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WORD'S WORTH With Eric Balkind Acton just keeps rolling along! Coming home from a holiday is a bittersweet experience for me. First off, I always regret leaving magical, mysterious Manitoulin -- no wonder the Indians believed it to be God's Home. But then, on the drive down I inevitably find myself wondering what surprises the old hometown will have in store for me. It's like I'm looking forward to the familiar, yet I'm expecting -- probably even hoping for -- the unexpected. You know what I mean? One of the first things I do right after I get back is find some excuse to "go downtown." I generally find that I urgently need a newspaper or that I'd better check out the latest of-the local sales flyers which have accumulated during our absence. Anyway, I usually manage to wander up, down and around Mill Street checking out the territory and, as always, I find that it's all very familiar but it's also surprisingly new. This time 'round, the first thing I found is a remarkable transformation taking place almost next door to our office. The Acton Family Restaurant is expanding considerably and taking on a smart, new look both inside and out. Owner Andy Katsilieris and his wonderful family are certainly doing their part towards sprucing up good old Mill Street. On the corner, Jake Kuiken's Clocks and Curios has proven a welcome addition; is it my imagination or do those enormous clocks really add dignity to the corner of Mill and Main? Further "up the drag" I noted the new Acton Bakery, run by Jeannine Fronteddu. On further, Heather Knap ton's Big Scoop is now well-established, and opposite the olde Hide House a new tea house named Tim-Bri (after owners Tim and Bridget McElhone) recently opened for business. It's good to see that the town is still growing despite wretched economic times. Good luck to one and all of these entrepreneurial spirits and, of course, to all the established merchants who help to keep our town on track. A report in the Toronto Star re obstacles to establishing co-op housing in town strikes a sad note. As of today, there are apparently some 70 families in our community waiting for affordable housing, yet the Provincial housing ministry currently appears unlikely to fund a proposed 36-unit townhouse co-op. Moreover, it is suggested that, even if a project got underway, it would still be three years before being ready for occupancy. Whoever it was who said that "the mills of the gods grind slowly" certainly knew what they were talking about. And now Canada's Sylvie Frechette has had to accept another disappointment -- being denied her gold medal at the '92 Olympiad due to a judge's error and the unbelievable actions of the American chief judge, whose decision to uphold the wrong score resulted in her own countrywoman taking the gold. Pity ffte graceless "winner" for not having the strength of character or the decency to give the medal to the woman who really won it. Maybe the Canadian government should make a public issue of this type of nonsense by holding its own ceremony and awarding Sylvie the gold she so richly deserves. Wit & Wisdom They say that home is where the heart is, and if you've just returned from a two-week stay in Bermuda, or if you're fresh off the road from a weekend at the cottage, you'll likely agree that there's a special feeling in your heart when you return to home base. Familiar smells (is that the dirty laundry you forgot to do before you left?), that comfortable spot on the living room sofa, a smile and a wave from a neighbour down the street... gee, it's good to be back home again. "Won't you come home, Bill Bailey, won't you come home?" -- Hughie Cannon, 1902 "Half to forget the wandering and pain ... And dream and dream that I am home again." --J£. Flecker (Golden Journey to Samarkand) "Keep the home fires burning, While your hearts are yearning ..." -- Lena G. Ford "Fame is what you have taken, Character's what you give; When to this truth you waken, Then you begin to live." -- Bayard Taylor ON STAGE! Acton's Little Theatre summer camp presented "The Mystery in the Mansion" as a highlight of its season Thursday evening at Acton High. Cast members included: Jessie Brown, Geoffrey Johnsen, Tristen McCallum, Matthew Rowe, Hayley Green, Louise Worrell, Jennifer Willes, Christopher Wilies, Buffy Blagrave, Becky Chapman and Laura Kobsa. (Photo by Trevor Banks) Mystery play a hit at Acton High as Little Theatre camp winds up for summer BY ELLEN PIEHL Laughter and suspense filled the air in Acton High's cafetorium on Thursday night as Acton's Little Theatre Camp presented "The Mystery in the Mansion." The play's setting is based in the early 1930s at the Benoit family's mansion, supposedly located on a deserted island. The story focuses on a murder that happens early in the play during a dinner party at the Benoit home when one of their guests, Professor Vanderberg (Geoffrey Johnsen) consumes some food that later was found to contain rat poison. Jean Luk Benoit (Matthew Rowe) then calls on Detective Lianne Alton (Laura Kobsa) to help solve the case. The highlight of the play is when the professor's ghost appears later that evening, telling everyone clues on who murdered him and how it was done. This play was very unique. During a 10-minute intermission, the cast of the show let the audience vote on which character they thought killed the professor. The majority of the audience voted for Alexander the butler (Christopher Willes). In the end, though, it is Jean Luk's daughter Christie (Louise Worrell) who was found guilty of murdering the professor by using her cat Misty (Jennifer Willes) to put rat poisoning in his food during dinner. The play was written by the camp's junior leader, Stephanie Jones, along with the cast. It was directed by Darrell Ford and Lyn Beamer, who did a wonderful job by making the audience get involved in the play. The more things change... To the editor: In last week's Tanner under the heading Grapevine, you indicate that Bell has a new service called the Neighbourhood Calling Plan. I phoned to find out about this new service, but guess what! It should come as no surprise that the CRTC has not approved this plan and probably will not approve it before the end of this year. This sounds like a good deal for the consumer. Looks like phone bills could come down for some calls. As usual, our government stands in the way. Perhaps competition in the phone business is going to reduce costs after all -- surprise, surprise. John Shadbolt, Tidey Avenue Only one Rocket To the editor, Certainly Toronto Argonaut Raghib Ismail is a quality footbaJl player-- I don't argue that point. However, I feel that I just have to remind all Canadian sports fans that there will only ever be one true "Rocket." That man's name, of course, is Maurice Richard. Larry Taillefer, Crewson's Corners