VOL. 174, NO. 15~ PRESCOTT, ONTARIO ~ April 14, 2004

Date set for vote

Prescott council to select policing option April 26

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ The future of the Prescott Police Service could finally be decided once and for all later this month.

Prescott council will vote Monday, April 26 on whether to proceed with plans to disband the municipal police department and proceed with a five-year contract with the Ontario Provincial Police. Council set the vote date during a budget meeting last Tuesday night.

To accommodate the vote, the regular council meeting scheduled for April 19 was postponed by one week. Town committee meetings to have been held April 26 will now take place on the 19th.

The policing issue was discussed during a closed-door session of council that followed last week's budget meeting. Town CAO/Clerk Robert Haller had indicated earlier in the week the meeting would be held in-camera because of personnel issues.

Disbandment of the Prescott Police Service would result in the loss of seven civilian dispatch positions. The OPP has indicated it would hire the uniformed officers but would not offer employment to Prescott Constable and former OPP officer Darren Davis. One of the civilian workers would be hired by the OPP.

The OPP would handle its own dispatch service; the town is expected to contract out fire and after-hours utility and public works dispatch in conjunction with disbanding the municipal police department.

An informal survey conducted recently by the Prescott Fire Department indicated 91 per cent of respondents prefer to keep the existing police service in place as opposed to switching to OPP.

It has been more than three years since Prescott council voted to proceed with an OPP contract.

At least 80 jobs cut at DuPont Maitland

Lycra plant will be closed as part of restructuring plan announced Monday

By Monica Whitney, Journal Staff Writer

MAITLAND ­ Up to 85 employees who work in lycra and spandex production at DuPont Canada Maitland Site are losing their jobs.

The job terminations - to be effective sometime in May - come as a result of a corporate restructuring and shutdown of the Maitland spandex stretch fibres/personal care operations, Human Resources Manager Bill Byker said Monday.

Employees were to be told of the restructuring Monday and Tuesday. It is expected the job losses will be handled through voluntary retirements, redeployments and terminations.

The restructuring is part of DuPont Canada's parent company's worldwide workforce reduction. Job reductions across the country are expected to reach 200.

The restructuring does not involve the newly-created Invista section of DuPont.

The decision to shut down the lycra/spandex facility locally was based on a global DuPont business strategy to streamline North American operations, reduce costs and to ensure long-term viability in a highly competitive global marketplace, Byker said.

As well, the Maitland site does not have the capability to produce a new polymer, Byker said. Operations are moving to Virginia.

"This restructuring will ensure that we are positioned for sustainable growth and future success following the sale of DuPont's Invista division to Koch Industries," said DuPont Canada President Doug Muzyka. "We will become more competitive organizations, better integrated within DuPont across North America, and resourced with the right complement of people. As a result, we will strengthen our ability to meet the changing needs of our customers and the global marketplace."

Maitland has been producing spandex stretch fibres for 40 years.

John McCrea, reeve of Augusta Township in which the plant is located, said the job losses are "bad for Augusta, but it's bad for the whole area.

"One wonders if we shouldn't be looking more at the entrepreneurial economy by taking products, services and ideas and helping them grow," McCrea commented. "These jobs have to be replaced one way or another."

The site employs 600 workers. There are usually betweeen 200 and 300 contract workers on site.

THIS WEEK

Spencerville river race will be a barrel of fun

SPENCERVILLE ­ They'll be rolling out the barrels in Spencerville this Saturday afternoon.

The annual barrel race presented by Station One of the Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Fire Department will once again be held on the South Nation River at the Spencerville Mill. Eight barrels will be released just above the dam shortly after 2:30 pm. The bridge serves as the finish line.

Each barrel represents the name of a lucky ticketholder. Tickets can be purchased in advance from any firefighter.

Proceeds go to the department.

Regional jobless rate goes up in March

KINGSTON ­ The regional unemployment rate was higher last month, according to figures released Thursday by the Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC) office in Kingston.

The jobless rate for the region of Eastern Ontario that includes South Grenville was 7.5 per cent in March. The February rate was seven per cent.

Most industries reported job losses last month, according to an HRSDC news release. The services-producing sector recorded the biggest reductions.

The regional jobless rate a year ago at this time was nine per cent.

Although there was a slight decrease (1.5 per cent) in Employment Insurance (EI) claims last month in the Kingston-Pembroke management area, the Prescott HRSDC office reported an increase of 3.2 per cent. There were 1,589 regular and special claims at the end of March compared to 1,539 at the end of February.

HRSDC notes unemployment rates are not determined through assessment of EI data.

Chamber name vote to be held Thursday

RIVERVIEW HEIGHTS ­ The next Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce directors' meeting will take place this Thursday, April 15 at noon at the Rothesay Restaurant on County Road 2.

A vote on whether to change the name of the organization from Prescott and District to South Grenville is expected at tomorrow's meeting. The vote had been set for the March meeting but was postponed.

Annual rummage sale set for parish centre

PRESCOTT ­ The Catholic Women's League presents its annual rummage sale early next week at St. Mark's Parish Centre. The event runs Monday, April 19 from 6 to 8 pm and Tuesday, April 20 from 10 am to noon.

Invista/DuPont deal announced

MAITLAND ­ Invista operations, which includes most of what was formerly known as the DuPont Canada Maitland Site, will be taken over by Koch Industries May 1, local Human Resources Manager Bill Byker said Monday.

KED Fiber Ltd. and KED Fiber, LLC, subsidiaries of Koch Industries of Kansas, and DuPont, have agreed to an amendment to the original sale price of $4.2 billion, adjusted from $4.4 billion, including assumption of debt, joint venture and equity interests. The closing date of the sale was also bumped up from June 30, according to a news release.

DuPont announced last November it had reached an agreement to sell Invista to the subsidiaries. Koch is the second largest privately-owned company in the world.

Augusta implements restructuring plan

Management positions terminated; reeve says restructuring will make township more effective

By Monica Whitney, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD ­ Two management positions in Augusta Township have been eliminated as a result of council implementing recommendations contained within an organizational review.

Roads Superintendent Fred Leonard and Chief Building Official and Bylaw Enforcement Officer Doug Beesley were terminated from their jobs last week.

The organizational review was authorized by the previous council; the current council passed a resolution to accept the report submitted by the Templeman Consulting Group Inc. at its meeting March 22. The results of the study were revealed to township staff at a meeting at the municipal office Thursday afternoon; Leonard and Beesley had already been terminated and were not present.

Details of the organizational review were expected to be made public at council's meeting last night; however, The Journal went to press prior to that meeting.

In a telephone interview Monday afternoon, Reeve John McCrea acknowledged the two management positions had been declared "redundant" according to restructuring recommendations contained in the document. While the reeve noted the contents of the report were "broad and sweeping," he was reluctant to discuss details before last night's meeting.

McCrea added the report contains more than 50 recommendations, some of which will be implemented over time. These other recommendations "deal with just about everything in the township" and will have a large impact on the municipality, McCrea said, although he would not elaborate.

In noting council spent many late nights going through the report and examining it with a fine-tooth comb, McCrea said it took a lot of soul-searching to make the employment decisions. "When you're in a position to say somebody's not working for you anymore, that's as bad as it gets," McCrea said in describing how he felt "awful" about making the decision.

He was, however, optimistic about the final outcome of the organizational review. "To me, this is about making the township more effective in the long term," he said. "It's not just sharpening what we're doing, but looking at a new way of doing things."

McCrea was uncertain about the township's next steps to ensure work would continue to get done and services would be provided to the public. An arrangement may be made to share the duties with officials from other municipalities, and contracting out may be an option, he said. One of the roads department crew members has been appointed as a working foreman, McCrea added.

The agenda for last night's meeting included the passing of bylaws to appoint an interim bylaw control officer and to enter into an agreement with the Township of Elizabethtown-Kitley. McCrea said he had not seen the agenda yet but thought the two bylaws were "probably part of it (restructuring)."

Stolen Jeep pulled from river; obscene language written on car

PRESCOTT ­ A vehicle reported stolen from a Dibble Street West residence Sunday contained a chainsaw and numerous tools, according to the Prescott Police Service.

Inside the 1990 Jeep Cherokee were a Stihl chainsaw valued at $800, tools totalling $200 and $100 in cash.

Later that day, the vehicle was found and then pulled from the St. Lawrence River just west of the boat ramp. Some of the missing items were found at the scene. Constable Rick Champagne is investigating.

In all, town police investigated 82 incidents and three motor vehicle collisions during the week of April 5.

On April 6, police were called to a fight on Water Street. Two males were arguing and several others stood around watching, according to a police news release. A male suspect was arrested and placed in a cruiser. He damaged the right rear window while inside the car, police noted. Jacob Valkenier, 21, of Prescott faces charges of breach of recognizance, breach of probation and mischief. The investigating officer is Sergeant Gary Sluytman.

Also on April 6, police were contacted by a New York state resident who indicated his 2004 Toyota Echo had been damaged while parked in the lot at South Grenville District High School. Obscene language had been carved into the paint on the vehicle, according to police. Damage is estimated at $500. The investigator is Constable Jon Pergunas.

A King Street resident told police April 7 about vandalism that had occurred at a Sophia Street residence. Police went to the address and found two figurines had been smashed on the street. The damage estimate is $75. Constable Rob Prophet is investigating.

Anyone with information on these or any other occurrences in town is asked to contact the Prescott Police Service at 925-4252 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Nobody deserves to be bullied

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Bullying should not be dismissed as normal childhood behaviour, according to a counsellor who works with school-age children in the Prescott area.

Mitch Robinson of the Child and Youth Wellness Centre of Leeds and Grenville, outlined the problem of bullying during a public presentation March 11 at St. Joseph Catholic School in Prescott.

Robinson said bullying is "one of the most underrated and serious problems in school." Bullying is predatory aggression that can do significant damage to more than just the victim, he added.

"Bullying is arrogance in action," Robinson said.

He explained there are three components to bullying: the bully, the bullied and the bystander.

On average, an incident of bullying lasts just 37 seconds. Only about 25 per cent of bullying situations are reported to school officials or parents.

All three types involved in bullying suffer emotional damage and lower self-esteem, according to Robinson. Each personality type is eroded by the experience.

Bullying takes three forms: verbal, physical and relational. Boys tend to be more physical; girls often use relational bullying that might involve groups of friends who team up against a target.

Warning signs include a child's sudden loss of interest in school and a drop in grades. The child might withdraw from family and friends.

"If your gut says something is happening, it probably is," Robinson said.

He has also seen children whose headaches, stomach aches and other illnesses also serve as tell-tale signs of bullying. "The body responds to stress," he said. "Something's going to give sooner or later."

The targets of bullies can become consumed by the fear associated with subtle and direct threats, Robinson said. They could end up devoting much of their time to avoiding a bully by not using the washroom at school or being afraid to open e-mail; online bullying has also become a problem for children, according to Robinson.

Bystanders who do nothing or "egg on" the bully cause more distress for the victim and feed into the needs of the bully. Although the bystander might not intervene because of a fear of being hurt or becoming a target, Robinson said these should be viewed as excuses and not valid reasons for remaining silent.

When a bully gets caught, he or she might deny or trivialize it or cast the victim as the bully. Studies show the implications of bullying can be far-reaching: sixty per cent of bullies have criminal convictions by the time they are 24.

The emotional scars for all concerned can last a lifetime, according to Robinson.

The bullying cycle can be broken when an individual or the community has the moral strength to intervene, Robinson said. Parents should make their children feel they are supported; problems should not be denied or hidden. By providing discipline mixed with dignity, youngsters have a better chance of being decent kids with higher standards of conduct.

"No one deserves to be bullied," he added.

There are a number of Web sites on which information on bullying can be found. Among those Robinson recommends are www.cfchildren.org and www.Olweus@psych.uib.no.

The wellness centre in Prescott (925-1615) is located in the Moran Hooker building on Water Street.

Volunteers play key role in Shakespeare festival

First meeting of 2004 set for Thursday night

PRESCOTT ­ The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Company is looking for a few more good men and women to help make this summer's festival a success.

A meeting for volunteers will be held this Thursday, April 15 at 7 pm at the Dibble Street municipal building.

The company, which presented The Tempest last June and July at the waterfront amphitheatre, is preparing its second full season in Prescott this July. The Comedie of Errors, described as Shakespeare's funniest play, is filled with physical comedy and mayhem as two sets of twin brothers unite after years of being separated.

Deborah Smith, the founder and artistic director of the festival, said she and company board members will be on hand at tomorrow night's meeting to talk about the upcoming season and distribute printed materials promoting the event.

"We know that everyone who truly cares and wants to make this festival work also knows we have the ability to put on a world-class show," Smith stated.

Considered a coup, the company has landed Sonia Ritter of London, England to direct this year's production.

More than 800 actors applied for the 14 roles cast for this year's production.

"Prescott is in for a real treat this summer, and we cherish the help of our volunteers willing to give some time to this visionary project," Smith stated.

Many tasks will be performed by volunteers. Everything from building and painting sets to greeting audience members at the amphitheatre will be done by community members.

The sets and costumes have been designed, but there is still plenty of hands-on work to be completed.

The company is also seeking local residents who would be willing to billet a professional actor. Spare rooms with access to a bathroom and kitchen are needed; meals are not required.

"Often, life-long friendships are made from this interesting opportunity," said Smith, who added many summer theatres operate this way.

For more information on this week's meeting for volunteers, contact Sandra Lawn at 925-3480.

The St. Lawrence Shakespeare Company is a non-profit organization overseen by a board of directors.

So far this year, Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation and the Town of Prescott have signed on as corporate sponsors.

A survey conducted last summer indicated many Shakespeare festival audience members were visiting Prescott for the very first time.

Most people who attended The Tempest were from outside Prescott, survey results indicated.

New OPP facility would likely lead to move

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ The Grenville County OPP detachment might be on the move regardless of the outcome of the upcoming vote on the future of policing in Prescott.

Plans could soon be in the works to build a larger facility than the existing office located just south of Highway 401 at Edward Street and Prescott Centre Drive.

Grenville County Detachment Commander, Staff Sergeant Brent Hill, said his detachment is first on the list in Eastern Ontario for a new building. Officials are waiting to hear how much capital funding the OPP is receiving in the new provincial budget year that started April 1.

Although the Edward Street location has been deemed to be sufficient to handle the additional personnel from the Prescott Police Service if it were to be disbanded, Hill acknowledged the facility is about one-third the size of what is needed.

The executive summary of the revised OPP contract proposal presented this February states the "...detachment in Prescott will be the operational and administration centre for this contract. The identified front-line resources will be deployed to the municipality from this detachment facility."

The detachment is located on land owned by the Ministry of Transportation. Although Hill said there might seem to be enough space around the building to accommodate expansion, he noted the site might not be available down the road if upgrades (such as another ramp) are made to the Highway 401 interchange at Edward Street. "MTO (the ministry) could eventually want the land," he said.

The decision on where to build would rest with Ontario Realty Corporation, the provincial government's real estate arm. The OPP would have some say in the matter, according to the staff sergeant.

Hill said if Prescott were to go OPP, he would recommend the detachment office be located as close to the town and the 401 as possible.

In noting no sites have been identified, Hill said he is aware the town has land available in its industrial park north of Highway 401. There might be other potential sites in neighbouring Augusta Township not far from Prescott.

Town will not be billed

For nearly three years, the Grenville County OPP detachment has provided one of its officers to the Prescott Police Service to enable the municipal department to operate with a full staff complement. The town has not been charged for this service.

Hill said last week the OPP will not be billing the town for the seconded officer. He estimated the cost of providing a constable during this period would be in the range of $250,000-$300,000.

Although the estimated operating costs cited in the revised proposals from both the OPP and Prescott police are similar, proponents of an OPP contract point to the additional resources the local detachment would have at its disposal in the event of a major criminal investigation.

The staff sergeant noted an OPP contract includes access to all specialists within the provincial department. Although there would likely be overtime costs associated with local officers who respond to the initial call and become part of the investigation, the cost of using the OPP's criminal investigation bureau deploying a community response team and other services from outside the area would not be charged to the municipality.

Proponents of retaining the Prescott Police Service maintain the municipal service would not be more expensive than switching to OPP, especially after severance and litigation costs associated with disbandment are taken into account.

Potsdam chorus coming to Prescott

PRESCOTT ­ The Potsdam Community Chorus will be in concert Saturday, April 24 at 8 pm at St. John's Anglican Church.

The chorus, conducted by Prescott resident Heather E. Eyerly, will perform Franz Schubert's Mass in G as well as other choral favourites composed by Willan, Finzi, Lauridsen and Rutter.

Tickets are available in advance and at the door. Call 925-5187.

The concert is presented by the State University of New York Potsdam, Crane School of Music, under the auspices of the Fort Town Concert Association.

Truck gets away

PRESCOTT ­ A security truck got away last Tuesday night.

The Securicor vehicle was parked beside TD Canada Trust on Edward Street at about 9 pm. As the two attendants were working inside the bank, the truck began to coast across the sidewalk and curb. The truck crossed King Street and grazed a street light pole beside Alpine Furniture before coming to rest at the edge of the intersection.

A passerby went into the ATM area of the bank to alert the attendants to what had happened. No one was injured.

ONTARIO PROVINCIAL POLICE BRIEFS

Caught in the act

AUGUSTA ­ A male youth was caught trying to break into a house on County Road 21. In response to a 9-1-1 call, OPP Constable Large went to the home April 6 at about 10:30 am and apprehended the youth. He was charged with mischief, breach of recognizance and break and enter. His name cannot be released because of federal regulations.

ATV stolen in township

EDWARDSBURGH ­ OPP Constable McConnell is investigating the theft of an all-terrain vehicle from Miller Road in Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Township. The theft occurred sometime prior to April 5. The 1994 Yamaha ATV has licence plate 99AV1.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Grenville County detachment in Prescott (925-4221) or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Two more RIDE checks

CARDINAL ­ Two more RIDE checks were conducted this past weekend near the intersection of County Road 2 and Bridge Street.

Forty-six vehicles were checked; no charges were laid.

Save 9-1-1 for actual emergencies

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Local OPP are once again advising parents of young children to educate them on the proper use of 9-1-1.

Grenville County officers responded to 11 false alarm and 9-1-1 calls on the weekend. The public should not dial the emergency number "just to see that it works," it is noted in a police news release.

Learn about spring arrivals at Limerick Forest seminar

LIMERICK FOREST - The United Counties of Leeds & Grenville and the Grenville Stewardship Council are hosting their fifth seminar relating to wildlife and forest habitats.

The seminar will be held Wednesday, April 21 at 7 pm in the Limerick Chalet. The topic of the night will be spring arrivals of wildlife; all are welcome to take part in the seminar and learn about the creatures in the area.

For more information, contact Ed Reynolds of the united counties at 342-3840.

Shoreline work to be approved

KEMPTVILLE ­ The proper authorities should be notified prior to the start of shoreline work, according to the Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR).

Approvals and permits are needed for activities such as dredging, bank stabilizing, retrieving sunken logs and constructing docks or boathouses. In addition to MNR, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans and local conservation authorities are other agencies from which consent might be required.

Property owners and contractors that proceed without the necessary approvals could face fines and rehabilitation orders.

Anyone who witnesses or knows of natural resource violations can contact the MNR district office at (613) 258-8204 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Town police check seat belts

PRESCOTT ­ Members of the Prescott Police Service will be stepping up enforcement of seat belt laws later this week.

The blitz begins Friday, April 16 and will continue until the end of next week.

SCHOOL SCENE

St. Mark Catholic School: This week, our staff is pleased to welcome David Huether, co-ordinator of "Every Kid in Our Community." David will talk to our staff about developmental assets for children. The "assets" are 40 different skills or qualities which our children and adolescents need to grow up healthy, strong and resilient. David's premise is children gain experience with these 40 building blocks through positive relationships with adults around them.

Our Catholic school partners meeting will take place tonight at 7 pm at St. Michael Catholic High School.

St. Mark's school council will meet this Thursday, April 15 at 7 pm in the school library. All parents are invited.

We will hold an assembly to help kick off Earth Week activities this Friday, April 16 at 1 pm.

We will celebrate Easter Mass Monday, April 19 at 9:30 am at St. Mark's Catholic Church.

Hot lunch this week is chicken chunks.

Town closing in on final 2004 budget

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Town officials continue to whittle away at the 2004 municipal budget.

Heading into last night's budget meeting, Prescott council was facing an overall increase of about $235,000, which would be equivalent to a tax increase of about six per cent.

At the previous budget meeting held last Tuesday, council members reviewed each department's submission in an effort to identify cost-savings.

The town is facing an increase of more than 17 per cent (in the range of $200,000) to its share of joint services committee funding. The committee, which is based at the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville and includes Prescott, Brockville and Gananoque, oversees homes for the aged, welfare, social housing and ambulance services.

The review of budget proposals from municipal departments produced little in the way of savings. Increased wages and municipal employee pension contributions are already in place and cannot be changed.

One of the main issues still to be resolved is the status of water and sewer rates. Provincial legislation requires municipalities to pass on the full cost of those services to their users; this means shifting costs from the tax base to rates charged to customers.

Although town officials acknowledge significant rate hikes are in the works, council must decide on how to implement them. A phasing-in of rate increases over a period of two to three years is being considered. The issue was to be discussed in more detail last night.

Council has also received its first look at proposed capital budgets from each department. The proposals total more than $3.7 million, most of which is in the areas of transportation and environment.

Topping the list in terms of cost is the Edward Street overpass. The estimated cost of repairs to the structure is $800,000. Repairs to Churchill Road West have been pegged at $625,000.

Other transportation-related projects on the list include resurfacing Edward Street in the north end of town and establishing proper pedestrian crosswalks on Edward Street.

Water tower repairs have been estimated at $300,000. The catwalk used to climb the tower is off-limits because of changes to provincial standards.

Other capital items being considered include $25,000 in computer upgrades in administration and $20,000 to replace a 20-year-old mower used by parks staff.

Traditionally, capital projects are funded from reserves or through debentures.

Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn asked councillors to prioritize each capital item. In conjunction with the ranking, the mayor provided a list of four main goals based in part on material that appeared in campaign literature distributed by council members prior to last fall's election.

Those goals (in alphabetical order) are: a safe and healthy community; community economic development; community spirit through working together in all aspects of community life; and enhanced community image through prudent financial management and maintenance of public assets.

Regular monitoring of blood pressure is a healthy choice

PRESCOTT ­ The importance of blood pressure monitoring is being stressed by a program offered this spring at pharmacies in Prescott and Brockville.

In Prescott, weekly sessions are held Tuesday mornings at Grenville Pharmacy and Wednesdays at Seaway Valley IDA and O'Reilly's Your Independent Grocer. Individuals can have their blood pressure checked free of charge using an accurate and automated device.

Hypertension, or high blood pressure, increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and kidney disease and is more common as people get older.

The ten-week monitoring program encourages regular blood pressure checks as well as seeking treatment and adopting measures aimed at lowering blood pressure.

For more information, contact program co-ordinator Lisa Harkness at 341-7878.

The weekly sessions come to an end May 21.

Former Augusta staff taken by surprise

Leonard, Beesley express concern about the way council handled termination

By Monica Whitney, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD ­ Fred Leonard, a 58-year-old civil engineering technologist who was Augusta Township's roads superintendent from Aug. 2002 until last Monday, is without a job.

His position, along with that of Chief Building Official and Bylaw Enforcement Officer Doug Beesley, has been declared redundant as part of a township organizational review.

Township officials have been tight-lipped about the review until details of the document were to be made public at a council meeting last night; The Journal went to press just before that meeting took place. However, Leonard was able to tell his story in an interview with The Journal Monday.

Leonard said he had been aware of the review since Augusta CAO Sharon Wilkinson pitched the idea and it was approved by the previous council last year. The completed report was received by the current council in early January, he said.

Leonard was called into the municipal office for a meeting March 30 with councillors Pauline Cyr (finance and administration committee chair) and John Fischl (committee member), Reeve John McCrea and Wilkinson. At that meeting, he was told council was considering a course of action with respect to the delivery to township services. Leonard was also asked to submit a letter detailing his responsibilities, which, he said, was basically to justify his job and its existence.

His suggestions and input were disregarded, Leonard told The Prescott Journal.

On April 5, Leonard was handed a letter stating his position was redundant, effective immediately. He had until April 13 to accept the township's offer of a severance package and agree to not bring legal proceedings against the township. If he did not sign, he would still be out the door, but with only two weeks pay. "It hit me like a ton of bricks."

Because of the Easter holidays, Leonard had only three business days to find and consult a lawyer and decide what to do. The severance was a "basic package" more suited to a labour-level position rather than a manager, he said, but it did meet the legal minimum for severance. He accepted the package, but he's in the unemployment line.

"It was kind of quick and dirty," Leonard said. "It wasn't very professional, I don't think. It's a game in a way. They just won the game, I guess."

Leonard, who was born and raised in Prescott, said he loved his job and would go back if he could "without missing a heartbeat." He took the job with the township at a time when the roads department "was upside down and in turmoil," and the public image of the department was poor.

He said he feels he turned the department around and accomplished a lot with a great crew.

The township does not seem to have a clear direction for proceeding to ensure the jobs still get done, Leonard said, adding he believes a "super manager" may be hired to handle several functions. Council did not have a back-up plan to be put in place immediately upon the job terminations, he added.

Leonard said he also understands Augusta may be using the services of Elizabethtown-Kitley and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal townships, but those managers will not be able to keep up the pace.

In the meantime, he's shocked and frustrated by what he called unprofessional and a behind-the-scenes undercurrent. The bulk of the residents of the township either don't care or understand what's happening in Augusta, Leonard said. "It's upsetting the township can be controlled by a small group of people."

The termination also comes at a bad time, he said, with budget negotiations about to begin and tenders and contracts being put out to get seasonal road work rolling.

Doug Beesley's experience

The township's chief building official, who was also responsible for bylaw enforcement and overseeing waste management, described a similar experience to Leonard's with regards to his termination.

In an interview Tuesday morning, Beesley said council explained little to him about what was happening and why. As of yesterday morning, he said he had yet to see a copy of the Templeman review.

While Beesley said he'd be able to pick up his socks and move on without too much hardship, he wonders how Augusta will be able to manage the workload with fewer staff members. With 25 years experience working for municipalities, Beesley said he has enough background to know "council made a wrong decision."

The services the residents have come to expect will be jeopardized, he said. "It's a matter of service - but at what cost do you cut back services?"

Terminating the position can't save money, he said, since his job generated income through fees collected from services, such as building permits.

He's surprised by the "radical changes" and believes council should have sought input from the public and staff before moving ahead.

Support volunteer bureau and go for the Mayors' Walk

BROCKVILLE ­ There is still time to get involved in this year's Leeds and Grenville Mayors' Walk.

The event, which is set for this Saturday, April 17 in Brockville, is a fundraiser for the Volunteer Bureau of Leeds and Grenville and other non-profit groups in the region.

Participants in the two-kilometre walk from the former Phillips Cable parking lot to Hardy Park collect pledges. Proceeds are split between the volunteer bureau and the charity of each participant's choice.

Local mayors, reeves and other elected officials are among those who have been invited to take part in the walk.

Registration begins at 9 am; the walk begins at 10:30 am. A reception will follow the event.

For more information or to make a pledge, call 342-7040.

The 2003 walk raised about $26,000.

The volunteer bureau is a United Way member agency.

Mill foundation to hold annual general meeting April 26

SPENCERVILLE - New projects will be outlined at the annual general meeting of the Spencerville Mill Foundation on Monday, April 26 at 7 pm at the Royal Canadian Legion in Spencerville.

The foundation hopes to carry on restoration projects including masonry repairs and the installation of restoration windows at the historic mill. The South Grenville District High School Media Arts students will be showing an orientation video; light refreshments will be served prior to the meeting.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"It was kind of quick and dirty."

Fred Leonard, referring to the method in which he was terminated from his position as Augusta roads superintendent

Editor's Notebook

VOTE AND THEN BACK IT UP: If Prescott council makes what most people acknowledge would be the popular choice and scrap plans to disband the Prescott Police Service, then our elected officials and the police services had better be serious about providing municipal officers with additional resources with which they can do their jobs and remain competitive.

It is not just a case of mounting lights onto a cruiser or, for that matter, adding a cruiser; officers must be given full access to the training they need to keep up with the other members of their profession (OPP included).

One senior member of the service has stated publicly this is an area of concern and one which the OPP is much better equipped to address.

It is also no secret several senior officers are closing in on retirement age and will have to be replaced within the next few years. To attract quality candidates and ensure a smooth transition, municipal leaders must plan ahead to ensure the town retains a professional service that serves the community as well as or better than the other service provider.

Even if the decision to stick with the existing service comes more from the heart than from the head, council cannot simply have a vote and end the issue there; emotional and financial investments are required. Keeping control at the local level means nothing if that control is squandered.

If the Prescott Police Service is to remain a viable option for many years to come, give it the back-up it needs and deserves or choose the alternative and be done with it. The disbandment process has been far too messy and painful already; to make a feel-good choice and then let things slide will only lead to a second disbandment process that will only cost more money and create more hard feelings.

TAPPED OUT: In addition to tackling the difficult and emotional issue of policing, Prescott council has also taken on the task of deciding how to implement what will likely be significant water and sewer rate hikes.

The user-pay principle being imposed by the province will mean big increases with little or no offsetting tax reduction for property owners at the local level.

We are encouraged by the initial response that rate hikes will be implemented gradually instead of all at once. Owners and tenants are already being dinged by electricity rate increases and the aftermath of higher assessment; to have to absorb yet another hit in the form of gushing water and sewer rate hikes would be too much to swallow all at once.

The bottom line is consumers are footing the bill for situations the province created, and there is little or nothing we can do about it.

Tim Ruhnke

Survey says classic playoff series too close to call

THE NEW GUY by Tim Ruhnke

To no one's surprise, the Battle of Ontario is the hot topic these days. As I write this, the series between Toronto and Ottawa is tied at one heading into game three at the Corel Centre. This evenly-matched classic is generating the usual anti-Toronto response from the Sens supporters and those who are sick and tired of the alleged incessant whining on the part of Leaf Nation. However, there appear to be a lot of Toronto supporters in these parts who are willing to put Leaf sweaters in windows and vouch for Darcy Tucker's character (as hopeless as some believe that would be).

I took a cue from the firefighters and conducted my own informal and unscientific survey. Where's the best place to gauge public opinion on Easter Sunday? A Catholic church, of course. Instead of pestering parishioners, I counted flags on vehicles (an increasingly popular way of showing support). The results were inconclusive as expected: there were equal numbers of Leaf and Senator flags (three apiece). The message "Sens Drule" printed in the dirt on the back of one car had to be declared a spoiled ballot.

As I was about to cross King Street and record the tie vote in the office, a sedan with two Sens flags flapping in the breeze drives past. Taking into account what might have been a sign from above, it would appear Ottawa will win the series in seven games.

As much as I would like to report the Toronto flags were affixed to cars parked illegally, I cannot in good conscience do so.

For the record, though, I must note a strong showing by the Red Wings. There were two Detroit flags in the vicinity of the church Sunday morning. Both vehicles were quite nice (for older models), but with all that rust one wonders how long they can stay on the road.

For those fans of the Montreal Canadiens (God bless you), I have a message for both of you: instead of the traditional colours, just hold up the "I surrender" flag. Celebrate the fact you made it to the playoffs and managed to beat the Bruins once, and head for the golf course. There should be no delay at the first tee ­ the Oilers should be well ahead of you by now.

Oh, one other thing: there is at least one car in the Prescott area that is flying flags of both the Leafs and Sens. If both teams have supporters driving or riding in that vehicle on a regular basis, fine. If not, you are violating hockey fan protocol and must remove one or both flags. You cannot have it both ways.

Prescott stands strong but South Grenville's future is dubious

FORT TOWN DIARY by John A.H. Morris

There has been a struggle of two mind sets on the Chamber of Commerce board of directors in the past month on whether to stay with the name, Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce, or to change the organization's name to the South Grenville Chamber of Commerce. The alternative and possibly the compromise name is the Prescott and South Grenville Chamber of Commerce.

We favour the status quo "Prescott" because the chamber has 110 years of history as a Prescott organization. The town brings 170 years (1834-2004) of history to the table and has established a historical past that can never be paralleled by a South Grenville organization. This means that Prescott or Prescott and District is better known throughout Ontario, Canada, and United States.

The Ludites who think the South Grenville name far outstrips the Prescott name as far as recognition and location are concerned, are at least five years behind the times. That is when Edwardsburgh and Cardinal started talking about amalgamation, which happened in the 2000 election. Neither Prescott nor Augusta were consulted on this political move, and neither did the two ignored municipalities offer anything for or against the amalgamation. What we saw, however, was the first move toward the disintegration of South Grenville as a political or geographical entity. Further proof of the Edwardsburgh/Cardinal disregard for South Grenville was the fact that neither municipality belonged to the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce. Their loyalties were with the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, one of the most undemocratic forms of municipal government that exists in Ontario today.

Aside from the fact that Augusta does not belong to the Chamber of Commerce either and has shown little initiative to amalgamate with Prescott to save about half of the fragmented South Grenville area does not bode well for the township's history as a Prescott partner.

And then there is Prescott, the only municipality in all of Grenville County that does not belong to the United Counties and which operates independently as a municipality. Does Prescott have a future as an independent municipality with no connection to the United Counties, or does Prescott want to be swallowed up by the United Counties and have another layer of taxation added to its operation.

The latter would bring the South Grenville area back to its original geographic stature. There would have to be a grant governance move on behalf of Augusta, Prescott, and Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal for this to happen.

Until such time as we can be guaranteed there is a chance of the fragmented South Grenville area being reformed, we will stick with the 110-year-old Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce, undiluted by the South Grenville change which is likely to shrink, not grow, like Prescott should.

*****

We know that it is hard to believe, but we can see the truth approaching through our courts, parliamentary committees and Liberal cabinet ministers, bureaucrats and plain, old back-bench MPs, that there never was a sponsorship scandal in Quebec, or in Canada. As of this week, nobody knows nothin' about phony cheques and laundered federal funds, especially Prime Minister Paul Martin who looks like a deer caught in the headlights of fast-moving interviewer every time the media lights shine his way.

He is being far more successful in his defence of his innocence than most interviewers in Canada would even admit. Give him another month of denials and the disappearance of an army of lower echelon bureaucrats, and Canada will be left asking the question if this scandal ever existed. And anyways, the rest of Canada might be left wondering if maybe $100 million would be worth getting rid of Quebec.

*****

Even more important than Canada winning the women's world hockey championship for the eighth straight time was the fact that about 20 attractive young women lined up at the blue line and sang our national anthem with gusto as the Canadian flag was raised to the rafters at the Halifax arena. In addition to being impressed by the singing of our anthem, we thought it marvellous that every player had a winning smile and a beautiful set of teeth. We couldn't help but think of the men's team which won the Olympic gold medal two years ago. At best, a couple of them mumbled a few words of our anthem and whereas smiles were plentiful, most players were without their front teeth. As different as their victory appearance was, the style of game they played was more entertaining than the men's variety.

*****

We enjoyed the six-week CNR strike that reduced train whistles to about six a day the last two months. Canada's rolling stock has started to roll again, however, and with this comes about 50 trains a day, all with penetrating whistles. We have been told that to get the whistles stopped in Augusta Township we have to rely on Reeve John McCrea to bring the topic up and to garner the support on Counties Council to see that the legislation is passed.

First things first, however, in that Augusta council has to pass the legislation and then order Reeve McCrea to put the legislation on the Counties Council agenda. It is likely, however, that if Augusta can't get the needed legislation through its own council, the toots will continue and become an election topic again in 2006.

Little Kickers prepare for upcoming season

MAITLAND NEWS by Jane Fullarton

Registration for Maitland Soccer takes place this Saturday, April 17 from 9 to 11 am at MERC Hall. Maitland Soccer is for children ages three to 13 and all games are played at the Maitland soccer field on Saturday mornings from 9 to 10 am.

The Maitland soccer program features Little Kickers, which is a non-competitive program designed to teach skills and to be fun for children three to five years of age. The children aged six to 13 will be divided into teams by age. The program runs from May to July 10 and is capped off by a barbecue on the final Saturday.

Coaches, assistant coaches, referees and volunteers to help mark the fields and set up nets are needed. This is an excellent opportunity for students to earn volunteer hours. If you would like to help, contact John Wilson, chairperson of Maitland Soccer, at 348-3563.

Teen dance

There will be a teen dance April 23 at MERC Hall from 7 to 10 pm. If you would like to help supervise, call Cindy Turton at 348-1760 or Susan Clarke at 348-3088.

MERC Hall is a drop off for the Food For All Food Bank and students are reminded they can bring a canned item as a donation.

WALKER HOUSE NEWS by MARNIE LIPPIATT

Last Wednesday, several people from Walker House joined a group from Brockville on a day trip to Ottawa. Some of the group checked records at the archives, while others explored the exhibits at the Museum of Civilization. The main exhibit was the ancient treasures and the Dead Sea Scrolls. We also viewed the Italian-Canadian heritage and the Inuvialuit. The genealogical society invited us to take a break from an ordinary day.

The quilters have chosen an appliqued flower pattern for their next quilt. If you would like to learn the technique or if it is your favourite, we would like you to come and join us. For more information, call 925-5300.

Card game winners: Monday bridge ­ 1st, Harry Nesbitt; 2nd, Geneva Odell; door, Ann Lindsay. Fun bridge ­ Candy Alexander. Wednesday night bridge ­ high, Harry Nesbitt; 2nd, Brenda Humphry.

Farmers need funding to comply with regulations

By Geri Kamenz, Vice-President, Ontario Federation of Agriculture

As the clock ticks down on the implementation of Ontario's Nutrient Management legislation, a lot of questions remain unanswered. Key among those questions is funding: where is the money coming from to pay for everything farmers are going to have to do to comply with the regulations?

For a long time, provincial politicians have been talking about a funding announcement, but still there's nothing. July 1, 2005, is the start date for enforcement of the regulations, and the first group of farms to fall under the regulations need adequate time and funding to bring their facilities to standard. And yet, there's no word of public funding to meet those standards.

OFA's environment committee presented a list of principles for a nutrient management cost-share program at the March OFA board meeting. At the top of that list is the principle there be no phase-in of regulations without an acceptable cost-share program from the provincial government.

The balance of that list of principles states the cost-share program must provide an appropriate level of funding; the cost-share program must consider all costs; nutrient management must proceed on the basis of co-operation, not confrontation; and there must be a relationship between the nutrient management program and source water protection.

OFA directors had several additional principles to add to the list: the inclusion of realistic benchmark data in the regulations; research to provide the latest pathogen data for the regulations; and the principle that compliance with the nutrient management act should not be the basis for any farmer exiting the business.

At OFA, we understand and support the provincial government's objective to ensure a safe, clean supply of drinking water for every resident of Ontario and the preservation of Ontario's soil. OFA and its partner organizations in the Ontario Farm Environmental Coalition want the provincial government to acknowledge that all of society needs to share in the cost of achieving these objectives.

It is critical the funding to achieve the government's objective be based on the benefits principle. Implementation of the Nutrient Management Act and its regulations is desirable for all of society, and, therefore, OFA and its OFEC partners need to see assurances from the provincial government the appropriate funding is provided to reflect the benefits principle.

At its February board of directors meeting, OFA received a resolution that called on the organization to withdraw its support of the Nutrient Management Act until there is a clear funding commitment by the provincial government. The resolution called for that commitment to reflect both the benefit principle and the parameters of current production economics. Farmers are serious about their demands for adequate provincial government funding to go hand-in-hand with the nutrient management legislation and its regulations. Many farmers have expressed concerns with how the government plans to enforce the regulations, especially now that the Ministry of the Environment is taking over the compliance aspects.

OFA is meeting with MOE regularly to ensure farmers can live with that ministry's approach to compliance and enforcement. A MOE representative assured our March directors meeting that problem solving with farmers will form a major part of their work.

A substantive funding announcement from the province is needed now and would be a good start to making the act work for Ontario's farmers.

Geri Kamenz is a Spencerville-area farmer.

Final concert this Sunday

CARDINAL ­ The Cardinal Community Choir will perform its final concert this Sunday, April 18 at 7 pm.

The Easter Cantata is entitled "You are the Christ - Peter's Reflection on the Life, Death and Resurrection of Jesus," said Director Carol Morris.

The concert takes place at St. Andrew's/St. James Presbyterian Church.

There is no charge; free will offerings will be accepted. Hospitality and refreshments will follow the performance.

The community choir has been in operation for more than 15 years. Morris has been director for seven years.

Holiday planning under way

CARDINAL - Plans are getting underway for the Cardinal Festival Committee's presentations on Canada Day and the Labour Day weekend.

The committee's annual Canada Day presentation will again be featured around the Legion park, with plans for a 50/50 draw, children's activities, a barbecue, senior's euchre, a deck party and fireworks to keep busy throughout the day.

The annual parade is to be held Sunday afternoon (Sept. 5), with activities to follow at the park. Monday will feature the soap box derby which will be held at the Legion hill.

This year's Labour Day theme will be "You can come home again."

Mexican journey experience of a lifetime

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

CARDINAL - Cardinal resident Donna Patrick has shared her experiences distributing shoeboxes full of goodies to less fortunate children in Mexico in January as part of Samaritan's Purse Operation Christmas Child program.

Patrick presented a slideshow to students in Candy Duvall's Grade 5/6 class at Benson Public School Thursday.

Patrick started her presentation by putting into perspective why she was part of the program and how she was involved in the distribution in the District of Aloro and the State of Michochan in Mexico from January 17-24.

"We've all received gifts, all have a closet full of clothes and floors under our feet," noted Patrick.

"Well, when I was in Mexico I saw houses without floors, children dressed like you but in all second hand clothing. Many of the children have never even received a gift before."

Patrick also detailed the long journey of the program each year from obtaining the shoeboxes in June until she went along to distribute them in Mexico in January.

"Each box from start to finish takes many hours and lots of love and care to get to one individual child," said Patrick. "There are only three distribution locations across Canada, and the boxes are checked carefully and sorted before being transferred out."

Churches, schools and individuals around South Grenville took part in the project organized by Patrick where they would fill the empty boxes with small toys, stationary items and personal hygiene articles for a less fortunate child somewhere in the world.

Patrick noted that to the children of Mexico their education is free, but without the proper stationary school supplies the children are not allowed to attend school.

"The people I met while on the trip do have homes to live in, food to eat and clothes to wear, but it is of poor condition," explained Patrick.

"It was the simplest things which pleased their children. None of them were complaining or looking to see what was in everyone else's box. They were just happy with what they had received."

Patrick noted the efforts of the distributors were greatly appreciated by the people in each town they visited and were treated very well.

"In every civilization, giving somebody a meal is a sign of thanks," said Patrick. "Everywhere we went, we were getting fed whether we wanted it or not. I gained weight on the trip; I didn't lose it."

Now that Operation Christmas Child has distributed in that particular region of Mexico, Patrick noted that they will never go back due to the need across the world being so great.

"Samaritans Purse is not only about handing out shoeboxes," explained Patrick. "They also build schools, medical facilities and churches. While we were there we even collected $250 US from our own pockets to help finish (building) a church in the region."

Despite the overall pleasure of the trip, Patrick noted it could be very difficult at times.

"We got really good at turning off the tears," explained Patrick. "They were always so excited and moved, the sight of all those little faces holding shoeboxes were fantastic. We had to remember a smile is a smile in any language. One week really was not enough."

Patrick said she was asked to apply to be part of the distribution back in November of 2002 by Reverend Ian MacLean of the Presbyterian church in Prescott.

"I applied to go and as a condition of the trip we had to go to schools and talk about our experiences," said Patrick. "I realize it was a once in a lifetime experience, but I'd love to go again. I would really like to take my family along, especially my children so they could have the experience."

Patrick will also be making a presentation on her trip tonight (Wednesday, April 14) at the Spring Thank Offering Service at Johnstown United Church.

CARDINAL'S PAST

April 5, 1934

* The monthly meeting of Cardinal Women's Institute was held at the home of Mrs. Pat Brennan. A very enjoyable program was given. Mr. J.E. Schlichter gave a splendid talk on the development of the child from infancy to maturity. Readings were given by Miss C. Black and Mrs. Geo. VanCamp. Miss E. Pontbriand delighted her listeners with her musical selections. A sumptuous lunch was enjoyed by all.

* Advertisement: Brindle's Meat Market, Cardinal, Phone 20. We have a fine line of western beef from eight cents per lb. to 15 cents per lb. We will also have a choice line of lamb, veal, fowl and smoked meats.

April 8, 1954

* Presentation of the Silver Cross to Gordon Campbell, 14-year-old Cardinal Boy Scout, will be one of the highlights of the Eastern Ontario Conference of the boy Scouts Association Cornwall. The Silver Cross, one of the highest awards for bravery in Scouting, was won by young Campbell in the summer of 1953 when he rescued a young Prescott boy from drowning in the swift waters of the North Channel.

April 3, 1974

* Council gave approval to an estimated $100,000 sewer project hooking up the Adelaide Street pumping station with the Canada Starch waste treatment lagoon and to building a treatment facility at the lagoon site.

* Sacred Heart Catholic Women's League held its annual meeting and pot luck supper. New officers are Mrs. J. Walsh, president succeeding Mrs. A. Sterl; Mrs. Francis O'Brien, vice-president; Mrs. Charles Peters, second vice-president; Mrs. William Bennett, third vice-president; Mrs. John Robichaud, secretary; and Mrs. James McLaughlin, treasurer.

Soap box derby not that far away

PRESCOTT ­ It is time to start preparing for this year's soap box derby presented by the Kiwanis Club of Prescott.

The event will take place Victoria Day (Monday, May 24) on the George Street hill. The derby is open to hobby and kit kars.

For more information or to purchase a kar kit, contact Chris Slater at 925-3404.

This will be the 10th anniversary of the derby. The Kiwanis Club of Prescott is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2004.

Ecumenical group to meet for breakfast

PRESCOTT ­ The Seaway Ecumenical Group will have its next monthly meeting this Saturday, April 17 at St. Paul's United Church, corner of George and Dibble streets.

Breakfast will be served beginning at 8 am. Tickets are available at the door; everyone is welcome to attend.

The special guest will be renowned speaker Dr. Diva Beck. Her topic is "My Healthy World" as seen through the eyes of Florence Nightingale.

The ecumenical group's mission statement is to provide a forum for like-minded individuals for fellowship and to express Christian faith in the community.

Anniversary dinner at United church

SPENCERVILLE ­ A turkey dinner to mark the anniversary of Spencerville United Church will take place Friday, April 30 at the church.

Dinner will be served at 5 and 6:30 pm. Advance tickets are available by calling 658-5831 or 925-2623.

Prostate cancer to be discussed

BROCKVILLE ­ A meeting to explore interest in forming a prostate cancer support group in the Brockville area will take place Tuesday, April 27 at 7 pm at the Salvation Army Citadel at 175 First Ave.

The evening will include an entertaining videotaped performance of a drama about men and their spouses which is based on a research study involving prostate cancer patients.

Admission is free, but registration is required. Call the Canadian Cancer Society at (613) 267-1058.

Braeden Elliott scores four bronze medals at Canadians

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

GARRETTON - South Grenville short track speed skater Braeden Elliott ended his season with a bang coming home with a combined four medals from the North American and Canadian short track speed skating championships.

Elliott, a Grade 10 student at South Grenville District High School, continued his improvement in the sport with an eighth overall finish at the North American juvenile championships March 27 in Cambridge. Elliott made the semi-finals of the 666-metre, 777-metre and 1,000-metre events including setting a juvenile provincial record in the 777-metre semi-final with a time of 1:13.8.

"It was kind of a bad meet for me," Elliott told The Journal. "It wasn't a very good meet at all, I had a fall and got into some bad heats, but it was good to make the semi final in three of the races."

At the Canadian championships April 1-4 in Gloucester, Elliott had a much stronger
performance finishing fourth overall at the meet and winning four bronze medals (500-metre, 777-metre, 1,000-metre and as part of the 1,500-metre relay team.)

At the meet, Elliott overcame a slip in the 666-metre race on the third day of the competition to rebound for his fourth bronze of the meet.

"I had all day and all through the banquet that night to get it out of my mind," said Elliott. "I really started off well and placed in all the right heats. I just skated a lot better overall, maybe I wasn't as tired (as at the North Americans.)"

The young skater made the most of his last meet as a juvenile managing to break records for his age group at all four distances in which he competed including the 777-metre record he set a week earlier. Elliott skated to a record time of 46.05 in the 500-metres, 1:02.15 in the 666-metres, 1:12.4 in the 777-metres and 1:37.25 in the 1,000-metres.

"All the records were held by a skater at my club who is one of Braeden's training partners," explained Braeden's father, Jim Elliott. "He really ended things on a high note. He skated pretty well coming back from tearing two ligaments in his ankle
last year. It took him the summer to do rehab and physio and then had to play catch up through the season, but he really did a good job."

At the end of the Canadian championships, Elliott was surprised to find out he was awarded a gift certificate for a brand new pair of Pennington skate blades valued at between $400-600 from master skater Dennis Pennington of Australia. Pennington left the award with the national coaches and officials to give out the blades to the most promising up-and-coming skater who displays promise and sportsmanship over the North American and Canadian championships.

"I really didn't expect it," said Elliott. "They're top of the line blades, the next step up from what I have. It really is quite an honour."

Elliott, who lives in Garretton, will now get a month off from skating; he will participate with South Grenville's track and field team until he begins dry land training in May.

"I really hope to continue to do as well as I can, but it should be tough moving up to junior next year," said Elliott. "I'm not really sure how I'll do, but there are a lot of good skaters from Ontario and Quebec who are moving up and there are a lot of good second year juniors."

The Elliotts have also committed themselves to trying to help out a bit with a regional team which has expressed interest in starting up in the area with Braeden occasionally coming along to help coach and his father (who assists with the advanced program with the Gloucester Concordes) hoping to help get thing started.

"It would be really cool if they get it going," said Elliott. "I really think it could do pretty well here. It would be fun helping out a bit."

Jim added, "It's a good sport for kids. Both the kids and parents have a lot of fun. It takes a lot of volunteers to run a club, and there is a lot of travelling involved."

GCC Lions hosting LGSSAA finals today

MAITLAND - Grenville Christian College will play
host to the Leeds and
Grenville Secondary School Athletic Association badminton championships today in Maitland.

Matches began yesterday (Tuesday) at the school, with the tournament to wrap up today (Wednesday, April 14).

The meet will see both men's and women's singles as well as mixed doubles.

Eight schools will be joining the host GCC Lions at the championships, including the South Grenville Giants, Gananoque Trojans, North Grenville Knights, Brockville Collegiate Institute Red Rams, St. Mary Crusaders, St. Michael Mustangs, Athens Warriors and Rideau Lions.

Spectators are welcome; there is no admission fee.

Local karate club has strong showing at Kerr's Invitational tournament

PRESCOTT - The Ingleside-Prescott Karate Club managed
a strong showing with 11 medals April 3 at the Kerr's
Karate Invitational Tournament in Perth.

Eleven members of the Prescott club competed in the meet, which had more than 200 competitors ranging from the ages of five to 50.

"We did really well at the tournament," explained Sensei Jim Riddell. "We really brought a lot of hardware home with us; as much as any other club there. In one of the divisions there were 16 people and we brought home two medals. They all did excellent and we're all very pleased with everyone."

Strong performances from members of the club were: Dustin Rennick, first, sparring, kata and weapons; Cody Smith, first, sparring; Britnay Smith, second, kata; Ilona Grant-Riddell, second, kata; Brent Ostrum, second, blackbelt kata; Justin Ostrum, third, kata; Elaine Mason Pankhurst, fourth, sparring; Chris Terry, fifth, kata and Victoria Boyd, fifth, kata. Andrew Adams and Stephanie Lapier also had strong showings at the tournament.

Riddell explained a lot of mental as well as physical preparation was needed to compete at the tournament.

"It really takes a lot of nerve to go and compete," said Riddell. "There is a lot of preparation that has to be done; we had been working towards this for three weeks."

The club has been in Prescott since 1994, meeting Monday nights at South Grenville District High School to exercise, learn katas, sparring, self defence and techniques of karate.

Riddell was quick to use the analogy of the club being like a professional football or hockey team.

"I see it as very much a team effort," said Riddell. "I look at us like a team and I'm the head coach. Everyone has contributed to the club's success."

For more information on the club, contact Riddell at (613) 534-2042.

Midget Blues post win and loss at strong tourney showing

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - The Brockville midget Blues regional basketball team put on a strong showing by posting a win and a loss at its mini-tournament Thursday at South Grenville District High School.

Blues coach John Doran was pleased with his team's performance at the mini-tournament.

"I'm really, really happy with the performance," said Doran. "In our last game (against Gloucester) it was the best defence we've played so far this year. They were a very good team, they usually score 70 to 80 points a game and we held them to 40. You really have to credit the guys with working really hard."

Blues guard Tim Millar added, "We're definitely improving team-wise. We're seeing each other better, but we're still getting our plays worked out. In our first game we played well and it was a good close game in our second one, where Brett Publow really played awesome and stepped things up."

The Blues started off the tournament on a high note with a 58-41 win over the Kingston Runnin' Rebels.

The Blues struggled early on in the game, but Josh Parsons scored seven of his 10 points in the game to take a 28-26 lead at the half. In a strong defensive showing in the third quarter the Blues managed to take a 50-33 lead and never looked back in the fourth. Jordan Latham led a balanced Blues scoring attack with 11 points, followed by Parsons with 10, Publow with nine, John McFall with seven and Mike Flynn with six.

In their second game, the Blues lost a heartbreaking one-point loss to the AA Gloucester Wolverines. The Blues played strong defence throughout the game limiting the cuts by the Wolverines to trail 28-19 at the half, before rallying in the third to trail 35-33 at the end of the third quarter.

The fourth quarter saw a lot of back-and-forth action with Gloucester taking a lead with 56 seconds left on the clock. After being forced to foul, Millar, Paul Deschiffart and Graham Young rallied the Blues up court to hit a last second three pointer, which left them one point short.

Latham established himself early on as a strong inside threat for the Blues, while Publow controlled the games tempo creating opportunities.

Publow led the Blues with 15 points, followed by Parsons with eight, Young and Latham with seven and Millar with five.

The Blues will travel to Peterborough this weekend to participate in the Saints Invitational Tournament.

Atom B Rangers house #2 crowned UCMHL champs

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Rangers atom B house league #2 team was crowned Upper Canada Minor Hockey League (UCMHL) champion after scoring a 5-3 series victory over the North Dundas Demons in the first-to-four-points series.

In game one, the Rangers settled for a 1-1 tie with the Demons in Winchester. Rhys Larry scored the lone goal for the Rangers, while Mike Lawless and Josh Bailey chipped in with helpers.

In game two, South Grenville finished with a 2-2 draw with North Dundas March 27 at the Cardinal and District Community Centre. Ryan Maggio and Lawless scored
for the Rangers, while Bailey and Larry each had a pair of helpers.

In game three, the Rangers scored a 2-2 draw with the Demons March 31 in Cardinal to force a deciding game four in the series. Broydon Stufko and Maggio scored for South Grenville, while Mike Morell and Larry chipped in with helpers.

On April 1, the Rangers scored a 3-1 win over the Demons in Winchester to capture the UCMHL title. Sydney Wehmeyer, Stufko and Lawless scored for the Rangers, while Bret Van Stralen, Payton Marriner, Morell and Stufko added assists.

Cardinal businesses hosting fundraising hockey game

CARDINAL - A fundraiser for the South Grenville Jr. B Rangers is being held in May.

Penalty Shotz Sports Bar and 730 Truck Stop have organized a hockey game between the Jr. B Rangers and the Bulldog Old Tymers to be played Saturday, May 1 at 2 pm at the Cardinal and District Community Centre.

Door prize draws will be held between periods, and a 50/50 draw will be held at 6 pm at Penalty Shotz.

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Jr. B Rangers.

Tickets for the 50/50 draw are now on sale and can be purchased at Penalty Shotz or the 730 Truck Stop.

Come out and show your support for the Jr. B Rangers as they look to build on their first playoff season in three years.

Wild turkey season set to open

KEMPTVILLE - The Kemptville district Ministry of Natural Resources office is reminding hunters that wild turkey season opens across the province on Monday, April 26.

Wild turkey hunters are required by law to report to MNR check stations with their intact bird between 8 am and 2 pm on the day of the kill.

New MNR check stations have been set up across the district to help ensure easier access to check stations.

Check stations in the region include Mark Robinson of 33 Mill Street in Bishops Mills. This check station is open seven days a week from 8 am until 4 pm. It is also open Victoria Day. He can be contacted at (613) 258-4695.

The other local weigh station is located at Rooney Feed Ltd. at 40 Dundas Street in Iroquois. This check station is open Monday-Friday from 8 am until 5 pm and 8 am until noon on Saturday. It can be contacted at 652-4382.

For more information, contact the MNR district office at (613) 258-8204 or visit the Web Site at www.mnr.gov.on.ca and click on Fish and Wildlife.

Prescott Mixed Three Pitch League holding registration

PRESCOTT - The Prescott Mixed Three Pitch League will be holding two registration sessions in April.

The first session will be from 6 pm until 8 pm Wednesday, April 21, with the second session running from 6 pm until 8 pm on Wednesday, April 28. Both sessions will take place at the Prescott Fire Hall.

No late registrants will be accepted.

The season is slated to begin Monday, May 31 and run throughout the summer. Come out and enjoy the fun of mixed three pitch.

For more information contact Paula Selleck at 925-1137 or Leanne Burton at 925-0782.

RSL Kings' annual general meeting to be held May 13

BROCKVILLE - The Rideau-St. Lawrence Kings Minor Hockey Association will be holding its 2004 annual general meeting on May 13 at the Brockville Youth Arena.

The meeting will begin at 7 pm, with all Kings parents asked to attend.

The RSL Kings regional hockey program has been around since 1988-89 and features AA hockey teams at the major atom, minor peewee, major peewee, minor bantam, major bantam, minor midget and major midget levels. Teams compete in the Ottawa District Minor Hockey League.

Show your support for the Kings organization.

Jr. B lacrosse game being played Monday in Brockville

BROCKVILLE - People from around the region will get a chance to see some good lacrosse action as Brockville will host a Jr. B lacrosse game Monday, April 19 at the Brockville Memorial Centre.

The Nepean Knights will take on the Gloucester Griffins starting at 8 pm; tickets will be on sale for a nominal fee.

Local athletes are now getting the chance to experience lacrosse first hand with the Brockville Lacrosse Association.

Show up and take in the game and see why lacrosse has become one of the fastest growing sports in Eastern Ontario in the past five years.

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