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Coen we

Saturday

TheFARSIDE

By Gary Larson

“Keep the door shut, Ernie! | just know that dang cat
ts going to try dragging that thing Into the house.”

Union looks to lay
charges for fracas

@ Crown counsel studies
charges stemming from
union/non-union conflict
Neil Rachynski

. NEWS REPORTER

Gil Arnold hopes assault
charges will be laid against
workers from William Berg
Construction Ltd.

The organizer for the
United Brotherhood of
Carpenters and Joiners of
America Local 2300 ex-
pects to find out within the
week if a Sept. 17 incident
will be dealt with in the
courts.

A heated exchange oc-
curred that day between
the carpenters’ union and
non-union workers at the

bying the construction
workers to join the car-
penters’ union.

Castlegar RCMP earlier
stated that a minor assault
was reported.

Arnold said, “it was not
the sort of thing we expect-
ed to have happen.”

Arnold said he expects
to hear from Crown coun-

sel within the week
whether charges will be

laid or not.

In the meantime, Arnold
said the carpenter’s union
doesn’t plan to do anymore

lobbying.

“We're staying away

from the place,” he said.

“J don’t want to get at-
tacked with a hammer

again.”

Glade residents map strategy

ll Watershed group wonders if input
will have an impact on logging plans
Neil Rachynski

NEWS REPORTER :
Glade watershed users are undecided.

logging shou!

Bartlett’s group state:
done.

Arrow Forest District planner Ted Evans
said Thursday if the GCWC doesn’t get in-
volved with the technical committee, logging
plans will still p , ; ;

“Participation (in the technical committee)

is voluntary on the part of the government min-
istries, agencies and different groups, Evans
said,.“(With a lack of participation) we would

Bartlett said she isn't so sure how much in-

fluence her group will have on the logging
lans.

r. “The impression I got from (the Arrow For-
est District) is that we're not going to make
much of a difference anyway,” she said.

Atco Lumber Ltd. plans to log some 80
hectares in the Glade watershed. ;

Evans expects a logging road will be built
next year. . >

“Nothing will be happening this year,
Evans said. “Tentatively road construction...
will begin in summer, and subsequent to that,
cutting would begin the following year.”

Bartlett said if Atco Lumber does proceed
with logging, her group will avoid confronta-

tion.
“Totally, totally,” she said. “We don’t want that
at all.” ”

Red-tape has Selkirk student angry

Corinne Jackson
NEWS REPORTER

One Selkirk College stu-
dent is getting training in a
field he didn’t even apply for.

“[didn’t go to college to be-
come a politician, but that’s
what I feel like I’ve been do-
ing,” Gerald McEvoy said
Thursday.

McEvoy, enrolled in the
school’s major appliance re-
pair course and acting as
spokesperson for his class-

mates, feels administrative
red tape has put students in
the program a month behind
in their studies.

Both the students and the
instructor are waiting for lab
equipment that was supposed
to be ready by September, he
said.

McEvoy said in the mean-
time, the class has been using
equipment from other depart-
ments, but conflicting: class
schedules are now causing

problems.

“The instructor has refused
to return,” he added, saying
that he understands the situa-
tion that Tony Aben is in.

Aben was unavailable for
comment.

Nelson campus president
Dick Germshied said the crit-
icism is unfair.

“It wasn’t until Sept. 28
when we were told that (the
equipment) we had was insuf-
ficient.

KEN PROFIL! Happy Birthday Oct. 27

From the kids (Erin, Heather, Jessica and Jeffrey)!

MELIA CAMPOS Happy 2nd Birthday Oct. 23

All our love, Mama and Papa!

1 Saturday, October 24, 1992

SecondFRONT

CALL THE
NEWS

@General Inquiries
365-7266

OUR

HOURS

The News is
located at 197
Columbia Ave. Our
office hours are
Monday to Friday,

Neil Rachynski
NEWS REPORTER

Controversy continues to surround roofing
and siding company Diamond Exteriors.

Some former employees of the Castlegar-
based business, who asked to remain uniden-
tified, said Diamond Exteriors owes them mon-
ey.

One worker said owner Bill Prentice owes
him about $800. }

“It was pretty tough getting paid. (Prentice)
would give you money once in a while just to
keep you happy.”

Prentice earlier said he had to let go about
10 men from his crews due to media stories.

+ “T quit,” the worker said. “(Prentice) had six
guys working for him at most — they all quit.”

Another former employee said, “I’ve never
Had it so rough in my life. I've never been so
broke.” The worker said he’s had to remain on

social assistance because Prentice both owes
him money and has no more work.

Another ex-employee said, “it was a learning
experience, definitely. I started my own com-
pany, and we were subcontracted to do those
jobs. (But) he was alright to me.”

The worker said poor management is Pren-
tice’s problem.

Reacting to some customers’ complaints that
Prentice would use materials from one job to
complete another, the worker said, “(Prentice)
was robbing Peter to pay Paul.”

One Trail resident, asking to remain uniden-
tified, said he spent $4,000 for a siding and
window job in March. He says to date there
have been no materials delivered or work done.
He also said Prentice promised him a full re-
fund in September — and that, too, never
came.

The resident said the RCMP have not been

Ex-workers slam Diamond Exteriors

able to help.

“I’m cheesed off with the police,” he said.
“The Castlegar police were good... (but) when
we contacted the Trail police they more or less
shrugged us off.”

Trail RCMP Sgt. Wilson Cowan said, “if
there’s no start or end date (on the contract)
there’s not much that can be done. There’s
nothing stopping these guys from coming out
two years later and saying it will get done.”

But other area residents have said their
work was done. Some said the work Diamond
Exteriors performed in their homes was fine.

Castlegar resident John Landis said, “(Pren-
tice) did a good job on my roof.” Landis went so
far as to write an open letter that states,

“I found Bill Prentice to be an honorable
_ in his business dealings,” the letter stat-

Prentice was unavailable for comment.

CLEARING THE WAY

¥

. News photo by Corinne Jackson
Crews were out clearing the trees Thursday at the new site for the South Centre Mall. The property, across
from Blue Top Burger, is being prepared for the start of construction.

Food bank
braces for
Shortage

Neil Rachynski
NEWS REPORTER

Cooler weather and a five-
week month are depleting the
Salvation Army’s food bank.

Castlegar community
services co-ordinator Dick Parr
said with five weeks in October
instead of four, people on social
assistance have to stretch that
allowance even further.

Parr said, “... the food bank is
preparing for more people.

“You try and budget for a four
week month. The government
cheques are monthly but the
heating bills and things like
that keep coming.”

He said government cheques
won't be out until Wednesday,
and the Salvation Army is

, bracing itself for people who

can’t hold out that long.

CHUCK COTTERHILL Happy Birthday Oct. 22
From a friend!

new Castlegar Savings and
Credit Union building site.

Arnold and three other
union members were lob-

Cominco reports profits

TE re the black.
i is in the
President and CEO Bob Hallbauer issued a news release
ednesday, stating that Cominco has recorded cg —
consolidated profit of i for a nine-month period end-
ny to an unaudited consolidat-

Parr said the weather is
becoming a factor now too.
“I think since it got a little
cooler our business has picked
“I’m pleased to see us moving up.” . .
ahead with this project,” Conroy He said good news is that the
said. “I have put a lot a work into Thrift Store is doing well for
this. We have already put $3 donations.
Fi million in preparation work and “It’s overwhelming how much
| we're ready to get this vital link clothing we’ve got,” Parr said.
in place.” “Our basement is pretty much
In addition to bridge work, the full. p
project will also include the Donations at the food bank
——— construction of some four have picked up and are a little
kilometres in roads, a railway overpass with better than in the past, Parr
retaining walls, as well as lighting and said.
landscaping features. “I'm very grateful to the
Castlegar and Robson residents will get a People who have donated, but
sneak peek at the long-awaited bridge following it’s something you can’t get
the design selection process. The government will enough of,” he said.
commission a scale model of the’ chosen bridge to “We could still use some more
help residents envision the final project. Conroy food for sure.”
said the bridge model should be on display next The Castlegar Salvation
month. Army food bank is located at
“T’, really thrilled that we are going ahead as 1100- 3rd St.
planned, but I'll be even more thrilled when I see | Non-perishables and canned
the first pile of dirt moved.” goods are preferred.

William Berg Construc-
tion owner Bill Berg was
not available for comment.

8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Closed on
weekends and
statutory holidays.

SUB
RATES

MELIA CAMPOS Happy 2nd Birthday Oct. 23
Love from Deda and Baba Lovernow!

Province calls for bridge bids

Mi Government opens tenders — new
bridge due for completion in June 1994

Scott David Harrison

EDITOR

The provincial government is taking bids on
the Castlegar-Robson bridge.

Transport Minister Art Charbonneau and
Rossland-Trail MLA Ed Conroy announced
Thursday the province was accepting tenders for
the construction of the $26-million span.

“The government is committed to this,” Ed
Conroy said. “We are moving very quickly on
this.”

The province is giving bridge builders a choice
while submitting their bids. Contractors can
choose between a seven-pier concrete structure or
a six-pier steel structure.

“The most competitive bid will be the one that
we select,” Conroy said Thursday.

The two-lane, 478-metre bridge is schedule to
be completed in June 1994.

SABRINA Happy 3rd Birthday Oct. 21
Love from Aunty Barb and Uncle Blake|,

% . Phone in your birthday wish or
THIS WEEK'S WINNER IS INDICATED BY THE DAIRY QUEEN LOGO. PI n y y
drop by the Castlegar News office. We will print it free of charge. All birthday greetings must be in by 10:00
a.m. Thursday for our Saturday paper. Our phone number is 365-7266.

The News is
published by Castle
News Ltd. for
Canwest
Publishers Ltd. Mail
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The price delivered
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Pick Up Your Royal
Treat At The
Castlegar Dairy

Queen.

Ed Conroy 7

from gai WE TREAT YOU RIGHT’
These division of
of $47.7 million compared to

LUNCH SPECIAL
Chicken

sandwich, $
grilled or fried,
PeQuiar FICS .......c.c-ceneeeeee a

CASTLEAIRD PLAZA CASTLEGAR 365-5522

Sept. 30, 1992, the business :
had an operating profit of $77.9 million, compared 7 mil-

izing division showed a third-quarter loss of
to profits of $2.9 million in the same peri-