VOL. 174, NO. 47~ PRESCOTT, ONTARIO ~ December 15, 2004

Blast at Invista rocks the area

No one injured in incident late Thursday; formal investigation is under way

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

MAITLAND ­ Invista Canada officials are conducting a formal investigation into the explosion that rocked a wide area around the Maitland site late Thursday night.

No one was injured in the incident that occurred just after 11 pm. Human Resources Manager Bill Byker told The Journal Tuesday there was a release of processed material and a fire started in the nylon intermediates production unit. The detonating effect shook buildings and could be heard or felt several kilometres away or more and on both sides of the St. Lawrence River.

The company's on-site emergency response unit went into action right away and stabilized the situation; the fire was put out by shutting it off at the source. The material was burned off without further incident.

Byker said there was no off-site damage or environmental effects as a result of the late-night incident.

Some operators were working in close proximity to the building in which the incident occurred. However, no one was injured and workers were checked out to ensure there would be no short- or long-term effects from the incident.

"We were very fortunate," Byker said.

Augusta firefighters and Ontario Provincial Police were dispatched to the Maitland site. County Road 2 near the plant was closed for a short time. Firefighters were kept on standby as the Invista response team did its work. Byker said the company appreciates the support offered by the township fire department.

By early Friday morning, passersby could see a few flashing lights inside the front gate but there were no other signs there had been a problem. The rest of the Maitland facility remained in full production.

Byker said the company went into investigation mode immediately following the incident. Data collection took a few days to complete; the formal investigation was launched earlier this week.

Shortly after the incident, there were media reports a hydrogen tank had exploded. The company indicated that was not the case. In an Invista news release issued Friday, the company states "a fire occurred upon start-up of one of the production areas.

The release goes on to state "all employees should report to work at their normally scheduled time."

All authorities from which Invista has operating permits were notified of the situation, according to Byker.

Augusta Township officials determined the municipal emergency plan did not have to be implemented in this case.

Invista has about 500 employees and a number of contract workers at the former DuPont Canada site.

THIS WEEK

Tyler Boutilier added to Wall of Honour

PRESCOTT ­ A member of the Grenville County OPP detachment will receive his place on the provincial police Wall of Honour tomorrow.

A dedication ceremony for Constable Tyler Boutilier and other officers who died in the line of duty will take place Thursday morning at OPP headquarters in Orillia.

Boutilier, 32, a member of the Grenville detachment and the region's emergency response team, was responding to a call near Seeley's Bay on May 23 when his cruiser was struck by an oncoming van on Highway 15. He died of his injuries later that day.

The constable, who was a native of Havelock, east of Peterborough, had been a member of the OPP since Sept. 2000.

Twenty-one Grenville OPP officers are planning to attend the ceremony in Orillia, according to Constable and Community Services Officer Gary Sluytman. Boutilier's family will also be on hand.

Keep parked vehicles out of plow's way

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Vehicle owners are being reminded by Grenville County OPP to respect overnight parking rules and to avoid impeding snow removal equipment.

Cars and trucks parked on public roadways during overnight hours (midnight to 7 am in Prescott) are in violation of a municipal bylaw. Other urban areas have similar regulations in place.

Parked vehicles that block plows could end up being ticketed and towed.

Ugandan children's choir set to perform tonight in Prescott

PRESCOTT ­ The Watoto Children's Choir from Uganda will perform a Concert of Hope tonight (Wednesday, Dec. 15) in Prescott.

The event starts 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.

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

Community comes through as campaign prepares to distribute food and toys

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ The Spirit of Giving appears to be alive and well and living in the Prescott area.

As is sometimes the case, there was a slow start to fundraising for the 2004 edition of the annual campaign conducted by the Kinsmen Club of Prescott with the help of the Spirit of Giving group at South Grenville District High School. However, the community appears to be responding to the plea for support that was made last week.

Dave Travis of the Kinsmen told The Journal Monday night people have been calling and the cheques have been flowing. He is hopeful the campaign will break even this year.

"I think we're going to be alright," he said.

Each Spirit of Giving Christmas basket will contain a turkey, potatoes, carrots, eggs, oranges and other perishable and non-perishable food items. There are also non-perishable food items, household products and toys. Collection barrels for the canned goods have been set up at local schools and businesses. High school students went door to door in the Prescott area to collect additional items for the Christmas drive.

With about 265 families registered for the 2004 campaign, the need for Spirit of Giving is as strong as ever.

Volunteers will gather in Gym C at the high school Friday to sort the donations and fill the boxes that will be distributed Sunday. Travis said additional volunteers are welcome. He suggests dropping by after 6 pm.

As for distribution, slips indicating when the baskets are being handed out were given to recipients as part of the registration process. Recipients whose last names begin with letters A through M are asked to go to the high school between 10 and 11:30 am Sunday. Christmas baskets for N through Z will be handed out between noon and 1:30.

When asked why the Kinsmen take part in the Spirit of Giving year after year, Travis said he and his fellow club members are trying to make Christmas as enjoyable for others as possible.

"We just believe there's a need," said Travis.

Soup for the Soul supper to be served Sunday

PRESCOTT ­ This year's Soup for the Soul is shaping up to be another success.

The community dinner will take place Sunday, Dec. 20 from 3 to 7 pm at South Grenville District High School.

A group of students and staff based at the high school is organizing the event, which was founded three years ago by Prescott teenagers Kaitlynn Dodge and Mackenzie Eaton.

Other than being at the high school instead of St. Mark's Parish Centre, the fourth annual Soup for the Soul will be similar to the previous suppers.

Volunteers will prepare and serve Christmas dinner; this is not a charity event, so everyone is invited to take part in the free supper.

Businesses, service clubs and individuals have continued to offer their support for the festive dinner.

Marla Campeau, one of the South Grenville staff advisors working with the students on Soup for the Soul, said Tuesday things are progressing well.

Organizers are planning to serve enough food to feed 600 people. As in past years, meals will be delivered to people who are unable to get to the school Sunday afternoon.

Campeau said more volunteer drivers are needed. Anyone interested can call the school at 925-2855; messages can be left at extension 3411. She added late delivery orders will be accepted Sunday; the phone at the school will be answered that afternoon.

There will also be a free shuttle bus leaving at regular intervals from the clock tower. The service will run from 3 pm; the last trip to the school will be at about 6:15 pm. Campeau noted shuttle service is being donated by Dundas Bus Company.

Although there is no admission fee to the dinner, diners are welcome to bring desserts with them. Dessert can also be delivered to the school after 12 pm

Blossoms application in works

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ A third edition of Prescott Blossoms would not involve the town as much as the first two, according to the person putting together the application for government funding.

In a presentation to Prescott's community and protective services committee Monday night, Mike Laking said the new proposal is being developed by St. Lawrence College in Brockville. If the application receives funding from Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC), the college would administer the program.

"There would be no demands on town staff whatsoever," Laking told the committee.

The municipality played an active role in the first two editions of Prescott Blossoms, a half-year program which helps as many as 12 young adults up to the age of 30 develop life skills and knowledge they can use to find employment. HRSDC would like to fund more of these programs, according to Laking. Similar programs are being offered in Brockville and Perth.

This time around, town council is being asked for a resolution in support of the application. Laking said the plan is to submit the plan to HRSDC by the end of January; if approved, Prescott Blossoms would run from May to October.

The new group of participants could work on updating and maintenance of some of the projects undertaken by the first two Blossoms groups in 2002 and 2003. Their work includes the arboretum and heritage river trail area as well as several parks and open space areas throughout the town. Laking said there are still trees to be sold, and program participants could also be deployed to assist with the east-end open space areas, marketing and the ongoing efforts of Tourism Prescott and other groups like the Rotary Club of Prescott.

"(It) sounds just delightful to me, Mr. Laking," Mayor Robert Lawn said.

Although there was no federally-funded Blossoms program in Prescott this year, a small group of volunteers now known as the Prescott Blossoms Garden Club has continued to beautify the community and maintain the legacy of the original program.

Dinner for grandparents a big hit ­ even two days late

Centennial '67 students maintain 26-year tradition

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

SPENCERVILLE - Despite a pair of postponements, the 26th annual Centennial '67's Grandparents Dinner was still a big success.

Each year the popular event sees more than 150 people attend, which makes for a special day for students and grandparents.

Centennial '67 Public School Principal Nancy Farley-Holmes indicated the event was the school's way to reach out to the community.

"This is a positive way for the kids to look at the wealth of resources and talent from our seniors," said Farley-Holmes. "The kids get very excited for the event and with two days of bus cancellations the kids said they were starting to get worried we weren't going to get to do this; they're really proud to have their grandparents here and show them off."

For grandparent and child alike, the event is one of the high points of the school year.

"It's nice to get together with your grandchild on a special day and I really think they enjoy it too," said Carl Thorpe, who was there to dine with his youngest grandson Nicholas. "We get a great meal and it also gives us a chance to meet all the other grandparents and our grandkids' teachers."

Thorpe, who attended his second grandparents dinner, was also impressed with what a good job everyone does with the event.

"It's always a pretty big deal," explained Thorpe. "Each class puts together a little program, and I remember one year Max Keeping was here as a special guest.

For Thorpe's grandson Nicholas, a Grade 6 student, the event also meant a lot.

"Yeah I like this; its fun to get together with your grandparent," said Nicholas. "I've kind of been looking forward to this; we serve the meal and each class does something."

The event is largely organized by a committee of volunteer parents who, with the co-operation of the school, staff and students in grades 4-6, work together to make the event a big deal for the community.

The committee organizes the food and materials required and each family contributes, while the students serve the meals and make place mats and decorations for the event.

The dinner was started 26 years ago by then-principal Gary Clark, who wanted to give the kids a chance to interact with grandparents and reach out to the elderly in the community who are without children or grandchildren nearby.

Green light changes made

PRESCOTT ­ Changes to the traffic lights at the intersection of Edward Street and Churchill Road were made quickly last week.

There are now four signals for motorists on Edward Street. Green arrows signify when left turns can be made without having to wait for oncoming traffic to pass. In some cases, advanced green signals are activated by vehicles in the turn lane.

Town Engineer Clyde Solomon said signs noting the presence of advanced green signals will be posted.

The change comes as part of a major investment by the town in the Edward Street corridor. Proper crosswalks with overhead warning lights are to be installed at Victor Road and near St. Mark Catholic School between James and Park streets.

Solomon said Monday he is hopeful the upgraded crosswalks will be in place before Christmas.

The crosswalk in front of Burger King at the corner of Irvine Street will not be upgraded.

Other improvements in the past couple of years include a new sidewalk on the west side of Edward north of Churchill and traffic lights at the new Prescott Centre Drive intersection at the Highway 401 eastbound on and off ramps. There are also plans to replace the surface of Edward Street in the busy north-end corridor.

Community policing office options noted

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ The Prescott Police Services Board has referred the community policing office issue to town council.

At its meeting Monday morning, the board discussed the matter as part of a report presented by Bryan Somerville, Prescott's community sergeant with Grenville County OPP.

Somerville provided information on options for such an office. He identified three locations: the former town police office at Henry and Centre streets as well as two storefronts on Centre and King Street West. Space in the Dibble Street municipal building was also discussed as an option.

Councillor and board member Nancy Lane said she has heard from a number of residents who have been asking about and expect to see a community policing office. Mayor Robert Lawn responded he has not heard from anyone on the subject.

It was noted an office could also be used by a municipal bylaw enforcement officer and the community emergency response volunteer team. The office would require a computer and phone line.

Somerville noted he was surprised to find some officers welcomed the opportunity to make use of such an office. The mayor and detachment commander, Inspector Brent Hill, suggested that is because of the cramped quarters in which officers must work at the existing OPP office near Edward Street and Highway 401 in the north end of Prescott.

Officials are hoping a new and bigger facility will be built to house the Grenville County detachment.

Somerville noted a satellite office might have an effect on the amount of Prescott's OPP costing.

As part of a later discussion on the detachment's 2005 business plan, Lawn went on to state establishing a downtown office is not what he considers to be community policing. It is important to give residents "a better knowledge of who they (the officers) are," according to the mayor. He said running pictures of the officers in the newspaper and profiling them is one example of community policing. Placing emphasis on bicycle patrols and relationships with schools and community groups helps establish a rapport with people of all ages, Lawn noted.

Hill indicated a commitment to make officers known in the community could be added to the plan; other commitments cover areas such as crime and traffic.

Train whistle issue returns to Augusta council

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD - Augusta's Stop the Train Whistle committee is hoping the horns can be silenced for good in the township, according to Councillor John Fischl.

"I've been a member of council for over a year now, and I don't believe the present council has sufficiently debated the elimination of train whistles," Fischl said at Monday's council meeting in Maynard.

He added a recent meeting of the committee in Maitland discussed four primary issues which it believed were key in the elimination of train whistles: safety, quality of life, economic development, and cost.

According to a prepared statement from the committee which Fischl read, the committee hopes council will pass a resolution supporting a Transport Canada study which will determine the feasibility of eliminating train whistles in the township.

When council first looked into doing such a study in 2001, it was estimated to cost $2,000, according to Deputy Reeve Doug Barton.

Fischl also said because three of the five gated railway crossings in the township are designated as county roads, counties council should be approached to help fund the study should it go forth.

Reeve John McCrea said a resolution supporting such a study would be brought to the next council meeting for approval.

A survey conducted by the committee indicated most respondents support a ban on train whistles.

First Eastern Ontario funding commitment in area

PRESCOTT ­ Funding from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) is beginning to flow.

Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation (GCFDC) has confirmed a Town of Prescott application for the funding of a downtown revitalization plan has been approved by the corporation's board of directors.

The town will receive $30,000 from the community capacity building program portion of the $10-million EODF established by the federal government earlier this year. GCFDC is contributing an additional $5,000 from its operating funds.

Prescott has already hired the IBI consulting firm to work on the downtown revitalization plan and a review of the town's official plan. GCFDC Executive Director Heather Lawless delivered the good news to a meeting of town and IBI representatives Monday morning.

"We congratulate the town for demonstrating leadership in launching this project, and we are pleased to be supporting it," Lawless said.

The town had estimated the cost of the revitalization portion of the study would be in the range of $45,000.

In welcoming news of the EODF funding, Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn said the town "...has worked very hard on this" project since July.

GCFDC has given conditional approval to a number of projects, but the Prescott study was the first commitment to be confirmed publicly. Later on Monday, funding for a North Grenville project was also confirmed. Lawless indicated there would likely be an announcement relating to another local project next week.

Prescott-based GCFDC and other community futures development corporations in the region are delivering the EODF program on behalf of FedNor and Industry Canada.

Augusta council hears from residents concerned about Maitland terminal

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD - Several concerned Maitland residents crowded into Augusta's Council meeting Monday to voice their concerns about the Ultramar terminal.

The delegations ­ prompted by suggestions of a terminal expansion and several fuel spills which have occurred at the site over the past year ­ sought answers to a wide range of questions.

"What I want to know is, what does Ultramar have to do, legally, if there is a spill?" asked Maitland resident Linda Trickey, who added she's lived in Maitland for less than a year and feels uneasy about how Ultramar has handled its fuel spills thus far in terms of informing the public.

Trickey added she feels particularly concerned about who would foot the bill for a clean-up if well water in Maitland became contaminated by a fuel spill.

Augusta Reeve John McCrea responded "he believes" whoever causes the contamination is responsible for the clean-up, but he could not give Trickey a firm answer.

Trickey responded "Why would I want an extension to the Ultramar facility?" McCrea countered he did not see the relationship between an expansion of the site and an increased likelihood for another spill.

Glen Kirkland of Maitland also expressed concern that Ultramar is not being a good neighbour to residents of Maitland. "I don't believe they're being good neighbours. Otherwise, we wouldn't be having spills."

He added he's also concerned about the readiness with which Ultramar contacts area residents should a spill occur. "They should be letting us know," he said. Augusta CAO Sharon Wilkinson said Ultramar now lets the township know as soon as a spill occurs.

Kirkland also referred to an incident in which someone he knew was on the Manhard property east of the terminal and "smelled fuel" at a body of water. "This could be another Walkerton," he opined.

Richard Dickins expressed a particular concern with the way Reeve McCrea responded after Ultramar's large fuel spill last December, in which 750,000 of diesel spilled from a unit train and into a catchment dike and the company took five days to inform the public. "I was concerned when you (McCrea) said the spill was handled properly when they were still digging a week later," Dickins said. He added a report commissioned by Maitland residents suggested off-site monitoring wells had tested positive for hydrocarbons. However, he could not verify this study happened before the Ultramar facility opened.

"I drink the water and Ultramar tells me it's okay," said Dickins. He added he doesn't believe Ultramar permits employees to drink the on-site water themselves.

McCrea recorded the concerns of the Maitland residents and mentioned to Wilkinson that a letter should be sent to Ultramar requesting answers to the questions posed by residents. This letter is to be sent by next week; it is expected letters with answers to the residents' questions will be mailed to them by mid-January.

Township puts its plan to the test

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

ALGONQUIN - No one wants - or expects - a disaster to happen in their area. If it does happen, however, it's good to know officials are well-informed about how to respond.

Augusta township got the opportunity to test its emergency response plan last Wednesday at the public library in Algonquin, which is designated as the township's emergency headquarters. Dave Clarke of the Emergency Measures Office (EMO) headquartered in Toronto led the exercise.

Representatives from social services, the Augusta fire department, the OPP, and Augusta council all attended the exercise. Clarke suggested a scenario involving a train derailment near Ultramar in Maitland in which two different chemicals were spilled.

Augusta CAO Sharon Wilkinson, who helped organize the exercise, said it went very well from her point of view. "I was pleased we got to see how to execute our emergency plan."

This plan was developed by the township's Community Emergency Management Committee, which formed in 2003 and recently drafted a copy of the plan. This plan details how township officials are supposed to respond should an emergency occur.

Wilkinson adds the plan is fairly generic and is not unlike the plans which neighbouring townships have in place. "Other townships (in the area) all go by the same guidelines." She added an emergency response plan is mandated by the provincial government as essential.

These guidelines say the first member of the community control group (which includes members of the OPP and fire department) to an incident decide whether or not the plan is put into place.

Such a decision was made late Thursday night when a chemical explosion occurred at the Invista Canada Maitland Site after one of their nylon intermediates production areas caught fire.

Wilkinson said Augusta's Community Emergency Management Co-ordinator Lindsay Penney was on-site shortly after the disaster happened, as was Augusta's Fire Chief Lorne Dougherty, and members of the OPP. "None of them thought the plan was necessary," explained Wilkinson. "If they don't think it's necessary, it won't be implemented."

Wilkinson did suggest "having the mock disaster a couple of days before (the Invista incident) may have helped them with their decision.

Officials defend calling special meeting

MAYNARD - At least one Augusta township resident was displeased when council held a "special meeting" on Nov. 12 to approve a joint study between Augusta, the Town of Prescott and the Township of Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal.

"I am concerned the meeting did not meet proper procedure. I don't think 24-hour notice was given," said Banning.

The meeting was held on Nov. 12 after Augusta council declined earlier that week to support a joint study determining feasibility of extending water and sewer connections east to Riverview Heights and west to Johnstown. This study is necessary in order for the townships and Prescott to advantage of funding from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund.

Augusta Reeve John McCrea defended holding the special meeting, saying "The bottom line for me is I think it's (the study) a good thing for the township. It shows we're being a good neighbour." He added that by supporting the study, the township is supporting its share of the Prescott sewage treatment plant expansion, buying an 18 per cent capacity in the plant, which would serve 800 people in the township who live in and around the Riverview Heights subdivision.

McCrea also took the time to assure Banning the current study council supported was not the same as a study undertaken a few years ago, which was another of her concerns.

Councillor John Fischl added he believed 24-hour notice had been given for the meeting.

Fund named in honour of beloved teacher disbanded after 42 years

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - For the last 42 years, members of the Ruth Evanson Foundation has distributed and provided money for bursaries and loans to deserving South Grenville District High School graduates.

However, because no one new has volunteered and the foundation has dwindled to two members, it is being dissolved at the end of this year.

The two remaining members of the foundation, secretary Mary Major and chair Dick Tobin, turned over the $11,315 remaining in the foundation's bursary fund last Tuesday. It will be put into the SGDHS student trust fund, where it will continue to be administered to deserving history and english students in Ruth Evanson's name.

"As long as the money lasts, the bursaries will be granted (in Evanson's name)," stated Major, who has been the association's secretary since it was started in 1962. She added the original foundation members (herself, Tobin and student representative Goldie Connell) were originally supposed to serve on the foundation for four years, but ended up serving until this year. Connell passed away in April 2001.

"No one seemed to want to take it over," added Major. She also mentioned, although she is "a little sad" the foundation has come to an end, she thinks the money held by it can be better taken care of by the students trust fund at SGDHS. "The money was just sitting in the bank...they (SGDHS) can invest it better than we could."

Dick Tobin, who has been secretary of the foundation since its inception, says it was time for the foundation to be dissolved. He added the foundation has been existing as a "dormant organization" since 1998, when it turned over much of its funds to the school and no longer distributed the bursaries themselves.

"I think it's a good ending," said Tobin. "My feeling is what we were doing is better handled by the school fund."

Ruth Evanson, a beloved history and english teacher in Prescott, passed away in 1963. She is the only Prescott teacher to have a foundation named in her honour. The money in her fund was provided through bequests and donations from former students. The foundation also offered no-interest loans to graduating students, but stopped the practice in 1989.

Decision to cancel school buses an early-morning judgement call

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

SOUTH GRENVILLE - To the frustration of schools and parents across the area, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) decided to cancel buses last Tuesday and Wednesday across all of Leeds and Grenville.

Because of the freezing rain all day Tuesday, most were not surprised at the first cancellation. However, with many main roads bare and dry on Wednesday, the cancellation came as a surprise.

"The reason for the cancellation (on Wednesday), was that our area captains (UCDSB staff who gauge road conditions) checked out the rural roads, and many were glare ice," said Ron Cotnam, transportation director for the board.

He added the roads were checked extremely early on Thursday - some as early as 4:30 am - by the area captains, who provided the road condition information to him.

Cotnam mentioned after he received the information, he conferred with transportation directors from both the Catholic and French school boards, at which time the decision was made to cancel the busses. "We do it (make cancellations) in conjunction with the two other boards," he said, "No one person makes the decision. It's quite an involved process"

He added the cancellation was made with safety of pupils in mind. "The last thing we want is a child hit by a bus or a bus in the ditch," he emphasized.

The board was also questioned by their decision not to cancel buses on Friday, when freezing rain affected roads in much of the Leeds-Grenville area. "Based on the weather conditions we had to consider that morning, we thought the roads were not bad," explained UCDSB spokesman Terry Simzer. He added the decision was made with input from the board's bus contractors, as well as the other school boards in the area.

Simzer added "Our jurisdiction is very large. Not all roads are the same over the entire area." He also emphasized the weather on Friday did not warm up as quickly as the board expected, resulting in poor road conditions.

Cotnam added faxes the board received early Friday morning from a weather-monitoring company which observes weather for the board, indicated the freezing rain was sporadic and light, and that it would pass by 7 am.

When it didn't pass by that time, Cotnam said the board's bussing contractors were instructed to proceed, but not to go down any roads they felt were unsafe. "We told them 'If you can't go down a road safely, don't go down,'" stressed Cotnam.

"They were instructed to call the parents (of the missed children) once they got to the school."

Although the roads were bad on Friday, Simzer was quick to point out there was not a single bus accident in the entire board, which covers roughly 12,000 square kilometers and stretches from the Quebec border to Kingston and Ottawa.

Bedtime stories

PRESCOTT ­ Bedtime stories for the kids will be featured Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 7 pm at the Prescott Public Library on Dibble Street West.

Youngsters are invited to wear their pajamas and bring their teddy bears as The Night Before Christmas and other stories are read.

The library will be closed Friday, Dec. 24 through Monday, Dec. 27.

Liquidation World reports good start in town

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - The former valu-mart building on Edward Street in Prescott has a new tenant: Liquidation World, which held its grand opening Thursday.

"We had 125 people in line waiting for the store to open," said Troy Heath, Liquidation World's eastern region director. "It seems the town is excited we've opened here." Heath added he expects attendance would top 2,000 people for its opening day, judging by the crowd volume at noon.

Liquidation World is headquartered in Calgary, Alberta, and has more than 100 stores in Canada and the northwest United States. Heath explained the store specializes in close-out, end-of-line, bailiff seizure, and bankruptcy merchandise which is sold at low prices. The Prescott store currently has more than 30 employees. However, it is expected their workforce will hover around 15 employees after the holiday season.

"It (Liquidation World's opening) means a great deal for Prescott," explained Manager Ron Hannaford. "The response has just been fabulous."

Hannaford adds Liquidation World is a unique store for Prescott. "We offer a lot of things; paint, clothing, furniture, food," he said. "Our selection is changing all the time."

Liquidation World Supervisor Kelly Benish added "our stock here is not stagnant, it's constantly rotating." She also said if the store goes through a lot of merchandise, it could receive several shipments of new goods a week.

Heath said Liquidation World has been planning a store in Prescott for some time now. "I looked at the building a year-and-a-half ago," he said, adding the building has a good central location which makes the store easily accessible to many customers, both from Prescott and out of town.

Customers visiting the store also seemed to have a good impression of the site. "The selection seems really good - and I've seen enough of it since 9 (am)," said Stephan Knapp, a Prescott resident who was the very first person in the door Thursday morning.

The time has arrived to hit the trails

MAITLAND NEWS BY Jane Fullarton

Maitland Trails will be open for cross-country skiing beginning Dec. 15 providing there is enough snow. Wayne Brohman reports that because the fall has been unusually wet, most of the work has not yet been done to clean up the trails. Brohman and Fred Allport have both spent some time on the drier sections clearing brush.

"There are sections in the middle that you can't get to because of the water. The cold weather they are calling for should fix that though when everything freezes," Brohman says.

After the cold weather arrives next week he plans to organize a work crew to clear the trails. Anyone wishing to help can call Brohman at 348-3432. Memberships for the trails are currently on sale. They are $25 per family, $10 per single and $5 for students. The proceeds from the memberships are used to improve and groom the 40 kilometres of trails. This summer, Brohman spent $700 to build a new shelter on the trails to replace one that burned down last year. There were 180 members of the trails in 2003-2004 season.

Application forms for memberships are available at the Maitland Store, Dave Jones Sports, Brockville Tourism and from Brohman. The trails are most easily accessed at the MERC Hall, with parking available in the MERC parking lot.

Tickets are still available for the MERC New Year's Eve Party Dec. 31 at the MERC Hall with doors opening at 8 pm. Hors d'oeuvres will be served continuously and there will be champagne at midnight. You can dance all night to the DJ. Tickets are available at the Maitland Store or by calling the hall at 348-3963.

Quit smoking and win a car

LEEDS AND GRENVILLE ­ Smokers who are able to kick the habit for at least one month are eligible to win a 2005 Ford Mustang as part of the Ontario Quit Smoking 2005 Contest.

Although the contest does not begin until early next year, the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit is suggesting smokers thinking about quitting might consider entering now and preparing to butt out.

As of Feb. 1, participants who are at least 19 and have smoked for more than one year will be required to remain smoke-free until March 1.

A random drawing will determine the winners.

Each participant is required to designate non-smoking support buddies to confirm compliance with the contest. The buddies of the winners will receive $250 after successfully answering a skill-testing question.

In addition to the new car, seven regional prizes (Sony home theatre surround sound system) and an early-bird prize will be awarded.

For more information on the contest or to register online, visit www.quitsmokingontario.ca.

Purse gone when woman returns to pay phone

PRESCOTT ­ Officers with the Grenville County OPP detachment responded to 30 calls for service in the Prescott patrol zone last week.

On Dec. 11, a 35-year-old woman from the Victor Road area used the pay phone at Giant Tiger. She left the phone area and forgot her purse; when she returned a short time later, the purse was gone. The purse contained a substantial amount of money as well as personal identification. Constable Barr is investigating.

Also on Dec. 11, Constable Barr investigated the theft of a cell phone from an 18-year-old woman who lives on Water Street. There is no estimate on the phone's value.

After police received complaints from local residents, Constable Foley conducted radar enforcement on King Street East at Boundary Street on Dec. 11. Charges laid included two for speeding, two for driving while suspended and one each for failing to pull over for an emergency vehicle, failing to have a licence plate attached in a prescribed manner. A 37-year-old Prescott man charged with the latter offences had been stopped on Churchill Road by Constable Mike Lapensee Dec. 9. At that time, the man was charged with driving while under suspension and having no insurance.

On Dec. 9 at about 3:30 pm, Constable Wheeler stopped a 1995 Plymouth Acclaim on Florence Street. The vehicle was being driven by a 24-year-old man. He was charged with driving with no insurance, driving a vehicle with no licence and no valid plate.

Constable Rob Prophet investigated a complaint that a 19-year-old South Mountain woman was threatened by her former boyfriend at her place of employment in Prescott Dec. 6. A 37-year-old Cardinal man was charged with forcible confinement, assault and criminal harassment.

Anyone with information on these or any other occurrences in town is asked to contact Grenville County OPP at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. If there is an emergency, dial 9-1-1. If it is not an emergency but a response by police is required, call 1-888-310-1122.

Memorial tree chopped down at night

PRESCOTT ­ A memorial tree was cut down near the Prescott marina late Friday night.

A man observed someone carrying away the evergreen, a tree dedicated by Chris Slater Funeral Home in memory of loved ones who have passed away. Police were contacted, and an investigation began immediately.

Constables Pergunas and Harmer searched for the missing tree; however, it was not located.

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

GRENVILLE COUNTY OPP ­ TOWNSHIPS NEWS

ATV stolen from Branch Road home

AUGUSTA ­ On Dec. 7, Constable Johnston responded to the theft of a 2004 Polaris 700 ATV from a Branch Road residence. The vehicle had been parked behind the residence. A suspicious-looking vehicle was observed prior to the theft. The investigation continues; anyone with information is asked to contact police at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Power tools grabbed during break-ins

AUGUSTA ­ Large and small power tools with a total value of about $6,000 were taken in two break-ins reported Dec. 6 in the Rocky Road area.

In both cases, entry was gained through a garage door. When Constable Foley was investigating the first reported break-in and checking with neighbours, the second occurrence was discovered. Anyone who might have seen suspicious activity in the area is asked to contact Grenville County OPP.

Off-ice scrap leads to assault charge

SPENCERVILLE ­ Constable Foster was dispatched to the Spencerville arena Dec. 11 in response to an off-ice disturbance. The officer received a complaint from a 43-year-old Stittsville man he had been assaulted by a man. A 42-year-old Mississippi Mills man was arrested and charged with assault. The incident involved an ongoing dispute between parents of boys on the same hockey team, according to an OPP news release. The victim was not injured; names are not being released to protect the identity of the boys.

Virgin Mary statue taken from yard

EDWARDSBURGH ­ On Dec. 12, a Blair Road resident reported the theft of a Virgin Mary statue from his front yard. The statue is about four feet high and weighs about 200 lbs. It is believed two males driving in what is described as an older and dark Jeep Cherokee are responsible. Constable Foley is investigating.

Call the Grenville OPP detachment at 925-4221 with information on this theft.

Wallet taken from purse at arena

SPENCERVILLE ­ A wallet containing a significant amount of money as well as personal identification was taken from a purse at the arena in Spencerville. The victim is a 49-year-old Prescott woman; the theft occurred Dec. 6. OPP Constable Barr is investigating.

RIDE check results in an arrest

NORTH AUGUSTA ­ OPP officers set up a RIDE check Dec. 12 at about 4 pm on County Road 15 at County Road 6. Constable Crawford arrested a 54-year-old Scarborough man who was operating a 2004 Porsche SUV. He was charged with driving while exceeding the legal blood alcohol limit.

Tips to Crime Stopper are adding up

KINGSTON ­ The Kingston/1000 Islands Crime Stoppers reports tips received in 2004 have led to more than $16 million worth of drugs being seized by law enforcement agencies.

Internationally, the Crime Stoppers program has surpassed the $5-billion mark in terms of illicit drugs being taken off the streets.

January is Crime Stoppers Month.

Council discusses public works director's job site

MAYNARD - Speaking on behalf of Augusta resident Gail Stephenson who was unable to attend Monday night's council meeting, Jacqueline Fennell voiced concerns about the township's public works director working at the township office instead of the public works garage.

Reading from a prepared statement by Stephenson, Fennell said "I would expect the public works manager to work out of the township garage."

She added because the township office is wanting for space in its office, Stephenson questioned why the public works director is not working at the garage. "There is no space," she read. "I feel the manager of public works could function just as easily from the garage."

Members of Augusta council emphasized certain aspects of the public works director's job require being at the township office. "The job description has changed from what it was a year ago," explained Councillor John Fischl.

"He wears more hats than the previous (roads) superintendent."

Reeve John McCrea added there are some "economies of proximity," such as shared computer equipment which mean the public works director can most effectively do his job from the township office.

"Maybe the garage is where the public works manager should be (working from)," said Councillor Pauline Cyr.

Make the 150th fair a year to remember

SPENCERVILLE - In anticipation of the Spencerville Fair's 150th anniversary, the Spencerville Agricultural Society's (SAS) Anniversary Fund Campaign is looking for people to sponsor a "year" of the fair for $1,000.

"It's a wonderful way to remember a special someone. Businesses may want to sponsor their inaugural year," explained SAS Executive Director Mary Tessier. "We know of several families who will be surprising a loved one this christmas. Some may want to commemorate the year they married," she added

The society has already started constructing a permanent monument which will honour the 150th anniversary of the fair as well as providing inscriptions of individuals, groups and businesses who sponsor a year of the fair. This monument will take the form of a wall and be located in a to-be-developed park area northeast of the Drummond building on the fairgrounds.

The 150th anniversary fund committee anticipates certain years will be more sought after than others. Interested parties are encouraged to act quickly because once a year has been selected, it is no longer available for anyone else.

Those who wish to sponsor a year are asked for their reason for commemorating the year of the fair they wish to sponsor. This information will be showcased in the agricultural society's upcoming publication, entitled Spencerville Fair 1855-2005: Our past, Our present, Our Future.

The 150th Anniversary Fund is a way for the SAS to ensure the longevity of the fair, through building shelters to house fair exhibits, beautifying and preserving the fair grounds, and investing for the future.

The fund's goal is to raise $150,000, or $1,000 for each year of the fair. Anyone interested in obtaining more information about the fund is encouraged to contact Project Co-ordinator Susan Trivett at 658-2217.

Angel of Remembrance is a program about caring

BROCKVILLE ­ Be an angel and support local palliative care services.

The Hospice of Providence and the St. Vincent de Paul Hospital Foundation have launched the Tree of Remembrance campaign for another year.

"Christmas is a holiday that can be difficult for people who've lost loved ones," foundation Director Trudy Patterson said. "The tree provides a way of helping keep their memory alive."

In return for a donation to the hospice in memory of a loved one, an angel with his or her name will be placed on a Christmas tree.

The palliative care program based in Brockville has been in place for 25 years.

Angel of Remembrance brochures are available at Grenville Pharmacy. There is an angel tree at South Grenville District High School.

For more information, call Patterson at 342-4461, ext. 3362.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"It seems the town is excited we've opened here."

Liquidation World official Troy Heath, referring to the big response to the Prescott store opening

Editor's Notebook

Proposed pit bull ban is not the solution

It must be extremely difficult to try to explain to the victim of a pit bull attack or the loved ones of those maimed or killed by the animal why the Ontario government should scrap or, at the very least, reconsider a proposed ban on the breed. Put in their situation, most of us would have one hell of a time trying to keep our anger and pursuit of justice and vengeance in check. To separate the understandable desire to take action and the need to seek an effective solution to the problem of vicious dog attacks would call for a rare ability to channel grief and frustration in an appropriate direction.

Making sense of the situation and taking positive action to deal with it is the role of government. In the case of the proposed ban on pit bulls, we must concur with opponents who question the move on a number of fronts.

Assuming we accept the proposal as a sincere effort to address a problem and not some feel-good trial balloon politicians have been known to float, there does not seem to be an overwhelming amount of evidence proving a ban on pit bulls and certain related breeds will make a sizeable difference when it comes to reducing attacks. Just because most of us would rather cross the street or head in the other direction when we see what we think is a pit bull or some other "vicious" breed does not mean we should eliminate the breed from our society. When one dog injures or kills a person, the animal and its handler or owner must be held accountable ­ not an entire breed.

It does not have to be complicated. If you raise a dog to be vicious (or allow it to become vicious) and it hurts or kills someone, it is your responsibility and you go to jail. It's as simple as that.

It is irresponsible to write off pit bull owners (and, as a result, the dogs) as being a bunch of trouble-making punks and lowlifes who want nothing more than to make the lives of other people as miserable as possible. We must also agree with opponents of the ban who point out the pitfalls of trying to decide which animals are actually pit bulls. Municipalities have a hard enough time trying to enforce existing statutes and bylaws; adding another item to their lists without ensuring adequate resources are available to handle those responsibilities will only compound the problem.

Surely, a more effective means of crime prevention would be to deal with the people who create the environment in which dogs become weapons. We encourage stronger measures to control dogs that pose a threat to public safety and to punish irresponsible owners; in the big picture, banning one or two breeds will not make Ontario that much safer.

Tim Ruhnke

Christmas does not mean enough food for everyone

BLAKE'S TAKES BY Blake McKim

For me, Christmas has a lot of different meanings. It means a time to get together with family. It means a time to give and receive presents. It means a time to reflect on the triumphs and tragedies of the past year. But, perhaps more than anything else, it means a time to eat.

I love to eat at Christmas. I love the hams, scalloped potatoes, pumpkin pies and baked beans. In fact, I think it's the holiday I tend to associate the most with food. And because I plan on joining a gym early in the new year, I'm going to indulge fully in each holiday dinner I attend.

But last week a friend of mine told me a troubling statistic which really stuck with me. It seems that the Ontario government thinks people who live in long-term care facilities (the PC term for nursing homes) can eat on only $5.24 a day.

My friend who told me about this is a board member at a local long-term care facility. He also mentioned the raw food cost allocation has only increased by 98 cents in the last 10 years ­ and there has been no increase whatsoever in the past two years. This "increase" simply hasn't kept pace with inflation and the increase in food costs.

Perhaps because the people living in these homes don't have the loudest voices or vociferous advocacy groups pestering the government on their behalf, their shoddy treatment at the hands of the government remains low-profile. In fact, I hadn't heard about it at all until my board member friend mentioned it to me.

As an experiment, I decided to go to the local grocery store and just spend $5.24 to feed myself for one day. But even when I skimmed the "reduced produce" racks and resolved to buy only no-name brands, I saw $5.24 simply wouldn't cut it. Even Kraft Dinner and ketchup costs more.

I quickly came to realize if I couldn't feed my "eat anything" body on $5.24, it must be nearly impossible to feed people with special dietary requirements with that amount. It is impossible, as it turns out. Because of the shortfall between government funding and actual food costs, the home in question must undertake a variety of fundraising initiatives each year just to offset the deficit in food costs the home incurs.

It is also important to note that this home is a private, not-for-profit facility. A municipal nursing home (like St. Lawrence Lodge, for example), by contrast, although it gets the same food allocation from the provincial government as any other nursing home, can request additional funds from the municipality should they overrun their food budget.

In any case, I hope this Christmas season, the Ontario government will see fit to raise the funding allocation given to long-term care facilities. Everyone deserves enough to eat in this country, but no one more so than our elderly.

Low bid on federal building comes in at $404,000: 1964

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Dec. 16, 1964

* Construction is expected to begin in the near future on the new federal building at the corner of Centre and Henry streets. M. Sullivan and Sons of Arnprior submitted the low bid of $404,724. The two-storey brick and stone structure will house the post office as well as national revenue, citizenship and immigration and unemployment insurance staff.

* Fire and police personnel rescued a sailor who had become wedged between the hull of a grain vessel and the dock at the elevator east of Prescott. Town firefighters Bill Countryman, Luke Reid and Joe Boisvenue and constables Andy McCombie and Michael Riches responded to the early-morning call. The 42-year-old St. Catharines man was extricated and taken to St. Vincent de Paul Hospital in Brockville, where he is recovering from exposure and shock.

Dec. 19, 1984

* The Town of Prescott has adopted a new coat of arms, flag and chain of office as part of the municipality's 150th anniversary.

The new coat of arms more strongly emphasizes the town's military history and its association with the St. Lawrence River. In addition to the blockhouse at Fort Wellington, an anchor similar to the one outside the Forwarders' Museum appears. There are also two figures: one from Jessup's Corps and the other from the Royal Canadian Rifle Regiment.

The new chain of office includes the names of the 49 individuals who have served as mayor since Prescott's incorporation in 1834. There are also federal and provincial symbols on the chain, noted Town Clerk Arie Hoogenboom.

* A record 3,150 food items have been collected for the 1984 Spirit of Giving campaign. Organizer Bernie Currier said students at the high school accounted for 2,800 items; the rest came from local grocery stores and other donors. The food items will be distributed through the local ministerial association.

* Prescott volunteer firefighter Bill Countryman was honoured recently for his 30 years of service to the fire department. His father, uncle and brothers also served with the town brigade; in all, the family has racked up close to 125 years of service.

Gay marriage debate has Canadians taking different sides

FROM THE OTHER SIDE BY Jeffrey Morris

When Stephen Harper visited the area to speak at the Ontario Federation of Agriculture dinner in Edwards last month, he made an interesting comment on marriage.

The definition of marriage, he said, should be decided upon by those representing the people or by the people themselves rather than by a group of judges appointed by the government.

This can of worms has not just been opened. Rather, it was like a can of worm soda was shaken for 10 minutes and then opened up and worm foam was sprayed all over everyone in the House of Commons.

Gay marriage is providing Canada with its liveliest topic for debate since the 2002 Salt Lake Olympics, when Canadians argued openly whether Cujo or Brodeur should be in the nets.

Frankly, it's good to see people stand up and speak out on this topic, regardless of what their political affiliation is. The issue of gay marriage is too complex to fall along party lines. There are Liberal and NDP members against gay marriage, and there are Tories who are for it.

Nothing anyone writes will change anyone's mind on this topic. People have formed their opinions, and they are digging their heels in passionately. As divisive of a topic as gay marriage is, it is good to see Canadians stand up and want to be heard.

If you read this column regularly ­ and I thank you if you do ­ you might have noticed that every now and then politically I lean ever so slightly to the right. Yet, as much as I am conservative, I really have no problem with gay marriage. I often say that as a Liberal Conservative, my view is that I am all for two guys or two women having a wedding and getting married. My problem is with terrorists who are trying to bomb or fly a plane into the church where the two gay people are getting married.

In the recent U.S. election, gay marriage became a peripheral issue. The line there was more clearly defined by party policies. The Republicans opposed it, the Democrats favoured it. Yet, both presidential candidates gingerly tap danced around the topic.

In Canada, our politics are more complex than that ­ the term progressive conservative should tell you that. Canada can't draw a political line on gay marriage because there are too many conservatives who are in favour of it and too many liberals who oppose it.

Perhaps the most bizarre stand on gay marriage is the one taken by NDP leader Jack Layton.

The NDP supports gay marriage, and Mr. Layton said he will crack the whip on this issue and bring his caucus into the party line. He was quoted in the media as saying, "It's a human rights issue. We don't have free votes on human rights issues."

However, NDP MP Bev Desjarlais of Manitoba said that she will vote against Liberal legislation to change the definition of marriage regardless of what the party line. She is against gay marriages, and she says the majority of people in her riding oppose gay marriages.

Do you see the humour in this?

Jack Layton is so concerned with human rights that he will not allow members of parliament to exercise the right to vote the way they or the people of their ridings would like to.

But this raises another question. Should MPs vote based on their viewpoint, or should they vote based on where the majority of people in their riding stand on the issue?

A generation ago, the same arguments opposing gay marriages were being made about mixed race marriages. Those opposed to gay marriages will also say that gay marriage cheapens or waters down their own marriage, or that it is "just the beginning" of immoralities that will lead to men wanting to marry boys.

I don't buy these arguments. If two homosexuals want to get married, it will not make me feel any differently about my wife or my marriage.

Also, the most common misconception about gay men is that they are pedophiles. Homosexuality and pedophilia are completely different things. If the gay population has failed anywhere in its quest for equal rights, it is that they have not taught this to society.

Gay marriage is coming, whether you support it, oppose it, or don't care either way.

The only thing that surprises me, especially since Canada is the land of sin taxes, is that nobody in the government has clued in and tried to use gay marriage to increase tourism and generate revenue.

I could see it now "Come on up to Canada, the world's Gay Vegas... Get legally married, for a fee, shop, gamble, spend your American dollars, and pay lots of GST and PST... And for dinner, enjoy our Canadian beef."

It might be a far-fetched idea, but 15 years ago, who would have ever imagined Hull and Gananoque would have casinos?

Try to avoid using the emergency room this holiday season

KINGSTON ­ An emergency room can be a very busy place during the holiday season, according to a sub-committee representing emergency departments at hospitals in southeastern Ontario.

There are things the public can do to avoid paying a visit to emergency or making such a trip less stressful, the committee notes in a news release issued last week.

Check holiday season hours of the family doctor and pharmacy and ask about back-up coverage arrangements. Ensure there is enough prescription and non-prescription medication in the home to cover the holiday season.

Try to go to a walk-in clinic for less urgent illnesses or injuries. As much as possible, save emergency room visits for actual emergency situations.

If an emergency room visit is necessary, keep in mind waiting times are usually shorter in the morning. In anticipation of what might be a long wait, bring reading materials, crafts or other distractions that will help pass the time and not bother others who are waiting. Keep the number of people accompanying a patient to a minimum; this will reduce congestion in the waiting room.

Visitors are also being asked to be patient if the emergency room is busy. Doctors see patients in order of need, not time of arrival.

The committee also notes Telehealth Ontario (1-866-797-0000) is a toll-free service that offers health advice and general information 24 hours a day.

SCHOOL SCENE

Benson Public School: In December, students are recognized for being kind, caring and considerate. Our outstanding students during the week of Dec. 6-10 are Nicholas Champagne, Matthew Riddle, Jonas Grant, Miranda Holmes, Jesse Buchanan, Jodie Campbell, Curtis Toupin and Sarah Smith.

This is a very busy week at Benson. Our school Christmas concert is on Wednesday and Thursday at noon both days. Everyone is invited.

Our student council has been busy selling candy canes and organizing different activities throughout the week. On Thursday, they are having a special lunch with some students who participated in the Spirit of Giving campaign. Our students did an excellent job collecting the canned goods that will be picked up on Friday. Good work, students, your caring spirit shines at this special time of year.

On Friday there will be a contest where students are invited to dress up like Santa Claus or Mrs. Claus. Prizes will be awarded.

Central Public School: The volleyball season concluded earlier this month. Central's boys and girls teams completed successful seasons by placing third in the regional tournaments. The girls then participated in a tournament at South Grenville and captured the championship by defeating Maynard, St. Joseph, Iroquois and host team Boundary Street. Well done, Tigers!

On Friday, Dec. 10, grades 5-8 travelled to Morrisburg to watch the play Dear Santa. It was terrific.

On Wednesday, Dec. 15, the primary Christmas concert will be held with a show at 1 pm and an evening performance at 6 pm. The theme is "An International Christmas."

This week is also Christmas Spirit week. Several activities including red and green day, a door decorating contest, candy cane o'grams and a Christmas dance have been planned and organized by students council.

Friday is the last day of school for 2004, and students return to class Monday, Jan. 3, 2005.

St. Joseph Catholic School: Some activities students have enjoyed in December are the performance of The Nutcracker at the National Arts Centre, building gingerbread houses, painting ceramic Christmas ornaments and practising for the Christmas Sharing.

You are invited to attend our Advent Celebration of the Mass Wednesday, Dec. 15 at 1:30 pm in the St. Joe's school gym. Father Appelman and Grade 6B will make this Eucharistic Celebration one to remember.

The St. Joseph annual Christmas Dinner takes place Thursday, Dec. 16. Everyone's donations of food and supplies will make this a truly awesome dinner. The Christmas Spirit will be flourishing Thursday.

Donations of cans and boxes of food for the Spirit of Giving continue to pour in. We have almost reached our target!

May the Blessings and Joy of the Christmas Season be with you throughout the coming year.

St. Mark Catholic School: This week, we enter the third week of Advent and light the rose-coloured candle entitled the "Shepherd's Candle." This candle reminds us of those whose faith brought them immediately to the manger to see the birth of our Saviour.

This last week of school before Christmas vacation will draw to a close the many wonderful Advent activities and projects in which we have participated with our Catholic school community.

We will have a Mary Lambert Christmas concert Thursday, Dec. 16 at 7 pm at St. Mark Parish Centre.

Christmas noel log cakes can be picked up after the concert at 8 pm.

Our Christmas assembly will take place Friday at 1 pm. Students are asked to wear red or green to school as part of our spirit activities.

Hot lunch this week is pizza.

We wish everyone a blessed and Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

South Edwardsburg Public School: We wish our entire school family and community partners a safe and happy holiday season. May the spirit of Christmas leave its richest blessing in the hearts of you and yours.

Flower quilt has blossomed into quite a beautiful work

WALKER HOUSE NEWS BY MARNIE LIPPIATT

Our Christmas open house was special because so many helped. We had those who entertained, those who helped with food and serving and those who joined us for some seasonal best wishes. The Christmas spirit was shared with smiles, laughs and friends.

We have just lifted the beautiful flower quilt from the frame and have the final touches to make it complete. By Christmas, we will be working on an embroidered double ring with green sashing. This quilt will also be for sale. Come and see what we are doing. We quilt Thursday afternoons and evenings. Members are encouraged to come with their own projects or help with the main quilt. Plan to join us in the new year.

Card game winners: Monday bridge ­ 1st, Andy Britnell; 2nd, Joyce Nesbitt; door, Ruth Wenger. Fun bridge ­ Wanda Wilson. Thursday night euchre ­ 1st, Jean McCrady; 2nd, Jessie Shaver; 3rd, Jeannine Marion; door, Hilda Hutton.

GCC staff will take to stage for light-hearted melodrama

MAITLAND ­ Take a break from the hustle and bustle of the Christmas season as staff at Grenville Christian College (GCC) perform Fairest Flower of the South this Saturday, Dec. 18 at 7:30 pm in the school auditorium.

There will be just the one performance of this light-hearted melodrama by Alice McDonald. Proceeds go to Loaves and Fishes, the community restaurant located in Brockville.

Tickets will be available at the door. For more information, call Cindy Barr at 345-5521, ext. 1332.

Augusta council hears from residents concerned about Maitland terminal

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD - Several concerned Maitland residents crowded into Augusta's Council meeting Monday to voice their concerns about the Ultramar terminal.

The delegations ­ prompted by suggestions of a terminal expansion and several fuel spills which have occurred at the site over the past year ­ sought answers to a wide range of questions.

"What I want to know is, what does Ultramar have to do, legally, if there is a spill?" asked Maitland resident Linda Trickey, who added she's lived in Maitland for less than a year and feels uneasy about how Ultramar has handled its fuel spills thus far in terms of informing the public.

Trickey added she feels particularly concerned about who would foot the bill for a clean-up if well water in Maitland became contaminated by a fuel spill.

Augusta Reeve John McCrea responded "he believes" whoever causes the contamination is responsible for the clean-up, but he could not give Trickey a firm answer.

Trickey responded "Why would I want an extension to the Ultramar facility?" McCrea countered he did not see the relationship between an expansion of the site and an increased likelihood for another spill.

Glen Kirkland of Maitland also expressed concern that Ultramar is not being a good neighbour to residents of Maitland. "I don't believe they're being good neighbours. Otherwise, we wouldn't be having spills."

He added he's also concerned about the readiness with which Ultramar contacts area residents should a spill occur. "They should be letting us know," he said. Augusta CAO Sharon Wilkinson said Ultramar now lets the township know as soon as a spill occurs.

Kirkland also referred to an incident in which someone he knew was on the Manhard property east of the terminal and "smelled fuel" at a body of water. "This could be another Walkerton," he opined.

Richard Dickins expressed a particular concern with the way Reeve McCrea responded after Ultramar's large fuel spill last December, in which 750,000 of diesel spilled from a unit train and into a catchment dike and the company took five days to inform the public. "I was concerned when you (McCrea) said the spill was handled properly when they were still digging a week later," Dickins said. He added a report commissioned by Maitland residents suggested off-site monitoring wells had tested positive for hydrocarbons. However, he could not verify this study happened before the Ultramar facility opened.

"I drink the water and Ultramar tells me it's okay," said Dickins. He added he doesn't believe Ultramar permits employees to drink the on-site water themselves.

McCrea recorded the concerns of the Maitland residents and mentioned to Wilkinson that a letter should be sent to Ultramar requesting answers to the questions posed by residents. This letter is to be sent by next week; it is expected letters with answers to the residents' questions will be mailed to them by mid-January.

Township puts its plan to the test

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

ALGONQUIN - No one wants - or expects - a disaster to happen in their area. If it does happen, however, it's good to know officials are well-informed about how to respond.

Augusta township got the opportunity to test its emergency response plan last Wednesday at the public library in Algonquin, which is designated as the township's emergency headquarters. Dave Clarke of the Emergency Measures Office (EMO) headquartered in Toronto led the exercise.

Representatives from social services, the Augusta fire department, the OPP, and Augusta council all attended the exercise. Clarke suggested a scenario involving a train derailment near Ultramar in Maitland in which two different chemicals were spilled.

Augusta CAO Sharon Wilkinson, who helped organize the exercise, said it went very well from her point of view. "I was pleased we got to see how to execute our emergency plan."

This plan was developed by the township's Community Emergency Management Committee, which formed in 2003 and recently drafted a copy of the plan. This plan details how township officials are supposed to respond should an emergency occur.

Wilkinson adds the plan is fairly generic and is not unlike the plans which neighbouring townships have in place. "Other townships (in the area) all go by the same guidelines." She added an emergency response plan is mandated by the provincial government as essential.

These guidelines say the first member of the community control group (which includes members of the OPP and fire department) to an incident decide whether or not the plan is put into place.

Such a decision was made late Thursday night when a chemical explosion occurred at the Invista Canada Maitland Site after one of their nylon intermediates production areas caught fire.

Wilkinson said Augusta's Community Emergency Management Co-ordinator Lindsay Penney was on-site shortly after the disaster happened, as was Augusta's Fire Chief Lorne Dougherty, and members of the OPP. "None of them thought the plan was necessary," explained Wilkinson. "If they don't think it's necessary, it won't be implemented."

Wilkinson did suggest "having the mock disaster a couple of days before (the Invista incident) may have helped them with their decision.

Officials defend calling special meeting

MAYNARD - At least one Augusta township resident was displeased when council held a "special meeting" on Nov. 12 to approve a joint study between Augusta, the Town of Prescott and the Township of Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal.

"I am concerned the meeting did not meet proper procedure. I don't think 24-hour notice was given," said Banning.

The meeting was held on Nov. 12 after Augusta council declined earlier that week to support a joint study determining feasibility of extending water and sewer connections east to Riverview Heights and west to Johnstown. This study is necessary in order for the townships and Prescott to advantage of funding from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund.

Augusta Reeve John McCrea defended holding the special meeting, saying "The bottom line for me is I think it's (the study) a good thing for the township. It shows we're being a good neighbour." He added that by supporting the study, the township is supporting its share of the Prescott sewage treatment plant expansion, buying an 18 per cent capacity in the plant, which would serve 800 people in the township who live in and around the Riverview Heights subdivision.

McCrea also took the time to assure Banning the current study council supported was not the same as a study undertaken a few years ago, which was another of her concerns.

Councillor John Fischl added he believed 24-hour notice had been given for the meeting.

Fund named in honour of beloved teacher disbanded after 42 years

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - For the last 42 years, members of the Ruth Evanson Foundation has distributed and provided money for bursaries and loans to deserving South Grenville District High School graduates.

However, because no one new has volunteered and the foundation has dwindled to two members, it is being dissolved at the end of this year.

The two remaining members of the foundation, secretary Mary Major and chair Dick Tobin, turned over the $11,315 remaining in the foundation's bursary fund last Tuesday. It will be put into the SGDHS student trust fund, where it will continue to be administered to deserving history and english students in Ruth Evanson's name.

"As long as the money lasts, the bursaries will be granted (in Evanson's name)," stated Major, who has been the association's secretary since it was started in 1962. She added the original foundation members (herself, Tobin and student representative Goldie Connell) were originally supposed to serve on the foundation for four years, but ended up serving until this year. Connell passed away in April 2001.

"No one seemed to want to take it over," added Major. She also mentioned, although she is "a little sad" the foundation has come to an end, she thinks the money held by it can be better taken care of by the students trust fund at SGDHS. "The money was just sitting in the bank...they (SGDHS) can invest it better than we could."

Dick Tobin, who has been secretary of the foundation since its inception, says it was time for the foundation to be dissolved. He added the foundation has been existing as a "dormant organization" since 1998, when it turned over much of its funds to the school and no longer distributed the bursaries themselves.

"I think it's a good ending," said Tobin. "My feeling is what we were doing is better handled by the school fund."

Ruth Evanson, a beloved history and english teacher in Prescott, passed away in 1963. She is the only Prescott teacher to have a foundation named in her honour. The money in her fund was provided through bequests and donations from former students. The foundation also offered no-interest loans to graduating students, but stopped the practice in 1989.

Decision to cancel school buses an early-morning judgement call

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

SOUTH GRENVILLE - To the frustration of schools and parents across the area, the Upper Canada District School Board (UCDSB) decided to cancel buses last Tuesday and Wednesday across all of Leeds and Grenville.

Because of the freezing rain all day Tuesday, most were not surprised at the first cancellation. However, with many main roads bare and dry on Wednesday, the cancellation came as a surprise.

"The reason for the cancellation (on Wednesday), was that our area captains (UCDSB staff who gauge road conditions) checked out the rural roads, and many were glare ice," said Ron Cotnam, transportation director for the board.

He added the roads were checked extremely early on Thursday - some as early as 4:30 am - by the area captains, who provided the road condition information to him.

Cotnam mentioned after he received the information, he conferred with transportation directors from both the Catholic and French school boards, at which time the decision was made to cancel the busses. "We do it (make cancellations) in conjunction with the two other boards," he said, "No one person makes the decision. It's quite an involved process"

He added the cancellation was made with safety of pupils in mind. "The last thing we want is a child hit by a bus or a bus in the ditch," he emphasized.

The board was also questioned by their decision not to cancel buses on Friday, when freezing rain affected roads in much of the Leeds-Grenville area. "Based on the weather conditions we had to consider that morning, we thought the roads were not bad," explained UCDSB spokesman Terry Simzer. He added the decision was made with input from the board's bus contractors, as well as the other school boards in the area.

Simzer added "Our jurisdiction is very large. Not all roads are the same over the entire area." He also emphasized the weather on Friday did not warm up as quickly as the board expected, resulting in poor road conditions.

Cotnam added faxes the board received early Friday morning from a weather-monitoring company which observes weather for the board, indicated the freezing rain was sporadic and light, and that it would pass by 7 am.

When it didn't pass by that time, Cotnam said the board's bussing contractors were instructed to proceed, but not to go down any roads they felt were unsafe. "We told them 'If you can't go down a road safely, don't go down,'" stressed Cotnam.

"They were instructed to call the parents (of the missed children) once they got to the school."

Although the roads were bad on Friday, Simzer was quick to point out there was not a single bus accident in the entire board, which covers roughly 12,000 square kilometers and stretches from the Quebec border to Kingston and Ottawa.

Bedtime stories

PRESCOTT ­ Bedtime stories for the kids will be featured Tuesday, Dec. 21 at 7 pm at the Prescott Public Library on Dibble Street West.

Youngsters are invited to wear their pajamas and bring their teddy bears as The Night Before Christmas and other stories are read.

The library will be closed Friday, Dec. 24 through Monday, Dec. 27.

Giants find road to Hawaii a tiring experience

Basketball team loses first two games in paradise

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

HONOLULU - It took awhile, but the South Grenville Giants senior girls basketball team has arrived in the land of Aloha.

After boarding a bus to Toronto Friday night and braving ice-covered roads, the group of 30 South Grenville players, coaches and parents boarded their first plane at 6:25 am and arrived in Chicago for their first stopover an hour later.

For many of the Giants players, the plane ride came as a first with some battling nervous jitters.

During their three-hour layover in the Windy City the girls spent the time grabbing a quick bite to eat before crashing any place they could find for the remainder of the stop. The girls scattered around the lounge sleeping on benches, chairs and the floor to try to catch up with some sleep before the big plane ride.

The plane left Chicago at 10:30 am Central time and after nearly eight hours, the South Grenville players arrived in Honolulu at 3 pm Hawaiian time (8 pm Eastern) very tired and stiff from the long flight.

The team witnessed numerous landmarks along the ride to the hotel and after getting their rooms took off for a quick supper and to explore the blocks surrounding the hotel.

On Sunday, South Grenville travelled to the Palama Settlement, where the team dropped a 64-35 decision to Kalakahua C.

South Grenville came out of the blocks slow, battling a slight case of jet lag. Despite their strong defensive pace the Giants trailed 15-9 at the first quarter, before getting banged around by a physical Kalakahua club.

Sara Watt led the Giants with 11 points, followed by Jaime Grimes with seven and Allison Whyte with six. Kristen Jessome played some strong defence forcing turnovers, while Ashley Beaudoin excelled in drawing fouls.

Before the game their opponents offered gifts of beads to each Giants player as a show of sportsmanship.

In their second game, the Giants injury woes which plagued them all season struck again, leaving South Grenville with a short bench. With a handful of girls either missing the game or toughing it out through a bad case of the flu, South Grenville took a big hit early as the Giants point guard Sam Joudoin rolled her ankle, keeping her out for long stretches. South Grenville kept up with Kalakahua B in the first quarter trailing 20-12, but then ran out of gas to drop an 87-23 decision. Shannon Campbell, Allison Whyte and Karie Neddo paced the Giants offence with four points apiece, while Becky Graham put together a strong showing with big rebounds under the basket. Alex Ward had a strong game setting up plays and running the offence.

More Hawaii coverage next week

South Grenville defeats Brockville, Gananoque to retain division lead

CARDINAL ­ Make it 10 straight games without a loss for the South Grenville junior B Rangers.

South Grenville maintained its division lead by edging the second-place Brockville Tikis 3-2 Saturday night in Cardinal and then defeating the Islanders 5-4 Sunday night in Gananoque.

Coach Rod Simmons said it was a tough weekend for the Rangers, but the players managed to put it together and come out on top of two well-played games by both teams. "We weathered the storm," the coach said.

"We take one shift and one game at a time," said Simmons.

In the Brockville game, David Lun scored twice including the game-winner late in the third period. Mark Williams had the other South Grenville goal.

Scoring for the Rangers in the Gananoque game were Eric Selleck, Skyler Hoar, Adam Tousant, Ryan Sullivan and Derek Rupert with the game-winner.

Brockville jumped out to an early one-goal lead. Both weekend contests were back-and-forth battles, according to Simmons.

With the pair of victories, South Grenville (22-3-2-0) leads Brockville by four points in the Rideau Division of the Rideau St. Lawrence Junior B Hockey League. After weekend play, the Rangers also lead the league in most goals scored (154) and fewest goals allowed (68).

The Rangers are home against Kemptville this Saturday at 7:15 pm at the Cardinal and District Community Centre. South Grenville travels to Morrisburg for a 2:15 start against the Lions.

Kelley's Jr. A rights traded

The junior A rights to South Grenville Jr. B Rangers forward Brandon Kelley have been traded to Gloucester.

Kelley was packaged along with James May to the Gloucester Rangers for Al Joanette Dec. 5.

Kelley was the third overall draft pick by the Pembroke Lumber Kings in the 2004 Central Jr. A Hockey League draft last spring.

The 16-year-old Rangers forward failed to make the Pembroke club in training camp and returned to South Grenville, where he started the season filling in on defence before moving back to forward and recently broke out of a scoring slump.

Kelley has now been placed on Gloucester's 35-man protected list alongside former Rideau-St. Lawrence Kings players Andrew Beuman and Corey Cassell.

The trade is not expected to have any impact on the Jr. B Rangers this year.

Atom B Rangers fall short in final of home tournament

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville atom B Rangers advanced to the finals of their host tournament Dec. 4 before falling 3-0 to Tweed in a hard-fought game.

The Rangers opened the tournament with a 5-4 win over the Kemptville Panthers. Brett Van Stralen and Matt Courtney each had a pair of goals to lead the Rangers, while Dylan Dorey also scored. Broydon Stufko added an assist.

In its semi-final game, South Grenville scored a 4-0 win over the Athens Aeros.

Alex Stephenson and Courtney each scored a pair of goals in the win. Stufko (2), Nathan Hamilton (2), Van Stralen and Adam Norton added assists. Nathan Peters had the shutout for the Rangers.

The Rangers then dropped a 3-0 decision to Tweed in the A division final.

Amherstview won the consolation final by defeating Brockville.

On Dec. 7, the Rangers scored a 4-1 win over the Kingston City Cougars at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.

Stephenson led all scorers with two goals, followed by Houston Bujacz and Cody Adams with singles. Adams, Dorey, Van Stralen, Courtney and Stephenson added assists.

Both basketball teams win their season-openers

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants junior and senior boys basketball teams started their Leeds and Grenville Secondary School Athletic Association seasons on a high note.

On Thursday, the senior boys used their quick transition game to set up the fast break to lead the Giants to a 79-38 win over the St. Michael Mustangs.

The Giants took advantage of their deep bench, with all South Grenville players seeing minutes and getting on the score sheet.

Senior guard/forward Andrew DeDekker led the Giants with an 18 point performance, followed by Curtis Bucking with 14 points and Eric Hendriks with nine points. The Giants took advantage of their size and athleticism on both offence and defence. Sam Whitley and Bucking teamed inside to make an intimidating post presence blocking four shots and three shots respectively. Chad Hyland had five steals in the game, while Ryan Fischer pulled down five rebounds.

South Grenville coach Jason Crotty indicated he hopes the game was a bit of a statement for the Giants.

"I think we proved we would be able to run with anyone," said Crotty. "It was nice to get our first victory and get some of the teams to look at us as a contender and someone who will finish in last."

Crotty credited DeDekker with having a big day leading the breaks, which accounted for the majority of the Giants points.

Bucking added, "It was a good way to start off. We ran the floor and used the fast break which worked well for us. I think it was a bit of a statement, we know we can win, we just need to work hard and improve. We still have a lot of things to work on."

Juniors defeat Mustangs

The Giants junior boys team put together a strong first outing with South Grenville pulling out a 47-32 victory over St. Michael.

Like their senior counterparts, all of the junior Giants players got involved in the game.

Giants forward Josh Parsons led all scorers with 23 points, followed by Grade 9 Cody Haché with 11 points and Nathan Jansen with six.

South Grenville forward Sebastian Last had a big game for the Giants rebounding.

Giants coach John Doran explained the team is just continuing to get used to playing together.

"I think we took this game a little more seriously, taking a little longer to make substitutions," said Doran. "The guys did alright and we're just trying to improve."

Haché added, "It was pretty good for our first league game. I think our defence is improving and we're making a lot of the shots we need to make inside. There's a lot more set plays and more of a team aspect (than in public school)."

Both Giants teams hosted St. Mary Tuesday in Prescott. South Grenville will travel to Gananoque Thursday to take on the Trojans.

Atom C house #2 team beats Brockville, loses to #1 and #3

SPENCERVILLE - The South Grenville atom C house league Rangers #2 had an up-and-down couple of weeks recently to post a 2-3 record.

On Nov. 22, the Rangers scored a 4-2 win over the Brockville Firefighters at the Spencerville arena.

Alex Boswall led all scorers with a hat trick, while A.J. Larocque added a single. Jesse Buchanan, Holly Jones, Spencer Disheau, Joel Mintz and Larocque chipped in with helpers. Jonathan Bernier was solid in his goalkeeping duties.

On Nov. 21, South Grenville #2 travelled to Brockville and came away victorious with a 6-2 win over the Brockville Firefighters.

Boswall had four goals to lead the Rangers, while Bernier and Larocque added singles. Disheau (3), Bernier (2), Jason Noonan and Nick Campbell added assists. Brandon Finlayson had a strong game in goal.

On Nov. 28, South Grenville #2 fell 3-2 to South Grenville #1 in Prescott. Neil Hubbard, Aaron Scott and Emily Colwell scored for South Grenville #1, while Scott, Hubbard and Zack Millar added assists. Larocque and Boswall scored for South Grenville #2, while Boswall and Rick Heyman chipped in with helpers. Finlayson had a strong game in goal for South Grenville #2.

On Nov. 20, the Rangers #2 travelled to Westport and fell 2-0 to North Leeds. Alex Boswall had a strong game in goal.

On Nov. 15, South Grenville #2 dropped a 4-1 decision to South Grenville #3 for its first loss of the season.

Thomas McNamara (2), Brett McFarland and Brandon Worden scored for South Grenville #3, while Taylor Byers (2), McFarland, Dylan Dobbie and McNamara added assists. Jesse Buchanan scored the lone goal for South Grenville #2.

Prescott-based junior rink going back to provincials

CARP - Laura Payne's Prescott-based junior girls rink earned a trip to the Ontario Junior Championships after capturing the B final of the Ontario Curling Association Junior Regionals Nov. 28, at Huntley Curling Club in Carp.

Payne's rink got off to a slow start in the bonspiel dropping its opener to Rachel Homan (City View), which put the Prescott-based rink into the B draw.

The girls rink battled back from their previous defeat to roll off wins over the Zafichny rink from Kingston, the Rivington rink from Carp and the Merklinger rink from Granite on their way to a re-match with Homan's rink in the B final.

Payne's rink battled hard and had to go to extra ends on their way to capturing the championship and securing one of two regional berths in the eight-team Ontario Junior Championships to take place Jan. 5-9 in Peterborough.

The rink consists of skip Laura Payne, vice Lauren Mann, second Megan Aldridge, lead Candice Johnston and coach Brian Savill.

As of earlier this month, Payne's rink sits in top spot in the Ontario Junior Curling Tour's women's rankings with 80 points, 39 points ahead of Leslie Bishop's rink in second place.

Novice B Rangers defeat Winchester, tie North Dundas and lose to Brockville

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville novice B Rangers house team had an up-and-down month of November posting a 1-3-1 record.

On Nov. 29, South Grenville fell 5-2 to the Braves #3 in Brockville. Paige Dorey and Zachary Shankar scored for the Rangers, while Tyson Kirkby and Curtis Ross added assists.

On Nov. 28, the Rangers dropped a 2-0 decision to the Brockville Braves in Prescott. David Armstrong had a strong game in goal for the Rangers.

On Nov. 25, South Grenville travelled to Winchester and came away victorious in a 3-2 win over the North Dundas Demons. Kirkby had a pair of goals to lead all scorers, while John Lawless added a single. Lawless and Kirkby added assists.

On Nov. 21, the Rangers had to settle for a 2-2 draw with the North Dundas Demons in Prescott. Kevin Richmond and Shankar scored for the Rangers, while Aaron White and Kirkby added assists.

On Nov. 14, South Grenville fell 8-1 to the North Leeds Stars in Prescott. Lawless scored the Rangers' lone goal, while Kirkby added an assist.

On Nov. 7, the Rangers travelled to Morrisburg and tied the Lions 2-2. Kirkby and Lawless each scored unassisted in the draw.

Atoms shut out Alex Bay

SPENCERVILLE - The South Grenville atom B house league Rangers scored a pair of regular season wins in recent play.

On Dec. 6, the Rangers scored a 5-3 win over the Brockville Braves at the Spencerville arena.

Kyle Berry scored a pair of goals to lead the Rangers, while Kavan O'Brien, Derik Bourgeois and Cody Knapp added singles. Kurtis Selleck, Bourgeois, Berry and Luke Severson added assists.

On Dec. 5, the Rangers travelled to Alexandria Bay and pulled out a 9-0 victory over the home team.

Zach St. John and affiliate player Zack Shankar each scored a pair of goals to lead the Rangers, while Cody Knapp, Riley Thomson, Selleck, Berry and affiliate player Tyson Kirkby added singles. Severson (2), affiliate player John Lawless (2), Selleck, Kirkby, Colin Hoyland and Knapp added assists.

Rangers atom B house team wins at home against Kemptville and Long Sault

SPENCERVILLE - The South Grenville atom B house Rangers are on a hot streak reeling off a couple of home victories over Kemptville and Long Sault.

On Dec. 1, the Rangers scored a 5-2 win over the Kemptville Panthers at the Spencerville arena.

Ryan Grimes had a hat trick to lead the Rangers, while Derek Bourgeois added a pair of goals. Grimes, Bourgeois, Colin Hoyland and Kurtis Selleck added assists.

On Nov. 24, South Grenville scored a 3-0 shutout victory over Long Sault in Spencerville. Selleck, Grimes and Riley Thomson scored for the Rangers, while Cody Knapp (2), Thomson, Bourgeois and Hoyland chipped in with helpers.

Other members of the Rangers are Nick Ladouceur, Kavin O'Brien, Kyle Berry, Zach St. John, Luke Severson, Dylan Bell, Shenda Harrison, Mike Dalley, Paul DeJong and affiliate players Tyler Kirkby and John Lawless.

Bantam B team edges Braves

CARDINAL - The South Grenville bantam B house league Rangers played host to the Brockville Braves Dec. 2 and came away victorious.

The Rangers played a very hard-fought game against Brockville edging the Braves 4-3 with Josh Newton scoring the game-winning goal for South Grenville. Tyler Curry, Todd Kirkey and Taylor Corney also scored for the Rangers, while Newton, Corney, Kirkey, Chris Noonan, Trevor Murray and Michael Thomas added assists.

Major atom Kings are not swept away by Rapids

SPENCERVILLE - The Rideau-St. Lawrence major atom Kings managed to pull out a victory over the Seaway Valley Rapids Saturday at the Spencerville arena.

The Kings put out a good effort on their way to a 4-2 victory over the Rapids. Joey Sargeant led all scorers with a pair of goals, while Payton Marriner and Cal Laforty added singles. Taylor Henry (2), Warren Steele, Willy Fawcett, Tanner Casselman, Laforty and Sargeant chipped in with helpers.

Peewee Rangers defeat North Dundas and NGS

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ The South Grenville peewee B Rangers came out even in recent league play.

The Rangers travelled to Winchester Nov. 22 and defeated North Dundas 4-1. South Grenville hosted the NGS Braves Nov. 23 and scored another 4-1 victory. The Rangers controlled the play from the outset in both games.

South Grenville was fortunate to come away with a 4-4 draw at home against the South Dundas Lions Nov. 30. The Rangers then hit the road and headed for Long Sault and Akwesasne. The visitors faced determined opponents and lost 5-1 to South Stormont and 3-1 to Akwesasne.

Ranger goal scorers were Trent Corney (four), Cameron Symington (three), Dylan Render (two) and Kurtis Lavery, Jacob Hayes, Zach Temple and O.J. Knol. Assists went to Lavery and Robbie Deeks (three each), Render (two) and Hayes, Knol, Symington and Quinton Selleck.

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