Jonathan Green NEWS REPORTER ' For the second time in less than a month, the Celgar Pulp Co.’s request to have charges against it stayed from an al- leged 1990 incident have been denied. Power Consolidated (Chi- na) Pulp Ltd. and China In- dustrial Trust and Invest- ment Corp. — Celgar’s own- ers — were in Rossland Provincial Court Monday to answer six charges each un- der the provincial Waste Man- agement Act and one count each under the Federal Fish- eries Act. H.A. Simons, a consulting firm working for Celgar, is al- so charged with three counts under the Waste Manage- ment Act and one count under the Federal Fisheries Act. All charges stem from an alleged effluent discharge in- to the Columbia River on April 23, 1990. Defence lawyer John Car- penter said the trial will con- tinue because neither the Crown nor the defence made a convincing enough case for Judge Donald Sperry. Car- penter said Sperry ruled against the Crown because it “hadn’t completely complied with the order last year.” Carpenter said that order, made in December, forced the Crown to “disclose existence of all material touching on this case” to the defence, and to produce a list of what they claimed privilege for. Sperry also ruled against the defence’s request that the charges stayed because the length of the proceedings had prejudiced them from receiv- ing a fair trial and that their rights had been breached. “The defence made two ap- plications saying their rights had been breached, and the court said ‘maybe they had, but we’re not going to stop the proceedings,” Carpenter said. The maximum fine under the Waste Management Act is $1 million per count, while the penalty under the Fisheries Act is $5,000 per count. The trial is expected to con- tinue in September NOW STRIPPING 1983 BUICK SKYLARK 2 door 1982 BUICK SKYLARK 2 door 1980 BUICK SKYLARK 2 door 1980 OLDS OMEGA 2 door Western Auto Wreckers Granite Road, Nelson Ph. 354-4802 Fish stocks dying at Keenleyside @ B.C. Hydro to explore super saturation problem at Hugh Keenleyside Dam Jonathan Green NEWS REPORTER Fish on the downstream side of the Hugh Keenleyside Dam are dying and B.C. Hy- dro knows it. Now, the utility wants to change that. Beginning this summer, B.C. Hydro will con- duct tests in the hopes of pre- venting a condition known as super saturation from harm- ing fish stocks. According to Fisheries spokesperson Jay Hammond, super saturation occurs when water released from the high- er level ports over the spillway at the dam picks up harmful air on the way to the plunge pool below. Hammond says that be- cause of physics, the released water can become saturated with gases in the air, ending up with a gas level of more than 100 per cent. “It has a very high concen- tration of dissolvable gases,” he said, adding that water can become tainted with nitrogen, helium and oxygen. When the saturated water hits the plunge pool, the high concentration of gas from the air bubbles can overcome fish, killing some within the hour. Hammond said the fish who survive Gas Bubble Dis- ease can end up with symp- toms like bulging eyes and a disorientation that could ham- per their ability to feed and avoid predators. To prevent that from hap- pening, B.C. Hydro biologist Owen Fleming said the utili- ty is looking at ways of modi- “We're just putting together some type of study team right now,” he said. Fleming said the problem with super saturation stems from the guidelines the dam operates under. “When it was first built, it was indicated you couldn't use the lower level ports when the lake was higher than a certain level,” he said. When the lake levels are high, Fleming said the guide- lines state only the higher lev- el ports can be used, which means the water must travel further to the plunge pool. In turn, he said gas levels in- crease. Fleming said he expects the study, which will include acoustic and vibration testing of the lower level ports as well as positioning crews and divers in the water, to begin in July at a cost of some $15,000 and $25,000. u Got the Look? ...If Not Book Beverley Zaytsoff is now available for your personalized styling at. . - THE ANNEX e 365-3744 50% OFF PERMS AND COLORS for Seniors May 27 & 28 ~ CASTLEGAR SLOW PITCH LEAGUE Fun-Fest Tournament and Dance! bance onthe... ARENA ICE SURFACE Saturday, June 6 Doors open at 8 p.m. ZOO FM Music Machine starts at 9 p.m. Admission $7.00 at the door only. Ml Sawmill workers face concessions under proposed three-year contract fying the dam. Scott David Harrison EDITOR workers. Sa pepne The contract includes Talks between local sawmill workers and Pope and Talbot have hit a stumbling block. Efforts to get local members of IWA-Cana- da to endorse an agreement already approved by their Southern Interior counterparts could mean concessions for Castlegar’s sawmill “We've hit a bit of a snag,” union spokesper- son Tony Ferreira said Tuesday. “It’s been a “It’s difficult,” Ferreira said. “The wages aren’t the problem it’s just that some of the benefits (in the contract) aren't as strong.” The contract the local mill is considering is the same that is in place at Pope and Talbot's . other mills in Midway and Grand Forks. “If the two (contracts) were the same, we'd have no problem signing the papers, but they’re not,” he said. Ferreira, who was speaking despite a news blackout, would not say what the concessions were or how much they could cost. Instead, Ferreira said he is trying to ensure that pen- sion and benefit plans his union has managed to negotiate for itself through independent contracts would be maintained. “That is where it is right now,” he said. “That is what we are trying to say.” Talks between the local union and Pope and Talbot continue today and Thursday in Castlegar. | “Were hoping to have it all wrapped up by then,” he said, “but we'll have to wait and see.” , Pope and Talbot president Abe Friesen could not be reached for comment. ; 6000 Incredible Savings On All Floor Coverings 30% orr Blinds & Wallcoverings "Serving The West Kootenay For Over FLOORS LTD. 735 COLUMBIA AVENUE, CASTLEGAR 365-5689 Tuesday - Saturday: 9 a.m-5 p.m. 13 Years” m@ Wednesday, May 27, 1992 i Deal gives Castlegar workers 11 per cent pay hikes in next two years Scott David Harrison EDITOR and temporary workers have agreed to a new three-year pact. The deal, ratified last week, calls for 11 per cent in- creases over the first two years of the contract, fol- lowed by a wage re-opener in the final year of the accord. City crews had been working without a contract since February. The contract, retroactive to March 1992, sees city crews get two three per cent increases this year, an addi- tional three per cent on March 1 1993 and another two per cent hike on Sept. 1 1993. “I think it’s a good con- tract,” Mayor Audrey Moore said Tuesday. “We had a good set of negotiation and we were able to conclude things within two days. That is a good sign.” In additional to wage in- Castlegar’s 35 full-time. creases, Moore said the deal tightens up some of the con- tract language. She said that didn’t involved increases to pension or benefit plans, though. Moore added there was “one major change to the con- tract” which sees crew take their breaks on the job site. In exchange for that, Moore said city crews would finish their work days 30 minutes earlier. a The question of coffee and lunch breaks had become the focus of criticism by the Coalition Unaccepting Rash Bureaucracy. The citizens group argued that when Castlegar moves its works yard to the industrial park in 1992, city crews would spend far too much time commut- [** ing across town before taking their breaks. Another clause in the new agreement Moore said she was happy to implement calls for the elimination of discrimination of any kind. “Altogether, it was a good process.” The three-year contract expires on Feb. 28 1995. Bus accident claims life NEWS STAFF An early morning accident has claimed the life of a 32- year-old Salmo flagman. Darrell Francis Ackert was struck by a Greyhound bus four kilometres north of Salmo at approximately 7:30 a.m. Tuesday. He was pronounced dead at Kootenay Lake Hospi- tal in Nelson shortly after. Ackert was employed as a flagman on a contract basis with Bel Maintenance at the time of his death. The Salmo RCMP are con- tinuing to investigate the in- cident. and charges are pend- ing. An RCMP new release states that speed may have been a contributing factor in Ackert’s death. The bus was southbound at the time of the accident. Blaze destroys group’s link to province’s grandparents Glen Freeman NEWS REPORTER Fire destroyed a Richmond building and left a grandpar- ents group stranded. The Grandparents Rights Association lost vital records as a result of the fire, said Castlegar member Barbara Prather. “All of our members names and addresses have been lost,” Prather said. “It’s important that we get those names again so things can get back to normal.” Prather said that her group brings families together and is currently attempting to “get legislation so that no one is cut off from their children or grandchildren.” Members who wish to con- tinue receiving the group’s benefits: should send their name and address to the Grandparents Rights Associa- tion at 4485 Dawn Drive, Delta, B.C. “We hope everybody gets in touch,” Prather said. “It’s a wonderful support group.” Teachers prepared for protest Wi Castlegar teachers hit the streets to protest lack of government funding Glen Freeman NEWS REPORTER Something is wrong with the provincial gov- ernment’s education funding. And the British Columbia Teachers’ Asso- ciation is taking that message to the streets of Castlegar Wednes- day. “Our teachers will be starting our rally at the school board offices at about 4 p.m. and walking to the Hi Arrow,” said local association president Bill Gorkoff. “We're hoping to get 50 or more people out.” Gorkoff said his group is concerned with un- derfunding and the manner in which money is awarded to schools. “Our argument is with the provincial gov- ernment and their funding formula,” he said. “We are trying to draw attention to the fact that there is a problem in this area.” According to the BCTA, the NDP govern- ment is “holding back” over $80 million that could better fund B.C. schools. But the ministry's communications director GIFT MUGS Gerald Morton says that just isn’t so. “There really is no magical $85 million sit- ting in a pot somewhere,” Morton said. “The whole system revolves around paying districts for the number of students they have.” ay i Morton added that there has been a $300 million increase in education spending this year, raising the total budget to $3.5 billion. But that figure doesn’t impress Gorkoff. “Nobody is re- ‘Nobody is really too sure what their formula is for funding. But we think they’re holding back a big chunk of money, and that’s really causing problems with budgets.’ __ally too sure what their formula is for funding,” Gorkoff said. “But we think they’re holding back a big chunk of money, and that’s really — Teacher Bill Gorkoff causing problems lic schools. "Class of '92" GRAD ORNAMENTS By Ziggy "Great Selection" STUFFED ANIMALS Cute & Cuddly By Russ Grad Cards by .-~ carton in town! Suggestions for the Grad Parties... with budgets.” Gorkoff added that if the current budget is implemented without alterations, cutbacks faced this year will be more severe than those in the last three years under the Social Credit government, “and those were supposed to be the tight years.” The BCTA proposes that the government provides special grants to needy districts, im- mediately forwards all funds available to school systems, and reallocates the current $100 million in private school funding to pub- “That would be a start,” Gorkoff said. FRAMES Solid Wood 5"x7" 8"x10" BRASS FRAMES (Quality) Special Selection Special Price © Best selection ¢ Grad Wrapping Paper « Ribbon « Gift Boxes ¢ Paper Plates - Napkins ¢ Invitations * Tablecloths IPS PHARMASAVE 1128-3rd Street (Downtown) Castlegar - 365-7813