Regional jobless rate increases in region

KINGSTON ­ The regional unemployment rate increased in November, according to figures released by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).

The jobless rate for the region that includes South Grenville was 6.1 per cent last month. The October rate was 5.8 per cent.

The goods-producing and service sectors reported employment reductions in November, an HRDC news release stated. Decreases occurred in agriculture, construction, accommodation and food services, as well as in information, culture and recreation.

The unemployment rate in Nov. 2001 was six per cent.

The number of active employment insurance (EI) claims in the Kingston-Pembroke management area decreased slightly last month. The largest decrease occurred at the Prescott HRDC office; 759 claims were on the books at the end of November compared to 887 at the end of October.

HRDC notes the unemployment rate is not determined through assessment of EI claim data.

Shakespeare auditions to be held Saturday

PRESCOTT ­ Auditions for the upcoming St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival will be held this Saturday, Dec. 14 at South Grenville District High School.

The festival will be staged next June and July at the amphitheatre on Prescott's waterfront. Shakespeare's The Tempest, which will be the featured presentation at the 2003 edition of the festival, has a cast of 12. Professional actors who live in the area are welcome to audition between noon and 4 pm.

Those who do audition are asked to prepare two contrasting monologues, one of which shall be in verse.

There will also be opportunities for student apprentices between 14 and 18.

Volunteers who could offer their support to the festival in other ways are invited to attend a special meeting to be held after the auditions Saturday at 4 pm.

For more information or to set up an audition time, call Artistic Director Deborah Smith at (613) 989-1244. Visit the festival's Web site at www.stlawrenceshakespeare.com.

Spencerville community choir to host concerts

SPENCERVILLE ­ The Spencerville Community Choir will present "From a Distant Home," a multicultural concert Sunday, Dec. 15 at 3 pm and Monday, Dec. 16 at 7:30 pm at St. Andrew's Knox Presbyterian Church.

Tickets for both concerts will be available at the door.

Augusta insists fishers pose a real threat

Reeve says quota on wild animal must be increased

By Monica Whitney, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD ­ Augusta council remains convinced fishers are a problem in the township, despite a lengthy presentation from representatives of the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) who suggested the wild animal population is not increasing or is a danger to people.

"I say, why don't they change the quota right now," Reeve George Vail said following the presentation. "I didn't completely agree with everything they said. Study it here in Maynard, or study it in Maitland or study it in somebody's backyard. I think there's enough data right there to request it."

The issue of the apparent high population of fishers in Augusta Township was raised at council's Oct. 15 meeting by resident Nicole Yeatman, who claimed the small and vicious animals have been making regular appearances in residential areas and are endangering pets and people.

MNR officials were invited to attend a council meeting to address residents' concerns. Biologist Jason Ritchie attempted to dispel some misconceptions regarding fishers at Monday's meeting.

A secretive but inquisitive animal, an average adult male fisher weighs between 7.7 and 12.1 pounds, and is between 36 and 48 inches in length. A female weighs about five pounds. Because of the small size and a small mouth, it is not possible for fishers to kill a healthy deer and large livestock, and the animal is not a risk to human safety, Ritchie said.

Fisher populations tend to run in cycles, with the population peaking about every 10 years, said wildlife research scientist Jeff Bowman, who detailed several factors influencing the fisher life cycle. "There really is no (biological) justification for inceasing quotas," he said.

"I think I would be very confident in saying the fisher population will decline in the next" few years. The situation will pass "like a ship in the night."

Last year was a peak year, Bowman said, adding it will continue to decline for about the next six years before it increases again.

Biologist Scott Smithers said MNR relies heavily on information on the landscape from local trappers such as Darcy Alkerton; however, the ministry must look at all factors.

"All the evidence would suggest that we shouldn't be opening up the fisher harvest any further than what it is right now. The population is clearly not increasing right now."

It was noted at the meeting the Kemptville MNR district has the highest fisher quota in the province, which is one fisher per trapper per 400 acres, and one additional fisher per 400 acres of land on which a trapper has permission to trap.

The ministry is taking into account people's concerns regarding fishers, and this is a reason for continuing to study and collect data on the population through a radio collar program, Smithers said. Based on the evidence, the population appears to be declining, he added. "We monitor trends."

Alkerton noted at the meeting in a period of two-and-a-half weeks in March 2000, he trapped 30 nuisance fishers in 11 traps over 150 acres of Augusta Township.

"To say the population is going down is very falsified. There's residents here who have cats killed at their back doors..."

The primary reason fishers come into populated areas is for food, Smithers said. Eliminate garbage and cats around a house, and residents will eliminate fishers in the area, he said. As well, the fisher will act aggressively and defend itself if the animal feels it can't escape or is cornered. It can be dangerous to get between freedom and a fisher, Smithers said.

Reeve Vail felt it was unreasonable for MNR to suggest residents keep their cats indoors because of fishers. "We're not here to say we want to rid Augusta Township or Grenville County of fishers. As long as they're in their habitat, I don't have any problem." Vail said people have seen several fishers in their subdivisions and various areas in the township.

"We're not here on a witch hunt for you people," Vail said. "Allowing trappers to take more of a quota will help reduce them, and that's what I want you guys to seriously think about."

Smithers said he would love to open up the quota, because it would free up so much MNR time not having to respond to citizen complaints about fishers. "Unfortunately, all the data we have" indicates leaving nature alone. "I'm dying to find one scrap of data that would suggest something is happening other than what we've described to you here this evening."

Seeing fishers in several subdivisions throughout the township should be enough evidence to increase the quota, Vail said. However, Smithers said fishers in urban settings is not an indication of a high population, but suggests the fisher is going into alternative habitats to find food, such as cats. Fishers generally eat mice, shrews, voles, birds, carrion, frogs, snakes, vegetation and medium-sized mammals.

An animal's main purpose in life is to reproduce so the species can continue, so it is therefore not in the fisher's best interests to attack a person, Smithers said. "It would not make sense; animals are programmed to ensure they survive."

Vail said he would schedule another meeting in a larger hall to discuss fishers if there is enough interest.

High school crosswalk illegal because of new traffic lights: town

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Some people believe the crosswalk on Edward Street in front of South Grenville District High School is unsafe.

It now appears the crosswalk is also illegal.

Town officials noted at Prescott council's committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday night the pedestrian crosswalk will likely have to be removed as a result of the installation of traffic lights at the intersection of Edward, Prescott Centre Drive and the entrance and exit to the eastbound lanes of Highway 401.

A provincial regulation indicates a marked crosswalk shall not be located within 90 metres of traffic lights, town officials reported Monday.

Safety concerns about the crosswalk and recent changes to lane configurations on Edward Street near the intersection prompted council to ask Town Engineer Clyde Solomon and Police Chief Bryan Somerville to review the situation and report back to council.

The lane changes were approved and implemented by the Ministry of Transportation as a result of the traffic signals and the addition of Prescott Centre Drive. Solomon said the ministry is also reviewing the situation, although it is not known what action if any will be taken to resolve those concerns.

A ministry spokesperson based in Toronto told The Journal last week she was still waiting for officials at the district level to provide information with which she could respond to concerns that have been raised by town and high school officials.

The town is considering options for the northern section of Edward Street, including a new sidewalk for portions of the west side of the street. One of the issues to be addressed is where students and other people would be directed to go to cross Edward safely if the crosswalk at Victor Road were to be eliminated.

Any major work to replace crosswalks or add sidewalks would likely have to wait until next spring, according to Solomon.

Town officials appear to be frustrated with the process and dealing with the ministry and its rules.

"If it (the crosswalk) is illegal, why didn't the ministry tell us that?" said Councillor Terry McConnell.

Some town officials have pointed out new lane markings on Edward Street may not be visible at times this winter because they will be covered with snow. There is no overhead or other signage advising motorists there are left-turn lanes northbound and southbound on Edward.

Local students make gains in most recent test results

BROCKVILLE ­ Upper Canada District School Board officials have indicated they are pleased with improvements shown in test results for grades 3, 6 and 9.

The results, which were released last Thursday by Ontario's Education Quality and Accountability Office, indicate Upper Canada students are making gains in reading, writing and mathematics. Although many board-wide averages remain below provincial levels, some of the local numbers exceed the Ontario averages.

"We are very proud of our achievement," stated Superintendent of Education Eleanor Newman in a news release.

In terms of reaching the provincial standard, Upper Canada Grade 3 students who wrote the tests in May of this year scored and average of six percentage points higher in writing, five points in reading and three in mathematics compared to results from the previous year. Those increases are higher than the gains reported province-wide, the board noted.

Between 47 and 55 per cent of local Grade 3 students met provincial standards in the three main subject areas.

"We have provided significant training for primary teachers in using research-based practices such as guided reading methodology and levelled books..." Newman said.

The 2002 test results for Upper Canada Grade 6 students show increases of five per cent in reading and two per cent in writing. However, there was no improvement noted in mathematics. Forty-six per cent of local Grade 6 students who wrote the math test scored marks of 70 or greater; the provincial average was 56 per cent.

"Our (Grade 6) students achieve reasonably well in each of the five different strands of mathematics but need to work on problem-analysis and problem-solving, application of mathematical procedures and communication of mathematical thinking," an Upper Canada media backgrounder stated.

As for Upper Canada Grade 9 students who wrote the mathematics test in 2002, the percentage of students who received passing grades is increasing and is greater than the provincial average. Two-thirds of the Upper Canada students met the provincial standard.

In the case of Grade 9 results, the board reports there is not much difference between boys and girls in terms of mathematics. There is, however, a gender gap in reading and writing results in primary grade results. Grade 6 girls scored 21 and 17 percentage points higher than boys in writing and reading tests respectively. The 2002 results showed marginal improvement in the so-called gender gap among Grade 3 students, according to the board.

Individual reports for each school were not included in results issued last week. Those reports will be available at the end of January.

The public board operates schools in Prescott, Cardinal, Spencerville, Johnstown, Shanly, Maynard, Maitland and Algonquin.

Artist's book reveals a deep passion for painting

By Monica Whitney, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT ­ Internationally-known Prescott artist J. Allison Robichaud is continuing his journey of discovery through the release of his first-ever book, The Reflective Stepping Stones of a Painter.

Primarily an oil painter of landscapes and floral still lifes, Robichaud will release his three-year writing effort this Saturday, Dec. 14 during a book-signing at The Gift Lane.

"The book is more or less me trying to convince myself to stay on my path," Robichaud said from his Jessup Street home and studio last week. "I don't paint for pleasure; it's an obsession."

The self-taught artist noted that while it is his goal to be featured at the National Gallery of Canada, what is truly important to him is to "be on the journey of discovery all the time. Everything is constantly driven toward achieving my goal. The ultimate goal is to find a way of uniquely expressing myself."

Robichaud also noted he never stops writing. While his imagination and insights are typically revealed through brush strokes on canvas, Robichaud also lets his pen do the work. He analyzes and records every painting in writing, and keeps detailed plans and checklists as well. The Reflective Stepping Stones of a Painter is an extension of his experience and ideas about the process of becoming a painter.

"The book is about a philosophical struggle about how to get there," he said, adding it covers the tremendous effort and tools needed to accomplish the task of achieving for yourself the right to say, 'I am a great painter.'

Robichaud's book "is about the belief that you and only you can take you where you want to go to achieve your goals."

He has had 20 solo exhibitions, and as a testament to his success, Robichaud exhibited this past summer with the exclusive Institute of Figurative Arts based in Quebec City. Thirty-five "magnificent" artists from nine countries were invited to attend the symposium in Saguenay, Quebec.

"It was quite intimidating to be among those people," Robichaud explained of the symposium.

Robichaud has painted at least 2,000 works, but only about 200 to 250 exist, and the remainder he destroys. One painting is a result of all the others that have gone before, he explained, and a destructive process had to take place for a painting to appear in total perfection and complete uniqueness.

"If you want to achieve the look and the quality in your painting then you need to not keep the paintings that don't work and only keep your absolute best."

Heather MacKay writes her first book of poetry

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - Local author Heather MacKay's first book of poetry, Bits of Hope, has been a long time in coming.

The Prescott native has been writing poetry all her life, but just eight years ago started to collect it in a journal which became Bits of Hope.

"This is poetry I have written through different times in my life," says MacKay. "It deals with persons, pets, circumstances and different moments in my life which warranted prose and reflections in the journal."

The 115-page book includes a random sampling of her passion for poetry, and MacKay wanted to make sure it didn't go to waste.

"Why would you just leave it in a journal; it's something that I felt should be shared," explained MacKay. "Not everyone may agree, but I felt it was good enough to share."

MacKay's involvement with the Food For All food bank also helped inspire the author to put her poems into a book.

"I've been doing a lot of work with the food bank and trying to find out ways to help them out," says MacKay. "I figured that a toonie from the price of every book could go to the food bank."

The local author is already working towards her new collection, "Dark Sighed," which will likely take samplings from her novelette with over 100 more poems.

"For me the poetry is a way of dealing with a lot of things," says MacKay.

She dedicates the book to her daughter Jayme.

Bits of Hope is available at The Gift Lane in downtown Prescott.

Fireside Christmas to feature holiday songs and stories

PRESCOTT ­ "A Fireside Christmas" will be presented this Friday, Dec. 13 at 8 pm at St. John's Anglican Church, corner of James and Centre streets.

The Brockville Community Choir will perform at the concert, which will feature music and stories for the season.

The Venerable Michael Pollesel will be master of ceremonies, and Canon Doug Burns and Vivienne Cudlipp will be readers.

A free-will offering will be accepted at the door.

Refreshments will be served at the event.

Three authors to appear at book-signing Saturday

PRESCOTT ­ Three local residents will be at The Gift Lane this Saturday, Dec. 14 from 11 am to 2 pm to attend a book-signing.

J. Allison Robichaud, Heather MacKay and John Morris will be on hand for the event.

Robichaud and MacKay have just published their first books.

VON volunteers invited to tea

PRESCOTT - The VON "Angel" tea will be held Friday, Dec. 13 in the auditorium at the Health Centre on King Street West.

The tea runs from 1:30 pm until 3:30 pm with all VON volunteers invited to attend.

United Way campaign closes in on 2002 target

More than $625,000 raised in region as of Monday

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

LEEDS AND GRENVILLE ­ The United Way of Leeds and Grenville is closing in on its 2002 fundraising target of $675,000.

As of Monday, the local United Way campaign had raised about $627,000.

The fall campaign was to have officially ended Friday, but there were plans at the beginning of this week to extend this year's drive.

Executive Director Judi Baril told The Journal Monday she is pleased the campaign had reached 92 per cent of its goal. It has been difficult across all sectors to raise money this fall, according to Baril.

However, she noted the Leeds and Grenville branch is better off than some of the other campaigns in the region.

"I'm feeling very happy where we are right now," Baril said.

Twenty-five agencies which receive United Way funding in the united counties serve more than 23,000 people each year.

The 2001 campaign was also extended in December; last year's target of $650,000 was eventually reached.

Baril said she is confident the money is out there; not all companies have reported their final contributions, and some may be willing to adjust their donations when they realize the campaign is coming up a bit short of its goal.

"Hopefully, we'll be able to get there," Baril said.

The Leeds and Grenville United Way office is located on George Street in Brockville can be reached at 342-8889.

Nearly 300 people sign up for Spirit of Giving

PRESCOTT - The annual Spirit of Giving Campaign is off to a good start with plenty of support from the community.

With close to 300 people registered to receive food from the drive, Prescott Kinsmen Club President Dave Travis believes the campaign will be a success.

"We had a good response from the South Grenville students canvassing and got a good collection at the parade," says Travis. "We could always use the donations; it really helps out a lot when people buy a couple extra cans at the grocery store and drop them into out donation bins."

Travis also reports the numbers registered are up from last year, but donations remain about the same.

Devin Payne, co-chair of the high school's Spirit of Giving Committee, is happy with the results after finishing the door-to-door drives.

"We did pretty well in Prescott, Cardinal and Spencerville, everyone was pretty good and very generous," says Payne. "Now we've gotten down to sorting and collecting the rest of the food from the area schools participating."

Sorting of the canned goods and other non-perishable food and household items will begin Dec. 20, at the high school with baskets being given out Sunday, Dec. 22.

The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers are also getting into the spirit as their game Sunday will be Spirit of Giving day where anyone who brings a canned good will get a dollar off their admission to the game.

Donations are still being excepted in the barrels at schools in the community, Giant Tiger, Canadian Tire and O'Reilly's Your Independent Grocer or by sending them to the Kinsmen Club of Prescott at PO Box 1150, Prescott K0E 1T0.

In addition to distributing holiday baskets, Spirit of Giving will also be assisting the Food For All food bank with its ongoing service to residents of Prescott, Augusta and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal.

OPP NEWS

Van stolen in North Augusta found in Brockville

AUGUSTA ­ A stolen van containing two poodles was recovered by police. The theft took place outside a store in North Augusta just after 8 pm Dec. 6; the owner had left her unlocked vehicle running. OPP Constable McDade began an investigation and was advised by the owner her wallet had been recovered in the Dairy Queen parking lot in Brockville. The constable located the van a short time later in a Scoffield Street parking lot in the city. The dogs were found unharmed and returned to a grateful owner. The van was held by the Brockville Police Service for examination; Constable McDade is continuing the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call the local detachment at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

RIDE checks lead to impaired driving charge

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ One impaired driving charge was laid as a result of RIDE checks conducted by local OPP officers between Nov. 28 of Dec. 4. More than 1,300 vehicles were checked; the impaired charge was laid against a 21-year-old Edwardsburgh/Cardinal woman. Two 12-hour licence suspensions were issued. There were also three Liquor Licence Act charges and three Highway Traffic Act warnings.

Vehicle stop results in drug bust

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ OPP Constable Duke stopped a vehicle for speeding on Highway 401 Dec. 9 at about 12:30 am. Upon further investigation, the constable located a quantity of what was believed to be hashish. A 27-year-old Ottawa man faces charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession for the purposes of trafficking.

Driver to face possession charge

AUGUSTA ­ A vehicle was stopped by Constable Duke on County Road 21 Dec. 6 at about 8:45 pm. The driver, a 48-year-old Lyndhurst man, was arrested for impaired driving and possession of a controlled substance (marijuana).

Nevada decision is expected

Prescott council considers changes to ticket licence rules

PRESCOTT ­ A final decision on whether to proceed with changes to a town policy on Nevada ticket sales may come at next Monday's meeting of Prescott council.

A bylaw to amend the existing policy was introduced earlier this fall. At issue is the extent to which the municipality should require proceeds from sales of Nevada or so-called break-open tickets be given to local charities.

Councillor Garry Dewar, who supports the idea of keeping Nevada proceeds in Prescott, was prepared to put the motion to council members at a committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday night.

However, the matter was put off for another week and is to be addressed at the next council meeting.

Although the municipality issues Nevada ticket licences, provincial groups can receive licences from the government; a municipal bylaw requiring Nevada proceeds to stay in Prescott would not apply to those provincial agencies.

Councillor Jo-Anne Beckstead indicated she would prefer educating merchants who sell tickets in their stores rather than forcing them to only support Prescott-based charities and causes. Beckstead said the situation is similar to dictating whether bar and restaurant owners can permit smoking in their businesses, something she is not comfortable doing.

Dewar, who claimed an out-of-town charity has been making threats to local businesses with respect to the rule change being considered by council, insists the town is not doing enough to look after its local groups.

He also suggested those groups would have difficulty getting Nevada licences in Augusta and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal townships because of what he referred to as "an unwritten policy."

Christmas program to be held at church

PRESCOTT ­ Seaway Christian Church will present "The Real Truth About Christmas" this Sunday, Dec. 15 at 6:30 pm.

Refreshments will follow the program; a free-will offering will be accepted. The church is located at 349 Churchill Road.

For more information, call 925-5840.

Imagine 151 students joining millions around the world to read for 2003 seconds

By Patricia Mayer, Principal,, Algonquin Public School

That's exactly what every Algonquin Public School student was doing during his or her noon hour Friday, Dec. 6. As a matter of fact, they joined millions of people across Canada and the world who had signed up for the Scholastic Book Fair challenge.

At Algonquin, we make reading an important part of every day. "Catching" students reading for the love of it is an every day occurrence. If you want to know a good book to read, just ask a Grade 5 student. They will tell you which books they would recommend and why.

Reading, writing, listening, and speaking are the focus of our solid literacy block of 80 minutes each day. Whereas the content used to deliver the program varies, science topics and social studies are two of the vehicles we use to develop literacy skills. Students learn how to research, skim, take jot notes, as well as how to write summaries, letters and short stories. It is thanks to the partnership that we have with our Township Library that students in all primary and junior classes make weekly visits to the library. That's a real bonus!

Students in Grade 2/3 have the special privilege of working with our Literacy Coordinator, Mrs. Jamie Nyland, who was responsible for getting students "revved" up for this challenge. Grade 3/4 students had a special role to play on Friday, Dec. 6 as they read to their kindergarten buddies. Grade 1/2 students have buddies too. Parents who joined their children were impressed with the reading strategies that the older students shared with their younger buddies. Needless to say, students were particularly excited if one of their parents was able to take time from their day to join them at school for this reading marathon.

Even though Dec. 6 has come and gone, we encourage you to accept our challenge and share your love of reading with someone who is special to you. This even can be done at work - just pack a book, magazine, or other favourite piece of literature and join in the fun. It can be done independently or with others, any time. The 24 parents and community members who came to the school Friday will tell you no special lighting is required and there's no need for comfy arm chairs (although that would have been a plus!) It's the people that make it happen.

SCHOOL SCENE

SOUTH EDWARDSBURG PUBLIC SCHOOL: Yesterday, our school choir had the special privilege, under the volunteer leadership of Mrs. Rawlings, to perform for the seniors' Christmas celebration at Johnstown United Church.

Our newcomb ball team is attending a tournament at Maitland Public School today.

Grades 5 through 8 are exploring their artistic talents tomorrow, painting a ceramic piece with Mrs. Amell of Ceramics Plus.

A recognition assembly will be held Friday at 11:30. Students who have consistently demonstrated behaviour that shows "caring and consideration" for others in the school will be recognized.

At the beginning of our magazine and Christmas fundraiser, a challenge was made to the students. That challenge was met. Does Principal Mr. Hess have to dye his hair blue? Oh, yes! We acknowledge all the students and school supporters for making these fundraisers such a great success.

ST. JOSEPH CATHOLIC SCHOOL ­ We are well into our second week of Advent, and we are patiently awaiting the birth of Jesus. A special acknowledgement to Ms. Bongard's Grade 5 class for the excellent job it did on our Advent celebration last week. Just a reminder that our Advent mass will take place this Wednesday, Dec. 11 at 11 am. All parents and friends are welcome to attend.

The teacher/student volleyball game will also take place Wednesday during noon hour. Our grade 7 and 8 students had better practise hard if they think they can beat the teachers!

Our annual school Christmas dinner will take place this Friday in our school gymnasium. Due to large numbers, we will have to have two sittings. Please remember to bring in your food items Friday morning. We appreciate all our families for donating food items for this event.

We are pleased to announce that due to the large amount of money we raised during our Regal fundraising event, Regal has donated a computer to our school.

We are still collecting cans for the Spirit of Giving campaign. We need many more cans to beat last year's total of 1,002, so all are encouraged to bring their cans in as soon as possible.

Congratulations to our students of the week: Mercedes Visser, Miranda Burton, Joshua Lebrun, Aleisha Gillis, Brendan Stitt, Jesse Sturgeon, Maria Illigan, Melanie McEwan and Melissa Baker.

ST. MARK CATHOLIC SCHOOL: This week (Dec. 9), we celebrate the second week of Advent. We attended Advent mass Monday at St. Mark's Catholic Church.

We continue to collect food items for the Spirit of Giving and Food For All food bank. Grade 3A has issued a challenge to all other classes at St. Mark this second week of Advent to match its food items collected. Each class will be providing us with a tally.

On Dec. 9, 10 and 11, our students visited Fort Wellington to experience a barracks Christmas. We acknowledge our school council that paid for this field trip.

The hot lunch this week is pizza (Wednesday for JK/SK A and Thursday for JK/SK B to Grade 3.

Our Santa's Little Helper fundraising order is scheduled to arrive this week.

WALKER HOUSE NEWS

The euchre and cribbage players had a turkey dinner with all the trimmings Thursday night. We appreciate all those who helped put it on the table and to the clean-up crew. Everyone stayed for euchre to finish a good evening.

Many people joined us Sunday for our Christmas open house. What an excellent display from the "artists" and "craftsmen." We have many talented members and they were quite willing to share their completed articles for the display. We also sang a few of the familiar Christmas songs. As usual, the kitchen staff were able to set us out a Christmas feast. Ron Shannon was the lucky winner of the quilt draw. We acknowledge everyone for their support and for taking the time to stop and say hello.

Congratulations to Barb and Doug on their 60th anniversary.

Card game winners: Monday bridge ­ 1st, Mary Reynolds; 2nd, Ruth Britnell; door prize, Delia Seeley. Wednesday night bridge ­ 1st, Peggy Devine; 2nd, Margaret Nesbitt and Audrey Kingston; draw, Peggy Devine. Thursday euchre ­ 1st, Eleanor Gilligan; 2nd, Bernice Arcand; 3rd, Alice Crowder; door prize, Louie Boscy.

Ehr-hu (Chinese violin) delights Prescott audience

FORT TOWN CONCERT REVIEW By COLIN BOAG

It was reasonable to assume that the majority of the audience in St. Andrew's Presbyterian Church in Prescott last Tuesday evening (Dec. 3) had never before attended an ehr-hu recital. By the end of the evening, through a combination of natural charm and dazzling technique, George Gao, accompanied on piano by Jacynthe Riverin, had the whole audience on its feet demanding to hear more.

The recital, the second in the Fort Town Concert Association's 2002/2003 season, was sponsored by Dr. G. Shankar of the Prescott Chiropractic Centre and by Drs K. Hansen and L. McIntosh, Family Dentistry Centre.

The ehr-hu, pronounced "are who," is a strange looking instrument having only two strings with the bamboo/horsehair bow fixed between them. It dates back some 1,500 years but all the music in this recital, much of it either composed by or arranged by Gao, was written after 1930. As one indicator of why Gao is regarded as the undisputed master of this instrument, one of his compositions, "Capriccio for Ehr-Hu," has been selected as the compulsory exercise for contestants in the 2002 international ehr-hu competition in China.

The recital opened with two solo pieces, "The Moon Mirrored on Water Spring," followed by "Listen to the Pines," both composed by Arbin in the late 1930s. Arbin was described as a struggling street musician who, through these compositions, attempted to raise patriotic fervour at a time when China was being threatened by Japanese invasion. To our Western ears, this music came across as strange, heavy and hence somewhat difficult to listen to. It was followed by a delightful, fun piece, "Birds Singing on the Empty Mountains."

For the remainder of the recital, Gao was accompanied by Jacynthe Riverin on piano. The two instruments in the hands of this talented duo complemented each other perfectly. The result was music that at times was emotionally loaded ("The Qing Melodies") at others was foot-stompingly good or just plain fun as in a rendition of Erroll Garner's "Misty" which saw Gao strolling around the stage serenading Riverin to the chuckles and outright laughter of the audience.

After the performance, as Gao mingled with the departing audience autographing copies of his CDs, the most frequently heard words were amazing, amazing and amazing.

Earlier in the day, the duo played before an audience of music students at South Grenville District High School.

The next concert in the Fort Town Concert Association's 2002/2003 series is scheduled for February and will feature a return to more traditional classical music in the form of a cello and piano recital by Benoit Loiselle and Francois Zeitouni featuring works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn and Chopin.

Have breakfast at Kriska and support hospital fund

PRESCOTT ­ Kriska managers will be cooking breakfast later this month, and the community is being invited to enjoy a meal and support a hospital fund created in memory of company founder Ken Seymour.

Breakfast will be served Friday, Dec. 20 from 6 to 10 am at the Kriska warehouse and training centre on Sophia Street. The hearty meal will include eggs, bacon and pancakes. Tickets can be purchased at the door.

All proceeds from the event will go to the Ken Seymour Endowment Fund which was established earlier this year by the Kemptville District Hospital Foundation. Kriska employees have committed to raise more than $100,000 for the fund. Interest from the fund will be used for various projects and medical equipment while the principal remains intact.

"Mr. Seymour has touched the lives of many and we are now looking to those individuals to assist us to reach our goal for this endowment fund that will help Kemptville District Hospital now and well into the future," stated Murray Campbell, vice-president of finance and administration at Kriska Transportation.

Kriska, which was founded in 1978, has become Prescott's largest employer and one of the biggest trucking companies in Ontario.

CNIB cash calendars now available

PRESCOTT ­ The 2003 Canadian National Institute for the Blind (CNIB) Cash Calendar is now on sale at two locations in Prescott.

Copies of the calendar, which features nature prints by four Canadian artists and makes for a n ideal Christmas gift, are available at Sugold Jewellery and RBC Royal Bank.

Proceeds from calendar sales will stay in the region to support the many services offered by the Kingston district of the CNIB.

In addition to raising money for the non-profit organization, the cash calendar offers 1,200 chances to win cash throughout the year.

St. Lawrence Heritage Landscape Guide unfolds

LEEDS-GRENVILLE ­ A Heritage Landscape Guide of the Upper St. Lawrence area is being prepared to serve as a tool in building a deeper understanding of the natural and cultural richness of the region, it has been announced by History Alive, a Heritage Tourism project based in Brockville that promotes visitation to the wealth of heritage sites throughout the Kingston to Cornwall region.

It is expected the guide will be a source of information for people involved in education, for individuals in planning or making land-use decisions, and for individuals on tours and recreational excursions, explained Susan Fournier, History Alive co-ordinator.

History Alive promotes the area through its Web sites, www.historyalive.ca, the English language Web site, and www.revivezlhistoire.ca, the French language Web site.

The landscape guide is being prepared by a team of researchers from the Civics Research Group at the University of Waterloo, and individuals and groups from the region who have an interest in the Upper St. Lawrence region.

The project is supported by the Ministry of Tourism and Development and the Ministry of Culture, Ontario. Co-ordinators of this project are Fournier and Gordon Nelson, chair of the Civics Research Group.

The landscape guide will use photographs, concept illustrations, tables, drawings and maps, supported by explanations and descriptions to present the natural and cultural landscape of the region, the interplay between human and natural forces, their evolution over time, changes that are underway today and why, and possible futures for the region, Fournier said.

Information will be gathered from the latest reports on the region, historical documents detailing the past, and the insights and knowledge of individuals who live in the region.

The guide will also include a list of Web and literature references for those interested in exploring topics further.

The project was launched Oct. 10 and is planned for completion by May 20, 2003.

The involvement of interested and knowledgeable individuals and groups, especially those from the St. Lawrence region, is welcome, Fournier said.

To help co-ordinate and discover the various themes in this program, open houses and discussion sessions have been scheduled for today, Wednesday, Dec. 11 in Gananoque, and on Thursday, Dec. 12 a repeat of the workshop will be held in Morrisburg.

To find out more about the guide or sessions, contact Susan Fournier at (613) 283-1713, or visit the Web site at www.civics.ca.

Men's group to serve holiday season breakfast Saturday

PRESCOTT ­ A holiday season breakfast meeting of the Seaway Men's Ecumenical Group will take place this Saturday, Dec. 14 at 8 am at St. Paul's United Church, corner of George and Dibble streets.

The all-you-can-eat breakfast includes fruit cocktail, a variety of muffins as well as tea, coffee and orange juice. The program features Christmas carols and poetry. Louise Mayes will play the piano.

All are welcome to come and enjoy the fun.

Tickets can be purchased at the door.

Join the community for holiday season dinner

PRESCOTT ­ The second annual "Soup for the Soul" community Christmas dinner will once again be bringing together residents of the Prescott area this holiday season.

The dinner will be held Sunday, Dec. 22 at St. Mark's Parish Centre, which is located at the corner of Edward and James streets in Prescott.

It is being organized by Kaitlynn Dodge and Mackenzie Eaton, two friends and classmates from Prescott who came up with the concept in the fall of 2001when they were in Grade 10 at St. Mary Catholic High School; they put together a successful event that fed nearly 200 people last December.

Organizers have their sights set on feeding between 300 and 400 people at this year's dinner.

"We think there will be a lot more people this year," Dodge said.

Eaton and Dodge are asking those who plan to attend the dinner to pre-register. This is being done to get a handle on how much food needs to be prepared. Registration is not required; those who did not sign up in advance will still be able to attend the dinner.

For more information on Soup for the Soul or to let organizers know you plan to attend the dinner, call Kaitlynn Dodge at 925-4665 or Mackenzie Eaton at 925-1383.

Senior Lights Tour will brighten spirits next Wednesday in the Prescott area

PRESCOTT ­ The annual Senior Lights Tour will take place Wednesday, Dec. 18.

Presented by the Prescott Kinsmen and Knights of Columbus, the free tour gives senior citizens an opportunity to see Christmas displays in an area extending from Maitland to Johnstown.

Two full-size buses and one wheelchair-accessible bus will be rented for the occasion.

The buses will pick up passengers between 6 and 6:30 pm at several locations in town: Wellington House, Mayfield House, Walker House, Prescott Place and St. Mark's Parish Centre.

Following the tour, refreshments and entertainment will be provided at St. Mark's Parish Centre.

Passengers will be returned to their pick-up locations and escorted to their buildings.

All services are free due to the efforts of the Kinsmen and Knights of Columbus.

Council meeting time changed to permit interviews of final two candidates for CAO/clerk

PRESCOTT ­ Next Monday's meeting of Prescott council will start earlier than usual to enable council to interview the two final candidates for the position of CAO/clerk.

The Dec. 16 meeting will begin at 6:30 pm at the health centre on King Street West. Mayor Robert Lawn said he expects the meeting will be over by about 7:30 pm.

Andrew Brown, who had served as municipal clerk for more than a decade, resigned earlier this fall to become CAO of South Dundas Township.

Twenty-six applications were received by the town; the Prescott position was advertised provincially, the mayor noted.

Of the five applicants who were shortlisted, four were interviewed last week.

Town Treasurer Laurie Kirkby has been appointed acting CAO by Prescott council.

Toys, mittens being accepted at food bank

PRESCOTT ­ The Food For All food bank is accepting donations of toys and mittens for boys and girls up to the age of 12.

The food bank, which serves residents of Prescott, Augusta and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, is located across from the Prescott Legion on Henry Street. The facility is open Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"We're not here on a witch hunt for you people."

Editor's Notebook - Volunteers needed

As the new year approaches, municipalities are seeking volunteers who will serve on various committees and boards. It should come as no surprise that the success of many community-based projects and services can be attributed to the people who are willing to offer their time to attend meetings, organize fundraisers and perform other duties.

In the case of Prescott, there is a pressing need for new volunteers to come forward. The Forwarders' Museum Board is no longer active, and the future of the facility as both a museum and tourist information centre may be in jeopardy if more members of the public do not come forward. Volunteers who have served in the past may have become frustrated with having limited funds with which to operate and being turned down for government grants which would have given the museum a much-needed boost. Even though it can be frustrating at times, being a volunteer can also be a rewarding experience.

The public library is another community resource that needs additional people to oversee its operations and provide support to a service that does not receive unlimited funds from the municipality. Libraries tend to boast the largest membership of any group or organization in any community, and South Grenville is no exception. With that in mind, it is important to ensure libraries provide a wide range of services to people of all ages. Fundraising has become an essential element of all libraries, and the continuing efforts of so-called "Friends" groups are critical to the future of these facilities.

Although Prescott Youth Centre may not have as big a membership as the library, it too provides a valuable service to children and young adults who seek a place in which they can hang out in a supervised environment. By offering special activities or just a place to go, the youth centre can make a difference in the lives of some youngsters in the Prescott area. Like other organizations, though, it needs people to serve on its board.

As Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn says, the quality of life in a community has a lot to do with volunteers. This applies to town-related committees, service clubs and school councils. There is no shortage of opportunities for anyone who has a little or a lot of time to offer. Municipal offices in Augusta, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal and Prescott may be able to steer prospective volunteers in the right direction. There is also the Volunteer Bureau of Leeds and Grenville, a non-profit organization based in Brockville that connects individuals with groups that could use the help.

Prescott and other municipalities are calling on residents to do what they can to pitch in and make their communities better places in which to live. By answering that call, we collectively stand to benefit.

Tim Ruhnke

The road to prosperity paved with good intentions, but...

THE NEW GUY, Tim Ruhnke

It is unfortunate the arrival of the bigger and better Canadian Tire and grocery store has resulted in controversy and public concerns over changes to Edward Street in the vicinity of the Prescott Centre Drive intersection just south of Highway 401. The new stores are not to blame for what many motorists and town officials insist is a tragedy waiting to happen at or near the intersection. The last thing store owners want is for there to be trouble at the only access point to their businesses.

Progress comes at a cost, and it appears civic leaders are realizing that point in the north end of Prescott. The town has already committed $1.1 million this year to build Prescott Centre Drive, get rid of materials from an old dump located under a portion of the commercial property north of the high school and provide other services and features, including the traffic lights at that intersection. Any additional changes to Edward Street to address safety concerns for both motorists and pedestrians will cost extra. We have now been told the crosswalk at the high school is both unsafe and illegal. How the town will be able to balance the need for a secure and proper pedestrian crossing and the natural instinct of students and other people to cross Edward Street at Victor Road remains to be seen.

We also hear the Ministry of Transportation has been made aware of concerns regarding the lane changes on Edward Street and is reviewing the situation. We have not heard this directly from the ministry, though. The ministry appears to be busy working on the problem and unable to respond to questions from the media, other than to note they are working on it.

It has been suggested the ministry did not take into account traffic volumes resulting from the high school being so close to the intersection. To remove a southbound lane from Edward Street at the main entrance to the high school defies logic. Even if one were to accept the argument motorists will adapt to the changes over time, then at least the ministry could have put up better (or any) signage to advise drivers which lanes are for what. Road markings fade and are useless when covered by snow or ice.

It is a shame the good news stories of O'Reilly's Your Independent Grocer, Canadian Tire and McDonalds are being followed by concerns about changes to Edward Street. For the town's sake, here is hoping the ministry is serious about addressing those concerns and doing something about them.

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Town sets stage for waterfront development with land rezoning

Dec. 11, 1952

* Gordon Staton, personnel manager for the new RCA plant in Prescott, sees a grim housing picture for key personnel. Following a survey of accommodation, he states up to 70 managers will need housing by the end of next year. The men and their families will need to seek homes outside of Prescott, he said.

Dec. 12, 1962

* Population shrinkage continued to affect Prescott this year. There are now 5,201 people living in town. This is 55 fewer than in 1961, and 172 below the peak year of 1958. Migration to the suburban areas is given as the main factor in the decline.

Dec. 13, 1972

* Rezoning of Prescott's one mile of waterfront was unanimously supported by about 75 citizens at a public meeting to discuss the future trends of the community's great asset. The main desire at the meeting was the establishment of a marina, parkland and some commercial enterprise in apartments and stores. Other ideas included a medical centre and senior citizens apartments.

Dec. 8, 1982

* In her inaugural address, Prescott Mayor Sandra Lawn told councillors members they had to be adaptable, innovative and frugal.

Dec. 9, 1992

* The high exchange rate for American money is making this Christmas a merry one for local retailers. Alpine of Prescott owner Don Marshall said last week was the best he's had for sales in 20 years. Tighter controls at the border and a 30-cent exchange rate on American money are keeping shopping dollars local, agreed downtown businessman Wilf Peters.

Canadian Christians are downgrading the true meaning of Christmas

FORT TOWN DIARY

It might take as long as another 100 years, but then again, looking at Canadians' propensity for electing Liberal governments, it might only take about 50 years for us to forget completely about Christmas and the birth of Jesus Christ. Public pronouncements on this greatest of Christian festivals this year seem to opt for this 50 year demise of the meaning of Christmas

A Trip Back To The Future

Imagine the year to be 2052, the month is December, the place is St. John's Museum of Mysticism. Two elderly people, dressed in old time costumes like they wore back in the year 2000, are seated in front of the Greetings Tree, answering questions about old time religion being put forward by a group of post elementary, doctoral students.

"What did you older people call the Season's Greetings Celebration back in the last century?" asked a youngster from Kingston wearing a John Manley University tri-colour jacket.

"Up until about the year 1970 it was always called Christmas here in Canada, and it wasn't until about the turn of the century that members of the Christian religions started to refer to their greatest observance of the Christian faith, the birth of Jesus Christ, as sometimes the Festive Season, or Glad Tidings, or the 12 Days of Giving, or Deck the Halls Week, and dozens of other "happy" names, until all the ministers of the federal government and all the ministers of the provincial governments and all the ministers of the many Christian churches of the time, got together and decreed that this period of gift giving and feasting be officially named the Season's Greetings Festival," was one bearded elder's reply.

"There is still some mention of the birth of Christ, about him being the Son of God, and how he inspired the great religion of Christianity during our present day celebration of Seasons Greetings," another student remarked. "Many of our senior citizens put more emphasis on Jesus Christ than on Santa Claus at this time of year and those of us who have heard about the old times think the story about the three guys on camels is better than the one about a reindeer with a red nose. How come we don't hear more about these stories during Seasons Greetings Celebration?"

The elder with the funny shirt collar and no tie spoke up. He explained that the great religious festival of Christmas started to deteriorate about 100 years ago in Canada when Christians, after suffering the deprivations of World War II, were able to start lavishing gifts on each other as they emerged from over two decades of economic depression.

"No one got upset about this back then," he explained.

He noted, however, that in the decades to follow, Canada, which was almost exclusively Christian at the time, in a genuine Christian gesture, opened its doors to immigrants from all over the world, regardless of their race, colour, and most important of all, their religion.

"How come, sir," a student asked, "if this was such a Christian act that Christianity started to disappear and Christmas eventually became the Seasons Greetings Celebration?"

The elder who had answered the first question, fielded this one by explaining that Christians, by being sensitive to the religious freedom of others, and through being influenced by a socialistic segment of Canadians, shamed Canadian politicians, educators and journalists into removing almost all mention of Christianity from our schools, our newspapers, from TV and radio programs, and finally from our government assemblies and our courts.

"Under this guise," he explained, "there was such a press-led backlash against Christianity across Canada that even the Christian clergy in the comfort of their pews failed their congregations as godfearing crusaders."

An articulate young Ottawa student in the garnet and grey cassock of Joe Clark U. summed up the question period with the observation that Canadian Christians, because they were too polite to press for their religious rights, had allowed great religious festivals such as Ramadan, Yom Kippur, Eid-al-Fitr, Hanukkah, Hallowe'en, Navaratri and the Gay Foxes to be as important and influential in this country as Christmas.

And In Conclusion

This Christmas, even more than in previous years, it seems the religious aspect of the celebration is being down-played to the point that Christmas card creators, retailers, and even our politicians are finding ways of skirting the "Christ" word, hence our Seasons Greetings Celebration.

Canada Post has been successful in stamping out the annual exchange of Christmas cards, and even the few who still send Christmas cards to close friends and relatives are hard-pressed to find cards with a religious theme. Those of us on the receiving end of corporate Christmas cards, or president's choice or no-name creations from politicians, are made well aware that Christ is not a member of caucus.

Then there is Christmas music. The most joyous of all Christian music was written to celebrate the birth of Christ, and although we hear some of these carols played over the air waves at his time of year, the non-Christian songs and melodies dominate. The most played song of the Christmas celebration is Bing Crosby's rendition of "White Christmas", and it does not have one mention of Christ in its verses or chorus.

Others that are high on the royalties scale at this time of the year are Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer, and Alvin and the Chipmunks. Oh, how these make us shudder!

Meanwhile, during this Seasons Greetings Celebration, take time to celebrate Christmas and pray for Peace On Earth, Goodwill To Mankind.

Add a little sparkle this season with Community in Bloom event

CARDINAL - Get out your Christmas lights and be sure to have your walks shovelled because Cardinal in Bloom is staying active in the winter months with a Christmas house decorating contest.

The area being judged is the village of Cardinal, County Road 2 from Blair Road to Marine Coast Road, Marine Coast Road, Froom Road, Scott Road, Blair Road and Shanly Road up to Highway 401.

No registration is required as the entire area is to be judged.

Judging will take place the week of Dec. 16, with judges from out of town being brought in to judge appearances of homes during both the night and day.

Prizes for first, second and third place are gift certificates for hydro (Hydro One or Rideau St. Lawrence, depending on location) and ten honourable mentions will receive certificates and ornaments.

Cardinal in Bloom is also still taking orders to purchase trees from their Commemorative Tree Planting Program where trees can be purchased in memory of a loved one and will be planted in the area in the spring.

For more information on the Christmas decorating competition or to order a tree, contact Marj Kempffer at General Dollar at 657-1764 or Lori Pennell at 657-1400.

Weekend blaze leaves Shanly couple homeless

SHANLY - A couple was left homeless Saturday after a chimney fire caused severe damage to their home.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal firefighters responded to the blaze on Dobbie Road north of Shanly just after 4 pm, according to Fire Chief Jim Purcell.

"The cause of the fire, which began in the chimney, was most likely a problem with the wood stove," said Purcell. "There was a lot of smoke when we arrived, and the fire had begun to spread along the ceiling."

The fire damaged the home's upstairs and roof, while the rest of the house sustained smoke and water damage.

About 25 firefighters responded to the scene and remained there for about five hours, according to Purcell. No one was injured.

"After we got the fire under control we had to keep an eye on the hot spots," the chief said.

The names of the residents and whether they had insurance could not be provided by the chief. The couple is living with family until matters are settled, according to Purcell.

Goodies galore at Sea Cadet bake sale

CARDINAL - The Cardinal Navy League will be holding a Christmas Bake Sale and Silent Auction Saturday, Dec. 14.

The sale and auction will run from 8:30 am until 3 pm at the Village Square Mall in support of the Cardinal Sea Cadets.

CARDINAL BRIEFS

Share breakfast in Bethlehem and relive the Christmas story

Cardinal-Johnstown Pastoral Charge is inviting the public to experience its second annual Breakfast at Bethlehem, to take place this Saturday, Dec. 14 at St. John's United Church in Cardinal.

Visitors will be able to stroll through the streets of Bethlehem and see and talk with costumed characters narrating the Christmas Story.

Following the tour, a pancake breakfast will be held with children receiving a small gift.

Contact Gene Grey at 925-4152, Ann Brown at 925-2651, Donna Gladstone at 657-1671 or the church office at 657-4702 for more information.

Stamp club meets today

CARDINAL - The Cardinal Stamp Club will be holding its December meeting tonight (Wednesday, Dec. 11) at 7 pm at the Cardinal library.

The stamp club's January meeting will take place Wednesday, Jan. 8 at 7 pm at the Cardinal library.

Ukulele band presents festive Christmas Singsong Dec. 22

CARDINAL - The United Ukes will be hosting a sing-song of favourite Christmas songs and carols accompanied by the ukulele band or the piano.

The sing-song will be presented Sunday, Dec. 22 from 7 pm until 8 pm in the large hall at St. John's United Church.

Jr. B Rangers find winning ways in interleague play

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers have regained their winning form after a series of tough St. Lawrence division match-ups.

The Rangers battled hard to squeeze out a 5-4 overtime victory Saturday over the visiting North Frontenac Flyers, as Ranger defenceman Trevor Smith had a three-point game

"We played really well," says Rangers goaltender Devin Payne. "We had a bit of a soft game on Thursday, but the guys really came up big with a good performance."

The Rangers got off to a slow start as North Frontenac opened up a lead just under five minutes into the game, but South Grenville answered back a few minutes later when Ben Bowden was able to bang one past the Flyer netminder, with assists going to Smith and Tyler Libby.

The Flyers came back with another goal, but Smith answered back to tie things up, with Dave MacKinnon getting the assist.

North Grenville started the second period in a flurry scoring two unanswered markers, including one on the power play to take a 4-2 lead.

Late in the second Derek June scored his 16th goal of the year, with assists going to Peter Veltkamp and Libby to narrow the Flyers' lead.

Strong goaltending from Spencer Utman kept the Rangers in the game and allowed Eric Ruigrok to tie things up with a third period power play goal assisted by Smith.

Things ended tied at four after regulation, sending the game into overtime where Jason Van Lanan played the role of hero scoring with just over two minutes left in the overtime period with Drew Lawrence picking up the assist.

South Grenville also scored a win last Thursday in Picton as it squeezed out a 5-4 win over the Pirates.

The wins gave South Grenville sole possession of third place in the Rideau Division with 27 points just four points shy of the second place Gananoque Islanders with 31 points.

"Our win Saturday night made it two in a row," says Payne. "We had some tough games against the other division, but we've been playing pretty good lately and hope to continue the streak."

The Rangers travelled to Napanee last night to play the Raiders.

South Grenville will play host to the Amherstview Jets in a matinee game Sunday at 2:15 pm at the Cardinal and District Community Centre. Anyone who brings in a non-perishable food item for the Spirit of Giving campaign will get $1 off the price of admission.

Giants junior basketball team loses in tournament finals

BROCKVILLE - The South Grenville Giants junior boys basketball team had a strong start to its season advancing to the finals of a Referees Tournament at St. Mary High School in Brockville before losing to the host squad.

The Giants played in the same pool as Athens and Gananoque coming out of finals unbeaten, where they faced off against the St. Mary Crusaders who went through the tournament undefeated.

In their first match-up South Grenville defeated Athens 41-32.

Matt Alkerton, Brandon Duffy, Scott Hall and Mike Leeder led the way for the Giants on offence, as South Grenville pulled away late for the win.

In its second match-up, the Giants came up with a strong 57-45 win over Gananoque.

Hall led the way for South Grenville with 11 points, while Duffy and Mike Armstrong each Chipped in ten points apiece, while Alkerton, Craig Irvine and Chad Hyland played really well defensively.

In the final South Grenville was in tough against the tournament hosts as they lost to St. Mary 43-20.

"They were a very speedy team, and we were a little out matched defensively," explained coach Bob Hoy. "They were really good on defence and kept pressure on us all game."

Alkerton, Armstrong, Irvine and Hall all had solid games in the loss according to Hoy.

"We definitely won't be the tallest team out there," says Hoy. "We'll definitely make the most of our chances, as it will be a pretty competitive league."

South Grenville looks to take its positive experience into its next game tomorrow at Brockville Collegiate Institute starting at 3 pm, with the seniors to follow at approximately 4:30 pm, and Thursday, Dec. 19 at Rideau District High School.

Firedogs show their bark in novice house league action

CARDINAL - South Grenville novice house league hockey action has heated up with the South Grenville Firedogs winning three of their last four games.

On Nov. 18, the Firedogs pulled out a 4-2 win over the South Grenville Lightning Bolts as Joey Sargeant led the way with a hat trick for the Firedogs. Cody Knapp scored the Firedogs other marker, while Spencer Lee (2), Emily Colwell, Thomas Van Stralen, Kyle Berry and Danielle Joudoin had helpers.

Colin Hoyland and Broydon Stufko scored for the Lightning Bolts with Tyson Bertrend, Nathan Hamilton and Shane Riddell picking up assists.

On Dec. 2, the South Grenville Firedogs fell to the South Grenville Lightning Bolts 3-2.

Stufko, Hamilton and Bertrend scored for the Lightning Bolts, while Hamilton, Stufko and Brett Van Stralen had assists.

Sargeant scored both Firedog goals, with Spencer Lee picking up a helper.

On Dec. 4, the Firedogs came out with a strong performance to defeat Athens 6-3.

Jarrett Pitt led the way for the Firedogs with a hat trick, while Cody Knapp, Derik Bourgeois and Sargeant added singles, while Knapp, Sargeant, Colwell, Thomas Van Stralen, Matthew Boyd and Trevor Moore were credited with assists.

On Dec. 7, the Firedogs took a bite out of Kemptville with an 8-0 shutout victory.

Lee and Sargeant each had hat tricks for the Firedogs to lead the way, while Devin Johnston and Jesse Boyd picked up singles. Sargeant (3), Bourgeois (2), Johnston, Berry, Lee, Moore, Boyd and Thomas Van Stralen all picked up assists in the win.

Jarrett Pitt picked up the shutout for the Firedogs.

Minor midget B Rangers score pair of wins in league action

CARDINAL - The South Grenville minor midget B Rangers came out of last week's action with a pair of big wins.

On Dec. 4, the Rangers hosted the North Dundas Devils with South Grenville coming out on top 8-1.

Mike Armstrong led the way for the Rangers with a hat trick, while Jonathan Baldwin, Kurtis Summers, Sam Whitley, Kirk Donovan and Nick Maggio added singles.

Allan Hellyer had a strong game in goal for the Rangers.

On Dec. 7, the Rangers travelled to Kemptville where South Grenville was able to pull out a 7-3 win after a third period rally resulted in five unanswered goals.

Baldwin and Donovan opened up the Rangers scoring with a goal apiece to head into the third period down 3-2.

In the third period the Rangers came alive for five unanswered goals sparked by a hat trick by Armstrong, and singles by Summers and Sean McKinstry.

Ryan Wynands had a strong showing in net for South Grenville.

The Rangers' next home game is tonight in Cardinal at 8 pm against the Brockville Warriors.

Peewee #4 Rangers on a tear after winning two of three

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville peewee Rangers #4 have been on a hot streak with two wins in their last three games.

On Nov. 23, the Rangers #4 played a strong game to defeat NGS 3-1. Todd Kirkey led the way for South Grenville with two goals and Wendal Thompson added a single. Trevor Madden, Lucy Jodoin and Kelsey Dillabough had the assists, and goaltender Clarke Eaton had a strong performance in goal.

On Nov. 30, the Rangers had another strong game beating the North Dundas Devils 5-1. Kirkey had two goals for South Grenville while Thompson, Cam Pelehos and Danny Powers added singles. Jordy Fahrngruber, Cody Chretien, Jodoin, Kirkey and Thompson had assists. The Rangers also benefitted from the strong defensive play of Jason Deeks, Zach Bright, Thomas Polite and Dillabough.

On Dec. 7, the Rangers #4 played South Grenville #1 in a fast-paced game which South Grenville #1 won 4-1. Mike Marchand, Chris Rice, Josh Perrin and Brock Murphy scored for the Rangers #1, with assists going to Marchand, Aaron Greengrass and Stanley McNairn.

The Rangers #4 lone goal came from Kirkey, with assists going to Fahrngruber and Chretien.

Prescott rink fares well in first bonspiel

OTTAWA - The bantam girls rink from Prescott Curling Club had a good showing as it competed in its first bonspiel Dec. 8 in Ottawa.

The girls lost their first game to a strong Brockville rink 6-2.

In their second match-up, the Prescott rink lost to Huntley 9-0, before breaking into the win column with a 9-0 win over Buckingham to end the day on a positive note.

The bantam girls rink consists of Amber Moulton, Tara Kirkey, Amanda Lavery and Cassie Poole.

Atom B Rangers win host tourney

CARDINAL - Fresh off its win at the Pembroke Silver Stick Tournament the South Grenville atom B Rangers had a very strong showing including winning their host tournament Dec. 1 in Cardinal.

In their opening game South Grenville defeated Morrisburg 2-1 to advance to the A side of the draw. Ben Hutton scored both Ranger goals with Ryan Hanes and Kyle Lavery picking up assists. Mason Williams had a strong game in goal for the Rangers, while Jacob Hayes picked up the games hustler award.

The Rangers semi-final match-up saw South Grenville battle hard to pull out a 2-1 win over Kemptville to advance to the finals. Hutton and Lucas Stitt provided the Ranger goals while Scott Stephenson and Clark Seymour were credited with helpers. Richard Joudoin had a strong game in net while Seymour also picked up the games hustler award.

In the tournament final South Grenville battled the Loyalist Jets, with the Rangers pulling out a 3-2 win on a late third period goal.

Hutton and Lavery provided the other markers for the Rangers while Cory Wilson (3), Ryan Van Stralen and Seymour had assists.

Wilson won the hustler award.

RSL atom Kings have rough time in recent league games

SPENCERVILLE - The Rideau St. Lawrence atom Kings had a rough string of games as they managed one win in seven league games

On Dec. 1, the Kings lost a tough match-up 3-1 to the Ottawa Sting with Cody Johnson scoring the lone goal for the Kings.

On Nov. 24, the Kings travelled to Maxville where they lost 2-0 to the Seaway Valley Titans, despite the strong two-way play of Jordan Moran.

On Nov. 23, the Kings had a tough 3-0 loss against the Gloucester Rangers, despite Lance Hodgson and Ryan Vincent having strong games along the boards.

On Nov. 18, the Kings lost 4-0 to the Ottawa Sting, as RSL had a hard time finishing despite Jayson Harmer and Curtis Van Allen plugging away in front of the net.

On Nov. 17, the Kings scored a 2-0 win over Cumberland. Derrick Froats gave the Kings the lead in the third period, with the assist going to Cameron Armstrong. Eric Morotti added an insurance marker, assisted by Russell Hinch, for the win.

On Nov. 16, the Kings had a tough time with the Ottawa Valley Titans losing 7-2. The Rangers went up early as Josh Pitt scored, assisted by Michael McGahey, in the first. Pitt scored again in the second with Hinch and Morotti getting assists, but it proved too little as the Titans rallied for seven goals.

On Nov. 11, the Kings suffered a 2-0 loss to the Kanata Blazers, as Michael Lalande was strong between the pipes to keep the Kings in the game.

Minor peewee Kings fall one game short of tournament finals

PICKERING - The Rideau St. Lawrence minor peewee Kings travelled to Pickering Nov. 29 to compete in a tournament in which they advanced to the semi-finals before losing in a tough game.

In the Kings first game they played a very strong game defeating Oshawa 7-0. Michael Skakum led the way for the Rangers with three goals, while Jay Keller and Nick McCaslin each chipped in two. Marc Roy had three assists in the game, while Brett Jackson and Tyson Wilson had two apiece. Tom Allan and Justin Seguin shared the shut out.

In the Kings' second match-up, they downed Georgina 6-2. Scott Summers and Skakum led the way with two goals each, while Doug Utting and Jackson added singles. Keller had two assists, while Jackson, Kyle Pattemore, Brett Baker and Roy each had a helper.

In their third game, the Kings continued their dominant play with a 7-1 win over Waterloo. Roy, Jackson, Utting, Keller, Pattemore, Skakum and Maxim St. Jacques all had singles in the Kings win, while Roy also had two assists.

In their semi-final match-up the Kings lost a hard-fought match to Port Huron 2-1 as Utting scored the Kings' lone goal with Roy and McCaslin picking up assists.