HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1981-04-29, Page 1the
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WEDNESDAY, APRIL 29, 1981
50 CENTS PER COPY
Stacey Ward was crowned queen of the GDCI queen Sharon Burbine. The other candidates in -
Spring Prom Friday at midnight by last year's , eluded Debbie Bedard and Brenda Feagan at left
and Ginette Richard and Connie de Haas at the right
of the photo. ( Photo by Dave Sykes )
Hospital budget up 11 per cent
The budget at Alexandra Marine and General
Hospital for 1981-82 will total $4,830,772. That
represents about an 11 percent increase over the
previous year, said board chairman Gordon Crabb at
Monday's regular meeting.
All staff at the hospital including some medical
salaries (consulting radiologist, pathologist etc.) will
account for the largest expenditure, an estimated
$3,387,216 for 1981-82. :.
That's $273,190 more than the approved budget for
wages in 1980-81 and $481,014 more than the actual ex-
penditure for wages in 1979-80.
Employee benefits will cost an estimated $392,300
in 1981-82.
Medical and surgical supplies are expected to cost
$110,000; drugs, $103,000; and supplies and other ex-
penses, $926,875.
Net in-patient operating costs are estimatated at
$4,040,580 for 1981-82. That's a standard ward per
diem rate of $134.69, up more than 10 percent for 1979-
80 when it was $120.06.
Net Ministry liability is $4,618,430. Other income in-
cludes $38,159 from psychiatric out-patient medical
salaries; $169,133 from ambulance costs; and $5,050
from municipal taxes based on $50 per bed for 81 ap-
proved beds.
The hospital board is projecting increased patient
days for 1981-82.
Figures released Monday evening showed that ac -
INSIDE THE
SIGNAL -STAR
Buy a carnation
On Saturday, May 9,
, carnations will be sold
throughout town and the
money will be sent to the
Multiple Sclerosis
Society d Canada for
research. Read about
the most common
nervous system disease
in Canada on page 1A.
Postcard memories
Glen Gardiner, a former Goderich man who
now lives in the,, Toronto area, sent his in-
teresting postcard collection of Goderich days
gone by and included an article about the
collection. Seepage 1A.
Quilts forever
Dorothy Fowler has been making quilts for as
long as she -can remember, and many of her
relatives become the lucky recipients of her
creatons. Story and pictures on page 1A -3A.
Regular Featuie
Tid Bits
Newborns
Editorials
Columns
Obits
Pg. 3 Classified.... Pg. 14-16
Pg. 3 Real Estate .. Pg. 16-17
Pg. 4 13. Board Pg. 5A
Pg.4 Jottings Pg. HA
Pg 6 Church Pg. 9A
'"' il
1�k C. Comet Pg. 14A
I[i.'++�+_
tive beds ran at better than 80 percent occupancy last
year with chronic beds running at better than 121 per-
cent.
During the doctors' report to the board, it was
again pointed out that the shortage of beds at AM&G
is causing grave concern throughout the hospital.
Dr. James Rourke said it is not unusual now to find
five beds in a four -bed room, which taxes both patient
endurance and staff efficiency.
He said some patients have been admitted to
hospital of necessity and left on stretchers in the
emergency room all night because there just were no
beds available.
The doctors have asked that the board encourage
patients who are being discharged from hospital, to
leave by 11 a.m. It is felt this would facilitate the flow
of'patients and improve the bed situation somewhat
on a daily basis.
The doctors also feel that if approval could be ob-
tained for the proposed new intensive care area, addi-
tional space in that facility could be put to good use to
relieve overcrowding.
Some board members are growing more agitated
concerning the government's apparent reluctance to
provide more chronic care beds for patients in this
part of Ontario.
It was learned that Huronview has made applica-
tion for more extended care beds, but thead
ininistrator of AM&G was critical of this move.
"I just can't agree with that concept," said Elmer
Taylor who feels there is a real need to decentralize
the chronic bed facilities in Huron. He feels that
wherever possible, chronic care patients should be
cared for in their own communities.
Beer, money
stolen from arena
Thieves made off with four cases of iseerind more
than $100 in a break-in at the Goderich and Distrkt
Memorial Community Centre Saturday.
Chief King said entry was gained into the building
through a window after 3 a.m. Saturday. Four cases
of beer were taken from the auditorium as well as $30
cash and over $80 WAS taken from a pop machine in
the lobby. No arrests have been made.
On the weekend, police did lay a charge of
dangerous driving against a motorcycle driver who
narrowly missed hitting a girl on The Square Friday.
Police pursued the motorcyclist but gave up the
chase .because -of -the danger it posed.
One person was charged with assault causing
bodily harm following a fight on the weekend; two
people were charged with creating .a'disturbance on
TheSquare and two mischief charges were laid.
Dearborn sale final,
business to reopen
Taylor also said that a representative of the
Ministry will be coming to this area shortly to sit
down with the hospital administrators in Huron and
• Perth•to discuss the'wholihilatter of chi tic care: .
Turn to page 18 •
Funds needed
for new
critical care. unit
The Board of the Alexandra Marine and General
Hospital has appointed a steering committee to
study the feasability of raising $450,000 to con-
struct and equip a four bed critical care unit and
improved day care surgery facilities.
Both these facilities are recognized by the
Ministry of Health as a definite need in this
community.However, the hospital's initial
request for funds has been turned -down by the
Ministry since their capital funds for the next
three years have been committed to other
provincial health care projects.
The steering committee will include Isobel
Sully, Jo Berry, Anna Melski,..Gerry Zurbrigg,.
Jean Adams, Bob Studer, Iain Bain, Bob Dempsey
and Gordon Crabb.
Town granted $40,000 in
1981 for OHRP program
With interest rates reaching record highs, the cost
of housing repairs is sometimes out of the reach of
many homeowners.
But the Ontario Home Renewal Program (OHRP)
can provide grants and low-interest loans to qualified
homeowners, to bring their dwelling up to municipal
standards.
Last week, Housing Minister Claude Bennett an-
nounced that municipalities would receive $3.5
million in grants for the program. The town of
Goderich will receive $40,000 from the ministry for
the administration of the program this ye atr'.
The Ontario Home Renewal Progr'Am is ad-
ministered by the municipality and assists
homeowners to upgrade their homes with emphasis
on faulty structural and sanitary conditions.
Assistance is also available for improvements to
plumbing, insulation and heating and electrical
systems.
The maximum loan available is $7,500 and a portion
of the loan may be forgiven, depending on the ap-
plicants income. Interest rates on the loans range
from zero to a maximum of eight per cent.
Anyone may apply for funding, providing their
annual income, after deductions allowed under the
program, is $15,500 or less. Income will also dictate
the amount of the loan and interest rates.
The town of Goderich has now been granted over
$228,000 through the OHRP program; Last year the
municipality doled out close to $38,000 to help
homeowners prolong the life of their residence.
The OHRP co-ordinator in Goderich is George
Woodall. The coordinator is responsible for obtaining
at least two quotes on every project and seeing that
the work is done to specification.
The objective of the program is to bring dwellings
up to minimum municipal standards as established
by bylaw.
Bikers raise
money in
cancer ride
There were probably cries of "Oh, my achthg
behind!" from 91 people on Monday morning as they
woke up a trifle stiff from their 20 kilometers of
bicycle riding Sunday afternoon.
The hardy folk of all ages that pedalled the
Goderich Great Ride for Cancer under sunny Sunday
skies had over $3,400 pledged. Last year, 144 cyclists
travelled the route and raised about $5,000. The event
is organized yearly by the Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs
of Goderich.
Johanna Gottschalk had $238 pledged and won first
prize for tap pledge -getter. Patty Deveau was a close
second with $228 pledged, and Arlene Molson was
third with $133.
The youngest cycler in the Great Ride was five-
year-old Brett Stiles, son of Bill and Joan Stiles of
Goderich. He rode the entire 20 kilometers with his
mom.
Riders are encouraged to collect theirepledges as
quickly as possible and hand them in at the Bank of
Montreal.
The sale off Dearborn Steel Tubing Manufacturing
Company of Goderich has begin finalized.
Rick Quinney of Peat -Marwick, London said the
operating assets of the company were sold and Caley
Hill of Goderich is president of the new company. The
deal was finalized Monday.
Mr. Hill met with several former- Dearborn em-
ployees in March outlining the new company strategy.
and employment potential.
"We are hoping to achieve a revival and would like
to think we can restore the business. We are op-
timistic," he said. "We are in modest operation this
month Swith 12 employees and tried to offer
reassurance to old employees that jobs would be
there but everything is speculative rihgt now. we
can't promise anything definitely"
The company will now actively sell in the
marketplace, and Hill intimated that Dearborn Steel
Products Inc. would like to diversify in the future. •
The automotive eshaust.equipment manufacturing
company went into receivership : last fall. Peat
Marwick of London acted as manager -receiver for
the Bank of Montreal interests and Laventhal-
Horwath, Toronto acted on behalf of the Canada
Permanent Mortgage and Trust Company, holder of
the first mortgage on the land, buildings and
equipment.
The receivers canvassed a number of potential
buyers and tendered the company assets for sale. At
that time there were 37 hourly and eight salaried
employees at Dearborn.
The sale signals the third chapter in the history of
Dearborn. The company was started in 1958 by the
late Keith Hopkinson and Ralph Hotton. It was later
sold to Bob Brown and John Funk in February,1976.
ichigan man convicted
of murder in wife's death
Gene Woodward, 29, the former husband of a
woman whose body wasfound in. Ashfield. Township.__
last year, was convicted of second-degree murder in
circuit court in Saginaw, Michigan last week.
The conviction followed a three-week jury trial that
began April 7 and Judge Joseph R. MacDonald will
hand down a sentence at a later date. Investigating.
officer,. Constable Gary Martin of the Goderich
detachment of the OPP, was sent to the trial that in-
cluded witnesses from Ontario, Michigan, New York,
Texas and Arizona. -
The Goderich OPP began the murderinvestigatioh
last year after the partially burned body of a woman
was found on Horizon View Road in Ashfield
Township, 25 kilometres north of Goderich. The body
was lying near the roots of an overturned tree, just
one kilometre off Highway 21. I
Police had few leadS to work on except a set of wed-
ding rings found near the body and although the re-
mains were partially burned, a composite sketch of
the woman's face was produced and released for
possible identification.
• The rings were eventually traced to the manufac-
turer in Akron, Ohio with a market area that included
Ohio, Kentucky, Maryland and West ginia. Ttie
sale of the rings was then traced to a jewelry store in
Saginaw and the victim was identified as -Kimberly
Jean Woodward, 24-, of Carollton , Michigan near -
Saginaw. Mrs. Woodward had been reported missing
from her home since February 19.
Following identification of the body, Michigan
police beeame involved in the case and an arrest war-
rant was issued for Gene Woodward, ex husband of
the deeeased. F. M , 4'1114V .
Woodward had 1e# Michigan, travelled to Texas
and then Long Island, New York. He was arrested by -
Nassau County police, at the home of his father. in
Merrick, New York about a month after the body was
discovered. • ' •
• The investigation in Ontario was headed by In-
spector Judson of the OPP. An autopsy was con-
ducted in London and Dr. George Wysocki of the
University of Western Ontario tracked dental charts
of the dead woman before positive identification was
made.
isn't he just the cutest clown you ever saw7 Raye
Armstrong, right, tweeks fellow cycling clown
Barney Purser's cheek before the two Kinsmen set
Otitilirtlie"20`1tiloheter Great Rlffe or Caneer ++undas
afternoon. Over $3,400 was raised by the 91 riders
(Photo by ('nth Wooden)