a2 Saturday, March 21.1992 THE FAR SIDE nee Centaur rodeos THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS INVITED TO A SPECIAL EETING TO DISCUSS THE CITY OF CASTLEGAR'S PROPOSED | PARKS AND OPEN SPACE STUDY During the past five months, the City has been gathering information regarding our parks and open space, and listening to the interests and concerns of Castlegar residents. The purpose of this public meeting is to hear and discuss the recommendations arising from that research, and have the opportunity to provide additional input prior to the preparation of the final document. DATE: March 30, 1992 - TIME: 7:00 p.m. LOCATION: Council Chambers, 1402 Columbia Ave. FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE CITY OF CASTLEGAR AT 365-7227 Be Sure to Attend SEAFOOD — B.C. BLUE WANTLE OYSTERS if 6 for $7.95 — 12 for $12.95 ALASKAN HALIBUT MARINATED BABY OCTOPUS Fried in sauce, served on a bed of rice. $13.95 TER TAIL TROPICAL, LOBS Fireside Motor Inn Restaurant Gominco may cut Jonathan Green NEWS REPORTER : With losses totalling $100 million over the last two years, Cominco Ltd. has a very tough financial road ahead of it. ; To get the giant lead and zinc smelter back on solid financial ground, the company cut 500 jobs in early February to save some $26 million annually. Although a small step in eliminating the massive debt, Richard Fish says every little bit counts. “It’s part of the whole cost reduction plan,” the “smelter’s communication director said Wednesday. Fish said if-—-all components of the plan come together by year’s end, the company hopes to unload almost half of its financial burden next year. ‘ “If it all comes together, it will total $50 million, and that’s what we’re shooting for,” he said. Under provincial law, the 500 employees affected required a four month notice of the job reduction. Because of that, Fish said the positions will have been eliminated by June. “They will all expire on May 31,” he said. Although the 500 jobs represent almost 20 per cent of the smelter’s total workforce, Fish said the cuts shouldn’t have shocked anyone. He said the company more jobs made plans four years ago to have the workforce reduced to around 2500 in 1992, and that is where things stand right now. “We will be in and around the 2,500 level,” he said. “There should be no surprise in that.” Fish said company officials will examine the effects of the job cuts over the a period while to determine what their next moves will be. “It’s possible we will find some opportunities for further job reduction” he said, adding that any “layoffs would be low in number. a “It might be a few here, a few there for the rest of the year.” Glen Freeman NEWS REPORTER a learning disability. Ten per cent of the people in Castlegar have Learning disabilities hits airwaves gether Tuesday at 7 pm. : : There will be a phone-in question period, during which time panelists will field in- quiries about learning disabilities. Panelists will include Vancouver-bases ed- And according to the Stanley Humphries Secondary School Parent Advisory Council, residents need a better understanding of learning disabilities. “There’s not a lot of ignorance about it,” said SHSS-PAC member Bernice Beckstead, “but there needs to be more focus on what can be done for people with learning disabilities.” With that in mind, the SHSS-PAC, Shaw Cable and CKQR Radio 760 will be broad- casting Learning Disabilities: Working To- ucational psychologist Dr. Suzanne Jacobsen, learning disabilities resource teacher Marillee Papau and SHSS student Brian Mannle. “We are going to talk about learning dis- abilities in general,” Beckstead said.“What a learning disability is, how they affect people, and what resources are available in this com- munity.” : The telecast will be rebroadcast on March 26, 27 and 29. 1810-18th Avenue, Castlegar ee Reservations 365-2128 y, § All Our Best From... astlegar Foods 635 Columbia Ave., Castlegar HOURS: Mon.-Thurs. & Sat.. 9:00 a.m.-6:00 p. Fri. 9:00 a.m.-8:00 p.m. Sun. 10:00 a.m.-5:00 p..' 365-5755 FLETCHERS ee WEINERS | All-Beef ¢ Chicken or Turkey © | 4.59 | awe STEAK PRIME RIB Cut From Canada Grade A Beef © 7.67 kg. 2 CALIFORNIA GROWN ORANGES | | g=.99 a? 2 J ( sucar | Limit 1 Per Family Purchase fnew ~DEW-IT a MOUNTAIN DEW Reg. or New Diet e 2L. .49 Plus Deposit \_ 12 Pac Cans 3.99 + Deposit _/ LONG ENGLISH CUCUMBERS Canada #1 ° Hot House |.99 "Prices effective to Saturday, March 28 Cominco Fertilizer 2 types .---ss----s-eecneeseeeeee 7.69 - 2S 2. NOW AVAILABLE - Taking Orders for... SURPLUS DAVE’S This Weeks Featured Item Garbage Cans ISAT Gale cncnny $8.99 Arriving Soon Garden tools, wheelbarrows, hoses, patio furniture, housewares and much more! A ih aS At ean me @ Saturday, March 21 1992 SecondFRONT | CALL THE NEWS @General Inquiries 365-7266 @Ciassifieds & Delivery 365-2212 @®News 365-3517 @aAdvertising 365-5210 OUR HOURS The News is located at 197 Columbia Ave. Our statutory holidays. SUB RATES __ The News is published by Castie News Ltd. for Canwest Publishers Lid. Mail subscription rate to The News is $40 per year ($44 in communities Second class mail registration number 0019. Conroy gets down to business i Local MLA ready to promote area’s employment and economic concerns Scott David Harrison EDITOR The pomp and ceremony of B.C’s. highest house hasn’t slowed down Ed Conroy. The Rossland-Trail MLA says he’s ready to get down to business. Conroy said stabilizing the area’s economy is his most pressing concern. : Pointing to Tuesday’s Throne Speech Conroy said he is pleased that his New Democrat government is making it a provincial priority. The rookie MLA says he is thrilled the THRIFTY BUSINESS New Democrats will place emphasis on employment and regional economic development. ‘ “British Columbians need to hear that the issues that directly affect them are going to be properly addressed,” he said Thursday. Conroy stressed the need for economic development and employment opportunities for the Castlegar-Trail regions. He said recent layoffs at Cominco and the Castlegar sawmill prove how fragile the local economy is. - He said he is committed to securing his piece of the provincial budget pie for the Rossland-Trail riding. To prove his point, Conroy officially announced that the City of Trail was getting a $4 million grant to help build a new water treatment facility. He said the grant will pay half the costs of the capital project. He said the new treatment plant will help Trail develop high-quality water, as well as aid the city in controlling its water supply. Commenting on his first sitting in the legislature, Conroy said it was “fun, actually.” - “It was quite pleasurable, really,” he said from his office in Victoria. “But I’m looking forward to getting down to business.” The Hospital Auxiliary Treasure Shop officially opened its doors for business yesterday. everything on hand, this thrift-style shop will be open today from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. P and T speaks with Ministry Wi Talks surrounding transfer of Tree Farm Licence No. 23 picking up as Ministry holds meeting with Pope and Talbot president are better not discussed.” Scott David Harrison EDITOR Mum may be the word on Tree Farm Licence No. 23, but behind the scenes, the pace is picking u p. Pope and Talbot Ltd. president Abe Friesen met with officials from the Forest Ministry Wednesday to discuss the conditions and terms of transfer for the TFL and the Castlegar sawmill. The meeting is believed to be the first of two for the ministry, which plans to hold another session with Westar Timber Ltd. regarding the _sale of the local sawmill and a large portion of TFL No. 23. . Contacted at his Pope and Talbot office in Grand Forks, Friesen declined to comment on the meeting, saying “some issues are sensitive and we go into them to do it right.” Rossland-Trail MLA Ed Conroy said he was aware of the Pope and Talbot-ministry meeting, but he would not indicate whether the proposed $22 million U.S. purchase of Westar’s assets was going ahead. Conroy said. acceptable to all parties,” he said. takeover bid this Friday. News photo by Glen Freeman With a little bit of Friesen did reaffirm that his company is still willing to take over ailing Westar’s operations. or: “We’ve always said we are not short-term players,” he said. “When we go into to something, “The committee has made its recommendations and those are in the hands of the minister,” While he sympathized with Castlegar and area’s 280 laid off workers, Conroy said the minister is working as quickly as he can. “There are negotiations going on as to what is Forest Minister Dan Miller is expected to make a decision regarding the Pope and Talbot Local HEU = prepared to refuse offer Glen Freeman NEWS REPORTER Members of Castlegar’s Hospital Employees’ Union cast their “rejection vote” Thursday. “Voter turnout has been good so far,” said local union chair Jean Weir, “and the mood has been strongly against accepting what has been offered to us.” According to the Health Labor Relations Association’s Martin Livingston, the HEU has been offered a 3.5 per cent raise this year and a 1.5 per cent increase next year. “That’s about 48 cents an hour, when the average public sector increase was $1.49 an hour,” Weir said. “That’s hardly a fair offer.” A HEU Hotline statement takes the issue one step further. “Hospital bosses have given themselves big boosts but want workers to accept meager pay increases,” claims a HEU representative in the recorded statement. But Livingston says comparing the salaries of administration to workers is like comparing apples to ‘anges. “The so-called bosses don’t give themselves raises,” said Livingston. “They go to a board of directors made up largely of volunteers from the community, and the board takes individual areas into consideration.” But the HEU’s Kootenay region vice president Della McLeod says that is just a smoke-screen. “At the end of the day, the government is still the paymaster,” said McLeod. McLeod added that the HLRA has yet to address another key issue — work load. Results of the strike vote will be known March 27.