14 Saturday, September 12, 1992 @ became Saturday morni beloved editor and I loaded tournament in Penticton. times. left eye. So, here we all are, one week after the Labor Day weekend, the annual three-day holiday where people party away the last days of summer. There’s nothing your hard-working, friendly neighborhood sports reporter likes to do more than enjoy the relax- ing pace of a long weekend, as I'm sure most of you faithful readers do. But, unlike the majority of you, my weekend was spent running around in the Okanagan, probably spending more time in traffic snarls then I did in my rented bed in the confines of the ritzy Bowmont Motel in Penticton. The fun and games all started about half-past the ninth time I fell asleep last Friday, which ultimately when the and moved to Beverly, (whoops, TV sitcom rush) and dropped by coach Amaral’s place on the way to a soccer It was to be a weekend where fun was to be had by all, which it was at Well, the roller coaster ride of good times galore came to a screeching halt for yours truly about 10 minutes into our first game against a group of friendly Fijians from Vancouver. Adopting the classic attack pose, I charged the ball carrier only to be greeted by a well placed rocket to the After the bells had stopped ringing and I realized that I wasn’t back in Vi- et Nam on a peace keeping mission with the boy scouts, I discovered that the collision with the ball had de- prived me of something very dear to me: sight in my left eye. So, after staggering to the sideline and mumbling something about the fact that shampoo that smells like al- monds doesn’t necessarily taste like almonds, it was time to sit down and contemplate life as a new age cyclops. Well, being the caring, sensitive type she is, teammate Fernie’s wife carted me off to the local hospital where the good folks set me up with a nice bed in the “Almost but not quite dead” section, and promptly forgot about me. This wasn’t entirely bad, because I ecar spent a good deal of time believing that the eye patch I might have to wear would drive women crazy. Just think, I would look just like most pirates and the late Moshe Dayan. _Hmmm. Maybe an eye patch wasn't the way to go. Anyway, the doctor rolled in, banged the sod of his golf spikes, and said he was sorry I had to sit for 90 minutes and then muttered some- thing about Elizabeth Cull. Well, after determining that the vi- sion would return within a day, he headed out while the nurse whose weight equalled a perfect score in bowling gave me a delicate shot in the hip for the pain which, not surprising- on the Spot JonathanGREEN ly, created even more pain. So, it was back to chez Bowmont for nap time and, when I awoke, life was thankfully back to normal. When the editor returned, I found out we lost both games by a combined score of 9-0, which was pretty good since we were without substitutes for both games. The next day the fun returned, but not the way I would have liked. It all started with the trek to Osoyoos, a whopping 60-some kilometres away. Be there in less than an hour, right? Nope. In what will go down as probably the most frustrating car ride since a trip through rush-hour Los Angeles two years ago, we arrived over two Penticton journey a weekend in hell The capper to our sojourn was the classic “I thought you had the camera” exchange with another reporter who had in come in from The ’Gar. I think I heard Lucille Ball turning over in her grave. So, after the concert and the trip back, it was time to focus on a good night’s sleep for the next day’s last- place game, which served to sum up the whole weekend quite well. The game was against the host team, who were probably quite un- happy that they could end up last in their own tournament. It was a rather unfriendly match, which wasn’t too surprising after the tournament organizer/Penticton play- er thought it best to threaten me with ‘F words and violence if I should hap- pen to run into him again. The. contest ended prematurely when the pseudo referee called the game after the second bench clearing brawl, awarding the victory to the hosts who had a 6-3 lead at the time. In all, the weekend was definitely something I'll never forget, though I’m trying my best to do so. Maybe thera- py is the right road to pursue. We will all be blessed, I mean you will all be blessed, with another long weekend in about a month’s time when Thanksgiving rolls around. You'll excuse me if I stay locked in the house juggling sharp objects when hours later. the team is in the midst of playoffs. Fun. It’s much safer. Rebels president ready both on and off the ice NEWS STAFF With all the pieces of the puzzle now in place, the Castlegar Rebels are ready for another hockey season. For some time, there was confusion as to who would be leading the team as president as well as who the head coach would be. But the confusion has been put to rest, as Jim Draper will occupy the president’s chair, while Gary Sauers will join Gordie Walker behind the bench. After being put through dryland training this past week, Rebels hopefuls hit the ice Monday for two weeks of the real thing. Draper said he’s optimistic about the on ice product this year, it’s what is happening off the ice that he’s not too sure about. He said like years past, season ticket sales this year have been notoriously slow. “We need all the help we can get,” he said Wednesday. “Season tickets are just hori- ble. Because of that, he said the gate hasn't carried us.” But Draper said things are going to be different this sea- Instead of selling the team RENT THIS SPACE! son. Ph. 365-7266 CASTLEGAR BASEBALL ASSN. (LITTLE LEAGUE) | ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Wednesday, September 16 7:00 p.m. Castlegar Recreation Complex ENQUIRES: 365-7825 MINOR HOCKEY REGISTRATION as something they’re not, he said the Rebels will be adver- tised as a team that may not always win, but will be enter- taining. “We're not going to supply you with hockey of the highest calibre,” he said. “We’re going to supply you with an honest effort. “All we want is people to say ‘T’ll come out and support (the team).’ That would be great.” Draper said the team will be a winner even before the team hits the ice for the first time. He said that with two great ATHLETE OF THE WEEK po ose. ' HERB AMARAL Scored two of the Castlegar Devils’ three goals at a t t last eonat Equipment Swap & Jacket Sizing ; Saturday, September 12 & 19 10 a.m.-1 p.m. ARENA COMPLEX Novice $120 Atom, PeeWee, Bantam and Midget $150 Family discount and installment plan available. SPECIAL: First-time players and those not registered last year, $75. to be pped off 9 & 9:30 a.m. For more information, call Irene Short, 365-2510. Castlegar Junior Rebels TRAINING hockey minds like Sauers and Walker behind the bench, the in Penticton CAMP Rebels are already off to a good start. “That’s as good as you're go- ing to get for Junior B,” he said. And it’s not only the coach- es that Draper likes. “It’s going to be a great year,” he said. “There are just some super players coming in. “We're not going to be the bottom of the league.” By CASTLEGAR SPORTS CENTRE Sporting & Fishing Tackle + Fly tying « Rod building « Local fishing info. « Athletic wear 365-8288 2177 Columbia Ave., Castlegar September 14-25 _ Registration: 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 14 at the Complex First Ice Time 8:30 p.m. ¢ Ice Cost: $30 EVERYONE WELCOME! Goods Your business is our business Nell Rachyski 365-7266 ~ SMILING» FACES Pacific Insight finalized a 60,000 piece contract with Peterson Manufacturing in Kansas City, Mo. President Brad Smithson wouldn't say how much the deal is worth, only that it is “a significant amount of money.” The company will be making L.E.D. marker lights for semi-trailer trucks to replace the conventional incandescent lights. The contract will see four to five additional jobs created. SURVEY SAYS Executives waste almost six weeks each year trying to find items that misplaced, misfiled or mislabled, according to a U.S. research firm. Robert Half of Accountemps in Menlo Park, Ca. states that advanced technologies like fax machines, overnight delivery and cellular phones have “increased the volume and flow of information that workers must process.” _ WorRPLACE Marinas left high and dry Neil Rachynski NEWS STAFF This summer will go down as one of the driest ever on the Columbia River. The resulting low water levels above the Hugh Keenleyside Dam wreaked havoc for those who depend on tourism and recreation for a living. Local marina operators complained incessantly about how the low water levels were hurting their businesses and now that damage is being assessed. “We're going to estimate our lost revenue and then bill B.C. Hydro,” the owner of Scottie’s Marina said. “The reason being it will set a precedent. If the City of Castlegar and the City of Trail and the marinas bill them, then B.C. Hydro will say ‘wait a minute. They’re able to porg up with some numbers,” Scottie Tait said. Water levels plummeted above the dam in June when discharges from Keenleyside ran as high as 125,000 cubic feet per second. And while marinas were left high and dry, places like Zuckerberg Island were flooded. The water was drawn under the guidelines of the Columbia River Treaty with the United States. Marina operators, local politicians and even Liberal leader Gordon Wilson have asked that the treaty be reopened for negotiations. “We've got to stand up and have a little balls and do something,” Tait said. “If we don’t do something this year, I feel (the U.S.) may do the same thing next year.” Tait says what could have been a great year was ruined by the unusually low water levels. “This should have been the best year ever because of the ‘construction at Celgar,” Tait said. “A lot of guys just looked at the river and never even put their boats in.” “(B.C. Hydro) screwed us up pretty good,” Albert Smith of Syringa Park Marina said. “I’ve heard of a few people that went to different areas. As far as moorage, overall we're down about 40 boats,” Smith said. But the marinas’ woes could be far from over. The river is currently at an elevation of 1,411 feet, which is over 30 feet below last winter I don’t know what will happen,” Smith said. “If they draw the water (the river) could freeze over, and there’s no fishing over the winter.” Tait agrees, saying, “there’s no doubt it will go really low. “I'll bet money it will freeze over and if it does we'll lose our winter trade.” ‘ What adds salt in the wound for the local marinas is that the U.S. reservoirs are enjoying plenty of water for recreation. “We’ve got Americans coming up saying their tourist trade is doing great,” Tait said. “They say their ponds are full and they can’t believe that our water is so low. “They get high levels down there and they figure it must be the same all the way up. This has been our best year yet for American tourists.” The problems created by the low levels are not confined to the Castlegar area. Other marina and resort operators have had an equally bad season. And all are blaming the Columbia River Treaty. “There’s a guy up at Koocanusa (reservoir) who is ready to kill,” Tait said. “He says there’s a lot of meetings being held in the States that Canadians should be attending. “There is nobody saying ‘what about the people above the 49th parallel.” In the meantime, the marina operators have their hands tied, able only to watch as “the water levels on the reservoir randomly rise and fall. Their only hope is that government leaders will intervene and open up the Columbia River Treaty. “You know, it’s not just the moorage we lose money on,” Tait said. “It’s also on lost sales of equipment and groceries. “If we don’t make it through the summer, we don’t make it through” News photo by Neil Rachynski year’s level. Operators feel with low currents Mechanic Albert Smith stands where the Arrow reservoir water levels usually are during a normal season. Behind Smith is how far Syringa Park Marina’s docks have had to be moved out in order the river could freeze over in winter. “Whoa. If they bring it down during the to keep the boats afloat. I don’t know what it is about I’ve had it with Castlegar’s tall mall tales Shopping Centre. Castlegar and shopping malls. This town has been told for years that a new mall was going up “very, very soon.” It changed locations a whole lot too. Mall proposals have travelled from beside the Sandman Inn to the elliptical site by the weigh scales and now across from Blue Top NeiIRACHYNSKI not gonna do it.’ Line Burger. Talk about a running joke. Well, on Sept. 4 we were told that a sod turning ceremony was an absolute guarantee on Monday to mark the beginning of construction of Southcentre I fell for it. I figured you don’t call a reporter, tell him or her that an event is a go, let them run a piece to keep the story alive, and then call back the next day to say ‘whoops, That’s what happened. The fine folks building the mall now say they can’t have the soil turning ceremony. I guess the president of the department store leasing some space wants to be here personally. A fine excuse. I have decided once and for all that until I smell the mall’s foodcourt it’s not going to be built. I want to see bricks and steel and teenagers hanging around out front. Only then will I finally believe Castlegar is getting a new shopping mall. And only then will I decide if we ever needed one in the first place.