To the Community of Mount Uniacke – we are looking for feedback and are appealing to the readers to “let us know”!

Our intention in starting this column was to provide a resource for our community to problem solve and share information.  Often, in a small community such as ours, it is hard to get away from the history or label that is associated with the name and some families are left not only frustrated and upset but isolated in their problem.  We want to let people know that they are not alone.  We are here.  We are also finding great information that can be a plus in everyone’s day to day living and want to share it.  It might make things easier or more fun or it may solve a problem.  Whatever the situation, we want to help.  It has been a little time and we want to know what people are thinking and feeling about our “did you know?”  We will share your thoughts in the Newsletter.  Names are not necessary for printing and positive or negative, you will not be asked to defend your opinions.  To quote a phrase, “our feelings are neither right nor wrong, they are ours”.  The goal is always to live in harmony in our community where everyone is respected.

Please respond by taking a few minutes and writing your thoughts down.  You can e-mail them to us, drop them in the box at Eddy’s or drop them in the regular mail.  We thank you for your support and your time. 

Did you know……the Uniacke Mural has been returned to the Post Office?  Hurray!  Our thanks go out to Ken Isles and Charlie Moore for the effort they put into getting this long-awaited return accomplished. Well done Ken and Charlie.  

Did you know……that effective April 13, 2009 you must have your lights on when you drive on Nova Scotia roads?  IT’S THE LAW!  Daytime running lights help oncoming drivers see you better, especially when turning onto a road from a driveway or at an intersecting street.  They have been shown to reduce crashes.  Check to make sure your vehicle’s daytime running lights are working properly.  If your vehicle does not have daytime running lights, you must use your low-beam headlights.  Help keep our roads safe by making sure your daytime running lights or low-beam headlights are on during daylight hours.  For information on the new law, visit www.gov.ns.ca/tran/

NOTICE: we put this question to the Windsor RCMP and this is the response we received:  Quote: “ We know it’s been in the newspapers and radio and it is definitely in the Nova Scotia  Motor Vehicle Act that all vehicles have to have their headlights on in the day time.  Some of the newer Buick/Chrysler models only have their yellow front marker lights on and this is still in violation of the MV Act as they have to have their headlights on.  If the vehicles have NO daytime running lights, then their headlights have to be turned on regardless of the year of their vehicle.  There are RCMP members who are only issuing warnings for now but later on will be issuing Summary Offence Tickets for those not adhering to the Act.  If vehicle have no lights/tail lights not on and it is foggy or dark they can be charged under the Act while driving in an unsafe manner.  All drivers are responsible for their actions and have to use common sense when driving and are liable for their actions.  ie  causing accidents when they could not be seen by other drivers. End of quote.

Did you know……that Windsor RCMP are now making arrangements for one of the large portable truck shredders to travel to several different communities this summer for residents to shred their personal and confidential paperwork?  Please check the Uniacke Newsletter web site on a regular basis.  It will be posted there as soon as we secure the exact date, time and location.

Did you know……DOT have advised that private advertising signs placed on 

DOT sign boards and posts are illegal and they will remove them?   It is 

unfortunate but true.  The businesses who abuse this posting of signs on other’s 

boards and posts need to be made more accountable.   

Letter to the Editor: I wanted to respond to what Gloria Slauenwhite had 

said in the last newsletter.  Nothing surprises me when you say you were laughed 

at about improving Mount Uniacke. I stress that we need to be taken more 

seriously as a community.  It seems we are approved for more things that aren’t 

really necessary. Keep in mind anything that makes us grow as a community is 

fantastic. I am just suggesting that it’s time we get a little more updated! The thing 

is that the money is there and it can be used wisely. Think about this economically. 

More class requirements require more teaching staff, more duties, more programs. 

We save the cost of busing students to Windsor but those drivers could drive for us 

still...more students require more buses. 

For example, we were approved for a library.  Great for us but that was more money that could have gone towards the school and it would have still supplied the same things.

Members of the community,  we gather for helping each other in the bad times, let's gather for something good....its about education, your children, your grandchildren and if not any of those...it’s for your community. We pay our taxes just like every other community so why do we get treated as lower classed citizens? We are just as important as the next community and it’s time we let them see we believe that!!!! IT’S TIME MOUNT UNIACKE HAD A HIGH SCHOOL REUNION AND TO DO THAT WE NEED A HIGH SCHOOL!!!!                            Nancy Cleveland

Letter to the editor: We have an active group of volunteers here known an C.o.P. – Citizens on Patrol.  They are the eyes and ears for the RCMP.  They work at patrolling the community at their own expense and on their own time. They could use a few new members as things are happening that they missed.  They cannot be everywhere at all times but with more members they could possibly increase their watches.  We seem to be seeing and hearing about more criminal activity in and around us.  One recent incident was one of senseless destruction at the local school.  A small fence surrounding the flower garden disappeared.  To add insult to injury the culprits also took the time to urinate on the school entrance.  Let’s hope that the security camera caught them in the act.   

                      A Concerned Citizen and Friend of Uniacke COP

Letter to the Editor: The following article from CBC News was sent into the Newsletter from a concerned resident.  We are quoting it here for the community’s information:  Quote: “Complaints from Eastern Shore residents have stopped Nova Scotia Power from spraying herbicide on tall trees along power lines in the area.  The corporation planned to use Tordon 101 to kill trees that could interfere with lines in the winter and cause power outages.  The spraying program was scheduled for early June.  But when orange tape went up around trees in the Sheet Harbour area, NSP started getting calls and e-mails from concerned residents.  NSP uses Tordon 101 which, according to the manufacturer, has no effect on animals and insects, and has a low toxicity for humans if ingested.  The herbicide is applied directly to the top of tall trees, and not dropped from above by any aircraft, said an NSP spokesperson.  In light of the complaints from the Eastern Shore, crews will only cut down the trees in the region.”  End of Quote   Anyone who has concerns about spraying in their area can contact NSP.  It has been noticed by some Mount Uniacke residents that the tops of the larger trees that are close to power lines have been cut away which would indicate that spraying was not carried out in our community but it’s no guarantee.  If you are not sure, make the phone call and share with the community at large.

Letter to the Editor:  Mount Uniacke has always been a great place to live in, with a few exceptions, of course. For the most part the community has always been a great supporter of people in need. Everyone has always managed to come together for these occasions. The one main thing that everyone has always expressed to me about Mount Uniacke is the "small community" downfall. We have volunteer firefighters, volunteer sporting members, businesses who volunteer their time and money. The list goes on and on.   In the midst of all of that people still tend to complain or discuss matters not really of their concern.  Many people have left this area due to the fact that too many people discussed their lives with other people. To put it bluntly- too much gossip! Perhaps we all should think again before we bring down a member of the community especially if we don’t know their story. Perhaps we need to learn that people volunteering their time are doing us a favour and we should appreciate them more.  If you strongly disagree with the way someone is conducting themselves in their volunteer time then you try and do better! I guess what we need to do to maybe try and improve things is appreciate more, talk less and come together a little more. There are more important things we could be putting our voices to than concerning ourselves with how other people live. Next time you feel the urge to discuss something that doesn’t concern you, maybe you could discuss ways to improve the community instead. If you are concerned with our education here, our roads here, our lighting, our tax money, say so!!! I would rather grow old with people remembering that I said what I had to say rather than I said things that were none of my business..... People are great here, we want Mount Uniacke to grow so let’s improve in some areas...it will only help us in the end.  "Volunteer tell it like it is"

Letter to the editor:  Rash of break-ins? We are all feeling the penny pinch in the economy today. We all have to work much harder for our things. Some can’t afford as much as others. Some have much less than others. Then we have those who just can’t seem to earn their own cash flow or their own possessions! People work hard for their things. Consider that before you enter a premise to cash in on your own needs! I stress the fact that we want to grow as a community, not have people fearing to live here! Is there not something else you could spend your time doing? Perhaps all the time you spend stealing could be spent stealing garbage from our side roads or stealing time behind bars...  No need to steal!!    Get a hobby!                                      "Volunteer tell it like it is"

Letter to the Editor:  I understand people fear walking in the Uniacke Trailer Park due to some dogs that are feared. Once again consider ourselves lucky that we aren’t in the city! Our pets would be on leashes or we would get fined. Our dogs would need to be registered or we would get fined. Let's pay closer attention to the fact that we are free to walk and bicycle without concern here in the country and be sure to watch our pets in action! This is known as a safe place to live let's not ruin that!                   “Volunteer tell it like it is”

Letter to the Editor:  Here's to Ron Barnaby AGAIN.  Thanks to his efforts and commitment to junior softball our Uniacke boys’ softball team has won the Regional Championship this year.  In a round robin type of play down our team played five games to win the District Championship and the next week they played two games to win the Regional Championship.  They won all seven games that they played.  Our thanks go out to Miss Taylor (teacher school representative), Tyler Burns and Phillip King (assistant coaches).  Others who gave their time when they could were Ron Lavergne,  assistant coach,  Dorothy Lavergne and Shona Mumford, score keepers. Thanks to all the family members who were in attendance to cheer for their sons or grandsons.

Letter to the Editor:  The Trouble With dogs at Large:   I have an immense love for all animals, but especially dogs. I have two of my own, and I’ll admit, just like most people, they’re far from perfect. I do my best, however, to ensure that my dogs are socialized, trained and kept in a manner that makes them decent canine citizens most of the time.  I know that no two people will agree on exactly how a dog should be trained or the right way to integrate dog and human lives. That said, some things are just common sense. Last night (June 4/09) I was involved in an incident with a dog that left me very sore and bruised. Today I feel it necessary to try and make people think about how they treat their dogs.

Bicycles are one of my great joys in life and one of the best things about living in the country is the fact that I can ride on roads that are relatively free of traffic and exhaust fumes. Last night I rushed home from work eager to get in a couple of hours of sweating.

I am used to being chased by dogs when I ride. It’s gotten to the point where my husband and I will remind each other as we pass certain driveways that a chaser lives there. Most dog owners are responsible enough to fence off a safe area for

Last night I was chased down and knocked to the ground by a very large lab.  I hit the pavement hard when I landed and this morning I bear several bruises and scrapes, my hips and back are very sore, and my right calf won’t stop cramping up into a little ball of knotted muscle.  Fortunately I have no serious injuries, but I hurt in ways that I shouldn’t.  I don’t believe that the dog who chased me was vicious. He didn’t bite or show any real signs of aggression. He was energetic, and he probably saw me as an opportunity for fun. The boy who was with the dog was obviously upset by the incident and hit the dog repeatedly to punish him until I told him to stop. This incident was not the dog’s fault, but rather a result of improper control and training on the part of his owners.

Owning a dog requires commitment and responsibility, just like having a child. It is not enough to feed the dog once a day and open the door when it has to go pee. Dogs are animals with animal instincts. It’s up to dog owners to ensure that their pets are kept under control, trained, and properly socialized. Training a dog doesn’t happen once a week or even once a day, it has to become part of your entire existence with that animal so that there’s never any question in the dog’s mind about right and wrong. Every interaction with your dog should contribute towards ingraining a sense of right or wrong in your canine’s mind. 

Dogs, like coyotes and wolves, are predators by nature. No matter how laid back your dog might seem, somewhere deep in his core is the urge to chase things. Given the opportunity, some dogs will chase anything and everything, but even for dogs who aren’t chasers by habit, the right trigger can provoke that prey drive to kick in. If your dog never leaves the yard to chase a car or a bike it doesn’t mean he will never leave the yard. Perhaps one day a cat will sit on the side of the road and taunt him, perhaps a deer will bound across his field of vision, perhaps a child with a delicious looking ice cream will wander by. Whatever the trigger is, a dog that isn’t kept under control is at risk when the trigger presents itself and you may not be there or able to stop him.

Even if your dog is the friendliest creature alive, he has the potential to hurt someone if he’s left free to roam.  A large dog could knock over a small child or an elderly person very easily. There is also potential, of course, for your dog to get hit by a car. I guarantee that he’s not going to look both ways before he crosses the street to chase that cat.

You may think that you can’t afford to build a fenced run for your dog. Think about the cost of vet bills when your dog is seriously injured by a car. Think about the cost of being sued when your dog hurts someone else, accidentally or otherwise. Think about the fines that exist for letting your dog run at large. Think you can’t afford a fence? Think again. There are lots of options ranging from chain link kennels to wood and wire fences to electronic collar systems that will set boundaries for your  pet and they’re all cheaper than lawyer’s fees or a week at the vet for your dog.

I’m all for letting dogs off the leash to run and play in areas that are low risk, I believe they need it. First, though, dogs have to be trained, they have to be obedient, and they have to be supervised. Goldfish are pets for people who don’t have a lot of time or inclination to interact with their animals. Dogs are at the other end of that responsibility scale. If you own a dog and you let it roam, please, think about the possible implications. I wasn’t seriously hurt last night, but the next person may not be so lucky. A dog makes a wonderful pet, but not without a dedicated and responsible owner.

I would love to go for just one road ride without having to worry about being chased.                                                           Sue Earle, Hillsvale

TO THE COMMUNITY OF MOUNT UNIACKE

Due to personal commitments of some of our “members” we’re looking for more members willing to voice their opinions publicly and with fresh ideas.  If you’re interested in practicing your investigative abilities or sharing your writing capabilities for the betterment of our community, please contact either Gloria Slauenwhite, Investigator or Rosanne Bland, Editor with your favourite topics.  E-mail contacts or phone calls to Uniacke Newsletter.