sA2 Saturday, November 23, 1991 @. NEWS STAFF sexual assault charge. Kenneth Michael Fraser appeared in pre Castlegar court Wednesday to answer a << oo sti & hci emesimei Saturday evening in Fruitvale. ey After a brief appearance, the 50-year-old Trail school district teacher was released on his own recognizance with special condi- tions attached. The case was held over un- Teacher faces assualt charge til Dec, 11 in Rossland, when the accused is expected to enter a plea and elect his mode RCMP are still investigating the incident and request that anyone with information contact the Fruitvale detachment. B.C. grants Christmas bonuses Social Services Minister Joan Smallwood has an- nounced an increase in the Christmas allowance given to income assistance recipients which will vary according to the size of the family unit. Families will be given an in- crease of $7 per child or a 10 per cent increase. A two-par- ent family with one child will receive $77, an increase from last year’s allowance of $70. For a one-parent family with two children the allowance ill be $84. “Christmas is a time when extra expenses come up,” Smallwood said. “The al- lowance helps people on in- come assistance cope with these expenses.” The overall monetary com- mitment by the provincial gov- ernment is significant. The priority was to direct money__towards children, demonstrating the direction this government is taking to recognize the needs of families and its commitment to build- ing an equitable system, Smallwood said. Single persons will receive an increase of $2, raising their MW to $30. The it + given to couples without chil- dren will remair. unchanged at $70. The Christmas al- lowance will appear on the De- cember cheque which is issued at the end of November. Castlegar receiving refund NEWS STAFF The city of Castlegar will be getting about $32,000 in grants-in-lieu of taxes from the B.C. Buildings Corpora- tion, the Ministry of Govern- ment Services announced Thursday. “I can't think ofa group that deserves it more,” said Jacquie districts for property taxes on provincial buildings like court houses and ministerial offices. “It’s something that’s in- cluded in our budget,” Hamil- ton said, “It’s an expected al Districts will receive $664,196 of the $11.7 million. “The Building Corporation provides and maintains the provincial government sper dati i ” sai grant. It’s something that hap- pens every year.” The BCBC is returning about $11.7 million in grants 8 A Hamilton, Castl ’s di of finance. The grants are what the provincial government owes icipalities and regional lities throughout the province. Castlegar - will _ receive $32,281.56, while Nelson re- ceives $129,662.56 and Grand Forks gets 20,041.36. Region- Government Services Minis- ter Lois Boone in a news re- lease. “It manages 22 million square feet, making it the province’s largest property manager. The BCBC has paid about $134 million since the corpo- ration was established in 1978. i) Please recycle The NEWS CASTLEGAR CO-OP TRANSPORTATION SOCIETY ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING Nov. 27, 1991 7:00 p.m. Scotsman Motor Inn Winter Driving: The Pi exempt winter driving. How to handle a vehicle under dangerous includes a film on winter driving. Wed., Nov. 27, 6:30-9:30 p.m. napkin will last until Christmas. Driving: losses directly linked to traffic holder. Wed., Nov. 27, 7-9 p.m. $29 plus GST. Your arrangement if Driving is the acquired skill that should be practised by every motorist it we are to reduce the horrendous annual FOR MORE INFORMATION OR TO REGISTER CALL: CASTLEGAR CAMPUS - 365-1261 Fresh table centre piece and Sat, Dec. 7, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., $30. Selkirk College First Time Offering ‘The hottest vending machine ever made is now available inet Proven: success, no selling, part or ful Hae. ANNOUNCEMENT The navigation lock at Hugh Keenleyside Dam will be closed to river traffic November 12-28 inclusive, for scheduled maintenance. B.C. Hydro apoligizes for any inconvenience this may cause. BChydro & COMMUN Lo Bulletin Board MINTO CHAPTER No. 79 Order of the Eastern. Star, Annual Tea and Bazaar will be held at Senior Citizens Hall, Castlegar, B.C., Saturday, November 30, 1991 1:30-3:30 p.m. Bake table, novelties, door prize. Tickets $1.50. 294 CASTLEGAR CHAPTER OF RNABC MEETING At Conference Room, Castlegar sand District Hospital, 19:00 hours. Tuesday, November 26. Speaker — Donna Dunn, Independant Nurse Practitioner. Subject - Sexual abuse and the concerns to nurses. 3 and 5 p.m. Monday for the Castlegar News at 197 Columbia Ave. COMMUNITY Bulletin Board ' Castlegar _=REALTY rp. Welcomes Jim Gouk Castlegar Realty is pleased to welcome Jim Gouk to their sales staff, Jim has.been a resident of Castlegar since 1976 and has actively participated in the community serving two terms as alderman as well as being extensively involved in many service club functions. Jim has owned and operated one of the busiest residential construction : companies in town having built JIM GOUK patti homes in Castlegar and Jim now brings all of his construction and development experience as well as a great deal of fresh, new enthusiasm to the real estate industry in Castlegar and is ready, willing and able to help you. with all of your real estate needs. Feel free to give Jim a call anytime at the Office 365-2166 or at his Home 365-2634. SecondFRONT: to another Thursday afternoon. News photo by Ed Mills Mitchel! Supply employee Rob McGregor bends into his work moving 16-foot two-by-fours from one neat pile Victim help program in the works Thomas Bink NEWS REPORTER Castlegar needs a program to help inform and support victims of serious crimes, the co- ordinator of Trail’s victim assistance program said Thursday. “I think Castlegar would benefit from a victim assistance program,” Kay Medland said. Medland and Castlegar RCMP Const. Russell Sangster presented a plan to Castlegar city council Tuesday to establish a program to help victims of crimes in the area. The program would be located in the RCMP detachment building and would be accountable to the police. The proposed program would include basic emotional support, referral to existing community services, witness orientation, assistance with forms and court accompaniment. Sangster said the RCMP are in favor of the program. “Although peace officers are well-meaning, they just can’t seem to have enough time to deal with victims of crime as much as they would like to,” he said. “Our workload just won't allow it.” Sangster said there were 844 criminal code offenses in Castlegar in 1990. He said .| victims of many of these crimes could have used the services of a victim assistance program. “It would really help out our investigations because it really Spraying put on hold MPesticide managers delays decision on spraying along West Kooteny highway unitl spring Thomas Bink NEWS REPORTER There probably won't be any pesticide spraying along West Kootenay highways until spring, South- ern Interior regional icidi Stuart Craig founded. “B.C. is the most stringently controlled area in North America,” Boultbee said. “We can't walk into an area and start spraying anything we want.” Craig said he expects Boultbee to ize some public meetings, answer all the inquiries and discuss proper spraying procedures with the Ministry of Highways before the permit is issued. “I want to see all that in my hands before I pro- ceed,” Craig said. But even if all the conditions are met, the permit for a three- for a year permit to 8 pesticides on ease- ments along highways between land, Grand Forks and Greenwood. ‘The contract was to take effect on Nov. 2, but Craig fused to authorize a permit b of the public P to the proposed sprayi “The applicant has 30 days to respond to the con- cerns,” ig said. He added that he has received between 30 and 50 said. a special t for B Pest Control, said last week that the protests are un- in a nun of if there are still objections. “If have grounds on which to make a denial, they may get a permit, but it will be full of conditions or restrictions to safeguard all the various objectors’ con- cerns,” Craig said. Boultbee said he would be willing to attend any public meetings. “But I haven't been invited,” he said. “They don't want me there.” Craig said he is not surprised by the public's reac- 14 Craig said he will probab! by the spring of 1992. meets the needs of the victims, and it’s: an asset to the community.” Funding for the program would come in equal parts from the Attorney General and from the loca] government. Sangster said funding could come from both the regional district and the city. “We're looking at a $30,000 budget,” he said. “Now we have to get some municipality support.” Sangster and Medland plan to make a formal proposal to council for the needed funds in the next few weeks. The Trail about individuals in the three years it has existed, Medland said. But the Trail program has one paid co-ordinator and- three volunteers working at half time because the Women In Need Society (WINS) offers similar services full time. “Castlegar would have only the police basic assistance program,” Medland said, “so it would require more time.” The Castlegar city council gave preliminary approval to the plan, without any financial backing. Council will make its final decison followings the upcoming presentation.