fire Department were called to ahouse fire at 146 Algonquin Drive in Hu- ron Park at about 3:55 a.m. Saturday morning. Ap- parently a pot of cooking oil had been left unattended on the stove and had burst into flames, filling the home with smoke and intense heat. The heat is what did most of the approximately $25,000 damage to the home and its contents, said fire chief Robert Pertschy. "A lot of the interior was charred. It got quite hot in there," he said. Even the smoke detector that awakened the family of Ed Lesperance was completely melted by the time the fire got out of control. The Fire Department were on the scene within seven minutes, said Pertschy, and were able to get the blaze under control within another five. No structural damage to the home was reported. "If there hadn•'t have been a smoke detector, you can only apecuate what would have happened," said Paucity, notingthat only a few min- utes separates rescue from tragedy when such an intense fire occurs. Exeter businesses get crimeproofed By Adrian Norte the passing of bad cheques. EXETER - Crimeproofing is on The last crime isuite prevalent its way for most Exeter businesses in Exeter, noted Harkness, who as a pair of students make their way said he had investigated 25 instanc- from door to door to help protect es in the previous week. Often, he retailers from theft. explained, a customer can make an The South Huron District High honest mistake and correct the error School co-op students, Crystal without having to involve the po- Jones and Steve Heywood, will be lice, but many are deliberate cases distributing information pamphlets of fraud. on shoplifting and robbery to retail- A misconception, eau ers as well as marking and listingis that the courts all valuable equipment on the can force restitution from a convict - premises that might be attractive to ed fraud suspect. Unfortunately, thieves. The marking can be made that is not the case. In fact, the with an indelible marker that can writing of bad cheques is seen by only be read under ultraviolet light. the courts as a "victimless, white "The crime of the tune is break- collar crime". ing into businesses," wamed Exeter ."They seldom send anybody to police chief Jack Harkness at last Hoc writing a bad cheque," said Wednesday's Business Improve- , noting it is best left up to meat Area meeting. the retailer to protect him/herself Harkness warned local retailers from becoming a victim in the first that the theft of Paymaster cheque place. Harkness said retailers imprinting machines is rampant and should never feel reluctant to check the ability to stop payment on sto- with the bank or with a list of lenblank cheques also � difficult. known NSF cheque writers before The ailuro members a coli BIAing ate- g a cheque. series of The BIA have discussed and may videotapes on crirneproofing, ID consider' spin the possibility of eluding tips on how to bandkr sharing information about chase s beries, how to spot goidt-change who have been known to have artists, and how b guard paste *bad lam" in town. alminummor esti/4w P us of ,t - Coop student Steve Heywood fires e ticker to the door of Selah Family Books to warn that he and Crystal Jones (behind) have minced equipment in the ato'e. At 4ptt is Seish owner end 814 chainmen Don Rannphf.