Wednesday, December 9, 1992 @ TheFARSIDE . By Gary Larson wee War -20 Tragedy cancels meeting Scott David Harrison EDITOR The tragic death of a Castlegar worker has postponed talks between the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 2622 and city hall. Outstanding issues between Local 2622 and Castlegar were to be dealt with Tuesday, but the death of Peter Makortoff has delayed the proceedings. Makortoff, 56, died at his home Thursday. Talks between Local 2622 and Castlegar’s labor negotiator Jerry Bell are scheduled to re- sume in 1993. “(The two sides) are planning to get togeth- er in the first week of January,” Councillor Kirk Duff said Tuesday. The ongoing dispute surrounds CUPE'’s dis- satisfaction with city management and con- tracting out issues. A previous Stage 4 grievance meeting held on Oct. 1 resolved some, but not all the out- standing issues. Duff wouldn’t comment on any internal con- flicts at city hall. He said any conflicts can be resolved in-house, without the interference of council. “We have to let the process work,” he said. Duff wouldn’t comment on whether Janu- ary’s meeting would resolve outstanding is- sues. Instead, he said “we'll have to see when they get back to the table.” Duff said he is certain common sense will prevail and any conflicts between Castlegar and its works crews can be worked through. “The place is full of responsible people.” No date has been set for the January meeting. “Vince! Just trample him! . . . He’s drawing you into his kind. of fight!” e ATTENTION ¢ Effective immediately, our weekly ad will now appear in the WEST KOOTENAY CONNECTOR CASTLEGAR FOODS HOURS-—Mon.-Thurs., Sat. 9-6; Fri. 9-8 OPEN SUNDAYS 10 a.m.-5 p.m. HAVE YOUR STORY PUBLISHED IN THE CASTLEGAR NEWS BY ENTERING THE Christmas Short Storg Contest Sponsored by the Castlegar Public Library and the Castlegar News It's simple to enter ... + Just write a short story of up to 300 words beginning with the line “The sleigh was packed, the reindeer were harnessed, but no one could find Santa” and end with the line “The frown was replaced with a smile as Santa hopped into his sleigh, gave me a wink and a hearty Ho, Ho, Ho!” * Mail or bring your story into the Castlegar Public Library or to the Castlegar News by 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 19 * Include your name, address, age and telephone number + The Christmas Short Story Contest has been divided into three age categories: 8 and under; ages 9, 10 and 11 and ages 12, 13 and 14. : * The three stories in each group chosen by the judges as the best in each group will be published in the Castlegar News on , Dec. 23. + in addition, book certificates will be awarded as first, second and third prizes in each category WKP imposter cheats two seniors Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER Castlegar and Trail resi- dents are being warned not to let strangers into their homes. Two seniors in Castlegar and Trail were the victims of a scam Dec. 3 when a man posing as a West Kootenay Power employee stole money from their wallets. The man “wanted old pow- er bills. He said something about wanting to change the meter because it was faulty. “He said he had to check their old power bills,” Castle- gar RCMP Cpl. Al Brown said Monday. Brown said WKP employ- ees carry picture identification and people should be cautious about “letting anyone in their house unless they can produce ID.” Although there have been no other reported incidences in Castlegar or Trail, Brown said if anyone has had a simi- lar experience to call the RCMP. Brown would not say how Westar pollution charges NEWS STAFF Pollution charges against Westar Timber Ltd. have been adjourned to Jan. 27. The five charges were rescheduled without plea Monday in Castlegar provin- cial court. Westar is alleged to have spilled diesel fuel into the water and onto the bank of the lower Arrow Lake near Castlegar between March 16 and 19. Three of the counts are under the provincial much money was stolen from the Castlegar victim, but Trail’s Staff Sgt Gerry Porrier said $30 and a few pieces of identification, including the woman’s social insurance card was taken. RCMP detachments in both cities have no suspects and are still investigating. Trail and Castlegar RCMP describe the person as being in his 50s, between five-feet-sev- en and five-feet-nine inches tall, dressed in work clothes with a scruffy appearance. rescheduled Waste Management Act, and two under the Federal Fish- eries Act. The maximum fine under the provincial act could be $1 million per charge, while the maximum federal fine is $300,000 per charge. Capture the Moment Forever Turn your Favorite | Picture into a Precious Gift: — Plate — Tray — Mug Zoom 90 Camera (Samyang) Save $100 $199 AO Vo rtionas | 20% Oo PHOTO ALBUMS 10% sinocutars FREE GIFT WRAPPING WITH ANY PURCHASE 7 h e HO EXCELLENT - PAPER ¢Picture°Place HH PHOT0 A CASTLEAIRD PLAZA - 365-2211 @ Wednesday, December 9, 1992 3e SecondFRONT i CALL THE NEWS @General Inquiries 365-7266 OUR ~ HOURS The News is located at 197 Columbia Ave. Our office hours are Monday to Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m Closed on weekends and statutory holidays SUB RATES The News is published by Castle News Ltd. for Canwest Publishers Ltd. Mail subscription rate to The News is $37.50 per year. The price on newsstands is 75¢ for each edition The price delivered by newspaper carrier for both editions is only 90¢ a week (collected monthly). GST extra. Second class mail registration number 0019. NUC gets inside track from Victoria? @ Chair of post-secondary review panel under fire for links to NUC Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER If Nelson University Centre is celebrating the appointment of Dr. Margaret Fulton to study the future of post-secondary education in the West Kootenay, it’s not saying. Dr. Patricia Murphy said she does not ex- pect that recommendations for NUC will be in- fluenced by the provincial appointment of Ful- ton — a one-time NUC consultant . “If you knew Margaret Fulton — she’s got integrity,” NUC’s president said Tuesday. Fulton’s appointment was made following the recommendation of Nelson-Creston MLA Corky Evans. “I think she’s a person with a very open mind about education and the college system,” Evans told The News last week. Evans also said Fulton “understands this is not a commission just concerned with the aspi- rations of Nelson.” Despite those favorable comments, Fulton’s appointment has come under fire by some who believe their programs will be ignored during the review because of her lengthy association with NUC. That relationship began in May 1989 when Fulton was appointed as a consul- tant to the fledgling university. Fulton also played a hands-on role in gain- ing transfer credit status for NUC at Mount St. Vincent University in Halifax — an institution that she is a past president of. Furthermore, Fulton is quoted in 1989 news reports as say- ing “Nelson is a university town,” and that “NUC must become everyone’s favorite chari- ty.” Fulton was appointed to head a review of West Kootenay post-secondary education needs on Nov. 27. Her selection received the unanimous sup- port of the three provincial ministers responsi- ble for the review — Advanced Education Min- ister Dr. Tom Perry, Economic Development Minister David Zirnhelt and Tourism Minister Darlene Marzari. Within a week of Fulton’s appointment, NUC beefed up its degree-granting campaign. Murphy presented Perry with 1,000 letters of support, urging the province to approve degree- granting status for NUC. Two days later, Evans submitted a NUC board-endorsed petition asking the province to support the school’s degree-granting bid. Murphy said the two moves will have no in- fluence on Fulton’s review. She’s confident Ful- ton will remain objective throughout. “She is her own person.” SNOW FUN AT ALL News photo by Corinne Jackson City worker Phil Koochin had his work cut out for him Monday, as the snow that hit town would build up just as fast as he plowed it. The forecast calls for the white stuff to continue, but to taper off to flurries by Friday. Break-ins plaguing Castlegar @ Local RCMP stepping up patrols following sixth break-in in eight days Corinne Jackson NEWS REPORTER As the number of days before Christmas get fewer, the number of break-ins increase. _ Castlegar Professional Clinic and the Tender Care Variety Cen- tre of the Kootenay Columbia Child Care Society are the latest buildings to be hit in a rash of break-ins that has plagued Castle- gar since Nov. 30. The two latest break-ins oc- curred sometime between Dec. 5 ~ and Dec. 7, according to Castlegar Slocan Valley rallies troops RCMP Cpl Al Brown. Brown said money appears to be the motive behind each break-in. “Statistics have shown at Christmas time breaking and en- Scott David Harrison EDITOR The battle cry has gone out in the Slocan Valley. The Slocan Valley Concerned Citizens Forum says it’s gaining support in its fight with the Regional District of Central Kootenay. “The public is clearly behind us,” SVCCF vice chair Austin Greengrass said. “It’s clear that people are angry that they were never consulted and that their rights are being taken away.” Greengrass said the RDCK made a mistake when it passed an Unsightly Premises Bylaw. He said the bylaw contravenes the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, something Valley residents intend to argue in B.C. Supreme Court. “We have 200 signatures on the (court) petition already,” Greengrass said. “That’s changing everyday.” The court petition must be filled before Jan. 27 if the SVCCF is to have the controversial bylaw — which forced residents to remove stockpiled cars, building materials and other items deemed unsightly from their properties — overturned. Greengrass said residents who sign the petition are doing so understanding that they may be responsible for court costs should the SVCCF case be defeated. “People keep signing, the petition,” he said. “The more that sign it, the better for us because we could share court costs (in a worst-case scenario).” The RDCK is making no comment on the pending court battle. Instead, it says the bylaw received proper hearings before being adopted on Nov. 28. “We have an excellent chance of winning this case, some for obvious reasons, one being the blatant disregard of the Charter of Rights and Freedoms,” Greengrass predicts. Greengrass declined comment on other areas the SVCCF plans to challenge the bylaw, saying that would come up in court. “I still have a tremendous amount of faith in the judicial system,” he said. “I think when everything is heard, we will be successful.” Greengrass said the SVCCF intends to challenge similar bylaws instituted by the RDCK in five other areas; He said a legal fight may just reveal the RDCK’s ultimate plans. “I keep asking myself, where’s the hidden agenda... I guess I'll find that out in court.” tering thefts increase,” Brown said. This is where the similarities end, however. According to Brown, the way the two most recent crimes were committed differ from recent break-ins at Tulips Floral Co., Fields Store, Castlegar and Dis- trict Public Library and the local Ministry of Social Services and Housing office. : Although Brown said the RCMP believes the break-ins are the work of “young people,” police are not connecting this weekend’s incidents to the Nov. 30 break-ins. “We'd be going out on a limb (if we did that),” Brown said. The RCMP have suspects in the Nov. 30 break-ins, but no arrests have been made. Meanwhile, police say they have stepped up their night pa- trols of Castlegar businesses in the hopes of nabbing the criminals.