The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1999 aa Mu Wiarton Willie escapes Black's suit BY MAGGIE PETRUSHEVSKY The New Tanner In an interview earlier this ug B L, week Rockwood lawyer Doug Black said Wiarton Willie's predictions regard- ing the continuation of win- ter had better come true this lack once planned to suit Wiarton Willie. Tanner file ttm 0 Groundhog Day (Tuesday, Feb. 2). Although he wasn't per- sonally planning a lawsuit against the furry forecaster, fy . Rash of thefts occupy police Guelph OPP have no sus- pects in a recent series of break-ins Eramosa Town- ship. Const. Dale Gear says vehicles, garages and sheds were entered at tive proper- ties on County Road 29 on Saturday with everything from frozen meat and power tools to car stereo systems being taken. A stereo was also removed from a car in Eden Mills on Jan. 26. Men beaten Suspects are known and arrests are expected soon in the serious beating of two men in their Erin Township home Monday afternoon. Const. Dale Gear says two cars brought five to eight men to the Fifth Line resi- dence around 4 p.m. They beat two brothers, aged 17 and 32, causing the men to be taken to Georgetown and District Hospital with broken teeth and ribs and a concus- sion. It appears the beating was in retaliation for an ear- lier altercation but police are still investigating the inci- dent. Home entered Thieves made off with al- cohol, a VCR and a micro- wave oven from a home on the Sixth Line of Milton dur- ing a break-in on Jan. 26. Halton Regional police say entry was gained by a base- ment window some time be- tween | p.m. and 8 a.m. The stolen property is valued at about $4,000. Thefts from cars A stereo was removed from a pickup truck on Cobblehill Road in Acton some time between 1:30 and 5:30 a.m. on Jan. 24. Entry was gained by smashing a vent window, Halton Re- gional police say. The same day change was also removed from a car parked on Kingham Road. (7 Painting, Decorating Hello, my name is Rory Gibbons. | own Gibbons Painting and Decorating. | have been serving Halton ing areas with 10 years experience. | started painting 10 years ago in Toronto, but after starting a family we decided to come to a community-based town. We chose Acton. | have found Acton and area to be a friendly and warm environment to work in my craft and custo guaranteed. | do interior and exterior in both oil and latex. | offer competitive rates and have refer- ences available upon request. | look forward to serving you. (51 ™) Hills and surround- in. | take great pride mer Satisfaction is 9) 853-2199 Z he wouldn't rule out the pos- sibility of someone else tak- ing on the task one day. "Black said (tongue-in- cheek), he considered suing the reticent rodent a couple of years ago, then decided against it. Given Willie's in- come even if the suit was concluded in Black's favour, what hope would he have of collecting damages? "Tt would be like getting the proverbial blood from a stone," Black says. "He de- serves to be in court for his often less than perfect prog- nostications. Unless he be- comes more accurate with his = there's going to someone go after him one of these days." Black suggested this could in fact, be an ongoing story, since Willie's predic- tions have the potential to influence a lot of people. It could be an ongoin story, all right. But of a dif- ferent sort. Willie died over the week- end, in his burrow waiting for his big annual moment in the spotlight. Suspecting a skunk in the woodpile, this reporter checked with staff at the Wiarton Echo before accept- ing the truth of radio an- nouncements about Willie's demise. "Yes, it's true," said a woman who identified her- self as a member of the pa- per's custodial staff. "Willie died Sunday. Now they're looking for his son. But we understand he's on vacation and won't be back until sum- mer. Meanwhile Willie left Mother Nature a message saying it would be an early spring." On a less bantering note she explained Willie was 22 years old, a rare age for any groundhog let alone one of the white variety. "In the wild groundhogs usually live to be four or five years old," she said. "But the white ones rarely survive their first year because other ' groundhogs pick on them. Willie was given special food and treated and given vet care so he was a very pam- pered fellow." There were actually three white groundhogs, she said, but two died last summer. "That was kept very quiet, but we knew then Willie's days were numbered." A replacement will be found once warm weather arrives and the local groundhog population reap- pears. White groundhogs are fairly common in Kepple Township, so a son, nephew : or cousin should be available - for drafting to Willie's ex- alted position of national prominence. Willie has been © a legend in the area for 43 - years, the woman said. Now as for that continu- ing saga. Did someone put out a contract on our wily rodent when no one was looking? Or was that a hex? Amazing turnout for benefit social Dear Editor, Our community held a benefit social for my hus- band, Brad Macfarlane, on January 30, 1999. There was an amazing turnout thanks to the wonderful planning and advertising done by the committee. Attached is a copy of the speech that I was going to present but couldn't because of the overwhelming emo- tions I was experiencing. No one can imagine the feeling one gets when people you may consider to be neigh- bours, teachers, proprietors of businesses within your community turn out to be friends and a very important part of your family, because of their support and show of affection. I'm hoping you can print this letter to give me the op- portunity to thank all of the peopie who deserve to be recognized for helping me to realize the true meaning of "community". Sincerely, Anita Macfarlane > Thank you! To our community: Our community has come together in an over- whelming surge of support in our time of need. Know- ing that we live within such a caring community pro- vides comfort and relieves the pressure of feeling that we are alone in such a diffi- cult time. It is so difficult to express the gratitude and appreciation that our whole family would like to convey. For all of you and what you have given us, I thank you. To our care givers: We have learned a lot about the health care system in the past year! There are so many strangers that have given their absolute best to save, repair and maintain Brad Macfarlane and wife Anita manage to keep wear- Brad's life. They are special people for the path they have chosen. These people have become our friends and teach- ers. They have counselled, educated and comforted us through this horrifying time. For this, I thank you. To our family: Through thick and thin. You never truly appreciate the meaning of some of the old cliches until you live them. I can't even imagine how we would have survived our cri- sis without the love and sup- port our family has shown us. For your unyielding sacrifices we are eternally in your debt. I thank you. To our children: They have endured a treacherous time. Without knowing or asking about the consequences they give us their unconditional love. They inspire us by being brave, sad, happy or unsure. They answer our questions of how to guide them by asking the questions. They give us the strength of family and the will to live! For this, I love you and thank you. To Brad: You have all had the op- portunity to witness the brav- ery and strength that exists within my husband. He not only has a powerful will to live but insists on maximiz- ing every situation he has, faced. In doing so, he also challenges me and this makes me a stronger person. For all of what he is and what he makes me, I thank him. So many people have im- pacted our lives, not only through the last eight months, but through our entire lives. Weare part ofan intricate cir- cle of relationships. We take this for granted until some- thing forces us or the people in the circle to step up. I will count my blessings ever day and thank everyone who en- riches me life! 'ing smiles despite his tragic accident last summer.- Tanner file photo Appliance Service Limited RR# 2 GUELPH RALPH MacDONALD 519-856-9958