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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-04-19, Page 1SEIP'S 1 valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter235-0262 New Release Videos V; Sega _Super NES Rentals & Sales .11 Wednesday, April 19, 1995 —tri. --las illi U1 9tmseitemeta ! it you aren't I Times -Advocate, you're Use theupon below subscribe today! 1 Name: I Address City 1 Prov t Postal Code SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Canada Within 40 miles - (65 km) addressed to non letter carrier addresses $33.00 plus $2.31 G.S.T. I ▪ Outside 40 miles - (65 km) or any letter carrier address $63.00 + $4.31 G.S.T. Outside Canada -$99.00 (:,usee so postage) I USE YOUR CREDIT CARD to�p The nd out 1 1 1 OOLIODOOO OODOOOOO Card No. 1 Expiry Date U Visa ❑ Master Card 1 1 1 1 ' ❑ Cheque enclosed Return to; TIMES ADVOCATE II ▪ 424 lm . Exeter oat.NOM 6, Inside Specialty store Deborah Regier opens gift boutique in Grand Bend See page 5 Classifieds pages 20-24 Announcements pages 26-27 SEIP'S valu-mart 4 & 83 Exeter 235-0262 The Garden /Y1007 k Centre is Back _(93(, 7C G.S.T.) ONE DOLLAR approved by tri-muhicipallties By Chris Skalkos T -A staff GRAND BEND - A new method that can test bacteria levels in recre- ational waters within hours will be in place by May 24. A Tri -Municipal Meeting of Ste- phen Township, the Village of .Grand Bend and the Township of Bosanquet on Wednesday con- firmed the three municipaliti ' commitment to support a Motile Testing Laboratory which uses new technology for a reliable and rapid detection of elevated bacteria lev- els. With each municipality contribut- ing $3,333.33 the rest of the money to fund the project will come from the Ministry of Environment and Energy, the Ausable Bayfield Con- servation Authority and Friends of the Environment, an environmental group from London. The estimated cost of equipment, supplies and technical personnel is estimated at $20,000 for the 1995 Cash stolen from Zurich clerk's office Thieves were looking for cash at both the village office and the arena ZURICH - A lower level window was the entry point for thieves who broke into the Zurich Village clerk's office last Wednesday. Ap- proximately $580.00 in cash was stolen from the vault. About $75.00 in small bills was left be- hind. The money stolen was made up of two till floats and hydro bill pay- ments. No other items were missing. Cash was stolen during a second break-in sometime last week at the 1 Zurich Community Centre. The arena door and padlock has been re- place. Police are investigating both of these incidents. Council members will look into the possibility of securing the vil- lage chambers with an security alarm or motion sensor. In other business at the Zurich council meeting Thursday night, members discussed renting the ice surface at the community centre to the Optimist Club at a reduced rate for their May 6 event. The village has proclaimed May 6 as "Non - Violence Day," which will feature displays from a number of local or- ganizations. The program which runs from 10:00a.m. until 2:OOp.m. will fea- ture participants and guest speakers from local groups including Child Find, Phoenix House, Dashwood Lock and Key, SWAN and the Kid's' Help Phone. season. The new technology, which was developed in Ontario, utilizes rapid and sensitive microbial diagnostics, based on chemoluminescence to ac- curately measure bacterial popula tion densities.(coliforms) within six to eight hours. This technology is easy to use and can be operated in a mobile field la- boratory stationed at beaches along Lake Huron. Compared to the present meth- ods employed by health authorities to test bacteria levels, which takes up to thirty hours from the time of collection, the quicker chemoluminesence method could eliminate unneces- sary posting of safe -for -swimming beaches. Toth Prout, from the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority said that the new water testing pro- ject has reached 70 percent of their funding objectives and is looking towards the township of Hay and Lambton County to contribute a small amount. Area health Units support the pro- ject but haven't yet contributed any funding towards the testing pro- gram. "Were really excited in partici- pating in a group effort like this," said Prout noting the different lev- els of government and local groups and agencies that are working to- gether to make this project a reali- ty. "This level of co-operation hasn't been there before and now more projects are being worked on together," said Prout adding that the O.F.A. (Ontario Federation of Agri- culture) has also been supportive to- wards the program and may help con- tribute to the cost. Prout contends that the advantages of a faster response time the new test- ing method allows speaks for itself. "Currently, it [the water sample taken form the beach) could be tested on Monday and found to have high bacteria levels but signs wouldn't be posted until Friday; well by Fri- day it might be okay," said Prout. Under the new method, results from water samples taken on a Monday morning would be availa- ble that evening and signs could be posted the next morning. The water mobile lab is not only geared towards the convenience of beach goers, it will also benefit the local beach businesses that are also affected by the prolonged safe -for - swimming postings. With or without the rest of the Under the new method, results from water samples taken on a Monday morning would be available that evening. Zurich man trapped in Buick ZURICH - A 1984 Buick hit the rear of a truck on the Hay -Stanley Town Line west of Kippen, on Sat- urday. The truck had been parked on the side of the road, when the Buick driven by Johnathon Turner of Zurich, collided with it. Turner was trapped in the vehicle and had to be removed by the Hensall Fire Department. He was then transport- ed by ambulance to Victoria Hospi- tal in London. Charges are pending. Local rock bands raising money for Exeter Food Bank EXETER - Three local bands are holding a concert to raise money and food for the Exeter Community Food Bank. Doors for the concert will open tomorrow night at 7:OOp.m. at the Exeter Town Hall. The featured tal- ent is New Life Crisis, an Exeter area band, Atticus Finch, a Lucan area band and Mercy Tree a Zurich area band. The first two groups are made up of students from South Hu- ron District High School and Med- way High School. The rock bands perform both original music and covers. Admis- sion is $2.00 with a non-perishable food item or a $3.00 flat cover charge. The bands will not profit from the event. funding in place, Prout said the pro- For further information contact ject will be in effect for the May _ organizer Pete Janssen at 227-0099 24, long weekend. ..au Dave Creces at 236-4708. Safety blitz takes 261 trucks off the highway Local experts comment on whether truck safety is a concern or overblown media issue By Chris Skalkos know exactly what's wrong." T -A staff Scott says that he fully supports the Ministry of Trans - EXETER - The two-day safety inspection blitz on portation's safety blitz but he feels that the media Highway 400 last week saw 261 trucks taken out of should be treating the event a little more fairly instead service and 467 charges laid from the 548 vehicles in- of blowing it out of proportion. spected. However, local trucking experts say the fig- "They shouldn't say it's tires all the time...don't be ures do not accurately represent the trucking industry's afraid to report about the lights and minor things," safety record. said Scott. The safety blitz was Transportation Minister Mike Greg Beatty from the Ministry of Transportation's Farnan's response to recent incidents where wheels Carrier Control Office was in charge of the Highway from a truck -trailer separated striking car windshields 400 inspections and commented that the results from with tragic consequences. The April 11 and 12 safety the two day blitz should be put in perspective. The re - blitz conducted by the OPP and the Ministry of Trans- cent blitz was not random since they were targeting portation focused on tractor -trailers that looked like older vehicles and trucking companies that were pre - they might have mechanical defects and require a more vious safety offenders. thorough inspection. "Truck accidents are a rare event given the number Over 150 enforcement officers were involved with of accidents they're involved in and the number of the zero tolerance safety program which inspected miles they drive," said Beatty. trucks and trailers along Highway 400 inspection sta- However, Beatty said that it's hard to say if the issue tions as well as highway bypass routes. is overblown in the media because they don't have sta- Out of the 467 charges laid, failing to maintain a ve- tistics on how many tires fell off and rolled into a hicle in safe operating condition was the most com- ditch without hitting anybody. mon. Improper or un -safe brakes was the second most "Is it just getting more attention or is more of it hap - common charge. Faulty tires and rims was third and pening?" he said. "It's overblown from the perspec- ineture loads was fourth. live of accident rates, but it's not The other charges varied from «You could be the best overblown from the perspective of steering and exhaust problems public concern," said Beatty. "I per - to minor infractions such as driver in the world but it sonally found two vehicles that I horns and clearance lights. doesn't mean you can Spot could turn one or more lugnuts by Mike Hogan, manager of a potential problem" hand." Veri Trucking in Exeter sup- Pete Van Geleuken, owner of ports the safety blitz; howev- Promechanical Truck and Farm in er, he feels the Ministry of Transportation should make Lucan said that the recent safety crackdown has sent a stronger effort to emphasize the minor things that shockwaves across the trucking industry. truckers were charged for such as burned out head- "They're [Ministry of Transportation) making truck lights and missing mudflaps. companies and drivers panic and there's no reason for "They were pulling them off of the road for having a it," said Van Geleuken. signal light out. How many cars do you see pulled off "Even though the drivers know their trucks are safe for having a headlight out?" said Hogan they're still scared to drive," he said noting that one of Hogan also criticized the media for sensationalizing his customers received a $118 fine for having a 36 the flying wheel incidents giving truckers in general, a cent clearance light bulb out. The light was working bad reputaticn. when the driver did a circle check that morn - "There's more than one way for a wheel to fall off...it ing...they're getting picked on," he added. happens to all vehicles but you never see that in the However, Van Geleuken admits that his garage has news," he said. serviced more faulty tires over the Jest year. According to Hogan, the demise of the recession "There has been a problem with broken wheel studs means that trade is on the upswing and as a result and cracked rims. We've replaced quite a few rims last trucking activity is up; however, there is a shortage of year," he said. experienced truck drivers to keep up with the demand. Van Geleuken personally interacts with the trucks Many transport companies won't offer high enough and drivers that come through his shop and feels the wages for the more qualified maintenance -wise truck drivers are more safety conscious now than they were drivers, enticing younger drivers with less experience. a few years ago. "You could be the best driver in the world but it "1 can see the [drivers) really trying to keep their doesn't mean you can spot a potential problem," said trucks safe. They're almost obsessive, " he said. The Hogan adding that the drivers are responsible for visu- • Ministry of Transportation's most recent Ontario Road ally inspecting their rigs for defects. Safety Annual Report, 1992, showed that tractor - Jim Scott of Scott Enterprises Ltd. in Exeter agrees. semitrailers accounted for 1.4 percent of the vehicles "Safety responsibility falls between the maintenance involved in all fatal road accidents in Ontario that shop and the driver. Drivers are trained to do a circle year, and were involved in less than 2.5 percent of all check before they go on the road," Scott said. "All our accidents. guys maintain their own trailers and tractors so they Pato Van O0Nukan ooints at a severe crack running through a metal