Page A2 Courteous driver \ vehicle he was driving rolled after he had pulled over tot « un The Castlegar Sun Wednesday, September 27, 1995 ourtcous driver escaped serious injury after the the bank causing it to roll over he berm to allow traffic to pass. harles Opper, 72, was operating a tractor trailer «and was pulling a flat deck trailer when, after way was blocked tor almost four hours. in rollover pulling over to the side of the road the wheels caught There was minor damage to the trailer. The road. THE DEAT CONTINUES THE FREEDOM MACHINE (for those who require them) INDOOR-OUTDOOR SCOOTERS. Discounted Hundreds of Dollars for Quick Sale! PRICE CUTTING MADNESS Grass a growing concern KAREN KERKHOFF Sun Staff Phere's a growing concern at Pass Creek Park. “We just want people to stay off the grass—at least until the fields are given a chance to grow,” said Mark Zurek, Pass Creek project chair for the Selkirk Lions and Regional Dis- trict of Central Kootenay. The ‘soccer fields, which used to be two stagnant and virtually useless ponds, have been recently tilled over, planted and fertilized, bringing the cost of that portion of the ‘project and a new play- ground to some $120,000. Zurek is concerned that the donated labor and time might all be for naught—vandals have recently ripped sprinkler heads off the sprinkler system and torn up the unplanted field with bikes and motorcycles. “There have been lots and lots of dedicated people who have spent many hours working on the field. It's pretty disappointing to come down to the field in the morning and have to do things over because of vandals,” said Zarek. It’s esti d that there’s been SC440 SC441 $2695 $3195 $3695 SEE THEM NOW IN OUR NEW DEPARTMENT over 500 hours of labor donated towards the development of the soccer field. Zurek said he has talked with RCMP who have promised to patrol of the park. But ALL HEAVILY DISCOUNTED LOTS OF STYLES, FABRIC, COLOR! LA-Z-BOY PALLISER 3- ALL-LEATHER L-LEATHER RECLINERS RECLINERS 995” 895° CHOOSE FROM y | 50 LA-Z-BOY RECLINERS Compare SLEEPER SOFAS MISMATCHED REDUCED $200.00 to 599° 469° 9-PIECE SOLID OAK DINING ROOM SUITE - BUFFET - HUTCH Zurek is appealing to the public to stay off the grass until it has an opportunity to grow. Paddle on — Shane McCulloch front, and Dennis Holden were two enthusiastic participants from the Columbia Canoe club who canoed the Columbia River as part of B.C. Rivers Day, last Sunday. Hold- en’s canine companion, Schatzi, foreground, made a great ‘barking bowsman’. About 20 people in eight canoes left the Robson ferry ramp at noon on Sun- day for a leisurely paddle down the Columbia River with stops at the Pass Creek spawning channel, the Railway bridge, Zuckerberg Island and the Kinnaird Bridge while on route to First Avenue in south Castlegar. SUN STAFF PHOTO /Marilyn Strong Sun Staff “The Family Physicians of Castlegar ay “Castlegar Chamber of Commerce +Half's Printing-Castlegar “Hercules Heating & Plumbing City of Castlegar “Castlegar Foods “Rossland-Trail Golf & Country Club “Denny McArthur’s Pro Shop “Castlegar & District Hospital The West Kootenay Academy of The British Columbia Society of Medical Laboratory Technologists would like to thank the following local area sponsors for their generous support of our Medical Congress 95 that was held Sept. 19-23 at the Sandman Inn. +Celgar Pulp Co. +Pope & Talbot «Flower Affairs “West's Dept. Store +Dr. Bevans +Super Valu-Castiegar A&W + Tulips Flowers +Ladybird Construction +Kentucky Fried Chicken *Hooter's Fitness *Kootenay Plumbing Supplies +Arrow Building Supplies *Safeway-Nelson *Kootenay Savings & Credit Union +Kootenay Broadcasting System «Jim Waldie Bucket brigade saves the day Quick-thinking and buck- ets of water helped avert a major fire behind Video World on Columbia Ave. last Thursday. Castlegar’s fire chief, Gerry Rempel, said employ- ees of the Kootenay Columbia Child Care Society had almost extinguished the fire in the S. strip behind the video building by the time firefighters arrived. “There was not much left by the time we got there. It’s hard to tell what started it.” The 12:12 p.m. call brought out five volunteér firefighters and one pumper. Wednesday, September 27, 1995 City extends — long arm of the law Unpaid fines to be collected DEREK ZEISMAN _The Castlegar Sun Page A3 Local police undergo intense scrutiny KAREN KERKHOFF Sun Staff Castlegar's own boys in bluc have passed the test with flying colours. Local RCMP caine under close scrutiny last week while undergoing an intensive three-day audit by a team of RCMP officials. The team took a look at all aspects of local policing from the State of files to the RCMP’s inter- action with the community Super de Bob Swann, and Castlegar city council is about to get tough with the hundreds of unpaid parking tickets currently sitting on its books At its last regular meeting held Sept. 19, council voted unanimously in favour of authorizing the use of a pri- vate collection agency to “assist” with the collection of outstanding parking fines. Coun. Ron Armbruster, who Spearheaded the motion as chair of the city’s finance com- mittee, said using a collection agency to make good on bad debts will send out a strong message to recurring offenders. “It'll let them know we mean business here,” said Arm- bruster. A written backgrounder on the proposal presented to council pointed out that “the city presently cancels about 30 per cent of the traffic tick- ets issued when our in-house collection process is not suc- cessful.” This 30 per cent figure adds up to an unpaid bill of about $12,000 so far this year; said city finance director Jacquie Hamilton. But she pointed out that “dollars aren't really the point here.” Hamilton said the agency that is given responsibility for collecting the unpaid tickets will receive a substan- tial 30 per cent cut from any money raised. “But we'll still his five-person team spoke with RCMP staff and community members such as city officials, and the general public, They also examined cell blocks to ensure that they meet legal and safety requirements, A veteran of many audits, Swann said he was impressed with the overall quality of policing in Castlegar “We'ré on the plus side. with this detachment. This is how we'd like to see detachments ma ed.” Swann also commented on the RCMP's commitment towards quality community policing—a concept which has business owners Two people were taken to Castlegar and District Hospital after sustaining injuries in a two-vehicle accident Tuesday morning. The accident, near Nancy Greene Lake on Highway 3, resulted in one vehicle, a Toyota Corolla, being rolled. Police are investigating. It was undetermjned at press time whether charges will be laid. recently been welcomed by the RCMP as a whole “They have embraced commu- hity policing here and it's work- ing well, They are doing a.lot of problem-solving and working together with the community.” What makes it work in part, explained Swann, is the high degree of optimism exhibited } by staff “The members have very high morale—they're very happy working here.” Swann said the Nelson Sub- division will be lending their expertise in helping combat SUN STAFF PHOTO /Karen Kerkhoff Full speed ahead for photo radar DEREK ZEISMAN Sun Staff The provincial government has begun detailed negotiations with a U.S. company to equip police around B.C. with up to 30 speed- monitoring photo radar cameras — and that suits Castlegar’s RCMP detachment just fine. “After rigorous testing on Vancouver-area roads in August, RCMP and municipal police evaluators have recommended the province use the mobile radar system designed by American should be easy to accomplish with the new equipment “The testing clearly showed ATS Canada’s system is reliable and very accurate,” said RCMP Staff Sgt. Mike Clarabut, who will be responsible for deploying the photo radar cameras province-wide “In one of the controlled tests where the police vehicle was moving in excess of 180 kilome- tres an hour, the camera proved accurate to within one kilometre of that speed.” The systems of two competing uary, violators will simply be sent wamings, not fines. Nevertheless, many residents have accused the radar system of being a disguised tax, in the form of new speeding fines. But Rossland-Trail MLA Ed Conroy said he doesn't see it that way “A big money grab? I don’t believe it,” said Conroy. “I sup- port the photo radar system because it will save lives and mil- lions and millions of dollars in insurance costs and hospital bills.” Still, he admitted there are heavy hand of government com- ing down on people — but dam it, the statistics show that it saves people's lives,’ said Conroy. “Speeding leads the pack in terms of accidents causing death. So for the sake of slowing down a few miles an hour, I think that's a fair tradeoff.” NAT ue eve drug-use in c astlegar, but astiegar doesn't g problem” any greater than other communities of the same size “We will assist in drug con- cems in the community, Castlegar doesn't have a major drug prob- lem, but we just might be able to help out. It's a specialized area and the sub-division has the expertise. Audits are required to be done every four years, or after a change of command. Staff Sgt @ Triple-murder Continued from 1A Josiah Roberts was not found until two days after the fire, when three college students discovered the infant's body clad only in a diaper, Van Alstine said the jury would hear. a rope was allegedly wrapped around his neck twice and tied off in the back Roberts visited Jonathan and David at Cranbrook Regional Hospital shortly after 11 p.m. July 18. The next day he went to B.C. Children’s Hospital in Vancouver to be with David, who was in a coma. A former girlfriend of the accused helped the RCMP befriend Roberts and sét up an undercover operation, in which Roberts confessed to murdering his family, Van Alstine claimed. He told the jury they would hear that, during a period of about two weeks, undercover officers involved Roberts in what they called “the Organization” in Vancouver. The prosecutor said Roberts made a run to Alberta to get vehi- cles, helped out on a drug deal and allegedly drove a vehicle while two undercover officers threatened a man and his preg- nant wife (an RCMP inspector and a female constable) at gun- point because they owed them a large sum of moncy. Once the scenarios were played _ out, Roberts and one officer retumed to pemotel in’ Richmond, where Van ‘Alstine said Roberts Kerry Solinsky took over com mand about one year ago. Solinsky said he knew. that there would be an audit, and staff have been preparing for it, but seemed unconcerned about its outcome “There has been som¢ prepa- ration making sure that all the Ts are crossed, the Is are dotted and all our ducks are in a row. Per- sonally I'm not too concerned, I have good people here who do a good job.” told the officer he was under inves- tigation for his wife's murder “He tells (the officer) that he’s the one that did it,” Van Alstine said, adding that the jury would hear taped conversations in which Roberts said it took him four months and three attempts to kill them. At one point the undercover officer allegedly asks Roberts why he did it. “And his response her’,” Van Alstine said. The prosecutor said the jury would hear Roberts also wanted his surviving son, mother and father killed and that he talked about a relationship he was hav- ing in Cranbrook. The accused also told another undercover officer, in a taped conversation, that he killed his family because he saw himself “getting more and more into this Little House on the Prairies” life, Van Alstine said. Roberts allegedly told the offi- cer that if he could get rid of the rest of his family he would be able to start over again some- where else. “That evidence will be intro- duced to you,” the prosecutor said, once again cautioning the jury that his outline was not evidence. The trial is expected to last four weeks, Van Alstine said the seven-woman, five-man jury would hear from more than 60 witnesses lined up to testify against Roberts. Testimony continues this week. ‘I hated 2900” Oak Extension Table, 2 arm, 4 side SUITES. CHECK OUT OUR SPECIAL SALE PRICES - DISCOUNTS HAVE NEVER BEEN GREATER! More Great Values Queen Size Simmons Beauty, Rest 2-Piece Sleep Sets $699 3-Piece King Sleep Sets ............ccceseeseeees $995 .16-cut.-ft. or 18-cu.-ft. 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Now Furnitu e Warehouse Floor Covering Centre BUY FROM A HUGE SELECTION OF CHESTERFIELD $299, $399, $499, $599 to $799, #1399 5-cu.-ft. .....$289 7-cu--ft. $319 10-cu.-ft. ..$359 12-cu--ft ....$379 12-cu.-ft. ...$529 15-cu--ft. eee WE DELIVER REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NOTIFICATION SKILLS DEVELOPMENT DIVISION Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour VOCATIONAL REHABILITATION SERVICES CASTLEGAR attachment to the labour market. PROPOSALS ARE INVITED FOR THE DELIVERY OF THE FOLLOWING PROGRAM/SERVICES: the office at the following address: Please Quote: RFP # 96-VRS-JP2 Marlene Hoey, Ad Inquiries only Ministry of Skills, Training and Labour 100 Cranbrook Street Cranbrook, B.C., VIC 3P9 Facsimilie #426-1292 Vocational Rehabilitation Services’ goal is to provide individuals, whose primary barrier to employment is their disability, with the necessary combination of suppors, training and opportunities to acquire employability skills, as well as to achieve and maintain a long term JOB PLACEMENT FOR ALL DISABILITIES - To provide Persons with disabilities with support with their efforts to seek and maintain a long term attachment to the work force Above program/services are tentatively scheduled to commence on or after January 1, 1996 Request for Proposal (RFP) packages will be available-to be picked up or mailed after 10:00 a.m., October 2nd, 1995. To receive a package by mail or to pick up, please fax, write or visit The RFP package provides the name of the contact person for all RFP-related information The closing date for the proposal submissions is 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, November Ist, 1995 Traffic Systems Canada Ltd., to effectively slow down speeders and reduce crashes,” said Trans- portation and Highways Minister Jackie Pement. “I think it’s a very positive thing,” said Cpl. Dave Beach of the Castlegar RCMP. “It's been effective overseas, and it will work well here.” Beach said any new radar cameras brought into the Castle- gar area will be focused on school zones — “definitely a high priority” — and high-vol- ume roads where more accidents tend to occur. He pointed out that recent community policing initiatives by local residents will also play a role in determining where cam- eras might be positioned in and around the city. “Every week we get new calls about trouble areas for speeding,” said Beach. “Right now 14th Ave. is one of them. We want to focus our efforts on areas that are pointed out to us as trouble spots.” Government tests indicate this firms were evaluated by police in a wide range of day and night- time situations. These included tests on highways, quieter city Streets and in high-volume traffic areas where traditional speeding enforcement is hazardous. Clarabut said ATS Canada’s system passed the majority of tests, providing high-quality pho- tographs that registered speeds with consistent accuracy. “The accuracy was verified in comparisons with hand-held radar and laser speed guns,” he added. Each of the company's new mobile radar units, van included, is expected to cost between $80,000 and $100,000. In com- parison, Clarabut said a police car equipped with conventional radar costs about $50,000. The system's exact price is now being negotiated, and will be announced when the contract is settled, likely a few weeks from now. B.C.'s speed-monitoring units will be phased in between this October and mid-1996. Until Jan WHATSHAN LAKE RETREAT Your are cordially invited to attend the *¢ SOD-TURNING CEREMONY « to commemorate the start of the °¢ WHATSHAN LAKE RETREAT « on Sunday, October 8, 1995 a/11 am The retreat will be available for the enfoymeut.of all This project is sponsored by. the Doukbobor Heritage Retreat Society Call 693-2240 for more information people “very close” to him who continue to oppose the concept “To them it seems like the K & A TIRES LTD. 1507 Columbia Ave., Castlegar, B.C. 4 NEW TIRES from $25/mo. 0.A.C. ¢ All Makes - Models ¢ Complete Radiator Work ¢ Custom Work ie AUTOMOTIVE REPAIR - Fri.e ae a. in -5 p.m Sat 1 p.m CASTLEGAR MUFFLER LTD. 1335 Columbia Ave., 365-0100 You Can't Improve On Nature. Sometimes you need a little extra help maintaining your body's balance. We carry the full gamut of natural vitamins and herbal therapies for all your needs. 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