Wednesday, August 5, 1992 CKOR goes ‘Kootenay Country’ @ Castlegar radio dumps rock ’n’ roll for new sounds of country soul change. Glen Freeman NEWS REPORTER There’s a new sound on Castlegar’s air- waves. According to CKQR 760 operations manag- er Pete Daly, the station.changed channels Fri- residents if they were in favor of a format “It was about 70 per cent in favor of country music here in Castlegar, and over 50 per cent in Nelson and Trail,” Daly said. “We realize that it’s a change, but we felt that a change is positive for the area.” And Kootenay Broadcasting System pro- gram director James Richardson agrees. “| thinkit’sa day and will now be broad- casting “hot, new” country. “We did some research for the areas of <...we won’t be playing dance music. their If people want that they can get it quite easily from the States.’ _ CKQR’s Pete Daly Substantial au- - Castlegar, Nel- << son and Trail,” Daly said.“We found that the one type of mu- sic that wasn’t being serviced was country.” Daly added that the station won't be playing “the Patsy Cline’s or that sort of thing,” but would stick to new artists. “What you're going to find as we fine-tune it is that there’s going to be more and more crossover rock and roll injected. “But we won't be playing dance music. If peo- good move on part,” Richardson said. “There’s a dience in the area who have not been able to find country music locally, and this will be a welcome change for them.” Richardson added that, until now, CKQR has been “block-programming, trying to appeal to-everyone,” which hasn't been working. “That was the style of small-town radio dur- ing the 50s and 60s, but today everybody has to target their station that much more. “It’s a good move for (CKQR) and I think it ple want that they can get it quite easily from said. “But the real winner will be the listener, be- the States.” Daly said one college student conducted a telephone survey, asking “hundreds” of area will be a good move for us as well,” Richardson cause they now have a more distinct choice be- tween the two stations.” Valley citizens vow to continue fight against ‘repressive’ RDCK bylaw Scott David Harrison EDITOR Slocan Valley Concerned Citizens Forum says the battle has just begun. Angry that the Regional District of Central Kootenay approved third reading of an unsightly premises bylaw in Area H, spokesperson Austin Greengrass says his group is going straight to Victoria. “We're going to do the whole route,” Greengrass said Tues- day. “We're prepared to do what ever it takes to get this repressive bylaw rejected by the government.” Greengrass says angry res- idents have put pen to paper, writing Municipal Affairs Minister Robin Blencoe, urg- ing him to stamp out the con- troversial bylaw. The bylaw, which prohibits the stockpiling of old cars, building materials or other matters the RDCK deems un- sightly, must receive the min- ister’s approval before the RD- CK can give it fourth and final e regional district has done nothing resembling a public airing of this bylaw,” Greengrass contends. “That's why the minister sent it back in the i place. So really, Greengrass said the gc district’s toes. “The NDP has a policy not to become involved with mu- nicipal or regional matters, I guess (Evans) is sticking to that.” Despite that, Greengrass says the SVCCF is gaining support. “The momentum is still there and it’s growing,” said Greengrass, adding that other RDCK areas subject to similar “The press hasn’t properly presented the facts,” he said. “We were willing to pay for the poll at no cost to the regional district, yet it was never re- ported. “Okay, a public opinion poll isn’t binding, but you’d think the regional district would like to know what people are feel- Greengrass said he is as- tounded at the RDCK’s reluc- ‘My God, you own your land, your pay good taxes on that land, yet you can’t do what you wish with what is rightfully yours.’ — SVCCF’s Austin Greengrass bylaws are keeping a close eye on the Slocan Valley. “The feeling of the people is we have to fight this,” he said. “We have to establish a prece- dent and use it to get similar unsightly bylaws overturned. “The bylaw is right out of Nazi Germany,” Greengrass said. “My God, you own your land, your pay good taxes on that land, yet you can’t do what you wish with what is rightfully yours.” Greengrass accused the press of being negligent in its coverage of the unsightly premises bylaw. He said me- dias failed to report a SVCCF offer to conduct a public opin- ion poll at its own expense. That offer was rejected by the RDCK board. tance to talk about the bylaw. “The regional district doesn’t care what the people think,” he said. “The elected officials say screw the public and we'll do what ever they want.” Greengrass said the SVC- CF will consider running a candidate in the 1993 election to ensure its voice is heard. “The regional district is just running amuck,” he said. “I don’t want to throw out the ba- by with the bath water be- cause the regional district has done a lot of good in the (West) Kootenay, but this isn’t one of them.” RDCK chair George Cady refused to comment on the by- law, saying it is in the minis- ter’s hands. Ramee -| Glen Freeman NEWS REPORTER The rumor that Castlegar doctors will be opting out of medicare. has been laid to . rest — for now. Local B.C. Medical Associ- ation representative Dr. Jon Van Vliet said no actions are currently being taken to di- rect -bill patients. “That is just not true,” Van Vliet said. “I won't say (opting out) won't happen come fall, but nothing right now.” Van Vliet said that if the NDP government does not reconsider Bill 71, “the ma- jority of the specialists and half of the general practition- ers in the province will opt out” of medicare by winter. “If that happens people will start to appreciate that there is a cost to medical ser- vice,” he said. “That will probably lessen their demand on the system.” Van Vliet is worried that , Cull’s Bill 71, which limits Health Minister Elizabeth medical spending to $1.27 billion this fiscal year, will bankrupt medicare. “Mr. Harcourt yesterday said ‘Oh the health care sys- tem is in great shape.’ This is when doctors.in Naniamo are opting out,” Van Vliet said. “I guess he has to stay be- hind Cull, but to say the health care system is doing just fine, well he’s got blind- ers on.” As for the provincial gov- ernment claim that doctors who bill patients directly are working under an American- style medicare, Van Vliet dis- agrees. “I think they’re trying to scare people,” he said. “We don’t want an Ameri- can system. It would be hard for a doctor to say no to some- one who can’t afford their services. “I can’t see that happen- ing.” Roadbuilders set to merge in Castlegar NEWS STAFF The troops are being round- ed up. And, once again, High- ways Minister Art Charbon- ‘ neau will be the focus of the at- tack. The president of the B.C. Road Builders and Heavy Construction Association will be in Castlegar today to drum up support for increased high- ways funding. Ivan Hanchard has_ been asked to speak at a meeting of the B.C. and Yukon Hotels As- sociation at the Fireside Inn at 6 p.m. Byelection a Hanchard hopes to con- vince hotel operators their in- dustry depends on well main- tained highways. Hanchard’s main complaint is the amount of money allo- cated for roads in the provin- cial budget. In a news release, Han- chard states, “... that the British Columbia govern- ment’s 1992-93 budget has virtually no money in it for new contracts for construction of major improvements and additions to the province’s ex- isting road network.” chance to test city’s political waters continued from front page “They have every right like anyone else to put their name up,” Duff said. “It doesn’t matter to me as long as they work to- wards helping Castlegar. Whatever (the new councillor) wants to know, I will any any questions that elected person has to ask.” Mathieson’s resignation is not official, and that throws a small amount of speculation on the certainty of a byelection. But if candidates are sought, most everyone agrees that more than one person should compete for the seat. Flux says, “it will be interesting to see who else is going to run as this thing gets nearer.” “I'd like to see three or four people run for that position,” Chernoff said. “Get some support and help run the city. “You can only sit on the fence for so long, and sooner or later you have to get off because your bum gets sore” @ Wednesday, August 5, 1992 THE please. Specific conditions and restrictions apply. Ga Ar NEGOTIATION NO HASSLE PONTIAC BUICK NO IF YOU SEE A PRICE THAT'S TOO HIGH, IF YOU SEE A PRICE YOU THINK YOU CAN BEAT, JUST SAY NO AND WALK AWAY. For Days Only, Kalawsky Pontiac Buick is Participating in a very unique automobile event. Every new vehicle in stock will have two figures posted on the windshield. One figure will inform you of the regular price applicable to that vehicle. The second figure will be the absolute lowest price that Kalawsky Pontiac Buick will take for that particular vehicle. That is what you pay - that ie all you pay! 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