HomeMy WebLinkAboutClinton News-Record, 1987-09-23, Page 4Page 4—CLINTON NEWS -RECORD, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1987
k
The Clinton News-Rocord Is published each
Wednesday of P.O. Boll 39, Clinton, Ontario,
Canada. NOM 1LO. Tal.: 402.3443.
Subscription Rote:
Canada • 121.00
Sr. Citizen • 116.00 pm year
U.S.A. foreign 160.00 per year
I1 Is registered as second class moll by the
post office under the permit number 0017.
The Plows -Record incorporated In 1924
theHuron News -Record, founded In 1881,
and The Clinton News Era. founded In 1067.
Total press runs 3.700.
Incorporating
THE BLYTH STANDARD)
ANNE NAREJKO - Editor
FREDA McLEOD - Office Manager
SHELLEY McPHEE HAIST - Reporter
DAVID EMSLIE - Reporter
GAYLE KING - Advertising
LAUREL MITCHELL - Circulation/Classified
GARY HAIST - General Manager
`A
MEMBER
MEMBER
Qat
BLUE
RIBBON
AWARD
1987
Display advertising rates
available on request. Ask for
Rate Card No. 13 effective Oc•
tobor 1, 1984.
Are times tough for retailers?
Story has it that Clinton businesses made substantial profits back in the
1950s and '60s when the Canadian Forces Base located here. The base
created an instant community of hundreds of people and in doing so pro-
vided a valuable consumer market for local retailers.
Times were good. Business was good.
The 1970s and the 1980s have proved to be less profitable and more com-
petitive for small businesses.
In 1985 alone, 50,000 small businesses were launched, three times the
number started in Ontario some 10 years ago.
Statistics also report that 90 per cent of small businesses fail with in a
few short years of their establishment.
It's not easy to be a small business operator in the 1980s. Profits are not
as readily made as was in the case some 25 years ago in Clinton.
In an effort to help small businesses, the provincial government has
launched a number of programs in recent years that are specifically
geared to offer guidance on many aspects of business management and
operation.
One such program, "Marketing For Small Business" was featured as
an evening seminar held recently in Clinton. Presented by the Ontario
Ministry of Industry, Trade and Technology, the seminar was jointly
hosted by the Economic Development Committees of Clinton, Goderich
and Seaforth.
It was disappointing to see a great number of empty chairs and only
some two dozen people attending the free seminar. Of those attending, on-
ly one identified themselves as a retail merchant. A smattering of others
were in service or manufacturing businesses. A couple came from
Bayfield, another few from Goderich.
There was a large representation of economic development committee
members at the seminar and a poor showing of people from the business
community.
Community members must wonder if it is worthwhile to hold such in-
formation sessions.
It appears from the lack of attendance at the marketing seminar that
business people are not interested in making efforts to enhance their
businesses.
Perhaps they are apathetic. Perhaps they don't understand the im-
plications of marketing their business in the competitive 1980s. Perhaps
times aren't as tough as business people claim.
By S. McPhee Haist
Shopper upset with
treatment given to
her son by store manager
Dear Editor:
Having raised my children to respect the
property of others and to behave politely, I
was appalled recently by the treatment of
my 14 -year-old son in a Clinton store.
He had gone into Stedman's on Albert
Street, chosen and paid for a pair of shoes,
and had returned to look for a birthday pre-
sent for his sister. Then, without provoca-
tion, he was rudely told to leave the store by
the gtor manager. 1 My son had told the
manager that he was waiting for his mother,
and though I had arrived, and the manager
was so informed, my son was told to wait
outside.)
Upon finding my son waiting for me
across the street 1 and quite upset 1, 1 was
disturbed enough to ask the manager for an
explanation. i was subsequently told, geite
rudely, that my son had been there too long
and I was asked to leave the store as well
LQttQrs
and to never shop in his store again. I
returned what my son had purchased and
did just that.
After reflecting on the incident, 1 feel it is
important to make the matter public, not
simply because the Stedman's manager was
so inexcusably rude, but because young peo-
ple deserve to be treated like human beings.
The treatment of my son warrants an
apology, one which, given the character of
the store manager, was not forthcoming.
Certainly he shall do without my business
until a direct apology is made.
Mrs. Betty Dowell
Raceway says thanks
to groups which helped
Dear Editor:
The Raceway Committee would like to ex-
press our thanks to all the people who were
involved in racing this year. It takes a lot of
support and dedication from the fans and
the Horsemen who put on racing each
Sunday.
It takes a lot of hard work to put together
such a successful year but all that can be put
aside. We must congratulate all the groups
involved including the hospital, minor ball
and minor hockey. it is these people that br-
ing out more fans and make all the work
worth while.
We as a committee find it even more
worth while when these groups take the time
to express their thanks to us for their par-
ticipation and success. A further thanks to
all the local merchants who participated in
our schedule this year.
Finally, we owe a special thanks to the
Clinton Recreation Department for their 100
percent cooperation.
See you all next year!
Case Buffinga,
Clinton Raceway.
Got an opinion?
Write a letter
to the editor
"Hdtc do fou spell that"
Well readers, this will be the last time the
name "Anne Narejko" will appear above
this type.
I only have a few days left to put the
signature I have used for the past 24 years
on a piece of paper, and I will no longer have
to say my name, spell it and then have peo-
ple ask, "How do you say that'?" with their
noses all screwed -up.
Yes, after 10 months of decision making,
worrying and long distance phone calls to
mom wondering if everything is going as
planned or filling her in on plans, the day
will soon arrive.
September 26 will mark a new beginning
for me as Colin and I exchange wedding
vows.
I'm told there are a lot of adjustments to
be made after this day. I'll have to stop say-
ing "mine" or "my" and get used to "our"
and "we." I'll have to listen to radio stations
he likes and watch television shows he likes
with interest. And eventually I'll probably
get used to being called his wife.
I figure these are easy adjustments to
make, after all, I did survive the showers
that were thrown for me.
L)on't get me wrong, I appreciate the ef-
fort everyone went to organizing these
events, getting that special gift and taking
time out of their busy schedules to attend,
but, showers are not my idea of a good time -
especially when they're thrown in my honor.
I don't know whether many of you will
believe this, but I don't like being the centre
of attention. I'd just as soon fade into the
background.
I'm used to covering meetings. At these
meetings everyone talks and I just sit and
record what is happening. h:veryone knows
I'm there but they more or less ignore me,
which is good. But all of that changed when I
joined the recreation committee - people ac-
tually ask for my opinion? I'm still not com-
pletely comfortable with that.
Just about everyone I know has asked me
if I'm changing my name, and by the in-
troduction of this column, you can tell the
answer is yes. Can you imagine telling peo-
ple you name is Anne Nare•jkoFChisholm'.'
I'd certainly be asked to repeat that and
spell it.
And for some reason I don't just want to
leave it as Narejko. Why, I'm not sure.
I figure the easiest way is to change it,
besides, that's what I want to do anyhow.
Another question I keep getting asked is,
"Are you getting nervous yet'?"
My reply is always the same. "I won't be
nervous until 1 walk into the church that
day." A lot of people have asked how the
wedding plans are going and I tell thein I'll
be glad when it's over so I'll know what I
forgot to do.
With only a few days left, everything is go-
ing very, very smoothly ) cross your.
fingers ). Even the bridesmaids picked out
their dresses without a major battle, and in
what I consider, record time.
The guys all had their tuxedo fittings iii
good time and we even found a tuxedo that
will fit the ringbearer.
The wedding cake is ordered, the other
cake is wrapped, the decorations are ready
to go, we've phoned in the number of guests
for dinner, the alcohol has been ordered,
bartenders arranged, the disc jockey con-
tacted, photographer and video operator
booked, organist and soloist are set, the
readings selected...
There's just one last order I have to hal. c
filled - a sunny not too hot) clay .
ERRLY FILES
5 years ago
September 22, 1982
Four Will Run Despite Long Term - Only
four members of Clinton's nine -member
town council have officially announced they
will he in the running for another term of of-
fice beginning this fall.
Mayor Chester Archibald, Reeve Ernie
Brown, Deputy -Reeve Frank Van Altena
and Councillor Roy Wheeler have advised
the News -Record they will let their names
stand for the November 8 election.
Cable TV For Rural Area Too Costly
Right Now - Rural residents in Huron and
Perth counties will have to continue to do
without the benefits of cable television for
now and the foreseeable future.
Spokesmen from the five cable companies
in the two counties say expanding into the
rural areas is too expensive at this time.
They indicated the number of potential
customers is not great enough to justify in-
curring expansion expenses.
Fresh -Air Freaks Meet - On Sunday,
September 12 the Fresh -Air Freaks had
their meeting at ,Jodi's house. A lady came
to take pictures of members flying their
kites before everyone was there. When she
left, the president opened the meeting with
the 4-H pledge.
After everyone went inside and did the
bell ringing contest while their mothers sat
outside and talked.
10 years ago
September 22, 1977
French Atmosphere Sought - The Huron
County Board of Education decided last
week to accept an offer from the Ministry of
Education to equip one classroom in each
elementary school in the county as a French
language classroom. Th.e decision will not
cdst the board anything since the Ministry of
Education is increasing the support for the
teaching of French as a second language.
Director of Education. John Cochrane,
told the board that the ministry offered
grants for the classrooms paying 100 per
cent of the cost up to $1,000,
Stanley To Appoint inspector - Stanley
Township is going to hire a building inspec-
tor. It is expected that an appointment will
be made sometime in the next two weeks.
At its Thursday night meeting council
defined the duties of the prospective
employee, but did not decide definitely
whether he would work full time or part
time.
Vandals To Repay - Clinton Council last
week agreed with Police Chief Lloyd
Westlake's recommendation to seek restitu-
tion from 10 juvenile boys in town who van-
dalized one of the town's parking meters.
Mayor Harold Lobb said that the parents
of one of the youths had already promised
the chief to pay for part of the $254 cost to
repair the motor, and no charges will he laid
against the rest of the nine boys, should full
payment be made to the town.
25 years ago
September 20, 1962
Clinton To Blyth Road Soon To Be Paved -
From the office of the Hon. Charles S. Mac -
Naughton, MPP, Exeter, comes word that a
Windsor firm will be laying the hot mix pav-
ing ) base course i on Highway 4, north of
Clinton to Blyth.
The Marentette Bros. Limited filed the
low tender on this job, which involves a nine -
mile stretch of paving. Indications are that
the work will be proceeded with in the
"reasonable near future."
Ellwood Epps Opening Orillia Store Satur-
day - This weekend is an important one for
sports enthusiasts, and friends of Mr. and
Mrs. Ellwood Epps. Long known for their
wholesale sporting goods business, across
Canada, and for their shop here in Clinton,
this popular couple is now opening a second
store near Orillia.
Situated on Highway 11, just six miles
north of the Orillia bypass, the shop 70 X 40
will be known as Ellwood Epps Northern
Ltd. The location was chosen with the nor-
thern Ontario tourist trade in mind.
Funds Needed Urgently To Pay For
Hospital Wing - "Everything else is secon-
dary in importance," stated E. B. Menzies
on Monday night during the regular session
of Clinton Hospital Board. "We must get our
funds campaign rolling, and do so at once."
His urgent statement followed a lengthy
session during which the Board considered
saving some expense by not making certain
alterations in the present building (even
though these alterations had been approv-
ed and a discussion about purchasing
equipment for the new wing.
50 years ago
September 23, 1937
Old Culvert Discovered - During opera-
tions in the excavating work on Albert
Street for the underground conduit wiring
for Hydro and Telephone transmission
workmen uncovered a cedar log culvert. At
first, some of the bystanders thought it
might be part of the old Corduroy road, but
on further examination, it was discovered to
be a culvert of this road, which was in use
about 100 years ago. The culvert was bet-
ween three and four feet below the surface.
Returns After Absence Of 50 Years - Mr.
James Croft, Augies, Michigan was in twon
last week renewing acquaintances after 50
years absence. Many changes have taken
place in the period which has elapsed, and
several industries which were thriving then
have closed down.
In those days Clinton boasted nine hotels.
and all made a living. Mr. Croft's father
worked at Schoenhals mill when it was a
whiskey distillery, and across the road was
a carding mill which did a good business.
Dance Postponed - The Young Liberal
Association have indefinitely postponed
their dance which was to have been held in
the Badminton Rooms on Friday the 24, due
to the prevalence of infantile Paralysis.
The Young i,iberals are anxious to co-
operate with the Medical Officer of Health
on this occasion.
75 years ago
September 26, 1912
Bought Stock - Messrs. J. E. Hovey and W.
S. R. Holmes have bought out Mr. W. A. Mc-
Connell's stock of drugs and sundries and
are this week taking stock with a view to
having the goods removed to their respec-
tive places of business. It is understood that
Mr. McConnell intends going to California
where his people reside. .
They Look Fine - Mr. John Rice of
Bowmanville, who was in town for a few
days of the past week, said of the Clinton
streets: "They are certainly fine and con-
vince every visitor that the citizens of the
old town are progressive."
Mr. John Croll of Galt said yesterday:
"Now that I have seen Clinton's new streets
I am satisfied that all the nice things The
News -Re ord has been saying about them
were jteltified. The appearance of your
streets are proof to me that Clinton is up-to-
date and with lots of vim and snap."
Little Locals- Mr. 1. Barr of Rattenbury
Street had the town waterworks installed in
his cottage this week.
Mr. Albert Morrell of Albert street has
been having his residence treated to a new
coat of paint, which adds greatly to its
appearance.