Legislative Parliasent Si2e 8. Victoria, veV 1x4 Library, 501 Bellevi c. Febs on Skelly Rossland-Trail MLA Chris D'Arcy says NOP leader Bob Skelly showed a sense of honor by resigning . . . A2 was and .A3 Women Power. . & Power Senator Lorna Marsden in Castlegor speak to the University Women's Club about a © to The winning numbers in Saturday's Lotto 6/49 draw were 4, 23, 24, 34, 39 and 47. The bonus number was 45. The $500,000 winning number in Friday’s Provin- cial lottery draw is 1042861. runner top KJSS runner at Top KJSS Aimie Chernoff was the the B.C. High School Cross- Country Running Cham- pionships tonrdey . 2 82 SUNDAY Vol. 39, No. 92 Castlegar News CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 16, 1986 Precipitation 10 per cent today and 80 per cent Monday 2 Sections (A & B) Powers jailed for one year TOP ALDERMAN Incumbent Nick Oglow celebrates his finish atop the polls Saturday night with wite Shirley and supporters Dorothy and Bob Bagg SCHOOL BOARD Incumbents take seats By MIKE KALESNIKO and CHERYL CALDERBANK Kay Johnson topped the polls and Gordon Turner took’second as the two incumbents easily snared both seats in Saturday's Castlegar school board elections. In Area J incumbent Rick Pongracz, was returned as he withstood a challenge from Laurie Anderson Johnson, the board ‘chairman. finished with 1,423 votes, 105 votes ahead of incumbent Turner who took 1,318 votes On the other hand, Turner easily doubled the number of votes newcomer Bill Hadikin garnered in a disappoint ing loss in his first run for public office Hadikin claimed only 609 votes. Johnson also managed to top every polling division except for the courtesy poll, which was taken by Turner Johnson, in a telephone interview from her home. said she was “ecstatic” about her victory “I really appreciate the opportunity to keep working for change and improvement in the district,” Johnson said. She added she is pleased that the VOTERS VOTERS AG 4.0 HADIKIN JOHNSON TURNER ANDERSON PONGRACZ How we voted VOTERS SCHOOL TRUSTEES ADVANCE POU MOBILE COURTES other incumbents will also be back I think we will do a good job in the next few years.” Johnson said She said the board will work toward a number of items including a long range plan for the district, an evalua tion of management procedures to try to streamline the system, and reinstat ing programs the district had to reduce or delete “We are looking at more positive education,” she said. “More parental involvement and more involvement contributes better school board Incumbent Gordon Turner felt “quite community to a much elated” about winning “I am quite pleased that the voters put their confidence in me and in Kay (Johnson) and the school board,” he said I think we did good work and that shows in the election Turner said the quite but still didn’t think Hadikin would get as many e did I think we did a good job over the Turner added results were massive votes as h past few years more good decisions. that Turner said and thought decisions are carefully but continued on pege A2 out also compassionate By MIKE KALESNIKO Staff Writer Ina surprise decision, Dixie Dee Powers pleaded guilty in Castlegar provincial court Thursday to one charge of managing and operating a pyramid scheme Powers was sentenced to 12 months in prison, not including the six months she has spent in custody since she turned herself into police in July Powers, 36, also known’ as Laura Grace Gibbons, appeared before Judge Stuart Enderton in a capacity-filled courtroom. The court was told that Powers, a former Castlegar resident, collected $3.2 million in the West Kootenay — $200,000 of which went directly to Powers — in a scheme she advertised as God's “plan to eliminate poverty from the earth.” During sentencing, Enderton referred to the plan as “nothing more than a pyramid scheme.” Powers, dressed entirely in black, sat quietly to the side and did not testify Lawyer Paul Danyliu of Vernon gave evidence at the three-hour sentencing procedure on Powers's behalf Danyliu argued that his client was a victim of society and she had been duped by professional gamblers in Las egas. He described her life as one of hardship, raised in a family of 13 children in Stanley, N.B., where she was frequently beaten by her father, was raped and was eventually sent to the city at age 13 with a Grade 7 education. Powers worked as a live-in babysitter and later earned a living as a waitress Eventually, she met and fell in love with a father of her five-year-old son, Jeremiah, and spent three years with Fink in West Germany before the relationship ended and a night club singer, Danyliu said. ike Fink, the Danyliu described Powers as a single mother on welfare, scratching out extra income as a tarot card reader. “She was an attractive gal when she was younger,” begun to fade. Danyliu told Enderton, but he added that her looks had “She believes herself to be a psychic,” Danyliu said. “And she considers herself good at cards. ‘As a result, Powers was able to convince people to put up stakes for her to gamble with in Las Vegas. On one of her trips there, she came in contact with another self-proclaimed psychic who introduced her to Harry Gardner, allegedly a Las Vegas attorney. Gardner told Powers about “God's plan to eliminate poverty. Castlegar and established the scheme. Powers subsequently returned to he fell for it hook, line and sinker,” Danyliu said. “A their name.” to believe in them. person who is the kingpin in a scheme would not advertise “She became a tool of these men,” he said. “She wanted “For once she wasn't a single mother on welfare.” the sophistication of Powers was, in fact, describe, in clipped, Crown Counsel Dana Urban gave evidence to establish the operation and told the court that aware of the illegality of her acts. Urban read aloud excerpts from Powers's diary which semi-literate prose, how the money continued on page A2 Oglow tops poll By RON NORMAN Editor Castlegar council will have a new first-time candidate Patti Richards beat incumbent Bob Pakula for one of three vacant aldermanic seats in Saturday's munici face as out pal election Castlegar incumbents Nick and Len Embree, each for another two-year term. Oglow topped the poll with 1,054 136 votes more than runner-up voters also returned Oglow votes Embree Richards posted 863 votes, followed by another newcomer, Lawrence Chernoff, who had Pakula was fifth in the field of seven with 770 votes. Joe Irving polled 574 votes, while Gordon Ferguson was turned back for the second straight year in his bid for a seat on council. Ferguson managed only votes. A total of 1.676 of the 4,168 registered voters — 40.2 per cent turned out at the polling station in the Community Complex. That compares to a turnout of about 30 per cent two years ago when there was also no mayoralty election A happy Oglow said he is “grateful for the support I got from the electorate He said voters feel he has something to contribute to the community and he plans to live up to their expectations. Oglow compaigned hard on the issue of the new library building, but said he didn’t think that was the reason for his success at the polls. I think the support was in general terms,” he “I don't think any single issue made the difference Oglow said he thinks voters cast their ballots for him because of his businesslike approach He said the council in the coming declining tax base, and owners of Celgar said. issues facing year are the the effect the major new pulp mil have on the community I'm looking forward to working with the new management in our common interest,” he added Embree also said the didn't play a big role in the results “The library issue wasn't an library issue really VOTERS AG VOTERS CHERNOFF EMBREE FERGUSON IRVING OGLOW PAKULA RICHARDS How we voted ALDERMAN (2 YEARS) (3 ADVANCE POLL MOBILE COURTESY TOTAL issue.” he said. pointing out that two of the candidates elected Saturday (Em bree and Richards) are in favor of the new library “So we'll get on with library).” he said. Embree that the diminishing tax base will be a concern for council “I don't know wh get the money,” he (the said that too. we're going to said, adding that couneil will have to Xppeal to the provincial government. } Embree also said he f¢!t good about his strong second place showing, but He worker was upset by Pakula’s loss called Pakula “a helluva hard council.” on totally Richards as Rut she said Meanwhile elated” with her she had to work hard Yor the win I've had an absolute uphill batle she said. “My committes hard “I was concerned for a just trudged on™ she said best. I put my faith and citizens of Castlegar Richards said her future plans as an adlerman will centre around publiciz ing Castlegar We're as the said people victory worked very nent but I I did my fast Givth us' Castlegar she going to promote centre of the Kootenays Promote it as a great place whether for to settle tourist or business Meanwhile, Pakua said this would be his faker election I was hoping for one more stre finish off some of the things I'd de he said However thing bothers him he also promised that if son Til see that it’s) corrected Pakula expressed “a little bit” of surprise at his fifth place showing. But he said with seven candidates seeking only three positions, “someone had to go Irving said he plans to take another run at council It was my first attempt and it also won't be my last.” he said said he was “especially Embree was re-elected Irving pleased” However, he said the electorate does not yet recognize the kinds of solutions necessary for these economic times. The victory belongs not necessarily to those who have won, but to those who have begun to learn the lessons of the period we are living through,” he said Those who th post recession per k we are living in a 10d will soon learn to their dismay that we have only gone through the painful pre-adjustment period of the pre depression will continue to work for the ts economic well being the € nity whole community the quality of life bid for prepared to and tc Chernoff in his first office. but hrow in the I'm not asked aldermanic race Chernoff told Saturday evening he the public isn't said in the Tl go at them again the a quitter.” he when { he will run again next Castlegar News still believes in electora Th system ha said their how it made That's people decision.” he works