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HomeMy WebLinkAboutTimes Advocate, 1995-10-04, Page 2Page 2 Times -Advocate, October 4, 1995 IN THF. NF.W.S Tr Regional wrap up 11111 Rumors of native occupation at Pinery Park BOSANQUET - Rumors that a native occupation of Pinery Provincial Park is considered a possibility were confirmed last Sunday night when OPP admit- ted they have a contingency plan, reported the Goderich Sig- nal -Star. The existence of a plan to deal with such an occurrence was re- vealed at a meeting of Bosan- quet residents in Thedford. The rumors suggest the Thanksgiving weekend as a pos- sible date for the action but Pin- ery staff said these reports are not true. The Pinery Park remains open until Oct. 30, unlike Ipperwash which closed for the season on Labor Day. A public meeting was sched- uled for Sunday at the Thedford Area Community Centre to en- courage residents to find solu- tions to the problems. GDCI staff poised to help students deal with tragedy GODERICH - Goderich Dis- trict Collegiate Institute (GDCI) staff are ready to help students deal with the alleged death of Mistie Murray and arrest of her father in connection with her death, reported the Mitchell Ad- vocate. But they are not sure who needs help - if anyone, part- ly due to the amount of time that has elapsed between May 31, when 16 -year-old Mistie was last seen, and the arrest of her father, Steven Murray, three weeks ago. Murray was arrested on Sept. 15 and charged with second- degree murder in connection with Mistie's death. Her body has not been found. Murray has denied killing his daughter and appeared at a bail hearing last Wednesday which was continued. Approximately 60 spectators turned out for the hearing which was held in Huron County coun- cil chambers to accommodate the many who gathered, reported the London Free Press. Jury convicts Manley of second- degree econddegree murder GODERICH - The jury took less than five hours of delibera- tion last Wednesday to convict Jeffrey Wayne Manley of sec- ond-degree murder in the beat- ing death of a Chatham boy last year, reported the London Free Press. Manley,l9, pleaded not guilty to killing seven-year-old Danny Miller in an abandoned building last year. Danny's mother told reporters she felt justice had been served with the outcome of the 16 -day trial. The charge of second-degree murder carries with it a sentence of life imprisonment with no chance of full parole for 10 years. Justice James Donnelly of On- tario court's general division will sentence Manley on Oct. 27 in Chatham. Stealing from Blue Boxes EXETER- Deputy Reeve Dave Urlin advised council Monday night that someone has been steal- ing metal and cardboard from the blueboxes prior to Bluewater Re- cycling's weekly pick-up. With the recent rise in prices for these items, they have become val- uable if collected in large amounts. The theft could have an impact on the credit Exeter receives from Bluewater. As Council recently learned, the Town's annual fees could be dra- matically lowered because of the fresh markets for recycled prod- ucts. Fines coming EXETER- Residents of Exeter can look forward to being ticketed and fined for committing infrac- tions to the Town's garbage By- law. Council approved the preparation of an amendment which would give it "short -form wording author- ity" under the Provincial Offences Act. Violators of the by-law would be dealt with immediately through the issuance of tickets, the fines pay- able at the municipal offices. Pumpkins smashed by youths EXETER - Police were called to investigate an incident involving youths smashing pumpkins at Main and Sanders Streets Sunday at 4:30 a.m: Two area collisions EXETER - A pickup truck driven by Collin Tripp of R.R. 2 Dash- wood and a car driven by Jean Kel- lestine of R.R. 5 Goderich collided at Wellington and Main Streets Wednesday at 4:20 p.m. On Sunday, a van driven by Brian Rock of R.R 2 Grand Bend and a vehicle driven by Mark Smith of London collided on Hwy 81 in Stephen Twp. at 9:40 a.m. Rumors of hospital closings or Continued from front page South Huron presently receives from the Ministry of Health $3.77 million in funding. It also gener- ates revenue from other sources in- cluding worker's compensation, cafeteria profits and patients from other countries totalling ap- proximately $600,000. South Hu- ron budgeted last year for ap- proximately 800,050 patients days and about 14,750 people were ex- pected to go through emergency. Some other hospitals which ser- vice fewer patients receive more funding due to inequalities built into the system over time. Factors contributing to inequalities in the allocation of funding include a per- centage formula as well as an ev- olutionary problems. Correll said it is not a question of other small hos- pitals being over -funded hut rather some being under -funded while be- ing expected to provide similar ser- vices. "If they had a 10 per cent cut, it would he just as difficult for them to find it as it would he for us to find it," said Correll. In a small hospital, the cost just to open the doors with no patients can be as high as 75 per cent of the total budget in comparison with a large hospital which would only spend 25 per cent. The impact of a 10 per cent cut on small hospitals would be much greater than in larg- er centers. An equity funding program, to start equalizing has been suspended and Currell said it probably won't be resurrected. He does think the current government will not cut across the board but come up with a new system. If hospitals suffer a cutback Cur- rell said South Huron staff will have to meet with its fiscal ad- visory committee, review options and take the action that process dic- tates while still providing the most and best health care possihle to the community. Projects lessen the risk to human lives from future flooding EXETER - The reports in the Exeter Times -Advocate provide good documentation of the July 24, 1969 flood. Final tallies indicate that water surrounded or flooded the basements of over 100 Exetet homes. About 12 homes had flooding on the first floor and the hospital had about $100,000 damage. Thankfully, no lives were lost. Up to 10 inches of rain fell in a short time in the Ann Street Drain sub - watershed causing two types of flooding. Water, with high velocity, flowed over the ground above storm sewers because there was not enough capacity in the the underground pipes. As well, the water was backed up upstream of the railway because the culvert was too small. The Ann Street Drain is a unique watercourse. It starts in Usbome Township at the southeast corner of Exeter and flows into Exeter from south of Simcoe Street. At the corner of Edward and Simcoe Streets, the drain disappears underground where it flows through pipes and emerges at Carling Street. From there it travels along a creek bed until it reaches the Ausable River west of Exeter. When the original channel was filled in and built over, there was not enough capacity left for floodwater associated with major rainfalls. Since the flood of 1969, the Town of Exeter has undertaken work to address the lack of channel capacity. At the upstream end of the underground channel, 48inch and 54 inch diameter pipes transport the water. At the downstream end, a four foot by seven foot concrete culvert carries the water. In August, the ABCA coordinated a project which addresses the flood- ing caused by the small size of the railway culvert. The existing 38 - square foot culvert was replaced by a 113 -square foot culvert - allowing three times as much water to pass through the culvert. The Town of Exet- er, the Ministry of Natural Resources and the ABCA funded the project. "These projects have several benefits associated with lowering flood It was unbelievable. Unbelievable! That was probably the word used most often to describe the scene witnessed by Exeter and area residents when a torrential rain and hail storm turned the area into a large lake and a turbulent flood stream Thursday. Ironically, most area farmers and local residents had been hoping for a rain, but none bargained for the deluge which struck. It caused a flash flood that went rampaging though the downtown area with such force that it carried cars and trucks as far as 100 feet and even overturned one vehicle. On Marlboro (sic) St., the water crept up to first storey windows at the homes of Mrs. Ralph Bailey and Mike Bourne and in several homes in the flood area the water completely filled basements and recreation rooms. The rain - estimated at between five and ten inches in some spots lasted for almost four hours and filled fields and back yards before the water started to find its owl level and headed to the storm drain running through town from Edward St. to the railroad tacks. By the time residents and merchants saw it coming, it was too late. Within seconds it was cascading down the path of the old creek bed and people working within a few feet of their cars had to stand idly levels including a reduction in property damages and more importantly, lessening the risk to human lives from future flooding. And, the removal of floodplain restrictions from private property will mean less red tape for existing and future development," said Alec Scott of the ABCA. The ABCA has done similar projects on behalf of its member munici- palities throughout the watersheds to reduce the risk of loss of life and property damages from flooding. Alec Scott of the ABCA examines the new railway culvert that is three times larger than the culvert which restricted the movement of water during the flood of 1969. by as the water seeped into the doors and windows. It came like a tidal wave! •In offices such as that occupied by the OPP at the Devon Building, the officers had to scramble out the doors with what they could carry in their arms as the water rushed into the basement and rose several inches in seconds. The rapid build-up of water was among the things most difficult to imagine. Jim Hennessey reported that he had gone home to check his basement for water during the storm and at that time their was no indication of flooding or what was to follow. In less than 20 minutes his wife phoned to report that cars were being washed past their home on Ann St. by the stream which picked up velocity as it descended over the street grade on Main St. Three blocks west the waters spread out and covered a distance from.Ann to Sanders St. with the depth ranging up to five feet. The town was soon divided by the water which stretched from James St. to several yards south of Huron St. Drivers wishing to get from one side to the other had to drive east or west to the conces- sions roads in Stephen and Usbome. Source: Exeter Times -Advocate, July 31, 1969 By the time the residents and merchants saw it coming, it was too late. Video. featuring GB wiII soon be created GRAND BEND - Council has given its initial approval to the ef- forts of CineFocus Canada, a To- ronto-based film and video com- munications company that plans to begin the making of Portrait of a Resort Town, a one hour pro- motional video that will focus on the history and attractions of Grand Bend. To represent the company and ask for council's approval and guidance, director Joan Prowse and producer Dorothy Prowse, along with local author and researcher, Lynda Hillman-Rapley, attended council's Oct. 4 meeting. "The idea," Joan told council, "is to show the range of things to do in Grand Bend...(the film) starts in a historical way and shows how Grand Bend is growing." "Because we're looking at the history," she added, "(the video has) a really long shelf life." The film, which may be com- posed of a series of 10 five minute vignettes, may be distributed to specialty channels. Joan told council the film's fund- raising and initial planning should get underway as soon as possihle if it is to be aired in the spring. "I find the project an extremely interesting one," said Councillor Bob Mann, who offered some of his ideas and added "the leaders in the community" should have input into the film's content. Although CineFocus did not di- rectly approach council with an im- mediate request for help with fund- ing, Dorothy said, "If there was any funds available to us (later), it would be appreciated." "This is advertising to us," said Mayor Cain Ivey. "We want an ap- propriate say in what gets ad- vertised...It's important that we view this as a marketing docu- rnent...that we have an element of control." CineFocus will provide Grand Bend and surrounding townships with more information about the proposed video at an upcoming meeting which will include ex- amples of the company's work that is community hased in its construc- tion of promotional and educational videos. Highway friendly The SHDHS grade 12 environmental class was out picking up garbage along the sides of Hwy. 4 North and 83 West during an Adopt -A -Highway program last Tuesday. They collected 45 bags of garbage Including six cases of empty beer bottles. The class Intends on getting out three times a year in an effort to keep our highways free of litter. From left to right: Walter Baldek, Kelly Hoffman, Kim Young, Bryan Denomme, Bridget Groot, Alan Jeffrey, Ethan Smith, Andrea Ridley, Travis Shep- herd, Shannon Sherwood, Jenn Morrison, Jen Strang, Carolyn Quinn, Seer Chansamone, Stephen Straw, George McEwan, Teresa Cooper, Cam Eveland, Jessica Harris, Alex Jordan.