GeorQotownActon Wednesday Feb TELEPHONE Button Editorial Oftica Founded In by MUnlnd Printing Publotung at Acton OnunoL7J2M2 8SJ2O10 Subcnpuoria cop 3Oe0Ch 17 The Ontario Com Don Ryder Director of Advertising Ken Bellamy pwahor Hartley Coles Managing Editor das mail nation Number The Fro a one or the group which include ThAufOfBflnfAiPiclrKeiwArXBOfTheBQncmEntprnoTlw Brampton Guardian The BurSngton The Post The Etobtcoka Guardian The Georgetown Independent Economist Sun The Milton Champion The MoafesauQa The Newmarket Eta The North York Minor Oafcwlle Braver Friday OihawaThra Week Weekend Richmond Hill Liberal Liwral The Scarborough Minor The Tribune and Wood Liberal Meiroland Et Distributing a a Harlequin United EDITORIAL DEPARTMENT Editor Murray New Helen Murray Mark Hotmea Darkroom Nancy ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Menstfer Cook Seles Davy Susan SandVa Wilson Carolyn Debbie BUSINESSACCOUNTING OFFICE Oflkie Manage Jean Petersons idea makes sense Signing of Highway to promote tourism can be done tastefully Last week when he was in town Liberal leader David Peterson suggested the is a vast wasteland and that there should be a system devised by the provincial government which would allow tasteful signage of the super highway toencourage tourists shoppers and travellers to get off it and visit spots like Acton There are examples of tasteful tourism promotion signs the world over One of the nicest is used on parts of south of the border Signs are your standard highway information size Each is devoted to a type of service or attraction For example one sign will deal with fuel another with accommodation and another with local attrac- tions Business names or logos are standard shapes Amounted on the standard sign Often the signs also in dicate the distance and direction the driver must move in to find these ser vices and attractions There will be four or five before each interchange on the highway These signs arent over bearing a distraction or offensive There could be signs like these at the Highway 25 interchange shared by Milton and Acton And while theyre at it Queens Park could a few more things which might help bring more tourists and shoppers miles north to Acton Such as putting us on the next map And quit saying Halton Hills formerly Acton on the highway signs How about Hills consisting of Acton Georgetown and Township That would be clearer and more accurate Were only former to the province And how about delivering on Claude Bennetts pro mise of 10 years ago to make Highway a Heritage Highway and so bring more tourists around Lets see some publicity about this unique area so close to the big population centres in those provincial flyers promoting tourism And declare this area a tourist area Come on Liberals of On tario give the Tories a rough ride on poor tourism promotion for the Put on some pressure maybe well at least not be left off the map again GM Support VIA stop here For the second time in re cent weeks Acton and area has been asked to stand up and fight a bit to get a ser vice a good many residents think we need One was the ambulance for Acton issue the other is persuading VIA Rail to stop here again Both are positive issues Both will require time patience and effort Particularly effort VIA may he a more attainable goal If it can be proven that its in VIAs in terests to stop six trains each way here daily that the revenue will outdistance the costs then weve got a decent shot The ambulance will be tougher since theres no way it can make money for the province All we can hope to do is prove a need and demonstrate how the community can help keep the tab down Both will require some creative community involvement and support Both require strong public response Speak to a councillor Attend dropin Write a two minute letter to council Julian Reed Otto MP etc Every bit of support for either effort can be used later by politicians and community leaders to convince the powers that be of the need and benefits of both services if they were offered locally With both of these issues we should all act like were from Missouri Prove we cant get them Dont give up before weve started Be positive assume that if you do your homework well enough youll succeed GM From the editor desk Lottery wins bring sad comments I must confess I wasnt disap pointed when the winners of the big draw for million turn ed out to be from and not Acton Not because I didnt want to see lady luck smile on a local resident And not just so Helen and I could avoid hounding the winners for details of their lives and future plans No I was relieved since it meant I wouldnt have to hear any com ments from a minority of readers or scan over any anonymous let ters about the winners This may happen elsewhere in fact it probably docs but that doesnt make it any less painful when a small but dark side of our community comes shining through Let me explain It seems almost every time we carry a story about some big winner in a lottery or another big contest for that mat ter I have to hear some comments about my poor news judgement in spotlighting the report Or worse I hear a collection of snide comments which people sug gest If there was real truth in journalism Id publish For example Ive been told win ners just cant wait to get down to the office to brag about their wind fall and have their photos taken Theyre rubbing it in to the rest of us dont you know Lets get this one swept aside right once have I had a lottery winner volunteer the news Most times we just hear about it Sometimes the only way we or just about anyone else for that matter learned about the good fortune was when the Ontario Lottery Corpora tion called us Then we call the lucky winners gently let them know we have information from the lottery peo ple and well be publishing it anyway so they might as well allow us to take a picture and answer a few more questions One person threw a monkey wrench in the whole system once on me This person shared a ticket with an outoftown relative They then proceeded to tell a goodly number of coworkers who duly passed the news on Pretty soon it reached our ears But when it came to an interview or photo forget it Free Press Heck this person wouldnt even confirm theyd won and ordered me not to print a word or face a law suit I had to laugh at this one 1 told the woman I didnt want to argue with her it would all come out when she cashed the ticket Ha she had the last laugh since she informed me her relative elsewhere would be cashing the ticket and had already promised not to mention her Okay But I fail to see the pur pose of trying to keep the win quiet after telling half the workers at a large local Do me a favor eh If you win and have a good way of keeping it quiet then keep it quiet Dont tell half the town and then muzzle us from telling the other half please By the way the bit about rushing down lo the Free Press with the news Ihavent just heard the com ment Ive read it in a few unsigned and so unpunishable letters to the Ed There was one signed letter which didnt see print either It was so full of libel and slander albeit in a lovely poetic style that when I took out all the no nos there wasnt much left What else do people say and write Oh that so and so doesnt deserve the money they already have enough the rich just get richer theyre so cheap I wouldnt figure theyd buy lottery tickets thought they were God fearing lot teries are gambling etc Or how about the suggestion Ive heard that if we had real reporters down there youd find out if name deleted to protect the in nocent donated any of this to local charities and how much they shared And the rumors which get started as to what the money is being used for Ridiculous And this doesnt extend just to big wins If I had a ticket in and the hockey lottery for every person who has suggested we investigate one of these lotteries because so and so won or so and so sold the ticket why Id have so many Id have to be winning regularly We go to both if theyre rigged theyve pulled off the crime of the century I suppose jealousy and envy about anothers good fortune is a part of human nature at least many peoples nature But do we have to verbalize it folks As I said its a small small minority who comment smaller still who put pen to paper Keep it coming- I figure if youre complaining to us youre probably not going so far as to say anything to one of the winners Oh and to those who have writ ten us on the subject of lottery win ners if youre letter didnt appear you know the reason now It cither wasnt signed or it was too low too libelous or slanderous to see the light of day or more likely both Porn was shocking To the Editor The presentation made by Citizens Against violent Porno graphy last Wednesday was shock ing Why do we need to be hit over the head before we can recognize what is happening in our com munity To our families We can no longer turn a blind eye to this malaise that sweeping the western world Why havent our Parlia mentarians revised the criminal code to protect all Canadians from this epidemic They have talked long enough Why hasnt local council passed a byJaw prohibiting the distri buting of this material in fUlls The problem was identified for them by CAVP some time ago and Councillor Sheldon did ask Council to direct staff to prepare a report last June and nothing happened How many of those attending Wednesdays presentation have followed up on their intention of doing something Its not too late Call your councillors write to your MP and MPP boycott businesses that are purveyors material Rememberaction causes re action Our readers write Support of PM appreciated Two papers two views Following a letter to the mayor and members council filed the Independent for publication Your Worship and members of Council Thank you for your recent mo tion of support for Prime Minister Trudeaus peace initiative Quite possibly his mission was inspired at least in part by the strong Yes vote for disarmament in the refer endum which this town and many others held a Tew months ago Our efforts do make a difference I Already three months into the Prime Ministers peace mission we sense a change in the rhetoric of world leaders a hint that per haps they will begin to talk with each other instead of at each other It gives up a glimmer of hope that our children will live to grow up that Halton Hills will still be a good place to live in years to come Yours truly Hills Action for Nuclear Disarmament HAND To The Editor Hills was created by forces outside our communities and with some reluctance the majority of the people here hare adapted to the situation Not so woof our newspaper Acton Free PrM and Georgetown Inde pendent continue lo act as if there were two separate towns with the rural area somewhere In Umbo bad hoped when the Indepen dent changed from the tabloid for mat to broadsheet that a mow was to mate a strong grafted of Information for tite residents But we see the opposite happening items of news in the Independent are not carried In the Free Press letters of mutual concern are printed by the free Press but not by the Independent And where Is the Regional newt Reports are being circulated deci sions being made and we are not informed There a role to be filled by community newspapers we look to you do it Dollie Editors note- Others say they are concerned because of what they perceive to be the large amount of regional true they are two separate communities joined by political ties St John is seeking donations Dear Sir During the year 1983 a St John Ambulance Branch was formed to serve a population of approx imately 35000 residents within he Town of Halton Hills An official charter was received from the Provincial Council of the Order of St John on October 1983 The purpose of St John Ambulance is to provide the res idents of our community with a medical first aid service at public events as well as providing a comprehensive first aid training program The training program encompasses a variety of courses ranging from basic first aid industrial first aid and includes cardiopulmonary resuscitation The St John Ambulance is a voluntary organization and is reliant upon the generosity of the communities and businesses to meet Its operating costs Expenses are incurred in purchasing uniforms and equip ment to enable the branch be successful in a daytoday opera tion Your assistance in supporting the Hills St John Ambu lance Branch is earnestly solicited A donation may be made payable to St John Ambulance Halton Hills Branch Mrs J Clarke RR Georgetown Ontario Receipts will be provided on request Thank you Yours very truly C A Coutens Back issues 10 years ago February In a last ditch stand after mid night Hills council decided to renew the battle between the north and the south in a try to keep regional headquarters in Milton rather than moving it to Burlington- Bundled up against the cold two bulky figures have been silhouetted against the sky during the installa tion of the steel framework for Actons new Legion hall It takes a closer look to reveal that the couple at work are Bollert of Acton Steel Limited and his oldest child Mr and Mrs Peter Hurst and their young son are moving soon from his posting In Bangladesh to Paris France He will be com munications officer with the Canadian embassy there His parents Mr and Mrs Joe Hurst are looking forward to visiting them In Paris this summer years ago Februarys Elmer the Safety Elephant flag at the Robert Little Public School was taken down from its high perch atop a flag pole this morning Louise Harmsma seven yearold daughter of Mr and Mrs Henry Agnes St was involved in an ac cident Wednesday at noon returning home from school Tenders for the proposed 10 room high school addition could be called later this month Only one hitch stands in the way final ap proval from the Ontario Municipal Board Ken was returning as chairman and Aldo vice chairman when planning board met Tuesday evening- Mr Bralda first declined but finally accepted In order to expedite the proposed new zoning bylaw Following a lengthy discussion Council approved an estimated two room addition to school at their monthly meeting in Brookville Hal on Monday evening 50 years ago February lIKH In spite of one of the worst storms of the winter the town hall was filled to capacity when Knox Players gave their play The Sunshine Trail in aid of funds to send Acton choirs to Toronto to perform at the Ontario Educational Association convention Rev HL Bennie directed the play and in the cast were James Ross Joe Hurst Flora Louis Brownlow Aileen Clarrldge Jack Skilling Marguerite Currie Victor Marguerite Ryder Margaret Brown and Bracken Between the acts school children performed including Frances Victor Norman Vernon Agnews William Near and Charlie Tyler Elliot Bros groceries Ivory snow 2 cents tea 39 cents lb Gold soap for IB cents Frys cocoa lb tin 10 cents 75 years ago February 1909 The Acton Shakespeare Club not only gained very valuable informa- tion for themselves In the study of the play of Hamlet but they provided a most Interesting literary evening for their friends in engaging Prof Reynold of to give a lecture on the character of Hamlet last Friday evening In the school room of Knox church Mrs JC Wilson and Mrs Stewart thanked the speaker The annual meeting of Union Mutual Fire Insurance Co was held In the town hall Mr John Ramsay Eden Mills presiding All claims were met and there was a balance James KLrkwood of Erin Is vicepresident Young Erin elected a director A fine new piano was installed in Knox church school room last week years ago February ISM At the last meeting of the Nassagaweya Co unci sums aggre gating were voted the resi dents of he county for sheep killed by dogs A peculiar but painful accident occurred to one of our citizens this week the particular of which lathe paper so as to prevent a similar accident from occurring again The gentleman referred to was suffering a terrible and in an effort to the pain be took a quantity of essence of peppermint into hi mouth After holding It in the region of tooth he remored the lid from the stove and spit the peppermint flre The made of tad immediately toiled and name rnsbed to bis face baring Mm badly