VOL. 174, NO. 2~ PRESCOTT, ONTARIO ~ January 14, 2004

Council wants just the facts

Prescott seeks cost update on keeping town police or switching to OPP

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ The cost of switching to the Ontario Provincial Police or retaining the Prescott Police Service will be examined in more detail by the town's community and protective services committee.

The committee is requesting updated costings associated with both options. There are plans for the committee to hear presentations on the subject at a meeting set for Monday, Feb. 9 at the Dibble Street municipal building. Town committee meetings are open to the public.

At issue at Monday night's committee meeting was a motion that sets conditions on disbanding the municipal police department. The town has for three years been proposing disbandment and switching to an OPP contract.

A Toronto court ruling handed down this past fall would enable the switch to be made; however, the court is being asked by the Ontario Civilian Commission on Police Services (which declined to approve disbandment) and the association representing town police to allow an appeal of that ruling.

After considerable discussion by the committee, Councillor Chuck Street agreed to withdraw his resolution. Street acknowledged he has been getting calls for and against disbandment, adding there is a lot of misinformation out there.

The councillor distributed information packages to council; the packages include reports on other communities' experiences switching to OPP.

Councillor Jo-Anne Beckstead noted she could not support Street's motion. Although she found the wording to be too strong in places, Beckstead said valid points are made in the resolution.

"What we need is a more balanced approach to deal with concerns," stated Beckstead, who added the new council needs the facts before it can make a decision on the future of policing in Prescott.

The town has requested a revised costing from the OPP as well as what would be required to retain the Prescott Police Service and continue to meet revised police standards set by the province.

Councillor Nancy Lane, who said she is "in the middle" in terms of which way to go on the issue, reiterated she is not convinced the community wants to go OPP. Lane believes a public meeting would be in order; her decision as councillor would be based on what the people of Prescott want.

Councillor Bob Pelda told the committee "the OPP would receive my vote" based on his preliminary findings and feedback from the community.

Pelda noted there would have to be a clear understanding of contract terms before approval could be given.

Council members are being asked to submit questions that can be put to police representatives next month.

THIS WEEK

Runciman will not run for new federal PCs

BROCKVILLE ­ Bob Runciman has decided not to seek the federal Progressive Conservative (PC) nomination in Leeds-Grenville, the MPP announced Monday.

Runciman cited personal reasons for not seeking the nomination, according to a news release.

"The new (federal PC) party is operating on a very tight timeline and I feel it's important, at an early date, to clear the air with respect to my position," he stated.

The MPP also indicated he is upbeat about the federal PCs' prospects in an election expected sometime this spring. "I'm optimistic that the nomination process will produce an outstanding candidate who can return our riding to the Conservative fold," Runciman stated.

Some local Conservatives have been calling on Runciman to take a run at becoming leader of the new PC party.

Chamber AGM is set for this Thursday

PRESCOTT ­ The Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce will hold its annual general meeting this Thursday, Jan. 15 at noon at the Rothesay Restaurant on County Road 2.

The 2004 executive and directors will be selected at the lunch meeting. All Chamber of Commerce members are welcome to attend.

The Chamber boasts a membership of about 150.

The annual awards banquet is expected to take place sometime in March.

Award nominees sought

PRESCOTT ­ The Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce is now accepting nominations for its annual awards to be presented at its banquet in March.

Nominations are being sought for the community service, business achievement and Connie Dickey youth awards. The deadline is Friday, Feb. 6.

Names and supporting information can be submitted to the Chamber's award committee at Box 2000, Prescott, K0E 1T0. For more details, contact Mike Boyles at 925-4324 or Keeley Mouré at 345-3905.

Make way for snow plows and red lights

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Motorists are being reminded to steer clear of snow removal equipment.

Vehicle owners are asked to respect overnight parking regulations. Parked vehicles should not block plows, sand and salt trucks being operated on public roadways; owners run the risk of being ticketed.

Drivers must also pull over to the right side of the roadway wherever possible to make way for emergency vehicles that have their red lights activated.

Ultramar meeting will be open

Company, Augusta council to discuss recent diesel spill at Maitland Terminals

By Monica Whitney, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD ­ Heating oil distributor Ultramar will be asked to answer publicly for its actions regarding a diesel spill at the Maitland Terminals Dec. 4.

Ultramar requested a meeting with Augusta council for later this month to clarify issues relating to the spill; council plans to open the meeting to the public, Reeve John McCrea said at council's Monday night meeting. The day and time of the meeting have not yet been confirmed. McCrea is hoping to schedule it for Jan. 28 or 29. "The public's business is the pubic's business," he said.

McCrea noted, however, he is satisfied the spill was contained. "You have to trust what the government says," McCrea said.

Several residents and neighbouring property owners to Ultramar have expressed concerns about the 750,000 litres of diesel fuel that spilled over the top of a storage tank at the Church Street facility as it was being unloaded from a unit train. An automatic shut-off valve malfunctioned, and it is thought about 10,000 litres of fuel breached the wall of a containment dike.

Township officials were not notified of the spill until five days after the incident occurred. Residents are angry they had to find out about what happened through the media and fear the potential for more serious accidents.

Ontario's Technical Standards and Safety Authority (TSSA) that regulates the handling of gasoline, fuel oil and associated products has confirmed the spill of fuel had been contained to company property. Off-site environmental contamination is considered unlikely.

But residents remain unconvinced the diesel fuel was contained within the site. In a letter to council, Pamela and Robert Harman, on behalf of several other neighbouring residents, stated they are concerned about possible adverse effects from the oil spill. A natural surface water runoff travels through the west end of the site between two properties to the St. Lawrence River.

The Harmans believe an underground stream of water that feeds their wells could become polluted with oil, creating a catastrophic situation. In the letter, it was requested council receive assurances from an independent environmental engineer that all soil polluted by the oil spill has been removed and all safety precautions - including alarms and on-site supervision - to prevent a recurrence of a spill have been taken.

Ultramar was ordered by TSSA to perform water and soil testing, as well as remediate the soil.

Neighbour Glen Kirkland said at the meeting the company had promised such an incident could not occur, "but now it's happened."

The Journal attempted to obtain comments from Ultramar, but calls to the company had not bee returned as of press time.

Night-time operation

Kirkland's and others' plan to halt Ultramar's request for approval to unload product at night will not be realized, however. The township has been informed by the Ministry of the Environment (MOE) it will allow extended night-time operation at the terminal.

Based on findings of an acoustic report and after considering residents' concerns of increased noise from shunting trains, tanker trucks and train whistles, the MOE has ruled night-time operations at the terminal is in compliance with the requirements of ministry noise guidelines. There are no valid grounds for rejecting the Ultramar application, the MOE stated in a letter to the township.

Ultramar officials had earlier said product needed to be unloaded between 11 pm and 7 am during exceptional circumstances, such as in winter when there is peak demand for heating oil. The plant normally shunts trains during the unloading process twice each day, every second day.

While Reeve John McCrea said he also plans to discuss the night-time operation issue with Ultramar at the public meeting, Councillor John Fischl added he didn't expect council could do anything about the approval.

Farmers still suffering in wake of latest finding of mad cow disease

Rural community continues to feel the financial pinch

By Monica Whitney, Journal Staff Writer

ALGONQUIN ­ Last year's crisis in the Canadian farming industry has escalated to a point where one local farmer has likened it to the severity of the Depression years of the 1930s.

"This is the largest single downturn in my lifetime," said Algonquin-area dairy farmer Keith Matthie in describing the bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) situation that has affected farmers and related industries nation-wide.

Born in 1932, Matthie was a young lad growing up on the farm during the depression. He noted, however, farmers now have more operational costs, such as hydro and power equipment, to deal with, making the crisis as devastating as the Depression.

Optimistic by nature, Matthie said he hates to complain, because there's always something he can't do anything about - it's either too dry or it's too wet - that causes a farmer grief. But with BSE, commonly known as mad cow disease, farmers are definitely getting the "dirty end of the stick."

The crisis began last May when one case of BSE was discovered in a northern Alberta beef cow. BSE is a chronic, degenerative disorder affecting the central nervous system of cattle. It is believed human consumption of BSE-infected meat can be fatal.

Many international borders have been shut to Canadian beef and beef products since the BSE discovery, causing prices to plummet. It was a brutal year: Ontario farmers have lost more than $100 million as a result of the halt to beef exports; losses experienced by Canadian livestock producers are nearly $2 billion. Other sectors hit by the crisis are auction barn operators, livestock transporters and retailers.

Just as farmers were beginning to feel some hope and relief at the end of 2003, another case of BSE was identified in Washington state by the United States Department of Agriculture. It has now been confirmed the dairy cow originated on an Alberta farm.

"The latest discovery has delayed any hope of recovery," Matthie said. "The border closing has a drastic effect on a lot of things people don't think about."

Matthie's Maplehurst Farm normally milks 115 cows. He, like many other farmers, are holding back from selling off low producers, injured stock or older cows in anticipation of price recovery. His herd now numbers more than 130, but it's costing him in extra feed and space.

"I keep thinking this thing may be over, but it won't be over for a long time," Matthie added. "The demand isn't there."

Last week, Matthie took several cows to a sale barn south of Ottawa. He earned two cents a pound for one; 10 cents a pound for two other cows; and 12 cents a pound for two, making an average of $50 for each animal. That didn't cover his trucking charges and various deductions taken at the sale barn.

The recent sale price compares to 35 to 48 cents per pound or about $550 he would have made a year ago.

The "government promised a so-called subsidy" of about $150 per cow, but there's no word on when he'll be compensated. Compensation levels should be about twice as much, he added.

Matthie also raises his own replacement heifer calves for sale, and that part of his income has been cut drastically. A good calf would have brought $2,500 before the crisis; now, he'll earn between $600 and $1,200 depending on demand.

A one-week-old bull calf destined for the export market as veal would previously have earned up to $3 per pound; now he'll bring in about $1.40 per pound.

In addition, farmers used to be paid for dead cows to be picked up and would see some recovery for the animal that would be turned into such products as dog food or a protein supplement. They are now being charged $50 to have them picked up.

It's a tense situation for farmers who don't have any other income, Matthie said. With about 800 acres of land, he and his son and daughter-in-law, Brian and Brenda, and two full-time farm hands, are able to work about 600 acres for crops. He can also count on the income from the milk, but beef producers don't have that luxury, he added.

The consumer is still paying up to $6 a pound for good beef at the store, so Matthie suspects it's the processors who are getting the money. What is needed in Eastern Ontario is a processing plant, he said.

Meanwhile, farmers' operating loans are being used to the limit, costing them more in interest charges. Expensive repairs on machinery such as a silo unloader or tillage equipment have to wait; other machinery purchases are being put off, Matthie said.

According to the Ontario Cattlemen's Association, farmers should be prepared for the reality borders for exporting beef may not open before spring.

Chill out at the winter festival in Spencerville

SPENCERVILLE - The weather has done its part as the Spencerville Winter Festival is ready to get up and running this weekend.

The major hurdle the organizers faced heading into the three-day event beginning Friday was the glut of warm weather that saw little ice and snow in the region.

"I was getting very nervous with so many events of a winter festival depending on the weather," explained festival chair Marie Thomson. "I think it's looking a lot better now, and we'll be able to get out skating at the mill."

Thomson indicated that some events still may not go, but everyone is hoping for the best with another snowfall or two.

"The dog sled races might not run," said Thomson. "The guy who runs that told me that really they need about four to six inches of packed snow to get it going, but he'll still be there with the dogs so kids can pet them and we expect to still have the free sleigh rides."

Thomson expects a busy weekend with plenty of interest in the weekend events.

"I've been getting lots of calls with people wanting to register for the open mic talent show," said Thomson. "It should be a good busy weekend with lots to do."

See the full-page feature in this week's Journal for more details on events at this year's festival.

Dump user fees not the way to go, store owner says

Augusta considers waste management measures

By Monica Whitney, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD ­ One Augusta business owner is tired of being dumped on when it comes to what she calls the increasing costs of running her operation.

Mary Daw, owner and operator of the Maynard general store, questioned council at its meeting Monday night regarding a memo submitted by waste management committee member and Councillor John Fischl to council and other township staff.

The internal document - which Fischl said at the meeting had not been intended for public knowledge at this time - called for action to be taken at the North Augusta landfill site and Maynard transfer station to increase revenue, lower waste management costs and iron out inequities.

Daw, who said she had a copy of the memo, noted she was concerned about a proposal to collect dumping fees from commercial operations. Already faced with rising taxes, hydro rates, insurance and other costs of running her store, Daw said "dumping this kind of cost just because we're commercial is not the way to go. Small business is getting dumped on enough right now."

It would be difficult to differentiate between a dump user's residential and commercial garbage, Daw complained, adding a non-resident would be able to dump for a lower charge than a resident business owner.

Fischl said waste disposal absorbs about 17 per cent of the township's entire budget. In addition, there are many issues and problems that need to be addressed at the two sites, he said, adding "we can't just let it go willy nilly."

He said he understands costs are important to all taxpayers, but "if you don't pay for it at one end, you're going to pay for it at the other."

The township requires a new waste management bylaw (the existing bylaw was passed in July 1996), and clarifying misunderstandings and procedures needs to be a priority, Fischl stated.

Steps need to be taken to make the operations equitable, he added. "The system we now have is not right. It's not fair."

Fischl also noted any changes may aid the North Augusta landfill site in staying open longer. It has been earmarked for permanent closure.

The proposals contained in the memo would be "another slap in the face," Daw said, adding she has been fighting township waste management issues for several years.

Reeve John McCrea assured Daw changes would not be made at the sites without further discussion and input from the public. The issue was referred to the waste management committee.

OPP NEWS

Driver leaves scene of crash in Domville

DOMVILLE ­ Upon arriving at the scene of a motor vehicle collision on County Road 18 near Fourth Concession Jan. 10 at about 5:30 pm, OPP Constable Elaine Barr noted the driver had fled the scene. A canine unit attended the scene, and a 28-year-old North Grenville man was identified as the driver. William Saunders was issued provincial offence notices for careless driving, not having a valid plate on a vehicle, failing to report a collision and failing to report damage to private property. Further charges might be pending, according to police.

Bad weather leads to numerous collisions

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ From Jan. 5 to Jan. 11, Grenville County OPP officers investigated 28 collisions. In one case, a UPS trailer caught fire on Highway 401 near Maitland. Nineteen took place Sunday when inclement weather included snow and freezing drizzle. Minor injuries were reported in just one of those collisions. Four involved deer.

There were also a number of collisions Monday morning.

Snowmobile, ATV operators take note

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Snowmobile operators are being reminded to have proper documentation and proper equipment when they hit the trails.

Documentation includes driver's licence and proof of ownership and insurance. A helmet, emergency kit and proper clothing are also musts, according to police.

Operators should slow down, be aware of their surroundings and follow the rules of the road or trail, it is noted in an OPP news release.

Police also remind operators of all-terrain vehicles (ATVs) to be aware of new regulations in effect. With some exceptions, ATVs are generally prohibited on Ontario highways. ATVs are off-limits on municipal roadways unless the municipality has a bylaw permitting that use. There are no such bylaws in place in Grenville County, according to the OPP.

Impaired operation of an ATV is a criminal offence as it is with a vehicle.

Street name suggestions sought

PRESCOTT ­ Douglas Drive should be renamed, the town's transportation and environmental committee is recommending.

However, the committee is also planning to compile a list of names that could be used for Douglas Drive and other unnamed roads in Prescott.

The name Woodland Court had been suggested as an alternative, but town officials are reluctant to adopt it because it is similar to the nearby Woodland Drive and could cause confusion for emergency response service. Prescott council members indicated Monday they support the renaming proposed last month by Councillor Nancy Lane. Councillor Suzanne Dodge said she would like to see heritage-related names considered among others when names are given to other streets in town.

The new street in the commercial area north of Highway 401 has yet to be named. There might be other names needed as part of a proposed residential subdivision south of the grocery store and Canadian Tire.

Hand-washing one way to reduce risk of getting flu

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ The bug is getting around, but there are still ways to reduce the risk of coming into contact with it.

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit reports the tri-county area is not experiencing a significant increase in influenza cases so far this winter.

Jane Futcher, the unit's director of clinic services, told The Journal Friday there were 12 confirmed cases of what is believed to be the A strain of the virus; other influenza cases are suspected but are not being referred to a lab for testing.

"There are a little more than we would have normally seen," Futcher said, "but we haven't seen huge numbers. We know there's flu out there."

The youngest person to contract the flu in the tri-county area is 11 months old. The very young and the elderly tend to be more susceptible to serious illness as a direct result of getting the flu bug.

Futcher said common flu symptoms this season seem to be tightness in the chest, fever and coughing. It feel like having the wind knocked out of you, she added. In most cases, flu sufferers end up staying in bed for a couple of days. "If you're sick, don't go to work," Futcher stated.

Many hospitals and long-term care centres have imposed restrictions on visitation in response to the influenza scare.

There were no cases of influenza as of Friday at Wellington House in Prescott. As a precaution, the nursing home enacted some visitor restrictions in mid-December. Immediate family members are permitted to visit; however, the residence is temporarily off-limits to children.

Anyone entering and leaving the facility is encouraged to use hand sanitizer located at the main entrance.

Hand-washing is a valuable infection control measure, according to Futcher.

Flu shot clinics conducted this fall by the health unit were well-attended. There is still a good supply of flu vaccine, according to Futcher. Shots can still be obtained from most family physicians, at walk-in clinics or through the health unit. However, Futcher notes the health unit is "fairly well booked" and it might take some time before an appointment can be made. Booster shots for children are also recommended.

Even though winter is well under way, Futcher said there is still value to getting a flu shot. "It's never too late," she commented.

All Ontarians are entitled to a free flu shot.

For more information on influenza, call the health unit in Brockville at 345-5685 or visit www.healthunit.org.

Adults should remind children to stay away from strangers' cars

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ A recent report of an incident in Leeds County serves as a reminder to parents about telling their children not to accept rides from strangers.

According to an initial report received by Leeds County OPP, a 10-year-old girl was walking to school in Elgin Thursday when she was approached by a man in a car and instructed to get into the vehicle. The girl was driven a short distance and then dropped off unharmed.

A police investigation determined no offence had actually taken place, and the allegation was unfounded.

Police remind parents to have their children walk in pairs or groups whenever possible and to tell them to keep their distance from strangers' vehicles. If a similar occurrence takes place, try to obtain a description of the vehicle (including a partial licence number or colour) or person involved and call police immediately. Constable Holly Howard, community services officer with Grenville County OPP, says children should stay away from a stranger if their gut feeling is not good.

Men's group meets

PRESCOTT ­ The Seaway Men's Ecumenical Group will hold its first meeting of 2004 this Saturday, Jan. 17 at 8 am at St. Paul's United Church, corner of George and Dibble streets.

Conservation at DuPont pays off for charities

Food bank one of four groups to receive $5,000 in successful energy recovery project

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

MAITLAND - The local Food For All Food Bank was one of four charities which received donations of $5,000 from an energy conservation project at DuPont Canada's Maitland site.

From May until October 2003 DuPont Maitland, soon to be Invista was involved in a multi-million dollar energy conservation project on buildings B213 and B214 of the Adipic Acid Manufacturing Process aimed at reducing the use of steam and cooling water used at the plant and reducing the amount of carbon dioxide, nitrous oxide and sulfur dioxide emissions.

DuPont Maitland Site Manager Joe Hendriks explained the project will allow DuPont to take energy produced from one part of the process to be used in another part of the plant, which will reduce the need for natural gas. The energy savings of the project will be the equivalent to the energy used annually by 4,800 residential homes.

As part of the project, a program was set up; if the project was to be completed with zero first aid cases (not even an adhesive strip), zero medical treatment and zero time loss to injuries, then the four stakeholders in the project - DuPont Canada Inc., performance contractor Alliant Energy Integrated Services-Cogenex Canada, mechanical contractor LaFramboise and engineering firm AMEC - would each contribute $5,000 to charity to share the success achieved with the communities in which the stakeholders work and live.

The Food For All Food Bank in Prescott, the Kinsmen Club of Brockville's Snowsuit Drive, the Agapé Center in Cornwall and Martha's Table Community Program in Kingston each received donations of $5,000 at Monday's celebration at the plant.

The project took more than 50,000 field hours to complete, finishing ahead of schedule with no safety or injury incidents.

"This was a huge project that was completed in an extremely short timeline with no injuries or incidents," said Hendriks. "This extraordinary accomplishment by the project team was achieved through the excellent teamwork of all the members. The project team's decision to celebrate this success through charitable donations is consistent with the spirit of the team throughout the project."

The donation came as a surprise to food bank officials.

"They just phoned us and said they would be donating money to us as part of this project," explained Chairman Neil Dufour. "It was a huge surprise and such a nice one, but DuPont has always been good to us all along with donations. It was just great to get this surprise on top of their regular generosity."

Dufour explained the donation will help the food bank with its regular expenditures. "We could always use the extra cash," said Dufour. "We usually spend about $500-$750 a month to buy food on top of our donations, and we also have regular expenditures like energy costs which we have to cover."

Jobless rate, EI claims rise

KINGSTON ­ The regional unemployment rate ended the year higher than it began, according to figures released by Human Resources Development Canada (HRDC).

The jobless rate for the region of Eastern Ontario that includes South Grenville was 5.5 per cent in December, up from the November rate of 5.2 per cent.

The largest job losses in the region were in construction and manufacturing, according to an HRDC news release. Employment in the service sector rose slightly in December. Overall, there were fewer people in the labour force and fewer people employed.

The year 2002 ended with a regional unemployment rate of 6.2 per cent. The region covers Leeds, Grenville and Lanark, Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry and Prescott-Russell.

All HRDC offices in the Kingston-Pembroke management area recorded increases in Employment Insurance (EI) claimants last month. There were 1,168 active regular and special EI claims at the Prescott office at the end of December compared to 1,057 at the end of November. The 10.5-per-cent increase at Prescott was slightly above the regional average.

HRDC notes unemployment rates are not determined through the assessment of EI claimant data.

The national unemployment rate fell from 7.5 per cent in November to 7.4 per cent in December.

Town has its fill of zebra mussels

PRESCOTT ­ The town's drinking water intake pipe is covered with zebra mussels, the transportation and environmental committee has been told.

Divers inspected the intake area Dec. 16; the town received videotape and a report earlier this month. The problem should be addressed immediately to avoid clogging the intake, according to the Ontario Clean Water Agency.

Prescott CAO/Clerk Robert Haller told the committee Monday night he had received one price for cleaning and chlorinating the mouth of the pipe. Other communities have installed preventative measures to combat the mussel problem.

The cost might be in the range of $15,000 to $20,000, he noted.

Haller said he expects to receive other prices in time for next Monday's council meeting.

Mussels have fully coated the intake pipe for at least 35 to 40 feet, the CAO noted in his report.

Fire damages apartments in main street building

PRESCOTT ­ Several people were forced from their homes early Sunday night when fire broke out in a three-storey building at 183 King Street West.

No one was injured in the blaze, which appeared to have started in or near the rear apartment on the top floor. The fire department was called at about 6:52 pm; it took firefighters about an hour to extinguish the fire.

Fire Chief Bill Lawrence told The Journal Sunday residents were able to flee the building thanks to an inter-connected alarm system. Seven people live in the building.

The rear top-floor apartment was gutted. The second-floor apartment below was also damaged; minor damage to the back of the Berry's Pet Food store on the ground floor was also reported. The two apartments at the front of the second and third floors sustained little or no damage, according to Lawrence. He added the preliminary damage estimate is between $75,000 and $100,000. It is believed some of the tenants have insurance, one exception being those who lived in the gutted apartment.

The chief said Sunday the cause of the fire is still under investigation; foul play is not suspected. The store remained closed early this week; the building is to be inspected before its occupants can return.

Man drives away without paying for gas

PRESCOTT ­ Members of the Prescott Police Service investigated 47 incidents and one motor vehicle collision during the week of Jan. 5.

On Jan. 6, police received a complaint from a gas station on Edward Street north that a male had just driven off without paying for his gasoline purchase. Constable Mike Lapensee is continuing the investigation.

Anyone with information on this or any other occurrence is asked to contact the Prescott Police Service at 925-4252.

Atom B Rangers take part in Bell Cup

OTTAWA - The South Grenville atom B Rangers participated in the Bell Canada Cup from Jan. 1-4 in Ottawa.

The Rangers posted a 1-2 record in round-robin play, which wasn't good enough to advance to the playoff rounds.

The Rangers opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over the Gloucester Blackhawks. Lucas Stitt and Rik Champagne scored for the Rangers, while Stitt also added an assist.

In their second game of the tournament, the Rangers faced a strong Pennsylvania Vampires team being shut out 6-0.

In their third game, the Rangers battled the Renfrew Timberwolves, dropping the game in a 3-2 decision. Ian King and Patrick Froom each scored unassisted markers for the Rangers.

Also at the tournament, Lucas Stitt and Hunter McCarroll took part in the all-star game as players, while coach Paul Sargeant was behind the bench as an assistant.

Jarrett Pitt, Shane Riddell, Quinton Selleck, Alex Stephenson, Joey Sargeant, Froom and King all took part in the 256-person skills competition at the tournament, with King and Sargeant winning the breakaway shootout for the Rangers, while Riddell placed second in the target shoot.

In regular season play Dec. 30, the Rangers played a strong game scoring a 3-0 win over
the Kemptville Panthers. Trent Corney, McCarroll and Stitt scored for the Rangers, while Corney, Sargeant and McCarroll chipped in with helpers.

The Rangers advanced to the final of the Gananoque atom B tournament Dec. 27 before falling to the Tweed Hawks.

The Rangers opened the tournament with a strong offensive showing in an 8-0 win over the Cornwall Royals. Hunter McCarroll, Joey Sargeant, Ian King, Cody Adams, Rik Champagne, Colman Colpitts, Alex Stephenson and Trent Corney scored for South Grenville, while Adams (2), Lucas Stitt, Champagne, Robbie Deeks, King and McCarroll chipped in with helpers.

In their semi-final match-up, the Rangers managed to pull out a 1-0 win in a very defensive-minded game. Corney scored unassisted in the game's lone goal.

In the final, the Rangers dropped a 3-1 decision to the Tweed Hawks. Corney scored South Grenville's lone goal, with Cody Adams picking up an assist.

On Jan. 5, the Rangers scored a 5-2 win over the Kingston Township Titans at the Spencerville arena. Stephenson, King, Deeks, Sargeant and McCarroll scored for South Grenville, while Deeks (2), Stitt, Stephenson, King and Sargeant added assists.

On Jan. 10, the Rangers travelled to Kingston scoring a 5-2 win over the Kingston Township Titans in regular season action. Colpitts scored a pair of goals to lead South Grenville, while Champagne, Corney and Sargeant added singles. Corney, King, Colpitts and Kippax chipped in with helpers.

Atom B Rangers #1 win Renfrew tourney

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville atom B Rangers #1 were crowned champions of the Renfrew atom B tournament.

On Dec. 29, the Rangers came home as A champions of the Renfrew atom B tournament, only allowing one goal throughout the tournament.

In the final, South Grenville managed a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Renfrew Kung Po Restaurant to capture the crown. Spencer Lee and Nick Thorpe scored for the Rangers, while Lucas Chretien and Houston Bujacz added assists.

The Rangers managed a 6-0 win over the Kinsmen Reds in the tournament semi-final. Logan Grant scored a hat trick to lead the Rangers, while Tim Kippax, Cody Knapp and Matt Leonard added singles. Derik Bourgeois, Sean Blackburn, Chretien, John Wood and Devin Johnston chipped in with helpers. Nathan Peters was credited with the shut out.

In its tournament opener, South Grenville scored a 7-0 win over Barry's Bay. Leonard and Chretien each scored a pair to lead the Rangers, while Lee, Kippax and Knapp added singles. Grant (3), Chretien, Thorpe, Bourgeois and Peters added assists. Blackburn scored the shutout.

On Jan. 3, the Rangers #1 fell in the finals of the South Grenville host tournament to arch rivals South Grenville #2.

In the final, South Grenville #2 scored a 4-2 win over the Rangers #1. Zach Flemming led South Grenville #2 with a pair of goals, while Mike Lawless, and Josh Bailey added singles. Ryan Maggio, Rhys Larry, Broydon Stufko and Flemming chipped in with helpers.

Leonard and Lee scored for the Rangers #1, while Thorpe and Grant added assists.

In the semi-finals, the Rangers #1 scored a 4-0 win over the Athens Aeros with Blackburn scoring a shutout in goal. Lee, Kippax, Desmond Martin and Grant scored for South Grenville #1, while Peters and Martin added assists.

In the tournament opener, the Rangers #1 scored a 4-1 win over Kingston Zellers. Lee led South Grenville with a pair of goals, while Martin and Thorpe added singles. Kippax and Chretien were credited with helpers.

In the Long Sault tournament Dec. 23, the Rangers faced some stiff competition and dropped a pair of games.

In their opener, the Rangers lost a 6-1 decision to the Senateurs de Soulanges. Leonard scored the lone goal for South Grenville, while Garret Richards picked up an assist.

In their second game, the Rangers were shut out 4-0 by the Alexandria Glens and were eliminated from the tournament.

In the tournament skills competition, Peters won the goaltenders shootout, while the team of Kippax, Lee, Leonard and Johnston finished second in the skating relay.

In regular season action Jan. 6, the Rangers scored a 2-0 win over the Athens Aeros. Sean Blackburn picked up the shutout for South Grenville while Leonard scored both Rangers goals. Martin and John Wood chipped in with assists.

Novice Boltz boast strong Christmas season

SPENCERVILLE - The South Grenville novice Lightning Boltz had a strong Christmas season, advancing to the semi-finals of two tournaments before being eliminated.

On Jan. 4, the Lightning Boltz scored a 4-4 draw with Kemptville #2 at the Spencerville arena. Broydon Stufko led the Lightning Boltz with a hat trick, while Adam Norton had a single. Dylan
Bell, Shenda Harrison and
John Lawless chipped in with helpers.

On Jan. 2, South Grenville travelled to Carleton Place to participate in the Carleton Place novice tournament, scoring a win and loss. The Boltz opened the tournament with an 8-0 win over the host Carleton Place Kings. Bell (2), Harrison (2), Lawless (2), Norton and Stufko scored for South Grenville, while Stufko chipped in with a helper.

In the tournament semi-final, South Grenville dropped a 5-1 decision to Kemptville #2. Lawless scored the Lightning Boltz' lone goal, while Bell and Stufko added assists.

On Dec. 20, the Lightning Boltz travelled to Embrun to participate in the Embrun Novice Tournament. South Grenville opened the tournament with a 4-3 win over Casselman. Stufko led the Lightning Boltz with a hat trick, while Brett Van Stralen added a single. Cole Burchell and Harrison chipped in with helpers.

In the tournament semi-final, South Grenville fell 8-6 to the host Embrun Panthers. Van Stralen scored all six Lightning Boltz goals, while Matt Courtney chipped in with a pair of helpers.

In regular season action Dec. 14, South Grenville battled Kemptville #2 at the Spencerville arena, losing the game 5-2. Bell and Van Stralen scored for the Lightning Boltz, while Norton and Stufko added helpers.

On Dec. 7, the Lightning Boltz travelled across the border to defeat Ogdensburg 7-3. Stufko led all scorers with five goals, while Bell and Van Stralen netted singles.

On Nov. 16, the Lightning Boltz travelled to Winchester falling 5-2 to the North Dundas Devils. Stufko and Van Stralen scored for South Grenville, while Lawless added an assist.

SG minor midget Rangers win three straight

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville minor midget Rangers started the new year on a winning note with three regular season victories.

On Jan. 7, the Rangers played host to Louisville, skating away with a 3-0 win. Justin Rust led South Grenville with a pair of markers, while Andrew Wilson added a single. Nathaniel Hayes, Matt Deeks and Cory Gray were credited with helpers.

On Jan. 5, South Grenville scored a 2-0 shutout victory on the road over South Stormont. Deeks scored both Rangers goals in the win.

On Jan. 4, the Rangers travelled to Kemptville and came away with a 3-2 victory. Mike Lawrence netted a pair of goals to lead South Grenville, while Wes Polite added a single. Josh Joudoin (2), Gray (2) and Mike Leeder chipped in with helpers. The Rangers continue to get strong goaltending from the duo of Kevin Beach and Corie Toye.

SGMHA tournament still in need of volunteers for Prescott

PRESCOTT - There is still a need for volunteers for the annual South Grenville Minor Hockey Association major midget tournament in Prescott this March.

The tournament is the SGMHA's number one fundraiser to help keep registration costs down for all levels of hockey.

Parents from the bantam, atom, peewee and novice levels are being asked to chip in to help replace the parents of children who have already graduated from the SGMHA system.

Those interested in volunteering should attend the meeting this Sunday, Jan. 18 at 1 pm at the Cardinal and District Community Centre or call Tom Elliott at 925-5519.

Jr. B Rangers holding meet and greet in February

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers will be holding a special pre game dinner for their final home game against the Brockville Tikis Feb. 14 in Cardinal.

From 4 pm-5 pm there will be a meet and greet social hour with the players at the Cardinal Legion, with a spaghetti dinner to follow at 6 pm and the game to begin at 7:15 pm.

Come out and enjoy a good meal and watch the Rangers face off against the Tikis.

Tickets for the game and dinner can be purchased at the Cardinal and District Community Centre or by contacting the Cardinal Legion at 657-4735.

Billets for Prescott and Cardinal tournaments being sought

PRESCOTT- The South Grenville Minor Hockey Association is seeking billets for the major midget tournament in Prescott and minor midget tournament in Cardinal this March.

Families are needed to take kids from teams from far away in for the weekend and provide them with rides to their games.

The billeting program has been a popular format in the past for both the players and families who get a chance to take in a kid from another part of North America.

Anyone interested in billeting for either tournament should contact Brenda Byrd at 925-4088 or Sue Chillson at 925-1328.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"I keep thinking this thing may be over, but it won't be over for a long time."

Algonquin dairy farmer Keith Matthie referring to the continuing negative impact the BSE scare is having on the agriculture community

Editor's Notebook

HIGHER RATES ENSURE CRISIS: Yet another sector is feeling the heat caused by skyrocketing insurance premiums. Snowmobile clubs have had a hard enough time dealing with insurance for their organizations; now it is the snowmobilers themselves who are being hit with big rate hikes.

Some good drivers with clean records face hikes of up to 1,000 per cent, according to Ontario NDP Auto Insurance Critic Peter Kormos. The Ontario Federation of Snowmobile Clubs notes tourist revenue and jobs (here in South Grenville and throughout the province) are on the line because of the insurance premium increases.

Although we are not suggesting the province should rush into a non-profit, public insurance system, something has to be done soon. The so-called freeze on car insurance premiums does not solve the problem faced by businesses and individuals whose rates are making it difficult to maintain their way of living.

We are not interested in bashing insurance companies and we know local agents and brokers are not the ones on whom we should be taking our frustrations, but the bottom line is someone must come up with a way of making adequate insurance coverage accessible to all Ontarians.

POLICE BUSINESS AS USUAL: Undoubtedly, the Prescott Police Service must be allowed to carry on as if the ridiculously prolonged uncertainty about the future of policing in this town had never happened. But there are signs the municipality is not just paying lip service to the possibility disbandment might not become a reality.

For example, the town's list of invoices in December includes one for $1,738.80 from Simpson Specialties for 800 police shoulder crests. This order was placed prior to the announcement civilian dispatchers would be issued uniforms as part of a new two-year contract. Buying in bulk usually produces cheaper unit prices, but churning out 800 crests might suggest the expectation the Prescott Police Service will be around for some time to come.

We also wonder why it took the town and its police board so long to acknowledge the civilian workers' professionalism by agreeing to supply uniforms. Dispatchers have been performing important duties for many years, so why now with the uniforms? It makes one wonder if the stage is being set for long-term labour peace for the beleaguered staff whose jobs might end up being secure after all.

The winds have shifted in recent months, and it appears the conditions are quietly forming to allow the town to reverse its position. We know many of the officers are ready to make the switch and they and the civilian workers are sick of the whole process. One way or the other, there might finally be light at the end of this never-ending tunnel. Let's hope the light stays on and we don't have to write about this again next year.

Tim Ruhnke

Start at the 100s and browse to the 900s, or just click a mouse

FORWARDING COMMENTS by Monica Whitney

Sister Clarice had a reason for teaching us primary school students the Dewey Decimal system and making us memorize it. With a starched, matronly dress high and tight at the neck and a white-banded black veil that hung sharply to the shoulders, Sister Clarice was a rock you did not question. You learned the Dewey Decimal library classification system and how to work a card catalogue, or else.

It was as important as knowing the multiplication tables to this principal/librarian of our little grade school in Waterloo. If a student did not know the way around a library fluently, look out. The whole system that to a Grade 3 was mortifying and confusing but now seems like a magical art of book classification was drilled in until it hurt - especially if Sister Clarice decided to clap her hands to get our attention, or if she happened to be carrying a ruler.

Those days would later prepare me for several years of working in libraries, and actually enjoying it. Along the way, I picked up a rude knowledge of the Library of Congress system, so now, if I need a book on religion (wouldn't Sister Clarice be proud) or cooking or astronomy, I know just where to turn.

So it is with a feeling of sadness I see the outdated dog-eared card catalogues disappear from libraries. While large city libraries trashed card catalogues several years ago, our smaller cousins here are getting online with newfangled automated systems. We'll still need to know the Dewey Decimal system, but instead of thumbing through hundreds of well-worn cards, a few clicks of a mouse will point us in the right direction. And we won't even have to leave the comfort of our homes (if a computer is at hand) to know if the newest best seller is in.

*****

Seems like yesterday (okay, about 20 years ago) it was nothing to cross the border and skip over to the 'Burg where factory outlets were shoulder-to-shoulder to pick up cheap stuff and have lunch. Things were less expensive, even if you had to pay exchange and duty at the border.

A few years later when I was living closer to the Falls than the 'Burg, it was still the thing to do. Not a care about how it affected local merchants. With the value of the Canadian dollar inching upwards, old thoughts and habits are hard to break.

Before you slip over, consider our store owners. We don't want the day to come when we have no choice but to leave town to shop because the stores we had went out of business.

Nurses auxiliary opens quarters near public library in 1944

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Jan. 13, 1944

* After a period of seven months overseas for advanced instructional training, Squadron Leader George Newsome, son of Mr. and Mrs. J.H. Newsome, Prescott is spending a short furlough in town before proceeding to Winnipeg for posting.

* The nurses auxiliary of the local Red Cross Society will officially open rooms, located on Centre Street opposite the public library, Jan. 13. Since organizing some time ago, the nurses have been endeavouring to secure quarters to carry on their work. Home nursing classes will be resumed, and a TB clinic and well-baby clinic will be held in the near future. During the flu epidemic, the nurses were active ad assisted voluntarily in many homes throughout the town.

Jan. 14, 1954

* Frank Perkins was elected for his second term of office as chairman of the public utilities commission at the first meeting for 1954. George Kerr was named secretary.

Jan. 9, 1974

* The case is not yet closed on the controversial Maitland bypass question as part of the Highway 2 reconstruction project. Augusta council is opposed to the bypass, and plans to take the fight to the Ministry of Transport and Communications.

The bypass would skirt Maitland from just west of the village at the Berean Christian School to about 1,200 feet west of the Liquid Carbonic Plant to the east.

Jan. 11, 1984

* Doug Hobbs, a resident of Johnstown and a laboratory superintendent at Canada Starch in Cardinal, was re-elected 1984-85 president of the Rotary Club of Prescott.

Jan. 12, 1994

* Prescott's annual Interest-Free Shopping Spree continues to gain in popularity. This past Christmas, more than $200,000 went into the tills of local merchants. The program provides loans of $1,500 from local banks, giving shoppers cheques redeemable at 41 participating businesses. The loan is interest-free for six months.

Municipal web sites: 2003 election information and weird welcomes

FORT TOWN DIARY by John A.H. Morris

We were trying to put together some demographics for a Grenville County enterprise last week that would be of assistance to the publishing industry. One of the areas of interest we decided to explore were the web sites for North Grenville, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal, Prescott and Augusta, and found that other than North Grenville's informative, well designed and up-to-date site, the other three municipalities' sites were either woefully out of date, or embarrassingly amateurish.

Prescott council got suckered into a $25,000 web site software package back in 2002 by a couple of snake oil salesmen who must have been laughing so hard about their easy sell to the boys in the boonies that they probably had trouble cashing their cheque and getting out of town fast enough.

Our council of the time was so green on this web site stuff that they didn't realize they would be responsible for providing and programming all relevent information for their site as well as having to pay the software providers an annual licensing fee as well as regular update fees.

As we understand it, the software provider was supposed to have trained a person to maintain the site, and then provide them with regular support and updating training.

As far as we know this hasn't happened and the last "updating" done by the software suppliers is still on the site, giving all the details needed on how to vote in last November's municipal election. If it can, the town should try to get out of this agreement and hook up with a local firm or individual who can design and maintain an attractive and informative web site at a fraction of the cost.

If South Grenville politicians are looking for a good example of local initiative regarding the design and updating of a web site they have to look no further than www.prescottjournal.com. This site was designed and is maintained weekly by our own staff.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal's site is also worth not visiting if you are looking for any up-to-date economic or demographic data. The first bit of information you see on this site concerns the November, 2003 municipal election, and the fact that the defeated mayor, David Dobbie, is still the mayor. Both Prescott and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal would do well to imitate the web site set up by North Grenville.

While Prescott and Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal have sites that need management and updating, Augusta Township is in the throes of creating a home-grown web site that lacks any of the elements of good graphic design and a very poor preamble to the township's history.

What is probably the most embarrassing element of the Augusta site (www.augusta.ca) is the reeve's welcome.

First of all, it is unusual that a municipal web site would have a high school yearbook style "welcome" such as Reeve John McCrea has penned for the class of '04 at good old "Augusta High". Secondly, if there is a PR piece in the site it usually makes sense. We think Augusta's philosopher-prince must have been dipping his pen in fairy dust when he wrote the following welcome for the Augusta web site.

It reads:

"Welcome to Augusta and welcome to our web site. Council and staff wish good fortune and good health to you the individuals and families that we are here to serve. May 2004 be a good year.

"Let us set aside something of today and for tomorrow be lent.

"The riches of now need not always be spent.

"Labour, capital, commitment and time, our givings from self are simple if sent.

"Dividends gather, compounding in trust waiting with interest for when and to whom to present.

"My hope is that by listening to you, working together, giving our best and being open this council can have your tax dollars pay interest. We're here to look after your well being today yet surely also to improve our shared tomorrows."

John McCrea, Reeve,
Township of Augusta.

Our advice to Augusta council and staff is to take the present web site to the Maynard Landfill Site and double click.

Then spend three or four hundred dollars on a professional software package and hire a local expert, assisted by local volunteers, to put together a professional presentation. Don't forget, this web site is accessible all over the world!

*****

One of the items of business the Chamber of Commerce should discuss at its next meeting (January 15) is the future of the International Peace Bell presented to the Chamber in 1938 by the International Nickel Company of Canada in honour of 100 years of peace between Canada and United States.

The 200-lb. nickel alloy bell is presently mounted in an outside shrine-like structure in front of the fire station, which is not a suitable location. It should be on display inside a building, safe from vandals and the weather.

Our two suggestions are the lobby of the newly-renovated town hall, or inside the Forwarders' Museum. It disappeared for over 65 years, which should not happen again.

*****

Our New Year rant last week on naming local buildings after local residents has brought forward the suggestion of dedicating Prescott's municipal library to the memory of the late Ruth Evanson. We like the idea and hope the library board will recommend this idea to council. Former students, we can use your support.

SCHOOL SCENE

Boundary Street Public School: On Tuesday, Jan. 20, some staff from South Grenville District High School will visit with our Grade 8 students. Program and school information will be shared at that time.

The hepatitis B clinic will be held for Grade 7 students Wednesday, Jan. 21.

Students, parents and staff have been working hard with fundraising activities for the Grade 6 école de neige trip. We acknowledge everyone in the community who has supported these activities.

The school council will meet Tuesday, Jan. 27 at 7 pm in the library.

Hot lunch this Friday is subs.

Centennial '67/North Edwardsburgh Public Schools: Happy New Year to everyone in the Centennial '67/North Edwardsburgh community!

Both school sites began the Christmas season with overflowing barrels of donated food for the Spirit of Giving campaign. Less fortunate families benefitted from the students' generosity.

We have begun the new year with record cold temperatures that have prevented students from playing outside at recesses as they usually do. Hopefully, our wishes for snow and more seasonal temperatures will come true in the coming week.

The grade 5/6 class is busily preparing for "école de neige," which takes place Jan. 14-16 in Quebec. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to visit a resort and partake in many fun winter activities in a French-Canadian setting while practising their French-language skills.

We recently learned from a playground equipment inspection report the play structures at North Edwardsburgh have a number of safety concerns and can no longer be used by students. This is disappointing news. We met with our school advisory council Tuesday to discuss the issue and plan for the future.

Central Public School: Messages from parent council: Hot lunch on Jan 21 will be burgers. Pogos have replaced chicken nuggets for 2004.

Top sellers of our chocolate bar campaign were Felicity Smith and Virginia Brown. Congratulations!

Messages from student council: Congratulations to Miss Penney's grade 5/6 class for winning our Holiday Door Decorating Challenge last month. The class worked really hard to put together the most creative door many of us have ever seen - a gingerbread door! And they used their math skills to do it! Way to go!

We'd also like to congratulate Mr. Halfpenny for his winning design! The hallway never looked so good!

Miss Beaubiah's grade 7/8 class is working with the Canadian National Institute for the Blind to sell crocuses. Orders are due back at the school no later than Jan. 28. Help support the CNIB and the grade 7/8 class!

Maitland/Maynard: Our staff at both schools have been involved in creating a mission statement. After much brainstorming and consensus-building, we have created the following: "We are a school community dedicated to consistently improving learning and promoting good citizenship in a safe and caring environment. As professionals, we will provide diverse, purposeful learning experiences and measure our results based on provincial standards."

Look for our mission to be posted soon in our front hallways, and most importantly, watch it become the focus and filter for everything we do. In the new year, at Maynard, under the guidance of our leadership council, we will have a school-wide contest to create a motto to match our mission.

At Maynard, January marks the beginning of 10 new elective offerings for our Intermediate students. Physical education choices include: curling, circuit training, volleyball and outdoor games. Drama and dance opportunities are: stomp, drama techniques, script writing, dancing and improvisation. Our Talented Tuesdays will resume soon at Maitland. Music will be our arts focus for our next session. Bi-monthly sessions will be organized by Ms. Crosby, our Grade 8 teacher at Maynard, and our Vice-Principal, Ms. Grigoriev, with the support of parent volunteers.

Our school council meetings this month are Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7 pm at Maynard and Wednesday, Jan. 21, at 7 pm at Maitland. All parents are welcome to attend.

St. Joseph Catholic School: Congratulations to the following Good Samaritans for the week of Jan. 5: Curtis Minifie, Katie Morell, William Whitney (Logan), Chris Noonan and Larry Leroux.

Burger King Student of the Month Awards for December went to the following enthusiastic and energetic learners: Sierra McGuin, Amir Hajarii, Lukas Henderson, Charleigh McFarlane, Christopher Walasek, Lauren Smith, Kristen Cassidy, Hallie McFarlane, Kayla McNally and Leiah Hendriks. Congratulations, and enjoy that Whopper meal.

We will welcome Invista with its Fun With Science Show Wednesday, Jan. 14 at 1:30 pm. Invista is a strong supportive partner to St. Joe's Catholic School. Our Partners in Progress team led by Pete Chamberland have been very busy bringing science alive at St. Joe's.

Senior girls and boys basketball teams are beginning regular practices as the first tournament Thursday, Jan. 29 is quickly approaching.

St. Mark Catholic School: Welcome back to school in the New Year 2004!

We focus on getting back into good routines for learning.

Our St. Mark Catholic School Council will meet this Thursday, Jan. 15 at 7 pm in the school library. All parents are welcome.

Our All Star Reading Strategy this week is "Unstuck Strategies: Sliders."

Hot lunch this week is chicken chunks.

South Edwardsburg: We launched our Chernobyl Project last Friday with a presentation by Neil Matheson, a member of the delegation that delivered humanitarian and medical aid to Chernobyl last year. We acknowledge all of our school and community members for their tremendous support and donations. We will continue accepting donations until Friday, Jan. 23.

We look forward to the return of our grade 5/6 class from its three-day trip to Quebec today.

Hot lunch today is hot dogs.

School answers plea for library books

MAITLAND NEWS by Jane Fullarton

Maitland resident Faith Allingham is responding to a call to action from an editorial she read over the Christmas holidays.

Christine Blizzard, the Sun's Queen's Park columnist, wrote an editorial on Lieutenant Governor of Ontario James Bartleman and his concern about the plight of school libraries in remote communities.

There are 52 remote communities in Northern Ontario that are inaccessible by land because there are no roads. Bartleman has visited 32 of these communities and has become very concerned about the lack of books in their libraries.

Bartleman has made an appeal for anyone with used children's books in good condition to donate them to his book drive.

Faith Allingham said after reading about these Northern communities she knew she wanted to help.

She contacted Bob Runciman's office to ask about transporting the books to Queen's Park and she contacted Linda Lumsden, principal of Maitland Public School, to see if the school would like to help.

Lumsden said a letter will be going home with children explaining the need and inviting children to donate their used books. She added this is the type of project that promotes love of reading and sends a positive message about the importance of books.

Anyone with children's books in good condition who would like to donate to the lieutenant governor book drive can contact Allingham at 348-3956.

The books need to be collected by Jan. 27 so they can be sent to Toronto.

The books that reach Queen's Park will be transported by the military and the OPP to the remote areas.

The transporting of the books must occur while the lakes are frozen and winter roads are available.

Quilters making their mark

WALKER HOUSE NEWS by MARNIE LIPPIATT

The quilters are starting the new year off with a new quilt on the frame. This scrappy quilt features cranberry tones and forms diamond-shaped designs on a cream background.

This queen-size quilt is for sale. Quilters work every Thursday afternoon and evening. If you are interested, please come to our King Street West location and see our work.

Starting in February, we will have a Scrabble evening once a month. Please watch for the start-up date.

This will be for beginners and more competitive people. There will be a game that suits everyone.

Card game winners last week: Monday bridge ­ 1st, Ron Shannon; 2nd, Joyce Nesbitt; door, Kitty Wormington. Fun bridge ­ 1st, Candy Alexander. Wednesday night bridge ­ high, Andy Britnell; 2nd, Richard Kingston. Thursday night euchre ­ 1st, Alice Crowder and Mary Reynolds; 2nd, Hilda Hutton; 3rd, Clair Marchand; door, Bernice Arcand.

Grenville farmer is the forage master

Life-long Algonquin-area farmer Keith Matthie has recently won first place for Grenville County in a 4-H Ontario Forage Masters competition.

Sponsored by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, the dairy farmer earned the recognition based on the condition of his farm fields, analysis of the harvested crop in storage and soil analysis.

The second-place winner in Grenville County was David Hess of RR3 Kemptville; Carkner Farms of RR2 Merrickville placed third.

PRESCOTT COUNCIL BRIEFS

Advanced green being considered at Churchill

PRESCOTT ­ The town has been asked to have advanced green signals installed on Edward Street at Churchill Road.

In a letter to Prescott council, Miranda Kenney notes it takes a long time to make a left turn off Edward because of increased traffic. "This should not be a situation that we have to deal with in Prescott," she writes.

The advanced green would make turning safer, the Grade 12 student at South Grenville District High School adds.

Kenney told the town's transportation and environmental committee Monday night the move would be beneficial. Town Engineer Clyde Solomon said the intersection was a concern of the previous council.

Solomon added he is in the process of getting prices for the equipment needed; he expects to receive the information later this month.

Car lot could receive one-year warranty from town

PRESCOTT ­ An interim bylaw is being proposed to deal with a used car lot located in the parking lot of the former valu-mart store on Edward Street.

The site is zoned commercial; automobile sales are not permitted in commercial zones, but it is allowed in industrial zones. Municipal staff recommended an interim-use bylaw that would permit car sales there for one year.

CAO/Clerk Robert Haller noted an official plan review is in the works; when that happens, the car sales in commercial zone issue can be dealt with on a long-term basis.

The planning and development committee accepted the recommendation Monday night; a bylaw will be drafted and put to Prescott council for its approval.

The committee also approved a motion calling for the town to proceed with a review. Council members noted they want to ensure the public is given a chance for input into the planning process.

Child fair returns this spring

PRESCOTT ­ The child fair will be returning to Prescott this spring.

Community service exhibits, presentations and attractions for children up to the age of six and their parents and caregivers will be set up Saturday, May 15 at O'Reilly's Your Independent Grocer.

Child fairs are being held in communities throughout the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark region. They are funded by federal and provincial governments and presented by Upper Canada Learning Centre.

The first child fair to be held in Prescott took place in Oct. 2002 at St. Mark's Parish Centre.

Several "Getting Ready for Kindergarten" school readiness workshops will be held in May and June at Central and Boundary Street public schools in Prescott.

For more information, call 925-3184.

Students helping children in Belarus

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

JOHNSTOWN - Students at South Edwardsburg Public School are preparing to open their hearts again by collecting for the Canadian Aid for Chernobyl campaign.

The collection program began Friday with a presentation from retired school teacher and Canadian Aid for Chernobyl volunteer Neil Matheson, who helped to deliver last year's aid.

Matheson asked the students to imagine all they had and all they saw on a daily basis, and then explained that in Belarus the children have none of it.

The retired teacher was thrilled to see the enthusiasm of the students at the small school.

"Getting to see where everything ends up really hits you and sinks in," said Matheson. "But to see kids who have never gotten to see where their donations go, still be so enthusiastic is just incredible."

Matheson is trying to work out a similar sort or partnership with an orphanage in Cherikov, which was one of the areas in Eastern Europe hardest hit by radioactive fallout from the explosion at the nuclear plant in Chernobyl in 1986.

"I'm hoping that when I come back we can take pictures of the students with the letters they wrote to send over with the donations," said Matheson. "Then I'm hoping to be able to bring back some pictures so the students can see who benefits. For those kids knowing another child a world away cares about them, it means the world."

The campaign will run until Jan. 23, with the school accepting donations of toothbrushes, toothpaste, soap, school supplies, warm clothing, toys and other items which could be used by children at orphanages and schools in Belarus. The donations will be taken to Belarus in March.

Skater places 11th at championships

EDMONTON - A Cardinal athlete rose to the occasion by posting a top-15 finish in the junior men's competition at the 2004 BMO Financial Group Canadian Figure Skating Championships held last week in Edmonton.

Tyler Colligan placed 11th overall in the junior men's competition, after finishing 10th in the short program and 11th in the free skate.

The 18-year old skater was the top finisher from the Eastern Ontario Region, finishing just ahead of Jamie Forsythe in 12th.

Colligan skated with the Cardinal Figure Skating Club for years before joining the Nepean Figure Skating Club in Ottawa.

Farm animals die in Crowder Road fire

SPENCERVILLE - Some sheep and cows perished when a fire demolished a Crowder Road barn last Tuesday.

According to Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal Fire Chief Jim Purcell, firefighters from both stations in the township were called to fight a barn fire at approximately 11:10 am at the residence of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Treasurer Russell Trivett and his wife Susan.

"It certainly filled the day," said Purcell. "There were seven vehicles which responded and about 30 firefighters. We also called in Kemptville to provide mutual aid from their tanker."

Purcell indicated the old dairy barn was a complete loss, but the department was able to save some of the other buildings on the property including an attached tool shed and a nearby house.

"There were a couple cattle and about eight sheep which were lost," said Purcell. "Most of the herd was able to get out. There was a fair bit of hay in the barn which acted as an accelerant. We're not 100 per cent sure of what the cause of the blaze was."

No one was injured in the blaze.

SCHOOL SCENE

Benson Public School named its students of the week for December. They were recognized for being kind, caring and considerate.

Dec. 1-5: Natalie Morrissette, JA-KA; Chelsee Brunette, Grade 1-2; Brody Fahrngruber, Grade 2-3; Spencer Disheau, Grade 3-4; Erin MacDonald, Grade 4-5; Erin Douesnard, Grade 5-6; Katelyn Vout, Grade 6-7 and Sebastian Last, Grade 8.

Dec. 8-12: Sam Reid, JB-KB; Auston Wickware, Grade 1-2; Shai Kemp, Grade 2-3; Sarah Trillo, Grade 3-4; Sierra Vout, Grade 4-5; Janessa Van Koppen, Grade 5-6; Brittany Merkley, Grade 6-7 and Amanda Riddell, Grade 8.

Dec. 15-19: Evan Mills, JA-KA; Patrick Johnston, Grade 1-2; Meagan Vout, Grade 2-3; Natasha Edgley, Grade 3-4; Cody Adams, Grade 4-5; Kris Stobe, Grade 5-6; Charlena Miller, Grade 6-7 and Chelsea Edwards Grade 8.

Postage stamp club set to meet tonight

CARDINAL - The Cardinal Stamp Club will hold a meeting at 7 pm on tonight (Wednesday, Jan. 14) at the Cardinal Public Library on Bridge Street.

The monthly meetings will continue through the winter months, with the club usually breaking for summer.

Prescott #6 leads Seaway interbranch men's dart league

CARDINAL - Prescott #6 sits out in front of the Seaway Interbranch Men's Dart League standings with 122 points after the first half of the season.

Prescott #6 sits 11 points ahead of second-place Iroquois #5 with 111 points, while Prescott #1 sits in third place with 107 points, Iroquois #7 with 87 points, Cardinal #4 with 78 points and Prescott #3 with 35 points.

Tom Rae leads all players with the most games won with 49, followed by David Haynes, 44; Glen Adams, 35; Tim Gonczowski, 34; Tom Coville, 33; Wayne Bellinger, 29; Bill Hutt, 28; Rick Sayeau, 27; Jeremy Adams, 25; Ron Bradford, 20, and Jerry Carr, 20.

There are seven members of the 180 club at the mid-season mark, including Rae with three, Juby, Bellinger, Bradford and Carr.

Glen Adams sits atop the standings as the top high finish with 120, followed by Bellinger, 117-92; Bobby Sayeau, 112; Coville, 105 and Juby, 98.

The top ten high scorers in the first half of the season are, Rae, 177-142-140x13-139x2-137x2-127-126-125x2-121x3; Duane Kirker, 165-137-132-125-123-122x2; Bradford, 160-140-137-134-125x2-120; Haynes, 140x14-135-2-125x3-124-123-121x3; Glen Adams, 140x8-137-136-134-125x5-123-122-121x2-120; Jeremy Adams, 140x8-137-135-125x2; Juby, 140x6-132-125-122-121x3; Carr, 140x5-135-125x7-122-121; Coville, 140x5,125x2-121-120x2 and Gonczowski, 140x3-132-123-121.

NEWS BRIEFS

Celebrating 10 years at the diners' club

SPENCERVILLE ­ The VON Spencerville Diners' Club will mark its 10th anniversary this Thursday, Jan. 15 at St. Andrew's Knox Presbyterian Church Hall.

Volunteers have served more than 15,000 area seniors since the first luncheon was held Jan. 13, 1994.

Local dignitaries and VON Executive Director Ruth Kitson are expected to attend Thursday's special event.

Agricultural society to hold AGM Jan. 26

SPENCERVILLE ­ The annual general meeting of the Spencerville Agricultural Society will take place Monday, Jan. 26 at 8 pm in the Drummond Building.

Society directors as well as volunteers, exhibitors and members of the public are welcome to attend.

For additions to the agenda, contact Dorothy Seeley at 925-4385.

The society hosts the annual Spencerville Fair.

Giving up smoking saves more than one way

Pack-a-day habit costs more than $3,000 yearly

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Now is as good a time as ever to consider kicking the smoking habit, according to the Canadian Cancer Society.

National Non-Smoking Week is Jan. 18-24, and Weedless Wednesday is Jan. 21.

The Canadian Tobacco Use Monitoring Survey indicates the daily smoking rate decreased from 22 per cent in 2001 to 18 per cent in 2002. For the 15-19 age group, the rate was 22 per cent two years ago.

Smoking is specifically related to 85 per cent of lung cancer cases. Lung cancer is the leading cause of death for both men and women in Canada.

To help kick the cigarette habit, the Smokers' Helpline was established by the Canadian Cancer Society and is funded in part by the Government of Ontario.

Callers can talk to trained "quit specialists" who will listen and respond to questions about methods of quitting smoking and about how to deal with withdrawal symptoms, cravings and how to manage stress.

More than 29,000 people in Ontario have called the helpline since its creation in April 2000.

Quit specialists are available Monday to Thursday from 8 am to 9 pm and Friday from 8 am to 5 pm. For more information, call the toll-free helpline at 1-877-513-5333.

During off-hours or when the specialists are busy, callers can leave messages; the calls will be returned.

The cost of smoking

The cancer society has also created a "Smoking Calculator" that shows the potential financial savings and health benefits associated with giving up smoking. The feature will be available at the society's Web site (www.cancer.ca) as of Jan. 18.

At a price of $8.60 per pack, a pack-a-day habit would cost a smoker more than $3,100 a year.

"When the cost of a package of cigarettes is calculated over a period of time, the results are astonishing," stated Penny Thomsen, CEO of the society's Ontario division.

Board of health AGM is Thursday

BROCKVILLE ­ The annual general meeting of the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit will take place this Thursday, Jan. 15 at CJ's Banquet Hall on Chelsea Street in Brockville.

A social gathering begins at 6:30 pm, with the AGM and feature presentation following at 7 pm.

Guest speaker will be Dr. Fraser Mustard, founding president of the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research. Dr. Mustard is a leader in the field of socioeconomic determinants of human development and health.

The meeting is open to the public. For more information, call Heather Bruce at 345-5685 ext. 2248.

Education directors to retire

KEMPTVILLE ­ The Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario (CDSBEO) is seeking a new director of education.

Greg McNally has announced he will retire June 1. McNally's 34-year career in the education sector began in teaching; he has served as education director the past four years.

"I leave with a spirit of appreciation for all the blessings I have been given over the years," McNally stated. "It has been a tremendously rewarding career for me."

CDSBEO Chair Ron Eamer said McNally is a man of vision and faith whose guidance has helped make the board one of the most respected Catholic boards in Canada.

The Upper Canada District School Board is also losing its director of education to retirement. Gino Giannandrea will be leaving later this winter.

His successor, David Thomas, has already been selected and is working for the public board.

MPP wants new premier to help scrap gun law

BROCKVILLE ­ Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman is taking another shot at the federal long gun registry.

The Progressive Conservative MPP is calling on Liberal Premier Dalton McGuinty to urge Liberal Prime Minister Paul Martin to scrap the controversial and costly registry.

"McGuinty should tell his federal cousin in Ottawa to stop picking on hunters and farmers by putting an end to this ineffective and fiscally-irresponsible program once and for all," Runciman stated in a news release Monday.

The cost of the registry could rise to $2 billion, according to the Canadian Taxpayers' Federation. The original cost had been pegged at $2 million.

Town seeks health unit levy reduction

PRESCOTT ­ The town's representative on the board of health will express concerns about a proposed 13.7-per-cent health unit levy increase when the board meets Monday.

Prescott's 2003 levy amounted to $70,381. The 2004 budget calls for the town to contribute $80,025.

The board of health reduced its 2003 levy increase after municipalities had expressed concern about the original proposal. Members of Prescott council are hoping the same might happen in 2004.

However, town officials acknowledged Monday there might be little or no room for the board to adjust spending this year. Reserves were depleted to reduce last year's increase.

Prescott's share of the health unit budget is less than three per cent of the total budget.

The largest share belongs to the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, to which the townships of Augusta and Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal belong.

Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn said Monday he had been told the board of health would not meet prior to next week's town council meeting. However, he found out this week that would not be the case.

Full house expected for 15th annual PFSC invitational

PRESCOTT - More than 400 skaters will be in Prescott this Saturday and Sunday Jan. 17 and 18 for the Prescott Figure Skating Club's 15th annual Invitational Free Skate at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.

The 405-skater competition will feature more than 40 clubs from across the provinces of Ontario and Quebec and will run Saturday from 6:45 am until 9:30 pm and Sunday from 6:45 am until 8:30 pm.

"This is by far our largest competition ever," said Prescott Figure Skating Club President and event chair Cindy McGuin. "We have about 100 skaters more than last year."

McGuin also indicated the event has undergone some changes with the addition of new classes which helped attract skaters.

"The big thing is all the new categories this year," explained McGuin. "At the pre-preliminary level, which is at the base level of getting into figure skating, we added 15 new categories. Also, we've brought back the mixed dance this year and it seems to be pretty popular."

Teams will be competing for the prestigious Ray Throop Memorial Trophy, which is awarded annually to the club with the most overall points throughout the weekend. Last year's winner, the Arnprior Figure Skating Club, will be back to defend the title.

Prescott Figure Skating Club skaters will also be battling hard throughout the weekend to try and capture the Barry Lundvill Memorial Trophy, which goes to the local skater who has
accumulated the most points. Last year Jennifer Pettem was the winner of the Lundvill Trophy.

Presentations of medals will take place following each competition, while the Lundville and Throop trophies will be handed out at the conclusion of the two-day event Sunday at approximately 8 pm.

Admission to the event is free throughout the weekend; the public is encouraged to attend.

See the back page of the Journal for more information.

Giants girls volleyball teams hoping to host LGSSAA

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

KEMPTVILLE - The South Grenville Giants junior and senior volleyball teams have taken their first step towards their goal of hosting the Leeds and Grenville Secondary School Athletic Association championships.

Both teams finished in first place at the first tournament of the year Jan. 6 in Kemptville.

The senior girls team finished the tournament tied for first place with North Grenville after posting a 4-2 record. The Giants managed a pair of wins over St. Mary (25-22, 25-23), before splitting games with North Grenville (25-16, 20-25) and TISS (13-25, 25-18).

"We came out a little jittery against TISS, with a lot of unforced errors," said senior coach Ann Drummond. "We're a veteran-laden team and we're hoping to reach the LGSSAA finals and hopefully get that final point we haven't been able to get in the past years."

The seniors will seek to take advantage of a very experienced team with four fifth-year players and four fourth-year players being looked on to help lead the team. "We have middle Erin Heibein, power Amanda Watt, setter Lori Hall all back and we're looking forward to getting power Jessica Watt back in the second semester," said Drummond. "Also, setters Miranda Kenney and Alex Ward, middle Shannon Campbell and power Ali Murray will be counted on throughout the season."

The team is rounded out with two first-year players in, student Amy Foster and rookie setter Sam Joudoin, who will look to bring some energy to the line-up.

In the junior tournament, South Grenville managed a first place finish after posting a 5-1 record.

The Giants managed to sweep St. Mary (25-14, 25-15) and TISS (25-18, 25-9), before splitting games with hosts North Grenville (23-25, 25-19).

"We should have won the only game we lost, but we only converted 33 per cent serves," said junior coach Terry-Jane Hoy. "We have a lot of potential, and we're hoping to be able to score hosting duties for LGSSAA this year. The school with the best combined junior and senior record gets to host the tournament, and in the last few years it has come down to the juniors."

The junior team boasts seven returning players, with five new Grade 9 students joining the team.

"We're really looking for the leadership of the returning players to help this team be consistent," said Hoy. "We should be a pretty strong team."

The Giants will host their regular season tournament Wednesday, Feb. 4; games start at noon.

South Grenville finishes fifth at Giants Invitational tourney

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants senior boys basketball team had a tough time dropping a pair of close match-ups to finish fifth at the Giants Invitational basketball tournament Friday and Saturday in Prescott.

South Grenville opened up the tournament with a heartbreaking 56-54 loss to St. Joseph of Cornwall. The Giants fell behind early, but battled back to take a 33-30 lead at the half, before getting into a slump late in the game and letting St. Joseph steal the game away as South Grenville had three costly turnovers in the final 30 seconds. Jamie Clarke led the Giants with 13 points, while Travis Irvine added 11, and Curtis Bucking and Matt Alkerton added eight apiece.

In its second game, South Grenville dropped a 45-43 loss to eventual tournament champion Sharbot Lake.

The Giants had a dismal first half trailing 25-9 at the half, including a two point second quarter, but battled back in the second half before running out of gas. Bucking and Clarke each scored eight to lead South Grenville, while Irvine added seven and Ayerst added six.

With the pair of losses, South Grenville was relegated to the fifth place game, in which the Giants managed a 59-48 win over the Athens Warriors. Clarke scored a game-high 17 points to pace South Grenville, while Andrew DeDekker added 12 and Irvine chipped in with eight.

"We did a lot of little things well, but we just weren't consistent," said Giants coach Mark Lewis. "We would look great at times, but not for the whole 32 minutes. They're coming along and figuring me out and I'm figuring them out and we're starting to come around. It was good to get some experience in those close games, but I would have liked to be on the other end of it."

Lewis also noted some strong improvement with the Giants bench play.

"The bench has really started to come along nicely," said Lewis. "I can honestly say I'm as pleased about that as anything so far."

On Jan. 7, South Grenville scored a 59-48 win over the Athens Warriors in regular season action. The Giants only led by one point at the half (28-27), but managed to get on a roll in the second half to secure the win. Jamie Clarke led South Grenville with 17 points, while Andrew DeDekker scored 12 and Mike Ayerst and Travis Irvine added eight apiece.

In junior action, the Giants cruised to a 40-31 win after overcoming some early nerves. Chad Hyland led the Giants with nine points, while Sam Whitley added eight and Scott Hall added six.

Jr. B Rangers back on track with pair of convincing wins

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers scored a pair of wins to close in on the second place Westport Rideaus in the Rideau Division.

With the pair of wins South Grenville sits with a record of 16-15-2-1 on the season for 35 points, just two back of the third-place Gananoque Islanders and four back of the second-place Westport Rideaus.

Rangers General Manager Dennis Van Luit was pleased with the outcome of this week's games and the effort shown by the team.

"We are getting a great effort from all players," said Van Luit. "We added Aaron Fox, who is an overager who played for Athens last year and also with Gloucester and Nepean. We're getting offence from four lines and our defence is chipping in. This time of the year is very important and we need to be a team on and off the ice."

On Saturday, the Rangers scored a 6-3 win over the Picton Pirates in the last inter-league match-up of the season for South Grenville.

The Rangers got on the board early as Brandon Kelley managed to score at the mid-way point of the first period to take a 1-0 lead; Fox picked up an assist.

A minute later, the Rangers added to their lead as Cahl Gerow scored to make things 2-0. Steve Brown and associate player Braden Miller picked up helpers.

With five minutes left in the first South Grenville would once again extend its lead as Justin Wiley would score of the year to take a 3-0 lead. Adam Lawrence returning from injury and Adam Toussant were credited with assists.

Picton would finally get on the board with a couple minutes left in the period, and would continue to put pressure on in the second period to narrow the lead to 3-2, but the Rangers would bounce back in the third period with three goals to finish off the Pirates 6-3.

Lawrence, Stefan Gravelle and Ben Bowden scored for South Grenville in the third period, while Wiley, Toussant, Greg Ingerson and Peter Veltkamp would chip in with assists.

Last Thursday, South Grenville travelled to Cornwall and managed a 5-2 win over the Akwesasne Wolves.

Alex Rees opened the scoring with a powerplay goal with less than five minutes in the first period, with Veltkamp and Toussant adding assists. The Wolves would tie things up 30 seconds later to end the period knotted at one.

The Rangers got off to a slow start in the second period, allowing Akwesasne to score in the first minute of play. South Grenville would slowly get back on their game to score three unanswered goals to take a 4-2 lead in the game.

Veltkamp netted a pair of goals in the period for South Grenville, while Wiley would add a single. Lawrence (2), Ingerson, associate player Eric Selleck and Toussant added assists.

Rees would find Toussant in front of the net to score with two minutes left in the game.

The Rangers will host the Athens Aeros this Saturday at 7:15 pm.

Falcons de-claw Lynx at home

PRESCOTT - The St. Lawrence Falcons senior A hockey team has continued its hot play of late, scoring an 8-1 victory over the Cobourg Lynx Saturday at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.

The Falcons started off the scoring as Chris McCann found the net less than three minutes into the game, with Andrew Dickson picking up a helper.

The Lynx would fight back to tie things at one with less than two minutes left in the period.

St. Lawrence came out for the second period fired up to take control of the game and not look back.

McCann would add a pair of goals in the second period, while Chris Ferguson and Adrian Haird would also score to allow the Falcons to soar to a 5-1 lead at the end of the second period. Dewight Merkley (2), Ferguson, Haird, Tony Switzer, Ian Miller, Dickson and Patrick Pelda all chipped in with assists.

In the third, the Falcons continued their strong offensive presence and strong goaltending from Paul Tomkins to continue the route.

Ferguson would score his second of the game less than five minutes into the period, with Falcons captain Jason Hawkins and Tyler Dukelow picking up helpers.

Lloyd Marks would get into action finding the net a couple of minutes later with Charlie Froment picking up a helper.

Switzer would put a cap on the scoring with 6:42 left in the game, as Hawkins and Froment picked up assists, and the Falcons would run down the clock to secure the 8-1 win.

With the win, the Falcons improve to 10-7 on the season for 20 points, just two points behind second-place Belleville McFarlands.

The Falcons are now preparing for a road stand as they travel to Belleville on Friday and travel to Tamworth Jan. 24. St. Lawrence will return home on Saturday, Jan. 31 to take on the Cobourg Lynx.

Major peewee Kings drop home-and-home series

OTTAWA - The Rideau-St. Lawrence major peewee Kings continued their troubles on the road with a pair of defeats at the hands of the Ottawa Sting.

On Jan. 5, the Kings travelled to Ottawa, falling 7-1 to the Ottawa Sting. Jay Keller scored unassisted for the Kings' lone goal.

On Jan. 8, the Kings hosted Ottawa dropping a 5-2 decision to the Sting at the Spencerville arena. Max St. Jacques
and Brett Jackson scored for
the Kings, while Tyson Wilson (2) and Mike Skakum added assists.

Atom B Rangers take part in Bell Cup

OTTAWA - The South Grenville atom B Rangers participated in the Bell Canada Cup from Jan. 1-4 in Ottawa.

The Rangers posted a 1-2 record in round-robin play, which wasn't good enough to advance to the playoff rounds.

The Rangers opened the tournament with a 2-1 win over the Gloucester Blackhawks. Lucas Stitt and Rik Champagne scored for the Rangers, while Stitt also added an assist.

In their second game of the tournament, the Rangers faced a strong Pennsylvania Vampires team being shut out 6-0.

In their third game, the Rangers battled the Renfrew Timberwolves, dropping the game in a 3-2 decision. Ian King and Patrick Froom each scored unassisted markers for the Rangers.

Also at the tournament, Lucas Stitt and Hunter McCarroll took part in the all-star game as players, while coach Paul Sargeant was behind the bench as an assistant.

Jarrett Pitt, Shane Riddell, Quinton Selleck, Alex Stephenson, Joey Sargeant, Froom and King all took part in the 256-person skills competition at the tournament, with King and Sargeant winning the breakaway shootout for the Rangers, while Riddell placed second in the target shoot.

In regular season play Dec. 30, the Rangers played a strong game scoring a 3-0 win over
the Kemptville Panthers. Trent Corney, McCarroll and Stitt scored for the Rangers, while Corney, Sargeant and McCarroll chipped in with helpers.

The Rangers advanced to the final of the Gananoque atom B tournament Dec. 27 before falling to the Tweed Hawks.

The Rangers opened the tournament with a strong offensive showing in an 8-0 win over the Cornwall Royals. Hunter McCarroll, Joey Sargeant, Ian King, Cody Adams, Rik Champagne, Colman Colpitts, Alex Stephenson and Trent Corney scored for South Grenville, while Adams (2), Lucas Stitt, Champagne, Robbie Deeks, King and McCarroll chipped in with helpers.

In their semi-final match-up, the Rangers managed to pull out a 1-0 win in a very defensive-minded game. Corney scored unassisted in the game's lone goal.

In the final, the Rangers dropped a 3-1 decision to the Tweed Hawks. Corney scored South Grenville's lone goal, with Cody Adams picking up an assist.

On Jan. 5, the Rangers scored a 5-2 win over the Kingston Township Titans at the Spencerville arena. Stephenson, King, Deeks, Sargeant and McCarroll scored for South Grenville, while Deeks (2), Stitt, Stephenson, King and Sargeant added assists.

On Jan. 10, the Rangers travelled to Kingston scoring a 5-2 win over the Kingston Township Titans in regular season action. Colpitts scored a pair of goals to lead South Grenville, while Champagne, Corney and Sargeant added singles. Corney, King, Colpitts and Kippax chipped in with helpers.

Atom B Rangers #1 win Renfrew tourney

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville atom B Rangers #1 were crowned champions of the Renfrew atom B tournament.

On Dec. 29, the Rangers came home as A champions of the Renfrew atom B tournament, only allowing one goal throughout the tournament.

In the final, South Grenville managed a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Renfrew Kung Po Restaurant to capture the crown. Spencer Lee and Nick Thorpe scored for the Rangers, while Lucas Chretien and Houston Bujacz added assists.

The Rangers managed a 6-0 win over the Kinsmen Reds in the tournament semi-final. Logan Grant scored a hat trick to lead the Rangers, while Tim Kippax, Cody Knapp and Matt Leonard added singles. Derik Bourgeois, Sean Blackburn, Chretien, John Wood and Devin Johnston chipped in with helpers. Nathan Peters was credited with the shut out.

In its tournament opener, South Grenville scored a 7-0 win over Barry's Bay. Leonard and Chretien each scored a pair to lead the Rangers, while Lee, Kippax and Knapp added singles. Grant (3), Chretien, Thorpe, Bourgeois and Peters added assists. Blackburn scored the shutout.

On Jan. 3, the Rangers #1 fell in the finals of the South Grenville host tournament to arch rivals South Grenville #2.

In the final, South Grenville #2 scored a 4-2 win over the Rangers #1. Zach Flemming led South Grenville #2 with a pair of goals, while Mike Lawless, and Josh Bailey added singles. Ryan Maggio, Rhys Larry, Broydon Stufko and Flemming chipped in with helpers.

Leonard and Lee scored for the Rangers #1, while Thorpe and Grant added assists.

In the semi-finals, the Rangers #1 scored a 4-0 win over the Athens Aeros with Blackburn scoring a shutout in goal. Lee, Kippax, Desmond Martin and Grant scored for South Grenville #1, while Peters and Martin added assists.

In the tournament opener, the Rangers #1 scored a 4-1 win over Kingston Zellers. Lee led South Grenville with a pair of goals, while Martin and Thorpe added singles. Kippax and Chretien were credited with helpers.

In the Long Sault tournament Dec. 23, the Rangers faced some stiff competition and dropped a pair of games.

In their opener, the Rangers lost a 6-1 decision to the Senateurs de Soulanges. Leonard scored the lone goal for South Grenville, while Garret Richards picked up an assist.

In their second game, the Rangers were shut out 4-0 by the Alexandria Glens and were eliminated from the tournament.

In the tournament skills competition, Peters won the goaltenders shootout, while the team of Kippax, Lee, Leonard and Johnston finished second in the skating relay.

In regular season action Jan. 6, the Rangers scored a 2-0 win over the Athens Aeros. Sean Blackburn picked up the shutout for South Grenville while Leonard scored both Rangers goals. Martin and John Wood chipped in with assists.

Novice Boltz boast strong Christmas season

SPENCERVILLE - The South Grenville novice Lightning Boltz had a strong Christmas season, advancing to the semi-finals of two tournaments before being eliminated.

On Jan. 4, the Lightning Boltz scored a 4-4 draw with Kemptville #2 at the Spencerville arena. Broydon Stufko led the Lightning Boltz with a hat trick, while Adam Norton had a single. Dylan
Bell, Shenda Harrison and
John Lawless chipped in with helpers.

On Jan. 2, South Grenville travelled to Carleton Place to participate in the Carleton Place novice tournament, scoring a win and loss. The Boltz opened the tournament with an 8-0 win over the host Carleton Place Kings. Bell (2), Harrison (2), Lawless (2), Norton and Stufko scored for South Grenville, while Stufko chipped in with a helper.

In the tournament semi-final, South Grenville dropped a 5-1 decision to Kemptville #2. Lawless scored the Lightning Boltz' lone goal, while Bell and Stufko added assists.

On Dec. 20, the Lightning Boltz travelled to Embrun to participate in the Embrun Novice Tournament. South Grenville opened the tournament with a 4-3 win over Casselman. Stufko led the Lightning Boltz with a hat trick, while Brett Van Stralen added a single. Cole Burchell and Harrison chipped in with helpers.

In the tournament semi-final, South Grenville fell 8-6 to the host Embrun Panthers. Van Stralen scored all six Lightning Boltz goals, while Matt Courtney chipped in with a pair of helpers.

In regular season action Dec. 14, South Grenville battled Kemptville #2 at the Spencerville arena, losing the game 5-2. Bell and Van Stralen scored for the Lightning Boltz, while Norton and Stufko added helpers.

On Dec. 7, the Lightning Boltz travelled across the border to defeat Ogdensburg 7-3. Stufko led all scorers with five goals, while Bell and Van Stralen netted singles.

On Nov. 16, the Lightning Boltz travelled to Winchester falling 5-2 to the North Dundas Devils. Stufko and Van Stralen scored for South Grenville, while Lawless added an assist.

SG minor midget Rangers win three straight

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville minor midget Rangers started the new year on a winning note with three regular season victories.

On Jan. 7, the Rangers played host to Louisville, skating away with a 3-0 win. Justin Rust led South Grenville with a pair of markers, while Andrew Wilson added a single. Nathaniel Hayes, Matt Deeks and Cory Gray were credited with helpers.

On Jan. 5, South Grenville scored a 2-0 shutout victory on the road over South Stormont. Deeks scored both Rangers goals in the win.

On Jan. 4, the Rangers travelled to Kemptville and came away with a 3-2 victory. Mike Lawrence netted a pair of goals to lead South Grenville, while Wes Polite added a single. Josh Joudoin (2), Gray (2) and Mike Leeder chipped in with helpers. The Rangers continue to get strong goaltending from the duo of Kevin Beach and Corie Toye.

SGMHA tournament still in need of volunteers for Prescott

PRESCOTT - There is still a need for volunteers for the annual South Grenville Minor Hockey Association major midget tournament in Prescott this March.

The tournament is the SGMHA's number one fundraiser to help keep registration costs down for all levels of hockey.

Parents from the bantam, atom, peewee and novice levels are being asked to chip in to help replace the parents of children who have already graduated from the SGMHA system.

Those interested in volunteering should attend the meeting this Sunday, Jan. 18 at 1 pm at the Cardinal and District Community Centre or call Tom Elliott at 925-5519.

Jr. B Rangers holding meet and greet in February

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers will be holding a special pre game dinner for their final home game against the Brockville Tikis Feb. 14 in Cardinal.

From 4 pm-5 pm there will be a meet and greet social hour with the players at the Cardinal Legion, with a spaghetti dinner to follow at 6 pm and the game to begin at 7:15 pm.

Come out and enjoy a good meal and watch the Rangers face off against the Tikis.

Tickets for the game and dinner can be purchased at the Cardinal and District Community Centre or by contacting the Cardinal Legion at 657-4735.

Billets for Prescott and Cardinal tournaments being sought

PRESCOTT- The South Grenville Minor Hockey Association is seeking billets for the major midget tournament in Prescott and minor midget tournament in Cardinal this March.

Families are needed to take kids from teams from far away in for the weekend and provide them with rides to their games.

The billeting program has been a popular format in the past for both the players and families who get a chance to take in a kid from another part of North America.

Anyone interested in billeting for either tournament should contact Brenda Byrd at 925-4088 or Sue Chillson at 925-1328.

All content is copyright 2004 The Prescott Journal. No reproduction permitted without written permission.