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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Lucknow Sentinel, 2015-04-08, Page 1010 Lucknow Sentinel • Wednesday, April 8, 2015 Social Media confirms distracted driving is seen as serious safety threat OPP wraps Distracted Driving Campaign Submitted The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) wrapped up its Distracted Driving campaign with strong sup- port from the public, the media and other valued road safety partners who, throughout the campaign, remained heavily engaged in the OPP's continuous flow of messaging about distracted driving. As OPP officers kept busy con- ducting targeted enforcement of distracted driving laws on roads and highways across the province, the OPP's social media highway was equally busy with followers, including children who viewed, shared and chimed in on this important road safety topic. Over and above enforcement, public education is an important component of the OPP's Provincial Traffic Safety Program and the traf- fic safety campaigns it supports. During the campaign, the South Bruce OPP laid 15 charges for dis- tracted driving and investigated 13 motor vehicle collisions, with minor injuries reported at 1 of the scenes. "I find it frustrating to that see so many drivers still use a cell phone while driving. It's a dangerous act that has quickly become the most common causal factor in serious collisions. The campaign may have ended but a distracted driver remains a constant threat to all road users. The South Bruce OPP will continue to identify and stop those drivers that put others at risk," states Acting Inspector Mike Beatty, Detachment Commander, South Bruce OPP. Huron County OPP saw a total of 58 drivers charged with Dis- tracted Driving during the cam- paign. The number of charges laid during this campaign increased in Huron County from a total of 47 in 2014. The increase in charges was also seen in several other OPP detachments in the region and province wide. "Whether you were a follower who showed support through social media, a driver who set a good example behind the wheel, or a passenger who spoke up to a dis- tracted driver in the vehicle, thank you and please keep working towards making distracted driving a socially unacceptable behaviour on our roads," said Deputy Com- missioner Brad Blair, Provincial Commander of Traffic Safety and Operational Support. MPP Lisa Thompson launches new constituency website Submitted MPP for Huron Bruce Lisa Thompson launched her new con- stituency office website on March 30, 2015. The website is an easy to access tool that will allow constitu- ents of Huron -Bruce to access information regarding provincial services, contact the office and find recent information on local com- munity initiatives and Queen's Park events. "It is important for me to be con- nected with the constituents of Huron -Bruce, I hope this re- designed website will assist in that; said Thompson. The website has a provincial directory, helpful links and information on matters such as OHIP, OSAP, ODSP, FRO, driver licenses, health cards, and a number of other provincial services. To see the re -designed website visit: www.lisathompsonmpp.ca. WE'RE ALL EARS Questions? Comments? Story Ideas? Let us know how we're doing. tucknow Sentinel P.O. Box 400 619 Campbell Street, Lucknow ON P: 519-528-2822 • F: 519-528-3529 lucknow.editorial@sunmedia.ca Your opinion is something we always want to hear. Call or contact us online via www.Iucknowsentinel.com or E 0 0 TD c a) N 0 V 3 HuronTel to offer services in Kincardine area Troy Patterson Kincardine News HuronTel recently announced its expanding into Kincardine and local competitors are tight-lipped as to what that means for their businesses. General manager Glenn Grubb said March 23 the company had notified the CRTC (Canadian Radio -television and Telecommu- nications Commission) and Bruce Telecom on March 19, of its inten- tion to offer service in the 519-396 telephone exchange. HuronTel will be opening a busi- ness office at the corner of Lamb - ton and Queen Streets in the Town of Kincardine this summer and said in a letter to both the CRTC that phone service could be offered "on or about June 1, 2015." HuronTel's headquarters are in Ripley, with services throughout Huron -Kinloss, Goderich and Wingham, said in the release it will offer its "full suite of services on its own fibre-optic facilities" which it intends to build beginning April of 2015. "The company is excited to be adding Kincardine to its growing list of Smart Rural Communities," said Grubb. The company said it would inform affected residents in advance of construction beginning in their areas. Municipality of Kincardine -owned Bruce Telecom had control over land -line phone service until a 2012 CRTC decision to open small incum- bent local exchange carriers (SILECs) to outside competition. "As Bruce (Telecom) is a SILEC, before Hurontel can be granted expansion approval, Bruce is required to submit an implementa- tion plan for the Commission's approval," said Patricia Valladao, CRTC's media relations manager. In the letter to the CRTC Huron - Tel said "HuronTel will fulfil all rel- evant obligations and will notify the Commission upon completion." President and CEO Bart Cam- eron said in a telephone interview that the company is working with the CRTC's established guidelines that are in place when a company chooses to seek approval to operate in a new market. "At this point we're just working through the process," he said. "Hopefully we'll have something to announce in the near future." Kincardine Cable TV's Peter Gib- son said he was unable to com- ment on the announcement, but would forward questions to the Rogers Communications depart- ment that took over the cable and internet provider in 2010. Back in 2009, then -owner Bryan Walden told Kincardine News he had plans alongside Eastlink to break into Bruce Telecom's tele- phone monopoly at the time and expand beyond their cable televi- sion and internet offerings. Since that time mobile phone and internet technologies have increasingly weighed in on land- line phone and internet markets. For more information visit www. hurontel.on.ca Become a volunteer Weather Spotter Submitted Huron County, ON - The County of Huron is pleased to announce that Environment Canada CAN - WARN free sessions will be hosted within Huron County. CANWARN is the eyes and ears of Environment Canada. It is a volunteer group of people of all ages who spot and report severe weather. They report "ground -truth" information, which when used with radar and other equipment, help Environment Canada to more accurately inform the media and public through Environ- ment Canada issued and updated Weather Watches and Warnings. You can become a CANWARN Weather Spotter for Environment Canada. Learn about this impor- tant voluntary service that can assist the people of Huron County by attending this upcoming session. Free training session will take place on Wednesday April 29, from 1:00 to 3:30 pm at Emergency Ser- vices Training Centre, 40193 Blyth Road, Blyth and Wednesday April 29, from 7:00 to 9:30 pm at Town of Goderich Council Chambers, 57 West St, Goderich. Please register by contacting Warning Preparedness Meteorolo- gist Geoff Coulson at canwarn. ontario@ec.gc.ca or visit our web- site www.huroncounty.ca.