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Times Advocate, 1992-12-30, Page 8'92 in review IINEZZIM June 3 'Exeter council approved a plan to reduce the speed limit on Hu- ron Si alongside Victoria Park to 30 km/h. •PUC repair crews scrambled Sunday evening as a broken water -main left households without water from 7:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. •Safety concerns over pedestrian traffic in the Janeway adjacent to South Huron District High School prompted the Huron County Board of Education to discuss plans for a new walkway. 'After nearly a dozen years in opposition, the village of Grand Bend, and Stephen and Bosanquet Townships announced they were in agreeance to an economic study to help with boundary negotia- tions. June 10 'Local MPPs, Paul Klopp (Huron), Irene Mathyssen (Middlesex), and Ellen MacKinnon (Lambton), announced they would be voting against the provincial government's bill to allow wide-open Sunday shopping. •The Exeter OPP Detachment raised over $4,000 with their 25.5 kilometre torch run. •Stephen Township council road works department announced a change in priorities for capital projects this year resulting in the pav- ing of Concession 6-7 south of Crediton. ' Depending on boundary negotiations between the Village of Grand Bend and townships of Stephen and Bosanquet, it was an- nounced the growth of Grand Bend might result in an expansion to the village's public school. June 17 •A Florida court dismissed charges against Lorne Keller, owner of Exeter Roofing and Sheet Metal, in connection with insurance fraud. 'Sixteen -year-old vocalist Bronwyn Pearson of Exeter advanced to the quarter -finals in the Youth Talent Search held at the Western Fair after winning the preliminary round in Clinton. •A retirement banquet was held in honour of South Huron District High School's athletic director Ron Bogart, who retired after 33 years at the school. • Victoria Bisback was chosen to represent Hensall as the 1992 Fair Ambassador. June 24 •Huron MPP Paul Klopp announced the Ontario Ministry of Cul- ture and Communications would award a grant of $127,487 to the Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend for restoration. • Members of the Chnstian Service Brigade of the Exeter Pentecos- tal Tabernacle were busy repairing and packaging 15 donated bicy- cles to be sent to Cuba to be used by Christian missionaries. ',Stephen Township council announced plans to increase utility rates to Huron Park residences and industries to offset a $68,000 deficit. • Grand Bend OPP investigated the theft of thousands of dollars in cigarettes from the Mac's Milk store in Grand Bend. Red Book tax values dropped on cars under $1,000 CLINTON - Huron MPP Paul Klopp is advising those who buy cars privately that his government has reconsidered its program to col- lect tax on the Red Book price of the cars. Klopp said when the new rules requiring that purchasers pay pro- vincial tax on the Red Book value rather than actual- purchase price carne into effect in October, his of- fice received many calls complain- ing that the book values were 100 high for cars in poor condition. Klopp said the province has de- cided to relax its tax rules for cars which have a Red Book wholesale value less than $1,000. Purchasers can now pay the sales tax on the purchase price rather than the book value. Buyers will no longer have to get an appraisal to appeal the taxable value, and Klopp acknowl- edges that for less expensive cars the appraisal would have been al- most as much as the difference in tax. For those who paid tax on the Red Book value of such cars prior to December 16, the Ministry of Revenue will be in touch with them Winter wheat acreage down WINNIPEG - Winter wheat seed- ing for the 1993-94 crop year in Ontario has been seriously affected by this year's poor weather condi- tions. The latest estimate from Sta- tisucs Canada indicates acreage is down by 28 percent over last year. High rates of winter wheat aban- donment arc expected due to the poor weather conditions further re- ducing the winter wheat area. Fall rye seeding has also declined in all provinces, except for the major rye producing province of Saskatche- wan where it has increased by 62 percent, according to revised esti- mates from Statistics Canada. In the meantime, the federal govern- ment has taken.speoial measures to allow intorest-free emergency ad- vances to farmers for . unthreshed grain for the 1992-93 year. • PITCH -IN AND RECYCLE! to arrange for a refund. Vehicles which are damaged or in very poor condition with a Red Book value over $1,000, an apprai- sal may be obtained before registra- tion and the tax will be based on the higher of the actual price or the appraised value. This way the buy- er does not have to go through the refund process and Klopp said he is . pleased the minister responded to the public's concerns and made im- provements to the program. '92 revie July 1 'Organizers of the Stephen Township Sesquicentennial described their homecoming weekend as an "incredible" event. A highlight of the weekend was the parade that stretched through Crediton with 109 entries. • •The Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority was reporting poor attendances at the public meetings they were holding for the pro- posed Shoreline Management Plan. They said the plan ought to have been of more interest to Lake Huron cottage owners - but not to worry, it soon caught their attention. •Exchange student Eva Karchava was heading home to Russia al- ter spending the year with the Walker family in Grand Bend. The 15 -year old witnessed the break-up of her homeland through the Ca- nadian news. July 8 •Lucan high-school student Loretta Foran was selected as one of 20 Canadian students chosen for an international trade exchange to Singapore. Foran is a student of Medway High School. •Agriculture experts were already ruling out bumper crops for Hu- ron farmers as a result of an extremely rainy and cool spring and summer. By the beginning of July, the county was already behind an average of 125 heat units from normal. •A $1,000 donation from the Exeter Legion made it possible for the town police to continue their useful bicycle patrol program. Be- cause the purchase of a bicycle had been cut from the police budget, the donation made it possible to put a heavy duty mountain bike in the station's gauge. •A delegation from the Huron County Health Unit approached Ex- eter council with a request that the town become the first in the county to enact a smoking restriction bylaw for public places such as restaurants. •Town council learned that traffic at Victoria and Main Streets was not enough to qualify for a traffic light, according to Ministry of Transport standards. July 15 'Students hoping to land a summer job in 1-992 were finding the pickings slim. Even 56 of those who got jobs at Dashwood Indus- tries found themselves laid off as the company faced a lack of work orders. •Organizers of Sandcastle Days in Grand Bend were disappointed by a lack of teams registering for -the contest, and announced they were forced to cancel their plans. •The Huron Country Playhouse staff was stunned by the death of their artistic director Tony Lloyd. Lloyd died after the run of The Sound of Music, the Playhouse s '92 season opener and the 200th play he directed in his career. July 22 •The Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services held a hear- ing in Exeter to gather information for an arbitration over the town's police budget dispute between council and the police services board. An editonal in the same issue suggested the hearing was clearly stacked in favour of the board. •Finally, Lucan residents saw the lifting of the ban on outdoor wa- ter use. With the new water pipeline now supplying the village, sim- ple pleasures like watering the lawn or washing the car became pos- sible for the first time since 1987. •An undercover survey by the Health Unit discovered that more than half of the retailers in Huron would sell tobacco to minors, breaking the law. July 29 •Organizers guessed that just about everyone in Usbome Town- ship took part in the homecoming weekend held in Exeter to cele- brate the municipality's 150th year since incorporation. •The Grand Bend beach reopened after being closed for a few days. The high bacteria count in the lake water was being blamed on high rainfall washing wastes off the land and into the rivers. "Some Grand Bend business owners were complaining that over- zealous bylaw enforcement and restrictive parking regulations were driving visitors away from the village. Others just blamed the .downturn on the recession and poor summer weather. 14,2 in review August August 5 "McGillivray Township celebrated their 150th anniversary with a two-day homecoming in West McGillivray. •Dashwood once again proved that interest in Friedsburg Days was not on the wane, benefitting from uncommonly good weather in an otherwise dismal summer. 'An Exeter doctor found his office once again the target of thieves. For the second time, drugs and cash were stolen from his Main St. office, this time in a deliberate break and enter. August 12 •A 52.4 million facelift was announced by the provincial govern- ment for the Huron Park Airport. The upgrades to the runways, lighting and fencing were aimed at making the airport more attrac- tive to aviation -oriented industries for the industrial park. •Five hundred bicycle riders raised S180,000 in the second annual Multiple Sclerosis Ride from Grand Bend to London and back - 150 kilometres in all. The increase in participation made the event the second largest MS 150k in Canada, after the Brampton ride. • Now aware of the Shoreline Management Plan, 300 cottage own- ers attended a public meeting in Zurich to take to task the Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority for what was perceived as a threat to property values and Lakeshore development prospects. ABCA of- ficials promised property owner comments wout' be incorporated , into.the plan's next draft. •A study was released to state that the Pinery Park deer population had to be cut back. The size of the herd was said to have doubled in 10 years to about 880 head, far more than the ideal 150-200 for the park's size. August 19 • The ribbons were cut for the official opening of the Lucan water supply system. Officials pointed out that the availability of lake wa- ter supply meant new develop' tent potential for the village. • Provincial Liberal leader 1 yn McLeod visited the Exeter area, touring the farm of Ron and J&.dy Dougall as part of her plan to sec most of the province's districts before the next election. • At a "town hall" style meeting in Zurich, Hay Township ratepay- ers took the chance to request their council provide more services to the lakeshore cottage subdivisions. Many wanted winter plowing and garbage collection. August 26 •No one managed a million dollar hole in one at the Oakwood Inn shootout held to raise money for the Oland Bend Winter Carnival, but hundreds of people gave it a try. About 30,000 golf balls were rented at a dollar a shot in contest qualifying. 'John Hotson of Grand Bend said his life was saved by the quick actions of pharmacist Dave Gleason at the Exeter Big V drug store. Gleason gave Hotson a shot of adrenalin to keep him from suffocat- ing from an allergic reaction to a bee sting so he could be transport- ed to South Huron Hospital. • A series of portraits of Exeter residents were unveiled at the Old Town Hall. Drawn by artist Harry Burke from old photographs, the portraits were donated for permanent display in the hall. •The Zurich Bean Festival was said to have drawn 15,000 people to the village for the 27th annual event. About 4,400 bean dinners were sold and the car show drew 480 exhibitors. Quality Mark Maker' Products are available at \00101010c0atii M a IMM INIh° raaviliglagrAwavolan YOUR FORD& MERCURYDEALERS YEAR-END NO CHARGE'g3AEROSPORT ■ FORGED ALUMINUM WHEELS • HIGH GLOSS METALLIC BUMPERS ■ COLOUR -KEYED HEADLAMP FRAME AND GRILL * FRONT BUMPER VALANCE AND AERO -TECH SIDE PANELS • SPECIAL SPORT STRIPING PACKAGE FEATURES INCLUDE: ■ AIR CONDITIONING . 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