OPINION June 14, 199 Wy The éa stl car Sun WS Serving the 10,000 people of the Castlegar Area The Castlegar Sun every Sterling Lid, at 465 Columbia Ave. Castlegar, B.C. VIN 1G8. The Castlegar Sun is polit independent and a member of the Sterling News Service, Canadian C: , B.C. C Newspapers Assocation, and the B.C. Press Council, Established 28, 1990 Mail Regi 10420 PUBLISHER MARILYN STRONG SHARLENE IMHOFF CHRISTINE MOYER EDITOR PRODUCTION MANAGER TRICIA LAKTIN PRODUCTION ASSISTANT CATHERINE ROSS AD REP. KAREN KERKHOFF REPORTER JEFF GABERT SPORTS MARGE LALONDE or ATION MANAGER CARI ROHN CLASSIFIED ADS NICOLE BEETSTRA AD’ REP. FRED JACK ADVERTISING REP. Direct Department Phones General Office 365-5266 Circulation ...... 365-5266 Classified Ads «..365-7848 Display Advertising ..365-2278 Newsroom si ssse165-5579 «+0365-7762 editorial comment Thumbs up! Thumbs down! To Castlegar city council for contracting for the spraying of herbicides. Not only did the city act environmentally irresponsi- ble, but they also showed bad judgement in not advertising the spraying beforehand so that res- idents could be sure to steer clear of affected areas. Although signs were posted, it’s highly unlikely that most pre-school age chil- dren would understand the implications of the signs or even read them sor discontinued business. Thanks to Heard, four lucky individuals will travel to Vancouver to attend the Molson Indy Races. showing residents that Castlegar youth as a whole are responsible citizens. Way to go! of foresight could result in potential danger to nearby resi- dents. The unspoken message to residents is “your input doesn’t count”. Is who have to put up with revite on a daily basis are taking the disruption with good grace. It also helps when the contractor takes extra care to ensure that there is minimal disruption to those who must travel or work in the downtown core The General Manager of Mol- son Indy Vancouver, Phil Heard, saved the day by replacing tick- ets for Sunfest’s first prige_after Sportexpress, the original spon- To the organizers and partici- pants of Youthspeak. Youth in Castlegar now have a construc- tive and effective way in which to voice their opinions and needs while at the same time To the developers of the Birchland subdivision who had a retaining wall erected without design or assessment approval by city hall officials. This lack Since downtown revitaliza- tion began earlier this year, downtown Castlegar is reminis- cent of Beirut. And yet most drivers and business owners ERRORS. The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be liable for damages arising out of errors in any advertisement beyond the amount paid for the space actually occupied by that portion of the adveitisement in which the error occurred, whether such error is due to the negligence of its servants or otherwise. and there shall be no liability for non-insertion of any advertisement beyond the amount paid for such advertisement All advertising subject to publisher's approval. Contracts must be completed within one year from contract date. No contingent orders accepted Why are we fighting ourselves? Isn't it amazing how situations in what is sup- posed to be ‘adult life’ can conjure up fond memories of childhood? I remember one day when I and my younger brother and sister (they are twins) had just returned from a long bus ride home from school (we lived on a farm). The typical afternoon of fun after school couldn't begin until the three of us had raided the fridge for a snack before supper. It was after all, a long bus ride. On this particular day, my younger siblings happened to spy a plate of about five or six pan- cakes sitting covered in the fridge. Now, the ideal situation would be to heat these leftovers in the microwave and share them. But the pangs of hunger must have clouded their young minds and the greed which exists in all of us took over. The pancakes could not be shared between the two. One, it seemed, had to have them all, at the expense of the other having none. The fight began. And gawd was it ugly. It was a no holds barred on the kitchen floor. Hulk Hogan and Luna Vachon of the World Wrestling Federation would have been proud. Between the leg holds, hair pulling, sae 1, however, sat and watched the whole show, all the while’ savoring the taste of beer-battered fluffy pancakes drenched in-syrup. It’s a neat little story. But ‘what's the point? I'll tell you. Let's say my brother represents directors Ken Wyllie and John Voykin from the Regional Dis- trict of Central Kootenay, while my sister repre- sents mayor Mike O'Connor from the city of Castlegar. Are you starting to see the picture? Well the pancakes could be just about any- thing: the airport, sludge, or even our local parks, since a lack of good communication between the two parties means no proper long term planning. But then again, the communication between the two sides is quite good. After all, each side has been clear on what it thinks of the other. In fact, the war-of-words, which began imme- diately after the last munjcipal election in Castlegar, has resulted in nothing being accom- plished in this area in terms of long-term, sound, regional planning. The . IT WAS JUST A THOUGHT SHARLENE {MHOFF calling, and pants of frustrated pancakes were forgotten. The only thing that mattered was that each side in some way, insult and hurt the other. Yyyy of this war are you and me — the taxpayers and the voters — who assumed we were giving these adults the permission to act in our best interest. TIMBER RIGHTS. ‘Dprswesfe7°74 ui | 4nay Are they? Or is the territorialism getting to be just a bit much? And while the battle continues, is someone else working behind the scenes to capitalize on the situation and eat all the pan- cakes? On a special note: After a wonderful six- month maternity leave from The Castlegar Sun, I can say that it is certainly a pleasure to be back as Editor of this community newspaper. 1am amazed at how much has changed in this community in the last six months Every- thing from new development to new attitudes about that development is recognizable It was also an experience to go from “putting out the paper” and leaving that hands-on work to simply reading the final product once each week (a long time between editions I have dis- covered). Thank you to everyone who sent well-wishes to myself and my husband Doug on the birth of our daughter Madison, delivered at the Castle- gar Hospital December 3. After living ina community for four years, it certainly provided me with an opportunity to take stock of the won- derful friends I have here. It was a nice change to read letters from a personal perspective rather than a professional one. My thanks to Ron Norman who filled my shoes quite well, despite the four-inch heels! (SWIGGER)...ONLY THING UNDER, THAT LAND LS GOING TO BUILD A CASINO. WHAAAT?! THOSE \ coy age OETOUIAHERE! Why the abuse towards the suffering? Never, in the five years I have been on the B.C. Disability Pen- sion Plan, have I encountered an such enormous abuse and psy- an chologically violent treatment as dol has been meted out not only to myself but to others amongst. the ranks of disabled Canadians here in Castlegar. If I speak up, I am told that I'm abusive. If I protest bad deci- sions (as applicable to my own circumstances) I am threatened given the run-around for weeks seen this happen to others too. plate: why are these people—soulless creatures that I really feel for—doing this. Personally I have been lied to, d months on end, short-changed in lars. But then again, I’ve MY TURN I often contem- FRANCES FRANKLIN We are a small community here in Castlegar—why are we of our parents enjoyed. So, from where I stand, an observer as well as a participant, I invite your reading public to offer their own thoughts and possible solutions as to how this situation here in Castlegar can be cl We need, I feel, a different system to deal with the disabled in our community in so far as S.S. & H. is concerned. We don’t need dirt shovelled upon us or more suffering and letting this dis- gusting situa- tion persist? Many of us have spent years and years helping to build this province as professionals in the employment environment— Wednesday, June 14, 1995 The Castlegar Sun Page 7A Letters to the Editor Castlegar Dear Editor: In a recent article headed “It's Castlegar’s Turn says Develop- er”, Mr. Peter King was quoted about Castlegar and “making this community thrive well above anything anyone in this entire valley has ever seen before.” A letter to the editor in the same issue, mentioned those “narrow-minded residents of this city who are against any kind of financial or population growth”. I oppose rapid growth without control. So does that make me a narrow-minded resident? There are probably quite a few Obituaries John Soobotin On Sunday, June 11, 1995, John P. Soobotin of Genelie, Chapel Wednesday and Thursday with burial at the Shoreacres s Mr. Soobotin was born Febru- ary 19, 1924 at Mikado, Saskatchewan and moved to Corrielle, B.C. with his parents in 1929. The family moved to Drury, B.C. where they lived until 1935 when they moved to Crescent Valley and in 1969 27, 1957 at Crescent Valley. During his life he worked in the orchards, for the CPR and for Celgar, retiring in 1986. He was a member of the USCC and the I.W.A. He ° Kelvin and daughter-in-law Kathy of Cranbrook; three grandsons and one granddaugh- ter; two brothers, Alex and Nick Soobotin of Blueberry Creek, B.C. and one sister, Patsy Nich- valodoff of Pass Creek. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Castle- gar Funeral Chapel ss Ralph Briggeman On Saturday, June 10, 1995 Ralph Briggeman of Robson, B.C. passed away at the age of 89 years. Mr. Briggeman was born October 25, 1905 in Seven Per- sons, Alberta and moved to Deer Park in 1910 and then to Robson in 1965. He married Gladys Partridge June 3, 1933. During his life Mr. Briggeman worked for Waldies & Sons from 1933 to 1950 then for the B.C. Forestry from 1951 untii he retired in 1971. In the past Mr. Briggeman was very active in hunting and fishing and enjoyed gardening up until his time of passing. Mr. Briggeman is survived by his wife, Gladys; three sons and daughters-inlaw, LeRoy and Mary of Robson, Glen and Debbie of ; Grant and Chris of Bril- liant; one daughter and son-in-law, LaVema and Norman D'Andrea of Castlegar; eight grandchildren; five great grandchildren; many nieces and No funeral by family request, cremation has taken place. In lieu of flowers please donate to the Cancer Society or the Heart Foundation. Funeral arrangements were under the direction of the Castie- gar Funeral Chapel. needs more like Sally Williams of us who do not want Castlegar to become a junior Kelowna. A quote from that same letter to the editor—*“to people like Sally Williams, if the growth of Castle- gar is not to your liking, move.” Is it of any importance that earlier this year, the City of Castlegar held a formal cere- mony where Sally Williams was given a national humani- tarian award? Sally was one of 25 people to be honored in all of just B.C., but all across the country! I would rather have more “Sally Williams-type” people in my community than “big busi- hess oriented corporations.” Don't move, Sally! Jim Crawford, Castlega Dear Editor: ing here. Don’t move Sally! I am writing with respect to the letter in the June 7 edition of the Castlegar Sun written by. Catherine Steinke captioned “If You Can't Take the Heat...” with castigates Sally Williams for daring to publicly criticize the preference given to the needs of developers and new businesses over those of people trying to get from A to B along Columbia Avenue. Sally Williams expresses the feelings of many people who live in Castlegar and who are unhappy with poorly planned and unfettered growth which is insensitive to the life style and needs of people already liv- Sally Williams is a well respected citizen of Castlegar who recently won a prestigious Canadian citizen- ship award for her many contributions to the community of Castlegar. We need people like her who care about people. “Don’t move, Sally, we love you.” Bud Godderis Castlegar Bear death proves message is not getting through Dear Editor: I read, with great frustration, the letter from the Pharmasave staff printed in The Castlegar Sun on June 7, 1995. The frustration I feel stems from the five plus years I have spent attempting to educate the people of this community through articles in your papers and over the phone about prob- lem wildlife, especially black bears. The message is obviously not getting through. The RCM Police are general- ly responsible for public safety, but they are not responsible for problem wildlife control unless it involves an imminent threat to the public. The RCMP will not likely ever be issued or trained to use tranquilizing drugs or equipment The Conservation Officer Service} is reSponsible for prob- lem wildlife control. We provide advice only on most problem wildlife issues except for bears and cougars. The C.O. Service attends to bear and cougar inci- dents where there is a potential threat to human or livestock safety. The Castlegar District of the C.O. Service has two officers and two bear traps to look after the communities of Castlegar, Fruit- vale, Rossland, Salmo and Trail As well as looking after problem wildlife control we are responsi- ble for enforcing environmental legislation. The Province of B.C. has an estimated population of 120,000 black bears with some 17,000 in the Kootenay Region. Last year 994 black bears were under control in a leg snare or a culvert trip. A free ranging bear is not safe to drug and a bear in a tree will sustain serious internal injury. Imagine yourself thirty feet up a tree and falling uncon- scious to the ground. In any case most habituated bears aren't ry in the province with 79 being destroyed in the Castlegar Dis- trict. Approximately half that number were destroyed in the immediate Castlegar area. The C.O. Service transl d 328 being Habituated black bears are garbage addicts. They don’t acknowledge lines drawn on maps that say people live here and bears aren't welcome. What habituated black bears in the province last year with none being translocated from the Castlegar District. The Wildlife Branch of B.C. is responsible for management of black bears and provides guide- lines to the C.O. Service for) the translocation of habituated black **bears. Generally speaking a habituated black bear can only be translocated if it is a healthy non aggressive adult and there is access to remote wilderness There is no remote wilderness left in this area and therefore habituated black bears are rarely translocated. The issue of tranquilizing bears involves public safety, offi- cer safety and humane treatment of the animal. The C.O. Service only tranquilizes bears that are P the problem is that these garbage addicts breed more successfully and the young cubs are taught only how to sur- vive on garbage and fruit around town. We actually have more bears in and around town than nature would provide for in a setting without garbage The community as a whole is at fault and within the commu- nity lays the means to prevent bear deaths. Garbage kills bears. Proper management of commercial and residential garbage will prevent most black bear deaths. The Pharmasave staff shouldn't be criticizing anyone but the community for the death of that bear. Michael Krause District Conservation Officer Castlegar District BINGO ROBSON RECREATION SOCIETY Summer Bingo ¢ June 22 Early Bird 6:30 pm ¢ Regular 7:00 pm SSOO BONANZA A Castlegar Community Complex BINGO #797033 PACKAGES AVAILABLE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLANNING EXERCISE On June 20 and 21, 1995, B,C. Hydro and the communities of Revelstoke, Nakusp, Castlegar and Trail will be practicing their emergency preparedness plans under a simulated flood control exercise involving the Columbia River. NOTE: THIS IS A SIMULATED EXERCISE ONLY. NORMAL COLUMBIA RIVER OPERATIONS WILL CONTINUE THROUGHOUT THE EXERCISE, FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Al Geissler Community Relations Manager, Columbia Kootenay Region Castlegar, B.C. (604) 365-2450 BChydro & . 7 That Tie is UGLY! BONNETT'S MEN'S WEAR presents the SECOND ANNGAL GGLY TIE CONTEST e YOU bringin your worst tie eWE will display It Ballots avaliable in store. Winner announced June 19 BONNETT'S MEN'S WEAR 233 Columbia Ave., Castlegar 365-6761 COME VISIT BEAVER CREEK GREENHOUSES IN FRUITVALE We offer a full range of: «Aquatic Plants & Pool Fish Herbs and Hardy Perennials - The Kootenay's Largest Selection! «Flowering Shrubs & Trees *Bedding Plants +Fruit Trees & Berry Bushes Remember that we specialize in unusual and hard to find items. People from alll over the West Kootenay come to browse our unique selection Why not drop in soon and see why for yourself. We're easy to find — just 2 blocks off the highway. Open 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. * 7 Days a Week BEAVER CREEK GREENHOUSES 2029 Hepburn Drive, Fruitvale » 367-6379 with having the local law enforcement agencies bodily remove me from the local office I have only to stand in front of the library and observe the hope ful looks of people entering the Castlegar Social Services and Housing premises, wait: then see the same people exit that office with faces changed, now pinched with despair, or, sometimes, struggling to stay in control, tears running down their faces. Others exit—faces knotted with outrage and, in my mind, rightly so. Not just to me, but to others. Are they not aware of the Human Rights Act in Cana- da? Or the Civil Liberties Association? Why do you and I require tax dollars spent by the Provincial Government to set up and staff Advocacy Offices and other ser- vice groups to deal with its own Social Services and Housing Division? This, I feel, is bureaucracy at its very highest level. Literally the right hand doesn’t know what the left hand is doing. Or does it? as tradespeople, as agricultural workers, craftspeople, scien- tists—no need to delineate fur- ther the fact that some of us lost our health due to poor working conditions, lack of union strength, “yes” men in the man- agement departments, lower pay rates than we now enjoy. Not to mention the other roles we all played in the social struc- ture of Canada by being caring parents, taxpayers, volunteers. participants pulling our weight in abuse imposed through our local ministry of Social Services and Housing. None of my disabled friends and acquaintances enjoy being scapegoated by this method— would you? Frances Franklin is a Castle- gar resident attempting to produce a fairer, » happier environment than many It's Our OPEN HOUSE And YOUR INVITED Saturday, Jume 17 9:00 am to 4:00 pm INTERIORS 2325B - 6th Avenue Castlegar, B.C. 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