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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Wingham Advance Times, 1995-08-23, Page 44 -, f ngijant bbante -Brite Published each Wednesday at: Box 390, 5 Diagonal Road, Wingham, Ontario Phone (519) 357-2320 Fax (519) 357-2900 J.W. Eedy Publications Ltd. Second Class Mail Registration No. 0821 We are: Jim Beckett - Publisher Audrey Currie - Manager Cameron J. Wood - Editor Cathy Hendriks - Ad. Sales Stephen Pritchard - Production Jim Brown - Reporter Margaret Stapleton -Reporter Eve Buchanan - Office Louise Welwood - Office J;p Y'r'lr' V Z CL O Member of: OCNA CCNA The Wingham Advance -Times is a member of a family of community newspapers providing news, advertising and information leadership. Letters Policy All letters to the editor must bear the writer's name, telephone num- ber and address. The Advance -Times wel- comes letters. We re- serve the right to edit, but will endeavor to preserve the author's intent. Deadline for letters is Monday before 10:00 a.m. Some exceptions ma Fax 519 557-2900 or mail to: P.0, Box 390, Wingham, Ontario NOG 2W0 Editorial fiewpoint Is it council's place to speak Council, to most, means government representation at the municipal level. Their tasks range from plan- ning and urban development to the small tasks of setting by-laws dealing with the soils of the domestic an- imal kingdom. But is it council's position to debate issues before the Ontario courts? Some say no. Realistically, it isn't ethical for elected officials to speak out on court matters unless they are privy to information beyond the public realm. Traditionally in Ontario, politicians who have en- dorsed positions in court cases have emerged wiping egg from their elected brow: i.e. former Premier Bob Rae and Shelley Martel, Evelyn Gigantes, Will Ferguson, Mike Farnan, etc. Some, like Premier Rae, maintained their position, others imply chalked it up to experience and moved on. In Wingham, council recently debated the current child abuse case before the courts that has everyone in town talking. As citizens, it's hard to find blame with them for simply following a trend. We all want to as- sume one party is more innocent than another. Yet, as elected officials, assuming a stance can be a dangerous precedent. For example, would council be as willing to endorse the position of the accused and their employer, if for ex- ample that person was charged with a minor crime — shoplifting, parking infractions, allowing said ddrnestic animal soil certain properties without stooping and scooping? Or how about a workers' compensation case against a Local employer? Most likely, council would leave the debate for the water cooler crowd and get on with the business at hand as they shot Id. Further to that, one should also have the facts on hand prior to suggesting council assume a position. Currently, the facts before the public are being viciously contested — but not yet in court. How can one assume a stand with- out evidence to support it? Despite the sensational nature of this current case, council should refrain from debating the issue in open session. Time' there is more appropriately deemed for mattei-s that concern those whom they represent, not mat- ters before the court that do not pertain specifically to town business. To place the blame for these matters on one agency or another is not a practice council should consider as town • business. The province, through the Crown Attorney, will proceed with determining what is fact and what is fiction. Appropriately so, council saw better and took no action. — CJW Mar' A reason to smile `Wingham Has anyone noticed how great the local parks have been looking this past summer? The staff tending to our green spaces certainly deserve a big smile this summer.. AUGUST 1948 Richard Roberts, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. A. Roberts of town, has opened a Toronto law office on Eglington Ave. W. with a part- ner. George Herman (Babe) Ruth, • who had been the living symbol of the game of baseball, died re- cently in New York: Most Ameri- can schoolboys would rather be a Babe Ruth than president and the legend of "The Babe" will attract more boys to serious efforts in baseball than any other factor. Mr. and Mrs. P. D. McLean, Belgrave, wish to announce the engagement of their daughter, Mary Margaret Corinne to Wil- liam Arthur Lediet, son of Mr. and Mrs. J. D. Lediet. Agricultural science has been added to the course of study at Wingham and District High School. Maurice V. Smith, BSA, a graduate of the University of Guelph, will teach the course. The Bluevale Creamery busi- ness has been purchased by Don Robertson of Wingham and his brother-in-law, Archie Parker of Galt. Mr. Robertson, who also manages "The Ranch Boys", plans to continue with the orches- tra. George Thomson, present owner, has operated the creamery for 15 years and will surrender possesion on Sept. 15. AUGUST 1961 The pops 'cs: Don Messer show drew 1,800 to Wingham as part of Frontier Days. Other events in- cluded a parade, midway and CKNX Barn Dance. Among the children receiving prizes for cos- tumes in the parade were: Anne Henderson, Pamela Templeman, Douglas Elliott, Anne Welwood, Randy Hafermehl, Sheila Crew - son and Judy Reid, Rodney Fur - with Margaret Stapleton A reception and dance will be held in the Bluevale Community Hall on Friday night for Mr. and Mrs. Keith Moffatt (nee Marg Ja- mieson). Several young people took part m a five -mile marathon swim last. week in town. Ken Vanstone came in first with a time of three hours, 45 minutes. Marilyn Riley was second and Tommy Irwin of Alliston, third. AUGUST 1971 Leslie Thompson of Minnie Street in Wingham shot an albino groundhog while hunting with Brad King, Bill and Dave Met- calfe on the Metcalfe farm, Con. 10 of Turnberry Township. The animal was put in the family freezer until Les could make ar- rangements to have it stuffed and mounted. Mr. and Mrs. Henry "Scotty" Ross of Scott Street in Wingham celebrated their 60th wedding an- niversary at an open house for family and friends. Allan Glenn Adams, 17 -year- old son of Mr. and Mrs. Allan Ad- ams, Wroxeter, died as the result of a tragic single -car accident last Saturday. Turnberry council has appoint- ed William Cruikshank and Don- ald Eadie to the Wingham plan- ning board. Morris Reeve Bill Elston and Stewart Procter will represent that township. AUGUST 1981 ervice can be trimmed in 'sev- areas to cut costs, but three- rters of the existing rail freight ork in the midwestern Onta- Bruce region should be re- ed to meet preseht and future s. This is the recommenda- of a just -released study on service in the region. me Hamilton of Wingham a hole -in -one on number two ay at the Wingham Golf eral qua netw no- tion need tion rail ness, Bob and John Broome, Mar- had Lo ilyn and Sandra Tiffin and Lynda Sund Aitchison, Club DISNEY TAKES MERCHANDISL The infamous Dakin St. an Back some years ago, during a more rebellious stage in hu- man development, a tiny war raged on a quiet, developing street in a quiet developing city in Southwest- ern Ontario. It was a major clash between two raging factions of bikers.. There wasn't any rocket -launcher attacks on the clubhouse during my days with the Dakin Street gang - a row- dy bunch of pedal -pushers, wrought with pre -pubescent bravado and an intense desire to protect out turf. Nor was there talk of Hell's Angels mo - vin' in. `Words like them' were only met with a savorous mouthful of Zest, courtesy of the household ma- tron - Big Momma. In fact, so filled with machismo were we, that spittin' became a hab- it. Spittin' in the community pool,.at the clubhouse, as we rode en masse through our neighborhood - but nev- er on your own driveway. Apparent- ly household matrons didn't view spittin' any different than swearin'. This gang of nine hooligans was close-knit: dreadfully loyal during those dog days of a city August. Summer had made us hard and un- motivated. We were so cool in our cutoff jean shorts and white and blue North Star running shoes that only kids past senior public school dared to mess with us. Our attitude grew more ugly with each sweaty summer day. Soon we were too cool to do anything: everything was 'stoopid', In fact, the only acceptable behavi- our in the gang was to point out The Outer Edge Cameron J. WOOD more 'stoopid' things each day. Our reputation preceded us every- where we went. It was hard not to, notice this mass of bikers, pedalling down the empty street, baseball cards pinned precariously to the rear forks of our iron horses, creating a flap that echoed our dreams of own- ing monster Harley Davidsons. We were a tough bunch, the meanest, of who was Janice. Hard- ened by her days in suburbia, she could lick any guy in the eighth grade. Having Janice in our gang en- sured our safe passage through the neighborhood - and a definite asset when confronted by neighboring bike gangs. At the time, I even thought Janice was tougher than my mom...at least until she hit puberty, then it all changed. Janice didn't want to fight anymore. She eventually turned in her baseball card flapper in favour of trendy blue eyeshadow. Long before the current biker war in Toronto became a public interest, the Dakin St. gang led the western world in the most ferocious, bitter battle between turf -owners in the province - or so we thought at the time anyway. • The infamous feud started over tree that sat so geographically cert tral in the neighborhood park, one street owned half the limbs and fal- len leaves, the other street the same only opposite. The fact that the tree was of the crabapple family made matters worse. Our Dakin St. gang claimed own- ership of the fallen fruit (hey, we were 11, we thought it was fruit). Unfortunately, so did the Culham Dr. ruffians - our nearest rivals for domination of the total neighbor- hood. They were an ugly, `stoopid' bunch..but a heck of a lot bigger than us; with the exception of Janice. Like most of us, they were afraid of her too. The feud began simply - over fal- len crabapples on a hot summer af- ternoon. What happened remains in dispute. Like Oka, no one is sure who fired the first shot. But Janice took it right under where blue eye - shadow would soon rest like some paint by numbers creation. It was an ugly, vicious brawl. Crabapples flew like locust setting on a prairie wheat field. In the end there were blackened eyes, small red swells all over the body and a new understanding of turf. The battle had to be called on account of supper - even hooligans need their sustenance - but the street bore witness to the ferocity of the day: smeared crabap- ples, spit and tattered baseball cards. Finally, after a surnmer of finding out how `stoopid' summer was, we ad our cure. a h Interestrou s gfacingbrickwall TORONTO - Ontarians are ready to , cuts that 'destroy teacher morale.' A march as never before, but -'hey may run up against a brick wall in the • .1;ts ; man has been arrested in. Harris's Fy ?3, ome area of North Bay and charged Mike Hams government. 4'nj ::r;.; ham,' y Demonstrations against the Pro- 7%. % '•;threatening premier's life, ' with the gressive Conservative premier and fearly in a government's existence for his cuts in welfare, housing and oth-such animosity. , er services have been common since .�' /rr'�i::��>.;. The protesters are more numerous the day he was sworn in and even �lr®3,vf 'S Park than a government normally faces civil disobedience is being threat- because of the wide range of resi- ened. That first demo greeting new dents affected joined by others who cannot stand by and see the poor and good Tory is a suppository' broke ministers with signs like 'the only with Eric Dowdsay they will not lose personally but with tradition, because critics nor -services hurt. They have been urged malty give a government more time subjected to pickets. on at times.by stridenby.'`inclhding to prove itself. The coalition also says it will 'do', the Toronto Star's claim Harris is what it takes' to prevent cuts includ- 'class cleansing,' evoking images of Among many demos since, disap- ing pointed public housing applicants the province ungovming the ernable and going massacres B tHarrisBosnia. also is getting a lot of pitched tents at a cancelled project to jail if necessary. y cuts. and childcare workers and parents The envirencouragement to stand bhis onmental group Earth- His popularity in polls has risen as angry at lack of funds took their tod- roots says it will try to stop logging he has spelled them out and many dlers to picket a car dealership and mining in the Temagami wilder- have written to newspapers urging owned by Transportation Minister ness, which Hams favours, by 'in- him not to back down. Some recall Al Palladini. One 'embarrass Harris' ventive tactics' that may include ha- tough times when they managed on mier as Hitler and a bystander who rally featured a caricature of the pre- rassing and blocking access. little money by being thrifty, deplore The Ontario Federation of Labor current 'whining and self-pity' and thought this exaggerated was hit is urging 'a groundswell of opposi- even propose Harris supporters stage with a sign. tion' and offering to work with simi- counter -demos. The Ontario Coalition Against larly-minded anti -poverty groups, Mass demonstrations by outsiders Poverty is calling for a 'provincial farmers, students, churches which have not much swayed recent pre - day of action' when the legislature have complained, environmentalists miers including New Democrat Bob resumes on Sept 25 on which it and others. The Canadian Union of Rae who was harassed oddly by both hopes residents will walk off their Public Employees warns it will not Bay Street brokers and disappointed jobs. allow a repeat of Alberta, where a unionists and Tory William Davis Its members will get a glimpse of right-wing government 'knocked out who watched four union leaders who how the well-heeled live by march- the unions before they knew what crossed him go to jail. ing on the swanky home of multi- happened.., be prepared for some big This time they will be challenging millionaire Lieutenant -G al fights down the road.' The Public an enormously popular premier who Jackman because he signs the order Service Employees Union. will,fight has just swept an election -- they which cuts cheques, the first holder 'government by amputation' and the may hardly put him off his golf of the largely ceremonial office to be Public School Teachers Federation swing. At, �r�