VOL. 174, NO. 47~ PRESCOTT, ONTARIO ~ December 8, 2004

Spirit of Giving needs your help to meet target

More than 260 families to receive Christmas food as part of annual program

PRESCOTT ­ Organizers are hoping the community will show its support for this year's Spirit of Giving.

The annual campaign run by the Kinsmen Club of Prescott with the assistance of a group of students at South Grenville District High School is well short of the money needed to purchase many of the items placed in Christmas food baskets that are distributed to less fortunate members of the community in Prescott, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal and Augusta.

A total of 264 families have applied for and will receive baskets the weekend before Christmas; this represents a slight increase from last year.

Kinsmen member Art Hitsman told The Journal Monday the club has received $1,900 in cash donations with which to purchase perishable food items. Each Spirit of Giving basket will include a turkey, ten pounds of potatoes, two pounds of carrots, one dozen oranges and one dozen eggs plus margarine and stuffing. Hitsman said it is expected the perishable items will cost about $10,000.

"We would once again like to put our plea to the people and businesses of the community to please assist with a monetary donation if possible and, at the same time, thank those who have already donated," Hitsman stated.

Non-perishable items are being collected in door-to-door canvassing being done by the students. Spirit of Giving barrels have also been placed at many businesses and schools in the area.

For more information or to make a donation, call 925-2338. Contributions can be sent to the Spirit of Giving campaign at Box 1150, Prescott.

United Way extends its 2004 campaign

BROCKVILLE ­ This year's United Way of Leeds and Grenville fundraising drive has been extended, it was announced last week.

As of Friday (the original campaign completion date), $612,801 had been raised. This represents 78 per cent of the 2004 goal of $785,000.

Cutbacks and layoffs, as well as corporate support that has gone to capital campaigns under way, were cited in a news release as factors that have made this year's campaign a difficult one for the United Way.

This year's campaign objective ­ the biggest to date in Leeds and Grenville ­ "...was set based on the growing needs of the member agencies and new initiative organizations the local United Way supports," the release states.

The local United Way supports 25 member agencies and three new initiatives. Twenty-four thousand people used the services of those agencies last year.

Reminder letters have been sent to donors, including companies and service groups. Annual donors are being asked to make their donation now instead of waiting until closer to Christmas. The United Way notes it asks for donations only once a year ­ unlike some charities which conduct numerous mail campaigns during the year.

The Leeds and Grenville United Way issues a tax receipt for each donation. For more information, call 342-8889.

THIS WEEK

Tuesday will be time for Senior Lights Tour

PRESCOTT ­ This year's Senior Lights Tour will take place next Tuesday, Dec. 14.

Sponsored by the Kinsmen Club of Prescott and the local Knights of Columbus, the free bus excursion will enable local senior citizens to see the many beautiful Christmas light displays set up between Johnstown and Maitland.

The pick-up locations on Tuesday evening are Wellington House (6 pm), Mayfield (also at 6), Wiser Hall (6:15), Walker House (6:20), Prescott Place (6:25) and St. Mark's Parish Centre (6:30).

One of the buses will have wheelchair access.

Passengers will be transported back to the parish hall after the tour; refreshments will be served. There will also be entertainment, guest speakers and small gifts of appreciation.

Passengers will then be taken back to their pick-up locations and escorted to their buildings.

No registration is required.

Ugandan children's choir coming to town

PRESCOTT ­ The Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda will perform a Concert of Hope next week in Prescott.

The event will take place Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 7 pm at Seaway Christian Church. Admission is free, but there will be a free-will offering.

For more information, call 925-5840 or visit watoto.com.

The Pentecostal church is located on Churchill Road at Massie Drive.

Spencerville Legion to host party for kids

SPENCERVILLE ­ Branch 604 of the Royal Canadian Legion will host a Christmas party for children this Saturday, Dec. 11 from 1 to 4 pm.

There will be games, refreshments and a visit by what one Spencerville Legion representative described as "the real Santa Claus."

Everyone is invited to attend this community event.

Christmas reception will be hosted by MPP

BROCKVILLE ­ Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman and his wife Jeannette will be hosting their annual Christmas reception Sunday, Dec. 12 at the Quality Inn Royal Brock Hotel in Brockville.

The informal reception will run from 3 to 5 pm. The public is invited to attend.

News Radio 580 CFRA talk show host Lowell Green will be the special guest. Green was to have attended last year's reception, but there was a scheduling foul-up.

The Bruce Ker quartet will once again be providing the music at the reception, and Santa Claus will make an appearance.

Cancellation of assessment gives MPAC a chance to catch up

Some property owners are unhappy with system

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - The Municipal Property Assesment Corporation (MPAC), the not-for-profit organization which handles property assessments in Ontario, has cancelled its property assessments for 2004.

"The main reason (the assessments have been cancelled) is because of some concerns brought out by ratepayers," said Mike Contant, MPAC's municipal relations account manager for Lanark, Leeds and Grenville. "The municipalities have spoken, (they've said) some ratepayers can't handle the high changes in assessment."

Contant added the cancelled assessment means properties which haven't changed since the 2003 assessment will be taxed at the 2003 level which MPAC already established. Properties which have undergone renovations will receive a notice of assessment for 2004.

He also said cancelling assessments for 2004 has given the MPAC employees a chance to catch up on property assessments. "It's (cancelling 2004 assessments) a chance to give MPAC a breather."

In addition, he says the 2004 assessment cancellation has allowed MPAC property inspectors to complete a "record number" of inspections during 2004. "It's been a record year," said Contant. "(Staff has) assessed lots of new houses, additions." He adds throughout Ontario there has been "lots of new construction," which is ultimately good for municipalities because it results in a greater assessment base for the area.

MPAC is also using the cancelled assessments in 2004 to change the date on which property assessments are based. Previously, the valuation date was June 30. In 2005, the date on which assessments are based will be Jan. 1.

However, the property assessment system has been harshly criticized by Prescott-area residents who think it's deeply flawed.

"When I went to the MPAC meeting (held in Prescott in 2003), my conclusion of the whole process is that the MPAC system in general works well in urban settings, where there are many houses similar in value and in size," said Prescott resident and President of Money Concepts, Dan Throop.

He adds the averaging system MPAC uses is likely to be less accurate in Prescott, because the town has been built over a 200-year time period and has only 2000 homes which are all potentially different.

Throop adds he owns an 1870s wood frame house in Prescott which doesn't easily compare to many others in the area.

Contant does admit property assessments in smaller towns and rural areas do pose "more of a challenge" for MPAC. However, he also says they assess properties over a wider geographical area to arrive at a fair amount. "We sometimes go over five or six concessions (to get an accurate assessment)," he said.

According to an MPAC press release, "(Property) assessments are based on the estimated selling price of a property, essentially the amount of money a willing buyer would give to a willing seller for the purchase of their property."

The release goes on to state these are called "current value assessments." These current value assessments are then used to determine property taxes, which are comprised of the education portion of taxes and municipal portion of taxes.

When a property assessment goes up because of renovations, MPAC relies on building permits to gauge how much the improvements increase the value of a home.

Throop adds his perception of how MPAC applies its property assessment system is that it leaves much to be desired. "After the (MPAC) meeting, I thought it was just wild. The guys that apply it (property assessment system) are system-proud. They don't care about fixing it."

Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman admits he's "heard complaints" from residents about the way MPAC assesses properties and he concedes the provincial government has "indicated concern" about how properties are assessed. But Runciman also says his experience with MPAC has been positive.

"I once had a problem with a piece of property. It was assessed high," he said. He added he asked MPAC to review the assessment (this is called a "request for reconsideration" which MPAC offers free of charge). He noted MPAC adjusted his assessment to a fair amount.

Runciman also said people who feel their assessments are out of line would still hope to sell their property for more than its assessed value. "The irony of the situation is that people would try to get more than their assessed value (if they don't agree with the assessment). A person might disagree with a $200,000 assessment but would want to get $220,000 for their property."

MPAC was spun off from the province on Dec 31, 1998 as a nonprofit corporation. At the time, Runciman was a cabinet minister in the provincial government The "biggest change" after this happened, according to Runciman, was the entire province switched to a "market value" system which helped eliminate municipality-to-municipality distortions in property values. "We have to have a province-wide value system," he said

Runciman adds "it's going to take some time, but eventually we'll see it's a good system."

Jobless rate rises, more EI claims in November

KINGSTON ­ The regional unemployment rate and the number of active Employment Insurance (EI) claims were on the rise last month, according to figures released by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).

The jobless rate for the region that includes South Grenville was 5.2 per cent in November, up from 4.8 per cent in October.

Employment in the goods-producing sector fell last month, according to an HRSDC news release. There were also fewer jobs in information, culture and recreation. Increases in the services-producing sector, including professional, technical and scientific services as well as educational services, continued to increase in November.

Last month's jobless rate was the same as that of Nov. 2003. The regional rates remains lower than those for Ontario and Canada.

The Prescott HRSDC office reported 924 regular and special EI claimants at the end of November, an increase of 5.5 per cent from the 876 reported at the end of October. The HRSDC Kingston-Pembroke management area had an overall increase of 7.6 per cent in EI claims last month.

HRSDC notes EI claimant data does not determine the unemployment rate.

Connect Youth receives federal crime prevention grant of $50,000

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - The Connect Youth program based at South Grenville District High School will be around for some time to come.

Leeds-Grenville MP Gord Brown and Board of Governors Chair Norie Spence announced in late November the program had received a $50,000 grant over three years from the National Crime Prevention Strategy. This has enabled the organization to hire Tracy Dillon as supervisor and fundraiser for the program.

Dillon comes to Connect Youth from her previous work experience from her with the Crime Prevention Program in North Grenville, where she was referred by one of the members of that board, who also sits on the Connect Youth board.

Spence explained Dillon's main focus will be on fundraising to help keep Connect Youth running and to be a resource for youth in the area.

"We're excited about Tracy and her ties with the youth centres in Kemptville and Prescott as well as the skate park," said Spence. "It's a ten-year dream for us to be part of all of Grenville, and it's really exciting to start building these ties. We're all working toward a common goal of being there for the kids."

Spence continued, "Connect Youth is a service, not a location, but the youth centres and skate park are locations. We can reach the kids at the high school easily, but the at-risk kids on the street are tougher and being connected to other locations will give us the opportunity to do so."

Brown indicated he is happy to see the National Crime Prevention Strategy could help Connect Youth.

"This is an example of a community-based organization assisting other members of its community who are in need," explained Brown.

Spence indicated there was too much red tape for the Connect Youth board to do fundraising to keep Youth Counsellor Melissa (Hodgkinson) here working, so the addition of Dillon will give the organization a chance to reach out to more people.

Dillon added, "The first phase of the program was to get Connect Youth up and running and now we've moved on to its second initiative. The second initiative is to get the community more involved in this and try to help expand services."

The program is geared to help youth with issues such as self-harm, stress management, healthy relationships, sexual health and behavior and positive lifestyles.

To date, Connect Youth has assisted 140 youths since 2002 and offered a number of different programs such as crisis intervention, referral and support services, drug awareness initiaves, the annual Where to Turn Youth Fair, publishing the Youth Community Resource Guide and workshops for parents and youth.

Christmas dinner in Master's Hands

PRESCOTT ­ A special Christmas edition of the Master's Hands Community Supper will be held Wednesday, Dec. 22 at 5 pm at Seaway Christian Church.

All are welcome to attend the dinner. Call 925-5840 for reservations. The Pentecostal church is located on Churchill Road at Massie Drive.

Local boards note improvement in Grade 9 mathematics results

LEEDS AND GRENVILLE ­ Efforts to improve local results in province-wide Grade 9 mathematics testing are adding up, according to both English district school boards which operate in the Leeds and Grenville area.

The annual assessment done by Ontario's Education Quality Assurance Office was conducted in the spring; results were released late last month.

Sixty-seven per cent of the Upper Canada District School Board's Grade 9 students enrolled in academic math classes achieved the provincial standard; the provincial average was 68 per cent.

In the applied program, 28 per cent of Upper Canada students reached or surpassed the provincial standard compared to 26 per cent province-wide.

Although Upper Canada remains just below the provincial average, the board's average improved by seven percentage points compared to just two per cent province-wide.

Upper Canada Chair David McDonald referred to the academic level results as "great news," noting the improvement "...confirms we are making significant progress for the benefit of our students."

Of the 21 secondary schools operated by the Upper Canada board, South Grenville District High School in Prescott had the fourth-highest figure (82 per cent) in the academic level and placed 15th (21 per cent) in the applied level.

"We are on track to achieve the goal of 75 per cent set by the premier for academic mathematics results," Thomas stated.

As for the Catholic District School Board of Eastern Ontario, it scored better than the provincial average in both the academic and applied levels (six per cent higher than last year in both levels). St. Michael in Kemptville produced some of the best results in Ontario (91 per cent in academic and 64 per cent in applied).

Seventy-two per cent of Grade 9 students at St. Mary in Brockville scored at or above the provincial standard at the academic math level; 25 per cent hit the mark at the applied level.

The Catholic board noted in a recent news release there has been an increased focus on training to support teachers in grade 7, 8 and 9 applied math. Board officials noted they are pleased with the improved results.

New tax clerk hired by town

PRESCOTT ­ The Town of Prescott has hired a new taxation and revenue clerk.

Council voted Monday to appoint Sheila Kehoe to the position. Kehoe was one of 70 applicants for the job; four people were interviewed.

Town Treasurer/Deputy Clerk Laurie Kirkby said the interview panel was impressed by those four candidates. She noted Kehoe, who has assisted the department on a contract basis, has experience and is qualified to do the job.

Soup for the Soul is being prepared with founders' thoughts in mind

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Planning for this year's Soup for the Soul community supper are progressing well, according to one of the organizing group's co-chairs.

Jessica Arcand is pleased with the way the event is being received by people in the Prescott area.

The holiday season dinner will be served Sunday, Dec. 19 at South Grenville District High School. Founded three years ago by Prescott teenagers Kaitlynn Dodge and Mackenzie Eaton, Soup for the Soul gives people from all walks of life a chance to gather together and share a free Christmas dinner. Dodge and Eaton are now attending university; although they are still involved, the task of organizing this year's event is being performed by a group of students and staff at the school.

"I am really impressed by the way things are transitioning," said Arcand, who is familiar with the effort Dodge and Eaton put into the first three years of the event.

"They did such an excellent job," she added.

Arcand and Ryan Delaney are student co-chairs of the 2004 dinner.

Organizers are preparing to feed 600 people on the 19th. In addition to preparing and serving the meal, there will be volunteers who will deliver meals to those unable to get to the school.

With the help of local chefs, the hospitality kitchen at the school and community members, preparing the main course is well in hand. Arcand noted there might still be a need for volunteers to peel potatoes the Saturday before the event.

As was the case in previous years, diners are welcome to bring desserts to the supper. Arcand said organizers are making a point of maintaining Soup for the Soul as it was created. She checks in with Dodge on a regular basis.

The one big difference this year will be location. The first three dinners were served at St. Mark's Parish Centre.

The founders of Soup for the Soul plan to help out with this year's event when they return home from university next week.

In acknowledging the support of the community to date, Arcand said additional contributions would be put to good use.

"Any money coming in is good money," she said.

Spencerville choir to sing out the news

SPENCERVILLE -It will soon be time for people to "Sing out The News" with the Spencerville Community Choir.

The event is a celebration of the songs of Christmas. It is being held Sunday, Dec. 12 and Monday, Dec. 13 at St. Andrew's Knox Presbyterian Church. The Sunday performance will take place at 3 pm. The Monday performance will be at 7:30 pm.

All are welcome to attend the shows. The event will feature Christmas hymns, carols, and readings. Refreshments will follow the performances.

A small admission fee will be charged for adults and children. All proceeds from the concerts will be donated to Lazarus House.

Tickets will be available at the door or by calling 658-2916.

OPP constable conducts sessions with merchants

PRESCOTT ­ Grenville County OPP officers responded to 32 calls for service in the Prescott patrol zone last week.

On Nov. 30, Constable Shawn Steinburg was called to Giant Tiger for a shoplifting complaint. A 43-year-old man was dealt with at the store after it had been discovered a DVD had not been paid for. After paying the manager for the item, the man was issued a trespass notice to not enter the store.

The constable also responded to a Railway Street residence Dec. 3 at about 10:15 pm. A 16-year-old female was arrested for assault and breach of probation. The 20-year-old female did not sustain serious injuries.

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

In an emergency situation, dial 9-1-1. If the situation is not an emergency but requires a police response, call the OPP at 1-888-310-1122.

On the community service side, Constable Gary Sluytman delivered two hour-long sessions on shoplifting, fraud and counterfeit money to several merchants and their employees last week at the Royal Bank. The need for this education is at a peak given the arrival of the holiday season, an OPP release notes. With 25-plus years in policing, the constable is a wealth of knowledge on those subjects.

Matt Leeder places 19th at nationals

MAITLAND NEWS by Jane Fullarton

Matt Leeder finished 19th in a field of 172 runners in the eight-kilometre event at the Legion National Cross-Country Meet in Toronto on Saturday. Competitors attended the race from as far away as British Columbia and Nova Scotia.

The Legion meet has only two age categories; males who are nineteen and under are Junior Men and those over 19 are Senior Men. Leeder won the gold medal for Midget Boys at the Legion Ontario Cross-Country Championships.

At the nationals, Leeder, who is 14, was competing with runners who would normally be two age divisions above him. Leeder was very happy with his performance which capped off a very successful year of running.

Leeder and TISS teammate Paul Deschiffart arrived in Toronto Friday and walked the course since this was their first race at the Sunnybrook Park venue. Saturday was cool and very windy but the rain held off until after the race. Leeder's parents Ray and Dianne were able to attend the meet and were happy with the venue because they could see the runners from their location on a hill throughout most of the race.

This event ends the cross-country season and Leeder plans to take a short break before practising for the Disney Relay Meet in Florida over March Break.

Matt Millard finished 63rd, Geoff Millard was 86th and Paul Deschiffart was 124th.

Check out open house Sunday, Magog in March

WALKER HOUSE NEWS by MARNIE LIPPIATT

The trip to Magog March 6-8 is filling very quickly. Please bring your first small downpayment as soon as possible to hold your seat. Half of the payment is due the first week in January. The trip promises to be a welcome break in the long winter months. Come and join us for a few good laughs, some light entertainment and lots of good food.

Just a quick reminder of the Christmas open house Sunday, Dec. 12 from 1 to 3 pm. Everyone is welcome. If you choose to take a membership in December, it is valid until Dec. 31, 2005.

With our first snow, we are reminded of the cold. We are still accepting mittens for the children. Please add them to our tree.

Card game winners: Monday bridge ­ 1st, Ruth Britnell; 2nd, Andy Britnell; door, Brenda Humphry. Fun bridge ­ Shirley Juby. Wednesday night bridge ­ 1st, Wanda Wilson; 2nd, Isobel Locke. Thursday night euchre ­ 1st, Gladys Somerville; 2nd, Geneva Odell; 3rd, Micheline Cook; door, Dora Cook.

Youth choir in Spencerville area set to perform Christmas musical drama

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

SPENCERVILLE - More than 20 Spencerville-area youths will be sharing their Christmas spirit when it holds their musical drama performance Dec. 18 at township hall in Spencerville.

The youth choir, which was formed in early October has been hard at work preparing for their musical drama The Greatest Gift of All, which tells the story of Mrs. Merriweather helping children realize the true meaning of Christmas.

Choir director Heidi Woolford indicated the performance should be a fun event full of song and acting with some audience participation.

"There's going to be wisemen and shepherds and there are packages full of sweet surprises for the crowd," said Woolford. "We want to make sure the audience is involved."

The youth have been practising each Friday from 4:15 until 5:15 pm since just after Thanksgiving, and Woolford indicated the anticipation of the performance is growing.

"The kids are getting really excited," explained Woolford. "Everyone's really anxious and they've been asking about when they're going to get their costumes."

From her original plans for the choir and performance, Woolford has been surprised with how well things have come together.

"We just thought this would be a good opportunity for the kids in the community," said Woolford, "but it's not just the kids helping to give back to the community with the performance. We have a few girls from South Grenville (District High School) who have been down here helping out the kids and getting their community service hours. They've been great about everything, helping clean the stage, running lines with the kids, helping get on costumes and they're going to be a part of the performance. They've really just been a wonderful asset."

Woolford added the group has also had a very helpful group of volunteers from the community who have put in a lot of time and effort into helping the kids with the performance.

No specific time has been set for the performance thus far, but organizers indicated it would be held in the early evening and admission would be free.

Woolford indicated all the members of the choir had to pay a small fee at the beginning to help out with the cost of costumes and other things related with the performance, but the idea was so the performance would be free of charge so the children could have something to do and could give back to the community with their performance.

"We wanted to do this to help benefit our own community," said Woolford.

"We want the event to be special to the town and the surrounding area."

Youth dance to be held this Friday

PRESCOTT - South Grenville District High School will be the site of a youth dance this Friday from 7 pm until 10 pm.

The dance will be run by Connect Youth, the Prescott Youth Centre and the Prescott Kiwanis Skate Park as a fundraiser for future activities.

Take Laushway challenge, give donations instead

PRESCOTT - The staff of Laushway Law Office has put out a challenge to businesses in Prescott.

Laushway's office is asking that businesses make donations to the Spirit of Giving campaign in lieu of exchanging interoffice gifts this year.

They are asking other businesses to follow their lead by making donations of a gift of money, food or donation of any kind to a worthy cause this year rather than spend the money on frivolous, hard-to-buy gifts within the office.

The Spirit of Giving campaign led by the Kinsmen Club of Prescott will distribute Christmas week baskets of food and other items to more than 260 families in Prescott, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal and Augusta. The baskets will be handed out the weekend before Christmas at the high school.

New playground equipment approved

SPENCERVILLE - Cardinal and Johnstown will be getting new playground equipment in 2005.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council approved parks/recreation and facilities committee minutes from Nov. 16 which recommended council purchase new playground equipment to replace removed equipment behind the Cardinal pool and older equipment in Johnstown.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated part of the funding for the new equipment comes from about $4,000 in social services money the township received which can be utilized towards something for children, such as new playground equipment.

"The equipment in Cardinal had to be removed and the one in Johnstown is well used and needs some work," said Taylor. "It would be nice if we could get both done by next summer."

Ward Three Councillor Frank Noccey explained the two sets of equipment would cost more than $24,000 combined, which would be more than the $23,611 allotted for the structures. Noccey indicated the cost of the equipment for Cardinal alone would cost $16-17,000.

Cost of servicing north-end residential lots to be determined

PRESCOTT ­ Town council voted Monday to accept a bid for engineering design work for the infrastructure that will be needed at the new subdivision being planned in the north end of Prescott.

Eastern Engineering's quote of $13,500 was the lower of the two bids received; Ainley Group submitted a bid of $22,700.

The municipality purchased the 43-lot parcel of land north of Massie Drive and Mackenzie Road from Ontario Realty Corporation. Trees have already been cut down on a portion of the land. The next step is to determine how much it will cost to service the lots.

Federal program gives participants a better handle on small business

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Another group has been given the tools with which to stake a claim in the business community.

The latest edition of the Self Employment Benefit program completed its two-month run last week. The program is funded by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada and is run locally by Prescott-based Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation (GCFDC).

In addition to receiving information on a variety of subjects relating to preparing for and maintaining a small business, each member of the group prepares a business plan that is reviewed by a committee at GCFDC.

The program is offered at the GCFDC office on Water Street.

Instructor Ben TeKamp said demand for the program remains strong as a result of downsizing in Ottawa's high-tech industry and layoffs and plant closures in the united counties area. The fall 2004 group was split into two classes; in all, more than 20 budding entrepreneurs are now trying to make a go of it on their own.

Most of the recent participants live in South Leeds or North Grenville, but several of the SEB grads reside in South Grenville.

"It (the program) was quite an eye-opener," said Steve Carbino, a tradesman who does plumbing and heating system repairs and is based north of Prescott.

Leanne Crain has opened a child-care business at her home in Prescott. Although her background is in sales and marketing, she found the SEB course offered a great deal of insight into the financial aspects of self-employment. "This really helped me out with my business a lot," Crain said.

Monthly orientation sessions are also held each month, alternating between Prescott and Brockville. GCFDC conducts the program in conjunction with 1000 Islands Community Futures Development Corporation, which is based in Brockville.

Since 1995, about 475 businesses have been created as a result of the SEB program. TeKamp acknowledged some of them are no longer in operation.

The owner is not the only one who stands to benefit from the new business, TeKamp noted. Other businesses stand to gain in terms of the sale of goods and services, as well as the potential for additional employment.

The next course begins Jan. 17. Participants must meet EI eligibility requirements.

For more information on the program, call GCFDC at 925-4275 or visit www.grenvillecfdc.com.

GCFDC is funded by Industry Canada.

Chamber board to meet Dec. 16

PRESCOTT ­ The next meeting of the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce board of directors will take place next Thursday, Dec. 16 at Grenville Arms on King Street West. This will be the final monthly directors meeting of 2004 for the local business organization which boasts a membership of about 150. The AGM will be in January; the award banquet will take place in early March.

International magazine features painting done by Prescott artist

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - Local artist J. Allison Robichaud has accomplished much in his storied career. Now he has received a special honour by having his work featured in International Artist magazine, a worldwide publication featuring the works of many internationally recognized artists.

It is an honour which has been two years in the making. "They (the magazine) contacted me two years ago," explained Robichaud. He added the magazine was tipped off by "someone in B.C." familiar with his work.

Robichaud submitted the slides of two paintings, one of daisies and the other of apple blossoms, along with a description of the process and subject matter of the paintings. Then he heard nothing from the magazine for two years.

"The privilege is to be asked (to have a painting featured in International Artist)," said Robichaud. "To be asked recognizes you as a painter of calibre."

It was during an art symposium in Sherbrooke, Quebec that Robichaud heard his oil painting, Apple Blossoms, was being featured in the June/July 2004 edition of the magazine. "I thought 'It's kind of a coup'," said Robichaud, "because my work stood out and was worthy of the publication.

He added International Artist is an important magazine in the field because it distributed in 20 countries throughout the world and is highly regarded in the art world. "Of millions of artists to be chosen, it's obviously not random," he said.

Robichaud painted Apple Blossoms on the afternoon of May 21, 2002. He says it is a unique painting because it was painted with back-lighting. He also explains the picture makes use of his "felt-forward space movement" technique in which a two-dimensional object and medium takes on an almost three-dimensional quality and takes the observer out of the painting instead of drawing them into it.

Robichaud paints still-lifes, as well as portraits and landscapes of the South Grenville and Quebec countryside. His work is featured in several Quebec galleries and the Gallery 737 in Tweed, Ont. He also attends a number of art shows per year, mostly in Quebec.

"Culture, in Quebec, is something that is appreciated," emphasized Robichaud, adding many of his sales are in that province. "Even in small towns, the symposiums (art shows) are a cultural event."

He also holds an annual art show out of his home; this year's show took place in late November. Robichaud also sets a goal of a number of paintings he paints each year. Of this number, he estimates 20 per cent are kept; the rest are destroyed. He estimates he sells between 20 and 30 paintings a year, some for over $1,000.

Robichaud has painted for 25-30 years but took it up professionally in 1989. He says he would like his work to someday hang in the National Gallery in Ottawa, but doesn't feel his paintings are "at that level" yet.

"Art is an undefinable relationship with subject matter," he said. "A painting is never really finished; it just stops at an interesting place."

OPP - TOWNSHIP NEWS

Van and truck enter median

AUGUSTA ­ A truck driver faces charges in connection with a two-vehicle mishap that occurred last Wednesday on Highway 401 west of Prescott.

A 2000 GMC Safari van driven by a 20-year-old Ottawa man was eastbound and in the process of passing a 2005 Volvo tractor-trailer loaded with empty chicken crates when the rig also pulled into the passing lane. As a result, the van was forced onto the median. The truck also went into the median and briefly entered the westbound lanes before returning across the median and stopping on the shoulder. The truck was driven away and later located at the 730 Truck Stop. There were no injuries.

Apparent damage to the transport led OPP Constable Jones to issue a 39-year-old St. Catharines man with provincial offence notices for careless driving and failing to remain at the scene of a collision.

Thief goes through vehicles

AUGUSTA ­ A number of vehicle and garage break-ins took place on or near the Second Concession last Tuesday.

Vehicles were entered whether they were locked or unlocked. Given the small number of items stolen (including DVDs and loose change), OPP believe the suspects might have been travelling on foot. In some cases, cigarette butts and the contents of glove boxes and a wallet were strewn throughout the vehicle. A CD player and bracket and some beer were also reported stolen. Constable Thompson is investigating; a scenes of crime officer responded and processed evidence for fingerprints.

Police ask the public to report suspicious activity or vehicles and to keep valuables out of sight and to lock their vehicles.

Officers find fleeing suspect

AUGUSTA ­ On Saturday at about 5:45 pm, Constable Kavanagh responded to an intruder alarm at a County Road 2 residence. The officer noted windows had been broken, the ignition of the vehicle parked in the garage had been punched and the residence had been entered. It was also apparent by slush and snow conditions that a suspect might be nearby. Several officers assisted with a search ; at about 6:50 pm, a man was located near Blue Church Road. He was charged with break and enter as well as theft over $5,000.

Stolen SUV found burning

EDWARDSBURGH ­ A 1981 GMC sport utility vehicle stolen in Brockville was found engulfed in flames on Rooney Road last Wednesday at about 8:15 pm. Constable Barr is investigating the fail-to-remain incident, and a Brockville officer is investigating the theft.

Ecumenical group will be in the Christmas spirit

PRESCOTT ­ The December meeting of the Seaway Ecumenical Group will take place this Saturday, Dec. 11 in the St. Paul's United Church hall on George Street.

The Christmas breakfast will be served at 8 am and includes tea biscuits, muffins, fruit cocktail and fresh fruit.

Louise Mayes will play the piano. There will be a sing-along. Reverend Carol Lindsay will speak on the origin of the Christmas carol.

Tickets are available at the door. Children under 12 will be admitted free if accompanied by an adult.

All are welcome to attend the breakfast meeting.

Rotary magic show tickets are now available

PRESCOTT -Tickets for the Prescott Rotary Club's Feb. 11 presentation of Majinx are now available.

Tickets are on sale at several Prescott retailers, including Young's, Prescott Chiropractic Centre, and Wok House. On Feb. 11, two shows will be held: a matinee at 1 pm and an evening show at 7 pm.

Majinx is a family of magicians based near Vankleek Hill who have performed at a variety of high-profile functions across Canada.

Rotary Past-President Candy Alexander noted response she's heard about the show so far from Prescott residents has been positive. "People in town are enthused about this unique show," she said. The show is distinctive not only because it incorporates a family to undertake its illusions but also the Majinx family draws heavily on audience participation during its performances.

Proceeds from the show will be used to bankroll Rotary projects, including the new Rotary picnic pavilion slated to be built for next spring at the east end of Sandra S. Lawn Harbour at the start of Prescott's Heritage River Trail. Rotary also provides funds for a variety of domestic and international community projects.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"It's going to take some time, but eventually we'll see it's a good system."

Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman, commenting on property tax assessment in Ontario

Editor's Notebook

A SEASON FOR GIVING: In light of International Volunteer Day (Dec. 5), we should acknowledge the effort being made by members of the Prescott-area community to make the holiday season a better time for others. At this time, we make special note of the challenges facing the Kinsmen Club as it leads the annual Spirit of Giving campaign. A total of 264 families have registered for this year's Christmas basket distribution program. The club, which is helped by the Spirit of Giving group at South Grenville District High School, has collected only a fraction of the $10,000 it will need to purchase turkeys and all the trimmings for those holiday baskets to be handed out the weekend before Christmas. With an increase in demand, this is the time for the community to come through as it has in the past.

Anyone who is able and willing to offer their support can contact campaign chairman Dave Travis at 925-2338 or send a contribution to Box 1150, Prescott. The Spirit of Giving is also collecting non-perishable food items to add to the baskets; collection barrels can be found at many locations in South Grenville, including businesses and schools.

This annual campaign, as well as the Soup for the Soul community supper, are examples of volunteers (especially young people) for whom Dec. 5 has been designated in their honour. We salute the people who offer their services to others during such a busy time of the year.

TIME TO REASSESS THE SYSTEM: Once again, we are calling on the government to do something about the property tax system in Ontario. There have and always be those who complain about paying taxes and being charged too much and receiving too little in the way of services in return, but it remains clear the current system is leaving a growing number of property owners frustrated and angry. We are not assessing blame at this point. Even with owners' complaints about a lack of timely response by the Municipal Property Assessment Corporation (which is not a provincial crown corporation or agency), the corporation is trying to follow regulations set by the province. Municipalities are trying to set municipal budgets knowing full well reassessment often leads to higher tax bills or the perception that everyone is paying more.

The bottom line the system needs to be more accountable to the taxpayers who are funding it. Elected officials are supposed to address concerns of constituents. Whether or not the entire system of taxation in this country needs to be overhauled is a debate worth having. For now, what we suspect local ratepayers would settle for is a system that is fair and that responds to their questions in a reasonable manner.

Taxpayers deserve more for what they are paying, and our elected officials should be making a concerted effort to reassess the system.

Tim Ruhnke

We cannot name a 16-year-old who steals a fruitcake

THE NEW GUY by Tim Ruhnke

So the English public school board mistakenly released some Grade 3 and Grade 6 provincial assessment results. When the number of students in a class at a particular school is low, the results (no names, just the percentage of students who achieved the provincial standard) are to be "suppressed." By doing so, it is argued, no one is able to figure out how Child A did on the reading, writing and math tests.

Go through the back issues of most newspapers (including The Journal), and you will find lists of students' names and, in some cases, their marks. It would be noted if the student had advanced to the next grade. These days, we are invited to take photos of graduating students and we can name them and the awards they have won, but there are many details which schools no longer deem to be appropriate for public consumption.

Just because something was done 50 years ago does not mean it should be done now, but there are many people who would have no problem returning to a time when society was not as sensitive to privacy and rights as they apply to minors.

The best example of this is the so-called youthful offender. Media outlets are prohibited from naming anyone under the age of 18 who has been charged with or convicted of a criminal offence. Many Canadians who have concerns about the effectiveness of the law enforcement and justice systems believe publicizing the names of young criminals would be a good thing. Perhaps a youth might not get into as much trouble if he or she (and his or her parents) know in advance the names will be published in the paper or read on the air. Why should some 16-year-old punk who knows what's what be given a free pass?

Protecting a young person's rights is one thing; coddling without any apparent gain to society is another.

* * *

According to an Environics Research Group survey commissioned by Moneris, cleaning supplies and fruitcake came out on top of the list of worst gifts to receive during the holiday season.

Come on, now, 'fess up! Some of you actually enjoy eating fruitcake. I am not ashamed to admit it. Somebody must like the stuff, otherwise they wouldn't keep making it... Unless you believe there was only one batch made and it keeps passing from one person to the next.

As for cleaning supplies, I can see that one being up there near the top. After all, nothing says "Merry Christmas" better than a beautifully-wrapped container of bleach.

Other items near the top of the Environics list were socks, underwear, pets and tools.

Closer to home, I suspect the local list of "worst" gifts might include a four-CD collection of train whistles from around the world, the first season of Prescott council meetings on DVD and a gift certificate for $10 off the price of a water meter (valid in Cardinal only).

Kingston re-elected; Cook defeats Burchell in Edwardsburg

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Dec. 9, 1954

* Bert McAuley is going back to the mayor's chair in Prescott. McAuley defeated two challengers in the municipal election. Harry Ranson was the top vote-getter for the six councillor seats.

* Arthur Casselman was re-elected reeve of Cardinal. He defeated Ralph McGarrell. George Brown received the most votes in the race for four councillor spots.

* Movies playing this week at the Princess Theatre on King Street in Prescott: The Eddie Cantor Story, Phantom of the Rue Morgue starring Karl Malden, and two action flicks featuring Burt Lancaster.

Dec. 4, 1974

* Stewart Cook is the new reeve of Edwardsburg Township. Cook defeated incumbent Bill Burchell in Monday's municipal election. Pat Kingston was re-elected mayor of Prescott; he defeated challenger Gerry Coligan by only 34 votes. Sandra Lawn topped the voting for councillor, followed by Mel Doris, Joe Doyle, Eldon Francis, Verne Whiting and John Emerton. In Augusta Township, the only position up for grabs was that of Catholic school trustee. Frank Bolger defeated Gertrude Ruigrok 45-33. Thirteen polling stations in the township were opened for the one election race.

* Voters in Cardinal voted overwhelmingly in favour of granting the Islander Hotel a licence which will enable the business to serve liquor without being accompanied by a meal. The vote in the plebiscite was 413-64. The Islander is the only privately-run licensed establishment in the village.

* By a vote of 118-72, Roebuck-area residents gave the go-ahead to construction of the proposed $100,000 community hall.

* A portion of text in ad from Ken Perry's Texaco Service Centre at King and Edward streets: "Your friendly philosopher says: 'It takes over three thousand bolts to hold a car together, but just one nut to scatter it.'"

If U.S. is a melting pot, Canada is a vast social sampler tray

FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Jeffrey Morris

And CBC's Greatest Canadian is... Tommy Douglas?

Is anybody else out there underwhelmed by this announcement?

CBC actually had Canadians discussing and debating this topic around the water coolers of Canada, and it seemed that as soon as the Greatest Canadian was announced, there was a collective, "Oh. Well, I guess that's an okay choice."

And that was it. Minutes later, the nation moved on to other topics of discussion.

So what does the fact that Tommy Douglas is considered our Greatest Canadian tell us?

First, it screams that western Canadians have more pride than eastern Canadians. That is not a surprise to anybody who has ever spent any time with somebody from Alberta or Saskatchewan. The western Canadians lit up the phone lines and voted, just as they did to support their guy that won Canadian Idol.

But there is also a sense of irony to Tommy Douglas' new title.

He is the father of socialized health care in Canada. There is nothing that we Canadians like to complain about more than our health care system. Every person you talk to about health care seems to have a story that can out-horrify yours. Discussing health care has created a great Canadian hobby ­ like an ongoing national game of "Bottom This!"

We as Canadians have also repeatedly conveyed our intolerance toward the religious right. Many Canadians feel discomfort over the fact that Americans, especially Republicans, are more outward in their Christianity. We as a nation do not like the religious right, and it's probably not a stretch to consider that Stephen Harper lost the recent election because too many people were less than comfortable with his ties to the religious right.

Tommy Douglas, however, was a Baptist minister. So are we sending the message that the religious right is a bad thing but the religious left is okay?

Perhaps the reason that the Tommy Douglas announcement seemed to deflate the discussions is that it showed how we, as a country, have many national sub-identities, but we lack one true national identity. It is not a bad thing, and perhaps it is what defines us.

You may not like the Americans, but they have a defined culture and a seemingly innate set of values that they would judge their Greatest American on. I would suspect if they had a similar contest, they would look at leadership, strength, backbone and integrity. Canadians feel strongly about those qualities as well, but we seem reluctant to put a public figure on a pedestal as the Americans so often do. We tend to look beyond the surface, deeper into the person and his or her contributions. Ronald Reagan would easily win the Greatest American contest in the U.S., but if you asked Canadians to vote on who the Greatest American would be, Reagan may not even be in the top 10.

So what is our cultural identity?

Journalists will often say that being Canadian means being "not American". But Canada is much more complex than that.

If America is a melting pot, where people come from all over the world and need to become American to blend in, then Canada is a vast social sampler tray. People come to Canada from all over the world and retain their cultures.

On the surface, the distinctions between ourselves and Americans or other cultures are subtle. We are more reserved (well, I'm not but most Canadians are). We are more culturally and racially tolerant than Americans or other cultures.

So how could we possibly pick one great Canadian?

Tommy Douglas is not a bad choice as our great Canadian, and while nobody seems to disagree with his selection, many people are wondering why we have nobody better to offer.

Wayne Gretzky?

He personifies what every Canadian strives to be, but he was just a hockey player.

John A. Macdonald?

Maybe.

Terry Fox?

Many are surprised he didn't win.

Pierre Trudeau?

He was a great leader, but is also considered a great divider by western Canadians.

And why were there no women among the final 10? Surely, we must have had one or two women who could have been worthy of being our Greatest Canadian.

I voted for Lionel Conacher, but I did not even see his name hit the radar.

So let us applaud the life of Tommy Douglas as the Greatest Canadian. We should not be questioning why we had nobody more worthy of the title. Rather, we should applaud Canada's diversity and embrace the fact that any given 100 people may have voted for 100 different great Canadians.

Perhaps that diversity is what represents our true Canadian identity.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Bashing the Americans shows our hypocrisy

The Editor;

I would just like to congratulate Jeff Morris for his excellent article on Canadians and their American neighbours recently published in The Prescott Journal. I am sure he will receive large bags of hate mail from all of our Canadian bigots for his telling of the truth.

American-bashing is a popular Canadian pastime most likely because we are either jealous or feel inferior.

We run them down but love to vacation there. We curse them but like to shop there for gas, turkeys, booze and cheap clothes. We sell them the cottage property we inherited from our parents for the fat Yankee dollars, then cry because those ugly Americans own all of our prime real estate.

The store owners cried loudly when Canadians brought back American goods and demanded our MPs stop them, but at the same time were advertising for Americans to buy from them because of our weak dollar. Canadians willingly go and work for an American company here, but have nothing good to say about them, conveniently forgetting who it is that is feeding their children.

I guess our Canadian schools have never taught the meaning of the word "hypocrite."

If you want to envision a picture with the word hypocrite, try Jack Layton. He stood outside leading demonstrations against Bush and those damned Americans and then slithered away to the trough about to break bread with the one he professes to hate so much.

I wonder why Americans don't respect us and often refer to Canada as the "Banana Republic Up North?"

I also wonder if our new allies Germany, France, China and Russia will respect us. We've already shown the U.S., England and Australia what we're all about.

D. Smith
Brockville

Columnist was just calling it like it is, reader says

The Editor;

Jeffrey Morris has it absolutely right in his excellent assessment of the hooligans who so disgraced Canada and the great majority of Canadian people during the visit of President Bush to our country this week (From the Other Side, Dec. 1).

While it is great to see our young people take an intelligent interest in world affairs, it is such a pity to see their efforts so badly misdirected. But what else can we expect after watching the ignorant and irresponsible behaviour of Carolyn Parrish, one of our elected representatives in the House of Commons, an adult who should be setting an example to our younger folk rather than behaving, on television, like a juvenile delinquent?

One can only hope that President Bush and the American people realize that these people are only a small and insignificant minority who are not representative of our country or its citizens as a whole.

Anthony M. Ferrey
RR#5 Spencerville

Driver could have tried to do something for a dying dog

The Editor;

Thumbs down to the person who was driving eastbound on County Rd. 2 just before Grenville Park Monday, Nov. 29 at approximately 6 pm.

Did you wonder what that loud thud was? When you decided not to stop, were you ever wondering "did I hit an animal or a person?" I'll tell you what you hit: a beautiful Husky - someone's family pet that had broken free from its collar to explore the area.

Don't worry. I heard the thump of the collision and went to assist the wounded animal. I made the call to the animal hospital for you. A Hydro One employee, a young lady, and I assumed the responsibility of paying the vet bill. I canvassed the area for one-and-a-half hours in an attempt to locate the poor dog's owner for you.

Unfortunately, the dog you hit died soon after his arrival at the animal hospital. Dr. Knoepfli said due to the injuries, there was nothing she could do.

There was, however, something you could have done. You could have stopped. You could have taken responsibility for the accident. You could have assisted in whatever way you could, the way we did.

I would like to acknowledge Vic Foster and Kaitlyn Marriner for stopping and offering their assistance in getting that poor dog to the Prescott Animal Hospital and to Dr. Knoepfli for her valiant efforts.

Accidents happen - negligence is unforgivable!

Craig Kelso

SCHOOL SCENE

Algonquin Public School: Small schools and caring go hand in hand. Since showing we care is what students at Algonquin are great at doing, it seemed fitting that Ms. Grenkie's Grade 4 class have the opportunity of participating in the United Way's "Caring For Others" program. The program reflects and supports the traits of our Character Counts program.

Retired teacher/administrator Gord Mitchell, now with the Leeds & Grenville United Way, walked students through some fun activities helping them discover new and different ways they "can make a difference," get in touch with emotions, understand how others feel, and show they care by what they say and do. As Mitchell told the students, "You're never too young or too old to make a difference." Performing skits helped students learn what caring for others means.

"Volunteering is not about the person you see in the mirror. It's about the people and opportunities you see when you look out your window."

Boundary Street Public School: The École de Neige program for grades 5 and 6 will be held January 5, 6, and 7. Final information will be going home shortly. We acknowledge the fantastic support of the Prescott community in helping us fundraise for this unique learning experience.

The girls volleyball tournament was a huge success. We were able to raise more than $300 for new sports equipment. We acknowledge all the parents, volunteers, and team members for their help and contributions.

The Spirit of Giving campaign continues this week. Donations may be dropped off at the main office. Please support this worthy cause.

The primary yard play structure is now out of bounds due to the weather conditions. Please remind your children of this if they plan to play in the school yard during non-school hours.

Hot lunch this week is KFC.

Maitland and Maynard Public Schools: There is a great deal of excitement at our two schools as we begin to prepare for Christmas. There is also a tremendous demonstration of the "real meaning of Christmas" through a number of our school initiatives.

Maynard students in grades 4-6 have donated Canadian Tire money toward a purchase of gifts for the Salvation Army angel tree. Grade 5 students at Maitland will be entertaining seniors this week at the VON sponsored luncheon for seniors. At both schools, students and staff are bringing in items for the "Spirit of Giving" campaign. Candy canes are also being sold by our student leadership council at Maynard with the profit going toward the "Spirit of Giving."

At Maynard, we have also been the recipients of a generous financial contribution from the Brockville Shopping Centre branch of TD Canada Trust. The proceeds will go toward upgrading our athletic uniforms for our many sports. We greatly appreciate their support!

St. Joseph Catholic School: The "Spirit of Giving" is alive and well at St. Joseph. Classes have been challenged to top their partner grade. We are hoping to surpass last year's total of 1,000 food items.

Santa's Bargain Christmas Sale will take place Monday, Dec. 13 from 10 am to 3 pm in the library. Christmas knick-knacks and ornaments at bargain prices; proceeds go to enhance our library.

Students are practising for the "Christmas Sharing" to take place Tuesday, Dec. 14 at 1:15 pm in the school gym. Families are invited.

Our first two Advent celebrations have served to heighten our anticipation of the celebration of Christmas, the birth of Jesus. Please plan on attending our Advent Celebration of the Eucharist Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 1:30 pm in the school gym.

Invitations have gone out for our annual Christmas Dinner, which will take place Thursday, Dec. 16. The excitement is building as are our appetites.

St. Mark Catholic School: We continue with our second week of Advent and the second purple candle, the Bethlehem candle, will be lit. We wait patiently and pray. This week, we will have Christmas craft nights from 3:30-4:30 pm Dec. 8 for grades 2 and 3 and Dec. 9 for Grade 1.

Our school council is sponsoring a Mary Lambert "Mary Christmas Concert" Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7 pm at St. Mark's Parish Centre.

Tickets can be purchased by calling 925-3581.

Council is also offering Noel Christmas logs for sale; they are 10-12 portion chocolate and vanilla ice cream cakes filled with a raspberry ripple. Two dollars from each sale will be returned to the school. Kindly call 925-3581 to place your order. Orders can be picked up at the parish centre Dec. 16 after the concert from 8-9 pm.

Hot lunch this week is hamburgers.

The latest at T.R. Leger School

We have been very busy lately. We recently enjoyed a presentation from Danielle Voyer from Brockville Employment and Education Centre who gave us a brief overview of their services. We also had a visit from Melissa Hodgkinson from Connect Youth, who spoke about her Community Mobilization Project.

Algonquin College's representative told us about all the latest courses the College has to offer. Lastly, Sharon Pritchard from T. R. Leger Brockville worked with several students on Prior Learning Assessment portfolios which was a very successful project. She will return this week with the finished portfolios.

Our campus hosted the recent PD day event Nov. 26. We enjoyed several guest speakers during the day.

On Tuesday, Dec. 14 we will celebrate our Christmas buffet luncheon with students and invited guests. We look forward to sharing some time with our students and guests as the holiday season approaches. We will be closed from Dec. 18 until Jan. 2 inclusive. We re-open Jan. 3. Happy Holidays, everyone.

Presentation of Messiah set for GCC

MAITLAND ­ Middle school students will be featured in Grenville Christian College's presentation of Handel's Messiah Sunday, Dec. 12 at 7:30 pm in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd.

The hour-long event will include an abbreviated audience participation version of Handel's famous work. GCC students in grades 6 to 8 will sing selected arias and recitatives.

"It is an ambitious undertaking for middle school students, but it stretches them and will give them great pride and satisfaction," stated Julie Case, GCC middle school director.

Admission is free. The chapel is located at GCC on County Road 2 just west of Maitland.

Township council agrees to replace sidewalk plow used in Cardinal

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

SPENCERVILLE - Township council approved the purchase of a new sidewalk plow at its Monday meeting.

Council approved the purchase of a new Holder Heavy Duty Municipal 4 Wheel Articulated Tractor Sidewalk Plow for $89,200, less a trade-in allowance of $5,000.

The price for the Holder plow was the lowest bid received.

Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated the need for the plow arose from the environmental services/public works meeting and was something the township had to address.

"The other one was bought by the former municipality of Cardinal from the City of Toronto," said Taylor. "It's about 14 years old and needs to be replaced."

Ward Two Councillor Peter Martin questioned if the township would be able to make do without the plow until it arrives, but Deputy Mayor Bill Sloan explained the plow should get here quickly No specific date was noted..

CAO/Clerk Stephen McDonald indicated the item was not in the budget for 2004 and some funds would have to be moved around in order for the township to make the purchase.

"It won't be funded until 2005," said McDonald.

"We'll have to re-allocate the fleet replacement fund and move things around since the sidewalk plow was not scheduled to come up for replacement until 2006."

Ward One Councillor Hugh Cameron indicated he would have liked to have seen a quote on a good used plow which was maybe only a year or two old, but Taylor indicated the subject had already been discussed at the public works meeting.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Stop sign stance shows council ignores electors

The Editor;

The more Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal council tries to defend the snubbing of the electors, the more ridiculous they sound. Their reasons for not honouring a petition of nearly 800 people are very suspicious and some are false.

The meeting in July with Les Shepherd (county engineer and director of public works) was arranged by local council for opposition to the March 4 request by the people to make an intersection in the village more safe. He did present a counter-proposal which would involve moving Lewis Street to the west so as to line up with Bridge Street. He also said it could be 15 years before there would be money in the budget for that proposal.

Local council now says (Prescott Journal, Dec. 1) "It remains focused as always to find a long-term solution." Really! When and where was this issue first announced? Certainly not before the people demanded it.

One reason given against the reversal is it would increases the risk of accidents, but most sober-minded people would disagree with that reasoning because where we now stop on Dundas Street (in front of the hotel), we do not have a clear view of Bridge Street before proceeding west. But with the signs moved to Lewis and Bridge streets, a driver of a stopped vehicle could see about two blocks east to Victoria Street or two blocks west to William Street before crossing Dundas. This would only decrease the risk of accidents. Surely, anyone who preaches workplace safety would also want to extend that to public safety on the street.

Congratulations to council that now finally says "Our biggest concern with this is safety" (Journal). That is exactly what nearly 800 others have been saying for the last nine months. That list includes many professional people including police officers, school teachers, road planners and traffic controllers.

We are very suspicious of the claim by council that many people have called and changed their mind because, in fact, in the past few weeks 54 more people have now requested their names be included in the petition when it is reintroduced. More than half of them have now signed. So far, we have contacted 18 of the 29 transport drivers who signed the petition and have yet to find one who has changed their mind. Who knows better than them that it would be safer to reverse the signs?

Hopefully, it won't take a fatality to wake some people up and get them to come down off their high horses. The ones on this council who have, so far, boldly ignored nearly 800 electors deserve the same response when they come knocking on our doors at election time.

J. Patrick

Police seek man about unfinished Cardinal roof job

CARDINAL ­ Grenville County OPP are investigating a complaint from a Cardinal woman who says she paid $3,200 for a roof repair job that was not completed.

The man, whom she described as being a large native with short dark hair, started the work in late November but did not finish it. A local man who was enlisted to help the other man has been questioned by police and is not a suspect.

Police are trying to locate the other male; however, no criminal charges are expected at this time. It is a civil matter, according to police. Constable Barr is investigating.

The OPP reminds the public to use caution when dealing with anyone or any individuals who go door to door seeking work. Reputable contractors do not go door to door to get jobs, according to Constable Holly Howard.

Council agrees to pay increases for two twp. environmental services positions

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

SPENCERVILLE - Township council approved a new pay scale for two environmental services jobs in order to compete with other markets.

Council voted Monday to set the hourly scale for the water/sewer operator position at $21.38 as of Jan. 1, 2005, $23.00 as of July 1, 2005 and $23.65 as of Jan. 1, 2006 and the assistant chief operator at $22.64 as of Jan. 1, 2005, $24.25 as of July 1, 2005 and $24.90 as of Jan. 1, 2006.

Township CAO/Clerk Stephen McDonald indicated the positions are part of a memorandum agreement with the township, which indicated the municipality would be reviewing the rates.

"The fact is, there are new water and sewage regulations and there are a shortage of operators," said McDonald. "It's creating a bit of a bidding war for qualified people and we took a survey of other communities and we're bringing the position up to par with similar positions across the province.

Ward One Councillor Hugh Cameron indicated the increases seemed to be a hefty raise.

"That's a 15-per-cent increase on the year," said Cameron.

"Did they also receive a percentage with the previous labour negotiation?"

McDonald explained they had received a raise retroactive to Jan. 2004, but this new salary structure would override it.

Cameron indicated the raise would then add up to a 20 per cent increase over a two-year period.

"On the list of the survey date, it's mostly large centres," said Cameron.

"I don't see neighbouring communities here."

Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated this was discussed at the committee and it was recommended this would be in the best interests of the township.

"It will allow us to keep good people who could go elsewhere," said Taylor.

Ward Three Councillor Frank Noccey added salary structure for nearby municipalities was tougher to get since many of the smaller municipalities use contractors for the same positions.

Cameron indicated he didn't feel he could support the item at this time, but was outvoted by the rest of council.

New position created

Council also approved the creation of a new position in the environmental services department.

The new position of operator-in-training will work in four areas of the public works division, learning the job and working towards becoming a class 2 employee to help with replacing an expected retirement in the next few years.

Council indicated the new employee will receive a starting wage of $15 per hour, and the intention is to give first opportunity to fill the position internally. McDonald indicated the $15-per-hour wage is comparable to other communities after a salary survey was completed and the townsihp was still near the bottom of their pay scale.

Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated a fourth environmental services staff member is necessary to help ensure the future of the plant.

"Jim (Grant) is getting close to retirement and we don't know when he's going to decide to go," said Taylor.

"It takes a long time to get certification and takes a long time to get all the training and hours of practical experience to become a Class 2 employee to fill in for one of the regular environmental services roles. This person will work through the ranks from the bottom up."

McDonald explained the new position will also have other benefits to the township.

"It will free up time for people in other areas," said McDonald, "such as public works. We won't need to bring over guys from there for things as much."

Centennial grandparent dinner to take place this afternoon

SPENCERVILLE ­ The grandparent dinner at Centennial '67 Public School will be held today (Wednesday) from noon until about 2 pm at the Drummond Building. Concerns about freezing rain and road conditions prompted the school to postpone the event Tuesday morning.

The annual dinner is prepared and served by students in grades 4 to 6.

Sale of surplus land receives conditional council approval

SPENCERVILLE - Township council approved the conditional sale of a property in Cardinal which had been declared surplus.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council voted Monday to accept the highest tender of $11,556 including GST from Norbert Burkert over an offer of $10,100 from Ted Watson of Dover, New Hampshire for the property at 118 Waddell Street in Cardinal.

After inquiries of the appraised land value revealed the property to be valued at $20,000 as of Oct. 20, Ward One Councillor Hugh Cameron indicated council shouldn't sell the property.

"I don't think we should let it go for that," said Cameron.

"I don't want to turn down money, but they're only offering about half of what it's appraised for."

Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated she thought council should continue with the sale.

"It's better to sell the property and get someone to build and live there so we can collect taxes rather than have the property remain empty," said Taylor.

After suggesting a stipulation could be added which would require the new owner to acquire a building permit one year after the date of the sale, Cameron indicated that he would be in favour of the sale.

Council agreed to accept the tender, conditional on Burkert agreeing to purchase a building permit within a year or the property could be sold back to the township at the same price for which it was purchased.

New grain dryer at port to cost $800,000

SPENCERVILLE - Township council has approved the purchase of a new grain dryer for the Port of Prescott.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated Monday the port was in need of an upgrade to the dryer, adding it is essential in maintaining its competitiveness in the market.

"The one there was bought about 15 years ago," said Taylor. "It's not drying the product as fast as it should. It's an operating expense and it's needed to keep the port up to snuff."

Taylor indicated the grain dryer is an operating expense of the Port of Prescott and will come from the ports budget, which is separate from the township's accounts and taxpayers dollars.

The new dryer has been priced at $800,000 and will come from the port's 2005 budget. Township CAO/Clerk Stephen McDonald explained the new grain dryer will be used in addition to the old one, which is likely to be used as a back-up.

Township councillor questions automatic car starter expense

SPENCERVILLE - An automatic car starter became a topic of conversation during the municipal accounts portion of Monday's Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council meeting in Spencerville.

Ward One Councillor Hugh Cameron questioned part of the municipal accounts listing which indicated approximately $500 had been spent on an automatic car starter for one of the township vehicles.

Cameron questioned the nature of the expenditure and asked if this was a standard item on any of the township's other vehicles.

Township CAO/Clerk Stephen McDonald indicated this was the first time the item had been pointed out to him and he didn't believe this was standard on all the vehicles owned by the municipality.

McDonald indicated Monday the invoice for the car starter was for the public works truck #1, the manager's vehicle.

"I haven't talked to him yet, but that's something I'm going to do today," said McDonald. "It's my assumption that with him on call 24-7 and heading out some nights in poor weather to get the guys going or checking roads that this is a convenience thing. It would help him get out quicker."

When questioned on the topic, Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated there was not enough information on the matter and explained this may have come as part of the purchase of the vehicle.

Taylor also indicated the matter was an internal issue which will be dealt with between staff and council.

SCHOOL SCENE

Benson Public School: During Friday's assembly, students were recognized for being reliable and responsible.

Those students who were outstanding this past week were Brianna Buchanan, Spencer Dumm, Marissa Baker, Meghan Laming, Kyra Dumm, Kris Stobo, James Halladay and Kristen Hamilton.

Good work students!

Our girls volleyball team played in a tournament last Tuesday in Iroquois. The team came second in its division and third overall. Mrs. Knol-MacDonald did a great job coaching the girls and everyone had a great day.

Congratulations girls, well done!

Christmas is coming and our little elves in the primary division are working hard to prepare a presentation. The dress rehearsals are on Dec. 13 and 14.

There will be two concert presentations on Dec. 15 and 16. Both concerts begin at noon.

Parents, grandparents and community members are all invited to attend.

Our students look forward to putting on a great Christmas performance.

South Edwardsburg Public School: Congratulations to all our students who were recognized at Friday's assembly for their academic and athletic achievements.

A huge round of applause was also heard for special guest Ken Rundle of Giant Tiger as he presented his generous gifts of sports equipment to the students.

Our school choir led by volunteer director Mrs. Rawlings is entertaining the seniors at Kemptville's Bayfield Manor this morning.

Our annual seasonal dinner will take place Tuesday, Dec. 14. We appreciate the area businesses, school council and parent volunteers who make programs such as this possible.

Our Christmas celebration is Thursday, Dec. 16; there will be a silent auction at 6 pm followed by a concert at 7. Admission is an item for the Spirit of Giving barrel.

Hot lunch today is hot dogs.

Jr. B Rangers sitting pretty in Rideau Division penthouse

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers kept their eight-game undefeated streak alive with a pair of wins over the Westport Rideaus and Char-Lan Rebels.

On Saturday, South Grenville pulled out an 8-4 victory over a very tough Char-Lan Rebels club. The Rangers started the game strong taking an early 4-0 lead, but the Rebels fought back in the second to trail 5-3. The Rangers would ice the game in the third with four goals.

Eric Selleck led the Rangers with a hat trick, followed by Steven Frahn with a pair and Brandon Kelley, Adam Lawrence and Matt Bailey with singles. Francis (2), Frahn (2), Kelley, Veltkamp, Paul O'Connell, Jason Whelan, Mark Williams and Selleck added assists.

Rangers coach Rod Simmons indicated the victory over Char-Lan was a big win for South Grenville.

"It was a good test of mental discipline for the boys," said Simmons. "They really kept their heads and didn't take too many undisciplined penalties. They fought through some of the rough stuff. Tim (Potter) made some key saves for us and our penalty killing played well. It was a game we talked about as a team and they all played well, payed the price and managed to put things back together."

For Selleck, the win was accented by his strong offensive outing.

"We started strong, then stumbled a little in the second, before regrouping in the third," said Selleck. "We played well as a team and moved the puck really well. It's been a long time since I've had one of those (a hat trick), but (Brandon) Kelley and Frenchie (Julien Francis) are big parts of that. We're playing well together and things tend to happen when your entire line is playing well together."

On Tuesday, Nov. 30, the Rangers travelled to Westport and scored a 5-2 win over the Rideaus. South Grenville traded goals with the Rideaus to tie 2-2 at the midway point of the third period, when the Rangers reeled off three straight goals to secure the victory. Rangers goaltender Greg Richardson had a strong game in net for South Grenville stopping 25 shots in the win.

Mark Williams, Andrew Fortier, David Lun, Jason Whelan and Derek Rupert all scored for the Rangers. Skyler Hoar (2), Matt Bailey (2), Alex Rees, Brandon Kelley, Julien Francis, Williams and Rupert added assists.

The Rangers sit atop the Rideau Division with a 20-3-2-0 record for 42 points, six points ahead of the second-place Brockville Tikis with 38 points and a game in hand.

The Rangers will be in action Saturday when South Grenville hosts the Brockville Tikis at 7:15 pm at the Cardinal and District Community Centre. The game is being designated minor hockey night by the Rangers with all kids under-12 accompanied by a parent being admitted for free. South Grenville will then travel to Gananoque Sunday to take on the Islanders at 7:45 pm.

South Grenville senior boys basketball team looks to outwork opponents

PRESCOTT - After a disappointing season last year the Giants are hoping to rebound in what is expected to be a hotly contested Leeds and Grenville Secondary School Athletic Association (LGSSAA) senior boys basketball season.

The Giants, will return eight players including starters Curtis Bucking, and Andrew DeDekker, are hoping for a little better luck in their second year in a new system.

Giants coach Jason Crotty, who coached South Grenville's junior team last year, doesn't really know what to think, with any team in the league capable of winning the LGSSAA title.

"We'd definitely be a bit of a dark horse or a long shot in a lot of eyes," said Crotty. "We could surprise if teams take us lightly or some guys step up and fill in roles. We lost our top three scorers from last year Travis Irvine, Jamie Clarke and Mike Ayerst and they'll be hard to replace, but we're hoping some of the guys who were on our volleyball team will come in with that winning attitude. We're not as talented so the guys have to realize we need to make that up in work ethic."

DeDekker added, "We should be alright this year; we'll have to work harder because we don't have a Jamie Clarke, but we'll have a quicker team which should be able to get up and down the court well."

The first-year senior coach indicated his pair of returning starters will have to take on big roles for the Giants to get going.

"Bucking and DeDekker are two guys who bring us a lot of game experience and are our captains," said Crotty. "This is the first year for a lot of the guys and for the returnees it will be their first year where they will see bigger minutes."

Crotty indicated the league is up in the air, but he expects last year's LGSSAA champion BCI to once again be very strong as they are returning a lot of players.

Last year, South Grenville had an up-and-down year battling through injuries and position changes to finish third in the AA division, before losing to St. Mary on a last-second shot in the LGSSAA semi-final game.

Juniors look to veteran leadership

The Giants junior boys basketball team is looking forward to the season which is expected to be
an uphill battle with strong
teams from TISS, North Grenville and St. Mary with which to contend.

New Giants coach John Doran hopes to bring some of the same philosophies he used while coaching the midget Blues regional basketball team.

"We're just working on skill development until Christmas to prepare for the meat of the season," said Doran. "We're going to play a lot of games and we have a lot of Grade 9s, but as the season goes on and we start using a shorter bench we should start looking better."

The Giants will look to Grade 10s, Josh Parsons, Stephen Joudoin, Mike Froom and Nathan Jansen to play in key situations to give a large crop of newcomers led by Grade 9 Cody Haché, a chance to learn the system.

With Joudoin out for most of the season and Parsons coming off a broken wrist, Doran indicated he'll be looking to his veterans to pick up some slack until the newcomers get accustomed to the league.

Parsons added, "We should have a decent team, but we won't have a full team back until later in the season when everyone's healthy. We've got some good players and Haché looks like one of our best Grade 9's. We've set high standards for ourselves and we should be a contender. I really can't wait."

Giants volleyball looking to rebuild

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants senior girls volleyball team is poised for a rebuilding season with a mix new players and seasoned veterans.

Giants coach Anne Drummond indicated the team is in the final stages of being selected, but she expects to see a pretty diverse group of kids.

"The girls who are here are a really good group," said Drummond. "They're students first and athletes second. Our goal is to have a positive experience and be competitive. We would like to be part of the LGSSAA playoffs."

For Drummond, she expects the team to go through a few rough patches with about half of the team expected to be first year seniors.

"They'll have to adapt to a faster game, a higher net and more intensity," said Drummond, "but I imagine some of last year's juniors will adapt quite quickly. I wouldn't be surprised to see some Grade 11s step into some starting roles. Girls like Sara Watt and Amanda Lavery shouldn't take long to adapt."

The Giants will return a strong setting duo of Alex Ward and Sam Joudoin, while also returning hitters Miranda Kenney and Shannon Campbell, who will be looked upon to take key leadership roles.

Drummond explained the team will be slow to get moving since South Grenville has the first bye week of the 30-game season, to help cater to members of the team who will be travelling to Hawaii with the senior girls basketball team.

South Grenville will play its first competitive games of the season Thursday, Jan. 6 at TISS.

The Giants will host their regular season tournament Thursday, Jan. 13 starting at noon and will host their invitational tournament Saturday, Feb. 19.

Plenty of interest for junior team

The Giants junior girls volleyball team has plenty of options as they start their tryouts.

Giants co-coach Christine Sloan indicated the team has more than 65 girls trying out including a good mix of Grade 9 and Grade 10s.

Sloan indicated the girls will try out for the team throughout the week, with decisions on the team expected for early next week.

South Grenville will start its season Thursday, Jan. 6 at TISS and will host play on Thursday, Jan. 13 starting at noon.

The Giants will host its invitational tournament Sunday, Feb. 20.

Jr. Giants host mini-tournament

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants junior boys basketball team opened its
season with a four-team
mini-tournament Saturday in Prescott to give the players
a chance to gain some experience.

In their opener, the Giants dropped a 79-47 decision to the TISS Pirates. All players played in the loss, with Josh Parsons leading the Giants with 24 points, while Nathan Jansen chipped in 10.

In its second game, South Grenville fell to Opeongo 38-34, despite making a big comeback after being down 26-16 at the half. Grade 9 point guard Cody Haché led the Giants with a 14 points, followed by Mike Froom with seven. Sebastian Last pulled down 12 rebounds for South Grenville.

South Grenville lost 52-39 to St. Joseph (Cornwall) in its final game of the day. Haché scored 23 points to lead the Giants, followed by Kyle Lavery with five. Jansen pulled down 10 rebounds for the Giants.

Haché averaged 20 points for the Giants through the final two games and 13 points for the entire tournament. Last and Killick played key roles in the paint by pulling down rebounds.

Coach John Doran said he was happy with the team's play, indicating it improved throughout the tournament.

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Major peewee Kings advance to Quinte tournament semi-final

SPENCERVILLE - The Rideau St. Lawrence major peewee Kings are on a hot streak after wins over Kanata and Seaway Valley.

On Nov. 25, the Kings travelled to Kanata and scored a 4-2 win over the Blazers. Derek Froats (2) Jordan Moran and Jayson Harmer scored for the Kings. Shayne Morden, Casey Crooke, Moran and Froats added assists.

On Nov. 27 and 28, the Kings played a home-and-home series with the Seaway Valley Rapids scoring a pair of 3-2 wins. Crooke (3), Froats, Alex O'Neil and Ryan Vincent scored in the wins, while Moran (4), Crooke, Froats, Cody Johnson and Michael McGahey added assists. Kings goalkeepers Tyler Gallinger and Michael Lalande had strong games in goal.

On the weekend, the Kings made it to the semi-final of the Quinte hockey tournament.

The Kings opened the tournament with a 2-2 tie with the Eastern Ontario Flyers. Moran scored both Kings' goals.

In its second game, RSL scored a 6-4 win over Gloucester. Josh Pitt (2), Crooke, Vincent, Cameron Armstrong and Moran scored for the Kings. O'Neil, Morden, Crooke, Moran, Pitt and Froats added assists.

In its third game, the Kings scored a 5-2 win over Oshawa. Vincent (2), Froats, Pitt and Crooke scored for RSL, while Froats (3) and Pitt (2) chipped in with helpers.

In its fourth game, the Kings fell 4-2 to the Kingston Predators. Moran and Pitt scored for the Kings, while Johnson picked up an assist.

The Kings had enough points to qualify for the semi-final and dropped a 4-2 decision to the Cumberland Barons. Johnson and Pitt scored for the Kings.

The Kings had strong performances from Lance Armstrong and Zachary Brandt.

Exclusive coverage of SGDHS in Hawaii

The Prescott Journal will be providing exclusive coverage of the South Grenville Giants senior girls basketball team as it travels to Honolulu, Hawaii to take part in the Palama Settlement Classic.

Journal staff writer David Dickenson will accompany the team on their trip and provide exclusive coverage of the experience beginning next week.

Peewee B Rangers #1 win both ends of home-and-home series

CARDINAL - The South Grenville peewee B house league Rangers #1 completed a sweep of a home-and-home series with Brockville #1 with a pair of dominating victories.

On Dec. 4, the Rangers #1 travelled to Brockville and scored a 7-2 win over the Braves #1. Hunter McCarroll and Kyle McNamara each scored a pair of goals to lead the Rangers, while Josh Mintz, Dustin Miller and Josh Jones added singles. Cory Robertson (4), McNamara (2), Sean Perrin (2), Mintz (2), Pat Froom and Rhys Larry chipped in with helpers. Dustin Kester and Jacob Scott split time in goal in the Rangers win.

On Nov. 29, South Grenville #1 scored an 8-0 win over Brockville #1 at the Cardinal and District Community Centre. Kester and Scott shared the shutout. Perrin led all scorers with four goals, followed by McCarroll, Larry, Mintz and McNamara with singles. McNamara (2), McCarroll (2), Froom (2), Jones, Miller, Mintz, Robertson, Michael Lawless and Taylor Garswood added assists.

SG atom B wins 5-0

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville atom B Rangers continued their strong play on the season with a 5-0 win over their arch-rivals, the Brockville Braves.

On Nov. 30, the Rangers played host to Brockville at the Leo Boivin Community Centre and scored a 5-0 victory. Devin Eaton led South Grenville with shutout goaltending, while Alex Stephenson (2), Broydon Stufko,
Adam Norton and Dylan Dorey scored in the win. Stufko and Houston Bujacz chipped in with helpers.

RSL major atom Kings selling 67's tickets as team fundraiser

SPENCERVILLE - The Rideau-St. Lawrence atom Kings are in the midst of a fundraising campaign to help with team costs throughout the season.

As part of their fundraising activities the Kings are selling tickets to the Ottawa 67's-Toronto St. Michael's Majors Ontario Hockey League game at 2 pm Jan. 9 at the Ottawa Civic Centre.

For more information or to purchase tickets, call 925-5048.

Giants boys basketball teams kick off season in December

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants junior and senior boys basketball teams will start play in December.

On Thursday, the Giants will play host to the St. Michael Mustangs.

On Tuesday, Dec. 14, South Grenville will host the St. Mary Crusaders, and on Thursday, Dec. 16 the Giants will travel to GCC.

100% Nutrition Indoor Soccer League
2004/2005 Standings

Teams Games Wins Losses Ties SW SL Points

Leeds 9 7 1 0 1 0 23

Real Madrid 9 6 2 1 0 0 19

Celtic 9 6 3 0 0 0 18

Chelsea 9 4 2 1 0 2 15

Ajax 9 4 3 0 1 1 15

Bayern Munich 9 2 6 0 1 0 8

Manchester 9 2 7 0 0 0 6

Arsenal 9 1 8 0 0 0 3

Scoring Leaders

Player Team Goals Assists Points

Mike O'Neil Leeds 31 10 41

Danny Powers Real Madrid 21 13 34

Tim Sawyer Ajax 28 4 32

Wade Mooney Real Madrid 17 13 30

Brian Gall Manchester 21 7 28

Matt Speck Celtic 18 10 28

Josh Vanasseldonk Chelsea 16 12 28

Victor Chelsea 18 9 27

Elijah Finley Leeds 15 11 26

Kyle McCabe Chelsea 15 11 26

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