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Times-Advocate, 1986-08-13, Page 1Serving South Huron, North Middlesex One Hundred and Fourteenth Year EXETER. ONTARIO, August 13. 1986 Price Per Copy 60 Cents JP finds difference in evidence Suspends licence three years Fishing story diieouaMd; driver gon vkted Justice. of the Peace Douglas Wedlake heard some wildly conflic- ting testimony when he presided at the Tuesday court hearing into a charge against a Huron Park man for failing to stop for a police cruiser on March 30. After hearing the evidence, Wedlake found Robin Winger, 143 Col- umbia Drive, guilty and imposed a $250 fine and a license suspension of three years. The accused was given four months in wit -MI -to pay` the Tine. Winger was also fined $53.75 for failing to obey a stop sign, the offence for which the policeman had been at- tempting to apprehend him in the first place. He pleaded guilty to that charge. The accused told the court he was fishing at Muncey at the time of the incident and that testimony was sup- ported by three other witnesses. However, three other witnesses in- dicated they had seen Winger in Huron Park before and after he was involved in the police chase. An OPP constable testified that he saw a sports car fail to obey a stop sign at the intersection of County Road 21 and the Crediton Road around midnight on March 29 and the driver failed to stop for the cruiser on which the stop lights had been ac- tivated. The cruiser pursued the vehicle at speeds up to 150 km. per hour and another cruiser was advis- ed to intercept the vehicle at the junc.- tion of Highway 4 and the Crediton Road, but the sports car cut in front of the second cruiser and proceeded onto the Hughway 4 without stopping and travelled south and then west back into Huron Park. The two cruisers lost contact with the sports car, but it was found park- ed on St. Lawrence Ave., after con- versing with four youths who had gathered around the car, the police went to the address of the accused on Columbia Drive. Robert Wegg, father of Shelley Wegg, owner of the vehicle and common law wife of the accused, was at the home and advised that he was alone. One of the four youths who had gathered around the sports car, testified that she and her friends had seen the car and the cruisers coming into Huron Park and had raced acraaa a field to see where the vehicles we4tt. She said that Winger ran pass her and into his house. She also told the court she had seen the accused driv- ing the vehicle earlier in the night. Another of the youths also testified he had seen someone running across the field from the direction ofthe sports car and had seen the sports car earlier in the night as well, while a third youth said she knew the accus- ed and had seen him driving the car earlier in the evening and also recognized him as he ran through the field. Winger, 21, testified that he had gone fishing on March 27 and didn't return to Huron Park until the after- noon of March 30 after Shelley Wegg came to Muncey to tell him that so- meone had stolen her car. He also said that his arm was in a cast from the palm of his hand to his shoulder and the arm was bent at a CATCHING APHIDS Tom Lowery, co-ordinator of field research in the area for the turnip mosaic virus task force is shown checking an aphids trap in a field near Centralia with his assistants Ann Roberts and Charlotte Miller. T -A photo News quickly sours for area turnip crop The good news about turnip mosaic virus that was given two weeks ago, has quickly and devastatingly turned to bad for area growers. Over the past week and a half, a rapid and severe outbreak of the virus has occurred and it's being experienc- ed in most fields according to Tom Lowery, co-orindator of fieldresearch for the turnipmosaic virus task force established by Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell last winter. "Suddenly it's appearing with a vengeance," Lowery said this week from his headquarters at Centralia College of Agricultural Technology. "it's widespread and it's increasing." Lowery, who had cautiously noted earlier that crop damage had been light to date, said the full impact of the current situation won't be known until the harvest is completed. He and his fellow researchers, while being shocked by the sudden in- crease, are also disturbed over the fact the disease that hits rutabaga crops appears more complex than previously thought. Past Jesearch has indicated that the virus was spread primarily by the green peach aphid, but the current outbreak has arisen at a time when there is an extremely low number of aphids being seen or caught in area fields. "There are virtually no aphids in some fields," he said, noting that there are obviously other things in- volved in the disease of which current research has been unaware. "Unfortunately there isn't much farmers can do," he said in reference to combating the virus and the spread of it. Some farmers had applied an oil spray to their rutabaga fields and it will take some time to determine whether that prevented more severe losses or not. Lowery acknowledged that more complicated control measures will have to be found, although he still sug- gests farmers conti,ue the oil treat- ment and even consider a foliar spray. There has been no indication yet of what role canola may be playing in the situation and some of the fields af- fected now are described as "isolated". "it's frustrating," Lowery acknowledged, saying that things had been going along very smoothly until the recent major setback. "I thought we had squeaked through," he commented. in addition to damaging the plants, the virus can have an effect on stored turnips as well and last year many growers thought they had escaped the problem only to haye their turnips spoil soon after they were put into storage. Dish saga continues The saga of Exeter's TV dish is continuing. Shirley Mommersteeg, 32 Gidley St. W., reports she has launched an ap- peal of her conviction by local Justice of the Peace Douglas Wedlake, who found the antenna in contravention of a local bylaw. She was fined $400 for the offence. Although she was notified by the town's solicitor to have the dish removed from in front of her home following the conviction, that actiot has now been delayed by her move tt appeal the court decision reached in June. 1 WELCOME TO LIBERAL BARBECUE Ontario Agriculture Minister Jack Riddell and his wife Anita welcome Sheri, Kelly, Helene and Bill Regier to Wedesday's barbecue sponsored by the Huron -Middlesex Liberal Association. T -A photo 90 -degree angle due to the cast. Dwayne Kechego, RR 1 Muncey, told the court he had been fishing with Winger from Thursday through Sun- day and the latter had never left the irlverback as they pulled in nets every half hour and were enjoying a party with 30 or 40 people at the site through the weekend. ' Robert Wegg said he and his wife went to Huron Park on Saturday night to spend the evening with Shelley and the two women had gone out and he was at the home alone when the police came. He said he didn't see Winger on Saturday night in Huron Park and 'that the sports car was in the driveway when he went to sleep. Shelley Wegg reported she hadn't seen Winger from the time he left to go fishing on Thursday until she went to Muncey on Sunday morning. She called the investigating officer to report her car had been stolen and ad- vised the court one set of keys for the vehicle had been lost a week before the incident. After the evidence was presented, the defence agreed there was no ques- tion but what the Wegg sports car was the one involved in the incident, but . there was a question of whether Winger was the driver. It was argued that what people ex- pect to see is what they believe they • see and so when tilt youths had seen the car they assumbd it was being driven by the accused. The argument also noted that none of the youths had mentioned the cast on Winger's arm, which would have impeded his running. In handing down his verdict, Wedlake said that it was a matter of credibility of the witnesses. Other fines levied at Tuesday's ses- sion were as. follows: David Vincent, 515 William St., Ex- eter, was fined $78.75 after being con- victed on a charge of using a license plate not authorized for the vehicle he was driv.+ng on July 13. Buddy Richardson, RR 1 Grand Bend, was fined $63.75 for having li- quor readily available in a vehicle he was driving on August 1 in Hay Township. Jesse -Kirk, 455 Andrew St., Exeter, was fined $35.75 on a charge of con- suming liquor while being on the in- terdicted list. Danny A. Hennessey, 16 Anne St., Exeter, was fined $53.75 for having li- quor while being under the legal age. Dennis J. Hedley, 1231 Samford St., London, was fined $33.75 for driving at a speed of 100 in an 80 km. zone on June 10 and Abdul R. Chaudary, Sharon, was fined $33.75 for driving 100 in an 80 km. zone on April 10. Ate GRANTON ROYALTY — Jenine and Kenny French were the Duke and Duchess of Granton in Saturday's Fun Days parade in Granton. They won a red ribbon. T -A photo Osborne gets report on three businesses Three new Ustiorne businesses were briefly discussed by township council at their recent meeting. Chief building official Herman Van- Wieren advised council he had visited with Fred Steele concerning the wrecking and repair of cars taking place on the Steele property. VanWieren advised council that this appears to be a permitted use under the definition of home occupa- tion under the zoning bylaw. The building official also explained he had spoken to Cheryl Walters con- cerning the establishment of a tem- porary roadside food booth in Win- chelsea and had recommended that she get approval from the Huron County health unit to operate. Correspondence was also received from the county planning department concerning the permitted use of a home industry on property owned by Barb Passmore. In other business, council: Passed a motion to support the in- corporation of the Kirkton-Woodham community centre board. This was one of three options outlined during a recent joint meeting with Osborne and Blanshard officials and Melanie McLaughlin of the ministry of tourism and recreation. Approved the attendance and registration fee for acting clerk San- dra Strang to attend the 1986 rpunicipal finance conference frog., September 24 to 26. Briefly discussed a municipal waste recycling program and re- quested that further information be supplied for the next meeting. Discus- sion was also held on a program for the collection and disposal of various household and personal products that are hazardous in nature and council indicated they would consider work- ing with other local municipalities under such a program. LAY ANGLICAN CORNERSTONE — The cornerstone for the new parish hall at Trivitt Anglican Church was laid Sunday morning. From the left are People's Warden Audrey Bentley, Rev. Jim Sutton and server Terry Humphreys. LA photo Many sources discussed. Water on tap at Hay Lake water, ditch water and drink- ing water were primary topics of discussion when members of flay council met for their first regular August meeting. Applications to build groynes along the shore of Lake Huron elicited the comment from Reeve Lionel Wilder that this solves one property owner's problem, but increases the swirl and causes further bank erosion further downstream. Wilder said erosion con- trol devices should be installed all the way from Grand Bend to Bayfield. The applications were approved with the provisio that lot owners 250 feet to the north and to the south of each pro- perty be notified. Council reaffirmed their decision to say "thanks but no thanks" to ftte AB - CA's proposal to apply for a grant to construct a rock chute on the Forcier dram at a cost of over $9,000. Hay 'Would pay 45 percent. Council will proceed with their plan to dump in stone obtained free of charge from area farmers at the drain's outlet north of St. Joseph, and fix up the bank, for a total estimated cost of $2,000. Walter Brisson attended the session to get council's formal approval for decreasing the size of the waterline into the Bluewater subdivision from six inches to four. Engineer Burns Ross had already approved the change. Patti Munkittrick from the Huron County planning office also came to the meeting to prepare councillors for the public meetings on Hay's draft zoning bylaw that were held all day Thursday in Dashwood, and Saturday afternoon in the township hall in Zurich. Munkittrick told counillors to write down any specific concerns raised during the two meetings. These will be responded to in the fall before council approves the bylaw in November. Munkittrick said people can still object later to the OMB. She asked council members to assure anyone with questions about the bylaw that "there is plenty of oppor- tunity for the public to have their con - terns addressedTirst by council, then the OMB". Munkittrick said the most common query would likely be about changing the zoning designation from seasonal to permanent for those residing all year in their cottages. She said these property owners would be designated legally as non -conforming residents, but would not be eligible for rmtnicipal services. Road superintendent Ross Fisher was given permission to call for tenders for a truck with an open wing to be used for plowing. Tenders will be opened on September 2. NAME ACTING MOH Dr. ,lames K. MacGregor of Wingham has been ap'5ointed acting Medical Officer of Health for Huron County. i)r. Mac?9regor will take the position until a replacement is ap- pointed to succeed Dr. Harry Cieslar who resigned in June. The board ex- pects to fill the position by the end of August