20. Christmas Train j C ; A : Lagistative Library, Parliamant @ligs., SOM Delkay, Victoria, Be. Ce V3V Lx Extra Strength 380 Tabs. - $199 TOY SALE CONTINUES... Polarold One Step Land Camera eo eee $20.89 * Ranch Flame ‘160' 3 Pak - Long-Burning Firelogs, 2¥ehourse@ach........eeeeeeee 9 In today’s CasNews AFX Custom Van Set - 9' of h igh performance track, Featuring Magna-Traction Care for super gripping power. ... $10.44 Etch-A-Sketch - The amazing magic screen. Sketch, erase and sketch again... 99 Woodburning Set-11-plece set. Contains cool-grip electric pencil, 1 inter-changeable Design-A-Matic tip, 8 easy to make preprinted wall plaques, sandpaper and Instructlons.$6.99 Lite Brite - The toy that lets children create colorful pictures that light up and glow. .$12.99 Star Wars Game - Game of strategy. Try to escape from the Death Star. Ages7 and up... se eee cece ec ces 8509 Numbers Up - A thrilling action game. It's a frantic race agalnat the clock to unscramble 20 numbered pegs and arrange In proper order. .... ere | ha Touch Command Stingray - The Touch Com- mand Car obeys the pressure of your hand. Action Is smooth, continuous and reallstic, $11.99 Nancy Drew Booke - Many hours of enjoyable reading In this action-packed serles .....$1.09 Mualcal Jewel Box-A little girl would be proud to have this musical jewel box decorating NOr dresser. oo... .csseeeeeee reese es SOOT 150 ml. CREST - $] 89 DRUG UNITED PHARMACIES Corner of Pine & Columbia Sts. CASTLEGAR Phone 365-7813 Sectlon “C" Published Bright and Early Every Thursday Morning at “The Crossroads of the Kootenays” CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 7, 1978 Three Sections (A,B&C) Vol. 31, No. 49 30 Cents Province Awaits Word on Water Funding NEWS ATA Bows - 25 per package..........89¢ Garland - 2 ply. Doub! Glo. F Pp proof, 21'’x2", silver, gold, red. ...... By RYON GUEDES CasNews Editor : Unknown details of a new federal funding program are delaying the provincial , tarnish Cl Pak Magic Tape ...........ceeeeee es ST0! Neo Citran for Adults - Lemon Flavour. 10-23 g. Ielcte eo bl . Silver,-1,000 7 . a icicles - Dou 0. Silver,-1,000 strands. .. .68¢ Flat Wrap - 20 sheet. 18°'x28’ Traditional, 18''x28' single dose foll pouches. ............. oes $1.99 Juvenile. Your choice. cence $4.39 4 . OPEN SUNDAY 12 noon -1 p.m. & 6-7 p.m. Follow Santa as when he arrives by sleigh and travels down Bay & Cedar Avenues in Trail. He'll be giving away goodies, so watch for him on these dates: - Saturday, December 2nd — 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, December 8th — 7 to 9 p.m. Friday, December 15th — 7 to 9 p.m. Saturday, December 16th — 2 to 4 p.m. Don’t miss Santa’s Command Performance of the Northern Lights Friday, December 15 — 7:15 p.m. TRAIL OWATOWNER Santa will be setting off the beautiful. Northern Lights Fireworks from the bridge in downtown Trail. XN MQ, ANY Ree NSM - Saag GLANCE - Top Posts Salmo's Ald. George Mac- Neill and Castlegar’s Mayor Audrey Moore were elected Monday to top positions on Central Kootenay's regional and hospital district boards, At a special statutory meeting directors elected Mac- Neill to chair the regional district board and Moore to act as its deputy chairman, as well as chairman of the hospital district board. 436 Oppose A total of 436 out of 450 Castlegar area voters who cast ballots in last month's non- government poll on B.C. Hy- dro's proposed Kootenay Diver- sion opposed the project, a Save the Kootenay Committee spokesman said Tuesday, Mike Jessen told the Castlegar News that out of 6,080 votes cast throughout Central Kootenay last month, 5,858 or 96.35 per cent opposed the proposed diversion of the Kootenay River into the Colum- bia. Combined with the results of the poll held by the city of Nelson Nov. 18, 95 per cent of 9,022 ballots cast in the region were against the project, he said. Jessen said the committee will send a delegation to Vie- toria to present the poll results lo- representatives of -all: pro--- vincial parties during the next session of the legislature to demonstrate regional residents’ concern over the proposed diversion. A motion asking B.C. attor- ney-general Garde Gardom to curb acts of ,vandalism gained approval last week in a closed meeting of Regional District of Centra! Kootenay directors. Directors supported a mo- tion which — as reported in the Castlegar News Nov. 9 — noted recent acts of terrorism and arson against taxpayers in the West Kootenays and asked the attorney-general to “take im- mediate action” to eliminate them. (See story on Page Bi.) | 8% Higher _| Higher A $4,277,000 provisional budget for 1979 won city council's approval Monday. At their statutory meeting city council members approved a bylaw authorizing expendi- tures of the funds from Jan. 1, 1979 until adoption of the city's annual budget in May 1979. In her address to council Mayor Audrey Moore noted the provisional budget — which, included a provincial grant for policing costs — represented an increase of about eight per cent over. last year's budget. She said the city has requested. the same total funding for policing - costs in 1979 as in 1978 because the provincial commission of inquiry on those costs “has not yet been finalized.” Wins Approval The Castlegar Kiwanis Club's proposed construction of a $45,000 soccer field on civic property near the: Regional Recreation Complex has won city council's approval. Council last: week sup- ported a motion by Ald. Jim Gouk, parks and recreation committee chairman, to send the club “a letter of approval and support” for the project. Gouk said a Kiwanis aele- gation told his committee in a meeting late last month that construction of the field would take place through spring and [summer 1979 with completion, set for fall 1979 and full operation by spring 1980. SWORN IN at special statutory meeting of ( elty councl! Monday by justice of the peace Carl Loablich were, left to right In background, Gerald Rust, Heather Hallett and Len Embree after thelr election to aldermanic seats Nov. 18. Visible in foreground are Losblich, left, and Rev. Michae! Gulnan, who offered a prayer for the new council. Loebiich, In 1970, ceremony would probably be his last because the ‘provincial later that the swearing-In|_ gs Impose a y age of 65 on Justices of the peace. —CasNewsFoto by Ryon Guedes City council members’ standing committee duties changed drastically under new appointments announced by Mayor Audrey Moore Monday. In addition to rotating chairmen of nearly all com- Committee Chairmanships Change Hands Moore Shuffles Council Duties mittees, Moore chose Ald. Len Embree to succeed Ald. Gerald Rust as alternate Castlegar director on the Regional Dis- trict of Central Kootenay board and appointed full council to the - select: water committee pre- viously chaired by’ Ald. C. S. Fowler. Explaining her decision to include all council members in the water committee's activi- ties, the mayor said she con: sidered the committee's work in 1979 toward construction of Castlegar’s planned Arrow Lakes water supply to be “most important.” In her address to council, Moore said the standing com- See Page AS “A new water supply is essential to Castlegar's future as “the major urban centre in the West Kootenays,” Mayor Audrey Moore told city council Monday. Inan address following the swearing-in of recently-elected incumbents Len Embree and Gerald Rust and newcomeer Heather Hallett as aldermen, But Not Without New Water Supply, Says Mayor Moore cited the opening uf a 42-unit apartment block, a new Bank of Montreal building, a large restaurant and disco, a warehouse and two car dealer- ships here in 1978 as evidence that pressure for growth and development in Castlegar “will no doubt be intensified this year.” But she warned that fur- ther growth “cannot be serious- ly considered” unless the city's City Seen as ‘Major Centre’ “the Columbia River, “wa. usurped, through the activities efforts to obtain an financing formula for its plan- ned Arrow Lakes water system is successful. The mayor said the federal and provincial governments . appeared to agree that the city’s problem is unique be- cause its natural water supply, Youth Committee Requests More Money, Free Space e Endorsement and con- tinuance by the city; e Increased outlay of funds; e Rent-free use of space at the old arena complex. Those were recommenda- tions for 1979 submilted to city council last week by members of Castlegar's special youth committee. Reporting on the volunteer committee's activities since April 1, spokesman Fred Stroes told council the funds allocated this year for the youth project — which included the appoint- See Page A3 of two Cr 3 and See Page Al4 economic development ministry’s completion of a cost formula for Castlegar's planned Arrow Lakes water system. That was a ministry official's explanation Tuesday of the apparent lack of progress in current negotiations between senior governments over funding for the new system. Economist Allison Coke, involved in the negotiations, told the Castlegar News the ministry had not yet received final details on the Community Service Program recently unveiled by Andre Quellet, federal urban affairs minister. The newly-formulated pro- gram involves block payments to the provinces and has been viewed as a prospective federal funding source for the new water supply ‘because the Cen- tral Mortgage and Housing Corporation's water and sewer funding program, originally considered as a source, will be discontinued at the end of this year, she said. ’ “We're working hard but CUPE, BCSTA Reject Mi we're still working in somewhat of a vacuum until we get the details of this program,” Coke said. “It wouldn't help Castle- gar if we came. up with a of functions of the municipal affairs and housing ministry by Premier Bill Bennett this week, federal funding for the new water system is expected to be i d through itis formula based on an formula that isn't in place.” “When we do receive those details we're going to sit down and appraise a realistic formula the city can live with,” she added, Although some uncertainty has resulted from the splitting in that area, she said. Commenting on the delay this week, Mayor Audrey Moore said she hoped federal! and provincial politicians would listen to the recommendations ~ See Page A8 ister’s Offer Talks Fail in Victoria Labor Minister Allan Wil- liams’ talk with representatives of West Kootenay school boards and their striking and locked- out non-teaching employees: ended unsuccessfully Tuesday night aftér both parties re- jected his proposed industrial commission hearing. Contacted in Victoria yes- terday Fred Pyke, negotiator for five Canadian Union of Public Employees locals, said the union turned down the proposal Williams made after acting as a go-between in 2 series of meetings which start- ed Monday because it was “contrary to the labor move- ment principle of free collective bargaining.” Pyke said the proposed hearing, which would follow the immediate return to work by CUPE members employed by Selkirk College and the Castle- gar, Trail, Nelson and Grand Forks school districts and would have a binding award decision, “is really arbitration.” He said he was surprised to learn later that B.C. School Trustees Association negotia- tors representing the college and school boards also rejected the minister’s proposal. “T can only conclude from their position that they think Management by Third Party ‘Not in Citizens’ Interest’ Operation by the provin- cial government or a_ local incorporated committee is pre- ferable to “third-party” man- agement of Castlegar Airport. That was the city airport advisory committee's recom- mendation on the future of the function from which Castlegar wil, withdraw in March 31, 1979, In a letter last month to city council, committee chair- man Dr. John Hall said the third-party lease arrangement. the federal transport ministry is expected to make with a private organization after the city’s withdrawal from opera- tion of the airport “will not be in the best interest of the citizens of the area.” “Such an arrangement would necessarily have a vested interest associated with it which .could lead to minimal JOLLY OLD ELF, flown by =~ 2 a In a special 0-0p Into effort by the Castlegar and . 1, met and distributed treats to tion ¢ No. hundreds of children at the Regional Recreation Complex Di 8 Recrea- y —CasNewsFoto by Ryon Guedes coe Dead saat bes the Meedtamne Bae of facil and personnel,” Dr. Hall said in the letter. “This in turn will lead to diminished services to the public.” ae : The letter said members of the advisory committee still felt the federal government should be r ible for i more capable of undertaking such a venture than is a single municipality.” But should the city fail to reach a ‘satisfactory arrange- ment with the provincial gov- ernment as well, it should con- sider returning the respon- See Page A8& our position is justified and they're afraid of losing the: battle," he said. BCSTA representatives were unavailable yesterday for comment, Pyke said a meeting of the five CUPE locals has been scheduled for 2 p.m. Friday at the Regional Recreation Com- plex to inform members of the talks' outcome. Watch for Christmas Store Hours With only 15 shopping days left before Christmas, the following store hours have been adopted by the majority of the local mer- chants. On Dec. 20, 21 and 22, stores will be open until 9 pm. with regular closing hours on Saturday, Dec. 23. Many of the merchants include their store hours in their various advertisements in the Castlegar News. By checking the individual ad- vertisements, readers will be able to note the ex- ceptions. Stay of Proceedings For Alleged Arsonists A Nelson county court has entered a stay of proceedings against 12 persons charged with burning down the Brilliant home: of the late Anna Markova Sept. 23. a Judge Leo Gansner granted the request on Nov. 23 of Crown counsel, acting under instructions from the ministry of the B.C. and development of the airport, but the provincial government . “with its expressed interest in public aviation in this province” should be approached by the city if the federal ministry refuses to accept the respon- sibility. The province presently has an “excellent™ air service in operation, the letter said, and although it is not currently involved in the operation of airports it is probably “much |, for the stay of p on the arson charges, attorney-g Contacted this week Don Sperry, the specially-appointed junior Crown counsel who made the request, told the Castlegar News the Crown felt “conviction at this point in time of those 12 accused was highly unlikely.” The cost of jury trials of the 12 accused would be extremely high if the defendants were acquitted, he said. Sperry said the stay of proceedings does not necessarily end charges against the accused, and would allow the Crown to resume proceedings up to a year later if it were to find evidence it considered sufficient to prosecute them. é Commenting on earlier reports quoting Brian Waddell, supervising regional Crown Counsel for the South Okanagan and East and West Kootenays, as saying the case was dropped because See Page A8 la CEILING Health Minister Bob Me- Clelland’s ‘recently- announced five-per-cent limit on hospital budget Increases this year draws protests from the Central Kootenay Hospital District. CAUTION B4 Thrown to the wind by the Raglonal District of Central Kootenay board. AnnLanders .... BillSmiley . Comics . Editorial ...... PageB4 L Entertainment . Pages A4-A5 B1 Y Zz THEBES ASTORY WEEKEND WEATHERCAST CLEAR AND COOL today with morning fog patches along the river. The weekend will begin with sunshine but increasing to clouds Saturday with a few snow flurries late Saturday and Sunday. Tem- peratures will be a little milder over the weekend with a daytime high of 0° and an overnight low of -12°. Home on the Range. Page Ald One Man's Opinion . Page B2 Outdoors Pulpit and Pew Sports TV Week T ALWAYS THOUGHT JUNK FOOD WAS SOMETHING YOU ATE IN A FLOATING RESTAURANT IN AERA OOM