Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1999-08-18, Page 2r Exeter Time -Advocate Wednesday, August 18, 1999 In the News Former NDP candidate dies ILDERTON -- Walter Vernon, the Perth - Middlesex NDP candidate in the recent provincial election, died unexpectedly on Aug. 4 after a short illness, reports the St. Marys Journal Argus. The 57 -year-old Vernon lived at RR1 Ilderton with his wife Barbara Jean Newton and is also survived by five children and three step -children. Vernon held a Masters Degree in Education from the University of Western Ontario. Prior to his death, he worked at the Weable Centre for Adult Education in London and other London area schools. The first-time candidate. finished third behind in- cumbent MPP Bert Johnson and Liberal candidate John Wilkinson in the provincial election, but was hoping to make another attempt in the future. Huron Bruce MP wants flag burg outlawed OTTAWA -- Huron Bruce MP Paul Steckle is calling for flag burning to be outlawed after Amer- ican citizens protesting the Supreme Court's ruling on homosexual rights• burned a Canadian flag in Ottawa, reports the Huron Expositor. "I'm ashamed an American would be allowed to come in and do this," he said, adding while people may agree with the protesters' viewpoint, he can't see anyone agreeing with the course of action they took by setting the flag on fire. Steckle said he has received a number of calls from angry constituents regarding the incident. He is planning to talk to Heritage Minister Sheila Copps about the manner. Steckle is hopeful a piece of legislation prevent- ing flag burning couldbe adopted without follow- ing the slower process of a private members bill. He also suggested provincial flags _be_ included in the new law or regulation. r Y Sonic boom likely cause o shake in Goderich GODERICH -- A sonic boom was likely the cause of a recent shake felt by Goderich residents, re- ports the Goderich Signal -Star. Everything from a small earthquake to drilling at the mine have been offered as reasons for the shake on July 28, but the noise which preceded the shaking points to a sonic boom. - "It (the bang) is probably a good indication that it was a sonic boom," explained Southern Ontario Seismic Network (SOSN) director Robert Mereu. According to Mereu, the noise and shaking was likely caused by an American jet crossing close to the Great Lakes. That would also explain why communities as south as Sarnia felt a similar.sen- sation. k "They (American planes) would never confess to it because they are afraid of lawsuits resulting from broken windows," Mereu said. On the same day. the Goderich shake was felt, an earthquake was also detected in Lake Ontario, 16 km south of Toronto. According to Mereu, the quake in Lake Ontario was so small people in Toronto didn't feel any ef- fects. Council weilin PVC's' �pti�ns At �- g -► ST. MARYS -- Council is exploring other options for their PUC after they heard the Huron Perth PUC partnership lost Exeter, Goderich and -Strat- ford, reports the St. Marys Journal Argus. Council instructed their clerk -administrator Ken Storey to collect information about selling or main- taining their PUC independently. They are also maintaining their membership in the Huron Perth partnership until they come to a final conclusion. "If we pull out of the joint venture operating company they (Huron Perth PUC partnership) will be on shaky ground because we are one of' the biggest ones, left," said St. Marys mayor Jamie Hahn. Hahn, who is also council's representative for the PUC, wants to make sure the interests of the town's eight full-time wire employees are kept foremost with whatever decision is made. Playground equipment removed without warning or rec board OK By Craig Bradford TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF EXETER -- Some Exeter children may be wonder- ing where their favourite playground equipment went to. At Monday night's coun- cil meeting, Deputy Reeve Dave Urlin said he was unpleasantly surprised to find the wooden .play- ground equipment outside the South Huron Rec Centre was dismantled and removed at the end of -July without warning or the Exeter Recreation and Parks Advisory Committee's approval. Urlin, a rec board mem- ber, openly wondered why • Exeter has a rec board if staff aren't going to tell the board about its day-to- day operations. He said several con- cerned citizens have con- tacted him about the miss- ing equipment and he wondered why nothing was installed 'to replace the equipment since its removal comes in the. mid.; die of summer right before Exeter's biggest communi- ty event, the Exeter Rodeo. Chief administrative offi- cer Rick Hundey said staff were told by a co POLICE BRIEFS Dashwood the' wooden playground equipment had serious design flaws and posed a risk to the welfare of chil- dren playing on it. He said staff acted to prevent pos- sible injury to children. "I just think it should have been handled a dif- ferent way," Urlin said. "In my mind it was just terrible." Coun. George Robertson later said he too had received some complaints about the removal of the equipment and that noth- ing was put up in its place. Mayor Ben Hoogenboom said the rec board will meet for its regular monthly meeting tomor- row (Aug. 19) and at that time may make a decision to buy replacement equip- ment to be installed for next spring. Clerk -treasurer Elizabeth Bell said the Exeter Lioness Club paid for the wooden equipment that was erected 12 years ago. She said other communi- ty groups have donated to the project over the years including the move to make it handicap accessi- ble. Bell is a past president of the Exeter Lioness Club. Hoogenboom admitted the matter should have been handled differently by town stag. Reeve Roy Triebner said some of the $240,000 Special Circumstances grant the town received from the province could be used to buy new play- ground equipment. '-11. te� The grant has been ear- marked by council to be spent on capital projects such as a new roof for the Stec Centre. �.. r. Where's the syru gara e break-in DASHWOOD -- Thieves walked off with prime stuff after a break-in to a garage off Fried St. in Dashwood overnight Aug. 10-11. Speakers, a: chainsaw and tools were stolen. Cameron Dickert, 2, left, and his sister Christine enjoy some pancakes at the Zurich Firefighters; Breakfast on Saturday.All proceeds go towards the Babe Siebert Memorial Centre (Zurich Arena) improvement project. .1484 44441. r4ris iftflce examines lake Waier' Continued from front page breaking laws but are affecting their neighbour- hood. He advised citizens to phone their municipal clerk who will start the process of mediation through the Huron Farm Mediation Committee. Lake Bevels to drop by two metres Climate change will change the appearance of the Lake Huron shoreline, according to Patrick Donnelly of the Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation. Water lev- els are the lowest since the 1960s and are expect- ed to lower by nearly two metres in the next few decades. "Adaptations to (lower lake levels) will have to occur," he told the T -A. "Climate change informa- tion has to be considered in long-term planning." Donnelly said munici- palities need to consider the impact of lower lake levels on marinas and dredging operations. The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation organized the conference at Goderich District Secondary School which drew more than 120 par- ticipants from Lions Head to Camlachie. Donnelly said this is the first time citizens from such a wide area met to discuss the. lake. Other topics at the con- ference included tourism, the Michigan perspective on Lake Huron, bird migration, marine her- itage, recreational boat- ing and local stewardship initiatives. The Lake Huron Centre for Coastal Conservation is a non-profit organiza- tion dedicated to the con- servation of Lake Huron's natural shoreline environ- ment. To contact the centre, call (519)523-4478 or write P.O. Box 178, Blyth, Ontario NOM 1HO.. tti Sam Bradshaw of Ontario Pork explains the. hog industry to citizens at a Lake Huron conference Saturday in Goderich.