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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Citizen, 2018-04-26, Page 10• PAGE 10. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, APRIL 26, 2018. Delayed but delightful The Blyth Festival Singers' `May There Always Be Sunshine' concert was postponed earlier this month due to some contrary inclement weather in the form of an ice storm. On Sunday, the group took to the stage alongside special guest flautist Jan Searle to perform the postponed production. (Shawn Loughlin photo) Charges lead to house arrest By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Cody Priestap of Wingham is now facing 90 days of house arrest and two years of probation as a result of a handful of incidents around Wingham last year and early this year. Priestap was in Wingham court on April 19 and pled guilty to five charges, several of them violent. He pled guilty to a charge of assault with a weapon from May 21, 2017, assault on May 23, 2017, failure to comply with the conditions of his probation on May 23, 2017, mischief under $5,000 on July 10, 2017 and break and enter and committing theft from Jan. 28, 2018, all in Wingham. His plea to a charge of mischief was reduced from an accusation of arson and damage to property. Crown attorney Elizabeth Wilson detailed the charges for Judge K. Sherwood, saying that while Priestap did not have a criminal record, he had amassed a number of charges in a short period of time. Wilson said that on May 21, 2017, Priestap and a young person who could not be identified in court were in front of a house shortly after 5 a.m. when they began yelling at a man who was walking to a local convenience store. On his way back, Priestap and his companion confronted the man, making allegations of his criminal past. Wilson described the man as being "challenged" and said he simply attempted to walk away and not engage Priestap and his friend. As he walked away, Wilson said Priestap struck the man on the side of the head with a pool cue, resulting in significant swelling. The man, however, continued to walk away and then reported the incident. Because it was from behind, the victim couldn't testify to who swung the pool cue, but the accomplice fingered Priestap as the one who swung the pool cue, which Priestap admitted. However, through his lawyer, Lynn Johnston, Priestap said he did not strike the man from behind and that they were facing one another at the time. On May 23, 2017, there was an incident at another convenience store in Wingham that involved Priestap and the same young person. The victim, who said he had had run-ins with Priestap in the past, said he was assaulted by the pair completely unprovoked. The victim said that Priestap and his friend saw him in the parking lot of the store and descended upon him, yelling at him and using racial slurs. They both then began attacking him with punches. Wilson said that while Priestap didn't connect with any of his punches, the young person did twice. Priestap was also charged with failing to comply with the terms of his release two days earlier, when he was told to be in good behaviour and keep the peace. In July, a Wingham Police officer was leaving the town's station and noticed several bags of garbage on fire in front of a downtown store. He began attempting to put the fire out himself, but when he was unable to, he called the local fire department to put out the blaze. Priestap and another male were seen in the area at the time and the police officer then began consulting surveillance footage and he felt it showed two young men dressed similarly to Priestap and his friend kneeling beside the bags and setting them ablaze. Johnston said that Priestap did not admit to setting those bags on fire, but instead admitted to setting bags of garbage in a nearby dumpster on fire. Then, on Jan. 29, 2018, Wingham Police were dispatched to the town's library with reports of a break-in. A library employee noticed a broken window and that spare change from the cash drawer in the amount of between $10 and $20 had been stolen. Again, police worked with video from the library and identified Priestap as the perpetrator. Priestap had pled guilty to the four offences from 2017 at a previous session of court. However, because he was up to be sentenced in front of a new judge and wanted his 2018 offence to be grouped in, the court had to strike those pleas and Priestap had to plead again. He pled guilty to all five charges (including the lesser charge of mischief under $5,000 in place of the arson charge) while charges of failing to comply with the conditions of his release and mischief were withdrawn. Sherwood noted a number of factors in Priestap's pre -sentence report, saying that the young man had grown up in difficult circumstances with little stability. He then ordered Priestap to serve 90 days of house arrest, followed by a two-year term of probation. Sherwood told the man that the charges were very serious and that he was lucky that the crown was being so lenient. He also detailed the terms of both the house arrest and probation, instructing Priestap that failure to comply with any of the conditions could very well result in jail time. Letter to the Editor Former reeve calls for solutions THE EDITOR, As former reeve and councillor for the Township of East Wawanosh, I feel obligated to comment on the recent situation discussed by the current Council of North Huron in regards to snow removal in the Village of Blyth. When we amalgamated with Blyth and Wingham, it was understood that each former municipality (Blyth, East Wawanosh and Wingham) would be billed accordingly for the work that was being done, such as snow removal, fixing streets, water services, etc. It seems to me that removing snow when it is required would be more economical than allowing it to accumulate. When people have to exit their vehicles and can't access the sidewalk because of the snowbanks, it becomes a safety issue. In addition, it's my understanding that Wingham still wishes to have its own police force. That is fine, as long as each municipality (i.e. Wingham, East Wawanosh and Blyth) pay for their own police service and having that cost reflected on their tax bill. That should also be reflected for garbage pick-up as well. While I understand that government is cutting back at all times and council is required to keep finding ways of saving money, it seems to me that there must be better ways of cutting costs than by reducing snow removal. Donald Schultz. HE sets universal waste bag tag price By Shawn Loughlin The Citizen Huron East Council has implemented a municipality -wide universal garbage bag tag fee of $2.50 after making changes to waste collection services in Seaforth and Tuckersmith. The universal price represents a decrease in costs for those in Seaforth and Egmondville, who were paying between $3.12 and $3.25 per bag, but an increase for those in Brussels, who had been paying $2 per tag. The rate is in -step with bag tags in Vanastra, which had been $2.50 before the service changes. Changes were made as a result of the closure of Brown's Sanitation, which went out of business in early March, leading municipal staff to scramble in the interim and implement changes to waste management earlier than anticipated. Chief Administrative Officer Brad Knight said that with the closure of the Mid -Huron Landfill slated for July 1, council had been anticipating changes to its waste management practices then. However, with the closure of Brown's, the implementation date has been moved up to May 1, with public works staff helping to bridge the gap in the meantime. Waste Management and the Bluewater Recycling Association (BRA) will continue to combine to provide waste and recycling collection services throughout the municipality. While residents of Seaforth and Tuckersmith had been using bag tags before the switch -over, rural Tuckersmith residents had not been offered waste collection before, only recycling collection. Knight said this will be a new service for those residents, should they choose to utilize it. The changes will also result in a change of collection days for Seaforth and Tuckersmith, which had previously seen their waste collected on Tuesdays and Thursdays, respectively. Now, Knight said, both will have their waste and recycling collected on Fridays. The challenge now, Knight said, will be to have the tags printed. For the time being, existing tags will be accepted, but when the new tags are available, he said he hopes for a changeover process that would see residents hand in their old tags and have them replaced with the new municipal tags. Flyers will be mailed throughout the municipality, Knight said, and will detail where the new tags can be purchased throughout the municipality. Locations where tags can be bought are: Brussels Bulk and Bargain, Brussels Pharmacy and McDonald Home Hardware in the Brussels area; Molesworth Bowling Alley, Old 86 Farmers' Market and The Cowboy Loft in the Grey area; Terry's Family Restaurant in the McKillop area; Seaforth Beckers, GT MiniMart, Shell, UPI and Pete's Paper Clip in Seaforth and TCC (Kippen), Buckey Joe's General Store and the Vanastra Recreation and Day Care Centre in the Tuckersmith and Vanastra communities. In his report to council, Knight said that the budget implications of the changes have yet to be determined. The Waste Management budgets for both Seaforth and Tuckersmith have seen increases of $39,000 and $30,000 respectively as a result of the changes, but he said a number of unknown factors remain this year relating to the closure of the Mid - Huron Landfill. "Waste management/recycling services are area -rated between the wards and any surplus/deficit will be dealt with in future years," Knight said in his report. "The budgets for these two wards [Seaforth and Tuckersmith] should be clearer next year." Council approved Knight's recommendations and implemented a municipality -wide bag tag system with a price of $2.50 per bag tag for all wards. Let us Wash Your Drapes Blyth Laundromat 191 Westmoreland St., Blyth 519-523-9687 Your Local Paper - The Original Social Media! News / Information / Events / Shopping Community / & More Celebrating 301tam iiirestiorqrs The Citizen g,mmd,,m1.1..n N OM AEaN E vents PluMes Community • Shan Posts nle,ciezen Shan.o.myuar,po.t M.m.memCOm..m SeeNi ohm entaho Now. 51952.702 men.. In print, online or on the go, we are your local newspaper. We keep you connected to what's happening in our communities and surrounding areas. 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