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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1977-11-17, Page 1• M 0 w R • Mrs. the bran laid sno M, • membering him Roy Black, a Silver Cross Widow from the First World War, is escorted from cenotaph by her son, Harold, after she laid the first wreath at the Remem- ce Day Services held last Friday in Clinton. Nearly two dozen wreaths were by area municipalities, clubs and organizations who braved a blustery, wy day. (News -Record photo) �st harvesting done The sudden snowstorm on the weekend ended the growing season in Huron County for another year and while most harvesting is done, the year will go down in history as one of the weirdest on record. The year was one- of reversals, -ffom a hot and dry spring and early summer, to one of the wettest falls in 50 years. Fortunately, the weather improved somewhat during the last two weeks of October, and first two weeks of November and agricultural officials say most of the corn crop came off, even though 75 per cent of the white bean crop was lost. "We have had some dandy yields, said Huron Ag. Rep. Don Pullen on Tuesday. "Some fields yielded up to 130 bushels per acre, and the moisture content was down nicely in the last couple of weeks." "We've had an exceptionally long rowing season this year," Pullen said, "it's the longest I can remember in quite a number of years." Mike Miller, Associate Ag. Rep., said that about 90 per cent of the corn was off, with quite a bit of the fall plowing done. Cattle were still out on pasture until last Friday, easing demand on already short winter feed supplies. 1 81 CoIuiiin by Jim Fitzgerald "Neither rain nor snow, nor sleet, nor rain shall stay a newspaperman (woman) from his -her appointed rounds," to borrow an expression from the post office. And that certainly has been the case this week at the News- Record, ewsRecord, as we literally don't have a roof over our heads. We're putting this paper out under conditions similar to those found on Noah's ark eons ago. A construction crew from Huron Pines, armed with hammers, plywood 'and a weather forecast calling for good weather for the rest of the week, removed the old rotten, roof from the News -Record office on Monday, and no sooner did they have it. off, when the heavens opened up. A good deal of that water has found its way into our offices despite a plastic covering, and if your paper is a little water stained, or damp this week, please forgive us. The weather of ' the last 'week has certainly been the topic of a lot of con- versation, as winter came howling in over the weekend, leaving ice -slicked roads; and a dozen car accidents. It doesn't seem to matter how many winters one goes through, that first snofx catches everybody with their guard down. Now we can adjust our driving habits,. get the lawn furniture and the anti -freeze in, and the snowshovels and. snow boots out. +++ The quids freeze has also brought a swift end to the growing season as a killer frost wiped out the gardens on Friday night, and as is usual with yours truly, no matter how late Jack Frost waits, I always .se to end up taking my geranium cuttin in, in a raging snowstorm, +•+ + As has become a, tradition in this space in the past several weeks, we have another birth to announce, one I'm sure most of you know about by now: the arrival of the first grandson for Queen Elizabeth. He's just a commoner though, like you and me. With the Christmas party season just about to get into full swing, we thought our smile of the week would be hp- proprintte for all those who may over indule s "You've readied middle age when the morning after lasts all day." Miller said that despite the above average corn crop, ttie winter wheat crop will be down significantly next year. "We estimate that at the best, only about half of the crop was sown com- pared to last year," Miller said. Much of what is sown isn't in that good a shape and Miller 'said he's hoping for a consistent winter. "If we have a good snow cover, but not too much, and no thaw freeze weather, it should come through all right. Everyone has by now given up on getting any more white beans off, with only 810,000 hundred weight bags in the elevators of an expected Ontario yield of 2,500,000 bags before the rains carne. Although the six-inch snowfall had all melted by Tuesday, the land is now too muddy to finish up the plowing, unless a prolonged dry spell sets in and thousands of acres will have to be spring plowed. 4,0 Clinton, Ontario 30 cents Thursday, November 17, 1977 WeafhEr 1977 1976 HI LO HI LO NOVEMBER 8 56 48 28 19 a' 9 59 49 38 17 10 60 35 36 28 11 36 30 32 , 23 12 32 11 34 26 13 31 12 39 29 14 33 26 37 27 Rain .98 Snow 12" Snow 5" ll2th Year -No. 46 Teachers, board still have no contract The Huron County secondary school teachers and the county board of education agreed recently to appoint a mediator to attempt to settle the 1977-78 teacher -board collective agreement. The county secondary school teachers have been working without a contract since September and negotiations for the , new pact have been fruitless. A fact finder's report on the board - teacher negotiations was released recently by the Education Relations Commission of the province and suggested that the main reason the parties have not settled on an agreement was due to poor communications. Professor J.W,'Samuels of the faculty of law of the University of Western Ontario was appointed by the commission to investigate the Huron negotiations. The commission oversees all teacher -board agreements in the province and usually de ands a fact finder report when negotiations bog down. Samuels said in the report that he was convinced that both parties are equally to blame for the poor communications. He said it was the "overall spirit" which was at fault, claiming the board has not heard what the teachers are sure they have said and the teachers have not heard what the board is sure it has said. "In my view each party is sincerely n Vaastra �-esident doesn't want post office By Wilma Oke A letter was received by Tuckersmith Council Tuesday night from' Howey Langan of Vanastra voicing his ob- jection to a sub -post office in Vanastra as proposed by Ben Bridges of Vanastra. Mr. Bridges, vice-president of the Vanastra Community Association, has proposed the post office be installed at the Base Factory Outlet where the owner was agreeable to have one. In a letterto the Clinton postmaster with copies to the Postmaster General of Canada, the regional postmaster at London, the Vanastra Community association and Tuckersmith 'township council, Mr. Langan based his objections on the grounds that he is presently able to get his mailfrom a group letterbox in the residential area at Vanastra, whereas the sub -post office proposed would be in a store located 800 metres from the residential area, the farthest distance possible as it is on the boundary line of the hamlet in the industrial area. He suggested that any changes be suspended. He ,said it would impose a hardship on other residents and those without a car. Mr. Langan said the Vanastra Com munity Association has only a paid-up.,:��•and court of revision was-, set for membership of approximately 50•from a December 20. The affected ratepayers population of nearly 1,200 and they may make written appeals before that "cannot be considered the political date if they are not satisfied with the representatives of this community." Tuckersmith council also passed a bylaw Tuesday permitting Charles Chapman of the Base Factory Outlet in Vanastra, permission to remain open on Holidays from 9 a.m. "to 9 p.m. and Sundays 12 to 6 p.m. Council passed. a bylaw requiring landlords to provide adequate and suitable heat for rented dwellings - 68 degrees F. or 20 degrees Celcius. This resulted from complaints of Vanastra residents. Seven Kippen residents attended the Tuckersmith Township council meeting Tuesday to discuss the revised report of the Kippen drainage works with Engineer Henry • Uderstadt of Orangeville. Attending were: Mr. and Mrs. Edward McBride, Mrs. Elzear Mousseau, Mr. ad Mrs. Howard Shanks, Arthur McCallum and Ross Faber. The engineer made several minor revisions to the route of the drain to try and satisfy most of the residents. He answered many questions and explained the reasons for the course the drain must take to drain their land which floods especially during spring breakup of ice and snow. He explained that the drain will not affect their wells, septic tanks and weeping tiles, and trees. The report was accepted by council report. Requests for building permits were approved for: Dorothy Govier, lot 155, Hullett hears of Auburn plan Architect Nick Hill was present .at. Hullett council's regular meeting on Monday, November 7 to inform the council of the progress being made on the proposed subdivision in Auburn. Some discussion arose over the ac- ceptance of five percent of the value of the land instead of land. However, no decision was reached on this. A delegation of interested owners of the Medd Drain were present at council. They, along with the council listened to the report given by engineer, E.H. Uderstadt. Council accepted the report along with some additional information on trucking dirt, and set the court of revision for December 5, Uderstadt sent further explanation on some assessments in time for this court. Co,uncfl 'informed the road superfn- .tendent that he should apply for a bridge supplement from the ministry of tran- sportation and for the 1977 road ex- penditures to date. A resolution of the clerks and treasurers section of the Huron County Municipal Officers Association was endorsed by the council. It pertains to the payment of rates to school boards. The snowblowing rates for the winter of 1977-78 were set at: $12.50 for a 50 hp tractor; $14 for a 60 hp tractor; $15.50 for a 70 hp tractor; $17 for an 80 hp tractor; $18.50 for a 90 hp tractor and $20 for a 100 hp. tractor. Building permits were issued to: J. Van Egmond, lot 25, con. 4. corn crib; J. Spence, part of lot 15, con. 9, addition to mobile home; W. Glazier, lot 30; H.S. con. 11, car port; D. Bell part of lot 24, con. 10, sun deck; F. Bainton, lot 21, con. 14; pole barn for storage, material and vehicles; G.. Brandon, lot 16, con. 2, dryer enclosure; C. Brandon, lot 20, con. 1 extension to shed. Due to a conflict between Hullett council and the News -Record, a more detailed description of this meeting and the motions involved was not available. Six injured plan 22, Vanastra--porch; Kenneth Coleman, Egmondville, house; Burt Alexander, lot 11, plan 10, Egmondville, house addition. A demolition permit for a barn for John Butson, part lot 6, concession 9 H.R.S. was also approved. A ratepayers' meeting for Tucker - smith Township will be held November 21 at 8:45 p.m. to discuss the report of the fire protection needs of the township as compiled by Donald Owens of the Ontario Fire Marshal's office. The meeting will be held at the Vanastra recreation centre. The four fire chiefs of the fire area boards that provide protection for the township have been invited to attend - Brucefield, Seaforth, Hensall and Clinton. Tuckersmith council and township employees will attend the Christmas dinner and dance along with other municipalities in the area at Pineridge convinced that it has explained its argument to the other and that it is willing to negotiate in good faith if only the other side would agree to do likewise," Samuels reported. He ,added that the negotiations have been a "dialogue of the deaf". ed Samuels recommended that both parties should sit down with a third party chairman to discuss their positions. For their part the teachers asked that a mediator be appointed on September 23 but claim that the board refused the suggestion. The board didn't endorse the use of a mediator until November 7. The fact finder's report was submitted to both parties October 19. The chairman of the teachers' negotiating team, Ron Lane, said Tuesday that in the teachers' opinion the fact finder will do nothing to -help negotiations and in fact might act as a stumbling block. He said the report used conflicting arguments and ignored virtually all teacher data regarding supportive material for their proposals. Samuels also admits in the report that he , failed to check key figures, according to Mr. Lane. Lane said the teachers were disap- pointed with the fact finder report but did agree with Samuels' suggestion that a mediator be appointed. He said the actions of the school board during negotiations make it difficult for teachers to "resist the conclusion that continued on page 3. Vanastra apartment closed An apartment building (three storeys) at Vanastra owned by Jim Queen, London, must be vacated by, the third floor tenants because of dangling electrical wires and charred electrical wiring from several fires in the lower floor. The order for the closure followed a meeting of the owner, hydro officials, the building inspector, Huron health officials, the Brucefield fire chief and Tuckersmith Reeve Ervin Sillery. The first and second floors have not been renovated into apartments, and have been vacant. Clerk Jack McLachlan reported another break-in at the Vanastra First snow c The first snowfall of the season on Friday, November 11 took its toll on area, drivers and the Goderich Detachment of the OPP reported two serious accidents and about 10 minor ones during the snowy weather. The stretch of Highway 8 between Clinton and Seaforth was the scene of two major accidents which resulted in seriously injured people and badly damaged cars. At approximately 3:45 p.m. on l~riday afternoon, the first accident occurred on �.w Snowy crash NI) A sudden snowstorm in the area on Friday afternoon caused a dozen accidents, two of them serious, as motdrists failed to adjust to the treacherous driving conditions. Here Goderich ambulance attendants remove Dia and Helen ss FiFr:4s Cornish from the highway after they were badly hurt in a two -car, head-on trash just west of Clinton. The couple are in serious condition in London hospital after being throW'n out of the vehicle; (News -Record photo) recreation centre early Sunday morning when some cash was stolen and four doors damaged when locks were smashed in the break-in. The doors will have to be replaced. The Huron County school board and the Huron -Perth County Roman Catholic separate school board will be requested to accept the school levies in two in- stalments as in other years on June 30 and December 15 and this to be in effect each year unless an agreement reached mutually to change. Building inspector, Herman VanWieren, reported for the month he had made seven inspections of buildings and seven inspections for the home renewal program. uses 12 crashes the stretch) of highway west of Hullett Township road 15 and 16 which sent Dia Cornish, 78 and Helen Cornish, 70, of 135 Orange Street, Clinton, to hospital with major injuries. The Cornish car was westbound on the highway when it lost control on the slushy road and crossed into the east- bound lane meeting head on with a westhound car driven by Gary Wayne Holtze, 28, of 47 Foreht Crescent, Aurora. Neither of the Cornish couple had been wearing seatbelts and were both thrown out of the car upon impact. They were taken to Clinton Hospital by Goderich ambulance and damage to their 1972 Chevrolet was $1,500. Holtze and one of the passengers in his car, Brian D. Jeoffroy, 31, of 14 Burwick Place, Kitchener, received minor in- juries and Holtze's 1977 Volvo had damages set at $7,500. Both were belted in. Firemen save Brucefield barn By Wilma Oke A barn in Stanley Township owned by Valentine Becker of Dashwood was heavily damaged by fire Tuesday morning. - Bill Chipchase, plowing on a neigh- bouring farm. located 21/2 miles west of Brucefield, noticed the flames and turned in the alarm to the Brucefield fire department at 8:45 a.m. Fire Chief Stewart Broadfoot said the flames destroyed the south end, most of the roof and the west side of the main barn. "With lots of_water from the good farm pond, no wind and lots of help from the neighbours, we were able to stop the mire from going into the other barn (the L-shaped end)," Mr. Broadfoot said. Mr. Broadfoot said he was not prepared to estimate the loss at this time. 14e stated the fire is, under in- vestigation by the Ontgrie Provincial Mice at Goderich and the Ontario Fire Marshal's office. The barn was empty except for two antique pieces of farm madhinery. Only five minutes later on Highway 8, just east of the McKillop-Hullett boundary; a westbound car driven by Lois I. Smith, 30, of RR 3, Clinton, began to slide on the -slushy road, and when she applied her brakes she spun into the eastbound lane and met with an east- bound car. The driver of the eastbound vehicle, Jo -Anne Collins, 19, of RR 3, Clinton, and her passenger, John Green, 24, of Vanastra, were sent to Seaforth Hospital with serious injuries and later Miss Collins was transferred to University Hospital in London. Mrs. Smith and her passengers, Debra Smith, 6 and Darlene Smith, 11, received minor injuries although Darlene was taken to hospital. Damage to the Smith vehicle was set at $2,000 and to the Collins vehicle, $1,200. While enroute to one of these ac- cidents, a Goderich OPP officer also fell victim to the icy road'conditions. Constable Art Burt, 31, of Vanastra was travelling east on Highway 8 in Goderich Township when he passed three unknown vehicles, also eastbound, and hit a slushy part in the road which put him onto the south shoulder of the road. No injuries were received but three guideposts were damaged and damages to the OPP cruiser were $1,000. OPP Constable Bill Wilson noted that the rash of accidents was typical for the first snow storm. "Speed always has something to do with it. According to the road and traffic conditions, people fail to realize what is happening," he noted. A transport truck ' owned ' by Boyes Transport overturned and dumped a load of packaged gait on Highway 8 early last Thursday morning. Although the driver, Robert M. Johnston, 26, of 280 James Street, Clinton, only received minor injuries, the trailer he was driving received damages of $18,500. Johnston stated that he Was travelling" west on " Highway 8, just west of the Constance Road and was attempting to pass an unknown eastbound vehicle when the vehicle rnoved left, ' forcing Johnston into the ditch and causing the. trailer to roll.