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Clinton News-Record, 1981-08-19, Page 1A!so serving: ayfield, Londesboro, Auburn, Kippen, Vanastra, 116th year, —No. 33 Wednesday, August 19,. 1931 50 cents AUG. 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 -vs Weather 1981 1980 MI LO 24 14 26 11 27 15 27 18 21 15 20 10 21 4 HI 10 26 22 23. 24 22 24 22.5 12.5 11 9 16 11 8 12 Rain 52 mm Rain 0 1 Clinton man rescued from fiery car crash Thanks to quick action from a London resident, a Clinton man was saved frotn death in his overturned vehicle early last Sunday morning, August 16. Dave Racey, 22, of London pulled John Feeney, also 22, of Clinton from the bur- ning wreck of his flipped, 1971 Corvette, just before the car was completely enguifed in flames which subsequentely destroyed it. Mr. Racey, a London Transit driver, stopped at the scene of the accident on the Bayfield Road, two miles west of Clinton about 12:30 am and noticed the driver was unconscious and still in the car. Although there were other people standing around, nobody took any action until Mr. Racey preformed his rescue. Mr. Feeney, who was alone at the time, received only minor injuries. When the Clinton fire department arrived minutes later,, the car was, com- pletely engulfed in flames and was destroyed, causing $11,000 in damages. The acccident occurred when Mr. Feeney's westbound Car left County Road 13 near concession 15-16 of Goderich Township, entered the ditch, hit a culvert, flipped over and caught fire. In another motor vehicle accident in- vestigated by the Goderich OPP detach- ment, Shirley Taylor of Varna and Craig A mangled, mass of metal is all the remains of a 1971 corvette Hause, 16, of London, each received minor that exploded into a ball of flames in single -car crash early injuries in a crash last Friday August 14 at Sunday morning. Driver John Feeney of Clinton was rescued the intersection of Concession 2 and 10 of Stanley Township. Police to crack down on kids and bikes from the burning car by a passing motorist, Dave Racey of London. (Shelley McPhee photo) By Shelley McPhee Kids, bikes end cars, have always been a problem, butte the Clinton Police Force is trying to remedy this. With the start of the school season nearing, the town council and the Clinton Police are preparing themselves for another season of. complaints and potentially dangerous situation on the roads. However this season, problems are going to be adverted before the possibility of a tragic accident occurs with a strict crackdown on bicycle riders and motor vehicle operators. According to Police Chief Lloyd Westlake, school -aged children will be instructed on the rules of the road and if the laws are not obeyed, warning will be given, fines will be laid and bicycles will be confiscated by the police department. Children and adults who ride their bicycles on the sidewalk present the biggest problem to the police force and Chief Westlake says that the situation is dangerous for pedestrians. This was proven during Clinton's recent sidewalk sale when a pedestrian was struck by a cyclist. No one was seriously injured in the mishap. In past years, the Goderich OPP have presented a slide show on bicycle safety rules to public school aged children and Clinton Councilor Frank Van Aitena reported that this would be taken a step further by the Clinton Police. At council's August 17 meeting, Coun- cillor Ron McKay suggested, "Kids ride on the sidewalk because it's not safe to ride on the road. You've got to educate the kids and the drivers on the rules of the road." Councillor Ross Jewitt noted, "We're cracking down on bikes on the sidewalk, but we should also be„concerned about people walking on the road.” Children walking to and from school, he reported, often walk three and four abreast down the street, "They don't care and they don't move." Council supported the idea of more in - school instruction on bicycle safety but Councillor Rosemary Armstrong stated, "You can talk to the kids until you're blue in the face and they'll still disobey the laws. You have to go through the parents." "But many people have not taken the responsibility to teach their kids," Mayor Chester Archibald explained. Several of Clinton's school crossing guards have been trying to, and have succeeded in reminding children of the laws. Bertha Gibb, a crossing guard at the busy Rattenbury and Albert Street downtown corner explained, "I'm like a counsellor betiveen't�he parents and the school. "There seems to be a lack in teaching the children the rules, but they're very co- operative once you explain the rules to them," she said.. With a smile and a kind word, Bertha has gained the co-operation and trust of many school children. However, it may take more rigid penalties to insure that rules of the road are obeyed by more children. Police will be patrolling the school routes more closely, warnings will be given to the children, fines may be issued to parents, and police have the authority to take.bicyles away if the road rules are not obeyed..These include, riding on the proper side of the road, not on the sidewalks, riding bicyles in a responsible manner and using lights and reflective guards for night riding. Former clerk sues Bayfield council Fired clerk -treasurer Kathy Hunking has Launched a lawsuit against the village council claiming $20,000 in damages. Hunking's lawyer, Jim Donnelly of Goderich, said Tuesday, "she is suing for $15,000 for wrongful dismissal and $5,000 for general damages." The 22 -year-old clerk was fired in early June for what Reeve George Fellows term- yr t t Shoppers will soon see the popcorn wagon regularly patrolling the business district on Thursday, Friday and Saturdays, as part of the Business Improvement Area's (BIA) plan to attract people to town. The wagop, build by former Clinton resident Hugh Ball of CGoderich, will be manned by Terry Cosa, left and Fred Radley. (James Fitzgerald photo) ed "a lack of discretion" in releasing municipal information. She had been on the job since January and was earning $7,000 a year. Donnelly said the civil action will start with an examination for discovery August 28 in Goderich. Such pre-trial hearings are held without a judge but with ,questions posed by lawyers from both sides. Testimony is recorded by a court reporter. They are usually closed sessions. ... The village's lawyer, Norman Brown of London, was not available for comment Tuesday. Hunking was replaced at the end of June by Bayfield store owner Pat Graham, who is receiving a salary of $7,500 for his duties as clerk. Graham refused to discuss the Hunking affair this week when visited at the municipal office in the village of 500. "It's a matter of litigation and neither myself nor any member of council can comment on it." He said he could not discuss any events fore his appointment as clerk and refus- d a reporter access to any minutes of council meetings. He referred all ques- tions to Brown and Donnelly. Police investigate break ins and thefts Three cases of wilful damage, one car theft and four break-ins plagued Clinton over the weekend. The Clinton Police reported that two houses were broken into over the weekend and a small amount of cash was stolen from one home. Nothing was stolen in a freak in at Porter's Farm Equipment, but a small amount of cash was taken from the Pizza Express in another theft. Police are also investigating the auto theft of a 1974 blue colored Chevrolet, owned by Bill Hoggarth of Clinton. Thecar was stolen while the Hoggarth family Was attending Sunday morning church ser- vic es. As well, a house window was smashed with a rock, along with a car windshield and two windows at Central Huron Secondary School were broken by beer bottles over the weekend. The incidents caused more than $800 in damages. Brucefield, Holmesville Children who ride their bicycles on town sidewalks are becoming an big problem in Clinton. Police will be patrolling school routes and enforcing stricter controls, issuing fines and confiscating bicycles from children who don't obey the rules of the road. (Shelley McPhee photo) Pilot killed as plane crashes in field One person was killed and two seriously injured in the crash of a small plane about four kilometres north of .Seaforth Tuesday night. Police said the pilot, Martines John VanBakel, 20, of RR1 Sebringville, about eight kilometres west of Strat- ford, died on impact. His brother, Ronald; 16, and a friend, Robert VanDerhyden, 19, also of RR1 Sebringville were taken to Seaforth Community Hospital and shortly after- ward were transferred to University Hospital in London. Const. Jim MacLeod of the Seaforth OPP detachment said the plane, a four-, seater Piper, had flown out of the Van- Bakel family farm about 32 kilometres' from the crash site where it clipped a tree and plunged into a soybean field. He said investigators from the department of transport would . begin probing the site this morning. The accident occurred at 8:20 p.m. The plane was flying low over the Joe Visser farm on Concession 4 and 5 when it struck one of about 30 pine trees, each about 40 feet high, losing a wing: It careened into the • soybean field about 1,000 feet away. An upset Mrs. Visser said she knew the VanBakels and that her husband had recognized the plane as it flew overhead. "My husband said he (the pilot) is here with the plane so I came out and saw him and he came over the barn .and clipped that tree .and. the whole wing went." 'NO, "UMW Norman Alexander of Londesboro was recently honored by the Soil Conservation Society of America, for his dedicated work in erosion control. Mr. Alexander was one of the Canadian guests at the Society's annual dinner, held- in Spokane. Washington. Norman Alexander honored for erosion control work Norman Alexander's special interest and hobby has gained him a special honor. award from the Soil Conservation Society of America. While many people simply don't care. or don't see the importance in drains, this I,ondesboro man has done much to help preserve our environment through his study of soil erosion caused from poor drainage. A retired farmer and former seed dealer in Londesboro, Mr. Alexander. 70, became interested in soil erosion and drainage problems when he was appointed drainage commissioner for Hullett Townshp in 1974. He was also appointed • as the representative on the Maitland Valley Conservation Authority in .1974 He served on the Reforestation and Land Use Authority Hoard during lus first three years and has been a member of the Water Management Advisory Hoard for the past three years, Since 1974 Mr. Alexander has become an dedicated expert on the subject of soil erosion. and on Augu t 5. 1981 he was presented with an honorar :;yard from 1 urn t0 page 3