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- Orono We Wednesday, October 5, 2005 Weekly Times Subscriptions $32.71 + $2.29 GST = $35.00 per year. Publications Mail Registration No. 09301 • Agreement No. 40012366 Publishing 48 issues annually at the office of publication. "We acknowledge the financial support of the Government of Canada through the Publications Assistance Program (PAP) toward our mailing costs." CanadS m Aocna ORONO WEEKLY TIMES - 5310 Main St., P.O. Box 209, Orono, ON LOB 1M0 E-mail: oronotimes@rogers.com or Phone/Fax: 905-983-5301. Publisher/Editor Margaret Zwart Sports and Display Advertising - Donna Wood Front Office and Classified Advertising - Rosey Bateman On the road again Unseasonably high temperatures have made for another fabulous first Tuesday in October. I have been going to Campbellford on the first Tuesday in October since 1992 for a day of spinning--and the drive has always been delightful. I gassed up at the Dutch Oven for 104.9 cents a litre, thinking to myself that with current gas prices, horse and buggy colour tours should be coming back in vogue. Since the CBC is still not back to regular programming, after having reached a memorandum of agreement Monday with its biggest union, and not having the stomach to listen to re-runs of Sounds like Canada with Shelagh Rogers; I slipped an amazing new CD into the player, which had the added bonus of some sing-along songs. With the sun shining over head, and vibrant colour closing closing in on me from both sides of the road; and the open road ahead, I was on the annual pilgrimage to Campbellford. The $1,000 blue bus at the yard by Highway 28. has dropped price since last year, with the new price spray painted in black on the side. It's a steal at $800. ' The derelict vehicles, which for the past 12 years have stood in fields along the road, are only slightly more derelict this year. Many have been joined by vehicles in road worthy condition, of the gas guzzling variety. These vehicles are sporting fresh'for sale'signs. On Highway 62 miles south of Campbellford, there was a sign beside the road, about 12 lines long, stating something something about construction on the bridge into Campbellford beginning on Oct 1st. You couldn't possibly have read the entire sign without pulling over to the side of the road. By the time I got into Campbellford,' and was tied up in traffic waiting to go over the bridge, I got the gist of what the sign was all about. The bridge over the Trent Canal was under construction and reduced to one lane, with long lanes of traffic on each side, waiting to get over. To avoid the traffic snarl up in downtown Campbellford, I took another route home. I followed the road along the west side of the canal, which is quieter than the east side, and was lined with picnickers taking advantage of the nice weather and the picnic tables available. The road on the east side of the canal is interesting from the fact that it is lower than the water level in the canal. The only distressing part of the journey was when I got back to Kirby, I noticed that Richard Ward had some loose metal on his barn roof. He'll want to fix that before the barn police report him. With enough wool in my possession to keep me spinning all winter, and a new season of CBC programming to look forward to, life's looking pretty good. Letter to the Editor Another village with a difference Dear Marg: 1 read today in the Star about a little town, 1200 folks to be fairly exact, which has increased tourism, expanded the housing market, and made a ton of young kids happy to be alive! Madoc, located straight north of Belleville, where fun and excitement for said youth has likely always been at a premium. ENTER! The skateboard, skateboard, roller-blade ramp, encouraged by many of the town's adults, and paid for largely through the ministra tions of the kids themselves. Not a day goes by without a blade or board loping down our street and Main street as well--locations not as safe as they could be. Imagine, if you will, a ramp landing in a big field, close to the already noisy highway. Not much cause for NIMBY action there! A village village with a difference we would certainly be! Yours truly, Pat Irwin Lycett Orono 602SACE#b AHfcR ALL COACH'S CORNER tfSÈ Staying in Touch MPP John O'Toole Bill targets speeders, protects pedestrians The Provincial Legislature will be dealing with a new law to more than double the minimum minimum fines and add three demerit points for drivers who ignore school crossings. The fines would increase from $60 to $150. In addition, all municipalities would be empowered to set 30 km/h speed limits in areas where traffic calming measures are in place. These are a few of the provisions contained in Bill 169, the Transit and Road Safety Bill. This bill also proposes proposes to lengthen suspensions for repeat speeding offenders. It would provide courts with the option to suspend repeat offenders for more than 30 days. Northern Forestry announcement falls short The Official Opposition said last week that a series of announcements from the government government regarding support for the forest sector came too late and falls short of what northern northern communities need. In the past few months, the industry has seen six plants close and 1,060 jobs lost. One part of the North has even suggested leaving Ontario out of exasperation. exasperation. Last week's announcement announcement came almost a year after the McGuinty Liberals commissioned a study of the forest industry. "The McGuinty Liberals have done absolutely nothing while mills are closing and critical jobs are being," said Opposition Leader John Tory. Last week's announcement will not alter investment decisions in the forestry industry and once again the money will take years to flow, instead of right away like it should. "For an $18 billion industry employing employing 200,000 people this is too little and way too late," Mr. Tory said. The forestry policy announcement also fails to address the high energy rates that are threatening the northern northern economy. Agriculture Week in Ontario In Ontario, Agriculture Week is observed each year beginning the Monday before Thanksgiving. The week pays tribute to the entire agricultural agricultural sector in Ontario. It is our second largest industry. What do road de-icers, windshield washer fluid, soap, paint, toothpaste and spark plugs all have in common? Give up? They're all spin-off products made from com. This list shows how much we continue to rely on agriculture and the products made by the agricultural agricultural industry in our daily lives. It also illustrates how seldom we realize the debt we owe to the Ontario farmer and other agricultural workers for the high quality of life based on technological advances that we enjoy. Agriculture Week is also a reminder of the challenges that Ontario's farmers and agri-businesses face. We need an Ontario- agricultural policy that will revitalize rural communities, promote self-sufficiency in food production and give Ontario farmers a fair return on their investment. In other words, Ontario's agricultural policy must give the next generation generation of farmers a reason to continue to work on the family family farm. As we enjoy the Thanksgiving Weekend with family and friends, let's not forget our neighbours in the agricultural sector who produce produce the safe, nutritious foods that arc part of our Thanksgiving tradition. Remember: "Farmers Feed Cities!"