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Times Advocate, 1995-02-01, Page 2Page 2 Times -Advocate, February 1, 1995 S Town hall renovations nearly complete ST. MARYS - The ongoing renovations of the St. Marys town hall should be complete by the end of this month. The improvements include the installation of a elevator to pro- vide access for everyone to the three levels of the building. New wheelchair accessible pub- lic washrooms have also been included. The Journal Argus reported that Janice Pridham, the deputy clerk -treasurer is pleased with the results. "I think it will make everything easier for every- one...especially the public hav- ing access on that level," said Pridham. The second floor is also badly jn need of redecorating but fur- ther work will require the ap- proval from council. Fire destroys century -old building WINGHAM - Three fire de- partments were called out last Tuesday afternoon at the site of the former Cannonball Bed fac- tory. According to the Wingham Advance -Times, the cause of the fire was a spark from workmen cutting steel with a cutoff saw. The spark ignited sawdust in the factory. Thirty five firefighters were on the scene for approximately eight hour's before the fire was brought under control. The damage to the century -old build- ing was extensive and several area businesses has to close due to power failure. Blyth clerk dismissed BLYTH - Blyth councilors passed a bylaw to dismiss Helen Grubb from her position as clerk -treasurer administrator. The council acted .on the advice of the new village solicitor at a special meeting January 17. The North Huron Citizen re- ported that Grubb has no com- ment regarding the matter. A motion was also passed by council to dismiss Grubb from her position with the PUC. Small merchants can't compete with superstores GODERICH -. Zellers is the proposed anchor store in a sec- ond hid by a Toronto area devel- oper to purchase the former Sun - coast Mall. The Goderich Signal -Star re- ported that thc Shoppers Mall Association will make its deci- sion regarding the hid for expan- sion at a hearing scheduled for May 11 or 12. Due to changes made by coun- cil to the official plan and by- laws, a core impact arca study would not be required for thc de- velopment. The merchant asso- ciation has filed an OMB objec- tion in regards to this matter. At present a Wal-Mart store is under construction at the Zchrs mall. Peter Strickland, one of the original objectors to the pro- ject told the Signal -Star that,"It's no secret. If you make a mall at- tractive enough with enough to offer it will close the other sec- tion down. They can't co -exit. There's not enough shoppers." Rural MPs oppose gun control plan 'The group of Liberal MPs came to Huron with no fewer than 24 recommendations for the justice minister to consider 40. r By Fred Groves T -A staff GODERICH - Justice Minister Allan Rock is going to get a little pressure from rural MPs over this country's new gun control laws. Members of the Federal Liberal Rural Caucus publicly 'declared their support of a list of 24 rec- ommended changes to the current proposal being presented to the minister by a special gun caucus made up of members representing both sides of the gun control issue. "There is certainly a need for clarification in terms of what the fi- nal legislation will look like," said Iftody. Lambton-Middlesex MP Rose Marie Ur said the gun control issue is a very hot topic in her riding and said that if gun registration will' save one life, than the legislation will be doing its job. "There hasn't been an issue brought forth more to a member," said Ur of the calls being received at her office about gun control. "I'm not knocking the proposal, it's a tough job for the minister." And what does the caucus plan on doing as far as gun control- is concerned? "We don't all agree on how far we have to go," said Steckle who is a vocal opponent of Rock's pro- posals. While no decision has been made on how far to pursue this with the minister, a couple of caucus mem- bers made their views on gun con- trol public last week. "If we were to follow the intent of the Justice Minister, Myriam Bedard would have had to had a trigger lock on her gun between fir- ing stations," said MP John O'Reilly of Victoria-Haliburton on Canada's Olympic biathlon gold medal winner. MP Julian Reed of Halton -Peel said the caucus is concerned with cracking down on gun smuggling, making sentencing mandatory and registration. "Where I come from, a rifle or a firearm is a tool that farmers want to keep using," said Reed. Active caucus: The Federal Lib- eral Rural Caucus had 20 of its members sitting around the table in Goderich last week. It gave several groups from tourism to agriculture a chance to come in and make pres- entations. Steckle, a co-chair of the caucus, explained that the MPs are inter- ested in the public forum and very concerned about rural issues across Canada. "I think this government has made itself more available for this kind of thing. The rural caucus is a relatively new caucus," said Steck- . le. The caucus meets every Monday and always has a full agenda. Of the 177 federal MPs 90 of those ei- ther come from a rural area or a combination of both rural and ur- ban. And why is the caucus reach- ing out and tackling such con- troversial issues like gun corftrol? "I think it's because we have a large representation of rural mem- bers and we want to be heard," said Steckle. The Mulroney government had a rural caucus, but according to some at last week's meeting, the Con- servative caucus wasn't as active. "It's a chance to sit with local people and get a better under- standing. We're not out cam- paigning, it's not election time," said Iftody. "Rural Canadians are well represented by their mem- bers." Last week, the caucus heard about a pipeline which is running through four Southwestern Ontario counties including Lampton and Middlesex. "I've been told by people on the (parliament) hill that they've never seen a rural caucus as active," said Iftody. The caucus arrived in Goderich on Monday, had a tour of Cham- pion Road Machinery and on Tues- day after a brief press conference, got down to the business of lis- tening to the public's concerns. "It's a privilege to be the host of this gathering," said Steckle. "This is a time for all of us to express our views." Cases of all kinds heard in Exeter court EXETER - Eight of the 18 charg- es dealt with by Judge R.G.E. Hunter in Provincial Court in Exet- er on January 24 involved drinking and driving. Over .80 Alcohol limit Steven Brock of Centralia was fined $1,500 for operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content over the legal limit. The accused was stopped by Constable Finch on Richmond Street in Hensall at 10.08 p.m. on September 15, 1994. A breathalizer test at the Exeter OPP detachment produced a read- ing of 1.90. Care and control Despite an arduous defence by his lawyer Jamie Grant, George Hicks of Burlington was fined $750 for having care and control of a ve- hicle while his ability to do so was impaired. Hicks was found asleep in his ve- hicle parked at an apartment in Ex- eter on May 17, 1994. Police testi- mony was that Hicks was behind the wheel of his vehicle with the motor running agd the lights on. In his defence, Hicks said he had intended to visit a friend who was not at home when he first arrived in Exeter at 2.30 p.m. Next he washed his car and then went to a bar and had a number of drinks. Shortly af- ter he returned to the apartment in question and no one was home. He fell asleep and later when he woke up he turned on the motor and heat- er as he was cold, but insisted he had no intentions of driving. Grant argued that his client was only cold and had no intention to drive. He added, "The risk was only minimal that he would try to drive." Judge Hunter didn't accept that evidence saying, >What greater danger is there than a drunk behind the wheel with the motor running. If he wasn't going to drive he should have gotten into the back seat and I feel he did have care and control." Breach of probation Matthew Tucnic of Grand Bend will be back in court on June 27 on a charge of breach of probation in connection wiih an incident in Jan- uary when he was convicted of fraud against the Bank of Montreal and put on probation . The court heard that restitution of $1,000 of the original $1,485 has been paid back. Judge Hunter told the accused, " I would advise you to have a receipt for full payment when you come back here." After pleading guilty to a charge of mischief, William Swinkels of Seaforth was fined $500. He was alleged to have smashed the wind- shield of a vehicle owned by Randy Taylor of Exeter on October 28, 1994. In addition to the fine, Swinkels was ordered to pay resti- tution of $250 within 90 days. To return on over .80 charge Judge Hunter has asked for a complete record on Walter West- lake when the Hensall area man returns for sentencing on February 28 on a charge of operatin� a vehi- cle with an over the limit blood al- cohol content. The accused was stopped on June 25, 1994 by a routine OPP patrol in Stephen township at 2.30 a.m. When the officer checked he found open liquor in the vehicle and a quantity of beer was seized and found the accused to have bloodshot eyes and an odour of al- cohol on his breath. Breathalizer readings at the Exeter OPP detach- ment registered 1.80 and 1.70. Fined on over .80 charge A fine of $750 was levied against Scott Rognvaldson of Huron Park on a similar charge. The accused's vehicle was stopped October 14, 1994 after it was observed to be swerving back and forth on Main street in Exeter and made a wide turn onto Huron street. It eventual- ly ran into a fence. At the OPP de- tachment the breathalizer machine registered a reading of 1.60. Jailed on two charges Judge Hunter sentenced Darcy Lefebvre of Exeter to a total of nine months in jail after being conJicted of operating a vehicle while his blood alcohol content was over the allowed limit and driving while his privileges were suspended.. A charge of impaired driving was withdrawn by the Crown. The accused was prohibited from driving in March of 1994 and was stopped by police at 11.34 on No- vember 16, 1994 after he lost con- trol in making a turn to Highway 4 in Stephen township. His breatha- lizer readings were 2.00 and 1.90. , The court was told Lefebvre usu- allyhad a driver, but the day question he drove himself. His law- yer said the accused has a lengthy record and a drinking problem. In passing sentence, Judge Hunter said, "This is your fourth convic- tion for drinking and driving since 1987 and the second in six months." Fined for mischief Christopher Taylor of Hensall was given a fine of $300 on a charge of mischief. After being stopped at the wheel of a vehicle in Exeter on November 19, 1994 he lied about his name, age and ad- dress in giving this information to Constable Herbert until he was identified by Constable Finch. An over .80 fine Judge Hunter levied a fine of $750 against David Ingram of Hen- sall after he pleaded guilty to a charge of operating a pickup truck on December 9, 1994 in Exeter while his blood alcohol content was over the legal limit of .80. A brea- thalizer reading registered 1.60' Fined for narcotic possession Kenneth Weigel of Crediton will pay a fine of $100 on a charge of/ - having possession of a narcotic. Elizabeth Klassen of Exeter will pay the same amount on a similar narcotic possession charge from an incident which occurred December 22, 1994. Fined $1,500 for over .80 Michael Stewart of Kirkton was fined $1,500 for operating a vehicle while having an over the limit blood alcohol content on July 5, 1994 in Exeter. He was stopped by police for not wearing a seat belt and was found to have a strong odour of alcohol on his breath along with red, glassy eyes. While his license will be sus- pended by statute, he will be al- lowed to drive a tractor on roads af- ter three months to allow his farming work to continue. He had a previous conviction on a similar charge in 1987 t�ssault c e Mark Morgan of ntralia was sentenced to seven months in jail on charges of assaulting and ob- structing a peace officer in Dash- wood on January 14 of this year. The officer considered himself to he in a dangerous situation His lawyer said this was the first appearance in an adult court for the accused after a number of young offender offences. He was in custo- dy for 11 days until the trial date. In pronouncing the sentence, Judge Hunter said. "You were acting like an animal and no police officer should have to put up with the likes of you." Jailed for assault John McPherson of London was jailed for 45 days on a charge of as- sault resulting from punching a fe- male in the face during a domestic argument. He had a previous con- viction in October of 1993 on a similar assault charge. Causing disturbance, suspended driving Howard Kramer of Stephen township will pay fines of $300 and $200 on charges of causing a dis- turbance and driving with a sus- pended license, respectively. On July 22, 1994 the accused was de- tained for causing a disturbance in an Exeter parking lot and was then found to he an illegal driver. Convicted for over .80 William Quesnel originally con- victed and then acquitted by appeal on a charge of operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol content over the accepted limit was fined $750. He was apprehended on Jarjary 16, 1993 and was acquitted on Jan- uary 31, 1994, but a later appeal in a Goderich court was upheld. Jailed for assault Rockland Cummings of Exeter was sentenced to a total of 90 days on charges of assault and breach of probation.. He was acquitted on a charge of fraud concerning an un- paid bill to the Exeter PUC. The ac- cused admitted to issuing an NSF cheque in the amount of $96.47 for electricity use, but Judge Hunter decided this was not a fraudulent is- sue, but should be treated as a civil case. 1 The assault dccurred on Decem- ber 31, 1994 when the accused was alleged to have kicked in a hath - room door and punched a female under the left eye during a domestic dispute. He has been in custody since his breach of a bail condition on January 4 of this year. The court was told Cummings has a substan- tial previous record, but not con- nected to assault. Fines total $1,500 Geoffrey Sanders of Exeter will pay fines totalling $1,500 on charg- es of break and enter, theft and mis- chief. The charges stemmed from incidents which occurred on June 12, July 25 and Augus44.94if 1994. While Sanders was convicted of break, enter and theft from the Ex- eter LCBO store, and a gage on Sherwood Crescent and damage to a garage window on Victoria street west, Sgt. Borden said the accused was ,'not an ongoing police con- cern.' Convicted for arson Robert Thiel was sent to jail for 45 days on a charge of arson and damage to property concerning a fire in a church on May 16, 1994. In Thiel's defence his lawyer said , " He asked to have a call put in for the fire department and assisted in putting the fire out." 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