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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1997-10-08, Page 2Page 2 Times -Advocate, October 8, 1997 IN TJriEJVE WS Regional wrap up CPH has one year to restructure CLINTON .- Clinton Public Hospital has explained that the facility, under a provincial re- duction plan. faced cuts estimat- ed at 15 per cent over a three- year period, stated the Clinton News -Record. They will - have one year to concentrate on re- .structuring, without the concern of facing further. cuts from the provincial government. Future of Goderich Police GODERiCH • - At a public hearing, last •week in Godcrich, police Officials assuredgovern- ment officials a contract with the OPP will .provide adequate and effective police services for Goderich. the Goderich Signal - Star stated. If approved the a current town police officers would join the OPP and be assigned to thc town. to perform their regular policing duties starting Jan. 1. 1998. Something stinks in. Elma ATWOOD Jim and Bill Lu- cas, who reside at Con. 10 Part Lots 4 and 5, Elma own 130 acres of land in the country. But they have not been smelling fresh country air.- Instead, they have been sniffing in the smell of hog manure, said the Listowel Banncr. Listowel lawyer Doug Pratt representing; the Lucas', asked council to enforce its manure pit bylaw. Pratt told council thatthe cause of the smell comes from two hog barns across the road, and violates the Agricultural Code of Practice, . ' • Council is presently reviewing the case. Mount Forest restructuring MOUNT FOREST-- The final report of the facilitators examin- ing Wellington County restruc- turing has recommended that .Mount Forest, the Village of Arthur, Arthur Township, West Luther Township and portions of the townships of . Peel and . West Garafraxa merge, as cov- ered in the Mount Forest Con- federate. The report, although looking at Wellington County only, also recommends the inclusion of portions of Egremont and Nor- mandy Townships from Grey County. Mitchell recognized by Program MITCHELL - Over 4,500 schools across Canada are regis- tered in the Jade Environmental School, a program that recogniz- es schools for their efforts to en- hance and communicate infor- mation about the • environment, stated the Mitchell Advocate. Mitchell Public School was congratulated on September 26 during a morning assembly for itsextra efforts and accomplish- ments in the program. Elora wins Communities In Bloom contest ELORA - The Village of Elo- ra beat 16 Ontario cities, towns and villages in thc Communities in Bloom contest on September 27 sponsored by the Ontario Parks Association and the Asso- ciation of Ontario Small Urban Municipalities. Elora, along with Kitchener, Deep River and Oshawa have been invited to take part in a Canada -wide competition next year Child abuse on the incline 6y Chantal! Van Raay T -A Reporter • Child abuse. it's been covered many times before. So it shouldn't be shocking that at least 150,000 cases of child abuse and .neglect in 'Ontario go unnoticed each year. The Children's Aid So- ciety of Huron County knows -this too, and that is why October has been dedicated to Child Abuse Prevention Month with the goal of finally erad- icating child abuse. • The theme of this year's Child Abuse Prevention Month is "More Time for Children". During the month a number of programs. and events have been planned so that families can strengthen their.ties by listening; talking and participating together in activities. . "It's not the amount of lime you spend with your children," said ex- ecutive director of the Children's Aid Society of Huron County Tom Knight. "It's -the quality of time." • October 6 to 12 has been declared as National Family Week .by the Children's Aid Society. During this• week, the Rural Response for Healthy Children will be sponsoring the Great Turn.off the T.V. Chal- lenge: • . "Families sit in front of the T.V., and there's no interaction," said' Knight. "The intention of Turn Off the T.V. Challenge was_to.move away from the T.V. and towards anything else, be it reading to each other or helping each other out around the house," : - A Children's Music Festival has been slotted for October 18, at the Sea - forth Community. Centre between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. A workshop for chil- dren with special needs called Mudworks will be held on October 31 at Clinton Public School between 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.,-and is being spon- sored by Community Support for Families. Also planned for October is a Family Bingo Night sponsoredby the Huron Home Childcare and Family •Resource Centre. A time and place•has not yet been announced. - The Children's Aid Society of Huron County hosts activities -and pro- grams for families throughout• thc-'year.'Something relatively new -to the • Society are school-based social workers: The school-based social worker for Huron County is David Pridding Squire, providing direct social ser- vice to students, parents and teachers throughout the county. Knight said they are focusing on children in school at an early age he - cause the best way to help families.is prevention of conflict. . "We have these_ services for preventative, not reactive measures. The. last thing we -want to do is take a child out of a home. although sometimes that is the best thing for them. . . Another service offered by Huron County CAS are Troupe of Clowns.: "The Troupe of Clowns goes to places like hospitals and schools: It's a pick-me-up prevention strategy," said Knight. _The CAS also hosts summer camps and social events for -Christmas. While the Children's Aid Society holds events year-round in hopes to eliminate, .or at least lessen the number of cases of child abuse, the amount of recorded cases has increased rapidly. "In -1995 Svc started to sec an increase in cases," said Knight, adding that by the end of 1996 the number of cases had increased by about 30 to 40 per cent. By the end of 1997, Knight said the numbers will have -in- creased by afsproximately 70 per cent. . When asked why he thinks the numbers arc steadily increasing, he ad- mitted there- are numerous reasons, but.perhaps thc leading factiir-is the changes i the welfare system./ - "The changes in welfare requirements. and eligibility meant that a large group of people were cut off. The impact was felt. throughout the whole system, but particularly on the children." - Knight said it is difficult for some families to provide essentials like clothes and food for their children, and this has an impact on children's experience at school. "If children don't have adequate clothing, they are often ridiculed in school. "Welfare, puts a lot of pressure on families. it creates an unstable job' market, and places a tremendous amount of pressure on parents." - He added that cuts were made when pepple required welfare 'service the most. "And that's the last time you want to make cuts," he said. By holding interactive events during the month of October, families are able to connect and get to know each other, according to Knight. Bd. of Education revenue shortfall. . Continued from front page "It's a pretty serious problem," said HCBE Director Paul Carroll at the Monday board meeting. - One of the main reasons for the shortfall is the large payroll that is due at the end of August. Teachers in the Huron public board return to school for at least three days at the end of August. "We've been proactive in bring- ing teachers back to school in Au- gust, which they've (the ptovince) wanted to do and now we're being penalized for it," said Board Chair- man Allan Carter. Carroll explained the new Dis- trict School Board will not have the ability to raise taxes to cover the shortfall or. reduce costs by re- ducing staff or eliminating pro- grams. "The only source for making up this shortfall is through expenditure reduction," said Carroll; adding,` "Given the significant annual ex- penditure reduction beginning in 1993, such additional reductions would be impossible to achieve." Carroll asked for the board's sup- portrto "make the noise we have to make to be heard" by the province and to deal with the Ministry of Ed- ucation and Training. Antique Show and Sale The sixth annual Grand Bend Rotary Club Antique Show and Sale at the Huron County Playhouse on the weekend was sponsored by the Rotary Club of Grand Bend and was a great success. Pictured from left are Rotarian Dor- othy Peat and show convener Joan Johnson. Teachers march to protest Bill 160 or Continued from front page the overall OSSTF action plan. teachers, especially with the prep- We're on the same schedule as she (Johns) is." Huron's teachers also met on Thursday evening, this time at a closed meeting at Clinton District. High School to unveil their plan of action. - John Clarke, OSSTF District 45 officer. said .the. teachers plan to continue to picket Helen Johns' of- fice: write letters 'to newspapers and advertise • in the media in order to educate • parents English Catholic. .and the public Teachers Association Show that about the new act.. also called for unity. • "We want to Dyck encouraged show that school teacher's . to get in- formed on Bill 160. ers can be trusted "Bill 160 has been to deliver .quality called - an iceberg," . education," • ex - Dyck said: "Thc 262 plained Wilhelm.. pages of the bill arc Provincial union chilling. Don't be leaders were caught in the cold by : scheduled. to meet not knowing what is • • with Premier Mike below the. surface.. Harris ..and Educa.- The. iceberg will gel tion and Training Minister John Sno- aration time issue for secondary "school teachers. While the act does not reduce preparation time 'for ele mentary school teachers, it does call for high school teacher prep- aration time to be reduced by 50. per cent. • - -"We will- not be divided;" said Dyck. - • Huron Women's Teachers Fed- . erasion . President Alma Westlake and Terry Wilhelm' of the " "We want to school boards and teachers can be trusted to deliver quality education" thawed at tomorrow's - (Thursday's) - meet- ing." Westlake maintains teaching- is still a fine profession. -' "Nothing has changed;" she said, -adding, "Educators have shaped this great province -and will con- tinue to shape this province." . in a media release last Wednes- day, Johns said she regretted the . teachers chose to protest her office "at a time when they know 1 am not available." - Casey Cook. the SHDHS repre- sentative on the Ontario Secondary School Teachers Federation. said Wednesday's protest. was- "part of helen or their rep- resentatives early this week. Clarke would not identify any ar- eas in the hill that arc open to mgrs._ tiation and was•adamant the teach- ers would not- hack 'down on Bill 160. He did not foresee any strike action before Thursday..• Johns and local teachers fedora- . tion leaders met on Friday morning . to discuss concerns. - -In an interview. Friday afternoon, Johns said 'Bill 160 is "definitely better for Huron County" since it sets •province:wide standards for education. '°This hill focuses on a fair fund: ing system with resources directee on the classroom. The students .0 Huron County will now have ac cess to. the same education .dollar as their colleagues : in Toronto; • claimed Johns. She said as the number Of stu 'dents increases so will the funding. "This Bill limits class -sizes, fo . cures- teachers' expertise in the classroom, allows for More learn. ing time. provides student access to specialists, and provides a grease role for parents through advisor school councils." While the hill sets the standards Johns says the province is open fo . discussion and has flexibility how the standards are achieved. "We are prepared to talk abou how we get there," Meanwhile, the local boards o education are preparing con ' tingency- plans to be used in the . event of a teachers strike. Paul 'Carroll, Director of the Hu roil Board of Education said thi safety' of the children are at the heart of their concerns. if the teach ers strike, the schools. will be closed to students but support staff such as janitors; •administration _ staff . and teacher's aids' will - he working. `'There's.enough o.' f a back -log o; • work for these •people;" said Car roll. . - - Gaeton Blenchette,- the director o the Huron -Perth County Roman Catholic Separate • School Boar said the schools will be initialh• Closed to -the students It the strike cor• .es and there are enough sup pot.. aff to ensure the -safety of the students, he predicts the school: could be open to the students. Hey hey, ho hol More than 400 Huron County teachers marched -in front of Huron MPP Helen Johns office last Wednesday and called for the province to -withdraw Bill 160. The teachers vow tocontinue picketing Johns' office each week day after school until the is- sue is resolved. CORRECTION NOTICE • • We wish to draw your attention to the following in our current '75 Years Anniversary Sale' Ryer. Page 10 Varsol. TSP cleaners, thinners. paint and varnish removers, 49-1005x. Copy reads: Save 11-25%. Should read: Save up to 24%. We sincerely regret any inconvenience we may have caused you. enote 340-97 zones: all excl. 1. TOWN OF EXETER LARGE GARBAGE PICKUP TIMETABLE FOR FALL, 1997 Immediately after Thanksgiving until .first snow fall - Weekly vacuum of leaves piled at curb. • Thursday, November 6, 1997 - Pick up tree limbs, branches and garden waste ONLY Thursday, November 13, 1997 - Pick up tree limbs, branches and garden waste ONLY NO LARGE HOUSEHOLD ITEMS Glenn Kells Exeter Works Superintenden r — — ----, SUBSCRIBE! If you aren't subscribing to The Times -Advocate. you're missing out. 1 Use the coupon below and subscribe today 1 Name: 1 Address City Prov. 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Council shall hear anyone who claims to be adversely affected by the changes and who submits written application for a hearing. Dated this 25th day of September, 1997 Sandra J. Strang, Clerk Township of Usborne