HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1981-12-16, Page 1.44
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'1) Christmas good for local businesses
By Shelley McPhee
While many "Up to 50 per cent off"
promotions are being used to entice
shoppers in the city, most Clinton mer-
chants
erchaunts appear to be holding their own, with
steady sales and a good Christmas selling
year in 1981, according to a survey con-
ducted this week by the Clinton News-
Record.
ewsRecord.
Despite the stiff competition from their
urban counterparts, many Clinton mer-
chants
erchants are finding themselves serving a
larger section of outrof-town yrs,
and the storms are keeping up with the
popular gift buying trends this season.
Local people, as well as customers from
a genera160 to 70 mile radius, are shopping
in Clinton these days and according to
Jean Herman at Herman's Men's Wear,
they Wm the personal service and the
quality goods that can be purchased.
Evelyn Galbraith, from Galbraith's TV
and Gifts noted that many out-of-town
customers are travellers passing through
town, and according to John Balfour,
owner of the Home Hardware Store and
president of the Clinton Business
Association, "Clinton's a good shopping
area. We've got an attractive downtown
area and people are starting to realize
that."
The survey taken this week found that
business in Clinton is generally good this
year, although the Christmas buying
started later compared with past years.
However, with only one week left until
Chrisbnas, merchants are anticipating
that they will be busy and sales will still
increase.
What tobur
From those little blue Smurfs for the
kids, to knickers for the ladies, from
tiubik's Cubes, to the newest AC -DC album
for the rock and rollers on your gift list,
Clinton shops have a wide selection of
popular items for Christmas shoppers.
At the Clinton Pro Hardware Store,
Smurf toys have taken the lead in sales
this chrisimas according to Irene Smith.
Last year they were popular in the city
stores, and didn't sell as well at Clinton's
Night school
sets open house
A special open house and Christmas
party this Thursday night, December, 17
will give people of the community a chance
to see what's going on at Night School at
Central Huron Secondary School.
Starting at 7:30 pm, classes well put on
various displays of what goes on in the
classes, and potential students will have a
chance to sin req fora new 10 -week session
which begins(*) January IL
From DanceFit to welding, there is
something for everyone, says night school
principal Mel Doherty, and invites
everyone into say ht
first
column
Pro Hardware, but Mrs. Smith said that
this year their store has already sold cut of
the elf likecharacters.
Challenging electronic games and cube
puzzles, like Rubik's Cubes are selling by
the dozens at Jerry McLean and Son
Sports. Julie McLean noted that remote
control cars and reds are big sellers in
their Radio Shack division, and in the
Sports line, cross country skis are a
popular item.
For the young girl or favorite lady on
Christmas list, the new stylish knickers
may be the perfect gift according to Lee's
of Clinton and for the men, designer jeans
and plaid shirts are popular this year.
Campbell's Men's Wear is selling a lot of
sport jackets this year, while Herman's
Men's Wear is finding that wool pullover
sweaters are a popular gift item.
For comfort and relaxation, Wuerth
Shoes are finding that men's and ladies'
slippers are selling well this year and at
Beattie Furniture, the recliner chairs and
stereo systema are popular sellers.
To go with your new stereo components,
records and tapes are available at BTR
and the top selling album over the past
three weeks has been The McKenzie
Brothers, Canadian comedy album, The
Great White North, The album has
climbed the CHUM -FM radio charts to
third spot and at the local music' store over
15 albums have been sold in the past few
weeks. Another popular record .. selling
there is AC -DC's newest release.
For the business and travel minded
person on your list, luggage makes a great
gift and Allen Brothers have a wide
va of bags to choose from. At Huron
Bu less Machines, pocket calculators,
typewriters and pen sets continue to be
favorite Christmas purchases, according
to Bill Stauttener.
For the person
who has everything
And what about the person who's hard to
buy for, or the person who has everything -
Clinton shops are prepared to handle them
too.
Jewelry is always a popular gift item
and according to David Anstett at Anstett
Jewellers, men's and ladies' watches are
selling well this year. Initial collar pins for
men are popular, as well as gemstone
rings and stud.earrinin for the ladies. And
for that very, very special person on your
an istmas list, Anstett's are offering the
new Concord watches. The elegant 14
karat gold timepieces are priced at $7,000.
Unique Christmasdecorations, like wild-
eyed, big eared, doorknob mice, and
delicate tatted snowflakes and other
locally made handcrafted items such as
children's clothing and dinner napkins are
good sellers at The Board and Batten gift
shop. At The and delightfully Arbor, toiletries,
are
popular gifts for ladies, and in their men's
section, 'brass stems, Ince pretzel bottle
openers and eye glass case flasks are fun
gifts for dose hard -to -bay -for men.
Here we are with only a week left
until Christmas, and I'm running out of
things to say about it, but after listening
to all the talk of the martial law being
imposed in Poland and the empty
shelves in grocery stores in that
country and Romania, it gives me a
real warm feeing to be tucked away
here comfortably in Canada. Here, we
don't have to worry about Russians
tf- .nr,-4 term czond., osor efo, Reff ors
of our loved ones in the middle of the
tightnfact, one ci our biggest decisions
many of us will be making in the nest
week will not be deciding whether we
can find anything to eat or not, but
whether we should have white or red
wine with that huge pump, golden
brown turkey on Christmas day.
Why even the poorest of as in Canada
are better off than the vast majority of
tie to some of those Eastern block
countries. Food is so plentiful here that
the stores are Utterly bursting at the
seams with produce of every.
description frons every part of the
world
Even with al the talk of economic
gloom in Canada, it sort of pales when
you see someone lined up for" three
hours to get a loaf of bread, while here
the food drains are tripping over each
other trying to lure us into their stares
with fail colo' adveutisments.
With Christmas only a week away,
can Spring be far lam? Ask any
fanatic ;y.: rdener and he'n answer with
an enthusiastic yrs,. The signs are all
there, a least to the optimist.. The sun
stops making its trip south next Mon-
day,
omday, and slung Tuesday, the 'Sus
will be getting longer.
And another sure harbinger of spring
io the arki� of the colorful teed
L
the first of which hit the
FfbtCera fel home last week
by
jim fitzgerald
For those who are interested there
are several new innovations this year,
including a potato that can be grown
from seed. Called Ezpidrer, this
revolutionary potato is started indoors
hi early April, much Ince tomatoes, and
the plants set out in late May,
producing various sized spuds by late
summer.
The seed supply will be limited, but ft
stinelei wee ¢ ars MIJAen. to
our notate stock
Another stere sign that we're in the
midst of winter is the annual flu bag
that's making its roods hearabouts.
Last week it visited our home, and the
only ones to benefit from it are the soap
companies and the PUC, what with all
time laundry that must be done following
when the little ones let go with both
ends at once. My poor wifel
It visited this writer over the
weekend, the first time in several
years, and one quel'kly finds out where
the expression "death warmed over"
comes from.
The Main Street Wit says that colds
are said to attack the weakest part of
the anatomy, which is probably why
runs# folks get thein in the head.
The Clinton fire fighters arere called
out briefly to a minor nor c : a,.n fire last
Friday to flower home, south of
town, our Highway 4, but there was no
damage.
And just one last reminder - we'll be
publishing one day earlier next week,
so we're asking for the full co-operation
of all our correspondents and ad-
vertisers_
And kids yam still have time to write
Santa Mae. Send your letters in care of
the News and well ship them
on by air rmrarl t r the North Pole
Galbraith's TV and Gifts are reporting a
good sales year, since they changed lines
and according to Evelyn Galbraith, "It's
easier to sell $30 or $40 gift items than it is
to sella $1,000 television.'
The Galbraiths are now specializing in
brass, wicker and Canadian ceramic and
porcelain pieces and Mrs. Galbraith
suggested that brass and wicker usually
make good gift items for men or women.
"It doesn't matter whether you're
decorating in Louis the XV or colonial,
wicker fits in," she noted.
Men's colognes and women's perfumes
are most often a welcome gift under the
tree. J and J Pharmacy and the Triangle
'Ascots* stock, and sell a wide range of
scented products, and both stores noted
that they arepopular Christmas items.
For the ambitious gift giver, Mary's
Sewing Centre is selling a colorful variety
of Christmas materials and the popular
Stitch and Stuff Christmas decorations.
Clerk Irene Cantelon noted that many
people are making their Christmas gifts
this year, sales are steady and the most
popular seller has been jogging suit pat-
ternsand material.
In the stocking stuffing, department,
Shiral's have had a busy season, with
everything from nuts to notebooks, from
Turn to page 21 •
Newspaper to
publish early
In order to ensure that our subscribers
get their paper in lime for Christmas
reading, the News -Record will be printing
one day earlier neat week, with the papers
delivered on Wednesday morning.
In order to facilitate this earlier
publication, ALL DEADLINES have been
moved back 24 hours, meaning the -
classified deadline is 12 noon on Monday,
December 21, with display deadline at 5
pm Monday afternoon.
The final news copy deadline has been
moved back as well to6 pm Monday night,
The New Year's edition the following
week will be published on Wednesday, as'
usual
Weather
1981 1980
H1 LO HI LO
DEC
8 - 2 - 6 11 1
9 - 4 -8 2 -1
10 -3 -9 0 -3
11 -2 -6 -3 -10
12 - 2 -7 2 -8
13 0 -4 2.5 -8
14 1 -5 -3 -10.5
Snow l ern Snow 6 cm
Johnny, played by Paul Brand is haunted by all the food he eats pies. The play had its fiaal draw rehearsal ens Tuesday in
and all the toys he broke on Christmas Day. Here in theGrade6 's (W yl awl s
play at SL Joe's Separate School, he gets It from the mi � at pal
Town workers lose bonus
At their December 7th meeting, Clinton
council defeateda motion that would give
all full time employees of the town a $40
Christmas bonus. The cash bonuses have
been given on an annual basis for the past
15 years.
Councillor Bea Cooke suggested that the
December 5th Christmas dinner and dance
held for more than 200 town employees,
committee menbes and associates, was
the bonus.
"Councillor Ron McKay said, "I think the
employees do their work and serve the
town well, but times are tough and some
taxpayers who may be supporting this
bons. may not be working themselves. I
feel guilty about passing this motion."
Other council members agreed, but
Clerk Cam Proctor noted that the -five
policemen are not affected by this motion
and they will still receive a Christmas
bonus of $80 or more.
It's been negotiated under a two year
contract and it's settled. I questioned it
then, so let's drop it for now," Councillor
McKay stated.
Parking is free
To promote the town, and to hey
Christmas shoppers, Clinton council has
instructed the local police force not to
enforce parking bylaw, and parking along
Clinton's metered matin streets is free for
the month of December.
Supportthefarmers
In an effnrttohelp area fanners, Clinton
Council is preparing a resolution which
will ask the federal and provincial
governments to control the high interest
rates.
In the past, Clinton council has sap -
ported similar resolutions sent from
various municipalities across Ontario, and
Councillor McKay suggested that such a
resolution originating in Clinton could help
the local farmers. He noted that the farm
community helps to support the town and
Mayor Chester Archibald adders, "The
whole comity is very dependent on the
farming community.'
The resolution will be passed by Clinton
council and .circulated to other
Taro to page 3•
Fund takes giant leap
Clinton's door-to-door canvass for the
hospital building fund is starting to pay off
big dividends as the trickle of the last few
weeks turned into a torrent this week.
Despite the cold temperatures, the
Hospital's outdoor thermometer rose from
$185,000 to 1240,000, nearly three-quarters
of the way to the $353,000 needed from
public donations.
Fund raising chairman Steve Cooke was
all smiles this week as he watch'd the
thermometer and said he was very con-
fident the amount could be raised in the
very near future from both donations and
"Where are err shoes and sacks?" asks the chorus line at the Clinton Pablfc School
Christmas concert last Tuesday nigh#. The young ladies were part of the play Mrs. Claus
Saves Christmas. (James Fitzgerald photo
pledges. Only $113,000 is left to he raised.
Mr. Cooke said that the 'canvass took a
tit longer than expected, and if you
haven't been called on yet, you 000n well
be.
He also said that some people may not
have received a receipt because there Was
no address on their cheques, so it you
haven't received your tax-deductable
receipt within a reasonable length of time,
then phone Carolyn Pfaff at the hospital
and she will make sure you get one.
"As promised too," Mr. Cooke said, "all
the names will be printed in the paper, but
because there's so many, we are behind a
few weeks. But eventually they'll all get
In.
A total of $886,060 is needed for the ad-
dition to the hospital's emergency wing.,
and besides the donators, the rest will be
raised by a $303,000 ministry of health
grant, a $110,000 County of Huron grant,
and $100,000 for the hospital's reserve
fund_
Police seek
car vandals
Over $400 in damages were received to
the Clinton police cruiser, recently after
soteak ani ale Cv ti yt.m .
Clinton Chief Lloyd Westlake reported
that on December 6th, while the car was
parkedat the police station, a person
smashed the car's windshield and
headlights with an axe. Police are still
investigating the incident.
The Goderich OPP reported that David
Orr of RR 2. Clinton, escaped injury after
the pick-up truck he was di icing went off a
road and smashed into a stop sign.
The tab of the pick up truck was twisted
and damages amounted to $2,000 after the
December I3th accident Mr. Orr was
travelling up a steep hill on Concession 4 of
Goderich Township when his vehicle left
the road and crashed
No talks yet
No meetings between the Huron County
Board of Vocation and tine secondary
school teachrers regarding contract talks
has yet been set
ivducationn Relations Commission ap-
pointed mediator Prof. Jeffrey Ganda of
London said Monday Morning, "it will be
in the new year": before a meeting will be
held.
The last meeting between the two groups
was herd prior to' the release of a fact
finder's report on Ott. 26. At that time the
board offered $36,000 as maximum salary.
an offer'the teachers rejected.
r CLINTON 1
HOSPITAL
BUILDING
FUND
350
325
300
275
250,
225
200
175
150
125
100
75
50
.6