VOL. 174, NO. 44~ PRESCOTT, ONTARIO ~ November 3, 2004

Council votes itself pay raise

Honourarium increases for mayor, councillors total $24,000 per year

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Town council has approved significant increases to honourariums paid to the mayor and six councillors.

By a vote of 4-2, Prescott council voted Monday night in favour of the hikes that will take effect Jan. 1, 2005. On that date, the honourarium for the mayor will increase from $8,077 per year to $14,000 per year. Each councillor will receive $7,000 per year, up from the current amount of $4,071.

The total of the seven honourariums will rise from about $32,500 to $56,000.

Mayor Robert Lawn and councillors Jo-Anne Beckstead, Suzanne Dodge and Chuck Street voted in favour of the increases. Councillors Sue O'Hanlon and Nancy Lane voted against. Councillor Bob Pelda was absent.

Honourarium rates were discussed at an Oct. 25 meeting of the town's finance and corporate services meeting. However, Beckstead noted the issue is not a new one; previous councils have attempted to address the issue.

Surveys of several other towns and rural municipalities in Eastern Ontario indicate Prescott's rates are at or near the bottom of the list for both councillor and mayor. Town council members do not receive additional payments for attending meetings, something offered in some municipalities. O'Hanlon reiterated her belief it is inappropriate for council to make such a decision. She maintained an outside group or board should review the matter, adding a set and process should be established to determine an appropriate system of review honourariums.

Councillor Nancy Lane agreed, stating she would prefer to defer making a decision until she has had a chance to obtain input from the community. Lane said she did not feel comfortable making the decision that night.

However, a motion to defer voting on the proposed increases was defeated.

Neither Lane nor O'Hanlon indicated she believes increased honourariums are unwarranted. Other council members have indicated their beliefs the increases can be justified given workloads and the number of meetings they attend.

As for community input, Lawn and Street noted they had not received any comments on the subject since it was reported in the press last week. Dodge said she had received feedback, with some indicating increases are long overdue.

Street said he has no qualms approving the increases because it brings the town on par with other communities. Prescott's new rates are the same as those in place in Gananoque. He also indicated he would be in favour of sticking with percentages for any future honourarium increases.

Earlier this fall, Prescott council approved a three-per-cent honourarium hike to match pay increases given to full-time municipal staff. Those matching increases had become a regular occurrence for council in recent years.

THIS WEEK

Toy wagon makes it onto post office roof

SPENCERVILLE ­ An annual Hallowe'en tradition continues in Spencerville, albeit on a much smaller scale.

Sometime late Saturday night or early Sunday morning, a wagon was found on the roof of the post office. Unlike past years when a hay wagon would have been lifted onto the roof of the old bank, this year's prank involved a Fisher-Price model.

Painted on the toy wagon was "The Boys R Back."

The red wagon was transported to the Grenville County OPP detachment in Prescott.

Several people were charged last year as part of an attempt to place a hay wagon on the roof of the post office. The old bank building was demolished last year.

Flu shot clinics are set for Prescott, Cardinal

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ There will be two free flu shot clinics in the area this Friday, Nov. 5

The district health unit will host a vaccination clinic from 10:30 am to 12:30 pm at the Prescott Health Centre on King Street West.

Flu shots will also be available from 1:30 to 3 pm at the Cardinal and District Resource Centre.

Other health unit clinics will take place Nov. 15 at Centennial '67 Public School in Spencerville and Nov. 25 at South Grenville District High School.

It is recommended anyone who attends the clinics should have proof of Ontario residency with them. For more information on the health unit clinics, call 345-5685.

Flu shots are also available from family physicians.

Class of 2004 will shine at commencement

PRESCOTT ­ South Grenville District High School will conduct its 2003-04 commencement this Saturday, Nov. 6 at 2 pm.

Awards and diplomas will be presented to members of the Class of 2004.

The public is invited to attend.

The awards assembly for grades 9-11 at the high school will take place Monday, Nov. 8 at 12:05 pm.

Eastern fund moves forward

GCFDC seeks applicants for federal money; MP critical of government's handling of program

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

LEEDS AND GRENVILLE ­ Funding applications are now being submitted as part of the $10-million Eastern Ontario Development Fund created by the federal government.

Fifteen community futures development corporations in Eastern Ontario ­ including the Prescott-based Grenville CFDC ­ will deliver the program that is being managed by FedNor, the federal agency responsible for CFDCs in Ontario.

The new program has four key components: business development, skills development, youth retention and attraction, and access to capital. Municipalities, organizations and companies can apply for funding to cover some or all costs associated with eligible projects.

CFDCs are federally-funded, community-based organizations that have a proven track record of delivering programs, assisting businesses and supporting regional economic development.

Examples of funding opportunities created by the new program include:

* Up to 100 per cent of cost of economic development projects that address local needs and produce long-term benefits such as job creation and business competitiveness;

* Up to $15,000 per person for businesses and non-profit organizations to provide work experience leading to permanent, full-time employment for interns who are post-secondary graduates;

* Up to $10,000 in repayable, no-interest loans amortized over 10 years for eligible businesses to improve the appearance of buildings or comply with new drinking water regulations.

Robert Naud, FedNor's senior communications officer, told The Journal last week applications will be reviewed on a case-by-case and first-come, first-served basis. Industry Canada has not set specific amounts for each component of the program.

CFDCs will apply to FedNor for program funding and then decide locally how those funds are to be distributed.

In noting there will be different types of applications from within the four municipalities served by the Grenville CFDC, Executive Director Lawless said the board will be as equitable as it can when deciding which projects receive funding.

Naud indicated there has been a high level of interest in the fund even before the announcement in late October.

Value of program questioned

Opposition party members in the House of Commons are saying the new program is inadequate and creates a new level of bureaucracy.

The Eastern Ontario Conservative caucus ­ including Brown and Lanark-Frontenac-Lennox & Addington MP Scott Reid ­ held a news conference in Ottawa Oct. 27 to voice its concerns about the new fund.

Leeds-Grenville MP Gord Brown is calling on the government to scrap the development fund and, in his words, permit CFDC managers to make the funding decisions. Brown says he is concerned CFDC boards will only be allowed to recommend which projects they believe should be funded; another level of bureaucracy will make the decisions, according to the MP.

That is not the case, according to Naud. FedNor has overseen the CFDC program in Ontario for many years; the Eastern Ontario fund is a "mechanism" to flow money, not a new agency with its own bureaucracy. Local board have and will continue to take the lead when it comes to decision-making, according to Naud. He described the relationship between CFDCs and FedNor as "consultative."

In noting it took five months for the government to follow through with what he referred to as a pre-election promise, Brown said the federal Liberals "treat this part of the province like second class citizens." The MP and his Conservative colleagues noted the Oct. 25 announcement came only after pressure and questioning from Tories in the region.

As for the March 31 deadline to make use of the funding, Naud said officials are looking into ways of being more flexible with respect to the prescribed timeframe. "We understand this (deadline) will be problematic for some projects," he remarked.

Remembrance Day has meaning

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Doug Kirker can still remember the day the phone rang.

His father, Lorne Russell Kirker, was serving with the Governor General's Foot Guards in Holland when he was killed Oct. 29, 1944.

Doug was four years old when his mother and grandmother received the call on the old crank telephone that there would be a telegram confirming the bad news. He was only two when his father headed overseas.

Sixty years later, Kirker is one of many volunteers at local branches of the Royal Canadian Legion who are selling poppies and preparing to pay tribute to people like his father at Remembrance Day ceremonies next Thursday, Nov. 11.

"It just comes naturally... I always have respect for anyone in the forces," said Kirker, a retired Prescott police officer.

Back in the Second World War, soldiers spent years on the front with little or no relief. "They had to fend for themselves. It was more like a brotherhood," said Kirker, whose uncle also served in that war. He also had a grandfather who fought in World War I.

Kirker visited his father's grave in Holland in 1980. He noted the Dutch still make a big deal about being liberated by Canada and the Allied troops in 1945. Younger generations learn to appreciate the freedom they enjoy, something Kirker believes people in this country can understand better by studying history and watching television programs and films that depict what war is all about. The poppy is a symbol of the contribution made by soldiers and the ultimate sacrifice some of them made in the name of their country.

The next generation is continuing the tradition of serving.

Kirker has a son who is an OPP officer and a daughter who works in corrections in Kingston.

"It's been a family thing," he said.

Royal Canadian Legion branches in Prescott, Cardinal and Spencerville are selling poppies and hosting Remembrance Day at a time when many branches in this region and across Canada are having difficulty staying afloat.

"I hope the younger ones (members) keep it going," Kirker said.

Youths pitch in to rebuild porch at rectory and raise money for trip

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - This past summer, 12 Catholic youths embarked on a project to rebuild the sunporch on the St. Mark's Rectory in Prescott.

As a result, the young people raised money for a pilgrimage to "Youth for World Youth Day 2005" to be held in Cologne, Germany next August.

The official ribbon-cutting of the porch took place Sunday, Oct. 24.

"All fundraising (for the pilgrimage) has been done by youth," said St. Mark's Youth Leader Tony Jozefowicz. He added a total of 18 pilgrims will be drawn from the Eastern deanery of the Archdiocese of Kingston, an area which includes Prescott, Cardinal, Spencerville and North Augusta.

The idea of Catholic youth rebuilding the porch as a fundraiser was posed during a finance committee meeting at the church held last December. The construction kicked off July 1, and several church members including Jozefowicz assisted with the construction. The total amount the church budgeted for, including demolition of the old porch and construction of the new porch, was $15,000. Of that amount, slightly over $5,000 was left over and will be used to help pay for the Youth Day trip.

Jozefowicz adds youth who put in more hours on the project will have a greater amount of their trip cost subsidized, according to a yet-to-be-determined formula. The total cost of the trip per person is $3,000.

"We're not attempting to totally fund the trip," said Jozefowicz, adding organizers only want participants who genuinely want to go on a religious pilgrimage as opposed to young people who just want a trip to Germany.

"We want people who want to go on a spiritual journey," he added. St. Mark's is not looking for any more pilgrims to go on the trip.

Several youth who assisted with the construction were on hand to help with the ribbon-cutting ceremony. Chris Poulsen, a theology student from St. Paul's University in Ottawa whose home church is St. John Bosco in Brockville, said helping with the porch construction was a good experience. "It was a lot of fun; we had lots of good times," he said.

Francis Zambon of Morrisburg, who is taking carpentry at Algonquin College, added the project made the youth who worked on it closer. "Working together helped the group become tighter before going to Cologne," he said. Two youth from the South Grenville area participated in the porch reconstruction project.

St. Mark's priest, Father John Appelman, also believes the project provided a good opportunity for youth. "It's a great encouragement to see young people participate in community affairs. It's a good project," he said.

Appelman added the porch reconstruction was only one of the fundraising projects which youth in the deanery have participated in. They have also held auctions, New Year's Eve dinners, and yard sales to raise funds.

Jozefowicz is quick to point out all fundraisers which youth in the deanery have spearheaded are of the "hard work" variety. "We only raise funds in two ways: hard work and charity," he said. Because of this, the deanery is not undertaking any games of chance, raffles, or bingos to raise funds for the trip. So far, approximately $30,000 has been raised for the trip.

The next large fundraiser for the trip will be the fourth annual New Year's Eve Family Dinner Dance, which will be held at the parish centre Dec. 31.

West Nile virus surveillance season ends: health unit

LEEDS AND GRENVILLE ­ The district health unit has ended this year's West Nile virus bird surveillance program.

As of Oct. 29, the health unit will no longer be submitting dead birds for testing of the virus that can, in rare cases, cause death to humans. As was the case in 2003, no human cases of West Nile virus were believed to originate in Leeds, Grenville and Lanark this year.

Of the 36 crows and blue jays submitted for testing in the tri-county area in 2004, one crow found near Westport tested positive for the virus. Several dead birds ­ including one found just outside Spencerville ­ had tested positive last year.

When the program is in effect, the public is asked to notify the health unit of any sightings of dead crows and blue jays, which are some of the bird species most susceptible to the virus.

The health unit also reports all mosquitoes trapped locally and sent away for testing came up negative for West Nile.

Bird and mosquito monitoring programs are aimed at detecting the presence of the virus, which is an indication human cases might occur.

The surveillance programs are expected to resume in the spring.

DU banquet tickets available

ROEBUCK ­ This year's Ducks Unlimited Banquet and Auction will take place Friday, Nov. 12 at the Roebuck Community Hall on County Road 18.

Tickets to the annual event are available at TD Canada Trust and Berrys Pet Food in Prescott. For tickets or more information, contact Jim Holmes (925-4800), Paul Van Luit (925-3312) or George White (498-6854).

Golden girl returns to Prescott

Natalie Fortier comes home after representing Canada at world culinary olympics

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - After returning victorious from the World Junior Culinary Olympics, Natalie Fortier just wants to relax.

"I have no idea what I'm going to do (now)," said Fortier, who was part of the eight-member Team Canada that won gold in the Olympic's "cold competition" and silver in the "hot" and "demo" competitions at the olympics held in Erfurt, Germany.

Team Canada, which is based at the Culinary Institute of Canada in P.E.I., took fifth place overall in the event which included 16 teams with members from more than 30 countries. Team Switzerland, which according to Fortier is a "very strong team," took first place in the olympics.

"I've been going, going, going for three years now and I just want to take a break," said Fortier last Monday. She adds in the long term she hopes to secure employment as a line chef in a kitchen. "Every chef likes to work on a line," she stated, adding she enjoys preparing food for a large number of people in a restaurant setting.

The olympics kicked off on Oct. 17 and ran until Oct. 20. Fortier returned home to Prescott Oct. 23.

She says the olympics were a wonderful but challenging and stressful experience. "It's a very physical competition," she said. "There's a lot of leaning over tables. Your nerves get tested." Fortier added part of Team Canada's training involved sports psychologist Tara Costello teaching them how to deal with high stress situations. "The sports psychologist (taught us exercises) about visualizing and preparing, as well as relaxation and breathing exercises," she said.

The exercises paid off during the "cold" competition, which involved four team members dipping more than 800 individual pieces of food in aspic jelly several times before composing the food on two platters, one which focused on seafood and another which used Arctic hare as its focal point. "Once you start (dipping the food in jelly) you can't stop," said Fortier.

She added the team had been awake for 24 hours when it heard it had won the cold competition Oct. 18. "It certainly pumped us up quite a bit going into the next competition."

Fortier admitted the team was surprised it didn't do better in the "hot" and "demo" competitions Oct. 20. She added the team felt it had a good shot at gold going into the "hot" competition, but a couple of glitches and the moods of individual judges resulted in their silver placing in the event.

She said the "demo" competition, which involved the team making a cold appetizer, hot appetizer, main course, and dessert with a half hour for each dish was also stressful, particularly because it took place in front of "hundreds and hundreds of people."

Although the team spent 11 days in Germany, its hectic schedule left little time for seeing the countryside. Fortier mentioned only four days were not spent in the kitchen by the team. They only got to see the city of Weimar, where they were staying, and the town of Erfurt, where the competition was held.

Even though Team Canada is no longer together, Fortier is sure its members will remain in touch. "I'm pretty sure I'll stay close with Team Canada," she said.

The experience of representing Canada is not one which Fortier will soon forget. "I'm really proud that our team was from all over Canada and am proud to have represented Canada at an international level," she said.

Christmas must be just around the corner as firefighters get set for Light Up the Night

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ In just over two weeks from now, the Prescott Fire Department will Light Up the Night.

The Santa Claus Parade is set for Friday, Nov. 19. For more than half a century, Prescott's volunteer firefighters have organized the Fort Town's annual showcase of holiday season spirit and the arrival of the jolly old man from the North Pole.

An estimated 10,000 people lined the parade route for last year's event, and organizers are hoping for good weather and another good crowd this year. Barry Moorhouse and John Houston are this year's parade co-chairs.

The 2004 parade will form in the parking lot of South Grenville District High School and follow Edward, King and St. Lawrence streets.

The tree-lighting ceremony in the clock tower square will take place at 7 pm as the parade begins to head south on Edward Street at the high school.

At least six bands will be in the parade. Among the returnees will be Morristown High School.

Back for another year is the pre-parade spaghetti dinner served at the Prescott Legion.

This year's parade marshal will be Paul Irvine, who will ride in the 1931 Bickle ­ the town's first piece of motorized fire equipment. In previous years, Santa rode in the Bickle. Moorhouse said Santa will be getting a new form of transportation this year; people will have to come to the parade and see what it is, he added.

As always, the fire department is seeking contributions from community groups, businesses and individuals to offset the cost of staging the parade, which adds up to between $10,000 and $12,000. Moorhouse noted bringing in the bands is a major expense. "People love to hear the music," he said.

There are also advertising costs plus small cash prizes awarded to the top parade entries.

Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn said recently town council fully supports the firefighters' efforts to run an event that has "grown far bigger than our community."

Moorhouse said there is nothing better than seeing the smiles on children's faces during the parade.

For more information on entering a float in the parade or to make a donation, call Moorhouse at 925-1697.

One step closer to diabetes program

PRESCOTT ­ The One Step Closer Diabetes Education Program will be offered in Prescott beginning next week.

Free sessions will take place Nov. 11, 18, 25 and Dec. 3 from 1 to 3 pm.

Pre-registration is required. Call Rideau Valley Diabetes Services at 1-877-321-4500.

Success runs in the neighbourhood

MAITLAND NEWS by Jane Fullarton

Maitland runners made their mark again at the EOSSAA cross-country meet at Memorial Park Friday. Matt Leeder finished first in the junior boys six-kilometre event. TISS Coach Randy Givogue says Leeder, who won a gold and a silver in the Legion National Track Meet in the 3,000- and 1,500-metre events, runs very comfortably over the longer distance course. Leeder finished well ahead of the second place runner and will be the one to watch at the upcoming All-Ontario Meet.

Charlotte Larry finished second in the midget girls three-kilometre event and also advances to the All-Ontario Meet.

In the senior boys seven-kilometre event, Matt Millard, Geoff Millard and Paul DeSchiffert finished seventh, eighth and tenth respectively. All three will compete at the All-Ontario Meet.

These five Maitland runners will join 45 TISS teammates as they travel to Guelph this Friday, Nov. 5. The team will walk the course and familiarize themselves with the area in preparation for the races Saturday morning. Coach Givogue says competition will be tough at the All-Ontario Meet, with 230 to 240 runners in each event. The top three runners in each event from each area advance to the All-Ontario plus the top two teams from each area meet advance to the All-Ontario. Givogue says there will be no weak runners at this meet, but he expects good results from his team.

When asked why Maitland produces such strong runners, Givogue says "Some runners have natural ability that you don't know where it comes from, but it's also the Brockville Road Runners Club, strong running programs at Maitland and Maynard elementary schools, parents like Eira and Pat Larry, Phil Jones and Pete Millard who coach themselves and the very strong program at TISS.

Maitland runners Heather Gardiner, Chris Verheul, Vicky Jones, Stephanie Jones and Stacy Jones have all received full university scholarships for running.

Town gives nod to several project funding applications

PRESCOTT ­ At its meeting Monday night, Prescott council gave its support to five applications for funding.

In addition to the downtown revitalization plan already in the works, council is backing requests for the funding of an environmental assessment (EA) associated with extending water and sewer service east to Johnstown and west to Riverview Heights.

In terms of the Eastern Ontario fund, the economic development committee representing Prescott, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal and Augusta is recommending the infrastructure project as well as an update of South Grenville's community profile, the creation of a South Grenville Web site portal and the organizing of a forum aimed at establishing a festivals network in Grenville County.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council endorsed the infrastructure project funding proposal at its meeting Monday. An EA done for the town during the previous term of council dealt with proposed upgrades to the sewage treatment facility near Johnstown.

Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn said the new proposal is one of the "forward-looking steps" being considered as part of the co-operative effort of the three municipalities in South Grenville.

MPP Runciman to serve breakfast this Saturday

BROCKVILLE ­ The second annual United Way fundraising breakfast hosted by Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman will take place this Saturday, Nov. 6 from 7:30 to 10 am at the Royal Canadian Legion on Park Street in Brockville.

Joining Runciman on the serving line will be many of the mayors and reeves in the Leeds and Grenville area. Sandy Wilson will provide breakfast music. Special draws will be held.

All the food has been donated, and the Legion is waiving its rental fee. Proceeds go to the United Way of Leeds and Grenville.

The MPP is confident attendance will double this year. About 250 people attended the 2003 breakfast.

Hathaway owner makes pitch to feds

Extend support for apparel industry or risk the loss of manufacturers: Behar

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

OTTAWA ­ The owner of the Hathaway shirt factory in Prescott wants the federal government to maintain a level playing for Canada's apparel industry.

Alan Behar, president and CEO of Behar Cline Manufacturing Ltd., was in Ottawa with his colleagues Thursday to meet with MPs ­ including Leeds-Grenville MP Gord Brown ­ who have manufacturers in or near their ridings.

Duty remission orders that enable Canadian manufactures to compete with cheap imports from Asia are due to expire at the end of this year. Standing committees of the House of Commons and the Senate have unanimously recommended a seven-year extension of those orders. However, it is up to the finance minister to grant them.

The Prescott plant, which opened in the late 1940s, now has about 139 workers. Behar Cline also makes tailored shirts at its Guelph operation that employs 168 workers.

Although Behar did not go so far as to indicate the Prescott factory would close if the duty remission orders are not extended, he noted the apparel industry in this country needs the government to take steps to ensure there is a level playing field.

Without an extension of the orders, company officials noted, there would be a 50-per-cent difference in the price of duty-free shirts sold in Canada. Inexpensive imports from China, Cambodia, Bangladesh and other countries threaten the viability of the apparel industry in Canada.

"It's a sector that needs to be protected," Behar told The Journal.

Brown raised the issue in the House of Commons during Question Period Friday. The Conservative MP noted in a news release the finance minister admitted the file has been sitting on his desk for two months.

"We have a situation where apparel manufacturers cannot plan for next year because they do not know if they can remain in business," stated Brown, who added he and his Conservative colleagues demand immediate action by the minister.

The finance committee released its report Oct. 20. The House of Commons has up to 150 days to respond; Brown noted the duty remissions expire in about 60 days.

Behar said Brown has been very supportive of the plight of the manufacturers. The company president also noted he ran into Finance Minister Ralph Goodale Thursday and got a favourable response from the minister, who indicated he would take the matter into consideration.

Production has grown 15 to 20 per cent per year during the past few years, according to Behar. He estimated about 60 per cent of apparel manufactured in Prescott is exported to other countries. "We want to sell 'Made in Canada' shirts in China," he remarked.

Royal Bank marks official opening of its new building in Spencerville

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

SPENCERVILLE - The Royal Bank christened its new Spencerville branch Friday afternoon after a two-year re-building plan.

Royal Bank Sales and Market Manager for the Rideau Lakes District, Ron Sauve, was thrilled to be on hand for the re-birth of the Spencerville branch.

"It's a great building, and it took a lot of people and community support to get this branch built," said Sauve. "When people look up to the design and roof structure here they'll see it matches all of the historical buildings in the area. Not to mention it doesn't have a flat roof, so it would make it a lot harder to put that old hay wagon up there again on Hallowe'en."

Sauve was also quick to point out the branch was only one of two new branches across the province to open in 2004, and the community really played a big part in the opening.

"This shows we are still committed to the rural communities," said Sauve. "Royal Bank got their start with rural Canada and it shows with this being one of two new branches to open in Ontario this year."

Despite some hiccups along the way such as issues with the ground soil not being compacted enough, Sauve indicated everyone is happy to have the branch open back at its former location.

"The community has been great to us," said Sauve. "We were in a trailer for the past two years, but the township, staff and clients still supported us. I always knew this was going to happen, but the nervousness for us was making sure the customers knew we weren't going anywhere. The bank has been in Spencerville for 95 years, but I think now some people are resting easy after seeing the new building open and knowing we will be here for a long time."

Spencerville resident Herb McGrath was amazed by the size and service the new building has compared to when he was branch manager from 1955-61.

"It's a really beautiful building," said McGrath. "I can't get over how big it is; we wouldn't have had maybe a quarter of the space here back then. It's such a credit to the community having a building and banking service like this. Personal service always will be something people like to have. This is a good sign the bank will be here for a long time."

Spencerville resident and long-time bank customer Ruth Connell was a special guest for the opening. She cut the ribbon to officially open the branch.

Sauve indicated the bank has invested an estimated half-million dollars in the new facility, not including some delays and other costs which resulted from the construction.

Cadets to hold spaghetti dinner

PRESCOTT ­ The local Air Cadet squadron will host its first annual spaghetti dinner and silent auction Saturday, Nov. 13 beginning at 6:30 pm at the Legion hall on Henry Street.

Dinner will consist of salad, spaghetti, dessert, coffee and juice. In addition to bidding on silent auction items, guests will be eligible to win door prizes. There will also be music and a cash bar.

Tickets are available in advance by calling 349-0488 or dropping by South Grenville District High School between 6 and 9 pm Tuesday. Any remaining tickets will be available at the door the night of the event.

The 661 Lt. W.F. Sharpe Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets has been serving Prescott since 1957. More than 50 youths regularly attend Air Cadet activities.

Cabbie's money pouch reported missing

PRESCOTT ­ Grenville County OPP responded to 47 calls for service in the Prescott patrol zone last week.

A 17-year-old Augusta male faces charges of theft and breach of probation following an incident that occurred Oct. 31. A taxi driver was transporting two male passengers to a north-end location at about 1:30 am; when she realized they could not pay her, they were let out by the OPP detachment. About an hour later, the driver discovered her money pouch containing more than $100 was missing. Constable Rob Prophet investigated the theft and made an arrest. The pouch (without the money) was recovered. The other suspect is known to the constable and will be facing charges, according to an OPP news release.

Later that morning, Constable Wright investigated a case of mischief. A Dibble Street East resident awoke to find her front door smashed and the outside screen door bent. The damage estimate is between $300 and $400.

The constable also investigated a call about eggs being thrown at a window of a James Street East residence. The incident took place at about 2:30 am; the officer received the service call at about 9:20 am. Several people believed to be teenagers were seen in the area just after the window was struck.

Constable Wright is also investigating the spray-painting of vehicles (two white vans and a blue minivan) and a home on Victor Road during the overnight hours of Oct. 30-31. Profanity was written in copper coloured paint on two of the vans; shapes appeared on the other. All of the spraypainting was removed from the vehicles. The constable canvassed the neighborhood; however, anyone with information is asked to contact the detachment.

An attempted break-in at a Zaire Street residence is being investigated by Constable Harmer. The complainant's dog woke him up at about 1:30 am Oct. 30; he did not see anything suspicious at that time. In the daylight, though, he noticed the ladder normally near his residence had been moved and was against it, providing access to a second floor balcony. A window screen on the balcony had been ripped, but no one had entered the building. It is believed there might be similar unreported incidents in the area.

On Oct. 29, Constable Harmer observed two people trespassing on the CN Rail tracks near Boundary Street. Two male youths (16 and 17) were issued provincial offence notices for trespassing.

Anyone with information on occurrences in Prescott is asked to contact Grenville OPP at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

OPP ­ TOWNSHIPS NEWS

Water pumps stolen from shed

EDWARDSBURGH ­ Four water pumps were stolen from a shed at Angelo's Restaurant sometime during the weekend of Oct. 23-24, according to Grenville County OPP.

An area of a storage building being used by Aecon Construction had been entered; the locking mechanism had been cut off. Other less valuable equipment was not taken. The estimated value of the stolen pumps was not available. Constable Blanchette is investigating; anyone with information is asked to contact the detachment in Prescott at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Tunnel to be used by ATV operators

EDWARDSBURGH ­ ATV operators are being advised by police to use the designated crossing to get from one side of Highway 416 to the other.

In response to illegal crossings in the area of Newman and McNeilly roads south of Spencerville, police remind operators to use the tunnel crossing and refrain from removing the fencing erected by the Ministry of Transportation to block access to nearby roads beside the four-lane highway. The removal of fencing could result in the criminal charge of mischief being laid as well as other provincial fines for illegally crossing the highway.

Steer clear of deer this season

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Motorists are being reminded to keep an eye out for deer crossing roadways. Hunting and cooler weather are factors causing deer to move, which happens more frequently at dawn and dusk. Drivers should check for glowing eyes in ditches and beside roadways and be prepared to stop, especially in marked deer crossing areas. Deer usually travel in pairs or groups. Hunters are also being advised to be conscious of "no trespassing" signs and regulations governing their firearms while travelling to and from their favourite spots.

United Way craft show is Saturday

BROCKVILLE ­ The United Way arts and crafts show and sale will take place this Saturday, Nov. 6 from 9 am to 4 pm at the Brockville Memorial Centre.

More than 50 tables of hand-crafted wares will be on display at the 11th annual show. There is a nominal admission fee; children under 12 get in for free. A $300 basket packed with gifts and numerous household and personal items will be given away as a door prize.

Proceeds from the event go the Leeds and Grenville United Way, which supports 25 non-profit agencies that served 23,000 in the region last year.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"I'm really proud that our team was from all over Canada and am proud to have represented Canada at an international level."

Natalie Fortier, commenting on being a member of the gold-medal culinary olympic team

Editor's Notebook

It pays to be on council

It would be easy for The Journal to take the position it is inappropriate for Prescott council (and other municipal councils, for that matter) to vote itself or themselves a raise. After all, most of us are not in a position to give ourselves a pay hike. By doing just that, council might be perceived as abusing or misusing its position to line its pockets with taxpayers' money.

In theory, there are many legitimate reasons elected bodies should avoid the subject or proceed very cautiously. They knew (or could ask) how much money they would receive for serving on council before they filled out the nomination forms, so why shouldn't they be prepared to accept that amount and be happy to get it?

However, to be fair about it, the numbers do make a point. Prescott has been at or near the bottom of the list when it comes to honourarium rates for councillors (not much more than $300 per month in the Fort Town) and mayors in small-town Eastern Ontario. While it is true somebody must be at the bottom of the list, it is completely within reason for Prescott council to note the disparity and make its case for a pay hike.

Councillor Sue O'Hanlon did not vote for the three-per-cent increase council approved earlier this fall. (By the way, that increase matches what full-time town staff received. This is a tradition that is not new and was in place prior to the last election.) O'Hanlon has suggested any increase should be "an outside decision" in which town stakeholders are involved. Perhaps a committee consisting of community members be formed to review the matter and submit a recommendation.

We respect and appreciate the councillor's concerns, and we suspect there are many people in town who do not believe it is right for council to vote itself any increase (especially twice in a matter of months). When all was said and done, though, council was prepared Monday to give itself a raise and it moved quickly to do just that. The only real public input that might matter will come in the 2006 election when members of the current council seek re-election or a different position on council. Given the election is two years away, we suspect most voters opposed to the increase will have forgotten about this week's vote the next time they head for the polls.

There is one possible solution to all this. The provincial government could come up with an honourarium formula that provides a set amount for municipal councils based on the size of the electorates they serve. We are not encouraging more legislation from Queen's Park, but at least it would provide a more level playing field in which local politicians do not appear to be serving their own interests by considering what might, in reality, be a justifiable request for a pay increase, as was the case in Prescott.

Tim Ruhnke

Why watch the debates? Because I'm Canadian, that's why

BLAKE'S TAKES by Blake McKim

During the recent Thanksgiving dinner season, I had the chance to catch up with some of my family I hadn't seen in a little while. As has been the case recently, I brought up the topic of politics.

I'm not really a very political person. My own beliefs compose a curious mix of Liberal social responsibility and Conservative fiscal accountability (okay, in a perfect world).

Nonetheless, at Thanksgiving dinner I asked my brother, sister and parents if any of them had been watching the American debates between President George Bush and Senator John Kerry.

I immediately got the expected response. My brother said "What are you, a Yankee?" and the general consensus among my family was that none of them had watched the debates.

Paying no attention to US politics seems a common practice among Canadians I've talked to recently. I think it's foolhardy because of how close we are - geographically and economically - to the United States. I think even the most politically disinclined person would have to admit that events in America often have direct or spin-off effects on the lives of Canadians. For instance, some of the countries they decide to "liberate" will doubtless require assistance from our peacekeepers down the road.

I, for one, am interested in seeing whether or not the American public decides to go with their existing leader running on a platform of war and fear, or a new leader running on a platform of... who knows?

One thing seems clear after watching both presidential candidates debate is that neither seems as charismatic as former American president Bill Clinton. Say what you will about his personal life, during his eight years in office, the US (and Canada too) prospered and became more socially progressive.

I'm not sure if the heady days of the mid-to-late '90s will ever return, but at least I've had my ear to the ground to see if either presidential candidate has a clear-cut plan to restore the prosperity and economic health of the most powerful country in the world.

* * *

The announcement of a revised fee schedule for dumping demolition materials at the North Augusta landfill site by Augusta's waste management committee strikes me as a sensible move which should have been made a long time ago. And while it may draw ire from residents who keep their mattresses until the fabric wears thin or their sofas until they've gone in and out of style twice, I hope it will also make people think a little harder about trashing perfectly fine furniture or carpeting simply because they no longer like the colour or style.

While decorating mavens preach constant updating of our homes, I think more subtle decorating fixes like paint or new upholstery are better alternatives to unnecessarily throwing things away. And maybe even dear Martha Stewart will be singing a more conservation-minded tune once she returns from "the big house."

Toronto-Dominion to build new bank in Prescott: 1964

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Nov. 4, 1964

* The first classes were held in the new six-room addition to Maynard Public School.

The $131,000 project is expected to solve ­ for the time being ­ Augusta's serious classroom shortage. Maynard now has almost 400 students.

* The Toronto-Dominion Bank has confirmed it will erect a new $80,000 building on the site of the existing branch at the corner of King and Edward streets. The former IGA building across the street will house the bank while the new building is under construction.

Nov. 7, 1984

* Officials at Warnaco of Canada have confirmed the company's corporate office building on King Street West is up for sale. The old home at the corner of King and Mary near Centennial Park was purchased from the municipality for $55,000 and underwent extensive remodelling. The building has been on the block for months, according to a company official. Warnaco controls the Hathaway Shirts factory in Prescott.

* Fears of a scary Hallowe'en were not realized in Spencerville. Twelve OPP officers ­ including cruisers at each of the three entrances to the village ­ were dispatched to stamp out any serious troublemaking. There were also two plainclothes officers on patrol, and a police dog was also brought in for the night. Vehicles entering Spencerville were checked for eggs, soap and open containers of alcohol. Cardinal Police Chief Dwight McLaughlin reported it had been a quiet Hallowe'en in that community. There was the usual egg throwing, soaping of windows and setting of a few small fires in open areas.

* South Grenville football Giants defeated BCI 30-14 to set up a rematch of last year's Leeds and Grenville title game against TISS. Rick Steenwyck rushed for 130 yards and three touchdowns for South Grenville.

* The Wintario draw will take place tomorrow at South Grenville District High School. This is the second time the provincial lottery, televised live on Global, is being held in Prescott.

Getting worked up about anti-American agenda in the classroom

FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Jeffrey Morris

If you are a parent, you should be concerned with the influence teachers have over your children. Teaching math and language skills is one thing, but influencing young minds with an ideological agenda is quite another.

Some of you may think from previous columns that I am too pro-American. Let me clear something up. I am not as much pro-American as I am anti anti-American. When I see something that smells of anti-American propaganda, I get worked up.

Last week, I was good and worked up after listening to Lowell Green on CFRA as he discussed an elementary school class at Kemptville Public School.

According to Principal Jane Holski, the fifth grade class had a writing assignment to write letters to a government leader. The letters were not to be sent, they were just to be written. The subject of the letters, according to Ms. Holski, was to ensure that the rights of children around the world were being respected and granted. The information Ms. Holski gave to us was arguably vague and protective of her school. She said the students got to choose the subject of the letter and who they would be sent to.

What she didn't tell us was that the kids brought home a two-page flyer from Amnesty International Canada about Omar Al Khadr. The class wrote letters to Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Pettigrew and U.S. President George W. Bush regarding the imprisonment of a minor.

It is great that our children are taught about children's rights and the U.N.

But the North American and U.N. definitions of children's rights don't seem to translate into Al Qaeda's definition of children's rights. I'll go way out on a limb here and suspect the children in Kemptville were not made aware of both sides.

The centre of this controversy, Toronto-born Omar Al Khadr, was captured and sent to the U.S. detention centre at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba two years ago at the age of 15.

So it's heart-warming that kids in Kemptville are writing letters wanting to make sure that young Mr. Al Khadr has rights.

However, on July 28, 2002, young Omar allegedly murdered a U.S. medic. He is also accused of planting mines to target U.S. convoys, and he is accused of spying.

And let's look at the family history.

The U.S. had accused Omar's father, Ahmed Saeed Khadr, of having direct ties to Osama bin Laden. Mr. Khadr, according to a WorldNet Daily report, was arrested in 1995 in connection with a bomb at the Egyptian Embassy in Islamabad. Then Prime Minister Jean Chrétien pressed Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto to give him due process in Canada. In October 2001, according to the report, the Canadian treasury department ordered the freezing of Khadr's assets, as he was running the Afghan operations of a relief group said to be a front for bin Laden's terrorist network.

The U.S. has said that the young prisoners are receiving special treatment at Guantanamo Bay. They are separated from the other prisoners, and they are getting special educational provisions as well as psychological therapy.

Amnesty International Canada conveniently leaves most of that information out of their handout.

So thank goodness young Omar has rights as a child.

I wonder if the kids in Kemptville have been taught by their teachers to think of the rights of the kids in the daycare at the World Trade Center that got obliterated on Sept. 11. I keep thinking back to the story of a firefighter in Puyallup, Washington, where I was living at the time, who went to New York to help in the cleanup. He choked back tears as he told of the "worst thing" he saw. It was a hand with a clenched fist. There was no body attached to it. The firefighter unclenched the first and found inside it the hand of a small child, who may have been about three years old. It's a haunting image, thinking of a man holding a child's hand and trying to lead him to safety. Al Qaeda didn't give a flying crap about the rights of those kids that day.

The teachers in Kemptville may want to talk about women's rights around the world too. They may want to discuss women being machine gunned for inappropriately showing their ankles in a public place. I wish I could say I was exaggerating. I'm not.

If teachers want to get kids worked up about the rights of children, maybe they should look inward at Canada's history. Maybe last week they should have focused on Steven Truscott, who 45 years after being accused of a murder he apparently did not commit still cannot get justice.

Steven Truscott, 14 when he was accused of murder, sure as hell did not have any rights in 1959, and things aren't too much better for him today.

But of course, having kids write letters to support Steven Truscott would not fit the agenda of many of today's Canadian teachers.

After all, it's not anti-American.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

White strips on street make quite a difference

The Editor;

My thanks to Councillor Sue O'Hanlon for addressing my concerns regarding the stop sign at the east side of Water and George streets which is partially obscured by the WMS garbage container behind Mac's.

The white painted strip has improved matters by getting drivers to stop, making it safer for cars coming up the hill from two parking areas at the foot of George Street.

There are more intersections in town that would benefit from white strips plus removal of trees, brushes and hedges that obscure vision.

Betty Elliott
Prescott

Time to get rid of all those old, unused medications

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ The risks associated with retaining outdated medications or disposing of them improperly are being highlighted this month.

The Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit and many pharmacies in the tri-county area have joined forces for the third annual "Medicine Clean-Out" campaign.

"Keeping, taking or sharing old medicines can lead to serious injury such as falls and poisoning of seniors and children," Public Health Nurse Lois Dewey stated.

In noting this is a home safety issue, the health unit also says medicines are a form of hazardous waste that should not be thrown out with regular garbage or flushed down the toilet. "Disposing of medications safely ensures they do not harm your family or the environment," Dewey added.

Local residents are being encouraged to take part in the clean-out program in November by getting rid of expired, leftover and unlabelled medicines, including prescription, over-the-counter and herbal medications as well as vitamins. These items should be placed into a bag and taken to a participating pharmacy for proper disposal. This is a free service.

The public is reminded to keep remaining medications out of the reach of children.

Local outlets taking part in the program are Grenville Pharmacy in Prescott and Vanguard Drug Mart in Cardinal. About 385 bags of old medications were collected during the 2003 campaign.

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

SCHOOL SCENE

Benson Public School: What a week we had! Congratulations to the student council for its hard work. We had many entries for our pumpkin contest. Jake Buchanan won for the funniest, Danny Patrick won for the scariest and the most creative was Spencer Disheau. Danny Calhoun won the raffle basket generously donated by Nancy Hopkins.

Student council had fun judging the costumes. The winners for the scariest costume were Nicholas Tobin, Jesse Buchanan and Andrew Miller. The funniest were Elizabeth Bygott and Josh Coville. The prettiest were Selena Smith, Courtney Sweet and McKenzie Gill. Finally, the most creative costumes were Kyle Massey, Brooke Deschamps and Conner Elliot.

Friday is our walk-a-thon. Prizes have been donated by the community and are on display in the main hall; children will receive a ticket for every $5 they raise to enter in a draw. We look forward to good weather and a successful fundraiser.

Boundary Street Public School: Grade 1, 2 and 3 students visited Wellington House Friday. They sang Hallowe'en songs and recited poems for the residents. Treats were enjoyed by all.

Parents of grade 5 & 6 students were invited to an information evening last week about the École de Neige trip planned for early in the new year. A number of items were discussed; information will be sent home soon.

The UCDSB is conducting a survey and review of special education programs and services. Once we receive the surveys, they will be forwarded to each family and returned to the board office. For further information, please call the school.

The next school council meeting will be held Tuesday, Nov. 16 at 7 pm in the library. School council is still collecting Campbell Soup labels which can be exchanged for sports equipment or other items. Please forward labels to the office.

Hot lunch this week is subs.

Maynard and Maitland Public Schools: At Maynard and Maitland, our second month of the 2003-2004 school year has come to a close, and we say goodbye to a wonderful fall. If we can remember what it's like to "be a kid," then we won't look with apprehension at what will probably come next: snow!

At Maitland, our students in grades 1-2 and 3-4 will be heading off to the Hershey plant in Smiths Falls next week as a culminating activity to their studies. The Maitland school council has generously supported the cost of the trip.

At Maynard, on Thursday and Friday, Oct. 28 and 29, 73 Maynard grade 7 students attended Camp Iawah as part of a "Kick Off Grade 7" field trip to build team building and cooperative skills. Camp staff "heaped praise" on our students, complimenting their behaviour and enthusiasm. Well done, Grade 7 Mustangs! We appreciate the support of our grade 7 teachers, Mr. Bourne, Mrs. St. Pierre, Mr. Grimes, and Mrs. Farmer as well as our super parent volunteers.

Our Maynard parent council still has cookbooks left for sale. The first page details the history of the school, compiled by Mrs. Beth Conlin (based on research by Mrs. Goldie Connell) and the recipes in it are "Maynard family favourites."

The cookbooks are available at the school's front office. All proceeds go to supporting activities at the school.

St. Joseph Catholic School: Congratulations to our Peacemakers for this week: Jason Noonan, Brodie Snelling, Brandon Gulley and Luke Severson.

School council meets Wednesday, Nov. 3 in the library.

On Thursday, Nov. 4, there will be a meeting concerning the Grade 7 trip to Quebec City in the spring. Grade 7 parents are invited.

Senior girls and boys volleyball teams are anxious to begin the season. Practices for senior girls are Monday and Wednesday from 3:30 to 4:45 pm. The senior boys practise at 8 am Tuesday and Thursday.

Band practice is from 3:30 to 4:30 Thursdays.

The lunch-time reading club began Tuesday. Chess and checkers begins Wednesday, Nov. 3, also at lunch recess.

The art club will meet Wednesday, Nov. 3 in Ms. Bongard's portable.

Evaluation and assessment of students is ongoing. Report cards will be sent home Nov. 24; interviews will be scheduled for Nov. 25 and 26.

St. Mark Catholic School: Welcome to the month of November!

We focus on Remembrance Day, Nov. 11, when we pause to reflect on the 11th day of the 11th month at the 11th hour. We remember the bravery of the men and women who served during wartimes. We honour our commitment to peace and freedom. Lest we forget.

Today, we welcome some Grade 9 students from St. Mary Catholic High School as they participate in National Take Your Kids to Work Day.

On the next two weekends, we will have book launches in our four churches of the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario book Beacons of Faith. This book tells stories of the rich history of Catholic education in Eastern Ontario. Order forms are available by contacting the school at 925-3581.

Hot lunch this week is pizza.

Our All Star Reading Strategy is "Ways to Read: Nudge."

South Edwardsburg Public School: On Oct. 1, our South Edwardsburg school community came together once again to celebrate character in our school.

More than 150 people walked in unison to kick off our character education program and to raise awareness of cancer research. The total amount raised was $500.22.

As a follow-up, students and staff will be given the opportunity to wear their T-shirts, purchased by school council, every Friday to show support for cancer research. A coin can be donated to support this worthy cause.

A recognition assembly was held Oct. 29; we congratulate our students for their success and achievements.

In November, we will be focusing on the attribute "responsibility." Be on the lookout for activities that will be sent home so you can support efforts in teaching responsibility at home and in the community.

School council begins its cheese and candle fundraiser this week.

Hot lunch today is pizza.

T.R. Leger news

November is here already, and we are more than half way through our first term which ends Dec. 8. At T.R. Leger, we use a trimester system which allows students to complete three courses per term, with the possibility of nine credits being accomplished in a school year. This means that really motivated students would be handing in approximately five lessons a week in order to accomplish this goal. To date, three students have finished their diploma requirements and will be graduating in May.

As part of the Women in Skilled Trades initiative, on Nov. 9 at KIA Brockville, there will be an automotive workshop focusing on basic car care. All T.R. Leger female students interested in exploring a career in the automotive trade will have this opportunity.

A few more fellows wanted for breakfast this Friday

WALKER HOUSE NEWS by MARNIE LIPPIATT

Mark your calendar for a potluck lunch at noon Nov. 19. Following lunch, we will have Steve Webster from Home Comfort, a new senior service company, to speak about affordable non-medical caregiving.

Call 925-5300 for more information.

Next Tuesday, Nov. 9, we will be having our first scrapbooking evening. You only need to bring about 10 pictures with a common theme. The teacher will provide all the pages, cutting blades and suggestions to best display and record the memories. Please register. The hardanger group is reminded of its meeting upstairs the same evening.

The men's breakfast is still a go for this Friday, Nov. 5, but we would like a few more fellows to join us. Call so we can set a place for you.

Card game winners: Monday bridge ­ 1st, Janet White; 2nd, Wanda Wilson; door, Glen Morris. Fun bridge ­ Ruth Betsworth. Wednesday night bridge ­ 1st, Isabel Locke; 2nd, Dora Cook. Thursday night euchre ­ 1st, Eddie Arcand; 2nd, Hilda Hutton; 3rd, Marion Lindsay; door, Yvonne Crawford.

Pitch to credit union to be made at public meeting next Tuesday

CARDINAL - Members of Your Credit Union will be at an Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Business Association (ECBA) meeting next Tuesday, Nov. 9 to let residents know about the possibility of the Ottawa-based credit union opening a branch in Cardinal. Recently the credit union has opened a branch in Williamsburgh after the Bank of Montreal closed in the village.

The meeting will be held at 7 pm at the Cardinal Legion.

Your Credit Union CEO John Ebsay explained he and credit union board member Bruce Corbett will be at the meeting to make a 20-minute presentation to the public about their services and what they can offer, while also getting a chance to answer questions from the public.

"There's a fairly active organizing committee with Bill LaBerge and Marj Kempffer who have been the point people getting us to come," said Ebsay. "We're going to let people know what the credit union is, our values and our direction and vision for the future. We want these people to know what credit unions are all about."

Ebsay indicated it would take a significant commitment from Cardinal residents in order to get the credit union to open up shop.

"The community has to show they have a sufficient volume of banking so the branch wouldn't lose money," explained Ebsay. "It would probably take $15 million in deposits and the same amount over a period of time (in order for us to open a branch in Cardinal.)"

Ebsay indicated since talk of opening a branch in Cardinal began, the credit union has received a number of confidential mini surveys from Cardinal residents providing banking information committing to move their accounts to the credit union if they open a branch in the village.

"There has to be a clear indication that there would be enough community interest," said Ebsay. "If there is the interest, then I would have to go to the board and convince them it is a good business case. Right now, I'm not familiar enough with the community to know the amount of money in the area."

While there is no set timetable for a decision on the matter, Ebsay indicated a decision could be made by late November or early December if there is a serious interest and financial commitment.

The ECBA has made available confidential asset forms (mini-surveys) to help determine the business case viability. The forms are available at The General Dollar and O'Carroll's Grocery.

Traffic solutions being sought as concerns raised about congestion in front of school

SPENCERVILLE - It was noted at Monday's regular council meeting in Spencerville that Public Works Manager Lawrence Rooney had been in discussions with Benson Public School Principal Bill Loshaw regarding congestion in front of the school during dismissal times.

The minutes from the Oct. 20 Environmental Services/Public Works Committee meeting indicated Rooney had met with Loshaw at dismissal time to view some of the concerns regarding crossing guards, designated walking routes, traffic congestion and school bus pick-up/delivery. Rooney indicated in the minutes the problem is with parents milling about, which is forcing students to enter the roadway the cross the street.

Since the area is designated no parking, Rooney suggested the bylaw enforcement officer visit the site to issue warnings to offenders. He added the long-term solution would be to designate James Street as a one-way street going east, with no parking permitted on either side.

Benson is also investigating the use of students as traffic monitors.

Ward One Councillor Hugh Cameron indicated he had another option which should be considered by council.

"There could be no parking allowed on the north side of James Street when the buses are parked in the loading zone on the south side," said Cameron. "We could make the north side of the street limited parking. It could be from 8-10 am and 2-3 pm when there was no parking."

Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated she agreed with Rooney about the number of people milling about.

"Parents all have their cars there and are forcing kids to walk out onto the street, because they are blocking off the crosswalks," said Taylor. "Lawrence is continuing to talk with the principal about the kinds of things we can do to help out."

Girl struck in face by full can of pop

OPP ­ CARDINAL NEWS

CARDINAL ­ Hallowe'en was relatively uneventful in Cardinal this year, according to Grenville County OPP.

At about 8:15 pm Sunday, Constable Foley responded to one incident of note at the corner of Meadowland and St. Lawrence. A 14-year-old girl was standing with her friends talking when she was struck in the face by a full can of pop. She sustained a small cut on her nose, but she did not require medical attention.

Three males wearing black ran from the area and were not located. The victim and her friends were unable to identify them.

About 15 minutes earlier, the constable had responded to a mischief call. The driver of a green Escort wagon indicated she was travelling on Dundas Street when the car was struck by eggs. The culprits who threw the eggs were dressed in black and had their faces covered; they ran between the grocery store and pharmacy.

Early Sunday morning, police received a call about a stolen pumpkin at a residence near Dundas Street. Several smashed pumpkins were located by Constable Rob Prophet.

As for last week, a break-in at an abandoned apartment on Lewis Street was investigated when Constable Barr responded to a noise complaint Friday at about 7 pm. There are two other tenants in the building. The apartment had been entered by force; tools had been used to open the door. The building owner has found some damage since the last tenant left. There was evidence left in the abandoned apartment to assist the constable, according to a police news release.

The investigation is ongoing.

Anyone with information on these or any other occurrences in the Edwardsburgh/Cardinal area is asked to contact Grenville County OPP at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Sidewalk plow beyond repair, council is told

SPENCERVILLE - Cardinal will need a new sidewalk plow, according to Environmental Services/Public Works Committee minutes accepted at Monday's regular council meeting in Spencerville.

Council approved the Oct. 20 committee meeting minutes in which it is explained by Public Works Manager Lawrence Rooney the 1991 Trackless sidewalk plow for Cardinal has broken down beyond the point of effective repair.

He indicated in the minutes the plow had been rebuilt several times, and the plow had been scheduled for replacement in 2006.

It was noted the unit completes winter maintenance on approximately five kilometres of sidewalks in Cardinal, while the winter control on Spencerville sidewalks is contracted out.

The possibility of purchasing a new machine which could be utilized for sidewalks in the winter and modified for other uses in the summer was discussed, but it was noted that type of machine would cost in the range of $100,000.

Three options are being looked at regarding the sidewalk plowing, including repairing the plow and attempting to use it for another season, replace the unit with a new or used machine or contract out sidewalk maintenance.

Council indicated Rooney was asked to investigate the options and report back at a future committee meeting.

Township considers UV filter for office water

SPENCERVILLE - Township council indicated Monday it would look into the costs associated with installing a UV treatment filter for the municipal office water system in Spencerville.

Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated it is her understanding the water would be safe to drink with a UV treatment filter installed.

Township CAO Clerk Stephen McDoanld explained that, from his conversations with Environmental Services Chief Operator Jim Grant. a filter could be bought and installed for somewhere in the ballpark of $2,200, but it was likely to cost less.

"Jim anticipates this will save money for the township over time, because then we wouldn't have to keep paying to get the water tested, Taylor said. "We should direct Jim to get prices and get back to us (at the next environmental services committee)."

Linda Fowler receives crimefighting award

SPENCERVILLE - Township council presented longtime Spencerville volunteer Linda Fowler with an Ontario Crime Control Commission Award of Excellence for Fighting Crime at Monday's council meeting.

Mayor Peggy Taylor explained the award goes to local people who help to fight crime in the community. "People who fight crime every day aren't just police officers, firefighters or super heroes," said Taylor. "They are those who help those in need and are generous with giving their time to youth in the area."

Ward Three Councillor Frank Noccey indicated there seemed to be no bounds to the endless list of volunteer work Fowler has performed and he read a laundry list of her activities.

Fowler is currently in her 15th year assisting with the Girl Guides, she has been assisting students at Centennial '67 Public School daily from 9 am until 3:30 pm for seven years and still manages to help out occasionally, she prepares income tax returns for persons with low incomes and senior citizens, has worked bingos for the Edwardsburgh Figure Skating Club, Spencerville minor ball, Friends of the Library, the Spencerville Mill, Big Sisters, Centennial '67 Grade 8 Graduation and the North Edwardsburgh Public School play structure.

Fowler indicated she was proud to accept the award, which came as a surprise to her.

"I'm shocked," said Fowler. "I love volunteering and am just happy to have such supportive friends and family which allow me to do it."

Fowler is the third recipient of the award from the township; Ada Baldwin and Helen Robichaud had received their awards earlier in the year at Benson Public School.

Fourteen-year-old shoots bear near Spencerville

SPENCERVILLE - A 14-year old Spencerville teenager has a story to tell his friends after shooting a 200 lb. black bear while hunting with his father on the weekend.

South Grenville District High School Grade 9 student Cory Alkerton shot the black bear Friday night while helping his father Darcy (nuisance wildlife control trapper and avid hunter) clear some coyote traps along his father's trap line just east of Spencerville.

The young Alkerton, an apprentice hunter, shot the bear from 15 yards away.

"I got him Friday night," said Alkerton. "It's was a bit scary. It was the first bear I've ever seen in real life (that wasn't caged) and it was a lot bigger than a deer. He smelled me and stood up on his hind legs, but it didn't see me, because I was in a tree stand. He went to stand up on a garbage can and leaned out and I put a bullet right behind his front shoulder through the top of his heart with my 30-06 rifle. It made it 40-50 yards before collapsing."

Alkerton also managed to shoot another trophy in a 207 lb., 10-point buck while hunting with his brother Matt and father Monday.

Mr. Alkerton indicated bears have become more common in the area, and the bear his son shot had been tied to nuisance complaints about interfering with traps and eating farmers' corn.

Giants senior hoops team hits hot streak in Belleville

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

BELLEVILLE - The South Grenville Giants senior girls basketball team is getting hot at the right time, posting a perfect 3-0 mark at a tournament Saturday in Belleville.

Giants coach Joe Latham couldn't say enough about his team's performance on the weekend against a trio of highly-regarded basketball teams.

"It was probably the three best basketball games I've ever seen South Grenville play," said Latham. "The other teams had trouble handling our defence and the girls were all over the place."

Latham continued, "Shannon Campbell had an excellent weekend," said Latham. "She rebounded and defended really well. It's the best basketball I've seen her play in five years. Sam Joudoin controlled the whole thing all weekend and Allison Whyte played really well after playing her first games in five weeks because of injury."

Latham was quick to credit his junior call-ups, Jessica Rupert, Jaime Grimes and Karie Neddo with how well they were able to mesh with the team and adapt to the senior game.

On Saturday, the Giants travelled to Belleville and posted a 3-0 record against a pair of AAA schools and one of the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (EOSSAA) AA favourites.

South Grenville opened the tournament against Quinte (Belleville) and managed to pull out a 50-38 victory over the AAA school. Sara Watt led the Giants with 19 points, followed by Joudoin and Campbell with eight points apiece.

In its second game, South Grenville hung on for a 45-39 win over AAA school Frontenac (Kingston). Before injuring her ankle Watt scored 13 points to lead the Giants, while Grimes added 12 and Campbell had eight.

The Giants finished the tournament with a 35-26 win over Nicholson (Belleville), which is among the favourites to win the EOSSAA title. The Giants were forced to play with a short bench throughout the game after Watt and Ashley Beaudoin went down with ankle injuries earlier in the tournament. South Grenville was forced to play with seven players (four seniors and three juniors). Grimes and Campbell scored 10 points apiece to lead the Giants, while Neddo chipped in with six.

"Against Frontenac, we got some key baskets from Shannon (Campbell) and Sam (Joudoin)," said Latham. "Then two of our junior players, Jessica Rupert and Jaime Grimes, came in and played excellent defence, shutting their best player down."

On Thursday, South Grenville travelled to Kemptville and scored a 55-31 win over the St. Michael Mustangs. The Giants only had six players for the game and had to rely on their starters and junior call-ups Sarah Perrin, Jessica Rupert and Carrie Calhoun. Sara Watt led all scorers with 18 points, followed by Shannon Campbell with 13 points.

The Giants came out fired up Oct. 19 as they scored a 55-11 victory over the Grenville Christian College Lions. Ashley Beaudoin led South Grenville with 12 points, followed by Campbell with 10 and Kaitlain Ashby with nine.

The Giants travelled to Brockville Oct. 23, to take part in the St. Mary Crusaders mini-tournament, where the short-bodied South Grenville team posted a 2-2 record.

South Grenville opened the tournament with a 23-22 loss to the host Crusaders. Watt led the Giants with six points.

In its second game, the Giants rebounded to pull out a 34-31 win over the Arnprior Redmen. Watt led South Grenville with 10 points, followed by Sam Joudoin and Campbell with six points apiece.

South Grenville managed to pull out a 26-20 victory over St. John (Perth) in its third match-up of the day. Watt scored 10 for the Giants, while Campbell added nine.

In their final game of the weekend, the Giants were forced to use a shorter bench than usual and ran out of steam as they dropped at 53-30 loss to Merivale (Ottawa).

Junior Girls fall to Mustangs

On Oct. 25, the Giants travelled to Kemptville and dropped a 54-32 decision to a hard pressing St. Michael Mustangs team.

Jamie Grimes and Perrin led the Giants offensively, while Calhoun and Karie Neddo had strong games defensively.

On Oct 16, South Grenville took part in the St. Michael Mustangs mini-tournament in Kemptville and posted a 2-1 record.

South Grenville started the tournament on a high note by defeating the Smiths Falls Redmen 38-30. Jamie Grimes led the Giants with 15 points, followed by Chelsea Roode with eight, Rupert with six and Neddo with five.

In the second game, the Giants continued their strong play with a 50-28 victory over St. Joseph (Cornwall). Roode led South Grenville with 13 points, followed by Calhoun and Rupert with 10 and Grimes with nine.

In its final game of the tournament, the Giants played an aggressive game and battled through a series of lead changes but fell to the host Mustangs 39-30.

Both Giants teams play tomorrow (Thursday) against the TISS Pirates in Prescott. The junior team will play at 1 pm, with the senior team to follow at approximately 2:30 pm.

Jr. B Rangers split pair of games on weekend

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers still sit in top spot in the Rideau Division standings with 21 points, after splitting weekend games against St. Lawrence Division opponents.

On Saturday, the Rangers were dominant in a 7-1 victory over the Morrisburg Lions.

South Grenville came out firing on all cylinders to score three first period goals, from Adam Tousant, Derek Rupert and Matt Bailey. Adam Lawrence, Peter Veltkamp, David Lun and Jason Whelan added assists.

Bailey would net his second goal of the game, unassisted, for the lone goal of the second period.

In the third, Morrisburg would finally get on the board as the Lions spoiled a shutout bid by Rangers keeper Greg Richardson.

South Grenville would cap the game with three goals in the final frame, including Bailey completing his hat trick against his former teammates. Mark Williams and Lun scored the other Rangers goals. Andrew Fortier (2), Rupert (2), and Whalen had helpers.

On Sunday, South Grenville dropped a 3-0 decision to the Kemptville 73's.

The game remained scoreless until early in the second period when Kemptville got on the board when the 73's scored at 18:08 and added a powerplay marker at 4:49. Kemptville would score an empty-net marker with a minute left in the game to seal the Rangers' fate. Goaltender Tim Potter stopped 25 shots in the loss.

Despite the loss Sunday, Rangers Assistant Coach Mark Armstrong liked what he saw for the most part, from South Grenville.

"It was a good game on Sunday," said Armstrong. "We just didn't shoot enough and didn't get to the loose pucks like we usually do. It was a game between two good teams; we had some opportunities, but we just didn't capitalize. Kemptville's goaltender played well and the guys, I think, realized you can't score from the hash marks against some of the better keepers in the league."

After the weekend, the Rangers sit in top spot in the Rideau Division with a league-best 10-3-1-0 record for 21 points, one point ahead of the second place Brockville Tikis.

South Grenville will travel to Alexandria Friday at 8:30 pm to take on the Glens. The Rangers will return home Saturday to host the Athens Aeros at 7:15 pm at the Cardinal and District Community Centre. South Grenville will also play host to the Akwesasne Wolves Sunday at 7 pm in Cardinal.

South Grenville football team drops 34-0 decision to St. Joe's

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

CORNWALL - The South Grenville Giants senior football team closed out their 2004 season Friday with a 34-0 loss to St. Joseph in an exhibition match-up in Cornwall.

Giants co-coach Jason Sloan indicated while the game had no playoff implications, it ended up a good way to close the season and give some playing time to the younger kids.

"We used it as a chance to put in our rookies and younger players and give them a chance," said Sloan. "We tried out a new quarterback in Jacob McGuire; he took more than half the snaps and did well."

Sloan indicated the Giants offensive game was one of the best they had all season.

"The offence really moved the ball well today," said Sloan. "Really, it was our defence which had some trouble tackling which hurt us."

Sloan indicated Grade 10 defensive back Marc Piquette was one of South Grenville's most dominant defensive players, leading the team in tackles, while defensive back Shane McNeely had three interceptions on the day.

On offence, slotback Matt Alkerton led the offence with his running and receiving skills, while running backs Matt Turcotte (100 yards) and Josh LaTocha (50 yards) had breakout performances from the backfield.

The Giants closed out the season with a 0-6 record, which saw South Grenville shut out in all its games.

Peewee B house #1 starts season at 4-0-0

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Rangers peewee B house team #1 started its season on a high note by posting a perfect 4-0 record.

On Oct. 18, the Rangers
hosted Brockville #2 at the Cardinal and District Community Centre and came away with a 6-2 victory.
Pat Froom and Colman Colpitts led the Rangers with a pair
of goals apiece, while Josh Jones and Michael Lawless added singles. Jones also added an assist.

Jacob Scott and Dustin Kester split duties in goal for the win.

On Oct. 23, the Rangers travelled to Brockville and managed a 7-1 win over Brockville #2. Colpitts and Sean Perrin each scored a pair of goals for South Grenville, while Hunter McCarroll, Froom and Josh Mintz also scored. Jones and Mintz had helpers.

On Oct. 25, South Grenville scored a 9-0 shutout over the Athens Aeros in Cardinal. Kester and Scott split time in goal for the shutout. Colpitts had four goals to lead the Rangers; other goal scorers were Taylor Garswood (2), Perrin (2) and Mintz. Perrin (3), McCarroll (3), Kyle McNamara (2), Mintz (2), Froom (2), Colpitts and Dustin Miller added assists.

On Oct. 30, the Rangers travelled to Athens and came away with an 11-3 win over the Aeros. Perrin scored six goals to lead all scorers, while Miller (2), Colpitts, McNamara and Lawless also scored. Perrin (4), Mintz (3), Colpitts (2), Miller, Jones, Garswood, Lawless, Froom and Rhys Larry added assists.

On Oct. 11, the Rangers scored a 16-0 exhibition victory over the Morrisburg Lions in Cardinal. Scott and Kester shared the shutout for South Grenville. Perrin scored eight goals to lead all scorers, while Colpitts (4), McCarroll (2), Jones and Mintz also scored for the Rangers. Garswood (4), Perrin (3), Froom (3), McNamara (3), Mintz (3), McCarroll (2), Jones, Colpitts and Lawless added helpers.

Peewee B Rangers post 2-0-2 mark to start year

CARDINAL - The South Grenville peewee B Rangers are off to hot start to its season posting an undefeated 2-0-2 record in its first four games.

The Rangers opened its season Oct. 10, with a 4-4 draw with the Akwesasne Wolves in Cardinal.

On Oct. 17 and Oct.
19, South Grenville played a home-and-home series with the North Glengarry-Stormont Braves. The Rangers dominated play in both contests to pull out 8-2 and 5-0 victories respectively.

On Oct. 24, the Rangers travelled to Alexandria and had to settle for a 3-3 draw with the hometown Glens.

This year's team consists of Mason Williams, Mitchell Grant, Jacob Hayes, Cameron Symington, James Halladay, Lucas Stitt, Scott Stephenson, Zach Temple, O.J. Knol, Kurtis Lavery, Dylan Render, Trent Corney, Quinton Selleck and Robbie Deeks.

Rangers atom C house team #2 still undefeated at 3-0-1

SPENCERVILLE - The South Grenville Rangers atom C house team #2 is off to a hot start to
the season by posting a 3-0-1 record.

On Oct. 11, South Grenville #2 scored a 2-1 win over South Grenville #1 at the Spencerville arena. Jesse Buchanan and A.J. Laroque scored for South Grenville #2, while Curtis Patrick, Larocque and Buchanan added helpers. Laura McKinstry scored South Grenville #1's lone goal, while Trevor Moore added a helper. Alex Boswall scored the victory in goal for South Grenville #2.

On Oct. 20, South Grenville #2 came away with a 4-3 victory over South Grenville #3 at the Spencerville arena. Larocque and Mintz each had a pair of goals for South Grenville
#2, while Buchanan and Spencer Dishaw added helpers. Thomas McNamara had a hat trick
for South Grenville #3, while Brianna Harnum, Bret McFarland and Jaime Finucan added helpers. Jonathan Bernier got the win in goal for South Grenville #2 in his first time in net.

On Oct. 23, the Rangers #2 travelled to Athens and scored a 5-0 win over the Aeros. Dishaw led the Rangers with a pair of goals, while Buchanan, Rick Heyman and Larocque added singles. Heyman (2) and Larocque added helpers. Boswall had the shutout.

On Oct. 31, the Rangers #2 travelled to Brockville and were forced to settle for a 3-3 draw with Brockville #1. Buchanan (2) and Boswall scored for South Grenville, while Larocque (2) and Heyman added assists. Brandon Finlayson had a solid game in net in
his first game of the season.

Other Rangers are Nicholas Campbell, Amara Heisel, Jason Noonan and Holly Jones.

Prescott #6 leading Seaway Interbranch Dart League

CARDINAL - The Seaway Interbranch Men's Dart League season is underway with Prescott #6 sitting atop the team standings with 57 points.

As of Oct. 31, Prescott #6 had a secure nine-point lead over Iroquois #5 with 48 points, followed by Prescott #1 with 39 points, Iroquois #7 with 36 points and Cardinal #4 and Iroquois #3 with 31 points apiece.

David Haynes had the most games won in October with 21, followed by Tom Rae, 19; Rick Sayeau, 15; Mark MacDonald, Montroy and Jeremy Adams, 12; Duane Kirker and Tom Coville, 11; Glen Adams, Bill Hutt and Tim Gonczowski, 9.

Bill Hutt, Darren Tyo and Haynes were the top three highfinishers of the month with scores of 100, 99 and 93 respectively.

Three people joined the 180 club in October, with Haynes (3), Juby (2), Jerry Carr all achieving the score.

The top ten high scorers of the month were, Adams, 160-140-135-125x2-121-120; Rae, 140x5-133-132-130; Haynes, 140x5-125-121; MacDonald, 140x5-120x3; Juby, 140x3-134-125; Adams, 140x3-121x2; Hutt, 140x2-139-135-125x2, Sayeau, 140x2-139-135-125-123-121; Tom Coville, 140x2-136-121; Tyo, 140x2 and Gonczowski, 140x2.

SG atoms score 4-1 win over Titans

CARDINAL - The South Grenville atom B Rangers pulled out a 4-1 victory over the Kingston Township Titans Oct. 26 at the Cardinal and District Community Centre.

Brett Van Stralen had a pair of goals to lead the Rangers, while Alex Stephenson and Dylan Dorey added singles. Houston Bujacz (2), Adam Norton, Cody Adams, Matt Courtney and Derik Bourgeois added assists.

Prescott rink finishes third in point spiel

GANANOQUE - Amber Moulton's Prescott rink scored a pair of wins to capture third place in the bantam point spiel Saturday in Gananoque.

The Prescott rink defeated Brockville 8-6 and and Belleville 15-1 on their way to a 2-0 mark.

Moulton skips the team, which also includes, vice Kara Ruiter, second Drea Yerdon and lead Kelsey Erwin.

Prescott Curling Club hosting member/guest bonspiel Saturday

PRESCOTT - The Prescott Curling Club will be full of activity in November.

The curling club will start the month by hosting the member/guest bonspiel this Saturday, Nov. 6.

On Nov. 12, the club will host the 2-2-2 bonspiel and on Nov. 20 there will be junior zones.

For more information, visit the club on Henry Street West in Prescott or call club President Allan Norton at 925-3267.

New hockey instructional CD released by Jr. B president

PRESCOTT - Rideau-St. Lawrence Jr. B Hockey League President John Shorey has recently released the 6th edition of his Hockey Made Easy instructional manual in CD format.

The CD can be opened on your computer and printed out.

For more information, visit www.hockeymadeeasy.com.

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