VOL. 174, NO. 48~ PRESCOTT, ONTARIO ~ December 29, 2004

Corroded pipe led to blast

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

MAITLAND ­ A corroded pipe has been cited as the probable cause of an incident that occurred earlier this month at the Invista Canada Maitland Site, it was reported last week.

A late-night explosion in the nylon intermediates production unit Dec. 9 could be felt kilometers away. No one was injured in the incident at Invista, formerly known as DuPont Canada.

Further details of the investigation were unavailable at press time.

Accident knocks out power at Nitrochem

A short distance away, an incident that took place at the Nitrochem Maitland facility last Tuesday afternoon had no off-site impact, according to the company.

A small release of ammonia occurred and the site lost power when a trailer filled with a material used to make fertilizer tipped over and hit part of the plant's electrical distribution system.

Graham Houze, manager of environmental and engineering services at the Maitland site, told The Journal Thursday a trailer box loaded with urea tipped over when it was being unloaded into a hopper.

As the trailer fell, it struck a portion of the site's electrical distribution system, which caused a power outage.

Houze noted the incident did not result from actions taken by Nitrochem employees and is to be investigated by the carrier, Kingsway.

In addition to urea and hydraulic fluid from the truck being spilled at the accident site, there were minor releases of ammonia and nitrogen oxides. The releases were part of the shutdown process, according to Houze.

The company contacted the environment ministry's spills action centre immediately. Local authorities were also notified. OPP and ministry officers responded.

However, Houze noted the ERT had the situation under control quickly.

"There was no call for outside assistance and no impact off the plant site," stated a Nitrochem news release issued last Wednesday morning.

OPP and ministry personnel attended the scene.

Urea, a nitrogen-based material, is used to make agricultural fertilizers.

Although Houze does not consider the incident to have been significant in magnitude, he acknowledged the company took prompt action as a precaution.

"We take all releases of pollutants from the site seriously," said Houze, who indicated the company makes every effort to minimize risks and be prepared to deal with emergencies.

In the case of Nitrochem, plant operations had returned to normal by early the next morning. As of Thursday afternoon, some portions of the site were still being powered by diesel generators. The transformer and switching gear at the incident site were to be replaced, according to Houze.

THIS WEEK

The new year brings special holiday hours

PRESCOTT ­ The offices of The Prescott Journal and St. Lawrence Printing will be closed this Friday, Dec. 31. The offices will return to regular operating hours Monday, Jan. 3.

The deadline for display and classified advertising in the Jan. 5 edition of The Journal is this Thursday at noon.

Most stores will be closed New Year's Day (Saturday, Jan. 1). Most government offices and banks will be closed Monday, Jan. 3.

Be on the lookout for impaired driving

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Grenville County OPP are reminding the public to drink responsibly this holiday season.

With New Year's Eve just around the corner, hosts and party-goers are being asked to do what they can to avoid having someone drink and drive.

Anyone who sees what appears to be a case of impaired driving should call police immediately and be able to offer a description of the driver and vehicle, including a full or partial licence plate number

RIDE checks could be set up anywhere at any time during the Christmas and New Year season. Frigid temperatures did not stop police from setting up a RIDE check Sunday at 12:05 am at Edward and Wood streets. Twelve vehicles were checked; no charges were laid.

Emergency numbers not for road conditions

SMITHS FALLS ­ Do not call 9-1-1 or the Ontario Provincial Police to get information on road conditions, police are advising the public.

OPP communication centres have been swamped with non-emergency 9-1-1 and other phone calls from people wanting to know what the roads are like for driving, according to a police news release issued last Wednesday.

Police note the volume of calls is already higher than usual at communication centres because of the time of year and an increase in vehicle collisions.

For information on road conditions in Ontario, call the toll-free Ministry of Transportation line at 1-800-268-4686 or visit www.mto.gov.on.ca.

Welcome the new year

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Levees to mark the arrival of 2005 will be held this Saturday.

Royal Canadian Legion Branch 105 will host a New Year's Day Levee from noon to 6 pm at the Cardinal Legion. Everyone is invited to attend. Refreshments will be available.

Branch 97 will also host a public levee at noon at the Prescott Legion. There will be refreshments and music.

The levee at Legion Branch 604 in Spencerville will run from noon until 2 pm.

Extended drive pays off for United Way

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

BROCKVILLE - A flurry of last-minute donations resulted in the United Way of Leeds and Grenville surpassing its 2004 target of $785,000.

However, reaching this target on Dec. 21 did not come easily for the organization. "As of last Friday, we were looking at a $27,000 shortfall," explained Executive Director Judi Baril. The United way set their target this past May.

She added that if the campaign had not raised the additional funds, they would have had to scale back funding to their member agencies. "We would have looked to the (United Way) office first for cuts first," emphasized Baril. "We felt an obligation to our member agencies (to absorb as much of the shortfall as possible ourselves)."

A streak of good luck started Dec. 17, when Trillium Healthcare decided to match its employees contributions and donated $11,600 to the United Way's campaign. "$27,000 in a few days is hard to get. When you get a big donation it makes it easier," stated Baril.

A number of other donations from individuals as well as a donation from Brockville's 3M tape plant which was several thousand dollars more than United Way was expecting, all contributed to them reaching the goal. However, it was a more than $1,300 donation from Bennett Lewis McMahon Stillar Chartered Accountants which took the campaign over the top. Baril mentioned their donation was all the more significant because the firm has been Leeds-Grenville United Way's auditors for the past 47 years. "We were so excited. It was such an adrenaline rush," said Baril. She added the campaign raised $785,410.76, which was 100.05 per cent of the campaign goal.

The 2005 Leeds and Grenville United Way campaign was extended by two weeks to ensure its goal was reached. "We were prepared to extend it to Dec. 31," stated Baril. She added factors such as manufacturing shutdowns and layoffs contributed to the 2004 campaign not reaching its goal within the original time frame. "We have no idea what will happen (in area industry) when we set our goal," stated Baril.

She added United Way will not lower goals for future fundraising campaigns in spite of the organization's difficulty in reaching its goal this year and last.

Spencerville church left in disarray just two days before Christmas

SPENCERVILLE ­ A place of worship in Spencerville was found trashed the day before Christmas Eve.

Firefighters and police were called to Spencerville United Church on Centre Street Thursday at about 4 pm. Someone had turned on the propane valve and emptied the tank; it is believed the fumes set off the fire alarm. All the fire extinguishers had been emptied throughout the church. The culprits also helped themselves to food items, although it was unclear if anything had actually been taken from the church.

Entry was gained by breaking a pane of stained glass in the basement window.

Police suspect the occurrence might not have ended too long before the alarm was activated.

Evidence found at the scene is being reviewed by a scenes-of-crime officer. Constable McConnell is the investigating officer.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Grenville County OPP at 925-4221 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Massive Asian relief effort under way

MP encourages people to donate what they can

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Residents of the Prescott area are being encouraged to support relief efforts in south Asia following a massive tsunami that caused widespread coastal destruction and claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The tidal wave, which followed a major earthquake centered off the coast of Sumatra in Indonesia Sunday morning, reached Sri Lanka, India, Thailand, Malaysia and Bangladesh, and even reached Somalia 5,000 kilometres away on the eastern coast of Africa.

As of early Tuesday, the death toll was 33,000 and still rising. Entire villages and resorts in coastal areas were swept away by a wall of water measuring six to 10 metres in height.

Leeds-Grenville MP Gord Brown referred to the situation Monday as "a disaster of unimaginable proportions" which will get worse without immediate aid. Relief agencies such as the Red Cross are calling for cash donations with which food, medicine and other supplies can be purchased and shipped to the devastated areas.

As of Monday, the federal government had pledged $1 million in aid and was prepared to review the amount as circumstances arose. In addition to the destruction of homes and infrastructure and treating the injured, there is also concern over contaminated water and the spread of disease.

The relief agencies listed by Brown's office include:

* Canadian Red Cross (1-800-418-1111; www.redcross.ca; 170 Metcalfe St., Suite 300, Ottawa K2P 2P2)

* World Vision (1-800-268-5528; www.worldvision.ca)

* UNICEF Canada (1-877-955-3111; www.unicef.ca; 2200 Yonge St., Suite 1100, Toronto, M4S 2C6)

* Oxfam Canada (1-800-466-9326; www.oxfam.ca; 200-215 Spadina Ave., Toronto, M5T 2C7)

Donations sent by mail should note they are for disaster relief in Africa.

Foreign Affairs Canada has an emergency response centre (1-800-387-3124) for people seeking information on family or friends who were in the region at the time of the disaster.

One United Nations official indicated this could be the costliest natural disaster in history, according to a CTV.ca report.

January

First baby of 2004 comes home to Prescott

PRESCOTT ­ The timing could not have been better for Mark and Rebekah Froats. The Prescott couple became the proud parents of a healthy baby girl ­ Jaclyn Grace Froats ­ Jan. 1 at 2:01 am at Brockville General Hospital.

Updated OPP, town police costings sought

PRESCOTT ­ Prescott's community and protective services committee has asked for updated costings of retaining the Prescott Police Service and switching to a municipal contract with the Ontario Provincial Police. Councillor Chuck Street had put forward a council resolution which would place conditions on disbanding the municipal police department. However, he agreed to withdraw the motion and support the call for updated costings.

Dodge and Eaton are Junior Citizens

PRESCOTT ­ Kaitlynn Dodge and Mackenzie Eaton are the recipients of the Ontario Junior Citizen of the Year Award. The Prescott teenagers are among 13 young people to receive the award presented each year by the Ontario Community Newspapers Association. Eaton and Dodge, both 17, founded the Soup for the Soul community supper, a Christmas dinner held annually since 2001. The Prescott Journal nominated the dynamic duo for the provincial honour. They will receive the award at a special luncheon in Toronto in March.

Shakespeare festival seeks encore

PRESCOTT ­ Organizers of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival are seeking the continued financial support of the Town of Prescott. Council has been asked to approve a letter of credit for $12,000 and a grant of $6,000 for the second season of the festival to be held this summer in the Kinsmen Amphitheatre at Sandra S. Lawn Harbour. The letter of credit would cover a bond needed to secure the services of unionized actors. The grant is similar to what the town gave the festival in 2003.

Gord Brown will run for Conservatives

LEEDS-GRENVILLE ­ Gord Brown has announced he will seek the Conservative nomination in the next federal election expected sometime this spring. The Gananoque businessman was the Alliance candidate in the 2000 election in which he lost Leeds-Grenville by 55 votes to Liberal MP Joe Jordan. The Alliance and Progressive Conservatives amalgamated late last year to form the Conservative Party of Canada.

February

PM hears concerns from civic leaders

BROCKVILLE - Leeds-Grenville needs the resources with which the public and private sectors can survive and thrive, Prime Minister Paul Martin was told during a visit to Brockville Friday.

Martin attended a round-table discussion on rural development organized by Leeds-Grenville MP Joe Jordan and held at the united counties building (the former public school board office) on Central Avenue. The PM and MP received brief presentations from smaller groups that had met prior to Martin's arrival.

OPP provides updated costing of town service

PRESCOTT - Town officials have received an update on what it would cost to have the Ontario Provincial Police provide service in Prescott.

Staff Sergeant Brent Hill, Grenville County OPP detachment commander, and representatives from the OPP contract policing bureau presented a revised proposal to Prescott's community and protective services committee Monday night.

The new price of the OPP's more expensive option is $1,340,000, which is line with the projected cost of retaining the municipal department.

More than one million dollars spent so far

PRESCOTT - Spending on the town hall renovation project is now in excess of $1 million, Prescott council has been told.

Council members had asked for the spending update last week. Renovations to the three-storey municipal building on Dibble Street West are almost complete.

Ultramar responds to concerns about spill

MAYNARD - Ultramar is doing everything it can to avoid another major spill at its Maitland Terminal, according to a senior company official.

A special Augusta council meeting to discuss the early-December incident that resulted in the release of about 750, 000 litres of diesel fuel took place last Wednesday afternoon at the Augusta municipal office in Maynard.

The five-member council was joined by Ultramar representatives and more that 25 members of the public, most of whom live near the terminals where the spill occurred.

March

Business, citizen, youth of the year awarded

PRESCOTT - The Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce had several awards to hand out Monday night at St. Mark's Parish Centre.

Lewis Beach of Beach's Home Hardware received the Business of the Year award and credits his success to good customer service and a strong staff.

Prescott barber Bob Millar was selected as the volunteer of the year for his outstanding community work. As well, Meagen Gibson received the Connie Dickey Youth of the Year award and says her experience as an Air Cadet has been a dream come true.

Environment ministry says no testing needed

PRESCOTT - Additional testing of town water being received by several properties just to the west of Prescott is not required, according to the Ministry of the Environment (MOE).

The ministry's legal services branch concluded seven properties in Augusta township do not fit the definition of a stand-alone distribution system for which the additional tests would be required. The MOE advised the township of the revised position in a letter dated March 1.

Water, sewer users will pay more

PRESCOTT ­ Water and sewer rates could be on the rise in a big way later this year.

As Prescott council begins formal 2004 budget deliberations, one of the main items on the agenda is revising rates in response to provincial regulations which call for the entire cost of providing water and services to be borne by those who receive the services. Based on the findings of a consulting firm hired by the municipality, current rates would have to increase significantly in order to cover operating costs as well as reserves and the replacement of infrastructure, including water and sewer plants.

Most speakers support town police service

PRESCOTT ­ The future of policing of Prescott was the subject of a public meeting held March 24 at the Prescott Legion. About 200 people attended the meeting. Three-quarters of the speakers at the gathering spoke in favour of retaining the Prescott Police Service. The meeting lasted a mere 40 minutes and was orderly and, for the most part, civil. Town council indicated input received at the public meeting would be considered as council decides whether or not to proceed with disbanding the municipal police department in favour of OPP service.

Manufacturer to cut 26 jobs in Prescott

PRESCOTT ­ REHAU has announced 26 of its 66 workers in Prescott will be affected by the transfer of window production and warehouse operations to Winnipeg. The local manufacturer will now focus on pipe production and distribution and the development of new products. Manager Peter Froeschel said there is a possibility some of the lost jobs will be replaced by new ones.

April

Survey says most support town police

PRESCOTT ­ A survey conducted by some members of the Prescott Fire Department indicates overwhelming support for retaining the town's municipal police department. Fire Chief Bill Lawrence reported 91 per cent of more than 430 people who responded support the Prescott Police Service. The survey drew a mixed response from town council members who appear to remain divided on the disbandment issue, which is likely to be voted on later this month.

Joe Jordan to seek third term as MP

LEEDS-GRENVILLE ­ Joe Jordan has been acclaimed as the Leeds-Grenville Liberal candidate in the next federal election. The two-term MP will seek a third mandate in what is expected to be a spring election. Jordan, whose father Jim also served as a Liberal MP in the region, is being challenged again by Gord Brown of the Conservatives. The incumbent defeated Brown by 55 votes in the Nov. 2000 election.

Old Augusta positions out, new positions in

MAYNARD ­ A restructuring plan implemented by Augusta council has resulted in the loss of two management positions and the creation of new ones. Roads Superintendent Fred Leonard and Chief Building Official and Bylaw Enforcement Officer Doug Beesley were terminated last week. The organizational review is in response to a report prepared for the previous council by the Templeman Consulting Group.

Job cuts hit DuPont site in Maitland

MAITLAND ­ Up to 85 employees in lycra and spandex production at DuPont Canada Maitland Site will be losing their jobs, the company has announced. The terminations are to take effect sometime in May. The restructuring is due, in part, to restructuring by the parent company. A deal to sell most of the local operations (renamed Invista) as part of a deal between DuPont and subsidiaries of Koch Industries is expected to take effect this spring.

Chamber of Commerce name to stay the same

RIVERVIEW HEIGHTS ­ Directors of the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce have decided not to rename the business organization. A proposal to change the name from Prescott to South Grenville was defeated at a board meeting held at the Rothesay Restaurant.

Disbandment to proceed

PRESCOTT ­ Town council has voted 4-3 to proceed with plans to enter into a municipal contract with the Ontario Provincial Police. Mayor Robert Lawn and councillors Jo-Anne Beckstead, Suzanne Dodge and Bob Pelda voted in favour of the move. Councillors Nancy Lane, Sue O'Hanlon and Chuck Street voted against the motion. The disbandment of the Prescott Police Service, which is now expected to take effect later this year, will result in the loss of several civilian dispatcher jobs. Three officers with the municipal department will not be joining the OPP. Prescott will become a separate patrol zone as part of the Grenville County OPP detachment.

May

Child molester opts to leave Prescott

PRESCOTT ­ A convicted child molester has moved out of Prescott a week after moving to town. Barry Peter Bradford left the community to obtain treatment, according to Police Chief Bryan Somerville. The chief had issued a public advisory last week to report the arrival of Bradford, who served two years in federal custody for sexual assault; seven convictions involved boys between the ages of three and 10.

KOPS to fight town police disbandment

PRESCOTT ­ A group of concerned citizens upset with council's decision to proceed with disbanding the Prescott Police Service has been formed. Keep Our Police Services (KOPS) Chair Brett Todd told town council the vast majority of residents are not being served by disbandment and oppose it. KOPS is circulating a petition in support of retaining the municipal police department. The group is considering other courses of action in an effort to prevent disbandment from proceeding.

Musical Ride attracts 3,000 to fort field

PRESCOTT ­ A crowd estimated at 3,000 flocked to Fort Wellington Sunday, May 16 to watch a performance by the RCMP Musical Ride. Local organizers of the afternoon event noted the visiting team appreciated the hospitality it received in Prescott. The Ride's last appearance in Prescott was in 2001.

Water and sewer hikes a step closer

PRESCOTT ­ Town council is considering water and sewer rate hikes of about 50 per cent which would take effect July 1. Council has yet to sign off on the increases, but town officials agree higher rates are necessary in order to meet the user-pay approach being pushed by the provincial government.

Federal election set for Monday, June 28

LEEDS-GRENVILLE ­ A federal election will take place Monday, June 28. The Liberals led by Paul Martin, who succeeded Jean Chrétien, are seeking their fourth consecutive majority government. A few days before the election call was made, Leeds-Grenville Joe Jordan announced the creation of a $10-million Eastern Ontario Development Fund.

OPP constable dies in the line of duty

PRESCOTT ­ Members of the Grenville County OPP detachment are mourning the loss of Constable Tyler Boutilier, who died from injuries he sustained in a two-vehicle crash near Seeley's Bay May 23. The 32-year-old officer, who was based in Grenville and also served as a member of the regional emergency response team, was responding to a call when his cruiser was struck by an oncoming vehicle. The driver of the other vehicle was injured. Charges against her are pending.

Principal change to take place at SG district high school

PRESCOTT ­ South Grenville District High School is getting a new principal. Brenda Ramsay, who has been at the helm of the Prescott school for four-and-a-half years, will take over the principal's job at North Dundas District High School. Ted Whiteland will succeed Ramsay at South Grenville.

June

Ribbon-cutting marks completion of work at Prescott town hall

PRESCOTT ­ May 29 was a banner day for the Town of Prescott as the renovated Dibble Street municipal building was officially opened. Peter Place, whose father had been one of the contractors hired to construct the former high school in the early 1930s, was on hand to assist Mayor Robert Lawn with the ribbon-cutting ceremony. More than $1 million has been spent to refurbish portions of the building, especially the second floor on which municipal offices and council chambers are located.

Publisher John Morris passes away at age 68

PRESCOTT ­ Longtime Prescott Journal Publisher John Morris passed away peacefully at Brockville General Hospital June 5 after a lengthy illness. He was 68.

Mr. Morris followed in his father Jack's footsteps as a journalist. A Ryerson graduate, he started and edited an Ontario Hydro employee newsletter for the St. Lawrence Power Project before purchasing The Kemptville Advance. He sold the paper in 1964 and joined his father at The Prescott Journal and Cardinal News. The family still owns and operates several newspapers in Eastern Ontario and northern New York.

Morris, a recipient of the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce 1980 Community Service Award, also received the Golden Quill Award from the Canadian Community Newspaper Association in 2002 and the Queen's Golden Jubilee Medal in 2003.

Inaugural highland games launched

SPENCERVILLE ­ About 2,000 people attended the inaugural Veterans Memorial Highland Games held June 19 at the George Drummond Memorial Grounds in Spencerville. Although attendance was lower than expected, event organizer Kelly Bush indicated there would be a second edition of the highland games in 2005.

Water, sewer rate hikes are approved

PRESCOTT ­ As the municipal tax rate in Prescott goes down, water and sewer rates are going up. Council has given final approval to the new water and sewer rates which will increase an average of about 50 per cent as of July 1. Further rate hikes are anticipated in 2005, although they will have to be approved by council next year.

Brown defeats Jordan to win Leeds-Grenville

LEEDS-GRENVILLE ­ Gord Brown is the new MP in Leeds-Grenville. The Conservative candidate defeated incumbent Liberal MP Joe Jordan by about 9,000 votes in the June 28 election. However, the Liberals under the leadership of Paul Martin were elected to a minority government. This was the first election for the Conservative Party of Canada, an amalgamation of the federal Progressive Conservative and Alliance parties formed late last year.

July

Shakespeare festival opens second season

PRESCOTT ­ The second season of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival has arrived. The Comedie of Errors, directed by Sonia Ritter of London, England, will run July 12-31 in the amphitheatre at Sandra S. Lawn Harbour. Last year's production of The Tempest drew crowds totalling just under 2,000. New this season, a tent located just east of the marina building will be used as an alternate site in case of bad weather.

Town hall renovation bill tops $1.1 million

PRESCOTT ­ The final bill for town hall renovations is in. The Dibble Street municipal building project cost $1,160,597, according to a report submitted to Prescott council by Treasurer/Deputy CAO Laurie Kirkby.

The initial amount set by the previous council when it approved the renovation project was $800,000. About $970,000 the town received from the sale of the former PUC to form part of Rideau St. Lawrence Utilities was allocated for use in the project. The remaining $190,000 is to come from reserves.

Police issues resurface

PRESCOTT ­ The policing debate does not appear to have ended just yet. Although Sept. 1 remains the transition date for the switch from Prescott Police Service to Grenville County OPP, a bylaw authorizing the mayor and CAO to enter into an agreement with the OPP on behalf of the town was not put to a final vote at council. It was revealed contract negotiations had yet to take place. The Keep Our Police Services group opposed to disbandment has collected several hundred names on a petition in support of the municipal department.

Twelve-hour standoff ends peacefully

CARDINAL ­ At least 50 Ontario Provincial Police officers from across the province were deployed to Cardinal July 25 after a man police believed to be in possession of a firearm and who indicated he would harm himself refused to leave a house at the corner of Walker and Helen streets. Some officers in camouflage gear took positions in the neighbourhood as the standoff continued. Dozens of onlookers remained near the scene well into the night. Ronald McKenna, 45, surrendered to police at about 3:30 am. No guns were found, and no one was injured. McKenna was later sentenced to 90 days in jail for charges stemming from the standoff.

August

Shakespeare festival ends on high note

PRESCOTT ­ Year two of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival had to contend with feisty mosquitoes and several nights of rain, but attendance figures were climbing as the second season drew to a close. Ken Durand, chair of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Company, said Artistic Director Deborah Smith has demonstrated the festival can produce a high-quality performance. The goal is to make the festival a permanent fixture in Prescott, according to Durand.

T.R. Leger coming to municipal hall

PRESCOTT ­ Town council has agreed to a multi-year agreement that will see the third floor of the Dibble Street municipal building become the new home of the Prescott campus of T.R. Leger School. The adult and continuing education school had been housed at the high school. In anticipation of the lease, council has already approved contracts for further work to the third floor that was not part of the town hall renovation project completed earlier in the year.

One last 4-3 police vote

PRESCOTT ­ One of the final obstacles standing in the way of the policing switch in Prescott has been cleared. In a recorded vote of 4-3, town council has given its consent for the mayor and CAO to sign an agreement with the OPP on behalf of the municipality. As was the case when council voted in April to proceed with the OPP contract, Mayor Lawn and councillors Beckstead, Dodge and Pelda supported the motion in favour of entering into the agreement. Councillors Lane, O'Hanlon and Street were opposed.

Job action begins at fort

PRESCOTT ­ Unionized workers at Fort Wellington have begun job action as part of the impasse between Parks Canada and the Public Service Alliance of Canada. Five workers at the national historic site are affected by the move; rotating strikes are being planned. However, the union said local workers will not impede visitors seeking access to the fort. The last labour disruption involving Fort Wellington took place in 1991.

September

OPP on duty in new Prescott patrol zone

PRESCOTT ­ The end of an era arrived Sept. 1 at 7 am. At that time, the Grenville County OPP detachment assumed responsibility for policing in Prescott, and the lengthy and divisive process was finally over. The Prescott Police Department is now disbanded, and dispatch services are no longer being handled at the police and fire hall at the corner of Centre and Henry streets. Joe Scott, one of several dispatchers out of work as a result of the switch, said he is close to making peace with council's decision to proceed with disbandment and the contracting out of fire dispatch to the Brockville Fire Department.

as a result of the switch, said he is close to making peace with council's decision to proceed with disbandment and the contracting out of fire dispatch to the Brockville Fire Department.

Prescott officers sworn in at public ceremony

PRESCOTT ­ The swearing-in of the former Prescott Police Service members who joined the ranks of the OPP took place the evening of Sept. 1 at the Prescott Legion. Seven officers and one civilian dispatcher have made the switch to the OPP. Three Prescott officers ­ constables Mike Ostrander, Richard Champagne and Darren Davis ­ did not make the switch. Ostrander and Champagne retired from the OPP prior to joining the Prescott department. Davis, a former OPP constable, was not offered a job by provincial police. Mayor Robert Lawn said the switch represents "a positive change for our community."

Everybody loves the fair

SPENCERVILLE ­ More than 25,000 people attended the 149th edition of the Spencerville Fair, according to organizers of the four-day event. Although the remnants of Hurricane Frances put a damper on opening night Thursday, the weather improved and the crowds came in record numbers. The Friday night show featuring April Wine and Ambush drew more than 3,000 people to the entertainment tent.

Crosswalks get go-ahead

PRESCOTT ­ Town council has given the green light to upgraded crosswalks on Edward Street at Victor Road near the high school and between James and Park streets near St. Mark School. Industrial Electric submitted the winning bid of more than $89,000 to do the crosswalks and install flashing green signals at the intersection of Edward and Churchill Road.

September

Senior games pitch made to Prescott

PRESCOTT ­ The Town of Prescott is being asked to take part in a joint bid to host the 2007 Ontario Senior Winter Games. Brockville Councillor Tony Barnes told town council the games would bring at least 1,500 competitors to the area in Feb. 2007 and would represent a million-dollar boost to the regional economy. Councils in Brockville, Prescott, Athens and Gananoque are being asked to support the joint bid.

It was not just any day for this priest

PRESCOTT ­ The local Catholic community gathered at St. Mark's Parish Centre Sept. 26 to celebrate the 70th birthday of father Johannes (John) Appelman, who also marks his 45th year in the priesthood. Appelman is the parish priest at St. Mark's and at Sacred Heart in Cardinal.

October

Boundary Street school turns 50

PRESCOTT ­ Boundary Street Public School celebrated its 50th anniversary Oct. 1. The north-end school was opened in 1954 as work on the nearby McAuley Gardens subdivision was continuing.

Riverside in high gear at new Prescott site

PRESCOTT ­ The Oct. 2 grand opening of Riverside Pontiac-Buick's new dealership north of Highway 401 attracted more than 1,000 people. The new multi-million-dollar site on Development Drive just west of Edward Street consolidates Riverside's main operations formerly located on Edward at Henry Street and on County Road 2 west of Johnstown. A portion of the old Edward Street location has been retained for use as a body shop.

Local MPP is top Tory in legislature

TORONTO ­ Leeds-Grenville MPP Bob Runciman has been named leader of the official opposition. Runciman, who has been a Progressive Conservative MPP for 23 years, will lead the party in the Ontario legislature. John Tory, who succeeded Ernie Eves as leader of the provincial Tories, does not have a seat in the legislature. Runciman held several cabinet portfolios in the Harris and Eves governments.

NEPS marks 40 years

SHANLY ­ North Edwardsburgh Public School celebrated its 40th anniversary Oct. 7. At an open house held at the school, Marlene Selleck was honoured for her 40 years as a school bus driver serving the North Edwardsburgh community.

Parks Canada workers strike tentative deal

PRESCOTT ­ As the impasse between the federal government and the Public Service Alliance of Canada escalated, unionized Parks Canada Agency workers reached a tentative deal. Workers at Fort Wellington had taken part in several days of rotating strikes, forcing the national historic site to close to the public for two days prior to the end of the 2004 season in late September.

Fortier wins culinary gold in olympic event

PRESCOTT ­ Natalie Fortier of Prescott is part of the P.E.I.-based Canadian team that has won a gold medal at the World Junior Culinary Olympics. The gold came in the "cold competition" in which four team members dipped hundreds of pieces of food into aspic jelly several times and then composed them on two different platters with seafood and Arctic hare. Fortier said it was a stressful but wonderful experience.

Eastern fund is on the way, feds say

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ The federal government has confirmed the $10-million Eastern Ontario Development Fund will proceed, but some of the details of the program have yet to be made public. Prescott-based Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation is one of 15 CFDCs in the region that will deliver the fund, which will provide partial or full funding to applicants seeking money for capital projects, internships and other activities relating to economic development and job creation. Leeds-Grenville MP Gord Brown remains critical of the Liberals' handling of the program and the fact successful applicants will have to spend the money by the end of next March.

November

Prescott council votes itself a big raise

PRESCOTT ­ Town council has given itself a big pay raise. As of Jan. 1, the honourarium for mayor goes from $8,077 per year to $14,000 per year. Each of the six councillors will receive $7,000 per year, up from the current $4,071. Prescott has been at or near the bottom of the municipal council pay list in the region for many years, it was noted. The vote in favour of the hikes was 4-2.

Principal's Award goes to Katie Beatty

PRESCOTT ­ Katie Beatty is the recipient of this year's Principal's Award at South Grenville District High School. Beatty and other award winners and graduates were honoured at the 2003-04 commencement held Nov. 6. Also at the high school commencement, David Black was named to South Grenville's Wall of Fame. The Cardinal native is a published author who teaches in Victoria, B.C.

Games selection team comes for visit

PRESCOTT ­ A site selection committee was in Prescott and Maitland Nov. 16 as part of a visit of local communities in the running to host the 2007 Ontario Senior Winter Games. Local stops on the whirlwind tour included the Leo Boivin Community Centre, Prescott Curling Club and Grenville Christian College. A decision is expected early in the new year.

Big crowd sees parade

PRESCOTT ­ More than 10,000 people lined the streets of Prescott Nov. 19 to watch this year's Light Up the Night Christmas parade presented by the town's volunteer fire department. The number of entries was lower than in 2003, but event co-chair Barry Moorhouse said many people remarked the quality of entries was better this year. Grenville park was given fist place by parade judges; Central Public School placed second, followed by Selleck Mechanical in third.

Ultramar may get bigger

MAITLAND ­ Ultramar is considering expansion of its Maitland terminal site. The company has already met privately with Augusta Reeve John McCrea to discuss the matter. There have been indications there will be a public meeting to discuss any changes to existing agreements and seek input from the public.

Kamenz re-elected V-P

VENTNOR ­ Geri Kamenz has been re-elected vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. The Ventnor-area farmer is completing his second term as one of the federation's vice-presidents.

December

Event needs more giving

PRESCOTT ­ The Spirit of Giving campaign is calling on the community to come through with some much-needed support. The annual program run by the Kinsmen Club of Prescott with the help of a group of students at South Grenville District High School distributes Christmas food baskets, non-perishable items and toys to less fortunate residents of the South Grenville area. The Kinsmen report a slow response in terms of donations; the cost of filling the Christmas boxes for 270 families is in the range of $10,000-$12,000, but the club has received a fraction of that amount to date.

Membership is open to adults of all ages

WALKER HOUSE NEWS by MARNIE LIPPIATT

Best wishes for a Happy New Year to all the members of Walker House and to the community.

Everything will be up and running as usual Monday, Jan. 3. We welcome each group back after the holidays.

Memberships for the 2005 year are now due and can be paid to your group leader or at the office during the day.

A one-year membership is still just $10 and runs until the end of Dec. 2005.

The first half of the cost of the trip to Magog is now due. Call 925-5300 if you have a question about the trip.

2004 ­ YEAR IN REVIEW

Cardinal & District News

January

There is still much for council to do

SPENCERVILLE - Mayor Peggy Taylor insists Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal council has worked hard in this past year to do what is best for the township, but there is still much to do and changes in store for the upcoming year.

Taylor sees council's work this past year as ensuring financial responsibility with accounts and reserves as a strength it hopes to see in the future.

"Our finances have been a sound aspect in the past and will continue to be," said Taylor Jan. 5.

Tyler Colligan skates in national finals

CARDINAL - A Cardinal athlete rose to the occasion by posting a top-15 finish in the junior mens competition at the 2004 BMO Financial Group Canadian Figure Skating Championship held the week of Jan. 7 in Edmonton.

Tyler Colligan placed 11th overall in the junior mens competition after finishing 10th in the short program and 11th in the freeskate competition.

The 18-year-old skater was the top finisher from the Eastern Ontario region.

Cardinal library moves

CARDINAL - The new site of the Cardinal Public Library opened to the public Monday night, but not all books will be available right away.

Despite getting everything moved over to the new site for Jan. 26, Librarian Margaret-Ann Gaylord advised everything will not be complete for the next two weeks. "We're here, so we'll be open," explained Gaylord.

The library moved to a new site in the Cardinal Municipal Building from its former home on Lewis Street.

February

Johnstown crossing to be upgraded

SPENCERVILLE - Township council agreed to first and second readings of a bylaw to upgrade the existing Frederick Street railway crossing in Johnstown.

After much discussion on the topic, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council agreed Monday to introduce a bylaw in order to avoid holding things up any longer.

The agreement with Canadian National Railway and Transport Canada is estimated to cost the township $32,500, in addition to a yearly maintenance fee payable to CN as well as the cost of the environmental assessment and road widening.

Bessie Lamson marks her 105th birthday

BURLINGTON - Another trip to watch her favourite hockey team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, is how Cardinal native Bessie Lamson will spend her 105th birthday.

Lamson told The Journal Feb. 5 she was doing well and she was looking forward to her upcoming birthday.

"I'm getting older every year. I can't believe I'm going to be 105." explained Lamson.

March

Garlic festival uprooted

CARDINAL - A conflict with dates has caused the 2004 Garlic Festival to pull out of Cardinal.

The Garlic Festival, which organizers were planning to hold this fall in Cardinal, is now looking for a new home after a conflict with the Cardinal Community Festival Committee.

Cardinal Community Festival Committee Co-Chair Nancy Toupin explained the Garlic Festival pulled out of Cardinal after being asked to answer some questions before being accepted as a member organization of the festival committee to help with insurance coverage.

Soldier returns home

CARDINAL - Local soldier Roger Shaver was welcomed back home by his hometown of Cardinal Saturday by many of his friends and family members.

Shaver, a Corporal with the Third Battalion of the Royal Canadian Regiment's Parachute Company, has recently completed a six-month tour of duty in Kabul, Afghanistan.

While in Afghanistan, Shaver's regular duties included patrols and intelligence gathering missions.

Water meter issue resurfaces at council

CARDINAL - The topic of water meters came up once again at the March 24 Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Committee-of-the-whole meeting at the Cardinal Public Library.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated the topic of water meters was raised in case the provincial government were to introduce legislation which would make water meters mandatory.

April

Tales of good samaritan

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

Patrick presented a slideshow to students in Candy Duvall's grade 5/6 class at Benson Public School April 8.

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

Pool work to proceed

SPENCERVILLE - Work on the new deck around the Johnstown pool is expected to start shortly after council voted in favour of the $15,000 project.

At the April 14 council meeting, Public Works Manager Mike Spencer brought forth an estimate to purchase and install new interlocking patio stones from Carefree Pools around the pool at a cost of $15,536.40.

Ward One councillors Hugh Cameron and Charlie Burrell indicated they had each looked into the costs of completing such a project in concrete and found it could be done for roughly $10,000.

The Bloom is back

CARDINAL - With the growing season already started, Cardinal In Bloom is prepared for the 2004 campaign.

The group has expanded its efforts to add a photo contest and to do more work at the Benson Park in addition to its flowered homes and businesses contest.

Cardinal In Bloom member Lori Pennell indicated the group is hoping these measures will make the annual campaign bigger and better.

May

Workers at Casco hit the picket line

CARDINAL - There appeared to be no end in site for the more than 160 hourly workers who went on strike at Casco's Cardinal plant May 14.

Workers hit the picket line at noon at the processing plant which still produces corn syrup as part of the U.S.-based Corn Producers Organization.

United Food Processors Union CAW Local 483 President Kevin Patrick indicated the strike had been put off until May 14 as an act of goodwill to the company.

After six days of picketing at Casco, an agreement was finalized between Casco Cardinal's food processing plant and striking workers of United Food Processors Union CAW Local 483.

Union President Kevin Patrick was happy to see an end to the strike.

June

Township budget has its ups and downs

SPENCERVILLE - "The bad news is everyone's assessment went up," Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Treasurer Russell Trivett said as he laid out the first and second reading of the township's 2004 budget at the June 7 council meeting.

Homeowners in Edwardsburgh/Cardinal whose property assessments did not go up will pay less in municipal taxes in 2004, while those whose assessments went up might be paying considerably more.

The treasurer indicated assessment in the municipality rose by $45,000,000 as a whole, with most property assessments rising an average of 13 per cent.

New committee formed to study water meters

SPENCERVILLE - A water metering sub-committee has been formed from members of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council to help investigate recommendations made by government.

Ward One councillors Charlie Burrell and Hugh Cameron, Ward Two councillor Peter Martin and Deputy Mayor Bill Sloan were selected by Mayor Peggy Taylor to join herself and environmental services head Jim Grant on the sub-committee looking into various practices and recommendations put forth by the provincial government.

July

Stop sign reversal approved by council

SPENCERVILLE - Township council approved at its July 5 meeting a recommendation for the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville to reverse the stop signs at the so-called "spaghetti junction" on a trial basis.

Despite some criticism from councillors on the change of stop signs from Dundas to Lewis and Bridge Streets, Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal council voted to approve the recommendation.

Mayor shifts position

SPENCERVILLE - Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated at the June 24 sub-committee meeting on water meters at the Cardinal Water Treatment Plant her initial stance on meters for the village of Cardinal had changed.

A report from the Ministry of Environment indicated the meters would work both as a form of water conservation and an informal leak detection and repair program.

At the June 24 meeting, Mayor Taylor indicated she provided handouts for councillors and explained her reasons for supporting water meters.

August

Council votes in favour of accepting 730 water

CARDINAL - Township council voted 6-1 at the Aug. 16 council meeting in favour of accepting waste water from the 730 Truck Stop at the Cardinal Waste Water Treatment Plant.

In a recorded vote, Ward One Councillor Hugh Cameron was the only councillor who voted against the proposed agreement.

"I just wanted to clarify that I am not opposed to accepting the effluent, but I am opposed to the location," he said following the meeting.

"It (730 Truck Stop) is an industry we need and a township employer and community member we're very proud to have, but I just feel there is a better alternative."

Format to be scrapped

SPENCERVILLE - Mayor Peggy Taylor asked Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal council to think about scrapping the committee-of-the-whole format in favour of returning to the former committees format.

Taylor indicated at the Aug. 3 regular meeting of council she had asked council to think about the concept, given the committee-of-the-whole format she implemented in January didn't work out as well as she had anticipated.

September

Annual fundraiser makes great strides

CARDINAL - This year's Ride 'n' Stride for Cancer hit new highs in participation with more than 50 people taking part in the Sept. 5 event.

The total money raised from this year's event was more than $7,000.

Event organizer Peggy Taylor was thrilled with the turnout and the support shown for the Canadian Cancer Society.

Disco Ducks flock back for reunion

CARDINAL - It was a packed house at the Cardinal Legion the evening of Sept. 5 as the Cardinal Disco Ducks Youth Group celebrated its 25th anniversary with a reunion/dance.

The group's original president, Robin Yandeau, was quick to let the crowd know his math skills were a little off (the group originally formed 26 years ago), but he maintained things didn't really get rolling for a year.

Council denounces decision by bank

SPENCERVILLE - Township councillors voted unanimously at the Sept. 7 meeting to endorse a letter to TD Canada Trust denouncing its decision to close the branch in Cardinal.

Mayor Peggy Taylor brought up the issue of the bank's closure during new business at the regular council meeting.

Taylor indicated she wishes to get council to endorse a letter from the municipality expressing its displeasure with the closure and asking them to reconsider.

Committee-of-the-whole format gets the boot

SPENCERVILLE - Township council has approved the new members of committees, with the committee-of-the-whole meetings now scrapped in favour of the previous committees structure.

Council named its elected appointees to committees Sept 20.

Council had previously determined the Mayor would be an automatic part of each committee and the rest of the elected officials on the three committees would be filled with one councillor from each ward.

Do not drink the tap water in township hall

SPENCERVILLE - CAO/Clerk Stephen McDonald notified Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council at its Sept. 20 meeting of council the water in the municipal office in Spencerville has been deemed unsafe to drink.

McDonald explained since testing of water in municipal buildings was started under provincial regulations of Bill 170, the township municipal office has received regular sample results indicate its water is unsafe.

October

Casco has different view of intersection

SPENCERVILLE - Township Mayor Peggy Taylor told Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council Oct. 4 she had received a letter from Casco about the proposed stop sign change at "spaghetti junction" (the Lewis, Bridge and Dundas streets intersection) in Cardinal.

In the letter, Casco Cardinal Plant Manager Marc Harcus indicated the company had met with Les Shepherd from the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville office and reviewed alternatives to reversing the stop signs as had been proposed.

Bank's decision stands

CARDINAL - The Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal Business Association (ECBA) received word Oct. 1 its efforts to save Cardinal's lone bank had been in vain.

ECBA President Bill LaBerge told The Journal Oct. 4 he had received a letter from TD Canada Trust indicating the bank would still be closing March 18.

"The only thing in the letter was that they offered an automated bank machine on a trial basis for six months," said LaBerge.

Food bank on its way

SPENCERVILLE - Township council passed a resolution at the Oct. 18 regular meeting of council in Spencerville to allow the Food For All Food Bank to have a satellite office in the basement of the Cardinal Library.

Council indicated it would instruct Recreation Director Mike Spencer to make arrangements to allow the food bank to use the space at no charge. Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated she had received a request from the food bank to help find a site which could be used as a food bank facility for township residents.

November

Officials hope to relieve congestion near school

SPENCERVILLE - It was noted at the Nov. 1 regular council meeting in Spencerville that Public Works Manager Lawrence Rooney had been in discussions with Benson Public School Principal Bill Loshaw regarding the congestion in front of the school during dismissal times.

The minutes from the Oct. 20 Environmental Services/Public Works Committee meeting indicated Rooney had met with Loshaw at dismissal time to view some of the concerns regarding crossing guards, designated walking routes, traffic congestion and school bus pick-up and delivery.

Credit union considers coming to Cardinal

CARDINAL - Members of Your Credit Union made a presentation to more than 80 Cardinal residents Nov. 9 at the Cardinal Legion in hopes of getting enough interest to open a branch of their financial institution in the village.

Credit union CEO John Ebsary, and past chair of the credit union's board Bruce Corbett spoke to the public explaining what a credit union is, and what it could bring to the village, which is slated to lose its only financial institution (TD Canada Trust) in March.

Food bank satellite office officially opens

CARDINAL - A new satellite branch of the Food For All Food Bank was officially christened Nov. 22 in Cardinal.

The new office is located in the basement of the Cardinal Public Library. Food Bank Co-ordinator Bonnie Gommert indicated the new office comes as a wonderful opportunity for the food bank to continue to meet the needs of the community.

December

Stop sign plan reversed

CARDINAL - A long-term solution to "Spaghetti Junction" is still the goal of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council after the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville put the final nail in the coffin on a resolution to reverse the stop signs at the intersection.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated nothing is new with the status of the intersection, and the united counties voting down the proposed reversal of stop signs from Bridge and Lewis Streets to Dundas Street last month.

Council pushes ahead with new sidewalk plow for Cardinal

SPENCERVILLE - Township council approved the purchase of a new sidewalk plow for Cardinal at its Dec. 6 meeting.

Council approved the purchase of a new Holder Heavy Duty Municipal 4 Wheel Articulated Tractor Sidewalk Plow for $89,200, less a trade-in allowance of $5,000. The price for the holder plow was the lowest bid received.

Still trying to make case to convince credit union

CARDINAL - A campaign to bring a full-service branch of Ottawa-based Your Credit Union to Cardinal is still under way as the financial institution is still trying to gauge interest from residents and businesses.

While things have not reached the level of Your Credit Union committing to bringing a branch to the village, CEO John Ebsary is standing by his assertion the credit union would like to be in the community; however, a strong business case in favour of the move has yet to be made.

TD Canada Trust will close its Dundas Street location in March.

More than 50 collisions reported

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Grenville County OPP responded to 53 collisions between Dec. 20 until the morning of Dec. 27.

Forty-eight of the collisions were single-vehicle. Fortunately, there were only minor injuries reported in two of the mishaps.

On Dec. 24 at about 6:40 am, a car was westbound on County Road 2 west of Cardinal when the driver lost control on ice that had entered the roadway from private property because of the heavy rainfall and runoff. Although she was not injured, the 28-year-old driver had to be extricated by Edwardsburgh/Cardinal firefighters. Her two-year-old daughter was not injured. No charges are pending.

Police remind property owners not to plow or shovel snow onto a public roadway because it might create unsafe driving conditions for motorists.

Drivers are also reminded to adjust to poor road and weather conditions. Excessive speed is often a factor in winter driving mishaps.

SPORTS 2004

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January

Hutton finishes in first place at Sens skills

KANATA - Prescott's Ben Hutton had his dream come true suiting up in an Ottawa Senators jersey as he captured the Bell First Skills Challenge Sens SuperSkills Competition at the Corel Centre.

Hutton, captain of the Rideau St. Lawrence major atom Kings, was one of 375 kids participating.

Atom B Rangers #1 win Renfrew tourney

RENFREW - The South Grenville atom B Rangers #1 were crowned champions of the Renfrew tournament after only allowing one goal throughout the tournament.

In the final, the Rangers scored a 2-1 win over Renfrew Kung Po Restaurant to capture the crown.

Jr. B Rangers playoff bound with victory

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers have clinched a playoff berth for the first time in three years.

With the Rangers' 5-4 win over the Athens Aeros in Cardinal, and an Aeros' loss against Napanee South Grenville assured themselves of the final playoff spot in the Rideau Division.

Prescott-based rink to represent Canada

TORONTO - The Prescott-based junior girls rink managed to win the Toronto Curling Association's Engergizer Curling Bonspiel in London and win the right to represent Canada at a bonspiel in Switzerland.

The rink of skip Laura Payne, vice Lauren Mann, second Megan Aldridge and lead Jennifer Norris captured the title by defeating Kelly Cochrane's nationally ranked rink 8-0.

February

RSL minor peewees capture tournament

TORONTO - The Rideau-St. Lawrence minor peewee Kings captured the International Penguins Tournament in Toronto.

The Kings needed overtime to take a 4-3 victory over the Ottawa Sting in the tournament final.

SG atom B house #2 captures tournament

VANKLEEK HILL - The South Grenville atom B house Rangers #2 continued its undefeated season by capturing the Vankleek Hill atom tournament championship.

In the final, the Rangers scored a 2-1 victory over the Clarence Creek Beavers.

Falcons score league's first-ever shutout

PRESCOTT - The St. Lawrence Falcons Sr. A hockey team continued its strong play with a 7-0 shutout over the Deseronto Bulldogs at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.

Falcons keeper Paul Tomkins made league history with the shutout.

Jr. B Rangers fall behind in playoff series

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers have had some problems scoring as they trail their best-of-seven opening round match-up against the Brockville Tikis 3-0.

After 9-3, 3-2 and 4-3 victories, the Tikis had broken the Rangers' spirit, which included a pair of overtime losses and handful of missed scoring opportunities. Brockville would finish off the Rangers in four games ending its playoff hopes.

March

Junior girls volleyball team captures LGSSAA

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants junior girls volleyball team captured the Leeds and Grenville Secondary School Athletic Association championship over the BCI Red Rams.

The Giants managed to put together wins of 25-17 and 25-17 over the Red Rams to capture the title and advance to the Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association championships.

St. Joeseph advances to championship tourney

IROQUOIS - The St. Joseph Thunderbolts senior boys basketball team won the Elementary School Southeast Region tournament in Iroquois.

St. Joseph now advances to the Leeds and Grenville Elementary School Athletic Association Championships.

Baker named ODMHA volunteer of the year

SPENCERVILLE - "Old Coach" was honoured Sunday for his more than 30 years of service to the South Grenville Minor Hockey Association's initiation hockey program.

Ron Baker, who just completed his 37th year of heading up the program was named the volunteer of the year by the Ottawa District Minor Hockey Association (and Hockey Canada) after being nominated by SGMHA President Rose Williams.

South Grenville midget tournaments a big hit

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Minor Hockey Association's
annual major and minor midget hockey tournaments in Prescott and Cardinal were a big hit drawing hundreds of hockey players and fans to the area.

The London Jr. Knights captured the major midget tournament in Prescott after winning a 6-1 decision over the Richmond Hill Stars in the championship game. The major midget tournament also marked the return of local hockey product Spike Birnie, who coaches the Yorba Linda Blackhawks major midget hockey team.

In the minor midget tournament in Cardinal, the Elgin-Middlesex Chiefs captured the championship after a 4-2 win over the Buffalo Oilers.

Prescott-based junior rink enjoys Swiss experience

GENEVA - The Prescott-based junior girls curling rink led by Laura Payne ended its season with a bang after scoring a bonspiel victory in Switzerland.

In Switzerland, the girls were victorious at the Berne Tournament, defeating teams from Switzerland and Austria to win 1,200 Swiss francs (roughly $1,200 Canadian).

April

PGC becomes first club in region to open doors

PRESCOTT - After an early spurt of warm weather, local golfers didn't have to wait long for the Prescott Golf Club to open for the season.

The club was able to surpass their expectations to open its doors on April 1, becoming the first club in the region to get their pins in place.

Braeden Elliott scores four bronze medals

GARRETTON - South Grenville short track speed skater Braeden Elliott ended his season on
a high note scoring a combined four medals from the North American and Canadian short track speed skating championships.

At the Canadian championships, Elliott scored four bronze medals in the 500-metre, 777-metre, 1,000-metre and as part of the 1,500-metre relay team.

SGMHA sporting new executive for 2004-05

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Minor Hockey Association elected its new executive with only three members returning from the previous regime.

Rose Williams returns as the SGMHA president, while Paul LaBrash returns as the treasurer and Anne Marie Polite returns as the midget convener.

May

Giants rugby team scores 60-5 win over TISS

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants girls rugby team is showing it is a force to be reckoned with after scoring a 60-5 trouncing of the TISS Pirates.

Midget Blues ends season with bronze medal

BROCKVILLE - The Brockville Blues midget boys regional basketball team finished its season on a high noted after winning the bronze medal at its host tournament at St. Mary Catholic School.

In the bronze medal game, the Blues scored a 50-48 win over the Kingston Runnin' Rebels.

South Grenville qualifies 15 for EOSSAA track

BROCKVILLE - The South Grenville Giants track and field team had a strong showing with 14 top three finishes at the Leeds and Grenville Secondary School Athletic Association championships in Brockville.

Erika Kamenz led the Giants with a first place finish in the midget girls long jump, a second place finish in the midget girls triple jump and a fourth place finish in the midget girls 100-metres.

Senior girls soccer team are LGSSAA champions

PRESCOTT - For the first time in nearly ten years, the South Grenville Giants senior girls soccer team is the Leeds and Grenville Secondary School Athletic Association (LGSSAA) champions.

The Giants put the final accent on their season scoring a 2-1 victory over the St. Mary Crusaders.

June

Doyle, Gill to join Area Sports Hall of Fame

PRESCOTT - The Brockville and Area Sports Hall of announced Prescott's Joe Doyle and Cardinal native Todd Gill have been put on the list of 2004 inductees.

Doyle, 80, is being recognized in the builders category for his service as player, coach and general manger for Prescott hockey, managing softball teams and excelling in curling.

Gill, 38, who played more than 1,000 National Hockey League games in his career, started his junior hockey career with the Cardinal Broncos Jr. B team.

Van Luit steps down as Jr. B Rangers GM

CARDINAL - South Grenville Jr. B Rangers coach Rod Simmons will be taking over the general manager's duties of the team after Dennis Van Luit stepped down from the post.

Van Luit resigned after two years with the club, which saw the Rangers break a four-year playoff drought in the spring.

SGHDS names 2004 athletes of year

PRESCOTT - South Grenville District High School named its 2004 athletes of the year.

Travis Irvine and Erin Heibein were named the senior boys and senior girls athletes of the year respectively, while Nathaniel Hayes and Sara Watt were named the junior boys and junior girls athletes of the year.

Locals have strong finishes at swim meet

NEPEAN - Numerous local swimmers had strong showings with the Upper Canada Swim Club team at the Eastern Ontario Swimming Association Championships at the Nepean Sportsplex.

Mitchell Davies won a silver medal in the boys 13 and 14 50-metre backstroke, while Joel Jodoin won bronze medals in the boys 15 and over 800-metre freestyle.

Lavery wins top prize in adult/child tourney

PRESCOTT - The Prescott Golf Club's annual golf tournament was a huge success; more than 40 adults and 40 children took part in the event.

Derrick Lavery took home top prize with the top low gross in the 15-18 age group followed by Matt Hayes.

July

Kirkby will be missed by sporting community

PRESCOTT - South Grenville has lost one of its local legends and most colourful characters.

Life-long Prescott resident William "Chick" Kirkby passed away at the Brockville General Hospital with his family by his side. He was 78.

Kirkby has a long history of sports in the area playing junior hockey and baseball, while also passing on his love of sport through coaching.

Norie Spence honoured with OFSAA award

PRESCOTT - South Grenville District High School teacher/guidance counselor Norie Spence
was presented with the
Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations Pete Beech Award.

The award is similar to 15 others given out in different high school conferences around the province, and honours persons who have made a significant contribution to high school athletics and is an example of someone who is a teacher-coach.

Bobby Hull talks WHA while visiting area

JOHNSTOWN - The Golden Jet, Bobby Hull, was in Johnstown as part of the 75th anniversary party at Masterfeeds.

Hull, a National Hockey League Hall of Famer and a representative for Masterfeeds Rough and Ready Calf Feed Line greeted members of the public and signed autographs, while also promoting the new World Hockey Association, for which he is also a spokesperson.

Prescott wins first battle for Cahill Cup

PRESCOTT - The home team kept bragging rights in the first-ever Jim Cahill Cup at Prescott Golf Club.

Prescott managed to score more than the 12.5 points required to win the title over Brockville
in the Ryder Cup style format.

The event was held in honour of Brockville athlete and sports enthusiast Jim Cahill, who suffers from ALS. The tournament raised more than $7,500 to benefit the Cahill family and ALS Association.

August

Prescott Pirates LL advance to finals

PRESCOTT - The Prescott Pirates major boys baseball team
reached the finals of the Upper Canada Little League Championships after defeating South Mountain #1 2-0 in a best-of-three series.

The Giants scored 7-4 and 13-9 wins over South Mountain #1 to take the series.

PGC captures Border League tourney

PRESCOTT - The Prescott Golf Club took advantage of being on home turf to capture the 56th annual Border League Golf Tournament.

The tournament consisted of 10-man teams from eight local teams, with Prescott managing a narrow one stroke victory over Cornwall with a combined score of 704.

Cardinal Sea Sharks manage tie for top spot

CHESTERVILLE - The Cardinal Sea Sharks swim team had a big day as it tied for top spot at the Chesterville Swim Meet.

Three Sea Shark swimmers won individual medals including, top boy 11 and 12 Danny Calhoun, top girl 13 and 14 Holly Alexander and top girl 15 and over Kristen Jessome.

Canadian soccer pool picks up local player

SPENCERVILLE - South Grenville District High School student Sean Dobbie is living out a lifelong dream being named to the Canadian National junior soccer team pool.

Dobbie, a goalkeeper, has been playing soccer from an early age, but has taken his game to a new level this year working with Prescott native and Canadian goalkeeping coach Mike Toshack.

September

Falcons fly the coop from senior league

PRESCOTT - The Prescott based St. Lawrence Falcons Sr. A hockey team was grounded.

According to the league the team has requested a leave of absence of one year for the Falcons franchise, with hopes of getting back off the ground after some debts with local arenas had been cleared.

Team President Greg Simpson had been trying to sell the team and was holding out for a group who would keep the team in Prescott, but no deal could be made.

Patterson and Bernier capture PGC titles

PRESCOTT - Phil Patterson made it four in a row as he captured another club championship at Prescott Golf Club.

Patterson shot rounds of 66 and 68 for a two-day total of 134, 10 shots ahead of his next competitor, while Betty Bernier captured the ladies' championship after shooting rounds of 84 and 86 to beat Diane Throop by a single stroke.

Junior tennis program wraps up with tourney

PRESCOTT - The Prescott Tennis Club's junior program closed out with a bang, with its end of year tournament.

Kory Chamberland took home junior boys gold, while Rachel Reindorf took home junior girls 'A' gold, Amy Mills took home junior girls 'B' gold, Jackie Mills (replacing Charlotte Rothgeb) took home junior girls 'C' gold, Amy Mills/Michelle Mills took home girls doubles gold and Kory Chamberland/Caitlin Moulton took home mixed doubles gold.

Roebuck wins bantam boys fastpitch title

ROEBUCK - The Roebuck bantam boys fastpitch team captured the Augusta Minor Softball championship after defeating the Domville Aces 2-1 in a best-of-three series.

In the deciding game, Roebuck pitcher Cory Alkerton took the win striking out 13 batters in the game, while also crushing a three-run home run in the sixth inning to help his own cause.

SGMHA donates old items to Nunavut hockey

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Minor Hockey Association made a donation of its older unused hockey equipment to the youth of Nunavut.

More than four boxes of partial jersey sets, old equipment and goaltenders equipment was collected and donated to Algonquin College second year recreational management students Jonathan Reuther and Krystal Sayer, who are heading up the campaign.

Senior boys volleyball team goes undefeated

KEMPTVILLE - The South Grenville Giants senior boys volleyball team started its season with a perfect 6-0 showing in Kemptville.

The Giants were impressive in sweeping BCI, St. Mary, and North Grenville en route to the undefeated mark.

October

Jr. B Rangers post 6-0 record to stay perfect

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers stayed perfect after a pair of weekend victories over the Athens Aeros and Westport Rideaus.

The Rangers defeated the Rideaus 6-4 in Westport, before returning home to score a 4-0 win over the Aeros.

Giants show character in 71-0 loss to BCI

BROCKVILLE - The South Grenville Giants senior boys football team showed a lot of character by not giving up in a 71-0 loss to the BCI Red Rams.

South Grenville perfect at host tourney

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants senior boys volleyball team had a strong day by posting a perfect 6-0 record to improve its season record to 17-1.

The Giants dominated play against St. Mary (25-5, 25-8) and North Grenville (25-16, 25-15), before getting a bit of a scare from BCI (25-18, 25-14) after coming out flat.

Jr. B Rangers first place in Rideau Division

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers hung on to top spot in the Rideau Division after pulling out a three-point week.

The Rangers had to settle for a 3-3 draw with the Picton Pirates, before rebounding to score an 8-0 shutout over the Napanee Raiders later in the week.

November

Giants senior hoops team hits hot streak

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

South Grenville scored a 50-38 win over AAA-school Quinte (Belleville) and a 45-39 win over AAA-school Frontenac (Kingston) before finishing the day undefeated against a very strong Nicholson (Belleville) team 35-26.

SG major midgets win host tournament

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Rangers major midget hockey team came out victorious at its host tournament at the Leo Boivin Community Centre.

The Rangers reeled off a 3-1 win over North Glengarry-Stormont and a 4-0 win over Kemptville on their way to a match-up with the Gananoque Islanders in the final.

The Rangers pulled out a 7-1 win in the final.

Giants capture senior boys LGSSAA title

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants won its third straight LGSSAA senior boys volleyball title with a straight sets victory over the TISS Pirates (25-6, 25-15) in Prescott.

South Grenville went undefeated on the day also reeling off straight set victory over the St. Mary Crusaders (25-7, 25-13).

Giants volleyball team captures EOSSAA championship

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants senior boys volleyball team captured their first EOSSAA volleyball crown in 11 years.

The Giants playing in front of a spirited home crowd, gave the fans plenty to cheer about as it captured the tournament by defeating top-ranked Ernestown (15-25, 25-22, 15-13) in the final.

South Grenville also scored victories over Carleton Place (25-15, 23-25, 15-8), La Citadelle (25-23, 25-18) and Opeongo (25-23,26-24) on its way to the title.

December

Jr. B Rangers clinch Boxing Day berth with Rideau Division lead

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers secured their spot in the 2004 Boxing Day Showcase Tournament in Westport with a 6-2 victory over the Brockville Tikis.

The Rangers' 17-3-2 record after 22 games gave South Grenville the top spot in the Rideau Division and their spot in the Boxing Day tournament alongside host team the Westport Rideaus.

Junior girls qualifies to return to provincial championships

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

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

Hawaii trip full of fond memories for Giants basketball team

HONOLULU - The South Grenville senior girls basketball team enjoyed its trip to Hawaii.

The team, which finished fourth in the Palama Settlement Classic in Honolulu, had fun during its whirlwind trip getting to experience a new culture as well as take in many of the landmarks, such as Pearl Harbor, Diamond Head, the Polynesian Cultural Centre and an authentic luau.

South Grenville Jr. B Rangers run unbeaten streak to 13 games

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers kept their 13-game unbeaten streak alive with a hard-fought victory over the Alexandria Glens.

The Rangers trailed 3-1 in the second period, but battled back scoring a pair of goals in the third period to send the game into overtime where Adam Tousant scored with one second left into the extra frame for the win.

South Grenville heads into the Boxing Day Tournament with a 24-3-3-0 record for 51 points, good enough for top spot in \the entire Eastern Ontario Jr. B Hockey League.

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