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HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1979-10-04, Page 1" of i yl A.t;F!'li:ii,J , it •.r • • 0 Dressing up in mom's clothing can be fun, and also hilarious for, the photographer, as, these two youngsters demonstrated Tuesday on a visit to Clinton. Edie Taylor, helps Kevin Shillinglaw, 31/2, adjust his beads, while Cheri Taylor, 41/2 looks on. The Londesboro residents were in town for the day. (News -Record photo) 73 in Huron Abortions trouble MOH BY JEFF SEDDON Huron' county council learned Thursday from the county medical officer of health, that the number of abortions carried out in 1978 represents a 75 percent increase' in the past five years. Dr. Brian Lynch told council there were 73 abortions carried out in Huron county last year, over half of them on girls between theages of 15 and 19. Lynch said 53.4 , percent of the abortions performed were on girls 15 to 19 years of age, 23.3 percent on the 20 to 24 year old age group and 23.2 percent on the over 25 -year old age group. He told council the •number of abortions carried out on young women concerned him because of the adverse affect the operation may have on their ability to have children later in their lives. Goderich reeve Eileen Palmer was the only member of council to respond to the comments by Lynch pointing out to council that if those figures were to be reduced there "has to be a change in attitude toward sex education". Palmer suggested that. the change come in the schools in the county. Lynch agreed with Palmer's comment pointing out that the place to begin sex education for younger people is prior to their entering higl!i. school. He said sex,,educa1tion classes are most effective with younger people. He said he did not know how ef- fective present sex education classes are in the county but pointed out they are "better than nothing". He said the Huron -Perth Separate School system operated an excellent family studies course fer pre high school students adding he was unaware of a similar course for public school students. He pointed out that one of the problems encountered in sex education classes is that it is more fashionable to give information to students rather than work on at- titudes. Lynch said he felt most women were unaware of ill effects abortions can cause. He said many women regard abortion as convenient and easy. He said the Criminal Code made abortion illegal unless it was per- formed for medical reasons but added that many doctors are interpreting social reasons as health reasons. He pointed out that the abortions on women from Huron county were •performed in other counties. He said abortion was a touchy subject poin- ting out that if one was performed in a small hospital in Huron there would be a great deal of "flak". Hi, it's me 'again. And I'm glad to be back in the old slot after a hectic week of illness and death in our family. Tragedy seems to strike in bunches, and I'm hoping we've had enough bunches at our house. + + + - While I was away last week, I did manage to slip down'to the Plowing' Match with a friend, and every year it just keeps getting bigger and better, and the price of equipment keeps getting higher and higher. Now when you're. buying 'something for the back 40, you talk in multiples of $10,000, not $1,000 as was the, case only a few years ago. But somehow, somewhere, the farmers come up with the cash for this machinery, and the Canadian consumer still enjoys the best food in the world at the cheapest price. + + + Which gives us even more cause to be thankful this weekend as we mark the annual Thanksgiving holiday period. As is usual with a Monday holiday, everything except the gas stations and the con- venience stores will be closed, and there won't be any postal service until Tuesday. However, the Londesboro Lions will be having their monthly newspaper pick-up in town on Saturday morning, so please have your papers out to the curb by 9 atn. +++ • Although we experienced a couple of frosts that did hit and miss damage, September was, overall, an excellent month especially for the farmers. According to Graham Campbell, lagt month was one of 'the driest Septembers in a number of years, and for the first time this su mer, the tete erature was ac uail . p y above normal. Graham caught only 24.1 mm of rain in his gauge in Goderich, far below the normal of 75.9, .while Mrs. Baird only measured 27 mm in her gauge in Brucefield. However, there was plenty of sun, and the average temperature of 15.4 degrees C was slightly above the long term mean of 15.3. Which, all means that we're in one of the prettiest months of the year - Oqtober and the color change, whCh this year seems to be a couple of weeks early. We have received reports in the office, however, that the raspberries are making a nice fall crop, and there is still plenty of produce in local gardens untouched by the frost. + + + Which brings us to the main street wit's sage advice this week :"If you think you're too old for growing pains, try cultivating a garden." +++. This week, a new feature for kids is being introduced on our town talk page. Called A Place For Kids, this Canadian feature will vary in content from week to week, and will appear beneath Peggy's Birth day Club. + + + The old boys, including yours truly, are set to start the hockey season, the earliest ever, and it's a good° thing I'm writing this before the first practice, because I'll not likely be - in any shape to af- terwards, + + + There is still a couple of days left yet to get your name in for a position on town council for those two open seats as. council will likely make a decision on Tuesday night. And by the way, everyone can stop calling me "your worship," that's all been straightened outl High school has unwanted traffic BY JEFF SEDDON The Huron county board of education realized Monday that it had to keep unwanted traffic out of the Central Huron Secondary School parking lot in Clinton 1:n4 -it -couldn't decide how to do it. The board looked at several options to close the lot to unauthorized traffic when it discovered a situation that could place students at the school in danger. Director of education John Cochrane told the board there had Already, been one mishap at the school a`d unless something was done there could be more. He told the board a student had exited froml the school building through a rear entrance and was crossing a drive to go to the athletic field. He said a car came around the corner and struck the student in a hit and run accident. . Cochrane said the student was not injured in the incident pointing out he was just grazed by the car. But he added that the driver. of the vehicle failed to stop. He said students and some teachers at the school felt the Mayor, editor settle • • • no reszgnatzon coming, open meetings pledged A compromise solution has been negotiations, all meetings should reached between Clinton Mayor be held in the open. Harold Lobb and Clinton News- "Some councillors were afraid Record editor Jim Fitzgerald, and they couldn't speak their minds if as a result, the mayor won't be the press was there, but I've resigning, and Mr. Fitzgerald has always enjoyed good relations with apologized for an August editorial the press, he said. headed "No democracy here". Mr. Fitzgerald said he wrote the Mayor Lobb pledged his efforts • editorial in haste, and was too hot to try and convince council to have headed to make a complete two open meetings a month, rather rational argument. than one closed meeting and one "The part about council being open meeting as had been the acclaimed and not representing the policy in the past. people was wrong, and the crack The compromise between the about 'No democracy here' was two men was reached on Monday, certainly out of place," Mr. Fit - only a week before the mayor said zgerald told the mayor, he would resign, unless he received Mr. Fitzgerald said he was an apology from Fitzgerald for the stating a principle of what he editorial written after the Vown's thought was the public's right to budget was passed following a know, and didn't aim. the editorial closed meeting on July 31. at any particular member of Both Mr. Fitzgerald and Mayor council. Lobb agreed that the public had the "I have the utmost respect for right to know what was going on in Mayor Lobb's abilities, and I the town, and Mayor Lobb said he respect him as a good mayor who is had never tried to get away with " always accessible, and cares for anything during his 12 years on T the town," Mr. Fitzgerald said. "It Clinton council. was never meant as ,a personal "In fact, I pledged when I first slam." ranfor mayor (1976) to have two Mayor Lobb said that if his .open meetings per month, but council was undemocratic, then he council decided to go back to the wanted nothing to do with it and ,old ways when I was away," Mayor that was why he was.offering his Lobb noted. resignation Mayor Lobb said .he would try againto convince council that, except for sensitive personnel matters and ' real. estate "We're actually working towards the same thing," Mayor Lobb told Mr. Fitzgerald, "I've got nothing to hide and never had."w-.�.� incident was deliberate. The problem is with a drive that circles the rear of the school. At two corners vehicles must make blind turns and at both turns there are exit doors used by students heading to the athletic field. He said many of the vehicles using the drive are unauthorized and observe dangerous driving practices. The board's management com- mittee looked into the :natter and cons jdiered several solutions. Speed bumps were considered at a cost of $750 but were denied because the committee felt they would hamper snow removal. Cochrane looked into the matter in the interest of saving time and suggested to the ard that. gates be installed at one df the entrances to curtail unwanted traffic. Cochrane said the gates would cost between $600 and $650 pointing out that they may solve one problem but may create others,. Along with the gates the director said a series of posts could be put in with a cable stretched across the side of the drive to keep motorcycles from entering. But he told the board that the cable may constitute a "head trap" that could get the board intb a great deal of trouble if someone is hurt by it. He told the board the gates may be a short term solution adding that deliveries to the school may force custodians to man the gates during school hours Chief wa against vandals •` Clinton fire chief Clarence Neilans expressed concern' this week following two fires started late Sunday night by vandals. The latest in" the fires, believed started by vandals, occurred near the shop area behind Central Huron Secondary School• when two cars, used by' the-uto mechanics students,' were set ablaze. Fortunately, the fires were discovered by Clinton police con- stable Garry Weir and put out by the Clinton fire department before they could do any damage. Chief Neilans said that two small fires had also been started in the grandstand earlier this summer but put themselves out. "What if these fires got out of control?" he asked, "they could cause serious damage. He warned that arson is a serious' crime and those convicted could face jail sentences. "If any of the general public sees something suspicious, then they should phone the police," Chief Neilans said. IIIIIIIIIItIIII1111IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIiIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII inside Gymn classes set Hullett has clerk Stangs sign Swedes Penny sale results Vanastra voicings Hensall Kinette news Holmesville news Area weddings Lake levels up Chronicle quiz IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII1111IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII p. 2 p•5 p. 6 p. 7 p. 8 p. p. 14 p. 16 p. 20 p. 21 Holrnesville hall okayed The Huron county board of education is all for a Goderich township recreation facility onboard property provided it doesn't cost the board any money. .The board gave Goderich township the go ahead to survey the Holmesville School property for the proposed hall but made it clear it had no intention of paying for any part of the survey. The board was asked by township council to consider permitting the proposed hall on board property adjacent to the elementary school. By doing so the board could take ad- vantage of facilites the hall offered and the township could tie into ser- vices now used by the school. The board agreed to the survey after its management committee reported that it was necessary to determine exactly where the proposed building would go and how it would affect the school. The committee also told the board there are 'several details yet to be worked out with the township pointing out that long before any construction starts that agreement should be drawn up. - "If we don't have an agreement we may as well not have a building," said committee chairman . •Don McDonald. The Brussels trustee said he felt it was the board's duty to draw up a firm agreement spelling out who was responsible for what. Ratepayers want meeting on Vanastra centre By Wilma Oke Tuckersmith Township council promised its ratepayers at a Tuesday night session to hold a meeting to discuss the addition to the Vanastra recreation centre before a final decision is made to start work. Lloyd Eisler of Egmondville at- tended the session as spokesman fo.r 75 ratepayers in his area of the township to protest the construction. He said the addition to be built at a cost estimated a year ago to be $225,000 plus the debt" of $119,000 against the present recreation centre, was not warranted. He said he does not see how something the people don't want can be forced down their throats. He reminded council that when Seaforth, Clinton and Hensall had asked for the past few years for donations to their arenas, to pay user's fees for those from the township participating in sports, council had turned them down Hosptial gets eight more chronic beds Like many other hospitals in the' province, the Clinton Public Hospital has asked the ministry of health to restore some of the beds and services taken away in cutbacks earlier this year. While the Clinton hospital has been operating eight of the lost 14 beds without the necessary operating budget, they recently received some financial aid from the ministry. For the eight beds, which will be used for chronic patients, the hospital received an additional budget of $48,000. Hospital Administrator Doug Coventry noted that this money would help the .hospital overcome its operating deficit. Prior to the addition of beds, the hospital was operating with six chronic care beds, for 11 patients. Now 14 chronic care beds' are available at the hospital and 30 active treatment beds. until last month. Speaking of the proposed addition, Mr. Eisler said, "Something this big should, be put to a vote to see how the people think. People at that end (Vanastra) don't want it and we don't want it at this end of Tuckersmith (Mr. Eisler was referring to a group of Vanastra businessmen who called a meeting last week to protest the addition.). He said he was asked to speak for 75 Tuckersmith residents and there were more petition sheets out that hadn't come back in time for him to bring them to the meeting. Councillor William Brown asked how long it would take to get a vote. Councillor Frank Falconer said he wasn't worrying about a vote, that he was elected to make decisions. Mr. Eisler replied, "You don't give a damn for the taxpayers. You're not listening to them. The people in the area don't warytthe addition." If you think it shouldn't go to a vote you don't have confidence the taxpayers would pass it. People don't complain about the roads. There are things they would like but they don't say anything. But they do say they don't want this (addition)." Mr. ' Eisler talked about the Penny sale biggest ever Perhaps the Clinton . Hospital Auxiliary's theme song this year will be Pennies From Heaven, following their highly successful Penny Sale. Actually the pennies did riot literally come from above, but from hundreds of area people who bought more than 8,700 tickets to help the auxiliary raise over 0,400 in celebration of the sale's .,25th an- niversary. Auxiliary members are pleased that the 25th sale, was the most successful o e in raffle's history and hey receiv'-d good support, not only romp Clint merchants, but t �also romp other it business people in- cluding tho e in Myth, Bayfield and Londesboro who offered more than 174 prizes. I iI. Vanastra Centre not making a profit over the years. Reeve Ervin Sillery replied that these centres don't make money. The reeve said, "We are thinking of what •the people want but wet have to get to a certain stage -- it has to be presented in a proper series. The reeve pointed out that because tenders for construction have been advertised, it doesn't mean the decision to go ahead with the building has been made. (Tenders are to be in the clerk's office and ready to be opened at the October 16 meeting.) The reeve was asked how much the 'paper work' had cost to date and he said he didn't know. (At the Vanastra businessmen's meeting last week the architect's fees were said to be eight per cent, or about $24,000 if the ad- dition was built.) Mr. Eisler again asked the reeve, "Is there any way you will call a meeting. and inform the people before you make a decision?" Reeve Sillery replied, "Before a final decision we should have a meeting with the people of Tucker- sm ith. It's a ' big thing for the com- munity." Mr. Eisler said, "I think the people will be satisfied if they'll get'a chance to have a say before you make a decision." In other business council heard a complaint from Clair Haskett, owner of Heather Gardens at Vanastra and Lark Haskett, administrator. , Mrs. Haskett asked for a swinging gate across the road at the entrance to her property which is located at the end of a street in Vanastra. She said it was needed for the 'safety of the residents of Heather Gardens -- a home for emotionally disturbed adults. Turn to page 13 • eat needs rain By Jim Fitzgerald Area cash crop farmers are hoping that sufficient rains will come in the next week or so to germinate the winter wheat crop, but after a dry summer, and one of the driest Sep- tembers on record, they are also hoping that Mother Nature doesn't try to catch up on all that missed rainfall before the corn is harvested. ,-, Huron's associate ag rep Mike Miller said this week that Huron's Wea th'er 1979 1978 Sept. HI Lo Hi Lo 25 23 9 16 7 26 23 6 20 2 27 26 8 • 21 7 28 22 12 14 1 29 35 10 17 .5 30 24 12 23 Oct.1 23 6 15 9 Rain 18.4 mm , Rain 36,5 m 8 white bean crop has all been har- vested in ideal weather, but the winter wheat is in need of a "couple of good showers." "The white bean crop averaged about 32 bushels an acre, and the quality was good too," Mr. Miller said, Several frosts in the past two weeks have done spotty damage to the grain corn crop, while helping dry up the silage corn crop which is nearly all off now. "The frost did some heavy damage in the Brussels, Walton area and parts of North Huron, but we won't know just how bad it is until it comes off. It just—depends on how mature the corn Was when the frost hit, and how severe the frost was," Mr. Miller said. He said the corn combining would begin in a week or so, .with yields expected to be good in some places, even though the season was later because of a cold wet spring. Alth ottgh the soy bean harvest had just started, Mk. Milner said it was too early yet to Say how it would yields "we'll know in a couple of weeks.."