ber 20; 1987 sy. 7 Castlegar News taanenen OF Twa 8.C. Pamas COUNCH ESTABLISHED AUG. 7. 1947 TWACE WEEKLY MAY 4 WCORPCMAIROD Te ODE MIRROR PURAISND SEPT 12,1978 AUG. 27,190 LV. CAMPBELL — PUBLISHER AUG. 7, 1947-FE8. 15, 1979 you peasants even try PUBLISHER — Burt Campbell to understand ? EDITOR — Ron Norman PLANT FOREMAN — Peter Harvey ~ OFFICE MANAGER — Lindo Kositsin ADVERTISING — Gary Fleming CIRCULATION MANAGER — Heather Hadley LETTERS Justice system down the river Our justice system in Can- yao pega Di Remember When? 4 YEARS AGO Dammit! Can't Nn an aa al Waiting for Cuomo The king and his ministers need the w ing From the Dee. 24, 1947 “pay increase to cover the ning Castlegar News bills...caused by handling all JT. Webster was elected presi- the filthy lucre that we're dent of the Robson Branch 170 of the may. you by supplying Canadian Legion. A.J. Martin was reduced services ! elected vice-president, A.A. Lamb 2nd — vested in and % Sat pwsded. Nw ha capyrgh sig part ond nt ps ony sdvorssentens Propercd hom repre procie, engrovege, St. row the advertiser shell remmoun in to the odvertiner Christmas is love With Christmas only five days away, the rush to complete preparations becomes more fevered. There are still gifts to buy, groceries to get, decorations to put up, cards to wi ple to see. It's tiring just thinking about it all. But in these final days before Christmas, it is also time to reflect ‘on why we celebrate on Dec. 25. Christmas is often criticized for being too commercial; for focusing too heavily on the celebrations that accompany the feast day in- stead of on the reason for the day. And there's some truth to that. It is easy to get caught up in the festivities and forget why we are celebrating. But it is also clear that people become friendlier, draw closer together and are genuinely happier at Christma: For those who believe that the baby born nearly 2,000 years ago is the Son of God, Christmas is especially important. They glean a joy and an inner peace from the holiday season that carries them into the new year and beyond. But the love and happiness the holiday season g isn't ac: cessible only to Christians. Those who either don’t have strong Christian beliefs or have different beliefs can also find great en- joyment at this time of year. The important thing is recognize that Christmas means love, peace and happiness — and everyone can find joy in that. Ron Norman I sat down to do my Christmas cards the other evening — late, as usual — when it hit me that the list wasn't as long as I thought it was. No, I hadn't said anything in the last year to offend family or friends — at least not that I'm aware. The list is short because we only send Christ- mas cards to out-of-towners. Joan and I see no need to send cards to Castlegar area friends, we reason, because we'll likely see them through the holidays and exchange best wishes then. But it doesn’t always work out that way. Either we are too busy or they are rushed and the season passes without so much as a “Merry Christmas.” So, for all those people in Castle- gar who I never get around to sending a card, but who help make my job and my life a whole lot easier because of their friendly faces, this column is a giant Christmas card to you. Merry Christmas to city clerk Betty Price, who tirelessly answers my hundreds of inquiries each year. And while we're at city hall, sea son's greetings to administrator Dave Gairns, who serves up a mean breakfast, and to engineer Kevin Lagan. Both are quick with a smile and ready to help when I call. Best wishes over the holidays to Mayor Audrey Moore, who takes my praise and criticism in stride and who never complains when I make minor mistakes in this space. God bless her. Politicians have to have thick skins and Kootenay West MP Bob Brisco and Rossland-Trail MLA Chris D'Arcy are no exception. But they also put up with my calling them at home at all hours (I even got Bob shaving early one Wed- nesday morning). Merry Christmas, guys. Best of the season to Castlegar RCMP Staff Sgt. Jack Keddy, who is relatively new in town, but has put up pretty well with this news room quizzing him about this and that. Thanks, too, to the staff at Castlegar and District Hospital who cheerfully report to us the new births week in and week out. Hope this holiday is wonderful. Leo Perra, president of Selkirk College, gets a holiday greeting because despite how busy he is, he always returns our calls — usually before deadline. I don't know if I should extend Christmas wishes to the Castlegar school board. On the one hand, their opening meetings have made it easier for the paper to obtain infor. mation, but on the other, it’s also meant more writing — and more work. Oh, alright: Happy holidays. And merry Christmas to the crew out at the airport weather office. Tom Willson, Jim Fishwick — who is leaving for Victoria after 13 years in Castlegar — and Jim Richards are always a pleasure to talk to. HEY TOM, have a great Christmas. And I haven't forgotten Harry Stan or Richard Maddocks — or is that Harry Maddocks and Richard Stan? — of the Castlegar and District Development Board. They have an enthusiasm that’s un- matched. Perhaps except for Mari- lyn Strong, who also gets a holiday greeting. The sports department couldn't get along without all those people who faithfully drop off scoresheets, call in results and send in write-ups. They are people like Bill Savinkoff of the recreational hockey league, Phil of the men’s fastball league, Linda King of the figure skaters, Derethy Martini of the Castlegar Rebels, Kathy Verigin of the Robson River Otters and Carla Josephson of the Aquanauts. And I haven't mentioned all the minor hockey, baseball,- school sports coaches and others. Merry Christ- mas. And while talking about sports — a good sport is Paul Oglow (alias Quincy), the area coroner. He's one of those people who drops in with a good word. Others who drop in and who I want to wish all the best over the holidays include Rev. Charles Balfour of St. David's Anglican Church who always makes my day; Merv Rush for his unending ideas; Ann Godderis and Sally Williams for helping me think about others less fortunate; and Clarence Ackerman. And happy holidays to people at the CasNews like publisher Burt Campbell, who provides us with more news tips than we have time to chase down; composing room foreman Mickey Read, who gave us the inside track on two major stories this year; and reporters Morgan and Brendan Nagle for putting up with me. Then there's the production crew — foreman Peter Harvey, Tom Brodman and Marianne Cichowski, and typesetter Cheryl Babakaiff whose sharp eyes catch the errors in my copy. Christmas greetings, too, to Heather Hadley, and Elaine Sallis, and office manager Linda Kositsin, who field my telephone calls and the flack that sometimes comes with them. Best of the season to Dale Niel- sen, who works so hard for the chamber and the United Way and is a genuinely nice guy. And to Jack Charters, who not only writes a regular column, but contributes photographs, articles and good advice — not necessarily in that order — without much credit, a very merry Christmas. I could go on for pages with the legions of others who brighten my day and make my job a little easier and I worry because I've left them out. But I thank them and wish them the happiest Christmas. Finally, to the readers in general who pick up this paper every Wed. nesday and Sunday and offer their comments — good and bad — I wish you a joyous Christmas and the happiest 1988 Letters to the Editor A mother's appeal As the hunting season ends, bringing with it the quota of usual fatal accidents involving loss of human lives, there rises a compelling urge within my heart, a heart of a mother who a few years ago lost a young son vic- timized by a hunter's careless handling of a loaded gun, to raise my voice in anguished protest, or rather an appeal to other mothers and to the hunters themselves. The question I put to myself and to all others is: How long will human lives continue to be snuffed out at the hands of other living humans in possession of guns while searching to kill a living animal and, by mistake killing another human being? ‘And what tragic consequences do then arise out of a simple adventurous pleasure-seeking movement of a finger on a little metal trigger, a cracking noise is heard and simultaneously a life is snuffed out resulting in a terrible shock to families and friends: mothers, wives and children with endless memories of loss and broken dreams? One would think that anyone in his right mind, with a human heart sensi- tive to love and compassion, would think twice before taking a lethal weapon in hand and march into the thick forest in search of an innocent defenceless creature of nature, know- ing full well that his weapon can just as easily reach another human being. I appeal to all owners of guns to start thinking of them as instruments of evil, of death, possessing the obvious capability of destroying a human life (a deadly sin) as well as that of an animal. My 21-year-old son never owned a gun, nor even held one in his hand. Yet he was gunned down — of course, not intentionally and not in cold blood — but lethally just the same, for the simple reason-that guns so often do have an incredible way of their own to reach unintended human targets. Asa mother whose heart has been torn to shreds by just such an “acci- dent” that took away a loving son, I am moved by this most coffipelling urge to cry out to every living feeling soul within reach: Put your guns away, if you have them, and refuse to use them for any purpose whatever. Become a servant of the Creator, the God of peace, of humanity and compassion, and be rewarded with a cleaner con- science — both here and in the here- after, for having no blood on your hands — that of humans or any other God's loving creatures. Polly Malekow Crescent Valley Highways workers averted disaster I would like to commend the Ministry of Highways personnel whose quick action prevented contamination of the Blueberry water system and averted a potential disaster. On Dec. 9 five kilometres west on Highway 3, a tractor-trailer loaded with gasoline and stove oil overturned, spilling its contents into Blueberry driver. As in many cases, Highways per- sonnel arrive first at an accident scene. Fortunately, trucks are equipped with safety flares, first aid kits and most importantly a radio*system to notify RCMP, ambulance or a tow truck. All employees have been trained in CPR and St. John’s First Aid, in addition to dangerous cargo transport. This is a Creek. P came upon the scene moments after the accident and immediately radioed their home shop, which in turn notified the Blueberry Irrigation Board, advising them of the situation. This whole pro- cedure took exactly 13 minutes, thereby stopping the contamination of the reservoir. Special mention should be given to Ed Sallis a Cominco employee, and Rich Migneault and Harry Vanjoff ministry employees, who put their own lives in jeopardy to free the trapped ponse program designed to alert i and vice-president and J. Smith treasurer. . e+ 8 A Christmas concert was held by the teachers of the Brilliant school. Miss E. McKinnon and Miss L. Hrooshkin presented 23 numbers. ._ 8 « Zane Grey's “Western Union star- ring Randolph Scott and Robert Young played at the Castle Theatre. . 2 6 It was reported that the C.P.A. flight'to Castlegar was loaded with air mail. o 8 8 A Christmas party was held for the children of St. Rita's Parish. 25 YEARS AGO From the Dec. 20, 1962 Castlegar News Tenders were called by the de- partment of highways for the con- struction of an underpass at Kinnaird to allow traffic to proceed under the CPR tracks to the proposed bridge over the Columbia. . It was reported that 2,398 cars stopped in Castlegar during the summer between July 1 and Labor Day. . 28 « The December meeting of the Castlegar and District Hospital Aux- iliary was held in the auxiliary room of the hospital with Mrs. D.W. Brookes — . 8 8 A recommendation that sewerage be restudied and, if possible, a bylaw again be presented to the ratepayers of Castlegar in the spring was made by Comm. Walter Thorpe at council's meeting. * 28 6 Chuck Haviland was returned as president of Castlegar Local No. 1, Canadian Pulp and Paper Workers, when elections were held. . Santa Claus visited Castlegar’s children on Pine St. at 6:30 p.m. 15 YEARS AGO From the Dec. 21, 1972 Castlegar News Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce got a new president by acclamation. Mary Anderson was ac- police, waste management officials immed- iately in case of a hazardous spill. This program was implemented at the «ite of the spill and proved to be very successful. So, our hats are off to all persons involved with the assessment and claimed president as was the new vice Basil and trea- surer Bill Waldie. + 8 «@ The value for building permits issued during 1972 in Castlegar were up three Himes from the Previous year. . The term amalgamation and dis- clean-up op whose and quick action prevented a serious tragedy. Andy Gullen Nelsen Is it Mithrasmas? Are we about to celebrate Mith- rasmas or Christmas? This question bothers me always at this time of the year. Were people misled in learning that it was Mithras who was born on Dec. 25 and not Jesus Christ? His- torical fact claims that Christ's birth- day was not the day which we hold as Christmas Day, bpt two months earlier in the year — fnid-Autumn is most probable. Mithram wugePersian god, a god of the sun whose ship was pI mercy mild, God and sinners re conciled.” This makes me sneeze. Are they hypocrites, or fools? Don’t they realize the true facts, that what we teach our children, so will our world be? They celebrate Christmas by kicking over the traces and breaking moral codes, knowing too well that Christ taught ethics and morals. They could not insult Christ in a worse trend. They call it the “Christmas spirit” — a good name { for s0 much hypocrisy and feast days should in the Roman empire. He was a close rival to Jesus Christ, and it is of interest to note that a great deal of the supposed personal history of Mithras runs coextensive with ample of Christ's. In early days, Christians found it good psychology to walk in the steps of paganism, both with the structure of churches and the holding of feast days, and it is possible that the day which we celebrate as Christmas is Mithrasmas, and the day of Christ's birth passes un- noticed and unheralded some weeks earlier. These facts are no more than rather insignificant data, which amount to so many split hairs. They are no real crime, for the idea behind the faith of Christianity is not concerned with rig- amorole. The crime is, that many so- called Christians, all over the world, celebrate Mithrasmas, and not Christ- mas. They celebrate Mithrasmas by beastiality, vulgarity, i cerity and humbug — all these things being the opposite to everything Christ has taught. They celebrate Christmas Day by encouraging their children towards hostilities — by bestowing them pre- sents of daggers, spaceships and varies types of rifles that truly shoot some thing if the trigger is pressed — then they gather to sing “peace on earth and consist of pera and smiles, days of good will and sincerity, a children's time, a feast of fun and happiness and above all a time for giving and re- ceiving, a time for family reunion. It is atime which teaches the importance of interdependence. If we acknowledge the fact that Christ was the Son of God, then we also acknowledge the fact that Christ could come to this earth in any fashion He liked. Therefore, He need not have been dependent upon any man alive. But He came as a helpless child, and as any helpless child, he relied upon a mother to feed and clothe him, and a father to provide security. If we believe Christ was only a good and clever man, then we need not go into the matter any deeper. But if we be- lieve more than this, we are faced with the inevitable “why”?. Why should the Son of God be nothing more than what every child is at birth, a wriggling mass of help- lessness, unable to live unless it is fostered by warmth, love and care? Why should the Supreme Force of the universe lower Himself to have to de- pefd on at least two people for some time during His life? The answer is that by doing so He taught us the very first lementals of that important and very essential quality to pleasant living — love — and those elementals are summed up in the words which are so often heard at marriage events: give and take. Christ's arrival on this earth as a child into a family, showed how very interdependent we all are; Inter- dependent whether we are children of Kings, or of peasants. There is not a single soul in any place, at any time, who is utterly independent. We stand on our own feet if we have and initiative. But at the same.time we are constantly reliant on others for something, and they are reliant on us. Never try to believe that because you are brainy or beautiful you are holding the world alone; never for a moment kid yourself into believing that you are penniless and miserable and nobody wants you, nobody cares about you. It is false. Every birth fits into a pattern of life. We are not equal. Mankind never has, nor ever will be equal. (It would be a terribly dull world if it were so). But we are complementary. None of us are complete, self-contained units. Christ Himself needed mother and father. Later, He would be useless without disciples, and what would have been the use of a preacher without an audience or congregation? We need friends, parents and chil- dren. We need those with mental power with physical strength. We need the companionship of birds and animals. And all these things need us. From this knowledge, we can begin to know the meaning of that much abused word love. This is the message of Christmas, the foreword to the greatest hope of trict appeared to cause some confusion when the topic was dis- cussed at a meeting of the Castlegar and District Chamber of Commerce. . ete The town of Kinnaird refused to pay one-quarter of the costs of in- corporating the Castlegar Airport Com mittee as a legal entity in what Mayor John Landis of Castlegar described as “a strange letter.” Trail ee wit Krause out- lined his views on how Canada could best train its athletes in preparation for the 1976 Olympics to Education Minister Eileen Dailly. + 8 e School District No. 9 accepted the quotation of $2,200 for the value of buildings and equipment in an ap- praisal. 5 YEARS AGO From the Dec. 15, 1982 Castlegar News Blueberry Creek Irrigation Dis- trict and local Forest Ministry repre- sentatives agreed to establish a com- mittee to monitor logging in the Blue- berry Creek Watershed. . 8 6 Castlegar council renewed its ef- forts to have the traffic signals at the Castlegar Ferry upgraded, but the provincial Highways Ministry refused to budge. * 28 6 The Castlegar Rotary Club drafted &@ proposal for a government winter works program to upgrade Zuckerberg Island. * 8 « Salmo director Ned MacNeill was re-elected to a fifth term as chairman of the Central Kootenay Regional District s 8 6 The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas starring Dolly Parton _and Burt Reynolds played at the Castle Theatre. The J.L. Ones Biwhties of Trail won the girls’ Blue and Gold basketball tournament with a perfect three wins, no loss record. leak that can't be plugged and will not quite ignite. “{ don’t happen to feel that the nation needs Mario Cuomo,” the New York governor said before clamming up on his non-candidacy. “(But) I'm always open to inspiration.” Many Americans see Cuomo as ‘on the world’s philosophers than the day’s mail. He has a brittle, impatient side that, when cracked open, turns him combative to the point of arrogance, familiar? Sound Lansing Lamont, head of Canadian affairs at the Americas Society in New York, sees something of Pierre Tru- deau in this 55-year-old son of Italian immigrants. “There's a very tough, steely in- tellect in both men and Cuomo does not suffer fools gladly,” Lamont said. Indeed, Cuomo has been known to hurl the Trudeauesque insult. He once likened opponents of his seat-belt legislation to members of the National Rifle Association, calling them “NRA hunters who drink beer, don't vote and lie to their wives about where they were all weekend.” Criticism can awaken his aggres- sive instincts, making him “almost comfortable with the idea I am under siege,” as he has written in his diaries. Cuomo came to prominence as a conciliator, mediating housing disputes in New York City. Broad-shouidered, with a mug that could pass for an ex-boxer's, the married father of five would fit in at a blue-collar bar. Polls have shown growing support for the Democratic party but a preference for the Republican candi- dates. A new poll suggests Cuomo would instantly be tied with Jesse Longtime resident dies Thornton Ross Turner of Castlegar passed away Wed- nesday, Dec. 16 at the age of Cranbr predece: 68. and one sister. Funeral service will be held Monday at 11 a.m. at the Castlegar Funeral Chapel with Rev. Ted Bristow offi- ciating. Mr. Turner was born July 11, 1919 at Kinley, Sask. and grew up in North Battleford, Sask. After his service in the Canadian Army during World War Two he met and married Joyce Illingworth at North Battleford in 1949. In 1950 he moved to Trail and worked for Trail Locker and Storage. In 1956 he moved to Castlegar and opened and operated Ross’ Meat Market until 1966. He began working for Canada Safeway in 1966 and retired in 1984. He was a 30-year member of the Royal Can- adian Legion. Mr. Turner is survived by follow. Ralph of Edmonton. He was Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Castlegar Funeral Chapel. Jackson for the lead in his party's support. But will he run at all? Analysts are left examing his which seem designed to discourage the pursuit of his candidacy while keeping the option open. He has urged New York Demo- erats to line up behind candidates of their choice and he is letting crucial time slip by in the campaigns for state primaries leading up to the nominating in July and the election next November. Yet, he has raised his own profile with speeches around the country and refuses to rule out accepting a draft at the convention, should that unusual event occur. “That essentially is a passive strategy,” said analyst Ken Auletta, who watched Cuomo’s failed bid run for the mayor’s office of New York in 1977 and his winning campaigns for the governorship in 1962 and 1986. “It waits for the others to fail.” Audiences have seen a relaxed, witty and eloquent Cuomo, who writes local ‘ook, Hubert and ased by his parents Cremation will Recisterep Be ETRE NCOME UND CASTLEGAR SAVINGS CREDIT UN UNION For All Your Financial & insurance N: better speeches than his speechwriters and spreads his vision of a country that would be about at the funeral of two school classmates who were mur- dered at Abbotsford by a It is a sad situation when you see and hear an old lady blame God for this incident. Privatization will hurt you Privatization will hurt you fox in with the chickens, whether you are a govern- ment worker, or work in the private sector; whether you or -in bus- its poor. A strong Roman Catholie who is opposed to abortion, he has never- theless alienated some church leaders by refusing to cut aid for abortions or restrict access to them. That kind of positioning seems ex- plained by his diaries, which reveal self-doubt, guilt over life’s imper- fections and a sense that right and wrong are hard to tell apart. It is a meaty, complex ideological diet that, as a potential national leader, sets Cuomo apart from the cloying patriotism and too-easy an- swers that critics say have marked the Reagan era. But could Cuomo defy the ticking clock of the primary “I want to die just as the ball hits the cords and the bell goes off and we win by one point,” he has said. “Or sliding into the plate, 7-6, you win.” Mid-game, many are wondering whether he’s also waiting for the ninth inning to pick up the bat. aS Competitive Rates Convenient Terms For Your Convenience OPEN MONDAY his wife, Joyce: son Don of Soy i the Saas ton fen Tovey wad Kuve of rida, B.C. and three brothers, Andrew of MINOR SPORTS Sure, we're interested! e the Castlegar News for details on how to get reports of your organization onto the sports pages. 365-3517 (365-7145 ‘O8PT. STORS 1217 - ed $i. T. Wollace, 2973 Waldle Ave. 965-7782 PHARMASAVE 1128 - Sed Se 365-7813 365 736 by 8 pam, Wednendey to ign, Pind your CASTLEGAR PRINTING peal for yourself or retired or raising kids at home; whether you live in a big city or a community; or whether you are a man, a ‘woman or a child. In every case where work is contracted out, govern- ment workers will not be able to use their senority to re- main in government and they will receive lower wages and fewer benefits — if they keep their jobs at all. Services will be cut back and small bus- inesses will be hurt as con- sumers have less money to spend. Once again, there will be an atmosphere of con- frontation in our province. The sale of services, like the dairy products and food test- ing labs, is like putting the ©MCMLXXXVII Leon Shaffer Goinick Adv., Inc. ein the T Trail COMPLETE CAR AUDIO SYSTEMS =5149°° owne » Square Mall 364