he Castlegar Sun WEDNESD

THE LIGHTER SIDE

Ann Landers

March 22, 1995

WEDNESDAY

March 29, 1995

New weather system under fire

“most definitely” believes that flights in and out of the Castlegar airport will still be safe, despite the closure of the Castlegar

— SPRING SPECIALS

~ A2 PC CHICKEN SNACK A CHICKEN BURGER WITH

force with Environment Canada to try to resolve those deficiencies.

The biggest problem with automated systems, explained Willson, is that they're not infallible.

Canadian

Canada officials

Syndicated Columnist

Dear Ann Landers: My son's school recently distributed “report cards. My third-grader is an excellent student and very conscientious. When “Johnny” looked at his report card, he turned pale. He had been given a low grade in one of the fine arts classes.

His school gives a letter grade for academic achievement and a number grade for effort Johnny’s effort grade was also very low. He could provide no explanation. He recalled getting several A's on his tests and miany comments in praise of his performance in class.

I sent a note requesting a conference with the teacher. Two days later, she called to explain that a mistake had been made Johnny had accidentally received another student's grade. He really had earned an A in fine arts. The teacher apol d and

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told me she had already informed Johnny that his pérmianent record would be corrected.

A few days later, 1 met with the principal and reported this incident. I said I understood that mistakes do happen but I felt that a written apology was in order. A week later, the principal informed me that the teacher refused to write an apology because it was “just a clerical error.” She said she would issue a special certificate to my son instead.

I have talked with several parents about this, and they all agreed that the school handled the situation badly. I believe a corrected report card and an apology from the principal should have been _ sent automatically.

What do you think? — A Parent in Medinah, ‘ll.

Dear Medinah: I think it's too bad the mistake was made, and I agree that it was handled poorly by the school. This, however, would have been a splendid opportunity to demonstrate to Johnny that taking the high road when you have been wronged i¥ the way to go.

In my opinion, your attempt to force the teacher to eat crow was unwise. She could make life very unpleasant for your son. He could end up being the victim.

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Excellence in Service Award

This award will be presented every week to someone in-Castlegar who shows extraordinary service to his/her customers or clients.

Th. .ecipient will receive an award plaque to keep courtesy of Kats Trophys and a pizza courtesy of Canadian 2 For 1 Pizza.

We'd like everyone in Castlegar to know that service excellence exists in our community. This award recognizes a nominated business.

If you know of someone that offers "Excellence in Service," call me, Marilyn Strong at 365-5266, or drop a letter at the Castlegar Sun with your suggestion.

AWS ANADIAN

The Cast jaar Sun

The automated weather system that will replace thé Castlegar weather office has come under fire from the airline industry.

A document prepared by Transport Canada Aviation concludes that the Auto- mated Weather Observation System (AWOS) brings “frustrations, inefficien- cies and inconveniences” for the air trans-

eg er community.

‘Transport Canada has set up a task

as)

mation p d by

‘Transport say that the replacement of the Castlegar weather office by a combination of infor-

weather office.

always enjoyed.

“RACINE

and satellites will provide the same level of safety as Castlegar airport users have

Ron Doyle, superintendent of aviation weather services, said, “Weather observa- tions will be taken on site by Transport Canada flight service station”

, and he

But Tom Willson, the officer in charge of the Castlegar weather office, says it is “a ridiculous statement” ellers won't be affected.

“It's ridiculous to say that it won't have an effect on people. When the weather gets bad it’s our office that gets the calls. That statement’s not correct. We're in place for the safety of the people.”

3 z The Castlegar Sun

“If it breaks down, it will do so at a time

to say that air trav-

when it's needed the most. The biggest deficiency is that they are machines, they can’t tell you what eyes can see. It's garbage in, garbage out. A weather person can tell a pilot things AWOS and REDAC (another automated system) can't.” Kootenay West-Revelstoke MP Jim

coayeneeieeeeginaeteraiicnmneninsiininsaacaaneptieniain See WEATHER 2A

75 Cents + G.S.T.

Looking for a ray of sunshine, Castlegar weather forecaster Jim Richards checks sunshine recorder which measures daily sunlight.

AIRPORT WEATHER OFFICE

SUN STAFF PHOTO /Jeff Gabert

Forecasters seek support

KAREN KERKHOFF Sun Staff

office, said safety will be jeop- ardized if services are pulled

Castlegar’s weather service specialists are looking for pub- lic support.

They're hoping that Castlegar residents and businesses will put pressure on Sheila Copps, the federal Minister of Environment, to reconsider the April 1, 1996

_ Closure of the Castlegar weather

office as a result of the recent federal budget.

Tom Willson, the officer in charge of the Castlegar weather

from Casth 3

“When the weather gets bad it’s our office that gets calls. We're in place for the safety of the people.”

Willson said that what a lot of people don't know is-that the

weather office provides services to other sectors of the communi- ty other than aviation.

The avalanche control crew sta- tioned at the Salmo-Creston Pass rely extensively on accurate and

o-date weather i i

So does the Ministry of Forests, especially during fire season. They use the service for helping to control wildfires and for pre- scribed burning where smoke and fire play an important roll in the health and safety of the public.

Transportation and Highways also rely on the services of the Castlegar weather office to deter- mine a strategy for snow removal.

Businesses such as Celgar Pulp Co. and Cominco also call the weather office “constantly”,

EP See FORECASTERS 2A

up-+t

Cellular phones coming soon

MARILYN STRONG

Castlegar drivers will soon have to learn how to drive and talk at the same time.

“Cellular phone service in the West Kootenay will be up and running within the next year to year and a half”, said Gordon

Walls,

vice ime around 1997.

with B.C. Tel Mobility, in ‘an exclusive interview with The Castlegar Sun.

“We're looking very seriously to expand coverage in the Koote- nays overall — the West Kootenay in particular,” he said.

Initially the West K

However “the Kootenay region has moved significantly closer on the agenda”, said Walls

“We don’t yet know the extent of the service, whether it will be a couple of islands or more.”

B.C. Tel Mobility expects the formal should be

y

were scheduled for cellular ser-

made within the next few weeks

es Health unit to crack down on water offenders

RON NORMAN Sun Editor

The Central K. Health

System, the Krestova Improve- ment District, the Village of Slo- can, the Deer Park Water Users Cc and the South Slocan

unit is beginning a crackdown on communities that have not upgraded their water systems to meet the provincial Safe Drink- ing Water Regulations.

“We plan to start applying the legislation this year and if neces- sary start taking legal action if the requirements are not met,” ° chief environmental health inspector Mike Harnadek said in a prepared release.

Harnadek said the quality of drinking water in the Central Kootenay is a“major problem”.

: “In fact, our health unit has the highest number of contaminated

_..water systems in the province.”

He pointed our thar this year 86 communities are on boil restric- tions after fecal organisms were found in their water supplies.

4 Among the 86 communities

Water Specified Area.

legar and the Ootischenia Irrigation District are not includ- ed in the offending systems.

The Robson-Raspberry Irri- gation District and the Blueber- ry Creek Irrigation District are also not included, through they have been warned that their sys- tems do not consistently meet health regulations.

Harnadek said that the prob- lem with the communities on the offenders’ list is that they use surface water.

“Because all these communi- ties use surface source water originating from open water- sheds, it is very Casy for bacteria to enter their systems.”

He said the 86 communties have been informed that they must

are thie South Brilliant C ty Well, two Thrums Creek water systems, the Tarrys Creck Water

meet the requirements set out in incial health 6

pr See WATER 2A

Jim Chapman named citizen of the year —

RON NORMAN

Sun Editor

Longtime Castlegar resident Jim Chapman is Castlegar’s 1995 Citizen of the Year.

“I was surprised,” Chapman told The Castlegar Sun in an inter-

«view. “Really surprised, because

there are so many dedicated peo- pie in this town. I thought it was a very nice gesture.”

A writer and one-time politi- cian, Chapman has lived in Castlegar for almost 30 years. He arrived with his wife Ada and four children in 1966. He worked for B.C. Tel for 35 years until his

Chapman’s list of accomplish- ments is long. He helj the Selkirk Lions Club in 1971, was their charter president and is still a member.

He served on Castlegar council for two terms and when he stepped down, continued on as the city representative on the Castle- gar and District Library board.

Chapman was a founding member_of the Castlegar Writers. Guild and has been treasurer of the group for the last 15 years.

He has also. been involved with

See CHAPMAN 2A

KAREN KERKHOFF Sun Staff

Unenlightened thief nabs Buddha statue

neighborhood kids first, but he wasn" t getting anywhere,”

thief apparent- ly pee for some spiritual enlightenment walked off with

a statue of a Buddha from a

d Cpl. Dave Beach of the Castlegar RCMP.

Beach wonders what any- one would want with a 36-

south-end home. Castlegar RCMP are inves- ve the theft of the 36- kilogram, 320-centimetre-high Buddha from a residence in the 300 block of 33rd Street. The Buddha, a cement lawn ornament, was stolen sometime between March 17 and 18 along with eight 170- centimetre-high statues of Buddhas and samurais, but the owner didn’t report the items missing until March 20. “He [the owner] asked the

ddha and cight

samurais, but concluded that someone wanted them enough to steal them.

“The thief broke down the fence trying to take it out.”

RCMP are requesting that the public keep their eyes open for the Buddhas and samnurai and call the police if they have any information regarding the theft.

“If someone put it in their yard someone would see it and maybe say something to

here's still time to join The Great Paper Chase

heart- break hotel

Castlegar Rebels were defeated In five games in the KIJHL playoff final /10A

i SOS to city council

The Save Our Footbridge Committee

wants the city

to take over the CP Rall footbridge /2A

PROFILE

Part two of Marilyn Strong's adventures on the Internet /1C