a eaiatiye Library . Parliament Bldgses 501 Bellevi Victoria, Be Ce. V3V 1X4 Feb. “CASTLEGAR NE Distributed Bright and Early Every Thursday Morning at “The Crossroads of the Kootenays” Castlegar - Kinnated : Robson + Genelle - Slocan Valley and City | New Denver - Silverton VOL, 8; No, 14 TWO SECTIONS (A&B) <> CASTLEGAR, BRITISH COLUMBIA, THURSDAY, APRIL 6, 1978 Tear. 25CENTS Blasting for Uranium Ore at China Creek? | Hogwash, Claims Mines Ministry Officiai By RYON GUEDES Editor r Blasting of uranium ore samples out of the Columbia River's west bank, 15 kilo- metres south of Castlegar is creating “a potential disaster area,” a Genellé resident said yesterday, Tom MacKenzie, spokes- man for an ad hoc committee of concerned residents, told. the Castlegar News the blasting— reportedly as recent as Friday Transit —has been conducted one-quar- ter mile away from Genelle's China Creek water intake and just south of Blueberry Creek, and he said there are signs that similar tests will continue along the Columbia as far north as Castlegar. MacKenzie said blasting in "the area first began in the area last fall when technicians em- ployed by an unnamed company “blew holes three to four feet in an attempt to determine the peri-; meters of, the ore body. ~ Heavier tests started this spring as holes up to 12 feet deep and 10 feet square were blasted out of the rock and. ore samples.were removed by heli- copter, he. said. . “My understanding is that the ore body is about 15 kilo- metres long and five kilometres wide,” MacKenzie said. “It would appear that the plans, from what we can see, entail a similar type of exploration right through to the northern extremity of the claim.” MacKenzie said the blast- ing has been carried out “right in the middle” of Genelle’s watershed, supposedly protect- ed by the | govern- ment since 1970 as a watershed reserve. In addition to the ‘ threat caused to nearby surface water sources by fallout, blast- ing and eventual mining of the uranium as far as Castlegar could affect groundwater tables as well, he said. He said the ad hoc com- mittee is pursuing the matter with the mines ministry and the Pollution Control Branch, and attempting to obtain a specific overlay to determine the exact location of the ore body, al- though “the mining companies have not been too co-operative | in providing that material.” Blueberry residents have also expressed their concern about the tests, and Genelle residents will meet tonight to deep in the System Work Delayed Establishment of a’ bus system in the West Kootenays will be delayed until next fall, according to the municipal affairs and housing minister. Ina March 18 letter Hugh Curtis told the Regional District of Central Kootenay. it was one of 29 jurisdictions interested in establishing a transit system, and said the ministry's transit services’ division “is clearly not capable, with existing responsibilities, of handling this expansion.” The Curtis letter said there had been a “significant expansion” of transit services in B.C. in the past. year. © “There are now 14 systems with over 100 buses in operation,” the letter said. “You can appreciate our first priority is to ensure the successful operation of those systems.” Proceeding with the 29 new requests for ‘transit systems would Tesult in an additional requirement for 150 buses and an annual subsidy of $2 million to $3 million, the letter said. Rossland [Trail Chris D'Arcy this week said Curtis’ letter did not the of any planning being undertaken for the proposed bus system in the meantime. i D'Arcy, who said in February that the transit services bureau was ready to start planning on a bus system for the region, said he had not expected any pHysical action on the system until late fall. He said the West Kootenay was still “a fairly high priority” among the list of requests. Thrums Petitioner AThruris woman who was the passenger in a car caught in a mudslide on Highway 3A just past the Brilliant’ Dam March 23 announced this week she would send the provincial gov- ernment a petition urging it to take’ action to prevent further slides. June Makeiv, who with driver Danny Gretchen was ina vehicle travelling north when a 200-yard-long mudslide fell from the mountain onto the highway and CP Rail tracks, told the Castlegar News area residents were strongly in support of sending the petition in an effort to reduce the hazard caused by the slides each spring. Makeiv said the mudslides occur in the area at approxi- mately the same time each ear. “Pve been here for four years,” she said. “And its happened four years in a row.” She said the March 23 slide was the ‘first one to involve local residents. A Nelson resi- dent was caught in a previous slide, she said. Makeiv said she suffered broken glasses and dental in- juries when the slide hit the vehicle. She said she and the driver managed to get out of before it was swept over the bank onto the CP Rail tracks by another slide. She said the car, travelling at 45 to 50 miles per hour, was followed by. another vehicle, occupied by three adults and three children “three or four earlengths behind.” “If they'd been tailgating us they would have been covered by the slide,” she said. Highways district spokes- men were unavailable for com- ment on slides in the Thrums area, conjunction with the Cast being Instituted by the C: _ crime in residential area items. ‘It Is difficult to mal legar RCMP In an effort to reduce Ist in the recovery of stolen - business premise;"’ says an RCMP spokesman, ‘‘but Io! make It as hard on the thief as possibi 8 ‘With Operation Identification, personal possessions can be marked, aiding In the recovery of the Item should It be stolen. Stickers are available to identify homes taking security. Markings are made with an engraver shown demonstrated here by Cat. a8. form a new canine to continue efforts to oppose min- ing of the area. “We're just gelling off the ground and we have good connections with the mines ministry,” he said. “We hope to. be able to enlist the support of the Central Kootenay and Kootenay Boundary regional districts and eventually have a face-to-face meeting with the minister of mines.” “We don't intend to let go until we have some positive assurance in one way or anoth- er,” MacKenzie said. But a mines ministry offi- cial, contacted yesterday, de- nied there had been any Fecent blasting in the area. Geologist George Addie said the five-company consor- tium which had filed the mining claim on the area had ‘not conducted any tesis since’last fall, He said he had seen no'sign of such tests when he surveyed the China Creek area by hell, copter this week. “There's a lot of hogwash going around somewhere,” ' he said. tiey RDCK to investigate ‘User Pay’ Planning © A “user-pay” budgeting system would keep Regional District of Central Kootenay planning costs in check, accord- ing to Area I director John Moran. Moran, who gained RDCK board support Jast Thursday a for his motion that the planning Frank Zentner and Klwantan Tommy Biln: with Kiwanlan chairman ‘of: Operation Identitication, Allen ‘Swinbank, holding. one of the stickers. People often use their Social Insurance Number to Identify their bapa ee This program includes pamphiets on home the fea- “But I feel we've got to find some basis at least to make the: planning department work properly at the very begin- ning.” Area H director Norman Brewster said he agreed tHe demands of specific planning . -: requests on the planning dée- "s time should be sibility of such a system, this week said payment. by both rural and municipal members for specific projects would keep individual planning requests within realistic limits. He said such a system, in which payment for one year's individual projects would be applied to the following year's planning budget, would make directors more responsible to their constituents for the cost of the planning. Directors whose constituencies would be paying those. costs would be more cautious in requesting specilic planning services, he aowe don't want this plan- s ning: function .to..get..out..of « limited, but was not convinced the proposed system would accomplish that goal. . He said planning director Floyd Dykeman, .should be allowed to “get the feel” of RDCK needs before the board considers any kind of restraint. Castlegar director Mayor Audrey Moore said she be: lieved the feasibility of the system should be investigated, but added she was concerned about overall regional planning. (Con’t. Pg. A18, Col. 1) THE _ INSIDE - hand,” Moran told the, Castle- gar News. “Probably the de-~ mand for planning department services would not be so great that it would have to grow.” Area J director Martin “Vanderpol said he had not finalized his own views on the proposed system because it had not yet been established wheth- er it was possible or how it would operate. But he’ agreed the user-pay system could it some of the more wanting advice on building security is Ea to feel free to contact the Castlegar RCMP. A member of the detachment will be more than happy to attend at your unnecessary requests and allow the planning department to more on overall and give tips on how to make your home more secur: - asNewsFoto by Lols Hughes Ws Rocky Mountain Wood Tick Season The season of the dreaded Rocky Mountain wood tick has begun, according to Dr. Nick Schmitt. Dr. Schmitt, director of the West Kootenay Health Unit, this week. said the female tick drops on people and animals from low shrubs ‘between March and June in search of the blood they require to lay eggs, and can cause paralysis or even death if left in the body Vegas Night Assutes Parade] And Trimmings ‘A parade and all the trimmings are assured for this year's Castlegar Sun- flower Fest thanks to the | success of the weekend's Las Vegas Nights at the Re- gional Recreation Complex. Castlegar Sunflower Fest committee spokesman “told the Castlegar News the estimated 500 participants became 500 plus. “Tt was a financial suc- cess and reflects what can be done,” said Stan Porter. He - also expressed the com- mittee’s appreciation to ‘everyone who assisted and in'particular members of the Selkirk Lions and Castlegar Kiwanis clubs. |, “This could well be an ‘annual event,” he said, “and would be a prelude to each year's Castlegar Sunflower Fest". “They prefer open, dry country rather than wooded areas,” Dr. Schmitt said. “The bite is painless and you don't know they are there unless you look for them.” ‘The tick’s saliva contains a poison, Dr. Schmitt said, and if left in the body four to five days it can accumulate to a toxic - level in the bloodstream. Numbness, and - difficulty in walking are the first symptoms of the paralysis, which can work upwards to affect the diaphragm and even the brain, he said. But there is no need to fear or avoid tick infested country as long as some basic pre- cautions are taken, Dr. Schmitt added. The tick, which hides in hairy parts of the body, moves around the body for about 24 hours before finding a place to stay, and a shower will often be sufficient to remove it, he said. Persons on hikes and outings in tick-infested country should tuck pantlegs into boots or socks, he said, and should shake Increased public participa- tion, control over resources base and more their’ clothing vigt side the house—upon del return home. Children should be exam- ined closely after each day in the outdoors, Dr. Schmitt said. If attached to the body, a tick can be removed when grasped between thumb and forefinger and pulled steadily. Claims that ticks can be re- moved by the heat of a cigar- ette or by alcohol are “old wives’ tales,” he said. “The fascinating thing about it is. that- the tick paralysis is one of the most fatal diseases,” Dr. Schmitt said. “But removal of the tick causes an immediate and full- return to health.” ° Fire Without Permit Could Mean Fine Persons lighting bonfires in the city before Oct. 31 without permits could be fined ‘as much as $500, a city spokes-~ man said this week. Senior city clerk Betty. Price said that under Fire Prevention Bylaw No. M4 resi- powers are improvements rec- ommended for regional govern- ment in the Regional District of Central Kootenay's submission to a special municipal affairs ministry. committee, Area H Bio Gees RDCK Consens Powers, Input Needed director Norman Brewster told the Castlegar News this week. Brewster, a member of the three-man RDCK board com- mittee which compiled re- sponses toa sent trict review committee here ‘next Thursday, said the recom- mendations are among a con- sensus of answers which also include: to 65 past and present regional directors for use in a brief to be presented to the regional dis- d public aware- ness of regional board respon- splice: regional planning. “I'm not going in with any preconceived ideas,” he said. of advisory planning commis- sions, particularly in rural areas; ¢ Better co-ordination in policy-making between regional and senior levels of govern- ment; e@ More “regional thinking” TORY. e MEETINGS: How ‘many. does the Regional Dis- trict of Central Kootenay: board need every month? Page B9 e JOBS: Promised in last week's speech from the throne. Page B6 e@ REPORT: Mayor Audrey Moore clarifies city coun- cil's position on the agree: ment with Cantal ‘ ge AZ: . FINANCE: A saanea budget for the Regional. District of Central Koote- nay and a $188,907 surplus for the City of Castlegar. Page Bi AnnLanders ... Page AS BillSmiley . Page B2 Classified Ads, Real Estate, and Automotive. . Pages Al4-A15-A16-A17. Editorial Pups andPew .. . Pages AG-A8-A9 }- Pages B3-B4 ' City Council to Set Date For Court of Revisions City council is expected to decide Tuesday on the date for court of revision hearings on charges or additions to the 1978 water and sewer frontage tax. roll, the city's acting assessor . said this week. City clerk Barry Baldigara, appointed acting assessor by council laat Tuesday, sald the court will consist of Mayor Audrey Moore, Ald. Albert Calderbank and Ald. Gerald Rust. “Before additions or changes are made to the roll the city is required under the Municipal Act to send out frontage tax notices to people affected by the changes,” Baldi- gara said. “If they feel that the footages as established are in- * correct, they have the option of rium—which came into effect Seconda face fines upon She ‘aid the permite, avail- able at City Hall, are free. Can presenting their case to the court of revision.” Baldigara said city prop- erty owners, whether or not their property is hooked up to | the water and sewer systems, are liable for frontage tax if the water or sewer is accessible. -The tax roll: will be pre- pared in sufficient time for frontage tax to be included in~ annual tax bills which will be sent to taxpayers shortly after the May 16 statutory deadline for establishing the tax mill rate, he said. and less p eA ‘more clearly-defined role for rural directors, The Area H director said that in general terms the brief, remarking on the change in B.C. regional districts since their creation in 1965, “notes a marked change in the world and that economic restraint prevails." It i that ————— ; Weekend : Weathercast CLOUDY this morning with a few sunny periods this} afternoon. A slow drying: trend is expected into the first part of the weekend. quick economic growth has ended and regions must end (Con’t. Pg. A19, Col. 1) Pre eet Bs Beate Caneriag 45.000 5 on 83 Booths Cove Trade Fair ‘78: Bigger & Better Bigger and better are the words Selkirk Lions president Walter Tymofie- vich. uses to describe this year's West Kootenay Trade Fair to be held April 21 and 22 at the Regional Recrea- tion Complex. Tymofievich this week said the event, introduced to the public for the first time last year with 10,000 square feet of display area and 75 booths, has grown to cover 85,000 square feet with 83 booths, CH mS mn mS Om An Oh ns cl On OO On OG He told the Castlegar News that the Lions Club this year has had such a strong response there is a waiting list for approxi- mately 25 more booths. There will be even more prizes this year in addition to the $1,000 ticket draw |” each day of the twoday event. Visitors will find everything to interest the home builder as. well as family recreation needs. This year's exhibitors include booths representing the federal government's services and supply ministry and the provincial govern- ment's tourism, forestry and parks and wildlife minis- tries. Cominco will have a miniature display of its planned $435 million expan- sion at Trail and the RCMP will feature the BATmobile and answer questions on recruiting. Live entertainment will again be featured at the de Fair, Tymofievich For convenient home delivery’ of the Boni News, call. 365-7266, said, The Lions Club has’ 1 secured three bands, one § local, one the Trail Kiltie . 8 Band and last year's beer & garden favorite, The Roy 8 Brady Western Fiddle Band: @ of Creston, he said, Tymofievich said that although there will be no official opening ceremony there will be two days of # continued interest with @ something for everyone. He @ said everyone in the area @ should attend but allow @ enough time to see it all. |