The Castlegar Sun Wednesday, December 28, 1994 { The Castlegar Sun Page 3A Start the new year off right — Now that Christmas is over people are preparing for New ‘Year's Eve, the last those who drink and drive Sometimes they're lucky and find theit way home without others. y dif- ‘This is why the RCMP, in con- junction with ICBC, hold the annual CounterAttack. Cpl. Al Hudema of the Castle- gar RCMP warns motorists that members will be out in full force Casdtiegar RCMP Corporal mn wishes to thank The West Ki all those who donated to the 7th Annual West Kootenay Toy Run held September 11, 1994. Thanks to the generous dual: and riders, the of local bi di Special thanks to: 7th Annual Toy Run was a great success. © Hil Top Grooming & to ensure that the roads are safe from drunk drivers. “We encourage the driver concept. We'll have a full complement out. One officer asked me for that night off and I told him no. I'll even be working that night.” And it’s not enough that those who drink don't get behind the wheel, said Hudema. Hosts or bartenders who con- tinue offering drinks, even though their guest is obviously impaired, can be held legally accountable. “There have been successful suits where the person who sup- plied the liquor had to pay costs in the civil suit. They can be held civilly accountable.” Hosts should offer other non- alcoholic beverages, and plenty of snacks to their guests well in advance of their de; . Hudema recommends that hosts offer these guests a place to lay their heads and that fore- thought be put into New Year's Eve partying so that the fol- lowing day doesn't bring regrets along with the expected hangover. “Don't be in the position to have to defend your actions Sorward to Serving you in 1995. japsule omments For this last Capsule Comment column for 1994, a few thank you's: Thank you to the staff of Castlegar Sun, for their help bringing this column to you each A big thank you to all the doctors, nurses, and receptionists for their help and 1994. profession of pharmacy is much hug to Thank you for placing your trust in Thank you to our marvellous staff who reflect th: attitude that has been a trademark of our pharmacy big thank you to many of you for your kind compliments about this column and a big those of you who are surprised that this newspaper charges me for printing the column rather than the other way around! And finally, thank you to ail of our Your positi appreciated A happy and healthy New Year's to you all. We look forward to serving you again in 1995. attitudes toward our store and the at helpful, caring and personable for so many years. loyal customers who make our job such a joyful one. Pharmasave. HoOuRSsS December 29th - 9 am. -6 PM. + December 30th - 9 am.-9 p.m. December 31th-9 am.-5pm January 1st - Noon TO 1 P.M. - January 2nd - 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. a PHARMASAVE 128 - 3rd St. (Downtown) Cast! 3z=G Ss > weas Submitted Red Cross volunteer, Raylene Bein ()) accepts a teddy bear from Pat Jones (middle) and Judy Keus (r). Furry friends a ‘bear’y good idea are involved,” said are being sold for a good cause. home to fire. You may have noticed that the local Liquor store has been full of bears recently. The little guys When you buy a bear, a second one is donated to a local charity. Red Cross volunteer Raylene Saumure is one of the local Red Cross volun- teers who is called out when a family loses their “AliMed oe can't mpince hens topes now we will at least be able to give the little ones one of these bears right away. We are grateful that the Red Cross has been chosen as one of the recipients Of the bears this year.” ' Bears are also being donated to the Royal Cana- dian Legion and the Salvation Army. Saumure urges residents to buy a bear when they make their next purchase, remembering that for each bear pur- chased a second bear will go to a needy child. CORE coalition slams province y CORE pantie Guksinsen Aalealmua komen Renee Read, iP for the K B ities for Si ility, said Vic- torts Ur kaaiglng cn sescuete Gor eu aa Wank Kootenay CORE land-use plans. “They want to split us again,” she said, adding later: “The feeling we're getting is it’s divide and Read noted that the Provincial government for the East and West Kootenays. Grant Scott was appointed to the East Kootenay CORE process, while Murray Rankin was appointed as the West Kootenay CORE facilitator. Rankin helped negotiate the Vancouver Island CORE land-use plan. “We want one person for both sides,” said Read. “The East and West Kootenays are united. . .we are still the Kootenays.” Read said her coalition has fired off a letter to gle government representative to1 meet with East and West Kootenay CORE groups in Creston on Jan. 11. “The ball is kind of in their court and we're wait- ing for their response,” Read said. Scott refused to attend a West K CORE That was unacceptable, Read said. “He talked privately with the East Kootenay table,” she said, but he didn’t want to provide the same opportunity for the West Kootenay CORE meeting scheduled last week in Castlegar. “He phoned from Victoria and said he wasn't going to show up,” Read told The Castlegar Sun in an interview. Read said the coalition asked to meet with Scott on Dec. 21. However, Scott wanted to have the group talk with four or five provincial government Read said her coalition wants to be part of setting the framework for the negotiations. “If we allow them to tell us what we're going to do, we're not going to get what we want.” Read said her coalition is made up of represen- tatives from resource industries, tourism, heli-; ski- ing, and outdoor as well as conquer.” Harcourt asking that he appoint a sin- aides instead. * MP Jim Gouk Gouk « makes last-ditch effort SUN STAFF Kootenay West-Revel fs sharpl itical of the National Tranephrenibee Agency’s final decision to allow CP Rail to abandon the Slocan Valley rail line. Gouk said he was particularly angry that the Agency refused to “seriously entertain” the large number of written and verbal protests made by local residents. He suggested the Agency could have extended the original aban- donment toke buried their heads until (the Dec. 14) deadline passed.” Gouk said the move is “just one ian ongoing four-. or fiye-step “pfocess to rid the entiré West “Kootenay region 6f dry inci of railway track—and once it’s gone, it's gone forever, no turning back.” Gouk wamed that the decision will do ing to add. the line pointed like a shotgun at their head.” He said private industry could ~ have come up with a viable plan to operate — sat al ™ efficient shi if there pon enfin more = But now it appears as if Gouk may have found a temporary i In highway safety and maintenance problems in the area. He said heavy trucks continue to haul raw materials that were once carried over the Slocan line. The National Transportation Agency suggested that there is still adequate time left to come up with a workable short-line pro- posal because the rails cannot be lifted until the spring. But Gouk disagreed. “That's a I to the p an attempt to buy time and hope- fully save the Slocan, line Gouk called upon the provincial gov- emment and CP Rail last week to reach a compromise and agree to a one-to-two-year delay until final abandonment. Gouk hopes this will residents the time to come up with a prospec- purchaser. able attitude. No rail operator is going to negotiate with CP or the NTA under conditions like that, with a three- or four-month dead-