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A ---- a "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice " 188 MARY STREET - PORT PERRY, ONT. - LOL 1B7 PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 The Port Perry Star Is authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, for cash payment of postage. Second Class Mail Registration 0265 Subscription Rates: 1 Year - $32.10 6 Months - $17.65 Foreign - $90.95 Includes $2.10 GST Includes $1.15 GST Includes $5.95 GST Editorial Comment Inquest should be held here Here's hoping an inquest is held into the recent deaths of snowmobile riders on Lake Scugog. Although at first blush it may appear any recommendation might be a foregone con- clusion -- don't ride at night on unsafe ice, for instance -- there is plenty that could be learned from a review of the accidents and their toll. And there could well be recommendations that wind up leading to legislation, which could save lives. An inquest jury could, for instance, recommend that those who snow- .mobile on lakes and rivers be required to 'wear protective wet suits, and be equipped 'with ice pics. It's simple enough, right? But until they 'became law, how often'did you see boaters leaving the dock without personal flotation devices? And would such a fundamental piece of boating equipment have become law were it not for an inquest? Another important result would be knowl- 'edge. Hearing the stories of those involved -- the survivors, whose friends they lost in the chilling dark, the firefighters who risked their lives searching for victims, and the police divers who had the grim task of retrieving bodies -- may be what's needed to jolt those who continue to insist no harm will come their way on the ice. There have been a high number of similar fatalities across the country this year. There must be similar circumstances among them, and ways of preventing such tragedies from occurring again could result from a thorough investigation. Here is a good place to begin. Memberofthe or BUSINESS OFFICE Canadian & Ontario Newspaper Assoc. Ww CNA | Office Mgr. ........ccccvvnuvucnnnns Gayle Stapley Published every Tuesday by the Nr ry ON Accounting.......Judy Ashby, Janet Rankin Port Perry Star Co, Ltd. - Retail Sales...... Kathy Dudley, 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ont. EDITORIAL: Heather Callan Publisher................. J. Peter Hvidsten ADVERTISING General Manager ....Don MacLeod PRODUCTION Advertising Mgr. .......... Don MacLeod Managing Editor .....Jeff Mitchell News Reporters .....Chris Hall, / Freelance - Heather McCrae, John B. McClelland Robert Taylor, Richard Drew Annabell Harrison, Trudy Empringham, Rhonda Mulcahy, Pam Hickey, Sales: Deb McEachern, Barb Hillier, Ginni Todd, Cindy Jobin, Gail Morse, Deborah Tiffin dy) J 50 bes Sqr or iy , 0000, SS : 7 7 YZ 18/75 /e p> AY Go 2; PoRT TERRY STAR Dea Se er To the Editor: Four people have died unnecessarily this year in snowmobiling accidents on the unsafe ice of Lake Scugog. . How many more tragedies must occur before something is done? There seems to be a contradictory attitude in this town with respect to ice conditions on the lake. It is frustrating to be told on one hand that conditions are dangerous, and on the other hand being encouraged out on the ice in fishing huts, the ice palace that is still opening and, just Tuesday afternoon, people Latcham Centre. hs point to need for laws There are laws governing other sports such as boating, hunting, fishing and other recreational vehicles. Why should sledding be any different? Isn't it time legislation was enacted to prevent these tragedies from recurring by possibly prohibiting snowmobiling during the hours between sundown and sunup, as well as making certain safety equipment, such as flotation devices, ice picks, etc., com- pulsory? Some people may feel snowmobiling on Please see next page Remember When? Thanks to Miriam Price for loaning us this photograph of Peel's Poultry Farm, taken about 1955. The building burned down when later owned by Jerry's Produce. The only building still existing is the house at bottom, left, which is now Suny's Gas Bar. 55 YEARS Thursday, January 15, 1943 Miss Ruth Hall passed her registered nurse exams and is home for two weeks before taking up her new position at the Cooper Cliff Hospital. Pt. Geo. Emmerson, C.D.C. of Mountain View, is spending his furlough with his parents Mr. and Mrs. HW. Emmerson. 45 YEARS Thursday, January 16, 1953 The first patient to enter the new Community 2] Memorial Hospital was Mrs. Lloyd Pogue of RR =] 3, Port Perry. She arrived at noon in a car driven by her husband. Mr. Herbert Brooks, a member of the com- munity Memorial Hospital Board for the past four years and present chairman, has resigned. 40 YEARS Thursday, January 16, 1958 Lyn Fair, Agricultural Rep, introduced his new assistant, Mr. Alve Blades at the annual meeting of the Fair Bd. The inaugural meeting of Port Perry council was held with Reeve J.J. Gibson and councillors Arthur T. Cox, Irving A. Boyd, Frank Godley and W.T. Harris present. : Port Perry's Community Memorial Hospital was the only hospital in the province to complete the year without a 1bss. 30 Years Thursday, January 23, 1968 A walk-out of Reach Twp. workmen on Tuesday lasted only one day. Council met for an emer- gency meeting to settle the dispute. An old shed on Mary St. which stored a tractor and other maintenance equipment for the township collapsed under the weight of the last snowfall. 20 Years Ago Wednesday, January 25, 1978 Scugog Mayor Lawrence Malcolm voiced his concern that a regional junket to Switzerland to promote industrial development will be limited to the southern municipalities. Larry Kendall was re-elected president of the Scugog Choral Society. 10 Years Ago Tuesday, January 26, 1988 Thanks to the efforts of Philp Middleton and Rob Brown and members of the local fire depart- ment, five people including two young children were saved from a burning house on Rosa St. owned by Olive Smith. Staff Sgt. Herb LeGard of the Durham Regional Police force retired, ending a career that has spanned 33 years. Kent and Doug Farndale donated five paint- ings and two prints by Canadian artists to Community Memorial Hospital.