Wednesday, December 2, 1992 @

MANDARIN ORANGES

Product ss he

of China.
POTATO CHIPS

EDWARDS COFFEE

V7

sini Oe

Regular, Fine
or Extra

Fine Grind.

CRAGMONT POP
9

Nalley's
200 g box

PRICES IN EFFECT...DEC./ 1992

1.32/ 100 g

FRENCH BREAD

in-store
eM 88
400 g

Quantity rights reserved, Some items may not
be exactly as shown.

12/3] 4/5)

Advertised prices in effect at your Castlegar Safeway.

NewsFLASH
|@WEATHER

4 4 Wh i
V1, 7
Cloudy with a chance of light
snow throughout the weekend.

@ OUR PEOPLE

There were times when Joy
just wanted to give up on life.
Six years after leaving an abu-
sive husband, Joy is happy that
she continued her fight to sur+
vive. Finally, she and her son,
are getting their lives together.

page 9

Looking to build on the suc-
cess they both enjoyed last
season, the Stanley
Humphries senior boys and
girls basketball teams hit the
courts this week and things

looked good.
page 15

@ WORK PLACE

There were those who antic-
ipated a rough Christmas sea-
son for retailers. But so far, it
appears local merchants are
doing a booming business,
thanks in part to expansion.

page 18
=). <li

Farside
Norman
Letters

Our People
Crossword
Local Sports
Work Place
Action Ads
Wheels '92

ma wy CASTLEGAR

LCEGISLATIYUE LIBRARY
PARI LAMENT BLD
V TORTA Bic,

1X4 FER, 2&3

Saturday

December 5, 1992

cS
75¢

News photo by Corinne Jackson

Robert Meredith has fun putting his talents to work during the holiday season. For the last three years, Meredith has been
decorating windows for friends and local businesses in Castlegar.

B.C. calls for hospital review

@ Trail and Nelson expansion plans put on hold
as government examines needs of West Kootenay

Corinne Jackson
NEWS REPORTER

B.C. is telling Nelson and Trail to back off.

In a letter sent to West Kootenay hospitals, the Ministry
of Health announced that multi-million dollar expansions for
Kootenay Lake District Hospital and Trail Regional Hospi-
tal are being put on the back burner pending a regional review
of medical services.

“That’s wonderful,” Castlegar city councillor Doreen
Smecher said.

Smecher has been calling for a review of West Kootenay
hospitals prior to the approval of any capital expenditures.
She said it would be foolish of the government to approve $27
million for Nelson and $14 million for Trail not knowing how
and where it wants to deliver medical services in the West
Kootenay.

“It makes sense to me that they have to look at what’s here
before they allocate funds in any great amount.

“If that’s what (the study) is going to achieve, then I think
they’re doing the right thing,” Smecher said.

Smecher is pushing to see the Castlegar and District Hos-
pital play a greater role in the West Kootenay. She believes its
central location and access to the airport make it the perfect

place for a regional hospital.

Whether that happens, though, is another matter.

Ken Talarico said he isn’t certain Castlegar will be a re-
gional hospital. All the Castlegar hospital administer knows
is that any study could put Castlegar in a favorable light.

Talarico declined comment on the details behind Castlegar
hospital's future plans. He said that would be revealed when
he met with the consultants reviewing West Kootenay hospi-
tals.

“(The study) will be looking at the range of programs in the
West Kootenay and where they should be provided from,” Ta-
larico said. “The proposals by Nelson and Trail will be part of
West Kootenay Hospitals Joint Role Study.

“Victoria is waiting for the outcome of a study before any
major capital projects are approved.”

Meanwhile, the Canadian Council on Health Facilities Ac-
creditation has given the Castlegar and District Hospital a
glowing review. In a preliminary report, the non-profit orga-
nization gave the local hospital passing grades in 23 of 24 cat-
egories. Only a lack of library materials was criticized by the
two-person survey team.

The team labeled Castlegar’s long-term and intensive-care
units, medical equipment and services, food, preventative
maintenance, management and emergency services as “ex-
cellent.”

“When I look at the overall comments, I’m basically excit-
ed,” Talarico said. “I'm very proud of our staff.”

FIELDS STORE THE LATEST IN SERIES OF DOWNTOWN BREAK-INS, PAGE 5