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The Citizen, 2008-05-01, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, THURSDAY, MAY 1, 2008. Looking Back Through the Years May 2, 1962 Flames destroyed a large barn in Hullett during a severe electrical storm. The barn, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Stanley Ball, was struck by lightning during the storm, and in seconds went up in flames. Lost in the blaze was 35 head of cattle and a large quantity of grain and hay. Ten cattle escaped, but some might have still been put down because of extensive injuries. Blyth Fire Department responded to the call, and were able to protect the nearby house and shed. Ball, a veteran of the Second World War, had just been recovering from a severe heart attack. None of the family was injured during the incident. Over $300,000, along with furniture, kitchen items, and clothes, was presented to Mr. and Mrs. Jack Sprung in a heartfelt gesture of support from their community. The Sprungs lost their home in a tragic fire, and had been left only with the clothes on their backs. With the generous donations it was hoped that the Sprungs could make a new start, and had already been provided with a new home. A female elephant in a Portland, Oregon zoo gave birth to the first baby elephant to be born in North America in 43 years. Jack Marks, the zoo’s director, collapsed from exhaustion after the ordeal, but the elephants, both mother and baby, were fine and healthy. April 29, 1981 Blyth and District Community Centre board members were forced to end public rollerskating because they no longer had volunteers to run it. The past year, the community centre had run a rollerskating night every Wednesday and Sunday, but the Centre Board could not seem to find any new willing volunteers to help in running the program. Both Clinton and Wingham also had rinks open for use. Morris Township’s 125th Anniversary promised to be a packed affair. Over 2000 invitations were sent out, and ads were posted detailing the events for the big weekend. The canoe race held by Clinton Kinsmen turned out to be a big success, raising significant funds which would go to supporting the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. May 2, 1990 Conflict continued regarding the construction of the George Radford Memorial Ball Diamond. The controversy had first started when the project ran over the budget originally proposed to Blyth council. Many legal battles later, construction finally began months late. Council had now approved a bylaw allowing them to loan money to the Blyth industrial slo-pitch tournament committee to complete the building, but arguments still were pursued. Delegates from the ball group expressed their concerns over the shortened period of repayment, despite the fact the loan was already interest-free. Council explained that they could not sign agreements that extended past that particular council’s term, but the ball group continued to also express their concerns over who would be able to declare the park ready for use. Council decided the ball group would be able to announce its readiness. Just when things seemed to have been settled, the issue of a lawyer’s letter which had not been withdrawn by council was brought up once again. A heated argument followed which ended in a screaming match between councillors. The issue became inefficiency in council itself, and seemed to have completely turned away from all things regarding the ball diamond. Finally, council calmed down and it was decided that the new agreement signed at the meeting would erase all conflict before it. This was final, and it was hoped that the whole ordeal could be forgotten in a hurry. Playing at the Park Theatre was Julia Roberts in her breakout role in Pretty Woman, also starring Richard Gere. Also playing at the Lyceum Theatre was Nuns on the Run, starring Eric Idle and Robbie Coltrane. May 3, 1995 Even after offering it for free to Brussels council, owners of two lots on Mill Street West in Brussels could still not rid themselves of the burden. The problem with the land presents itself in the fact that its lack of depth and also the requirements which come along with it, which would mean any building erected on the property would have to be built at the back of the lot, away from the street. Further still, by the time you got far enough back from the street to make regulations, you’d find yourself in the setback requirement zone for the highway behind. Even though the owners could not build on the property, they were still forced to pay taxes and have the grass cut in order to comply with village by-laws. Council had yet to decide how to resolve the situation, but discussions were being held. The dates were announced for the always-anticipated Spring Fish Out at Cook’s Pond in Blyth. Everyone was invited to test their luck at the trout stocked pond as part of the now-third annual event which raised funds for the Big Brothers Association. Trophies would be awarded, and food served. THE EDITOR, In reflecting on the recent Earth Day events, there were a couple of things I wanted to share. One is the opportunity that we have in Huron County to engage as a community in designing a sustainable future for our area. As part of its five- year review of the county’s official plan, the planning department is seeking our ideas for a sustainability plan. There are public meetings coming up where we can share our ideas of what a sustainable future could look like where our economic, environmental and community needs are in a healthy balance. Details can be found at www.sustainablehuron.ca and if you cant’t make it to a meeting there is also a short set of questions you can submit by mail or e-mail. The second thing I wanted to share was my personal experience trying to follow my own advice on sharing rides. Last October I travelled to the Peak Oil Converence in Yellow Springs, Ohio and was able to co- ordinate it with three rides. An acquaintance was going to Philadelphia a few days before and I was able to visit my mother there while I waited to catch a ride from that area with a couple going to the conference. I was able to catch a ride back to Ontario with other conference attendees. To make it work I had to slow down a little and mesh my schedule to other peoples,but I found this was good. It also meant that in addition to saving several tanks of gas and their associated emissions I got to visit with people and have an enjoyable social time rather than a solo-driving marathon. More recently, I accompanied Don Campbell as he did three presentations around Ontario. As I would be in Lindsay at the end I decided to hitchhike home. This allowed me to have a nice time with friends in Lindsay where I stayed overnight. The next day had three very pleasant rides which confirmed my desire to trust in the kindness of strangers. Most recently I hitched a ride with a facilitator to an environmental farm plan session in Clinton. What I’m finding is that sharing rides is not all loss of convenience and mobility. It also increases sociability, reduces stress and isolation and makes a real contribution helping me reduce my ‘carbon footprint’, while still participating in activities. None of us can do everything to solve our enviornmental problems, but each of us can do something. I’m finding it can be enjoyable. Tony McQuail Eat local? How? The news, Monday, that Campbell’s Soup Co. will close its Listowel plant costing 500 people their jobs is yet another case of Ontario food processing plants closing. At a time when there’s a growing public concern over the number of miles our food travels to get to our plates, we have just recently lost a canning factory in Exeter and a beef processing plant in Guelph while the fate of another canning factory in the Niagara Penninsula remains doubtful and Maple Leaf Foods has announced it will sell or close its Burlington pork processing plant. In the case of Campbell’s, production will be shifted to other contractors in North America and its company plant in Downington, Pennsylvania. Meals made there that used to feed Canadians will now travel further to our tables, using even more petroleum to ship it here. The Campbell’s closing is a tragedy for the workers at the plant, some of whom have worked there all their lives. The provincial government is offering retraining but with the current state of our industrial economy, many will worry about their ability to find alternative work. Further, the closure of so many food processing plants has had an effect on the producers who have grown the vegetables, fruit and livestock that were processed there. At a time the urban-based media blares headlines about the “soaring cost of food”, food producers in Southwestern Ontario, one of the world’s most bounteous growing areas, are going out of business. If we can’t produce food to feed our own people on this fertile land there’s something’s wrong with our food system. But in an age of globalization will anyone pay any attention? — KR Two rights go wrong Public transit, we’re told over and over again, is one of the right solutions to reducing pollution and greenhouse gases. Get out of your car and take the bus or subway, city dwellers are urged. Few are likely to be encouraged to make that move after that snap transit strike in Toronto Friday night. Transit workers were exercising their right to withdraw their services in an effort to gain better compensation for their work. That hundreds of thousands of people took transit to work or a night out on Friday night, only to find out they couldn’t get home, wasn’t their problem. So what’s the solution? Many have suggested public transit should be an essential service without the right to strike. The cost is bound to soar if it is because arbitrators, seeking to be fair, generally tip settlements toward workers. That will make it more expensive to use transit. Public transit as a solution to helping clean the air has many problems to overcome to be used by more people. — KR Letter to the editor EditorialsOpinions Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie GroppAdvertising, Ken Warwick & Lori Patterson The CitizenP.O. Box 429,BLYTH, Ont.N0M 1H0Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 P.O. 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