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Clinton News Record, 2016-01-20, Page 22 News Record • Wednesday, January 20, 2016 On January 14 the Clinton branch of the Huron County Library makes a contrasting background to the wintry scene created by the snow accumulated in the park around the cenotaph from the first major snowstorm of 2016. The walkway down the side of the Town Hall remains partially snow covered. Belinda Carter is out shoveling excess snow away from her mailbox on Base Line near Londesborough Line on January 14 after it had been blocked by snow from the storm. It is the homeowner's responsibility to ensure safe access for mail carriers to rural mailboxes. I .t • +_ • Valerie Gillies Photos Clinton News Record Canada geese took advantage of the warmest day of the week on January 15 to gather in a field on Black's Point Road near Highway #8 between Clinton and Goderich. Here, some of the geese take flight to leave a smaller gathering close to the road to join a much larger flock further back in the field, closer to the bush. ATTENTION ADVERTISERS! DEADLINES Our Weekly Deadlines are as follows: ADVERTISING & EDITORIAL Friday @ 2:00 pm Clinton News Record w w, lirsronI 5r PCIr .CKIL I N PoSTbIEDIA OFFICE HOURS: Mon. - Fri. 9am - 5pm CLOSED TUESDAYS 53 Albart St. 5, Clinton PH: 519-4 2- 443 diamb Parking lots throughout the area had snow hills at the edge from being cleared after the first major snowstorm of 2016. This one on Highway # 8 just west of the stoplights at Highway # 4 in Clinton is no exception on January 14. Snow removal on the main streets and sidewalks of Clinton made for a box hedge -like border between the roadway and sidewalks on January 14, following the four-day winter storm. Instant winter! CONTINUED FROM > PAGE 1 Those on social media were actively getting the word out to stay safe and stay off the roads, not only for the safety of the drivers, but to not needlessly put at risk those whose job it is to respond to inci- dents on the roads. Every winter there are those who do not heed the warnings and find themselves either stranded or in an accident. Some of these incidents result not only from ignoring the warnings, but also from not adjusting their driving to the conditions. As vehicles become more high tech, it can lull their owners into put- ting too much trust into the performance and safety gadgets of the vehicle to adjust to conditions and in their own confi- dence as drivers to easily surmount the challenges the weather presents. In cases like this, the drivers and vehicles end up being additional needless hazards to those who must be on the roadways to perform their jobs or to ensure that essential services continue to be available. With more winter weather in store for us, please consider whether or not you really need to be out on the roadways when driving conditions deteriorate. Often, the smartest thing to do is to just not travel until the storm blows out and crews have had the chance to clean up afterwards. In a recent press release by the Four County Labour Planning and Market- ing Board, it was recognized that Huron County is an area where affordable housing and job opportunities are not necessarily in the same place, causing more need for longer commutes in the rural areas. Coupled with the danger- ous driving conditions that can develop quickly to the lee of Lake Huron, this requires employees and their employ- ers to take this into consideration and to have a plan in place for when it is not safe for people to be on the roads. Even many businesses and workplaces now- adays are adaptable to allow their employees to work remotely from home during significant weather events, recognizing that it is not worth losing an employee over an accident due to the requirement to show up no matter what the driving conditions are. Do your part to be prepared when these extreme weather events happen. It is inevitable that they will occur dur- ing a Huron County winter. That is just a part of living and working where we do. Stay informed of current and devel- oping conditions and take the neces- sary precautions to protect yourself and your household. The Huron County OPP advises motorists to check weather and road conditions by call 5-1-1 or by checking online at www.Ontario.ca/trip for up- to-date information for provincially maintained highways. Do not call the OPP Provincial Communications Cen- tre (PCC) as they do not give out this information. Those who do call tie up the telephone lines and personnel who are there for emergency calls. Stay warm and stay safe.