HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1984-10-24, Page 1pct turns out o be salesman
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Reports that a upped wanted in
connection* . , the death of a'nine--year
old Toronto rl was seen in Goderich
proved false police:cblef Pat King reported
Monday,
Police were on the .alert Friday after two
store clerks reported they' saw a man
fitting the description of Dennis.Melvyn
Howe, 44, in the town's, ooze area. Howe is
wanted 'in conneetion with the death of
Sharin Morningstar Keenan who was
found in a refrigerator..February 1983 in a
roominghouse in Toronto, ten days after
she was reported missing from a
playground near her home.
While two local store clerks were
positive they had seen Howe a travelling
salesman from Stratford reported' to the
London OPP detachment Monday after
reading a report in the London Free Press,
The saleman said his car matched the
description in the paper.
The man, who asked that police not
reveal his mime, believed 'he may have
been mistaken ,dor Howe. late admitted to
visiting several stores on The Square
Friday and oWhed a station wagon, with a
dent, that matched the description
supplied by the clerks.
Chief King told the press Monday that
the matter was a case of mistaken
identity.
"The matter was cleared up Monday
morning: A salesman read the article in
ioaeric
136 YEAR -43
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the paPer, contacted the OPP in London
and was stwe he was the man the women
saw In town," he said, "He was in
Goderich Friday, visited several stores
and bears a resemblance to Howe. He
owned an ae, pamarine station wagon and
was starting to grow a beard."
The death of Keenan. in February 1983
launched a massive manhunt for a
suspect, Howe. Ati'nost 22 months later
police are Oti1l looking for the suspect and
have recently re -issued wanted posters of
Howe and every television and police
station in the province has a copy of a
videotape of the suspect that asks for
public assistance.
A Canada -wide warrant has been issued
for the arrest of Howe on a charge of first-
degree murder and Toronto police have
offered a $100,000 reward for information
leading to his arrest.
Chief King said two women reported
seeing a man that fit Howe's description in
the core area Friday afternoon. They had
seen pictures of the suspect on television
and were positive he was in Goderich after
reviewing police videotapes at the station.
The women gave police a description of
the car -a greenish blue station wagon with
a dent in the rear -and the information was
forwarded to the OPP and local municipal
forces.
The Metro Toronto Police Force has
Turn to page 5 •
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NAL -ST
GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 24, 1984
50 CENTS PER COPY
Christmas Country Fair
Peek-a-boo. This baby had a perfect view of the many crafts featured at Colborne
Township's 18th annual Christmas Country Fair held at Saltford Valley Hall last Wednes-
day, Saturday and Sunday. The Fair was sponsored by the Blue Water Chapter, Order of the
Eastern Star, No. 284, Goderich. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan)
Polio force gets good
rating in inspection
The Goderich . Police' orce is a meld of
persons dedicated to se g • the citizens of
Goderich a services p icer with the On-
tario Police Co
in an annual inspeetito , :: -port.
In an report to the G,erich Police Com-
mission, I.C. Alexander, Services Officer
with , the OPC concluded that both the
police and civilian .personnel of the
Goderich Force had a'keen interest in the
community.
That interest translated into a smooth
and efficient department. Members of the
Goderich Police Commission recieved the
report and commented on the good rela-
tionship that existed between the chief and
the department.
"The report found things in good stan-
ding," Alvin McGee told the commission.
u.• 4`ft
spealta. well of„the.•.c,Xrief,.and the force.,,,
Ol he1 dread these hi'sj coons. But it(the
report) speaks well. of the small force and
the management of it."
Formalized inspections are conducted
annually of municipal police forces in ac-
cordance with policy established by the
OPC.
In the report, Alexander suggested that
relationships within the board were good
and that "the chief's relationship with the
n (OPC) reported
Wooden toys for boys and girls were featured at Colborne Township's 18th annual Christmas
Country Fair held at Saltford Valley Hall last Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday. Here, one
of the many people attending the Fair, checks out a doll house on display. (Photo by Joanne
board is very good."
"I was impressed with the interest
shown by both board members in the
management of the police force," the
report read.
A report with respect to interviews o
both civilian and uniform personnel read:
"Morale is very good. An excellent rapport
exists betweenmembers. Negotiations
between the Association and the Board
proceed amicably."
Alexander found that Chief King has
delegated areas of responsibility to each
uniform member of the force and it is up to
the. officers to ensure their area is
operating effectively and efflfiently.
Mayor Eileen Palmer said she was
pleased the report stressed "the relation-
ship between the chief, the board and the
men. It shows mutual respect and that.
Brier f cur icetiort:'areopen.'"
McGee commented that the communica-
tion in Goderich was not found in many
departments across the country.
Alexander did make two recommenda-
tions to the commission in the annual
report, namely; the adoption of a records
retention schedule exclusive to the
Goderich Police Force and the adoption of
a three-part property receipt -tag and pro-
perty procedures.
PUC projects $316,000
for 1985 capital costs
The Goderich Public Utilities Commission
has approved a projected capital expenses
budget of $316,000, for the 1985 fiscal year.
Approval for the projection, which includes
an estimated $200,000 for replacement of the
Picton Street sub -station, was given by
commissioners at their October 18 meeting.
The projected budget, which PUC
Chairman Herb Murphy emphasized is not
an approval for specific projects, will be
passed on to Ontario Hydro, for rate
structure assessment.
The commission has reserve funds, on
term deposits, totalling 196,400, which with
further interest and additional installments,
will total over $200,000, by January, 1985. It's
is from these reserve funds, that the money
for the Picton Street sub -station will come.
"So it (the sub -station) will not have an
effect on our rate structures," said Murphy.
"Electrically, the station is antiquated
and should have been replaced about two
years ago," said Gary Graham, PUC line
superintendent.
The proposal for the substation includes
upgrading the transformers, which Graham
said, are overloaded and converting the
protective structure around the equipment
from a box -style, to bungalow -style
structure.
Other major items on the projection
include $30,000 for upgrading of sub -station
transformers and $5,000, for office
equipment purchases.
NEW VEHICLE
In other business, the commission
approved purchase of a new vehicle, for use
by meter readers and for out-of-town travel
by commissioners and PUC employees
After soliciting tenders from local
automobile dealers, the commission
accepted a tender from Goderich Auto Sales
and Service, a local Nissan dealer. The
dealer submitted the lowest tender, of $8,498
for a Nissan mini -pickup truck, with King
Cab.
The vehicle is a replacment for a the 1981
Acadian, owned by the PUC, which was
damaged in an accident about two months
ago. The commission originally planned to
replace the vehicle with a mini -van, but the
cost proved prohibitive.
Insurance on the damaged vehicle will
pay $5,400 twoard the purchase of the new
vehicle.
Commission wants OPP
to do breathalyzer work
The Goderich Police Commission will
continue to prevail upon the services of the
Goderich Detachment of the OPP rather
than train a local officer in breathalyzer
duties.
The commission made the ruling at its
regular meeting Tuesday after Chief Pat
King suggested Constable K. Brownlee at-
tend a two-week breathalyzer course at the
Forensic Science Centre in Toronto. In a
report to the commission, Chief King said
the Goderich force does not have an officer
trained in such procedures and that the
local OPP are experiencing problems in
handling Goderich cases.
Chief King said he was asked by Sgt.
Donatis of the OPP if the local force could
have a man trained for breathalyzer
duties. The OPP have three trained of-
ficers but Chief King said two of the men
are seeking relief from that duty.
Commission members felt that Con-
stable Brownlee would be taken from nor-
mal duty too often if he was involved in
breathalyzer duties.
"The OPP are at our disposal and we
could make a mistake by having a man
available," Alvin McGee said. "If the of -
as well. They (OPP) have more manpower
4
and money and we should use their exper-
tise and cost."
While all members of the Goderich force
are trained on the portable roadside
ALERT marchines, breathalyzer tests
must be taken at the OPP station south of
town. Mayor Eileen Palmer suggested
that breathalyzer duties would leave the
force vulnerable.
"If Constable Brownlee is doing breath
tests it could leave us vinerable," she said.
The commission did approve four train-
ing courses for personnel in the coming
year.
Sergeant Gerry Hilgendorff will attend a
three-week crime prevention course at the
Ontario Police College to assist the chief in
crime prevention progams.
Clasina Bondrager will attend a three-
week police' communicators course at the
Ontario Police College. Bondrager is the
new chief dispatcher.
Chief King will attend a senior officer
training seminar for four days at the On-
tario Police College and Constable M. Af-
fleck will attend a three-week advanced
training course in Aylmer. The course is
designed for officers who have
not receiv-
year period.
4
Turn clocks
back one hour
While the weather the past few weeks
has not held any promise of the cold,
blustery weather that usually invades this
time of year, the calendar has signalled an
end to Daylight Saving Time.
Officially, Daylight Saving Time ends
Sunday, October 20 at 2 a.m.
Readers are dutifully reminded to tufitd
their clocks back one hour Saturday
evening or Sunday morning before going to
bed.
The return to Standard Time means it
will he getting dark by 6 p.m. each
evening.
With the end of Daylight Saving Time,
can the bleak and blustery days of winter
be far behind?
Petition on
death penalty
available here
The recent deaths of several policemen
in Ontario has prompted many Canadians
to ask the federal government to
reconsider its stand on the death penalty.
More -and more people are urging
government officials to either reinstate
capital punishment or to hold a public
referendum on the issue.
Subsequent to the unfortunate shooting
death of OPP Constable Jack Ross outside
a Woodstock home recently, a petition has
originated in that city that petitions the
House of Commons to either hold a free
vote of its members on the issue of
reinstating capital punishment for the
murder of police officers, prison guards
and other peace officers, or to hold a public
referendum on the issue. The petition
suggests that a referendum would ensure
that the will of the majority of Canadians
would be expressed.
The Goderich Police Association has
received a number of the petitions and
they will be placed in many business in the
core area aas well at town hall and the
police station on West Street.
The petition, which is addressed to the
clerk of the House of Commons, ask for a
signature, address and phone number. The
petition will be forwarded by the Goderich
Police Association.
Star features
special section
Over the past decade, consumers and
homeowners have been duly conscious of
energy conservation.
Escalating prices of fuel oil, gas and
electricity have led people to be more
energy conscious and efficient. Getting
{b9u e§, ready. int t, d,otlslaught oL.winter,is• --
a job that should considered seriously
within the next few weeks.
The temperature has been warm enough
lately for homeowners to complete
weatherstripping and caulking chores to
seal homes. Those warm days may be
numbered however.
This week the Signal -Star is pleased to
feature a special 12 -page supplement
dealing with energy conservation in the
home. The tabloid edition deals with such
timely topics as solar heating, tips on
home energy savings, articles on home
energy management and home energy
planning systems, tips on draftproofing,
stories on the use of heat pumps and much
more.
INSIDE THE
SBWNAL-STAT 1
Senior girls win
The GDCI Senior girls Vikings basketball
team racked up another victory in Huron -
Perth action this week, beating Exeter
South Huron by a convincing 59-24 tally.
Story and Photo in Recreation.
Hockey action
Minor hockey competition continued on
several fronts in Shamrock League play
this week. Displayed in the Recreation sec-
tion are stories from games in several divi-
sions and photos of action in the Atom