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Bean
Festival
Zurich's
30th Annual
See pages 11-15
Interior
Motives
See Crossroads
Second front
Classifieds
pages 21-24
Announcements
pages 25 and 26
Experts
page 27
Shipka boy
killed in
off-road
vehicle
accident
SHIPKA - Ten -year-old Kristo-
pher Finkbeiner died Sunday morn-
ing after losing control of the ATV
vehicle he was driving at Lot I I,
Conc. 16 Stephen Twp., near his
family's hone.
The boy, who was wearing a hel-
met at the timc of the accident, was
thrown into the dry bed creek he
was riding near and pinned beneath
the vehicle.
After he was found by relatives,
he was taken to South Huron Dis-
trict Hospital in Exeter and pro-
nounced dead a fcw hours later. No
inquest will be held.
He was the son of Robert and
Dianne Finkbciner and brother of
Jeff.
Two injured
in Grand
Bend street
brawl
GRAND BEND - At least 10
people were involved in an early
morning street brawl in Grand
Bend August 19.
Nine officers responded to the
scene at 2 a.m. and seven males
were arrested for causing a distur-
bance. Two individuals were taken
to south Huron Hospital in Exeter
to be treated for facial injuries.
None of the injuries were serious.
•
Wednesday,August 23, 1995
Big-hearted bikers
Al Blanccher collected $2,131 in pledges during the Cure .in Motion Poker Run on Sat-
urday. 138 motorcycles stopped at Gar's Bar and Grill, the last stctp(.of the gun to hand in
their poker hands and count the funds raised for the Muscular Dystrophy Association.
Bikers cruise in poker
run for MD Association
138 motorcyclists raise $5,000 for Muscular Dystrophy
Chris Skalkos T -A staff
EXETER - Some of them had
big bikes and others had big
beards, but all of them had big
hearts.
Approximately 138 mo-
torcyclists roared into Exeter Sat-
urday in the final stop of the
Cure In Motion Poker Run, a
fundraising event for the Mus-
cular Dystrophy Association
(MDA).
The second annual event spon-
sored by the London Harley Own-
ers Group, the Hawk 103.1 FM
radio station and Rocky's Harley
Davidson in London attracted mo-
torcycle groups, mostly on Harley
Davidsons, from across Ontario
and Michigan.
Each rider paid a $10 entry fee
and collected pledges before join-
ing the poker run which began in
London Saturday morning with
card stops in Parkhill, Bayfield
and Blyth.
The run ended at Gar's Bar
and Grill on Main Street where
the bikers handed in their poker
cards and to tally up the total
cash donations.
Tracy Simpson, district co-
ordinator for the poker run said
they raised $5,000 and the mon-
ey will assist MDA with pur-
l..
Continued on page 2
Exeter called a "ghost
town by area BIA chair
Strathroy newspaper quotes
Kovacs who said the draw to
London has severe impact
Heather Mir T -A staff
EXETER - This town is far from being a ghost town
despite a recent comment by the Strathroy BIA Chair-
man.
An article in the August 16 Strathroy Age Dispatch
drew the attention of local business people.
The piece concerned the Strathroy BIA which was
circulating a petition among its members
to prevent a commercial development
planned for the town's north end.
What Exctcr BIA Chairperson Tom
Seip took exception to was the reference
to Exeter as a "ghost town". Strathroy
BIA Chairman Michael Kovacs was
quoted in the article, noting the draw to
London malls from surrounding com-
munities has had a severe impact on re-
tail stores in those communities.
"We don't want to have a ghost town like they have
in Exeter and Lucan," Kovacs was quoted as saying in
the Dispatch.
Seip acknowledged London draws shoppers from
Exeter. Many people live in Exeter but work in Lon-
don where they may find it convenient to shop. How-
ever, he also said Exeter has the friendly service cities
like London lack. Seip added Kovacks' comments
were unfounded.
"Eve
can see
d
beco
t
"Large stores don't have the personal touch," said
Scip.
Scip explained it takes everyone in the community to
cooperate and support each other in order for a town to
thrive. That's exactly what is happening in Exeter.
"Everybody can see we are definately becoming a
thriving town," said Scip.
BIA Manager Karen Brown echoed Scip's com-
ments. She said the key for any town's success is
working together.
"There's no denying London is a draw. But the idea
of better selection and prices in Targe stores and malls
is not always the truth," said Brown.
Kovacs spoke with the T -A on Monday
and drew comparisons between small
towns like Strathroy and Exeter which
face similar obtacles maintaining a pros-
perous business centre. He said the com-
ments he made werebased on an anicic in
the London Free Press several months
ago.
"Business Monday did a big spread here
not too long ago and I was kind of quoting
from your restauranteer there that you
people are having the same problem," said
rybody
we are
ofinitely
ming a
l:riving
town."
Kovacs.
He said no offense was meant. The BIA is looking
for ways for all small communities surrounding Lon-
don to keep their merchants thriving.
"I can see this being a bigger problem down the
road. Anyone who works in London, shops in London.
It takes about a three year turnaround before they even
get to know all the stores and all the merchants," he
said.
Fifty-three per
cent of trucks
inspected
declared unsafe
The Ministry of Transportation laid 52
charges in Huron County's first
organized commercial truck inspection.
Brenda Burke T -A staff
EXETER - More than half of the trucks inspected in last week's two-
day inspection blitz were deemed unsafe due to mechanical problems.
MTO inspected a total of 99 trucks in Exeter, Clinton' Goderich and
Wingham. A quarter of those inspections were conducted in Exeter at the
OPP station. Here, 13 of the 25 trucks were taken out of service for me-
chanical reasons, 16 charges were laid and one vehicle had its plates re-
moved.
"The majority of vehicles had a defect of some sort," said Charlie Bo-
dle, a transportation enforcement officer with MTO in Clinton. "Some
still had minor defects when we sent them down the road," he added,
stressing they were still fit to drive.
Some charges in Exeter included failing to do pre -trip inspections, hav-
ing incorrect license classification, hauling insecure and overweight
loads, keeping expired plates and failing.to have annual inspection stick-
ers.
In addition to charges made by MTO, Exeter OPP laid four document -
related charges.
"For Huron County this is the only real organized blitz so far," said Bo-
dle who added MTO would like to have more inspections but haven't
been able to with severe man -power restraint reducing their labor force to
half in the Kitchener district.
Despite the inspections' grim figures, both MTO and Exeter OPP feel
postive about the inspection.
"It was a positive venture and we certainly surprised the motor vehicle
drivers in the area," said Sgt. Paul Holmes.
"I'm sure a lot of (truckers) are really trying," said Bodle. "We've made
our standards tighter and they've followed suit...If we'd have done in-
spections to standards 15 years ago people would have been shocked," he
said. "At least 90 per cent would have been taken out of service...You
don't see the loads going down the road without straps now. They're in
far better shape."
Transportation Enforcement Officer Ron Kirkconnell in-
spects a truck last week a the Exeter OPP station.
Water use down
slightly from '94
Although down from last year, wa-
ter consumption nearly doubles
during the summer months
Heather Mir T -A staff
EXETER - With the hot sun baking lawns and beating down on
gardens, it is no wonder water consumption during the summer
months nearly doubles from the average use. But this year water use
is down.
"Consumptions arc actually down from last year," said Sherman
Roth, Public Utilities Commission manager. "But the water re-
strictions arc still in place."
The water restrictions listed by the PUC were published in the T -A
on June 21. They restrict watering by residential customers (house-
holds) to Saturday through Sunday from 7 p.m. until 8:30 p.m.
Commercial customers may water lawns and gardens Monday,
Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to
11 a.m.
Customers disregarding the re-
strictions will he given one reminder.
In the case of a re -occurrence the cus-
tomer risks a fine or having their pres-
sure reduced, eliminating watering
with a hose for the remainder of the
summer.
Nearly everyone is out watering
their lawns and gardens and this in-
creases the town's water use by an addition 2000 cu.m. July 31
marked the most water used during the month at a daily total of
4567.35 cu.m. This number is down from last year at the same time
with a peak daily total of 4768.43 cu.m. during the month of July.
Daily water use drops off considerably during the winter months
to about 2000 cu.m.
"Consumptions
are actually
down from last
year. But the
water restrictions
are still in
place."
•