Saturday, January 23, 1993 @ TheFARSIDE te Gary Larson Li CJ Sec Nd or COO OX i Ook) x pen SR Rees conee) Later, Edna was forced to sell her brussels sprout house. New Yorker remains in serious condition @ Castlegar RCMP begin interviews to discover how accident occurred Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER Castlegar RCMP will be go- ing ahead with their investi- gation of a Jan. 3 accident without the comments of a key person... Patrick Hickey. Hickey was driving north- bound on Highway 22 when he was hit by a Genelle driver who was blinded by snow while attempting to pass an- other vehicle. The Jaws of Life were used to remove Hickey from his car and he has been recovering in Spokane’s Sacred Heart Med- ical Centre. Cpl. Al Hudema said police contacted Sacred Heart Mon- day to get a report from Hick- ey. But, he said, “it is our un- derstanding that Patrick Hickey does not recall any- thing surrounding the acci- dent because of his injuries.” Hudema said Hickey’s pas- senger — and fiancee — 25- year-old Sonny Straughan spoke with police Tuesday. Straughan’s report will be added to the one taken from the Genelle man and other witnesses. “Reports (will be taken ) to Crown counsel within the next week to 10 days,” Hudema said. “After that we receive a re- port back about what, if any, charges are to be laid.” According to Sacred Heart spokesperson Pat Servine, Hickey is still listed in serious but stable condition. All Our Best From CASTLEGAR FOODS 635 Columbia Ave. ¢ 365-5755 Prices effective Thurs., January 21 to Wed., January 27 Fuhrmans BACON C0. 13's © 4.29 ke. 1% “ESN. aoe We Family Pack 50 Ib. box 11.34 kg. ¢ Aprox. 25 Ibs. Case Lot Savings q @ Saturday, January 23, 1993 3a éThe News ~ = © ce =< = SO > SA @General Inquiries 365-7266 OUR HOURS The News is Scott David Harrison EDITOR A second hike in B.C.’s minimum wage is being applauded by Ed Conroy. The Rossland-Trail MLA says he’s encouraged to see his government address some of the financial concerns of minimum wage earners. “It’s one things to address the needs of workers through the new labor code, which we have, but it’s another to address the concerns of B.C.’s working poor,” Conroy said Thursday. The NDP government announced that effective April 1 the minimum wage for workers over 18 will increase 50 cents per hour to $6. Workers under 18 will also receive a 50-cent increase, bringing their hourly wage to $5.50 per hour. The increases mark the second time the NDP has hiked the minimum wage since it took office. During that time, workers over a under 18 have seen their wages climb ms Conroy said he didn’t believe the consecutive increases were a reflection of the substandard wages workers earned under the Social Credit government. “] don’t know if substandard is the right word, but it’s nice to see it getting up there. Six bucks an hour is the working poor in British Columbia,” Conroy said. “Can you imagine trying to live on that?” The minimum wage hike benefits 75,000 B.C. workers, two-thirds of whom are women and half of whom are under 25 years old. “It’s cruel and unusual punishment for the people who are trying to live on this, the working poor,” Conroy said. “It bears looking at even further. I’m not an expert in the field, but I’'d certainly like to hear from people who are (earning minimum wage).” The Social Credit Party has called the Minimum wage hike pleases Conroy wage increases unreasonable. In a news release, leader Jack Weisgerber stated “the latest minimum wage hike may well be the final nail in the coffin for many employers who are just barely keeping their heads above the water in these tough economic times.” . “We're certainly not trying to put the squeeze on small businesses,” Conroy retorted. Meanwhile, the Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce has yet to take a position on the new minimum wage increases. Chamber president Ron Armbruster said he hadn’t heard any concerns raised from the Castlegar members. That was likely to change Thursday, though, when the chamber met to discuss the impact the increase will have on Castlegar businesses. The results of the meeting were unavailable at press time. GRIN AND BEAR IT Robson Elementary students had a special visitor come to se spoke to the children about safety practices and took some time out t News photo by Corinne Jackson them Thursday. The RCMP’s Safety Bear make a few new friends while at it. No word on bridge work negotiations @ Carpenters’ Len Embree returns from Calgary talks Scott David Harrison EDITOR Mum’s the word on talks between SCI Engineering and Contractors and the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners. The two sides met in Calgary 4 Wednesday to try to work a deal that would . see the non- union company employ union Neil Rachynski NEWS REPORTER Sluggish snow rem oval questioned The snow removal equipment has been out night and day since the heavy snowfalls and Pakula said labor in the construction of the Castlegar- Robson bridge. SCI was the successful bidder for the bridge Len Embree contract, submitting a tender of $14,000,484. SCI was one of five companies that submitted a bid. Local 2300 business representative Len Embree declined comment on the Calgary meeting, saying he would prepare a statement “in a day or two.” Embree gave no hints of extra people were even brought in to help. The city has its priorities, too. Pakula said hills, schools, hospitals and other emergency-access areas top the list. “I think we've had more snow this year than in the last two years,” he said. “Considering the way it dumped down, we’ve done a pretty good job.” As far as the city’s budget is concerned, Pakula said “we’re taking kind of a kicking this year. “It’s getting pretty tight, but ifit’s got to be done, it’s got to be done. Castlegar residents have been pushing, sliding and skidding. The recent snowfalls have created havoc on city streets. And some —— have been wondering what’s taken so long for the City of Castlegar to clear the roads. Coun. Bob Pakula said city hall has had its fair share of phone calls from irate residents, but he added that a lot of people understand the city has limited resources. “We've only got so many crew members and we can only run them so hard,” Pakula said. statutory holidays. SUB RATES COMMUNITY CASTLEGAR ‘CHAPTER RNABC MEETING January 26, 1900 hours. Castlegar and District Hospital. 4/04 The News is published by Castle News Ltd. for Canwest Publishers Ltd. Mail ROBSON REC. ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING subscription rate to Robson Hall, January 27, 7 p.m 4104 Coming events of Castlegar and District non-profit organizations may be listed here. The first 42 words are $4 and additional words are 30¢ each. Boldfaced words (which must be used for headings) count as two words. There is no extra charge for a second insertion while the third and each consecutive insertion is half-price. Minimum charge is $4 (whether ad is for one, two or three times). Deadlines are 5 p.m. Wednesdays for Saturday's paper and 5 p.m. M day for dnesday's paper. i should be brought to the Castlegar News at 197 Columbia Ave. MMUNITY Bulletin Board Limit 1 with '25.00 grocery purchase Overlimit price 1.49 ASTLEGAR FOODS WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES HOURS: Mon.-Thurs., Sat. 9-6; Fri. 9-8 OPEN SUNDAYS 10 a.m.-5 p.m. The News is $37.50 per year. The price on newsstands is 75¢ for each edition. The price delivered by newspaper carrier for both editions is only 90¢ a week (collected number 0019. Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER It’s said that Mounties always get their man, but on Tuesday they got their woman. Thirty-eight-year-old Sandra Jollimore, of Castlegar was arrest- ed and charged with breaking and entering into the local IGA Jan. 19. Castlegar RCMP Cpl Al Hude- ma is crediting two local men with helping police catch Jollimore. “They watched it... they held her until the police arrived,” he said. “They certainly assisted us.” According to Hudema, the woman smashed the window with a bucket of ice to gain entry, but nothing was stolen. Jollimore was in Castlegar provincial court Thursday and will make her next appearance Feb. 15. Hudema said Citizens nab woman after IGA break-in Jollimore is not a suspect in any of the 16 break-ins that have oc- curred in Castlegar since Nov. 30. “There’s lots out there that aren't solved that we're struggling with. We encourage people to al- ways get involved. Any time they can assist us in solving crime... makes our job easier.” If convicted, Jollimore could face up to 14 years in jail. whether the carpenters union was successful in a bid to have its members work on the 475- metre crossing. Attempts to contact SCI about the meeting were unsuccessful, as the Calgary-based contractor failed to return repeated calls. SCI and the carpenters union have worked together in the past. The union was brought in — through a sub-contractor — to help complete the over-budget and behind schedule Cassiar Connector project.