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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1992-11-25, Page 1lows meows -sows Xmas lndeerl 0 outdoor o 50 m cin and cry , COUNTRY frOWCRS Exeter Gainer-Kiwilc Insurance Service Expedenoe Value 235-2420 Serving South Huron North Middlesex & Lambtor Since 1873 Wednesday, November 25. 1992 :.,:x, fti'"f>3>2.'•j,' sok<: ;::''``5�''`: :T%1i6.:S000.�v%JiviYf'f.'viACC : Church treasurer under investigation by RCMP GRAND BEND - The former treasurer of the Grand Bend United Church, charged earlier this month with defrauding church accounts of $ 151,700, is also under investiga- tion by the RCMP. However, Constable Mills of the Sarnia RCMP said Monday his de- tachment was not yet prepared to release any information regarding their investigation of Cheryl Sue Pearen of Grand Bend, but he did say "one charge has been laid". Mills would not say what that charge was, but a later report said the charge involves pension money from Pearen's husband's deceased mother going into a bank account. Also charged is Brian Pearen, 50. Cheryl Pearen appeared in Sarnia court Monday. The charge of theft laid by the Pinery OPP was ad- journed until December 14. She and her husband are awaiting a pre- liminary hearing for the charges laid by the RCMP, scheduled for April 8. Exeter lots prove unsafe for parked cars EXETER - Of the 39 occurrences investigated by the Exeter Town Police in the past week. two in- volved motorists leaving the scene after inflicting damage. On Friday, police investigated a minor hit and run in which a car parked at Valu Mart on Thames Rd. E. was struck by another vehi- cle which fled the scene. On Sunday, police investigated a similar complaint at MacLean's Home Hardware, except that the damage was done to a pop ma- chine. Last Tutee iay, a car -parked over- night at South Huron District High School was vandalized and dam- aged by persons unknown. Police say, charges are pending after a traffic occident Thursday on Thames Rd. E. when cars driven by Marilyn Weber,of Elmira and Mi- cheal Thornton( Waimeaol- laded. On Friday, police stopped and charged a 16 -year old male motor-. ist with liquor violations. Reliving old memories over the weekend, and , aided by a few photo albums, the "dirty dozen" met again for the first time in 31 years. From left are Bonnie Becker, Helen Hen- drick, Anmarie Hoffman, Mary McGarvey, Linda Henderson, and Joan Cassidy. Teenage memories come flooding back as 'dirty dozen' reunites By Adrian Harte T -A Editor -ST. JOSEPH - To be 16 again - if just for a week- end. Six former Exeter women brought back their teen- age years this past weekend. The memories came flooding back since this was the fust time in 31 .years they had all been together. ' Lind Johnston, Helen HendrickeBninie Turvey, Anmarie Kroft, Mary Killeen, and Joan Dettmer were known the "dirty dozen" to their families and friends when they were growing up in Exeter. Vir- tually inseparable, they literally grew up together, forming a bond of friendship that began in primary school and lasted into high school. They have since gone their separate ways, leading varied lives across the province. Johnston is now Linda Henderson, a teacher in Tilbury. Hendrick now lives in Hensall as Helen Drysdale and works at the Queensway Nursing Home. Turvey is now Bonnie Becker of Grand Bend, a teacher at South Huron District High School. Kraft became Anmarie Hoffman and lives in Dashwood. She has the distinction of being the only one of the six to never leave the area. Killeen is now Mary McGarvey a bookkeeper in Perth, near Ottawa. And Dettmer is Joan Cassidy, the •proprietor of St. Joseph's Brentwood -on the Beach, the bed and breakfast that provided the set - ung for the weekend reunion that brought them all together for the fust time since the fall of 1961 when Mary moved away to Belleville, in the group's grade 11 year. Although five of the six have hold seven previous reunions, this weekend's was the first since they dis- covered Mary's address and phone number in June, setting the stage for a complete reunion. "She's the one who held us all together," said Joan of Linda, explaining that her frequent cards, letters, and visits kdpt most the group in touch over the years, eventually resulting in the reunions. Joan even says Linda sell calls her every year on Thinking Day, as a reminder of how five of them went through Girl Guides together. They were years of summer camps, COIT, skating at the roller rink, learning to drive, and eventually first boy- friends. "We had the most wholesome, healthy growing up," said Joan. "We all grew up and can come back together and feel very comfortable with each other. We all have the same values." Linda says that ierhays the bonds of friendship formed so early because they knew they would al- ways be together. The Exeter Public School had only class for each grade, so all knew they would share the same classes and teachers right up to high school. Mary was met at the train station in London to be- gin her first weekend with her old classmates, who said since than "she's had tears in her eyes half the time". "We've all just picked up the conversation where we left off," said Mary. "Maybe we're all a little older, a little heavier..." "Well, you said 'mature' last night," pointed out Anmarie. "We all grew up at the 'Bend," said Helen. "Once we got our licenses we were there seven nights a week," agreed Joan. The group then recall a "hillbilly" play they pre- sented with the high school drama class, still refer- ring to each other by their old nicknames such as "Dit" or "Jonse" as if they were in high school only yesterday. The group toured through Exeter on Saturday, some for the first time in years. to revisit some of the old haunts, or at least where they used to be. The number of new houses and businesses added to Exeter since the early 1960s is all the more apparent when you •haven't seen the -town in the years be- tween. All the women live in small communities today, even if they lived in cities for a few years. Mary ad- mits her house in Perth was bought because it re- minded her of her former Andrew Street home in Exeter. She, her husband and children haven't moved in 19 years because she wants to give her family the same kind of stability she enjoyed when growing up. They have all agreed that future reunions will be held at Joan's house in St. Joseph, if for no other reason than it is so close to where they grew up. "We just envision we're going to do this every year for life," said Joan. "Till we die," agreed Mary. Bonnie .recalls some advice given to her by her mother. "You keep the old friends, for they are gold," she said. Even with yearly reunions, the "dirty dozen" are eager to meet up with more of their old friends. They promise if anyone organizes another high school reunion, they will be the first to sign up. Funds slated for Hensall JK By Ray Lewis TA -Staff CLINTON - Despite the Huron County Board of Education's (HCBE), position against junior kindergarten (JK), it appears the Ministry of Education has already alioceeed•fpnds for its arrival. Minister of Education Tony Sili- po announced last Friday that $36.5 million in grants for the 1992 capital program will be allocated to school boards in the western Onta- rio region. Included in that is $29.6 million which.bas been allo- cated for growth -projects, $3.95 million for non -growth projects and $2.95 million for junior kinder- tierten But according to HCBE director Bob Allan, that still does not mean Huron County will implement J K. "We do projections and send them to the ministry in terms of capital forecast, and that capital forecast covers five years," con- firmed Allan. "The ministry has told us we will baveiK implement- ed by September 1994, so this is one of the things we had to project into aur capital requirement just in case we end pp with JK." At the present time, five Huron County schools have been slated by the ministry to eaceivs funding, the glosses being Ueneell.Pabiic. "As I understand it," said Alan, "the ministry made their capital an- aouncoments and it would appear they have tagged money for JK oxib purposes to us." The funding would be offered to support the need for additional classrooms in the schools. Allan said in ibe course of placing re- quests for capital funds, the board assigns csntain priorities. Hensall was 4eeignated as one of -the schools with a ,greater need for space. Now that funds have been thrown into the ring, die board may be forced torethink its position. "They will .have to take a look at those greets," ,agreed Allan. "And mthey 4011 -lave soogain wide whetter ;they wish 40 proceed or what ytar;tbey.:will proceed." 90 percent of crop still in fields Corn harvest 'critical' EXETER - Ontario's corn farmers are facing the worst harvest condi- tions in over 20 years. The harvest is being affected by a combination of a very cold growing season; grain corn crops which remain too high in moisture for harvest and low in grade, soggy, wet field conditions, and, in many areas, the premature arrival of winter snowfall. In addition, com- bines can't thrash at that high moisture. On Thursday, the Ontario Com Producers' Association held meetings in Ki.rkton and Holmesville to discuss the options conceming the 1992 crop. The gatherings proved to be two of the largest meetings ever seen by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) in the Huron County, with over 550 farmers in Holmesville alone. ' Bob Humphries at the OMAF office in Clinton said that they have been flooded with calls and there is a genuine mood of concern. It's getting to the point where even they are running out of answers. Humphries agreed that it is difficult to measure moisture content past 35 percent, but he has been informed by many local farmers who have had their's tested that many exceed 50 percent. "Normally at 35 percent you wouldn't even go near the field," confirmed Humphries. "Can you imagine 15 points above that." It would take days of sunshine and low humidity to dry the crop enough to take it off, and the chances of that happening before a snowfall is doubtful. Normally by now 95 percent of the corn is off. This year, only 5-10 percent has been harvested. "Huron is definitely facing a critical situation for both com and soy- beans," said Humphries. "No part of Huron County is good but it does seem that more people in the Exeter area have their's-off than the rest of the county" According to statistics supplied by OMAF, Huron County generally grows about 200,000 acres of corn, but only half of that, or roughly every second farmer is insured. The scenario for soybeans is identical. Of the 90,000 acres produced only half are insured. Continued on page two On duty in restaurants Twenty-one celebrities joining in for Child Find Friday lunch hour EXETER - Child Find of Huron County is hoping Friday lunchtime will be a big fundraiser for their or- ganization. , In Goderich; Wing - ham, Clinton, Exeter and Zurich "celebrity lunches" are being held as a fundraiser for the group that helps track missing children and helps prevent abductions. Patrons of the 3AAA Restaurant, New Orleans Pizza, the Huron Res- taurant, Murphys, and the Country Bakery can be served by local "ce- lebrities" instead of their usual waitress. Tips, and a portion of the special of the day will go toward Child Find. At the Huron Restaurant you can be served by town works superin- tendent Glen Kells, or Greg Pfaff of the Exeter Legion. At Murphys, patrons can be waited on by recrea- tion director Lynne Farquhar or Times Advocate publisher Jim Beckeu. Exeter Fair Ambassador Michelle Moore will be serving up the pizza at New Orleans, and at the 3AAA waiting on tables will be Times Ad- vocate editor Adrian Harte, town police chief Jack Harkness. and OPP constables Al Penn and Beth Pitmtl. . Working shifts at the Country Bakery will be the Rev. John Hil- born from the Exeter United Church, John Wuerth representing the Exeter BIA, and Rev. Mark Ga- skin from the Presbyterian Church. The celebrity lunch runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and some of. -the ce- lebrities are working in shifts. At South Huron District High School students will be able to tip their principal Joe Wooden, or teachers Scott Halpenny, Carey Eddy, George McEwan, Paul Fox, or Janice Walker and see a portion of their lunch cost go to Child Find. In Zurich, three celebrities will be taking turns at the tables of Erb's Country Kitchen. Huron warden and Zurich reeve Bob Fisher will be on duty, as will former MPP Jack Riddell, and Zurich Public School principal Bill Black. Organizer Julianne Varley is ask- ing the lunch set to come out in force Friday and to bring all their colleagues with them to help sup- port their cause. Youths charged following false fire alarm at high school EXETER - A 14 -year old youth has been charged with a criminal code offense after setting off the fare alarm at South Huron District High School last Wednesday. Another two youths face charges of trespassing. Police say they and the Exeter Fire Deparunentresponded to the alarm at the cleared school, only to find the alarm had been raised as a prank. A 14 -year old was arrested and charged with setting a false alarm. A second young offender was charged with trespassing in the school. A third young offender faces the same charge, and while his identity is known, as of press time was still being sought by police. Police chief Jack Harkness said the setting of the false alarm is a fairly+serious offense, especially with a volunteer fire department scrambling to rush to the scene. "They sometimes risk life and limb to get there early and they find it's all in vain," said Harkness. On Thursday, police returned to the high school to charge two oth- er youths under the trespass to property act. The youths had been previously warned not to trespass on the school property. Harkness said the school boards are having a hard time with "problematic individuals" loitering around their schools and the de- cision to lay charges is becoming more common to prevent other more serious incidents. The town police also laid charges against Geoff Sanders, 19, of Exeter for trespassing at a Sanders St. address, and against Robert Krainz, 25, of Hensall for trespassing at a Carling St. address. Harkness said the six complaints of trespassing in one week were not typical for the police force. "I would say that's exceptional," said Harkness. inside House of cards Will ARC Industries face layoffs? page 2 WOTCH Program continues to grow page 5 Gross misconduct - Strathroy manager ejected from game '' Second front Ringette .t• <, Hensall hosts third tournament page 18 �... l Time to deal Hay buys two -municipality landfill page 26 ;t • . Theatre contract Hensall builder wins tender page 28 :.,:x, fti'"f>3>2.'•j,' sok<: ;::''``5�''`: :T%1i6.:S000.�v%JiviYf'f.'viACC : Church treasurer under investigation by RCMP GRAND BEND - The former treasurer of the Grand Bend United Church, charged earlier this month with defrauding church accounts of $ 151,700, is also under investiga- tion by the RCMP. However, Constable Mills of the Sarnia RCMP said Monday his de- tachment was not yet prepared to release any information regarding their investigation of Cheryl Sue Pearen of Grand Bend, but he did say "one charge has been laid". Mills would not say what that charge was, but a later report said the charge involves pension money from Pearen's husband's deceased mother going into a bank account. Also charged is Brian Pearen, 50. Cheryl Pearen appeared in Sarnia court Monday. The charge of theft laid by the Pinery OPP was ad- journed until December 14. She and her husband are awaiting a pre- liminary hearing for the charges laid by the RCMP, scheduled for April 8. Exeter lots prove unsafe for parked cars EXETER - Of the 39 occurrences investigated by the Exeter Town Police in the past week. two in- volved motorists leaving the scene after inflicting damage. On Friday, police investigated a minor hit and run in which a car parked at Valu Mart on Thames Rd. E. was struck by another vehi- cle which fled the scene. On Sunday, police investigated a similar complaint at MacLean's Home Hardware, except that the damage was done to a pop ma- chine. Last Tutee iay, a car -parked over- night at South Huron District High School was vandalized and dam- aged by persons unknown. Police say, charges are pending after a traffic occident Thursday on Thames Rd. E. when cars driven by Marilyn Weber,of Elmira and Mi- cheal Thornton( Waimeaol- laded. On Friday, police stopped and charged a 16 -year old male motor-. ist with liquor violations. Reliving old memories over the weekend, and , aided by a few photo albums, the "dirty dozen" met again for the first time in 31 years. From left are Bonnie Becker, Helen Hen- drick, Anmarie Hoffman, Mary McGarvey, Linda Henderson, and Joan Cassidy. Teenage memories come flooding back as 'dirty dozen' reunites By Adrian Harte T -A Editor -ST. JOSEPH - To be 16 again - if just for a week- end. Six former Exeter women brought back their teen- age years this past weekend. The memories came flooding back since this was the fust time in 31 .years they had all been together. ' Lind Johnston, Helen HendrickeBninie Turvey, Anmarie Kroft, Mary Killeen, and Joan Dettmer were known the "dirty dozen" to their families and friends when they were growing up in Exeter. Vir- tually inseparable, they literally grew up together, forming a bond of friendship that began in primary school and lasted into high school. They have since gone their separate ways, leading varied lives across the province. Johnston is now Linda Henderson, a teacher in Tilbury. Hendrick now lives in Hensall as Helen Drysdale and works at the Queensway Nursing Home. Turvey is now Bonnie Becker of Grand Bend, a teacher at South Huron District High School. Kraft became Anmarie Hoffman and lives in Dashwood. She has the distinction of being the only one of the six to never leave the area. Killeen is now Mary McGarvey a bookkeeper in Perth, near Ottawa. And Dettmer is Joan Cassidy, the •proprietor of St. Joseph's Brentwood -on the Beach, the bed and breakfast that provided the set - ung for the weekend reunion that brought them all together for the fust time since the fall of 1961 when Mary moved away to Belleville, in the group's grade 11 year. Although five of the six have hold seven previous reunions, this weekend's was the first since they dis- covered Mary's address and phone number in June, setting the stage for a complete reunion. "She's the one who held us all together," said Joan of Linda, explaining that her frequent cards, letters, and visits kdpt most the group in touch over the years, eventually resulting in the reunions. Joan even says Linda sell calls her every year on Thinking Day, as a reminder of how five of them went through Girl Guides together. They were years of summer camps, COIT, skating at the roller rink, learning to drive, and eventually first boy- friends. "We had the most wholesome, healthy growing up," said Joan. "We all grew up and can come back together and feel very comfortable with each other. We all have the same values." Linda says that ierhays the bonds of friendship formed so early because they knew they would al- ways be together. The Exeter Public School had only class for each grade, so all knew they would share the same classes and teachers right up to high school. Mary was met at the train station in London to be- gin her first weekend with her old classmates, who said since than "she's had tears in her eyes half the time". "We've all just picked up the conversation where we left off," said Mary. "Maybe we're all a little older, a little heavier..." "Well, you said 'mature' last night," pointed out Anmarie. "We all grew up at the 'Bend," said Helen. "Once we got our licenses we were there seven nights a week," agreed Joan. The group then recall a "hillbilly" play they pre- sented with the high school drama class, still refer- ring to each other by their old nicknames such as "Dit" or "Jonse" as if they were in high school only yesterday. The group toured through Exeter on Saturday, some for the first time in years. to revisit some of the old haunts, or at least where they used to be. The number of new houses and businesses added to Exeter since the early 1960s is all the more apparent when you •haven't seen the -town in the years be- tween. All the women live in small communities today, even if they lived in cities for a few years. Mary ad- mits her house in Perth was bought because it re- minded her of her former Andrew Street home in Exeter. She, her husband and children haven't moved in 19 years because she wants to give her family the same kind of stability she enjoyed when growing up. They have all agreed that future reunions will be held at Joan's house in St. Joseph, if for no other reason than it is so close to where they grew up. "We just envision we're going to do this every year for life," said Joan. "Till we die," agreed Mary. Bonnie .recalls some advice given to her by her mother. "You keep the old friends, for they are gold," she said. Even with yearly reunions, the "dirty dozen" are eager to meet up with more of their old friends. They promise if anyone organizes another high school reunion, they will be the first to sign up. Funds slated for Hensall JK By Ray Lewis TA -Staff CLINTON - Despite the Huron County Board of Education's (HCBE), position against junior kindergarten (JK), it appears the Ministry of Education has already alioceeed•fpnds for its arrival. Minister of Education Tony Sili- po announced last Friday that $36.5 million in grants for the 1992 capital program will be allocated to school boards in the western Onta- rio region. Included in that is $29.6 million which.bas been allo- cated for growth -projects, $3.95 million for non -growth projects and $2.95 million for junior kinder- tierten But according to HCBE director Bob Allan, that still does not mean Huron County will implement J K. "We do projections and send them to the ministry in terms of capital forecast, and that capital forecast covers five years," con- firmed Allan. "The ministry has told us we will baveiK implement- ed by September 1994, so this is one of the things we had to project into aur capital requirement just in case we end pp with JK." At the present time, five Huron County schools have been slated by the ministry to eaceivs funding, the glosses being Ueneell.Pabiic. "As I understand it," said Alan, "the ministry made their capital an- aouncoments and it would appear they have tagged money for JK oxib purposes to us." The funding would be offered to support the need for additional classrooms in the schools. Allan said in ibe course of placing re- quests for capital funds, the board assigns csntain priorities. Hensall was 4eeignated as one of -the schools with a ,greater need for space. Now that funds have been thrown into the ring, die board may be forced torethink its position. "They will .have to take a look at those greets," ,agreed Allan. "And mthey 4011 -lave soogain wide whetter ;they wish 40 proceed or what ytar;tbey.:will proceed." 90 percent of crop still in fields Corn harvest 'critical' EXETER - Ontario's corn farmers are facing the worst harvest condi- tions in over 20 years. The harvest is being affected by a combination of a very cold growing season; grain corn crops which remain too high in moisture for harvest and low in grade, soggy, wet field conditions, and, in many areas, the premature arrival of winter snowfall. In addition, com- bines can't thrash at that high moisture. On Thursday, the Ontario Com Producers' Association held meetings in Ki.rkton and Holmesville to discuss the options conceming the 1992 crop. The gatherings proved to be two of the largest meetings ever seen by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAF) in the Huron County, with over 550 farmers in Holmesville alone. ' Bob Humphries at the OMAF office in Clinton said that they have been flooded with calls and there is a genuine mood of concern. It's getting to the point where even they are running out of answers. Humphries agreed that it is difficult to measure moisture content past 35 percent, but he has been informed by many local farmers who have had their's tested that many exceed 50 percent. "Normally at 35 percent you wouldn't even go near the field," confirmed Humphries. "Can you imagine 15 points above that." It would take days of sunshine and low humidity to dry the crop enough to take it off, and the chances of that happening before a snowfall is doubtful. Normally by now 95 percent of the corn is off. This year, only 5-10 percent has been harvested. "Huron is definitely facing a critical situation for both com and soy- beans," said Humphries. "No part of Huron County is good but it does seem that more people in the Exeter area have their's-off than the rest of the county" According to statistics supplied by OMAF, Huron County generally grows about 200,000 acres of corn, but only half of that, or roughly every second farmer is insured. The scenario for soybeans is identical. Of the 90,000 acres produced only half are insured. Continued on page two On duty in restaurants Twenty-one celebrities joining in for Child Find Friday lunch hour EXETER - Child Find of Huron County is hoping Friday lunchtime will be a big fundraiser for their or- ganization. , In Goderich; Wing - ham, Clinton, Exeter and Zurich "celebrity lunches" are being held as a fundraiser for the group that helps track missing children and helps prevent abductions. Patrons of the 3AAA Restaurant, New Orleans Pizza, the Huron Res- taurant, Murphys, and the Country Bakery can be served by local "ce- lebrities" instead of their usual waitress. Tips, and a portion of the special of the day will go toward Child Find. At the Huron Restaurant you can be served by town works superin- tendent Glen Kells, or Greg Pfaff of the Exeter Legion. At Murphys, patrons can be waited on by recrea- tion director Lynne Farquhar or Times Advocate publisher Jim Beckeu. Exeter Fair Ambassador Michelle Moore will be serving up the pizza at New Orleans, and at the 3AAA waiting on tables will be Times Ad- vocate editor Adrian Harte, town police chief Jack Harkness. and OPP constables Al Penn and Beth Pitmtl. . Working shifts at the Country Bakery will be the Rev. John Hil- born from the Exeter United Church, John Wuerth representing the Exeter BIA, and Rev. Mark Ga- skin from the Presbyterian Church. The celebrity lunch runs from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and some of. -the ce- lebrities are working in shifts. At South Huron District High School students will be able to tip their principal Joe Wooden, or teachers Scott Halpenny, Carey Eddy, George McEwan, Paul Fox, or Janice Walker and see a portion of their lunch cost go to Child Find. In Zurich, three celebrities will be taking turns at the tables of Erb's Country Kitchen. Huron warden and Zurich reeve Bob Fisher will be on duty, as will former MPP Jack Riddell, and Zurich Public School principal Bill Black. Organizer Julianne Varley is ask- ing the lunch set to come out in force Friday and to bring all their colleagues with them to help sup- port their cause. Youths charged following false fire alarm at high school EXETER - A 14 -year old youth has been charged with a criminal code offense after setting off the fare alarm at South Huron District High School last Wednesday. Another two youths face charges of trespassing. Police say they and the Exeter Fire Deparunentresponded to the alarm at the cleared school, only to find the alarm had been raised as a prank. A 14 -year old was arrested and charged with setting a false alarm. A second young offender was charged with trespassing in the school. A third young offender faces the same charge, and while his identity is known, as of press time was still being sought by police. Police chief Jack Harkness said the setting of the false alarm is a fairly+serious offense, especially with a volunteer fire department scrambling to rush to the scene. "They sometimes risk life and limb to get there early and they find it's all in vain," said Harkness. On Thursday, police returned to the high school to charge two oth- er youths under the trespass to property act. The youths had been previously warned not to trespass on the school property. Harkness said the school boards are having a hard time with "problematic individuals" loitering around their schools and the de- cision to lay charges is becoming more common to prevent other more serious incidents. The town police also laid charges against Geoff Sanders, 19, of Exeter for trespassing at a Sanders St. address, and against Robert Krainz, 25, of Hensall for trespassing at a Carling St. address. Harkness said the six complaints of trespassing in one week were not typical for the police force. "I would say that's exceptional," said Harkness.