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The Citizen, 2003-02-19, Page 4PAGE 4. THE CITIZEN, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 19, 2003. Editorials & Opinions A job well done Watching snow removal crews in U.S. cities along the eastern seaboard struggle to remove the two-foot snowfall that hit the area on the weekend is a reminder of what a top-flight job our winter maintenance crews do here in Huron County. Certainly we have not been hit with anything like the blizzard those cities have endured, but seeing the work the crews did here throughout a long, tough winter, shows they probably would have taken that in stride too. While we often say we don’t get winters the way we used to in the 1970s, at least part of this is perception because we don’t have our lives interrupted as much as we once did by winter weather. Over the years roads have been redesigned to prevent the kind of roadside snowbanks which can create mini-blizzards any time the wind blows in winter. One has only to think of the changes on Hwy. 4 from Blyth to Wingham to see how re-engineering and rebuilding a highway can turn it from one of the worst winter roads into the one section of the highway that was often open this winter. Our snow removal equipment is also better, allowing crews to keep roads plowed, sanded and salted, and open as long as visibility allowed. And of course if you’ve run a business on the main street of Blyth or Brussels for a few years, you can be amazed at the lack of impact winter seems to have. Have an overnight snowfall and chances are by the time stores open the next morning the streets will be cleaned so well you’d hardly know snow had fallen. Compare that to 25 years ago when snow built up on the sides of streets until the piles were high enough to warrant bringing in front-end loaders to cart it away. It’s fashionable to complain about how high our taxes are or fume that politicians or civil servants are ineffective, but here’s a clear case of improvement over the years. Not only have these improvements made life more pleasant, but one wonders how many people are alive today because of safer road conditions. Everyone involved deserves our thanks. — KR PM delivers timely reminder Canadians are often somewhat ambivalent about their prime minister but a majority were probably pleased by Mr. Chretien’s speech in Chicago last week which reminded Americans that even the most powerful country in the world can’t afford to be without the United Nations. So strong has been the mindset of U.S. President George W. Bush and his advisers that somehow the entire debate about the role of the UN in dealing with Iraq has been turned on its head. Mr. Bush is so sure he is right in this, that anyone who gets in his road is wrong. So he is warning the UN that it risks becoming irrelevant if it doesn’t back him up. To put this in perspective, imagine for a moment that the world is a community. Imagine if the richest and most powerful person in that community has his mind made up that things should happen in a certain way. This person tells the town council and the police that they had better hop to it and do things his way or he’ll go ahead and take the action he thinks is necessary without them. Such a community would be unworkable. So is a world community unworkable if vigilante justice is administered by the most powerful country in the world. Like many rich and powerful people. President Bush is frustrated that the weaker people get in the road of him doing what he’d like to do through international rules and through collective bodies like the UN. It’s tempting, being so powerful, to just ignore those who get in your way as people not wonhy of consideration. But the most serious casualty of this rather minor war in Iraq could be the UN. People who lived through World War II formed the UN because they knew the importance of an international forum to deal with problems between countries. President Bush, brash and certain of himself, may think the UN a useless roadblock in his way, but losing this international forum could do more harm than Saddam Hussein ever could. — KR Letters to the Editor THE EDITOR, We would like to comment on the Faith-in-Song Concert that was held on Feb. 7 in the Blyth Memorial Hall. A lot of things made the evening a wonderful success. The performers Tes Burgs ma, Karl Berg, Redeemed, the Romijn family and the LWCF and North Huron Praise Band provided very meaningful and inspiring musical numbers. Pastor Dave was a capable and witty MC. Suzanne provided the lovely background music. Jeff and Gary produced the fine quality of sound. SalTdy worked the lighting book and Jeannette and Marie decorated. We are grateful to the audience who came and blended their voices together in praise. It is so great when people of all denominations can come together and celebrate the one common thread that holds us all together - our Faith in the same Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. All proceeds ($900) were split among three mission outreach projects: locally to the North Huron Youth for Christ in Wingham, nationally to Project Quebec and internationally to Overseas Mission Fellowship in support of Clinton- area missionary Cheryl Welch. We look forward to Faith-in-Song number two. Sincerely, ABC Women’s Ministry. Publisher, Keith Roulston Editor, Bonnie Gropp Advertising, Alan Young, Patty Van der Meer The Citizen is published 50 times a year in Brussels, Ontario by North Huron Publishing Company Inc. Subscriptions are payable in advance at a rate of $28.00/year ($26.17 + $1.83 G.S.T.) in Canada; $80.00/year in U.S.A, and $100/year in other foreign countries. Advertising is accepted on the condition that in the event of a typographical error, only that portion of the advertisement will be credited. Advertising Deadlines: Monday, 2 p.m. - Brussels; Monday, 4 p.m. - Blyth. We are not responsible for unsolicited newsscripts or photographs. Contents of The Citizen are © Copyright We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs. Publications Mail Reg. No. 09244 Canadian Publication Mail Agreement No. 40050141 P.O. Box 429, BLYTH, Ont. N0M 1H0 Phone 523-4792 FAX 523-9140 E-mail norhuron@scslnternet.com Website www.northhuron.on.ca jpcna Member of the Ontario Press Council Looking Back Through the Years Feb. 12,1958 The annual firemen’s dance “dress optional” was being held in Brussels Town Hall with music by Ken Wilbee’s Orchestra. A one-page ad promoted the upcoming Brussels Skating Carnival. Prizes would be awarded for costumes, best dressed and races. There would also be a Carnival king and queen selected. There were bargains galore at Grants Shoe Store. Ladies’ dress shoes were selling for $3.39 a pair or three pair for $10. Men’s work boots and oxfords were selling for $4.95 a pair, while suburban coats were being offered at $16.95, down from the regular price of $22.56. At Smith’s Rexall Drug Store there were good buys on “sick room needs”. Hot water bottles were selling for $1.89 while heating pads were $4.95. Bronchial syrup was 79 cents and triple action cough syrup cost 58 cents. Playing at the Capitol Theatre in Listowel was Marjorie Main and Parker Fennelly in The Kettles on Old MacDonald’s Farm. At the Regent in Seaforth it was a double bill of The Spy Chasers and Rodeo. Feb. 21, 1973 Thousands lined up outside the Huron County jailhouse in Goderich for an open house. The jail had been the centre of controversy because of a plan by the town to turn it into a museum and another plan by the owners of the building, the county, to tear down one wall to expand the regional assessment office next door. About 300 people were unhappy when the doors were closed at 5 p.m. the day of the tour after they had waited in the cold for more than an hour. The Blyth board of trade decided to co-operate with the Blyth Agricultural Society in finding a replacement for the Blyth Fall Fair, after the Society voted to discontinue the event. Richard W. Collings, son of Mrs. and Mrs. W.R. Collings of RR1, Blyth was selected to be included in the 1973 edition of Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges. Collings was a member of the class of 1973 at Springfield College. He was a graduate of Central Huron Secondary School. Don Southcott, a former executive assistant to Charles MacNaughton won the Progressive Conservation nomination for the March by­ election in Huron. Fred Sloman, pioneer of railway school cars in North Ontario died in Westminster Hospital, London. Sloman taught in Blyth about 50 years prior to his death and later travelled with his wife, Cela and five children in a railway car to teach children in remote northern Ontario. Jack Riddell, defeated three other candidates to capture the Liberal party nomination for the March by­ election in Huron. Feb. 17,1988 The Brussels Lions Club finally got lucky when it chose its day for the annual Polar Daize poker rally. However, senseless vandalism disrupted the run for a number of participants. Direction signs were turned or removed, and many snowmobilers got lost, crossing fields which had been posted as out of bounds. A former Brussels resident proved that hard work, long hours and total dedication to a job pays off. Shari Baeker, sister of Karen Hastings and Susan McNeil, both of Brussels, was appointed office manager of one of the largest GM dealerships in the “Golden Triangle”. Barbara Walsh was the new owner of the former Kate’s Kitchen in The Citizen P.O. Box 152, BRUSSELS, Ont. NOG 1H0 Phone 887-9114 FAX 887-9021 Blyth. Saying it was too early to take action Blyth village councillors voted to keep on file a letter from a local church group asking council to oppose Sunday store openings. Feb. 17,1993 Public speaking winners at Blyth were Nick Courtney, Charlene Bromley, Heather Elliott, Jamie Lewis, Kirk Stewart, Scott McLellan, Jenny Ritchie, Andrea Cardiff, Michelle Cook. To help famine-stricken Africa, the Brussels Mennonite Fellowship congregation raised $935 at a fundraising dinner. An RR1, Blyth man was home from hospital after being seriously injured while playing in the Ripley Midget hockey tournament. Feb. 18,1998 Support varied among Avon Maitland District School Board trustees on whether or not to keep junior kindergarten in Huron and implement it in Perth. After much debate, in a vote by ballot, trustees opted to continue the program. Clinton Public Hospital hosted the official opening of its new ophthalmology service. Seaforth began its business retention program. Charyl Armstrong won a third place at the zone level for her Remembrance Day essay. She had taken first at the Brussels Legion Branch level. Other branch winners were Joel Hemingway, Samantha Thomas, Cory Chapman, Catherine Rushton, Jill Johnston, Zach Horne, Jessy Longlade, Shayna Park-Shaw, Sam Thomas, Matt Kroll and Joe Oli­ ver. Blyth Festival artistic director Anne Chislett was one of the adjudicators for the Sears Drama Festival being held at Blyth Memorial Hall.