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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1986-08-13, Page 2Huron xpositor SINCE 1860, SERVING THE COMMUNITY FIRST BLUE RIBBON AWARD 1985 Incorporating Brussels Post 10 Main Street 527-0240 Published In SEAFORTH, ONTARIO Every Wednesday morning ED BYRSKI, General Manager HEATHER McILWRAITH, Editor The Expositor is brought to you each week by the efforts Lf: Pat Armes, Bessie Broome, Marlene Charters, Joan Gulchelaar, Anne Huh Joanne Jewitt, Dianne McGrath, Lola McLlwaln, Bob McMillan, Cathy Malady and Patrick gait's. Member Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc. Ontario Community Newspaper Association gmi Ontario Press Council Commonwealth Press Union International Press Institute Subscription rates: Canada $20.00 a year, In advance Outside Canada $60.00 a year, In advance Single Copies - 50 cents each SEAFORTH, ONTARIO, WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 13, 1956 Second class mall registration Number 0696 Decision inconsistent While making a conscious effort to be fair and consistent, Ontario Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell has been, perhaps unconsciously, unfair and inconsistent in his decision not to give disaster aid to Niagara region farmers, whose crops were destroyed by a ferocious hailstorm recently. The minister has declared that to help the storm -stricken fruit growers, over 80 per cent of whom were not covered by crop insurance, would be to "undermine" the crop insurance program. He has stated it would be unfair to help these farmers because they had. not insured themselves against this unforeseen loss, while farmers who have lost crops or had reduced yields for other reasons go uncompensated from the government. One must wonder if the minister has asked himself what Is the difference between helping the Niagara fruit growers and providing aid to those whose homes and properties were damaged during the tornado that ripped through the Grand Valley area last year? The only noticeable difference, Is that decimated homes and injured people make for a much more pathetic scenario on which the media can focus attention, than does the prospect of a partial crop loss during a bumper year. While It Is easy for the government to proclaim the overall crop loss to be only about 10 per cent, It is not so easy to use that figure to console the various individuals who may have lost nearly all of their own crops. In addition, the crop Insurance program has a mandatory 25 per cent deductible clause, which would render It useless to any farmers whose losses did fall within the ministry's projected range. Coping successfully with disaster, requires cooperation and concessions from all parties In a position to help. It requires logical, common sense methods, not strict adherence to regulations. If "A friend in need Is a friend Indeed," then the provincial government Is being neither, at the moment. — P.R. 1 may catch Jesse yet FROM THIS ANGLE Jesse Barfield and George Bell do it with astounding regularity. Even little guys like Tony Fernandez do It fairly often. Why, I've always wondered, could I not do it even once. The "it" in question is of course, the hitting of home runs occasionally during the course of a ball game. I can't reasonably expect everyone to be endowed with the natural ability to knock baseballs out of the park against major league hardball pitching from the likes of Roger Clemens. Still, I always felt I should be able to hit at lleeastt one against over the fence, playing gl imitation athlete who strive at the recrea- tional pastime ofslowpitchsoftball. ctualfy, the whole idea of playing slowpitch, a game in which the pitcher lazily tosses the ball at least six feet in a slow arc to the plate, has been. in my bad books ever since it replaced fastball as the train form of recreation hall in this area several years ago. As a former fastball pitcher, I suddenly found my limited talent for pitching windmill style to be completely obsolete. What with the emphasis on hitting in this new game, T was sure I would be condemned to the life of a third -string right fielder and a permanent spot at the bottom of the batting order. Eventually though, the advantage of the game became apparent. Slowpitch pitching makes • hitting so easy, that even a .150 fastball hitter like myself can strike the horsehide solidly enough to get a base hit at least half the time. Hitting is so easy in fact, that most teams required anyone whose co-ordination is so off on a given evening that they strike out, to donate a case of beer to the team fund. While I've never gone so far as to actually strikeout, the elusive achievement of a fence by Patrick Raftis clearing home run has remained out of reach. myself leading off the top of the third inning I My desire to hit a homer intensified this was hoping for nothing more dramatic than a year, when in early season batting practice, bloop single or a walk. one of my stray and usually harmless fly balls Instead, I found myself connecting so well somehow, cleared the chain-link barrier. that I knew I was in for at least a double, if I Actually, it bounced on top of the fence, but it really hustled. did land on the other side, good enough for As I flew past first base, I heard my me. If I could do this in batting practice, a teammates cheering rather boisterously and assumed they were acknowledging my fleetness of foot. Actually, they were laughing at it. Seems, they were already aware the ball had gone over the fence and found it amusing that rather than • taking the traditional jog around the base paths, I was running like a scared rabbit. It finally dawned on me on my way to third that I must have hit one over, but it never occurred to me I could slow down, until I was past third and partway home. At this point, I stopped dead in my tracks and nearly tripped, ruining the gracefulness of the whole exercise. Still, I had my long ball under my belt and was so satisfied I hardly cared that I'd flied out my only other time at bat that game. Personal achievement of course, should not be the prime objective in team sports, so the important thing here is that our side won the game. But if you're going to get that picky about it, "it isn't whether you win or lose...' So to heck with it. I finally hit my home run and I'm darn well going to be smug about it, for a while anyway. surely the same should eventually apply. to a game, I figured. I figured wrong. All season I have been hitting balls that went nowhere near the fence. If by chance they came close to floating over on a wind current or something, they were invariably caught by some overzealous outfielder, who had no idea how much he was adding to my frustration. Matters were not made better by the chant one of my teammates invented several years ago, which makes a rhyme out of my uniform number and ends up with the entire squad chanting for a home run. The first few times this happened, the othd team assumed they were dealing with a per hitter of the stature of a George Brett, and would back their outfield right to the wall, allowing me to drop a weak single into short left' field. Unfortunately, they soon caught on to the joke and began moving their outfield to the edge of the infield dirt whenever I came up. I had pretty well reconciled myself to the disappointing reality that I was not a power hitter. So,the other night when I found ROCKY RIDE — This flatbed load of boulders, bound for Geat field at rlch for use In harbour reconstruction there, ended up In the corner of Highway 8 and the Hibbert-Tuckeremlth townline on Thursday, August 7. The vehicle was westbound on highway 8, driven by Rodney Dearing, 41, of Severn Bridge, when It collided with a 1980 Dodge van, driven by Jeffrey McNaught, 24, of c Mitchell, which was also westbound on Highway 8, In the process of making aleft turn. Both vehicles ended up In the field. A passenger In the van, Jeff Hulley, 21, of Monkton, sustained minor Inlurles. Damage to the van le estimated at $5,000 and damage to the tractor -trailer at $4,500, reports the Sebringviile OPP. Rattle photo Growing old is a reality I can no longer deny the fact I'm getting old. This weekend that reality came like a slap in the face when I gathered together some old high school buddies and we opted for a night out on the town. Unfortunately the "town" as we knew it, no longer exists, and most of the old stomping grounds have faded into obscurity or become altogether obsolete. That in itself is a sure indication that time is passing. We decided to make our destination one of Kitchener's newest hot spots - the place we were told no self-respecting resident of Kitchener (former or otherwise) would hesitate to visit. The catch, however, was that this trendy new locale had a dress code that I had a hard time adapting to. 'Since I had anticipated a rather e consisted of weekend y jeans, a bathing suentire it and sweatsuit, all tossed rattier erratically into a BLOOMING SHAME — Flower boxes along Seaforth's Main Street have fallen victims to duffle bag. .lAnd since ouour jdansdeorstination ite quite vandals in the area. The flowers In the boxes were donated by the Seaforth Horticultural P y Society who spent approximately $1,000 this year on the flowers In an effort to beautify photo the Main Street. Malla Flowers vandalized The efforts of the Seaforth Horticultural Society to beautify the Main Street of Seaforth have not gone unnoticed - and certainty not by those who have chosen to negate those efforts through vandalism. In recent months area residents may have noticed the addition of hanging flower baskets along the main street, as well as fresh flower arrangements in the wooden boxes placed at varying intervals along the plentysidewalk. These added toucheS have done spruce downtown core and were all the result ofdon donations from the Seaforth Horticultural Society. This society exceeded its budget this year and spent approximately $1,000 on the,floweirs, all in an effort to make the town more attractive, and more.appealing.The effort was for the benefit of both the residents and the visitors coming into the town during the summer months. The intention was good, but the society might well have saved its money. The significance of the effort was obviously lost on some of the people In Seaforth. The thoughtless and heartless destruction of the flowers in a number of the boxes along the street, has made a mockery of this society's generosity. It also makes arnockery of the effort the town in general has been making to improve the image its presents to visitors in the area. Tourists are often,draWri to a town by what they see. those Unftyportunately, what they'd see noW, Is evidence that Seaforth harbors peoples of who have ne respect for property which is not their own. They also have no respect for and no -pride In the community In which they. choose to live. enter it that it Is a friendly towri, Maybe It lis. Seaforth beasts t® -all that , time that some of the people Who IItv8 in the town, live Op tothat at boasting.. Anyone who takes part In • such malicious mischief vandalism, and anyone who'advocates It, Is certainly no friend to Seaforth SWEATSOCKS by Heather Mcllwraith shoes allowed, I was left in the predicament of sweatsu ting or mytween bathing suit. rather sought an alternative. After rejecting what clothes my sister had left behind before she headed out west, I finally found refuge in, of all places, my mother's closet. Now, I've borrowed some of my mother's clothes before, but never an entire outfit. And i can quite honestly say 1 never ever expected to find something I'd classify as fashionable enough, sexy enough, and lust plain suitable enough to wear to a "hot spot.' I forgot about the sexy part and settled for just plain fashionable. 1 should havo been more daring •• A LOT MORE DARINGI I couldn't believe some of the outfits that came strolling into this place. I thought the brilliant yellow I was wearing was bright, but... it wasn't just the brilliance of the outfit that caught the eye Saturday night, but the sheer outrageousness of it. Anything (except jeans) seemed to go. Clothes were baggy and clothes were tight. There were girls and guys there that dressed like tigers, complete with striped suits and darkened claws. Others (C like ressed d on Page A3 ` Enhanced viability sought The Ministry of Agriculture and Food continues to seek new initiatives designed to maintain and enhance the viability of Ontario's Agricultural Industry. IMPROVED SOIL ANALYSIS SERVICE My Ministry has recently undertaken a new, improved soil analysis service for lawns and gardens. This service can help to provide specific fertilizer and lime requirements for your lawn or garden. }tome gardeners can be provided with personalized computer printout containing detailed chemical analyses, and with fertili- zer recommendations including specific rate and grade of fertilizer for individual situa- tions. Homeowners should thus be• able to improve lawns and gardens by ensuring optimum plant nutrition. For amateur gardeners, an information sheet is provided to all those who send soil for analysis. Testresults can be expected back at least a week faster with this improved service. The basic test includes phosphorus, potassium, magnesium pH and lime require- ments, and canoes a fee of $7. A test for organic matter is $5, while a test for salt content 15 $3. Soil sample kits and submission forms are available from local ministry offices, as well as the Ministry of Agriculture and rood Consumer Information, Centre, 801 Bay • Street, Toronto, Ontario,M7A, 14 . NEWDIUVEE PA TON,DCIROP0PTIONs FOR.ONTAI IO FARMERS • On July25 Iwas pleased to annouftce.a new provincial team of technical; firoaaln d marketing specialists ppa d find alternative crop options to maintain their JACK'S JOTTINGS by Jack Riddell, MPP profitability. This team will serve as an access point for farmers to use the best information available to maximize new crop opportunities while at the same time minimizing disrup- tions to the province's production base. The transition crop team will be made up of three ministry staff and will develop crop options for all ,of Ontario agriculture, with initial emphasis in tobacco. It will also develop production, economic and marketing analyses to enable producers to select the most effective transition crops. Cost of program development and delivery is estimated at up to $930,000 over three Years. "ORDEROFONTARIO" AWARD Premier Peterson has recently announced further details of a new "Order of Ontario" award, designed to recognize excellence and achievement of the highest degree in community leadership, volunteer service, business, industry, the professions and occupations, research, culture, the arts and other fields of endeavor. An, advisory council has been, set up, composed of the Chief Justice of Ontario the Honorable William 'Howland (Chairman), Secretary of the Cabinet Robert Carman, and Sp` esker of the Legislative Assembly, Honor-, able laugh Edighoffer,.Honorary Chairman of the conned is the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, His Honour The Honorable Lincoln Alexander. Starting in September, 1986, nominations for the annual award will be invited and submitted to the advisory council who will then recommend to the Executive Council of Ontario a list of nominated persons, who in their opinion, have the greatest merit for appointment to the Order of Ontario. be Administration of the program will handled by the Ontario Honors and Awards Secretariat, Ministry of Intergovernmental Affairs, 5th Floor, Mowat Block, 900 Bay Street, Toronto, Ontario, M7A 1C1: RIDING GRANTS I was pleased to announce recently, along with my colleague Minister of Housing Alvin Curling, a $40,000 Ontario Home Renewal grant to the Township of Adelaide and to the Town of Goderich. OHRP is one of the Ministry of Housing's rehabilitation initiatives designed to help conserve housing. Administered by munici- palities, the program assists homeowners to upgrade their homes, with emphasis on faulty structural and sanitary conditions, and on plumbing, insulation, heating and elec- trical systems. OHRP benefits are available to owner -oc- cupants inall municipalities which have the adopted minimum housing standards bylaws or .hay dec dedsto take part n the program.d