Times Advocate, 1994-03-02, Page 2Page 2
Times -Advocate, March 2, 1994
I NT1-iE 1�1F.I��_
Regional
wrap up
Emergency
stays open
GODERICH - Goderich doc-
tors and the hospital have
reached an agreement that allows
the emergency department to
continue to operate indefinitely.
But both sides are saying that the
measures arc temporary and a
long-term solution still must
come from the ministry of health.
it was reported in the Signal -Star.
"We've settled," said hospital
administrator Ken Engelstad add-
ing that the board and hospital
position is that the payment of
physicians is a responsibility that
should be negotiated between the
Ministry of Health and the Onta-
rio Medical association.
Goderich Medical Society presi-
dent Dr. Derek Pearce agrees. "It's
temporary...we'Il be looking into
the global issue of funding over
the next year; well be looking at a
different payment model," he
said.
BIA stays,
carnival
cancelled
CLINTON - Despite low at-
tendance at the Clinton Business
Improvement Area annual meet-
ing last Thursday, the BIA has
decided not to disband, but in-
stead to stop presenting the sum-
mer Street Carnival.
Previous to the annual meet-
ing, the board for the BIA had
decided that unless more mem-
bers decided to show an interest
in the organization, and offered
to help with programs, the BIA
would be disbanded. With 100
members and seven associates
who pay a levy to the BIA, there
were only 11 people in atten-
dance at last Thursdays meet-
ing, it was reported in.the Clin-
ton News -Record.
A number of those in atten-
dance said the BIA should contin-
ue to function in order to see town
beautification programs continue,
such as the hiring of a summer
student to keep up the flower beds
in the core area, and the up keep
of the Christmas decorations and
lights.
Flood risk
subsides
PORT FRANKS - The poten-
tial for severe flooding in Port
Franks is over - for now.
Last weekend was tense with
the possibility of heavy rains
which created fears of wide-
spread flooding in the port com-
munity.
The rains came but not with
the intensity that might have set
about a chain reaction, including
the flooding of farmland and res-
idential communities along the
Ausable cut, it was reported in
the Forest Standard.
Bosanquet's chief administra-
tive officer Ken Williams said ice
spotters were located at five loca-
tions along the river, and regular
trips were made to the area by
council members and staff, after
being notified last Friday of the
possible weekend flooding.
Sand was also imported to the
community centre along with
sand bags for residents in case
flooding occurred. Plans contin-
ue to be in place to move resi-
dents to the arena in Thedford in
the event of an emergency.
Water line
breaks
worst since
`60s
WINGHAM - The Wingham
Public Utilities Commission has
had to contend with one or two wa-
ter line breaks this winter, which is
about average for the utility.
However, PUC manager Ken
Saxton said the commission has
also had to deal with about 50
water lines being frozen; which
has caused some customers to be
without water for up to six days,
it was reported in the Wingham
Advance -Times.
This is the worst year sine 1
started with the PUC in the early
1960a," he said.
Buck and
does now
require
security
EXETER - Keeping in line
with policy changes at facili-
ties in some towns around
Exeter, the South Huron Rec-
reation and Community Cen-
tre Board recommended
council require police securi-
ty at all Exeter buck and
does.
Deputy -reeve Lossy Fuller
told council last Monday that
liquor inspectors were pres-
suring the board to make the
change. She said the security
requirement will, in the near
future, be necessary for every
town that has facilities used
for events such as buck and
does.
Council agreed with the
recommendation.
Effective immediately all
Exeter buck and does adver-
tised, in local papers or by
selling tickets, must have se-
curity using either police or a
security service.
Little ho e o t uo Centralia training school
Morris Flight Services
leaving Huron Park
HURON PARK - Visions of
making Huron Park an aerospace
industry centre are getting a little
dimmer, month by month.
Another aviation company has
decided to call it quits and head for
Brantford.
Barry Morris, owner of Morris
Flight Services and Morris Avia-
tion Consultants, explained Mon-
day why he decided to relocate his
companies to Brantford, abandon-
ing the idea of making Huron Park
the base for his small airline.
Morris was also the main propo-
nent of a plan that would turn the
buildings of Centralia College into
an international flight training
school for asian pilots.
"We couldn't get any support
from ODC [Ontario Development
Corporation) or anyone on this col-
lege," said Morris, who had insist-
ed it would have been a huge step
towards making Huron Park the
aviation centre the governments
had envisioned.
"It's not very complimentary to
ODC, or to the governments," said
Morris.
But the failure to gain financial
commitments from governments for
the flight school is not why Morris
is relocating to Brantford. The
main reason is the troubles at Clear-
water Aircraft Maintenance and
Overhaul.
"We came here to support Clear-
water," explained Morris, but said
that since that company teetered
near bankruptcy at Christmas time
and is now struggling to reorganize
under the name Clearwater 1994, he
said there isn't enough spin-off trade
to make staying in Huron Park
worthwhile for him.
"There's nothing here. That's
what was discouraging us. Every-
thing that was here was pulling
out," said Morris.
Morris Flight Services has one
twin -engine aircraft and three em-
ployees.
"Our plan was to set up regular
scheduled air services into Detroit,
Toronto, maybe Buffalo," said Mor-
ris, but the lack of commercial activ-
ity in Huron County, particularly in
Huron Park, made that pointless.
He is now transferring his domes-
tic and international licenses to
Brantford. He had invested about
half a million dollars in his new ven-
ture since fall 1992.
"It's very depressing for us," he
said. "Oh well, made a mistake."
Morris is critical of the Ontario
Development Corporation, which he
says makes continual claims about
its support of Huron Park as an avia-
tion centre, but seems to do little
about it. The millions spent on up-
grading Clearwater's building and
resurfacing the runways seem wast-
ed, said Morris.
Once Centralia College closes in
May, the industrial park will be a
very quiet place indeed, he said.
"They should either make it go, or
close it," he challenged. "We've got
to get other people in here, or pretty
soon there won't be any taxpayers
left."
Famine
Continued from front page.
This was Chnssy Morgan's first
30 -Hour Famine, and she said she
was enjoying taking part in such a
worthwhile cause.
"It's just the fact that were help-
ing other people, not in our own
country," she said, adding that do-
ing it together, as one large group
makes it easier to go more than a
day without food.
"About five o'clock I'm probably
going to get really hungry," she
said, looking forward to the pizza
party that broke the famine at 6
p.m.
Local businesses helped support
the event. New Orleans donated
the pizzas, and the IGA donated the
soft drinks the students were al-
lowed during the event. The rec-
reation centre provided free ice
time for a skating party on Friday.
"Those three places we really
have to thank for what they did for
us," said Bender.
Even though they had been without food for 27 hours, the participants in the 30 -flour Famine
still had enough energy for volleyball Saturday aftemoon.
C
band heads
to Mytle
Beach
SEAFORTH - The Seaforth
and District High School March-
ing Band is off to the Can -Am
Festival Days in Myrtle Beach,
South Carolina.
The band is off again to enter-
tain the people of the Myrtle
Beach area. The group wilt
leave with 64 band members and
20 adults on Friday, March 11
and return on Sunday March 19.
The band will perform on
Monday morning at a reception
visiting tourists put on by the
Myrtle Beach Chamber of Com-
merce. It usually attracts three or
four thousand tourists. The girls
will play at the main Myrtle
Beach Mall on Tuesday at noon
and Thursday at the Inlet Mall.
Both of these events are well
publicized on the local TV and
In the newspapers.
The band began working for
this trip last April by preparing
for upcoming parades in June
and July. The girls come from
high schools across the county -
Seaforth, Clinton, Goderich, Ex-
eter and St. Mike's in Stratford.
They also have elementary stu-
dents from Clinton, Holmesville,
Goderich, Seaforth and Bruce -
field.
The drum major this year is •
Janine Jones who Leads the band
through the routine. She is also
responsible for training the
dancers who form an integral
part of the routine. The flag
twirlers are trained by Angie
Good and Julie Williams. They
are also part of the choreography
of the marching drill. The band
has traditional flag carriers that
advertise Huron County, the
province and Huron County
Towns.
The band is sponsored by the
Huron. County Board of Educa-
tion and also receives donations
from service clubs, legions, and
the Town of Seaforth. The girls
raise money by performing in
parades across Southwestern
Ontario. They 'performed in 15
parades and prayed to a Iive •au
of over one million peo-
`'" seen by over 200
t 101
on TV. They appeared
nationally on Global, CBS, and
the Super Channel in Europe.
Future funding for alternotive education?
Student d'rop-out rates
across province examined
by Royal Commission
By Catherine O'Brien
T -A staff
CLINTON - As the Royal Com-
mission on Learning wraps up the
second phase of its study into the
future of education, it will be look-
ing to school drop -outs for some
answers. And the answers to these
questions could help the Huron
County Board of Education get the
money needed to broaden alterna-
tive education programs.
"During the three months of pub-
lic hearings which ended before
Christmas, we invited thc public to
come to us with ideas for improv-
ing the education sys-
tem," said Monique
Begin, co-chair of the
Commission
news release.
"Now we are seek-
ing specific informa-
tion on issues we feel
we need to explore itri
greater detail before
we can write our re-
port," she said.
The Commission
will now consult with
young people who have not
in school. including street
and those in group homes,
tion centres, hostels, homes for
pregnant teens and children's aid fa-
cilities.
But such a study isn't new for Hu-
ron County.
"We have spent a fair deal of
time dealing with the issue of drop-
outs over the years," said Paul Car-
roll director of the Huron County
Board of Education.
He said there is a small percent-
age of the student population who
don't fit the regular method of de -
in a
livering secondary schooling, so
they have problems learning.
But, he said. the drop-out rate in
Huron County is lower and always
has been lower than national and
provincial figures.
"If you look at the number of kids
that start Grade 9 and actually stay
in school without interruption.
completing a grade 12 diploma. we
have higher than 70 percent com-
pletion rate," Carroll said.
"If you add in the number of kids
that leave for a temporary basis and
come back the following year,than
the figure would be upwards of 85
percent," he said.
He also said there is
a variation in drop-
out numbers between
each high school in
Huron County.
"I believe the study
we did a few years
ago showed the
smaller the school the
higher the completion
rate," he said.
Carroll attributed
this to the fact the a
student having a problem in school
is more likely to be noticed in a
smaller school.
There is also a greater chance the
student will be helped before it gets
to the point where dropping out oc-
curs.
"We have had some pretty active
intervention and prevention pro-
grams since mid -1980's," he said.
That's when thc hoard established
alternative education programs for
students at risk of dropping out.
But the hoard had difficulty getting
the ministry of education to count
these kids as part of the student
ti U= "I believe the
study we did a
few years ago
showed the
smaller the
school 'he
higher the
completion
rale."
stayed
youth
deten-
population for grant purposes.
That made the program quite cost-
ly and for the most part it was termi-
nated at many high schools in the
county.
But at Central Huron Secondary
School in Clinton there is still a pro-
gram called COPE - Co-op Oppor-
tunities for Providing Education.
Carroll said more than a dozen kids
from the centre of the county are in-
volved in this program.
It combines classroom and work
placement education. The program
is based on secondary school curric-
ulum and the monitoring of the
work program.
Students, Carroll said, are marked
in a similar fashion to a work co-op
where students are marked on such
things as dependability and work
skills.
"We hope to expand this program
either by adding more kids to it or
by establishing satellite programs at
other schools," Carroll said.
He said South Huron District
High School is a potential candidate
for the program and a proposal is in
the works.
"The challenge will be to staff it,"
Carroll said.
But it could be some time before
the province decides to allocate
money to alternative education
The Commission's report is due in
December 1994.
The Commission was established
in May 1993 by Education and
training Minister Dave Cooke with a
mandate to consult widely and rec-
ommend changes to legislation,
structures, policies and procedures
to improve the education system in
Ontario.
i1
Crimes of the week
Crime Stoppers
.
seeks tips on loyal
thefts, vandalism
•A car was parked outside the Zurich arena while the owner went
inside to play volleyball on February 7. When she returned at 9:30
p.m. she found the car had been entered and the following items sto-
len: $14 in cash, one silver ring with a sapphire stone held with four
claws, and one girls silver locket.
There were several youths loitering outside the arena when the
victim entered.
•On February 12 at Stephen Central School the double door/
windows on the east side of the building were smashed and entry
gained. Once inside. the culprits smashed the glass door of a milk
cooler in the hallway and then rummaged through the cupboards and
desks in each room. They then took a portable stereo from the prin-
cipal's office, a computer from the library, and a microwave oven
from the staff room. There was a lot of damage to doors and locks
throughout the building. This is the second break and enter at the
school in the past while. •
•Vandals broke the mouldings on some sliding windows and
gained entry to Our Lady of Mount Carmel School on January 8.
They rummaged through the entire school and stole the following
item: one Panasonic VCR (serial #C6HF00057). one Goldstar
combination television/VCR (#KMV2102), one Pentax 90 -WR cam-
era (#5318717), one black starter's pistol, one GE microwave oven,
one battery charger, and one Bell and Howell Language Master.
...there has been considerable damage done around the Village of
Zurich caused by pellets or BBs. On February 7 at the arena, it was
discovered that the lights had been damaged by pellets or BBs, and
numerous other cases of damage have been noted around the village.
•In Exeter sometime in the early hours of February 16, thieves
broke a glass panel and gained entry through the roof of the Centre
Mall. Once inside they entered the Good Times Restaurant by
breaking the glass in the east door. While inside they stole money
by smashing the coin box of the juke box. cigarette machine and
pool tables. They damaged the cash register and ransacked the bar
area and cold storage area, stealing some liquor.
•A dark coloured 4x2 Toyota pickup with racks on the bed and a
noisy exhaust was seen leaving the scene of an attempted gasoline
theft at the first farm west of the Greenway Church. Three males
were seen leaving the property with gas cans in their hands. When
the owner yelled the culprits dropped the cans and ran to the truck
and fled the area westbound on County Road 5 towards Pinery Park.
If you have information about these or other crimes, call Crime
Stoppers of Huron County at 1-800.265-1777, and you could be eli-
gible for a reward up to $1,000. You will never have to appear in
court nor give your name. Crime Stoppers does not subscribe to
caller identification.
Remember, crime doesn't pay, but Crime Stoppers does.
1