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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Goderich Signal-Star, 1984-12-26, Page 1i4iroderic SIGNAL - a ESi' ALIII. Rcp,sror3 comm 1 miry NEWSPAPER IN CI NA®A [Circulation 0070 500 - 4500) 0.0 .N.4. Better Newspaper Competition 1984 136 YEAR -52 GODERICH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 26, 1984 The annual Christmas party for long stay patients at Alexandra Marine and General Hospital was held last Thursday afternoon. There were balloons, clowns, music, dancing and ice cream. The Xi Delta Epsilom, Exemplar Degree of Beta Sigma Phi Sorority donated gifts for the occasion. Santa Claus is shown here delivering one of these gifts to pa- tient Sam Gibson. With Sam is his friend, two-year-old Angela Martin. (Photo by Joanne Buchanan) 50 CENTS PER COPY New Year's Eve Don't drive your car, call a taxi for a free ride At,torney-general addresses localdelegates in Goderich of the respondents with McMurtry second with 13 8 per cent. Industry Minister Frank Miller third 111 per cent} and ; '1'imbrell in fourth i 10.2 per cent 1. of tho,e polled. more than 42 per cent did not know who their choice was. However, another survey, which polled delegates, suggests that the leader is Miller followed by Timbrell, Grossman and McMurtry. , McMurtry, ttie 52 year-old Attorney - genera I, who represents the Toronto riding of Eglinton, has been a centra! figure in the case of I)r. henry Morgentaler, who runs an abortion clinic in Toronto. •I'his week a warrant was issued for the ar rest of 1)r. Morgentaler just six weeks after he was acquitted by a Toronto jury. '1.1rMurtry has appealed that jury acquittal and said further criminal proceedings would be a waste of money at this time. Turn to page 2 Attorney -general Roy McMurtry was the second of four candidates vying r the leadership of Ontario Pr ogre',. ee Con ser\ ative Party to visit the riding of • Huron -Middlesex. • On the heels of a visit by Treasu erg. Larry Grossman last. Friday evenin McMurtry's campaign rolled into town Thursday as tie addressed 'several riding delegates and alternates at a special Goderich luncheon. While the campaign to elect the next pre mi r of Ontario has been sluggish to date, the pace is expected to pick up after Christmas as three all -candidates debates are sheduled before the 1.700 delegates choose a party leader. 'rhe convention is scheduled to take place in Toronto ,January 24-20, 1985. The study of the leadership race reveals a political dichotomy. A poll conducted . recently suggests that Ontarians favor, Grossman over the other three candidates. Grossman was the, choice of 18.7 per cent PUC buys land from town The Goderich Public Utilities Commis- sion has purcchased four acres of lard on Parsons Court From the Town of Gode ich. for the construction of a new water reser- voir. The commision paid the town $20.000 for the land. The commission also accepted a tender from Blue Can Construction, London, to do the servicing on the reservoir project for $87,469.00. The tender was the lowest of nine received. The highest tender, of $121,549, was submitted by Elgin Con- struction, from St. Thomas. The contract calls for the construction of 160 metres pc sanitary sewer, 200 millimetres in diameter; 135 metres of storm sewer, 450 millimeters diameter: 128 metres of watermain. 400 millimetres diameter and 150 metres of gravel road - New Year's Eve. For many people, New Year's Eve tradi= tionally means getting together with fami- ly or a group of friends for a party. Or perhaps a group will attend a dance . Invariably, a whether it's a New Year's Eve house party or a dance, you and your friends will drink to just about anything, celebrating the conclusion of one year and the beginning of another. And after several hours of that kind of celebrating, what with toasting the arrival • of a brand new year at the stroke of mid- night, singing a few off-key bars of Auld Lang Syne and kissing everyone, you start to feel pretty good. A few more drinks for the road and it's time to go home. This year, instead of hopping in the car or arguing over who has enough control over his or her faculties to drive home, why nut cult a cab. It's the safest and most sensible and responsible thing you could do to start the new year. In fact leave your car at home in the first place. For the eighth year, two Goderich taxi companies, Goderich Taxi and B and 13 Taxi, will be offering free rides within the town limits from 9 p.m. Monday, December 31 to 2 a.m. Tuesday, January 1. The free taxi service is sponsored by several Goderich merchants. So call a cab to go to and from that house party in town, or if need be, leave your car at the end of the night and take the cab homee. If you would like to make use of this free service on New Year's Eve, the numbers to call are 524-6594,524-7305 and 524-9052. If you are hosting a party, it may be wise to have the numbers handy and be sure to call before the 2 a.m. deadline. Hospital denied increased funding for extra workload Some members of the Alexandra Marine and General Hospital Board feel the Ministry of Health is being unfair, by deny- ing the hospital a two per cent funding in- crease, for increased workload activity at the hospital. The hospital did not qualify for the in- creasedespite the fact that figures show a workload increase for the 198.84 fiscal year, over 1982-83_,..��j3c tdhiW8tt for Ken Engelstad inform the board, at their December 17 meeting. The Ministry did not grant the increase, because in 1981- 82, the hospital had a higher activity rate than the present one. The reason for the low activity rate in 1982-83, was the shutdown of a number of beds during construction work in the inten- sive care unit, says Engelstad. "I don't think this is something this board should stand for," said Chairman Bob Dempsey. Dempsey called the Ministry action "counter prod tive". "How can you get an activit increase, if we can't get them to • ': ize a decrease'" asked Dempsey )01 "I don't like to see up ; g by a par- ticularly active year," sai . '•oard member Bruce Potter. Potter also said he would like to see a breakdown of the ministry's definition of what "activity" consists of. Engelstad said he would obtain that infor- mation for the board. Elgelstad also said the hospital will review the figures and decide if there is a basis for an appeal of the decision. STAFFING PROBLEMS There continues to be backlog of patients -\. waiting for treatment in the hospital's physiotherapy department. There are 52 people currently on the waiting list, it was reported at the meeting. The reason for the backlog is a lack of manpower, a1 situation that has existed in the department ILA Solite Lune. An investigation of the department showed it is operating efficiently, said Dr. Michael Conlon "It's a question of more hours and more hands," says Dr. Conlon. It would be impossible to put more pa- tients through the department and still maintain the same level of service, said Don Neal, president of the medical staff. "Because of financial constraints, our department works at a pace that allows us to do excellent work," said Dr. Don Neal. Any increase in patient volume, would result in a lower level of service, he added. "Do you shove people through and pro- vide sub -optimal service?" asked )?r. Neal. Engelstad said he would arrange for a consultant from the Ministry of Health to 'study the situation in the physiotherapy department. The Ministry may have a solution," he said. Meanwhile, another staffing problem at the hospital is one step closer to resolution. Engelstad said the hospital has received another application for the position of speech pathologist. The hospital has been conduction a province -wide search for someone to fill the vacant post. INSPECTION REPORT The hospital has received a report from the Public Institution Inspection Panel, which recently examined the hospital. The panel recommended: improved lighting in the boiler room; increased storage space in the intensive care unit and the paediatric area and installation of a fire alarm in the ambulance garage. The hospital was aware of all these situations prior to receiving the report and solutions are in the works for all of them. said Engelstad. Happy New Year to all While some may have entered the ominous year of 1984 with trepidation in light of George Orwell's book by the same name, the fruits of his fertile imagination did not, thankfully, materialize. We can all but put a historical note on the year 1984 and look forward to 1985. • The management and staff of the Goderich Signal -Star would like to wish all its readers and advertisers a most pro- sperous and enjoyable new year. We hope that 1985 will be a year of joy and hap- piness for you and your family. The January 2 edition of the Signal -Star will be published Friday, December 28 and all deadlines for classified and display advertising and editorial material have been set for noon Friday. The Signal -Star office on Bayfield Road will be open Monday, December 31 but will be closed New Year's Day. The office will reopen Wednesday, January 2. Will proceed with Immersion Althought the numbers aren't official, it looks like the Huron -Perth' Roman Catholic Separate School Board will be go- ing ahead with French .Immersion pro- grams in both Goderich and Stratford. Kindergarten registration in the two communities was held Dec. 10, earlier than usual, to prepare for the possibility of Kindergarten to Grade 2 French Immer- sion classes in the two communities. There were 44 Catholic children register- ing for the program in Goderich and six non-Catholic children. The French Immer- sion class in Goderich will be held at St. Mary'sSeparate School. In Stratford, there were 35 Catholic children and 16 non-Catholic children. St. Michael's Separate School is expected, although it's not officially confirmed, to house the French...mmersion program in Stratford. The . enrolment of the non-Catholic children in the French Immersion pro- gram is not definite until approved by the board sometime next year. I` non-Cathc,L• cs wish to attend a Catholic school, they pay a fee of $225 a year per family starting Sept. 1, 1985. The rate will increase to $300 a year per family in September of 1986. The rate is currently $150 a year per familty. However, education taxes from non- Catholics continue to go to public school boards. INSIDE THE Si( -7NAL-STAR v Children visit Maitland' Manor Elsie Jackson, a resident of Maitland Manor nursing home, was delighted to Meet some of tine children from, the town's day nursery when they visited the Manor to sing Christmas songs last Thursday afternoon In the photo at left, Elsie shakes hands with Scott Corrigan. At right, Scott, Jennifer H Christmas. (Pitokotkby Joan J.lton and Armanda Scott gather round to wish her a Merry Buchanan) More concerts Christmas concerts continued this week at area elementary schools. Inside the Signal -Star, are pictures of many of the skits and chorus acts seen this 'c ek. Student cur n Every Wednesday, area secondary and elementary school students gather at the Maitland Country Club rink to have some fun and learn the skills of curling. Details and photos inside New Year's stories A new year is upon us once again. The Signal asked some local elementary school students what they forsee in the coming year and their answers provide an interesting insight. Stories inside.