Page 2A The Castlegar Sun Wednesday, March 18, 1992 MCE,IN @ Trial Continued trom 1A bank and beach in April 1990—a period of time when the the plant was shut down, An official from the Celgar Pulp mill claimed that work was being = Strike done on the 'S sewer system at the time of the incident, When rainwater from the roof began to flood the sewer line, a worker pumped the water from the roof into a hose and diverted it around the site where he was working. The liquid that ran from the hose contained chemicals from the roof which had built up over the years from the smoke stacks. The incident led to five alleged * violations of the provincial Waste Management Act, each involving fines up to $1 million; and one alleged violation of the Federal Fisheries Act, with a maximum penalty of $50,000. Continued from 1A of the dispute as of March 5. The HEU has now been in strike position since March 7, Martin Livingston, provincial spokesperson for the HLRA, says now that the last offer has been made, the ball is in HEU's court Voykin re-elected to chair Sun Staff Sentencing delayed for local youth involved in riot Sun Staff Sentencing for the Castlegar youth who allegedly took part in the Penticton Peachfest riot has been delayed until April 30. The 18-year old is being tried as a juvenile because he was not legally an adult at the time of the incident. The youth was among 18 People who were charged with Participating in the riot. - one Chip-chip'n away — Stone Mason and School Dis- trict No. 9 staff member Tony Rego knows just how labour intensive stone work can be. Tony is working on a stone wall outside the district's building. SUN STAFF PHOTO / Brendan Halper By Leigh Rubin John Voykin, area director for Area-I of the Regional District of Central Kootenay, was recently re-elected to the position of chairman for the Castlegar and District Community Complex and Recreation Commission. Voykin will be serving his third year as Chairman. The Commission which is the policy making body for the Castlegar and District Recreation Department consists of Ken Wyl- lie (director Area-J), Ed Chernoff (appointee Area-J), Marilyn Strong (appointee Area-I), Doreen Smecher (director City of Castlegar), Ron Ross and Jim Penman, (appointees City of Castlegar). The commission is responsible for the Community Complex, Pioneer Arena, Aquatic Centre, Recreation Programs and Pass Creek Park. “Their demands, which exceed an extra $421 million over two years, are just unrealistic in today's economy.,” said Liv- ingston. Although HEU voting is now taking place on the offer, the union has been ordered to hold off strike action by the Industrial Relations Council until a new essential ser- vices plan in place in hospitals. Denise Reed, Director of Nursing at the Castlegar and District Hospital, Denise Reed, said the local hospital is current- ly revising the plan as per the instructions from the HLRA Although she could not com- ment on what the plan includes, she did say that the plan relates to the recent IRC decision on essential services “Our first and foremost con- cern is the patient,” she finished. So much for peddle power! — Bicycles, like cars, ar lems, as Castlegar resident Ken Vandergaag found out while trying to enjoy last week's sunny weather. His dog, Dumas, waits flat tire along Columbia Avenue, near City Hall. Patiently while he begins repairing a e@ prone to mechanical prob- SUN STAFF PHOTO / Brendan Halper Mammography van popular in Castlegar SHARLENE IMHOFF In addi to the election of Voykin, the ission estab- Sun Editor lished their service objectives and capital projects for the year. Those projects include a new sound system and score clock for the complex and a number of beautification projects imythe Complex. Castlegar student finalist in scholarship program Sun Staff Lorraine Paszty, a senior at Stanley Humphries Secondary School, is among 200 finalists in the Jostens Foundation/Jostens Canada Lid. leader scholarship program for 1991-92. Paszty was one of 2,400 high school students across Canada who applied for one of Jostens $1,000 scholarships given annu- ally to 40 students. Scholarship winners will be announced in early May. “The students selected as scholarship finalists are the Canadian leaders of tomorrow,” said Ellis F. Bullock, executive director of the Jostens Founda- tion. “They stand apart not only Approximately 180 women paid a visit to the Mobile Mam- mography van for breast screen- ing during its four-day stay in Castlegar last week. oa in the rear parking lot of the Casulegar and District Hos- pital, the Screening Mammogra- Phy unit was fully booked for the entire four days it was in Castlegar. “This is the first time the unit has been to Castlegar, obviously there is a demand for this type of screening—the women have been very responsive,” said X-ray Technician Darlene Wheatley. Two technicians work in the van daily, screening women for early signs of breast cancer using a mammogram, a special type of x-ray. All women over the age of 40 were encouraged to take the mammography test, which only takes a matter of minutes to complete. “After we have gone through the procedures here, all of the x- Trays are sent for further analysis to Dr. Colin Rose, the head Radi- ologist in Nelson,” Wheatley said. According to the technician, about 10 per cent of women test- ed are called back for further examination. “This doesn’t mean they have cancer, it means the doctor believes a further examination About 180 women from Castlegar took advantage of the Mobile Mammography unit should be completed.” Screening Mammography in B.C. was established in 1988 through a prcvincial Health Min- istry grant and since that time, more than seven per cent of exam- inations have been regarded as abnormal. Officials believe that the Mammography test has yeild- ed an overall cancer detection rate of four out of 1,000 women across the province. Of those, 13 per cent of cancers were diagnosed in women under the age of 50. while it was in the community. “It is very important for women to take the opportunity of having a mammogram whenever they can for early breast cancer detection,” Wheatley said. “As well as this, women should learn how to do breast self-examinations.”” The Mobile Mammography van is now travelling throughout Slocan, New Denver and Nakusp. Due to the overwhelming response in Castlegar, officials are hoping the van will return to the area again this year. ‘The students selected as scholarship finalists are the Canadian leaders of tomorrow.’ — ELLIS BULLOCK Jostens Foundation because of their superior aca- demic achievements but because they've taken leadership roles in serving their community.” Selection of the finalists and winners is based on outstanding achievements in school and com- munity activities, leadership experience and academic excel- lence. Jostens’ Leader Scholarship Programme, which is adminis- tered by the Citizen’s Scholar- ship Foundation of America, St. Peter, Minnesota., has awarded $2.6 million in scholarships in the U.S. and Canada since the program's inception in 1977. Paszty was not available for comment on the announcement. school on March 5. Brooke Fellman, a Kinnaird Jr. Secondary School student in grade seven, proudly shows off her Science Fair project, one of over 250 which were on display at the SUN STAFF PHOTO/ Brendan Halper .Wednesday, March 18, 1992 The Castlegar Sun Local groups disappointed over cancellation of lotter BRENDAN HALPER Sun staff A lottery program which used revenue from break-open tickets has been cancelled and the com- munity groups involved will be compensated, Government Ser- vices Minister Louis Boone announced on March 12. Boone's decision directly affects several community groups in Castlegar. Boone, who earlier had announced a moratorium on Payments under the program, said that after a careful and detailed review, the government had no option but to cancel the scheme. The program involved the dis- tribution of break-open lottery ticket funds to community groups sound the province, in the form grants. “We have six months to sell what tickets we have—and take the revenue,” said Sunfest com- mittee Derm Jack “I think the government should have control,” Ogloff says. “But that could be set up without stop- ping the program.” Castlegar Selkirk Lions member Mark Zurek said his organization is not directly dependant upon the program DERM JACKMAN “Then there will be a cut-off date.” According to committee mem- ber Sharel Ogloff, the program cancellation will make a signifi- cant difference to the committee's cash flow. “The benefit of the break- open program was a way for non-profit groups to have a steady cash flow,” Ogloff said. “The program didn’t require many people from each organi- zation and I don’t think it cost the government anything.” She also pointed out the fact that the funds come from the communi- ty and go straight back into the community. Among the reasons given by Boone as to why the program could not continue was the fact that grants were being transmit- ted directly from the Lottery Corporation to recipients (the auditor general criticized this method of payment because the Lottery Corporation has no authority to make grants and the grants were not being reported in the annual lottery fund report). Also, according to Boone, the success of the ticket seller, not the need of the community group, determined the size of the grant, the program was not equally accessible to all community but the ity groups that the Lions serve will be adverse- ly affected. “They're the ones that are going to feel the pinch,” Zurek said. “It’s going to hurt.” In the past, the Lions designat- ed break-open funds to such caus- es as the Tarrys Fire Department Jaws of Life, the Mountainview Lodge Bus and the Hobbit hill Day Car Cenwe. The minister said all commu- nity groups involved in the pro- gram will receive approximately six months compensation, which included their earning during the moratorium period provided they: have submitted a financial statement to the Lot- tery. Corporation that shows they have lived up to all their contractual obligations; can show that the compensation money will be spent in British Columbia in a manner that will benefit their community and have submitted an application before May 31, 1992. “We believe the groups involved in this program should be compensated and that six months is fair. That is the maximum security they had in their arrangement with ticket vendors. “But, at the same time, we need assurance that money received in compensation will Clearly benefit the community and not just their organization,” she said. The minister said the Lottery Corporation will contact com- munity groups that purchased or leases vending machines. y program She said the corporation will look at each case individually to determine what kind of LOIS BOONE arrangements should be make to ensure no group is unduly affected as a result of the investment. Boone also said about half of the community groups receiving grants also earn commissions from selling break-open tickets. These groups will continue to sell tickets and earn commissions even though the grant program has been cancelled. one OUTLOOK: in the mid-teens. WEATHER __ The forecast for Wednesday; Mixture of cloud and sun with highs near 14. Wednes- day night calls for a mainly clear night with fog forming early Thurs- day morning. Lows near 2-4. The outlook for Thursday through Saturday mainly sunny and warm. Highs will be y < Temperature: Max/Date 15.8/15 Precipitation: Rain 8.0 Number of Hours 52.3 Sunshine: A LOOK BACK AT THE PAST WEEK: Min/Date 4.4/9 Snow Mean 6.2 Total 0 8.0 Normal Number of Hours 23.0 h13 1407.9 ft. Another week of well above average temperatures and on three occasions records. Ski hills with low elevation bases have poor conditions near the bottom however report good spring skiing at other elevations. Forecast provided by The South - East Interior Weather Office at Castlegar, B.C. RROW LAKE RESERVOIR FORECAST ) March 20 1408.6 ft. RCMP and Perepelkin family hoping to access Unsolved Mysteries show in continued search BRENDAN HALPER “We asked them to help Sun staff According to Corporal Hudema of the Castlegar RCMP detachment, there have been no new developments in the case involving missing Nel- son resident, 42 year-old Den- nis Perepelkin. As a result, Castlegar RCMP are currently pursuing the possi- bility of utilizing the network television program, Unsolved Mysteries. ““We wanted (access to the tele- vision program),” said Laura us. Laura thinks the program would help in the search for her father’s whereabouts and said that the family is willing to try everything. Perepelkin has been missing since January 16—he disap- peared while driving his Esso truck into Castlegar. His truck was found on the east side of the Kinnaird Bridge with the keys still in the ignition. A search party of relatives and friends organized shortly thereafter, failed to turn up any clues after searching the area of ‘We wanted (access to the television program). We asked them'to help us.’ — LAURA PEREPELKIN Missing man's daughter Perepelkin, the ing man’s the Columbia River near the bridge. RCMP have repeatedly used tracking dogs, helicopter, boat and divers to search the river bottom and banks from the bridge to the Canada/United States border, but have found nothing. “Nothing has surfaced in the way of leads,” Hudema said. Family members even set up an information centre at the Chevron station in Castlegar for several days in late January—in hopes of receiving clues from the public—but to no avail. oe DENNIS PEREPELKIN Local Reformers begin search for potential candidates Party doing some soul-searching after fundraising campaign fizzles SHARLENE IMHOFF groups and funds were being used for ongoing operati P even though the groups involved knew the program could be can- celled at any time. “We have looked at this pro- gram very carefully and it is clear that it does not meet the high standards of accessibility and accountability that we as a gov- emment intend to establish for all community grant programs,” said. Jackman said he agrees that grants should be reported to the Provincial government—that the Lottery Corporation shouldn't have the authority to make grants, but that a separate body should be made up to oversee grants to charitable community Unofficial cost of SHARLENE IMHOFF Sun Editor The unofficial cost of damage incurred to Westar sawmill’s Chip and Saw building during last Thursday's fire is speculated at PP y 6 8 to Castlegar Fire Chief Gerry “It certainly is not as bad as it could have been,” Remple said when contacted Monday. The fire, which was reported to the Castlegar Fire Department at 8:18 p.m., has been ruled as an electrical one which might have Started when a balast (located on neon lights), heated some saw- dust which in tum caused wiring to spark. This, according to one unnamed source from the mill, was enough to start the blaze. Official reports from Remple state that the fire, which brought Out two of the city’s fire trucks and 18 volunteer firemen, was not caused by arson. The first firefight- ing vehicle and crew on the scene belonged to the Celgar Pulp mill, which had the least distance to Sun Editor considering the possibility of running as a candidate, is not on the The Kootenay West Revel- stoke Constituency Association of the Reform Part of Canada has begun to seek candidates to represent the party in the next federal election. Ron Ross, owner of Emcon Engineering in Castlegar and vice-president of the party for this constituency said he would like to see at least six people vying for the position by September, when voting will take place in both Revelstoke and Castlegar. Already a committee has been established to review the qualifi- cation of those nominated— however Ross, who was travel in order to reach the blaze. Although one side wall on the Outside of the building is charred, damage remains heaviest inside the building where flames were doused in less than an hour by firefighters. “Although we had the fire out within an hour, (firefighters) remained on the scene for most of the night to watch for hot spots and for security reasons,” Remple said. An ambulance was on the Scene as well, though no injuries were rej LL The Westar mill, which has been out of operation since last October, is currently in a limbo Position—waiting for the Min- istry of Forest’s approval on a potential sale of the mill and Tree Farm Licence to Pope and Talbot of Grand Forks. Spokesperson Bob Coutts, plant manager for Pope and Talbot in Grand Forks, stated the fire will not affect the sale in any way and that since Westar Timber still owns the mill, damage costs would be Paid for by that company. Peter Berry, president of West- “I'd love to run as a candidate for the Reform part but I can’t,” said Ross, citing his job and the work Emco Engineering does for the federal government as placing him in a conflict of interest position. Although Ross admits that the winning candidate will have an uphill battle in becoming an established force in this riding, he believes the fact that the Reform party is a federal party rather than a provincial one will actually help not hinder the situation. “The Reform part has an advantage here. We haven't been tarred by a bad brush and we have no extra baggage to carry. Best of all, this party has no debts.” Labeling the current NDP Member of Parliament for this riding as weak, Ross says it will be difficult, but not impossible to take this strong NDP riding in the next federal election. “This area has voted in an NDP MLA for as long as I can remember. Now that the provin- cial government is finally NDP one would think this area would see some results, instead it has been slapped in the face three times in the last six months.” Along with searching for can- didates, Ross says the party is doing a “bit of soul-searching” after the vigorous Save Canada RON ROSS Campaign which was deemed to raise $12 million for the party’s election warchest fizzled out after bringing in a mere $2 million. “We were well short of our target and right now we are try- ing to determine what went wrong. I personally believe it was bad timing.” Still, Ross says the campaign was successful; in other ways. The Kootenay West Revelstoke riding raised approximately $8,000 for the campaign and membership has been raised to 520 people. “This riding is huge in area but small in population, the win- ning candidate in September bet- ter like to travel a lot,” Ross finished. Westar fire damage reaches S60G ar’s timber division, said that repairs to the fire-damaged build- ing have already started, begin- ning with re-wiring. “We are already fixing the damage. The fire will have abso- lutely no affect on the sale of the mill whatsoever,” Berry finished. eee Castlegar volunteer firefighters responded to a fire at Selkirk College March 11 at 7:29 p.m.. According Chief Remple, the contents in a garbage truck belonging to Ace Disposal of Castlegar was on fire. The truck, which was half full of garbage, was parked in the cargo area of the college. One truck responded and nine firefighters were on the scene. There were no injuries. Damage to the truck is estimated at $300. RIGHT- Firefighters at the Westar mill had the blaze out in less than an hour, though some stayed on the scene th night to monitor Lees od Ca SUN STAFF PHOTO / Sharlene imhott