1c yey —" Saturday April 4, 1992 5 iB 75¢ ‘60SECONDS Future scientists got to dis- play their talents at the Tarrys Elementary School first annual science fair last week. page 9 Once again the numbers game has caught up with Castlegar native Kevan Rilcof and now he finds himself the odd man out as the Vernon Lakers make a run for a third straight Centennial Cup. page 13 Spill has ministry looking at charges Jonathan Green NEWS REPORTER A March 27 diesel fuel spill at the Castlegar sawmill could see Westar Timber Ltd. facing charges. The spill occurred when a rodent, believed to be a porcupine, thewed through a hose that transfers fuel between a mill fuel tank and tugboats on the Columbia River. Westar southern regional manager Dan Madlung said from Revelstoke Thursday that approximately 600 gallons of fuel were lost in the spill, most of which seeped into the river bank. ‘ He added that some fuel reached the river, though it was surrounded by a boom and later removed. Madlung said that because of the — mill’s closure, the lack of person and tugboat traffic allowed rodents in the area to go undetected, though the incident was isolated. “We’ve never had a problem like this,” he said. Madlung said the contaminated HIGH ADVENTURE @ WORK PLACE Vito Esposito’s first job in Canada has been his only job. The Italian emigrant started in the dry cleaning business 41 years ago, and now has four stores of his own. page 18 j@INDEX Farside Norman Letters After Hours Our People Work Place Action Ads soil from the river bank was collected, and- will. require approximately two months of aeration before it can be considered safe to be returned. Local conservation officers were on-site during the cleanup, and Barry Farynuk said charges against the ‘ sawmill are pending. “It’s under investigation by myself and the Castlegar Conservatidn Officer Service,” he said, “Charges may be laid if warranted. “It’s still too early.” Canada Post looking to franchises Scott David Harrison EDITOR Cc. News photo by Ed Mills A day of kite flying turned into high adventure for Robert Young, 9, and Dan Armstrong, 8, who had to scale a kite-catching tree Sunday in Kinsmen Park. da Post Corporation is looking to franchise letter service in Castlegar. Spokesperson Ilona Beiks says the crown corporation will explore setting up franchises in existing Castlegar busi- nesses to provide full-scale letter ser- vice. “We do have a program in place where we work with the co-operation of businesses to provide better customer service,” Beiks said Thursday. “That ser- vice has been going on for over 100 years, ever since the Hudson Bay (Trad- ing Co.) started letter service.” Beiks says franchising would better suit the needs of Canadian consumers. She said franchises provide service “bet~ ter suited to the way people live” through longer hours of operation and Saturday and Sunday service. Sandra Groepler says Castlegar busi- nesses must reject Canada Post’s fran- chising plans. The B.C. director for Rur- al Dignity Canada says franchising-out is the first step toward the full closure of Castlegar’s post office by 1996. “The only hope we have now is if the businesses refuse take these franchis- - es,” Groepler said. “If they refuse, Cana- da Post has no hope of closing down our post office.” Beiks said talk of any postal closure is premature. She said Canada Post has no plans to close the local office this year. About a 1996 closure, Beiks said it , would only be done if better service could be provided for Castlegar.