VOL. 175, NO. 3~ PRESCOTT, ONTARIO ~ January 19, 2005

Winter festival is here

Spencerville activities set for this weekend

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

SPENCERVILLE - The Spencerville and District Winter Festival committee will need the temperatures to drop and a snowy forecast in order to run the annual event.

"We're hoping the ice at the (Spencerville) Mill will be frozen," festival committee member Jackie Barnard told The Journal Wednesday. "Right now, with the weather forecasts it looks like it should be in pretty good shape."

The organizers indicated the schedule for the winter festival will look a little different than past years, but they still expect it to be a fun, family oriented weekend.

"It's a little different," said Barnard. "It's hard to get people interested in doing things in January, especially getting people to come out to put on demonstrations and performances. It seems to be a month where people don't like to stray too far from home, but as long as the weather co-operates it should be a good weekend. It's definitely family-oriented and in the past years the family skating party has been a popular event. It's been nice to see people taking the time to come out and want to do something with their kids."

Events kick off this Friday, Jan. 21, with an old-fashioned skating party at the Spencerville mill, followed by registration and games for the four-on-four hockey tournament at the Optimist Club's outdoor rink, entertainment at the Spencerville Legion and a teen dance at the the township hall with music by KJ Sound.

On Saturday, Jan. 22, the festival will continue with a full morning of activities including free sleigh rides, a pancake breakfast at the Drummond Building with demonstrations from square dancers, Studio C dancers and a taffy pull, jam session and face painting. The morning will also feature children's activities at the track area with games like tug of war, sledge driver, don't drop the chicken, hula hoop over the chicken and snowball on a spoon relay.

Barnard explained the Nation River Masonic Lodge will be hosting and sponsoring the snowmobile ice drags this year with races starting Saturday morning.

"It's one of the big things people tend to enjoy," said Barnard. "Hopefully, things will work out and we'll get a good turnout."

The afternoon will features a euchre tournament at the Edwardsburgh Lions Den and the Cardinal Broncos vs. Spencerville Bruins Jr. B reunion hockey game with admission fees being collected for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

The evening will feature dinner and dancing at the Drummond Building with a cocktail hour, followed by a hip of beef dinner by Caigers Country Inn and music by BLT. The dinner is advance tickets only and are available from any committee member, the Village Pantry in Spencerville or by calling Jackie at 658-5679 or Marie at 658-3469.

Sunday afternoon will feature a second skating party at the Spencerville Mill.

Last year, weather wreaked havoc with the festival and forced multiple events such as the dogsled rides and skating at the Spencerville Mill to be cancelled; however, many events went off without a hitch.

Most events are subject to proper weather conditions.

For more information on the festival and times of events, see the schedule which appears in this week's Journal.

THIS WEEK

Plowing match meeting to be held tonight

SPENCERVILLE ­ The 2007 International Plowing Match (IPM) will be the subject of a public meeting tonight (Wednesday, Jan. 19) from 7 to 9 pm at the township hall in Spencerville.

The IPM is set for Sept. 2007 in the Rideau Lakes community of Crosby (Highway 15).

A Leeds and Grenville plowing match executive committee has been formed; more than 70 sub-committees are to created, and hundreds of volunteers will be needed.

The public is invited to drop in at any time during the two-hour meeting.

For more information, call Co-ordinator Jan Bonhomme at (613) 272-5396.

Historical society AGM set for this evening

PRESCOTT ­ The annual meeting of the Grenville County Historical Society will take place tonight (Wednesday) at 7 pm at Crane House.

The wine and cheese meeting will be a show and tell; bring an artifact and story to share with others.

The historical society's archives at Crane House on Edward Street beside St. Mark's Parish Centre are open to the public Tuesdays from 10 am to 4 pm.

Plans for Frost Festival are about to snowball

PRESCOTT ­ Plans are under way for the 2005 Fort Town Frost Festival.

Prescott's winter carnival will take place around the weekend of Feb. 12-13. Individuals, groups or businesses interested in taking part in or hosting an event as part of Frost Fest can call Sue O'Hanlon at 925-1595.

See upcoming editions of The Journal for more details of the Prescott carnival.

Police arrest two youths for recent break-ins

SPENCERVILLE ­ Two youths have been arrested in connection with break-ins last month at Spencerville United Church and Myles Discount Store.

The Edwardsburgh/Cardinal males, both 17, were arrested late last week and then released. They will be dealt with under the provisions of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.

The church was broken into and vandalized on the afternoon of Dec. 23. The store was broken into Dec. 28 at about 3 am.

Chamber holds AGM

JOHNSTOWN ­ The next monthly meeting of the board of directors of the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce will take place this Thursday, Jan. 20 at noon at the Bridgeview Restaurant.

This will also be the Chamber's annual general meeting.

No quick fix for local beef producers

Talk of reopening American border is encouraging sign

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

SOUTH GRENVILLE - Doug Cook has been a farmer his whole life and took over his Glen Smail Road farm from his father in 1981. But he's never seen anything like the current state of the beef farming industry in Canada.

"It's the very worst thing that's ever happened," stated Cook. "The optimism farmers have has gone."

Just like all beef farmers in Canada, Cook's farming operation has been hit hard by the American border closure in May 2003 because of the discovery of a single cow with "mad cow disease" (bovine spongiform encephalitis) in a cow from Alberta. He estimates he's lost in between $15,000 - $20,000 since the border closed.

"I have a credit line that I pay off in the fall," stated Cook. "For the last two years, I have not been able to pay off the credit line."

Cook is not alone in facing unprecedented financial hardship caused by the closure of the U.S. border. Moreover, he doesn't anticipate an immediate improvement to his situation once - and if - the border opens March 7. He mentioned he doesn't currently have any animals who would be eligible to cross the border for processing or sale. (The border is initially going to be open only to cows under 30 months of age.)

To weather the storm, Cook stated he has been feeding his cows hay instead of more-costly corn or meal. "As for corn and meal, I can't afford it," he stated. Cook also mentioned he has far more cows now than he would usually keep. "I usually run around 20 to 25 cows," he said. Currently, his herd numbers 55.

With the discovery of two mad cows in Alberta earlier this month, there is some uncertainty the planned border opening to the U.S. March 7 will not go ahead.

Once a second cow infected with BSE was discovered in Alberta Jan 11, some American politicians and interest groups called for the cancellation of the border re-opening. The United States Department of Agriculture sent inspectors to Alberta this past week to investigate the current case of BSE. This week, members of the National Cattlemen's Beef Association in the U.S. are visiting Alberta to gauge the safety of the province's feeding practices and farms. However, so far the border is slated to re-open.

"The US cattle producers would prefer no Canadian cattle," stated Geri Kamenz, vice-president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture. "They (legislators and special interest groups) are pulling out all the stops to keep Canadian cattle out of the country."

Kamenz, a Ventnor-area farmer, adds if the "planned" border re-opening does go ahead, it will be beneficial for Canadian farmers in a number of ways. In particular, he mentioned the opened border will free up processing capacity in Canada for older cows, because younger cows will now be able to go the U.S. for slaughter. "It (open border) should take pressure off processors (in Canada.)"

However, Kamenz is unsure if the open border will result in higher prices for Canadian beef.

"We're in a seasonal flat period for prices," he stated. "It's hard to say if prices will go up (after the border opens.)"

However, Kamenz points to several factors which are all working against Canadian beef farmers even as the border opens. The high Canadian dollar in relation to U.S. currency, and American politicians which are prepared to fight against the "dumping" of Canadian products stateside are both considerations which Canadian farmers have to contend with in the upcoming months. The "dumping" issue applies to Canadian beef, says Kamenz, because of subsidies granted by the Canadian government to help beef farmers weather the downturn in the industry.

In spite of all the issues, Kamenz does concede the border's opening, if it happens as scheduled, will be positive for Canada's beef farmers. "The opening of the border will allow us to access a much greater market," he stated. "We'll just have to wait it out and see what happens."

Waiting is what Kamenz - and all other Canadian beef farmers - have been doing since the border's closure. Kamenz said until six months ago, he opted to hang onto his entire cattle herd. "In the last six months, I downsized my herd, as encouraged by my banker," he stated. "My bank may have access to information I don't have."

Kamenz added his operation took a "huge inventory loss" by downsizing his herd by 25 per cent, heeding his bank's advice. However, he doesn't necessarily recommend all farmers do the same. "Everyone has to look at their personal circumstances, make sure they have lots of good advice," he stated.

"Locally, the border opening is definitely good news," stated Alec MacGregor, president of the Grenville Cattlemen's Association, which represents more than 200 beef farms across Grenville county.

However, MacGregor also stressed the planned border re-opening may not provide a quick fix for beef farmers who have been losing money since the border first closed to Canadian beef. "It's going to be in stages (the border reopening) and may never be back to normal," he said.

MacGregor also stated the downturn in the beef farming industry has had negative spinoffs in agriculture-related industries. "Machine dealers and feed stores are all hurting," he said.

The worry on the part of farmers that the beef farming industry may never return to normal has led to some contemplating getting out of it altogether. Blaine Miller, a Pittston-area farmer who has farmed beef part-time for the past 15 years, says he's unsure if he'll continue farming beef past this spring. "When they had the first mad cow scare, the prices went in half," he stated, adding that, prior to the mad cow being discovered in Canada, prices were as high as $1.40 per pound. At one point during the crisis, prices dropped to between 60 and 70 cents a pound.

Miller added he kept his calves longer than he intended before selling them this past spring at a loss. "I was hoping the price would go up to a buck a pound," stated Miller. "It didn't happen."

Scott, who has been involved with the cattlemen's association for 15 years, is also unsure how longer he will continue in the beef farming industry. "It's going to take years for the industry to recover. You can't turn it back on like a light switch," he said. "What business venture is worthwhile if you're not making any profit?"

Hospital budget cuts close clinic

PRESCOTT ­ The physiotherapy clinic at the Prescott Health Centre has been closed permanently, its operator announced last week.

In an effort to address St. Vincent de Paul's deficit of almost $600,000, Providence Continuing Care Centre (PCCC) is implementing changes to its services. Among the changes is the decision not to reopen the physiotherapy clinic that had been closed on a temporary basis since last year because of funding constraints.

In a news release issued as The Journal was going to press last Tuesday, the hospital noted "the physiotherapist has been reassigned to St. Vincent's in Brockville to enable consolidation of physio services for more efficient service. The move is one of several measures approved by the Ministry of Health which will lead to a projected $107,000 in savings, it was noted in the release.

Other measures include the closure of foot care service at the hospital and the elimination of a part-time discharge planning position.

"Where program reductions were considered, we focused on preserving our mandated programs ­ rehabilitation and complex continuing care, and those services not available elsewhere at the community level," stated Dave Publow, vice-president of the PCCC board of directors.

The changes are in line with provincial accountability requirements which include balanced budgets and ways to avoid future deficits.

At a town council meeting Monday night, Prescott Mayor Robert Lawn referred to the permanent closure of the physiotherapy centre as "an unfortunate decision" that hits close to home. However, the mayor acknowledged every hospital is struggling with budget constraints.

ate business that serves the South Grenville area.

Volunteers are still needed to keep outdoor skating rink looking sharp

MAITLAND NEWS by Jane Fullarton

The Cedar Street skating rink in Maitland Park should be ready for skaters by this weekend if the cold weather holds.

Clifford Weapenicappo, who is looking after the rink for the second year in a row, says the rink was almost ready when the big thaw caused them to have to start again.

This week, Weapenicappo's sons Ian and Jonathon have been flooding the rink and report that it has been freezing very well but there are a lot of uneven places because of the slushy conditions last week.

Clifford, Ian and Jonathon Weapenicappo, Don Smart and Geoff Noyes put the boards up at the rink in November and actually made the rink area a bit larger. Steve Turton, Jason Turton, Rick Abram, Cody Massey and Matt Cockshott have also been helping with the flooding and scraping of the ice surface.

Students wishing to earn volunteer hours can do so by working at the rink.

Call Clifford Weapenicappo at 348-1485 if you would like to help.

Reunion hockey game will bring back memories

SPENCERVILLE - Jr. B stars from the past will get the chance to relive their days in the spotlight with the reunion hockey game as part of Spencerville Winterfest activities.

The game, which will feature former members of the Spencerville Bruins and Cardinal Broncos, will face off this Saturday, Jan. 22 at the Edwardsburgh Community Centre.

The game will start at 2 pm and run until 4 pm, with former Jr. B players including former NHL player Todd Gill expected to take part.

Organizer Joe Scott indicated many of the old guys have been excited about getting back on the ice and the likes of Ted McMillan, Brent Scott, Tim Markus, Trevor Gill, Todd Gill, Scotty Allen and Kevin Patrick as well as many others will be there to take part in the good old time hockey game.

Scott hopes the game will become an annual event, with possibly even having the game played in Cardinal next year.

There is no admission to the game, but donations for the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario will be accepted at the door.

Police seek shoplifter and gas thief, Prescott patrol zone report notes

PRESCOTT ­ Officers with Grenville County OPP responded to 43 calls for service in the Prescott patrol zone last week.

A shoplifting incident at The Connection on King Street is being investigated by Constable Butcher. The theft took place Jan. 9 but was not reported until Jan. 11. Items taken from the store were various cordless and air power tools (impact tools, cordless drills and a socket set). The male suspect is described as 35 to 40 years old, 5'10 to 6' in height, thin build, dark medium-length hair and a moustache.

On Jan. 16 at about 8:50 pm, someone left the Ultramar station on Edward Street without paying for $40 of gasoline. The vehicle was described as an older-model Chevrolet Corsica. The male driver was wearing a plaid coat with a hood.

The car was last seen westbound on Churchill Road. Constable McConnell is investigating.

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.

In an emergency, dial 9-1-1. For non-emergency situations which require a police response, call 1-888-310-1122.

Conservatives to hold AGM this Saturday

BROCKVILLE ­ The annual general meeting of the Leeds-Grenville Conservative Party of Canada will take place this Saturday, Jan. 22 at CJ's Banquet Hall.

Registration begins at 9:30 am; the meeting will start at 10 am. The AGM is expected to end before noon.

Guest speaker will be Prince Edward-Hastings MP Daryl Kramp.

At Saturday's meeting, delegates will be selected for the March policy convention (the first for the new party, which was created in Dec. 2003). Party members in good standing as of Dec. 31, 2004 can vote for the local riding association's board of directors and convention delegates.

Up to 10 delegates from Leeds-Grenville will be selected. MP Gord Brown and President Tim Sutton are automatic selections. One of the local reps must be a youth delegate.

Rock and Bowl is ready to roll

BROCKVILLE ­ It will soon be time to Rock and Bowl for Kids' Sake.

The annual event in support of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Leeds and Grenville will take place Saturday, Feb. 12 (curling) at the Brockville Country Club on County Road 2 just west of the city and Sunday, Feb. 13 at the Bowling Centre on Osment Street.

Teams of four (friends, family or co-workers) are invited to take part in this event which is about having fun and helping kids.

To register for the event or for more information, call Big Brothers Big Sisters at 345-0281.

Prescott library expansion plans are beginning to take shape

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ The Town of Prescott could soon find out how much it might cost to renovate and expand the public library.

Members of the library board and town officials reviewed preliminary design work done by Eastern Engineering prior to a board meeting Thursday night. Once input from the board is reviewed by Eastern, a revised plan could be put out to tender.

Prescott is expected to apply for an Ontario Trillium Foundation grant of up to $75,000 for use at the library. The grant application must be submitted by March 1.

Early estimates place the project at between $400,000 and $500,000.

Brett Todd, the new chairman of the library board, said firm numbers are needed as part of the application process. For that reason, the job would be put to tender in February.

Todd said most changes suggested by the board Thursday are minor. The proposal is to expand the Dibble Street West library into the adjacent area which used to serve as a gymnasium. The former gym was filled as part of town hall renovations completed last year; for the most part, those renovations did not involve the interior of the library.

In addition to moving the main entrance to the main floor of the municipal building, the circulation desk would have a more central location and offices would be relocated to the northwest section of the library. The children's room would stay where it is.

Town and library officials have been noting about half of the money needed to complete the expansion has been collected or pledged before any major fundraising campaign has been launched publicly. The Friends of the Library group has been quietly raising money for the project. Reportedly, more than $130,000 in "verbal commitments" have been made.

About $15,000 in donations have been received, and a Bell grant of $28,000 will be applied to specific upgrades.

"Everyone seems on board and very optimistic," Todd said.

The chairman said it is too soon to suggest when construction could begin. Getting a better handle on the design and cost of an expanded library is the task at hand, according to Todd.

OPP ­ TOWNSHIPS NEWS

Would-be thieves caught in the act near Maynard

MAYNARD ­ Three people face charges in connection with an attempted break-in and what police described as a home invasion last Monday.

At about 8:55 pm, Ontario Provincial Police officers responded to a suspicious-person call on Stewart Drive near Maynard Public School. A woman who had been in her basement returned upstairs and observed two males outside her home run towards a waiting vehicle described as a brown or gold four-door car. No one had gained entry to the home.

About five minutes later, officers responded to a break-in in progress at a residence on County Road 26 just west of Merwin Lane. A woman was exiting the shower when she observed two males in her home run into her bedroom and lock the door. She ran into her kitchen and called her brother-in-law who lives next door in the duplex. When he arrived, the two males tried to go to the basement. One of them was apprehended by her brother-in-law; the other broke a window and left, injuring himself in the process. Police believe he fled in a vehicle waiting nearby.

One person was arrested at the scene. An 18-year-old Cardinal man faces two counts of break and enter. A second male was arrested a short time later at his place of work. A 19-year-old Edwardsburgh/Cardinal man faces one count of break and enter. Both men are scheduled to appear in Brockville court Feb. 4.

A third suspect, a 16-year-old Cardinal male, turned himself in the next morning at the police station in Prescott. He faces two counts of break and enter and one count of failing to comply with an undertaking.

The investigating officers are constables Bisson and Wheeler.

Saw and grinder taken from home

AUGUSTA ­ A break-in which occurred sometime during the week prior to Jan. 15 is being investigated by OPP Constable Butcher. A seasonal home on Branch Road north of Roebuck was entered through a basement window that had been smashed. The missing items, a bench grinder and chain saw, have a total value of $700. Anyone with information is asked to call the police detachment in Prescott (925-4221) or Crime Stoppers (1-800-222-8477).

Drivers adapt to conditions

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ Motorists are being credited for adjusting their driving to match road and weather conditions.

Most drivers responded well to rapidly-changing conditions Jan. 12. Six collisions were reported that day; there were no serious injuries. Several collisions took place on the early-morning hours of Jan. 14; again, there were no injuries reported.

RIDE checks can happen any time

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ RIDE checks were conducted at Edward Street and Highway 401 on Jan. 15 at about 4:30 am and 4:25 pm. Ninety-one vehicles were checked. One seat belt-related Highway Traffic Act charge was laid, and four warnings were issued.

Augusta does not support lower voting age

MAYNARD - At the Jan. 10 meeting of Augusta council, there was a unanimous rejection to support a resolution posed by the City of Pickering for the lowering of the voting age to 16.

The Pickering resolution was in support of Bill C-261, a bill which has been introduced to lower the voting age at the federal level. Currently, the voting age is 18.

"Sixteen is young, but sometimes 25 to 30 is young too," stated Reeve John McCrea as council debated whether or not to support the Dec. 9 resolution.

"I like the idea of more participation (in the political process)," stated Councillor John Fischl. "But I'm not sure 16 is the right age."

Deputy Reeve Doug Barton agreed, saying "A lot of 16 and 17 year-old people may be impressionable, may be easily swayed."

Leeds-Grenville Conservative MP Gord Brown is on record as supporting the bill. The voting age for municipal elections in Ontario is 18.

If approved, the private member's bill would not automatically apply to municipal elections.

OPP constable remains suspended from duty

PRESCOTT ­ A Grenville County OPP officer remains suspended with pay more than one year after an incident that resulted in disciplinary action being launched.

Constable George Duke was suspended following an incident that occurred in late Nov. 2003 at the detachment in Prescott. He is facing a Police Act charge. Details of what led to the charge had not been made public as of earlier this week.

Sergeant Kristine Cholette of Eastern Region OPP told The Journal Tuesday the matter was set for a hearing in Brockville yesterday. The sergeant was unable to state whether or not the hearing would conclude in one day or be extended.

Duke does not face criminal charges in connection with the Nov. 2003 incident, according to Cholette.

Wood heat workshop coming to Prescott

PRESCOTT ­ A free workshop offering tips on safe, efficient and cleaner use of wood stoves and fireplaces will be held next Tuesday, Jan. 25 at 7 pm at the Prescott Fire Hall.

Participants will see for themselves the difference between old and new technologies.

Questions about wood stove operation, firewood and other related subjects will be answered by trained specialists at the information session.

Free booklets will be provided Tuesday night.

The Burn it Smart workshops were developed by Natural Resources Canada and is funded by the Ontario Region office of Environment Canada. The Hearth, Patio and Barbecue Association of Canada is serving as workshop organizer.

A similar event is being held Wednesday, Jan. 26 at the Kemptville Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion. An outdoor burn display will be held at 6:30 pm, followed by the workshop at 7 pm.

Seaway shipping levels on the rise in 2004

Amount of traffic increases; 30.5 million tonnes of cargo makes way through system

CORNWALL ­ The St. Lawrence Seaway is reporting an increase in cargo traffic in 2004.

The shipping season closed Dec. 30. Richard Corfe, president of the St. Lawrence Seaway Management Corporation, said the overall increase in tonnage has been estimated at 5.3 per cent.

"The growth in traffic shows across the board, with higher numbers for both lakers and ocean vessels, and greater tonnage in bulk and in general cargo," Corfe stated in a news release.

"I think this attests to a strong economic recovery that will continue to bring vessels to the seaway next year as well."

It is estimated almost 30.5 million tonnes of cargo made its way through the Lake Ontario/ Montreal section of the seaway last year.

Corfe noted there are early results from the seaway's effort to grow its business through a "branding" project and public awareness campaign.

"We have seen some Ontario grain moved by barge, as opposed to truck, from (the Port of) Prescott to Sorel," he said.

The seaway also stands to benefit from booming China trade which has saturated west coast ports and led to overflow business being shipped to the east coast, according to Corfe.

The St. Lawrence River section of the international seaway closes each winter to accommodate an annual maintenance program involving locks and connecting channels.

Reopening is expected in late March.

Proposed layout of north-end subdivision approved by council

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ The town's planning and development committee has endorsed a road plan for the north-end residential subdivision.

At least 22 lots for single family dwellings, 20 for semi-detached homes and 18 additional lots are in the works for the area to the north of Mackenzie Road, Massie Drive and Woodland Drive. The town is finalizing a preliminary infrastructure and road pattern plan to be submitted to the environment ministry for its approval.

The number and types of building lots can still be changed. The plan calls for Mackenzie to extend to the commercial area to the north. Woodland could be extended beyond the subdivision area if and when adjacent land is developed.

At a Jan. 10 planning committee meeting, Town Engineer Clyde Solomon estimated the cost of servicing the proposed roads in the subdivision, most of which is owned by the municipality, is between $1 million and $1.2 million. Changes made to the initial road plan saved the municipality about $440,000, according to Solomon.

Councillor Chuck Street, chair of the planning committee, said at Monday night's council meeting he expects there will be activity at the site this summer. Town officials know there is demand for the residential lots, according to Street.

Improved health is not the only reward smokers could get from butting out

LEEDS AND GRENVILLE ­ Today is Weedless Wednesday, and smokers might want to consider giving up cigarettes for more than just 24 hours.

Someone will win a Ford Mustang for butting out for at least one month.

The Quit Smoking 2005 Contest is open to Ontario residents 19 years of age or older who have smoked for at least one year. To be eligible to win, participants must remain smoke-free for at least a month beginning Feb. 1.

Each participant is required to have a non-smoking support buddy who can verify the other person has steered clear of cigarettes during the contest period.

In addition to the car, participants are also eligible to win one of seven regional prizes of Sony home theatre surround sound systems. The winners' non-smoking buddies will each receive $250.

The deadline to register is Jan. 31.

For more information, visit www.quitsmokingontario.ca.

The contest is supported by the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit.

Needs of local business sector to be addressed

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ The results of a local Business Retention and Expansion project will be presented at a public meeting next Thursday, Jan. 27 at 7 pm at the South Edwardsburgh Community Centre.

The study encompasses the municipality of Augusta, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal and Prescott.

See next week's Journal for information on the study and what it could mean for the South Grenville area.

St. Lawrence Shakespeare Company receives funding for marketing position

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - A grant from the Eastern Ontario Development Fund has enabled the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Company to advertise for a new employee.

The organization is seeking someone for the 12-week position who is under 30, has graduated from college or university from a business or arts program, and is interested in influencing the socioeconomic impact of arts and culture in the community.

"It's a junior position," stated festival Chairman Ken Durand. "(The employee is) to help with some of the office work and fundamentals of the festival."

Durand added the festival found out it had received the funding in mid-January. He could not specify the amount allocated by Prescott-based Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation for the position, but did say the position is to be totally funded by the grant.

The position, said Durand, will encompass three basic areas of responsibility: helping the festival with fundraising strategies, preparing a data bank of potential supporters of the festival and completing grant applications for funding from foundations and organizations.

"(The position involves) raising money for the festival and marketing," stated Durand. "The idea is to attempt to attract more people to the festival."

Durand also stated the tasks to be performed by the worker have been done in the past by board members and festival volunteers.

The company has not chosen a play or a set time for the 2005 season as of yet, although Durand did mention he expects the festival will take place in July again. He also added it is the company's intent to have a third season, but it will depend on fundraising in the months leading up to the festival.

The festival has been staged at the Kinsmen Amphitheatre.

Laugh it up at Kinsmen Yuk Yuks

PRESCOTT ­ Yuks Yuks will be returning to Prescott late next month.

The comedy show will be presented Saturday, Feb. 26 at the Prescott Legion on Henry Street. Headlining the two-hour event will be Lawrence Morgenstern and Rob Ross, stand-up comedians who headed the writing team for Mike Bullard's late-night television show. A third comedian will also perform at the show.

Doors and the bar open at 7 pm; the show starts at 8 pm.

Proceeds from the Kinsmen Club of Prescott event go to Canadian Cystic Fibrosis Association. Tickets are available at the Legion, PlayitStar, any Kinsmen member or by contacting Art Hitsman (925-1315, 213-1136 or artg.hitsman@canadapost.ca.

Next council meeting set for afternoon

MAYNARD - Augusta Township residents are reminded council is holding its second meeting of 2005 in the afternoon instead of the evening.

The first council meeting of each month (on second Mondays) will still begin at 7 pm; however, the second meeting of the month (on fourth Mondays) will begin at 1:30 pm.

Next Monday (Jan. 24) is the first council meeting to be held at this new time.

Council decided in November to change the meeting times. At that time, part of the reasoning for holding meetings in the afternoons was to save money by allowing the meetings to take place without staff members having to return to the township office in the evening.

Augusta officials hope public library will get Trillium grant

MAYNARD - A newly-paved parking lot and wheelchair accessibility may be in the cards for the Augusta Public Library if it can obtain a Trillium Foundation grant from the Ontario Government to complete the project.

Council passed a resolution at its Jan. 10 meeting to support the library board's application for the grant. It was also indicated township CAO Sharon Wilkinson could possibly help with the application.

"For me, I think it's a good way to get the area paved...It's a good idea,"Councillor John Fischl said.

He also mentioned the library board is unsure of how much the grant application would be for because the board is uncertain how pricey the upgrades would be.

The one-time Trillium grants can be as much as $75,000.

Comedy students coming to area for Chernobyl

BROCKVILLE ­ A comedy benefit to support Canadian Aid for Chernobyl's program for children will take place later this month at the Brockville Arts Centre.

Final-year Humber College School of Comedy students will take to the stage Saturday, Jan. 29 at 7 pm. Master of ceremonies for the sketch and stand-up comedy presentation will be Humber student and Brockville Collegiate Institute graduate Charles Smith.

The show is not recommended for children under the age of 12. Special ticket prices are in place for students and seniors.

For more information, contact Jann Smith at 345-6991 or the arts centre at 342-7122.

They called him "Mr. Soccer"

Tom Carr gave countless hours of his time to minor sports scene in Prescott

PRESCOTT - Tom Carr, who was lovingly known as "Mr. Soccer" died Jan. 8 at the age of 82.

One of Prescott's most recognizable faces on a soccer field, Carr was known as a longtime volunteer and one of the founders of the Prescott and District Soccer Association for which he has also held the role of president for more than 30 years.

Mr. Carr was the father of sons Lawrence and Rob and daughter Lesley Todd. He was grandparent and soccer mentor to Jennifer, Tanya, Matthew, Michael, Ronica, Katelyn, Tommy, MacKenzie, Natacha, Spencer, Eoin and Avery, as well as being great-grandfather to Dillon and Noah. Carr is also survived by sister Doris Watkins and niece Jean in Southport, England. He was predeceased by his wife Margaret.

According to his son Rob, who worked alongside his father with the PDSA for many years, soccer was always a big thing for his father.

"It really was a big part of his life," said Rob Carr. "Soccer was his number one sport in life; he was interested in many other sports and watched all of them on TV, but soccer was what he loved and he dedicated a lot of years to minor soccer."

"All our family had an option and all have played soccer and the grandkids all even signed a soccer ball and put it in the coffin to go with him," Rob added.

Carr was the recipient of the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce Community Award for 2000 for his years of service with the minor soccer association.

In a 2001 Journal article about receiving the award, Carr indicated seeing children learning and enjoying the sport of soccer was what made his efforts all worthwhile. "It has been a pleasure to see so many children of all ages take up the sport," he said.

His list of duties as president of the league was very extensive, with Carr not only handling registration, scheduling, equipment managing and fundraising, but also cutting grass, lining fields, refereeing games and washing soccer sweaters, as well as sponsoring the Southport team, which bore the name of his hometown where he lived until arriving in Prescott in 1962.

Carr got involved with soccer in 1967, when he was asked to coach in a fledgling league for boys and since has been credited with being the heart and soul of minor soccer in the area as well as almost single-handedly running the minor soccer program for many years. Today's executive still follows Carr's philosophy of making soccer available and affordable to any child who wants to play.

Rob indicated his father's involvement in minor soccer was not for for recognition, but because it was something he loved.

"He's had a big impact on the community with all he has done, but he was never one to boast and he was there in his spot at the soccer fields nearly every day watching the games, because he loved the sport and he loved to watch the kids play. When he retired nearly 20 years ago, soccer truly became his job. Everyone knew him at the fields and said hello to him and that makes me pretty proud that he was my father. He'll be missed."

In 1996, Carr was inducted into the Brockville and Area Sports Hall of Fame in the same class as NHL veteran player and coach Larry Robinson.

Carr's devotion to the sport he loved was so well known that the Prescott Gunners rep soccer association named its annual most valuable player award after him.

Bantam B Rangers go to Morrisburg and win house league tournament

MORRISBURG - The South Grenville bantam B Rangers house league team travelled to Morrisburg Jan. 15 and came away with the Morrisburg house league tournament title.

In their opener, the Rangers had to settle for a 3-3 draw with Finch. Michael Thomas, Josh Perrin and Reilly Grootjans scored for South Grenville, while Josh Newton and Tyler Curry added assists. Grootjans scored in the shootout to give the Rangers the victory.

In game two, the Rangers scored a 3-0 win over Morrisburg with Ashton Selleck and Andrew Davidson sharing the shutout. Fletcher Wehmeyer, Ryan Joudoin and Perrin scored for the Rangers, while Grootjans (2), Joudoin, Todd Kirkey, Trevor Murray and Chris Noonan added assists.

In the final, the Rangers scored a 2-0 win over the Smiths Falls Bears to capture the tournament title. Taylor Corney and Josh Perrin scored for the Rangers, while Chris Rice had a pair of assists. Selleck and Davidson shared the shutout.

On Jan. 13, the Rangers scored a 4-3 regular season win over Thousand Islands Youth Hockey (Clayton) in Cardinal. Nick Perry scored with 18 seconds left to give the Rangers the victory. Grootjans (2) and Ryan Robinson scored the other South Grenville goals. Robinson and Selleck chipped in with helpers.

Atom C house team #2 defeats Athens and ties #3

SPENCERVILLE - The South Grenville atom C Rangers house league team #2 continued its strong play with a win, loss and draw in league play.

On Dec. 6, South Grenville #2 scored a 6-5 win over the Athens Aeros in Spencerville. Spencer Disheau and A.J. Larocque each scored a pair of goals to lead the Rangers, while Alex Boswall and Joel Mintz added singles. Jesse Buchanan (2), Rick Heyman (2), Disheau, Holly Jones and Boswall chipped in with helpers.

Jonathan Bernier played a strong game in goal for the Rangers, while Allisa Harper played well in her first game with the team.

On Dec. 1, the Rangers #2 had to settle for a 3-3 draw with South Grenville #3. Disheau scored a pair of goals to lead the Rangers #2, while Larocque added a single. Buchanan and Boswall added assists. Cole Burchell had a hat trick for South Grenville #3, while Brianna Harrnum (2), and Bret McFarland added assists.

Brandon Finlayson of Rangers #2 and Ewen Eaton for South Grenville #3 each had strong games in goal.

On Nov. 29, the Rangers #2 dropped a 5-0 decision to Clayton, New York at the Spencerville arena. Despite the loss, Alex Boswall had a strong game in goal for the Rangers.

Novice B team wins two games and ties one

CARDINAL - The South Grenville novice B Rangers posted a 2-0-1 record last week.

The Rangers opened the week with a 2-0 win over the North Dundas Demons Jan. 13. Tyson Kirkby scored both Rangers goals, while Zachary Shankar added an assist.

David Armstrong had the Rangers' shutout in goal.

On Jan. 15, the Rangers travelled to Brockville and scored a 1-1 draw with the Brockville Jr. Braves. John Lawless scored South Grenville's lone goal, while Cameron Smith chipped in with a helper.

On Jan. 16, South Grenville travelled to Morrisburg and came away with a 6-1 decision over the South Dundas Lions. John Lawless had four goals to lead the Rangers, while Shankar added a pair. Smith (2), Payden Selleck and Aaron White added assists. Armstrong played well in goal to post the victory.

Moulton leads bantam girls rink to regionals this weekend

PRESCOTT - Amber Moulton's Prescott-based bantam girls curling rink went undefeated through the weekend to capture the A side of the Zone 3 bantam curling championships in Winchester.

The Moulton rink posted a perfect 3-0 record scoring victories over rinks from Cumberland, Winchester and Navan.

The Moulton rink includes vice Kara Ruiter, second Andrea Yerdon and lead Kelsey Erwin. Kevin Payne is their coach.

Moulton's team is currently ranked fifth in Eastern Ontario by the Ontario Curling Association.

The rink will travel to Kingston this weekend to compete in the regionals.

Take part in Grand Walk for Memories and support local Alzheimer branch

BROCKVILLE - The Alzheimer Society of Leeds and Grenville is holding its 2005 Grand Walk for Memories fundraising walk Sunday, Jan. 23 at the Brockville and area YMCA at 345 Park St.

Participants in the walk are to pick up pledge forms either at the Alzheimer society located at 42 George St. in Brockville or at other supporting locations.

Registration for the walk begins at 1 pm; the event runs until 3 pm. It features several prizes for participants; a "grand" cruise, a stay in a whirlpool/fireplace suite, and a child's one-year membership at the Brockville YMCA. In addition, there will be other surprise draws and awards at the event.

Pledge forms can also be obtained by contacting the Alzheimer Society of Leeds and Grenville at 345-7392.

The Grenville Land Stewardship Council offers these energy-saving tips:

* Use kitchen, bath, and other ventilating fans wisely. In just one hour, these fans can pull out a houseful of warmed or cooled air. Turn fans off as soon as they have done the job.

The council recommends these and other tips to promote an energy-efficient lifestyle and to give the environment a helping hand.

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"It's going to take years for the industry to recover. You can't turn it back on like a light switch."

Beef farmer Doug Cook, commenting on the ongoing effects of the mad cow disease scare

Editor's Notebook

THE NEIGHBOURLY BOTTOM LINE: With yet another mad cow disease scare threatening to derail plans to reopen the American border to some live Canadian beef in March, we must note the extent to which many politicians and farming interests in the United States are opposing the move. Whether it is across the St. Lawrence River or in the Great Plains states, it is obvious some of those American interests will use the two recent confirmed cases of the disease to convince Washington not to reopen the border.

To some extent, we understand why those American interests do not want Canadian beef crossing the border. They see how their neighbours to the north have been hurt by a mad cow scare; the negative publicity surrounding a similar scare in the U.S. could cost American producers billions of dollars, even though the risk to public health might be negligible. Assuming there might be additional mad cow cases in Canada in the near future, opposition to the March 7 reopening of the border is likely to mount.

Health Canada officials, Canadian cattle industry representatives and senior federal politicians can insist all they want that these cases of mad cow are isolated and do not pose a threat to humans, but the Americans who feel they are threatened by an open border will continue to do everything they can to keep the door closed. If the situation were reversed, we suspect Canada would take a similar approach. Canada should continue to make its case for reopening that border, but we should understand why people on the other side will keep pushing back.

AN ISSUE OF GIVING: It is tough to argue a council is right or wrong when it decides whether or not to contribute municipal tax money to the tsunami relief effort.

Although a recent opinion poll notes more than half of Canadians indicated they had donated to the cause, many people have opted not to contribute. Providing short- or long-term relief to communities half a world away is not the mandate of a municipal council; however, we give our elected officials the right to make choices about how municipal funds are spent (just like we have the right to take issue with those choices).

It is clear some people do not believe property tax money should be given to charity. Some would prefer the money to spent to support people in the community. (Charity begins at home, they say.) There are others who have no problem with a municipality making a contribution which reflects the sentiments and actions of individuals and groups within that community.

We elect councils to make decisions which are in the best interests of the communities being served. Donating to tsunami relief might not fit that description, but we find it difficult to say a municipal council is wrong for making a modest contribution to the cause.

Tim Ruhnke

Time for a few bouquets not taken from a shopping cart

THE NEW GUY by Tim Ruhnke

Instead of me going on about some lost love or crush from half a lifetime ago (sorry, Gauri), I have opted to devote a section of this column to some of the positive acts our readers would like to bring to the attention of the community.

As we noted recently, The Journal does not publish "thank-you" letters in the Letters to the Editor section. Instead, we will compile these good news items and print them every few weeks.

Jim French makes note of "all the generous people" who put money into the tsunami relief jar at Stedman's V&S store in Prescott. "God bless you all," he writes.

Debbie Walter of Cardinal dropped us a line to acknowledge "the two individuals who stood in the rain last Wednesday at about 4:30 pm and threw salt onto County Road 2 east of Galop Canal Road. Thanks to their efforts, a number of vehicles, including hers, were able to negotiate the hill. "Nice to see good samaritans do exist," she notes.

The local branch of the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON) acknowledges its more than 700 volunteers, other volunteers in the region and the people who helped the Leeds and Grenville United Way campaign eventually surpass its 2004 campaign goal of $785,000. (VON is a United Way agency.) Ruth Kitson, the VON branch's executive director, notes the efforts of volunteers "working tirelessly come rain, snow or sunshine."

As is often the case, the good also comes with the bad. Although our emphasis will be on the "bouquets" side, but there might be a few "bricks" tossed in every now and then.

* * *

While I was shopping at GT Boutique recently, Di suggested I write a column about shopping carts (specifically, people like yours truly who do not use shopping carts). I am one of those idiots who insists he can carry a significant number of canned goods and perishable grocery items without the aid of a cart or basket.

I'd like to think it is more of an age thing than fear of being labelled a "girly-man" by someone like the governor of California. Being able to handle numerous heavy or awkward objects without outside help is another desperate attempt on my part to avoid feeling older than dirt.

I've already fallen victim to one of the tell-tale signs of aging: sitting on benches at the mall. I was only 34 when that became my reality. Then again, I didn't help the situation by having a best friend who is a young woman for whom spending countless hours drifting from one store to the next is more of a lifestyle than an occasional outing.

But I'll be damned if I start pushing one of those carts. Okay, I give it about a week.

Thanks for the lift, Gauri.

Jack Morris receives Community Service Award: 1975

FROM THE ARCHIVES

Jan. 18, 1945

* The war had an effect on Prescott's vital statistics for 1944. There were only 13 births in town last year (down from 16 in 1943) and 44 marriages (down from 62 the previous year). There were 43 deaths, compared to 43 in 1943.

* The Prescott Police Department's 1944 annual report included: 223 transients given shelter; $1,891 in stolen property and $161.25 in recovered property; and nine bikes stolen (seven recovered).

* R. J. Kelso of RR2 Spencerville was named president of the Grenville County Cheese Producers' Association.

* Prescott blood donors who gave at a clinic held in Brockville were Mrs. Mary E. Carson, Oscar Carson, Charles McCrea, John Raycroft and Horace J. Rea.

Jan. 22, 1975

* Jack Morris is the recipient of this year's Community Service Award presented by the Prescott and District Chamber of Commerce. Chamber President Ed Byrum noted the publisher of The Journal had contributed a great deal to his adopted town during the past 28 years.

Rick McAllister was named the winner of the first annual Connie Dickey Youth of the Year Award.

* Edwardsburg council has approved a building permit for the Ontario Housing Corporation's 15-unit apartment complex for seniors in Spencerville. Work has already started on clearing the site of the $280,000 project.

* Well over 50 people attended an open house hosted by the Cardinal Police Department. Police Chief Walter Kolodziechuk called the event at the Walter Street station a success.

* Ed Greene, membership chairman of Fort Wellington Branch 97 of the Royal Canadian Legion, reported the Prescott branch had 10 life members, 175 ordinary members, 15 associate members and eight honourary members as of Jan. 13, 1975.

Incredible generosity of Canadians should be pointed inward

FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Jeffrey Morris

Is there such a thing as tsunami burn-out? Or would we call it tsunami fatigue or perhaps post-tsunami syndrome?

If there is not, there soon will be, and we know that the mainstream electronic media will come up with a buzzword or expression to describe what Canadians and other people from Western nations will be feeling in the near future.

Canadian people were incredibly generous in the outpouring of support and money. The only time in my lifetime that I have seen anything like this was for the Terry Fox Marathon of Hope a generation ago.

Canadians are still holding events and trying to help, but at some point, we will hit the wall. Maybe we will hit the wall one-by-one, or maybe it will happen in a mass thud.

In the aftermath of 9-11, the wall was hit when the Red Cross was exposed for their inability to properly and effectively administer the funds they were overwhelmed with.

Executives resigned, and American people became disillusioned when they learned that money being donated to the Red Cross was being used for a number of purposes, not just for 9-11.

On an international level, the Red Cross learned from their mistakes, but you have to stop and think about the massive administrative nightmare it must be to suddenly have hundreds of millions of dollars coming in. The Red Cross must instantly process and allocate these funds, and distribute them in a way that maximizes effectiveness.

The images of the tsunami and the coverage and reaction has put all other news stories on hold.

Even locally, community groups and schools are still doing everything that they can.

But when the media oversaturates the public with one story, an ugly underside of the story will eventually come out.

One such story has already come out, as it was learned last week that Princess Chulabhorn of Thailand has left her suffering nation and is on a personal skiing holiday to Whistler with her entourage. She will be staying in a posh hotel, and the trip will cost in the tens of thousands of dollars.

This story of royal inappropriateness was overshadowed by Prince Harry's Nazi uniform, but it is one that sends a message of emptiness to us.

Here we are, as a nation, giving all we can to the disaster. School children and community groups have rallied and come together for lands most couldn't pick out on a map.

But the princess of one of the countries we are helping needs to go on an expensive ski holiday.

How does this make you feel?

It smacks of "let them eat cake", and it will make me think twice before I reach for the chequebook at the next fundraiser.

At some point, we are also going to step back and ask why we are so focused on this one event.

The situation in Africa with starvation, sickness and AIDS, brings tsunami-like devastation on a monthly basis.

Yet, we do nothing, and we are desensitized to what is happening there. Why do we not seem to care about Africa?

Plain and simple, the tsunami was a made-for-TV tragedy. It was a sudden and unexpected event that shocked the world. The events that happened at 9-11 were similar in that they were shocking and sudden. Africa, sadly, does not make for good ratings.

The other thing contributing to the tsunami media coverage is the celebrity factor. So many celebrities and actors and musicians were quick to respond to the tragedy and to set examples with fundraising and efforts.

But the celebrity involvement can also lead to tsunami burn-out.

Some were immediate and most were sincere with their donations of time, items and money, but skeptics will always look closely at celebrities and wonder if their efforts are sincere or whether they are an exploitive PR opportunity or food for the ego.

What we must remember as Canadians is that the focus and attention we have given the tsunami have hurt our own charities that are an essential part of our society.

When the media spotlight on the tsunami fades away, our local charities are going to need our money and support more than ever.

But will we want to keep giving?

Canadian UN envoy Stephen Lewis slammed the Canadian government for being an embarrassment when it comes to the amount Canada has contributed in foreign aid over the years.

Canadian people, however, responded to this disaster.

When this is all over, it would be nice if we could point this national unity and generosity inward.

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Prescott should get on board

The Editor;

Just happened to see where Augusta is going to do a study on these darn train whistles for about $5,000.

How about getting Prescott in there too and getting them stopped all the way through.

It is a good job, with winter, the windows are closed, or sleep would be a thing of the past.

Howie Countryman
Prescott

SCHOOL SCENE

Algonquin Public School: The small school with the big heart is organizing a tsunami fundraising event for Thursday, Jan. 27. A joint venture by students, staff and school council, this fundraiser has a twist to it. It begins with a toy drive in which students decide on a book(s) and/or toy(s) they own which is/are in good condition and they are willing to donate. Other students will then have the opportunity to buy that toy.

Rather than ask parents to give students money for purchasing toys, students are being encouraged to earn the money by doing extra age-appropriate chores at home. School council members are keen to participate and have organized a special hot lunch fundraiser for the day with proceeds to go to tsunami relief efforts.

Teacher organizer Wenda Taylor says students are excited about the prospect of helping victims ­ especially the children who now find themselves orphans ­ rebuild their lives.

Benson Public School: Our students of the week were recognized at our weekly assembly Friday. Students who had shown how to be very co-operative last week were Curtiss Lewis, Selena Smith, Jacob Baker, Robert Kavanagh, Trenton Toth, Jesse Page, Branden Liezert, and Shelby Roode.

On Wednesday, Benson is hosting area schools at a workshop on puppetry. All area schools will be represented at this enrichment opportunity.

The senior boys and girls basketball tryouts are under way.

Fundraising continues with the students in the grade one class who are raising money for tsunami relief. All of our students are doing a great job meeting the challenge to bring in a toonie, loonie, quarter, dime, nickel and penny.

Our school council meets on Monday, Jan. 24. We will be discussing the principal profile as well as filling out the school council survey. All schools are required to complete to complete both of these documents.

Boundary Street Public School: With the very cold weather here, please remind your children to wear their hats and mitts. When it is extremely cold, students are kept inside during recess and lunch, where students are supervised. If your child goes home for lunch during these extremely cold days, please remind them that when they return to school from lunch, they can go directly into the school.

The girls basketball team had its first game Tuesday, Jan. 18 against St. Joseph. Congratulations to members of our basketball teams. Our coaches are Mrs. Fortier and Mrs. Arthurs.

Hot lunch this week is chicken nuggets.

St. Joseph Catholic School: The school community raised $812 for tsunami relief. The money has been given to St. Mark's Church for the National Collection sponsored by the Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops. Our intermediate students and Mrs. Alanna Whelan led this outreach program.

Students and staff also raised approximately $85 on Crazy Tie Day for Roger's House. Breeann Hoogwerf and Mr. Dan Kelly headed this initiative.

Tryouts for the St. Joseph Talent Show have taken place. The show will take place Feb. 3.

Senior girls and boys basketball teams are gearing up for a fine season!

The St. Joe's Pep Squad plans to meet regularly Thursdays at lunch recess.

Grade 5 students are looking forward to skating Jan. 19 and 26.

Pledges are being collected for Phase 2 of our Playground Improvement.

Parents keep an eye out as forms will soon go home for our ski excursion to Mount Pakenham Feb 23.

St. Mark Catholic School: Our Grade 3 students are hosting a bake sale, raffle, cinnamon heart guess and dice throw Thursday, Jan. 20 at noon hour. All proceeds raised will go to the relief efforts in the devastated areas of South Asia as a result of the tsunamis.

We are very proud of our students and teachers for all of their efforts in fundraising for tsunami victims and rescue efforts. Please continue to encourage your children to pray for and to support these worthy causes.

Spirit Day on Jan. 20 is Crazy hair Day. "A" day Kindergartens will have their Crazy Hair Day Jan. 21. Join in the fun!

Please join us for our first school mass of 2005 Monday, Jan. 24 at 9:30 am at St. Mark's Catholic Church.

Hot lunch this week is hamburgers.

South Edwardsburg Public School: Our choir is holding a cupcake bake sale today (Thursday for Kindergarten B) to raise funds for two Belarus children.

South Ed. students are excited to participate in a puppetry script-writing/performance workshop at Benson PS today.

Our newcomb ball team practises Tuesdays and Thursdays after school. On Tuesday, Jan. 25, we welcome the GCC team for a friendly competition.

Hot lunch today is chicken nuggets.

Prescott squadron trains for upcoming competition

By Captain John E. Henry

PRESCOTT ­ The members of Prescott's competitive teams have been selected and training is well under way! Over the next two months, the exertion and drill teams will travel to locations in Eastern Ontario and compete with area units that will showcase their training and skill set.

The exertion team is a multi-discipline sport and skill team that encompasses all aspects of cadet training. The 17 air units from Eastern Ontario will meet in Trenton to decide who has the bragging rights for top squadron overall, top small squadron, top sportsmanship and many different event awards as well.

The 661 Prescott group has a tremendous history of success at the annual event and looks forward to continuing the tradition this year.

The team trains twice a month to get ready for the competition. Events include Canada fitness, volleyball, basketball, floor hockey, handball, rifle range, ceremonial drill, practical leadership and a knowledge exam. There are only four more practices and one gruelling competition weekend in store for the team.

Congratulations are extended to Meagen Gibson, William McIlveen, Jordan Villeneuve, Nellie Doherty, Corey Gander, Nathan Merkley, Jason Turton, Steven Turton, Kate Guse and Zach Norris-Michaud.

In addition to those members, an additional six cadets are selected for the competition drill team to compete at the Brockville armouries. The top unit at each zone competition eventually has the opportunity to advance to area and regional finals. Cadets complete a prescribed routine that encompasses drill at the halt and on the march.

In addition to the 10-member exertion team, Catherine MacLean, Andrew MacLean, Tiffany Haines, Matthew Mullen, Kristina Gibson and Ken Villeneuve round out this roster. The staff and sponsor wish both teams great success in their upcoming competitions.

You may stop by 661 and get enrollment information every Tuesday from 6-9 pm at South Grenville District High School. You may also call the unit phone number at 349-0488 or visit the national cadet Web site at www.cadets.ca for information.

The Prescott cadet squadron will be taking part in band, exertion and drill team practices, cold weather survival training and a first aid course all within the next coming weeks.

The latest at T.R. Leger School

We have been back from Christmas holidays for two full weeks now and, despite the inclement weather, have been busy registering new students for second semester.

There is still room for full- or part-time students; however, registration for home study is limited.

On Wednesday, Jan. 19, we will have a visit from the Brockville Employment and Education staff who will be presenting a seminar on their services for our students. They will be discussing setting up training for worker safety awareness, in which students participating will receive a certificate they can add to their portfolios. Another seminar regarding managing personal finances - how to set up a budget on a limited income ­ will also be discussed. We are forming a partnership that will see someone from this agency visiting once a week.

We will be celebrating Family Literacy Day on Thursday, Jan. 27. Linda Chapeskie, our literacy basic skills instructor, will be spearheading our festivities.

Community dinner served next week

PRESCOTT ­ A Master's Hands community supper will take place next Wednesday, Jan. 26 at Seaway Christian Church.

The monthly dinner for the less fortunate will be served from 5 to 6:15 pm. There is no admission fee; all are welcome to attend.

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

Council in favour of four-year terms

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

SPENCERVILLE - Township council is supporting a resolution from the municipality of Clarington to increase the term of municipal office in Ontario to four years.

The resolution states other provinces such as Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick and Quebec have four-year terms, while Ontario's terms for municipal council is three years.

Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Mayor Peggy Taylor was quick to support the resolution Monday; while other councillors agreed.

"I think this is a good thing," said Taylor.

"It will give a little more of a chance to see some of the results. In your first and second years you're just getting started and fourth year you might get to see some of the changes implemented take effect."

Ward Three Councillor Frank Noccey indicated he would be in favour of Ontario going to four-year terms.

"It could be a savings for the taxpayers," said Noccey. "Elections cost money and this will save some. I remember when elections were every year."

Deputy Mayor Bill Sloan indicated he is in support of the resolution as long as there is a provision to prevent the municipal elections being held in the same year as provincial ones.

The next Ontario election is set for Oct. 2007. Municipal voters are scheduled to go to the polls in Nov. 2006.

Citizen of the Year award established by township

SPENCERVILLE - Township council approved the idea of creating an award to honour Edwardsburgh/Cardinal's Citizen of the Year.

Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated the idea had been suggested by a resident and the administration committee agreed it would be a good way to recognize township residents for their community involvement.

"We accepted the administration committee minutes where this was recommended," said Taylor.

"The idea is to get citizens to submit names of people in the area who have done a lot for the community. I envision this as being awarded in May as part of our annual appreciation night for volunteers and staff," the mayor added.

Taylor indicated nominations for the new award are currently being accepted at the township office in Spencerville.

EDWARDSBURGH/CARDINAL COUNCIL NOTES

Township names February Heart Month

SPENCERVILLE - Township council approved a motion making February Heart and Stroke Month in Edwardsburgh/Cardinal.

At Monday's regular council meeting, council agreed to the proclamation requested by the Lanark, Leeds and Grenville branch of the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario as a way to help inform the public about heart and stroke prevention as well as make the public aware of the community-based organization, whose mission is to reduce the risk of premature death and disability from heart disease and stroke.

Only one council meeting in February

SPENCERVILLE - Council in Edwardsburgh/Cardinal has decided to cancel the regular council meeting scheduled for Monday, Feb. 21.

Council agreed Monday to cancel the regularly scheduled meeting in February, since there would be not enough members of council to meet quorum, given the majority of council would be away at the Rural Ontario Municipalities Association meeting for good roads in Toronto.

Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated the meeting could be rescheduled if the agenda for the Mar. 7 meeting was looking too heavy, but indicated it would stick with one regular council meeting in February for the time being.

Township council sets meeting dates

SPENCERVILLE - The schedule for township meetings in the upcoming weeks was set at Monday's Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council meeting in Spencerville.

In the clerk's report, CAO/Clerk Stephen McDonald ran down the list of upcoming meetings including the parks, recreation, facilities meeting Jan. 18 at 7:30 pm at town hall in Spencerville, the public works/environmental services meeting Jan. 19 at 4:30 pm at the Waste Water Treatment Plant in Cardinal, the Library Board meeting Jan. 25 at 7 pm at the Cardinal Library, business retention and expansion presentation Jan. 27 at 7 pm at the South Edwardsburgh Recreation Centre, regular meeting of council Feb. 7 at 7:30 pm at town hall, administration committee Feb. 8 at 4:30 pm, planning advisory committee Feb. 8 at 7:30 pm, Friends of the Spencerville Library meeting Feb. 15 at 7 pm and the Port of Prescott management committee meeting Feb. 16 at 7:30 pm.

More than $500,000 in taxes still owed

SPENCERVILLE - In the administration committee minutes approved at Monday's regular council meeting, it was reported there were more than $500,000 still owing to the township in taxes and penalties.

Township Treasurer Russell Trivett indicated as of Dec. 31 taxes owing including penalty and interest total are $511,054.78, which is composed of $312,030.62 in 2004 taxes and penalty and $199,024.16 in arrears.

He added outstanding taxes are 7.47 per cent of the 2004 tax billings which was less than the projected 10 per cent level.

Trivett indicated the total collected is better than in previous years, though no estimate of how much better could be provided.

Council approves rebates to Walker House seniors

SPENCERVILLE - Township council approved a rebate for senior citizens who are members of Walker House.

Council voted in favour of continuing with the $25 rebate for out-of-town fees paid by township residents who are 65 or older and who belong to Walker House, the adult activity centre located in Prescott.

Event-related committees appointed by township

SPENCERVILLE - Council named the members of its other event-related committees at Edwardsburgh/Cardinal's regular council meeting held Jan. 4 in Spencerville.

Members of the Industrial Park Wood Centre committee are Hugh Cameron, Peter Martin, Frank Noccey, Joe Hendriks, Bill Wiseman and Russell Trivett.

Members of the Cardinal Community Festival committee include, Nancy Toupin, Marj Kempffer, Ben Allard, Ann Dunlop, Larry Dishaw, Ken Sorrenti, Gary Tracey, Bev Toupin, Marilyn McLaren, Dwayne Crawford, Lorna Toupin, Arlyce Schiebout, Merv Smith, Robin Yandeau, Ken Willis, Linda Willis and Charlie Burrell.

The Spencerville & District Winter Festival committee consists of Jackie Barnard, Lillian Blair, Claude Blanchette, Joshua Couture, Larry Dempsey, Emily Farrell, Sheila Farrell, Angel Holmes, Larry Holmes, Jodie Hunter, Trent Blanchette, Barry Kirkby, Marion Noccey, Koreena Thomson, Marie Thomson and Debbie Vandine.

Members of the Veterans Memorial Highland Games committee include K. Edward Bush, Graham MacPherson, Joan MacKinnon, Brian Lawless, Wendy Baskerville, Hilary South, Pamela McMillan, Diane Pinder, Kathy Killick, Lorrie Moulton, Cathy MacPherson, Kelly Bush, Maggie Bush, Sheila Bush, Martin Burer, Graham Ogilvie, Lee MacDonald, Jim Irving, Muriel Irving and Hugh Cameron.

Committee appointments are usually made on an annual basis.

St. John's United Church is site of Week of Prayer celebrations next week

CARDINAL - The Cardinal Ministerial Association will be hosting noontime worship services next week in celebration of 2005 Week of Prayer for Christian Unity.

The services will run from Monday, Jan. 24 through Friday, Jan. 28 at St. John's United Church.

Music and meditations will begin daily at 12:05 pm with a light lunch being served immediately following the worship.

Each day will be hosted by a member of a different church belonging to the ministerial association.

The theme for this year's week of prayer is "Our Foundation is Jesus Christ".

Free-will offerings will be received for the Food For All Food Bank.

For more information on the upcoming Week of Prayer celebrations in Cardinal, call 657-4702.

Health series to get started in February

WALKER HOUSE NEWS by MARNIE LIPPIATT

Members are reminded of the annual general meeting this Friday, Jan. 21 at 11 am. The meeting will be followed by a pot luck at noon. All members are welcome and encouraged to be part of this meeting.

Starting in February, we plan to have our health series each Friday morning. The topic this year will be "soups and salads" with the emphasis on two-portion dishes. We will discuss nutritional values of the various recipes and then will prepare them and share lunch. This is a great way to exchange new ways of preparation of familiar foods and an introduction to new ones. Be sure to sign up in advance so we know how to shop. There will be a small charge to cover groceries. Call 925-5300.

Card game winners: Monday afternoon bridge ­ 1st, Joyce Nesbitt; 2nd, Jim Campbell; door, Jim Campbell. Fun bridge ­ Delia Seeley. Thursday night bridge ­ 1st, Dora Cook; 2nd, Yvonne Crawford and Hilda Hutton; 3rd, Micheline Cook; door, Irene Lake.

Snowarama marks 30 years of Easter Seal fundraising

LEEDS AND GRENVILLE ­ This year's Snowarama marks the 30th anniversary of the fundraiser for the Easter Seal Society.

The 2005 edition of the Leeds and Grenville event will take place Sunday, Feb. 6 at the Kemptville Snowmobile Klub. Participants will ride groomed OFSC trails, have some fun and raise money for children with physical disabilities.

The day will include a breakfast and an awards dinner at the Royal Canadian Legion.

For pledge forms, dinner tickets or information on Snowarama, call 342-7110 or visit www.easterseals.org.

Founded by Whipper Billy Watson and held in dozens of communities each winter, Snowarama has raised more than $15 million since the mid-'70s.

Rudolf Nureyev: good art makes up for a bad life

BOOK REVIEW by Joyce Morris

Dancer

By Colum McCann, 288 pages

The word "extreme", in its original context, could be applied to every facet of the life of dancer Rudolf Nureyev, but in this biography by Colum McCann the word doesn't seem quite powerful enough. How can it when we now apply it to everything from breakfast cereal to hairspray to belly dancing? The danger of using words totally out of context because they have become fashionable leaves us with the question "what word do we then use in application to the original meaning?"

One way of enhancing a word or a scene or a happening is by juxtaposing its opposite, and this method is used throughout the book. Multiple, short, jabbing paragraphs abruptly swing us back and forth from the depravity of post-war Russia to the ultimate lifestyle of the famous defected ballet dancer as he travels the world.

Nureyev was a dedicated genius whose ambition and raw spirit has not been duplicated in the world of male dancers. Many famous dancers preceded and followed him, but none possessed the passionate animal quality of his art. Like all animals, he was prone to savagery in his treatment of others, and some of the liberal sex scenes in the book border on bestiality.

The author tries to convince us that, in spite of his halcyon ways, Nureyev still has a sense of morality, by throwing in paragraphs of the dancer's memories of his mother and his homeland. This doesn't work. When your friends are Andy Warhol, Rock Hudson and John Kennedy and you travel in the eerie world of psychedelic drug enhancement, nobody is going to believe you relate to your impoverished cousin in a concrete room in Moscow.

His art is extremely good, and his life was extremely bad.

He was human. Thus, we forgive him everything because his dance was a rare gift erasing all judgement.

Dancer and other titles can be signed out at the Spencerville branch of the Edwardsburgh/ Cardinal Public Library.

MS society to serve spaghetti dinner

BROCKVILLE ­ The Leeds and Grenville Chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada will host a spaghetti dinner Friday, Jan. 28 from 5 to 7 pm at Thousand Islands Secondary School on Parkedale Avenue.

Music will be provided by Tom Wilson. For ticket information, call 342-6396.

CNIB crocus campaign is on

LEEDS AND GRENVILLE ­ The arrival of the Canadian National Institute for the Blind's (CNIB) annual crocus campaign means spring cannot be that far away.

Each year, flowers are sold to raise money to support local CNIB services, which are provided at no cost to about 1,600 visually impaired individuals in Leeds and Grenville, Lennox and Addington and Frontenac.

To place an order, call CNIB volunteer Doug Mather at 342-3062. Order forms are also available at a number of workplaces in the region.

The crocuses will arrive in time for Valentine's Day.

SGDHS volleyball teams making presence known

KEMPTVILLE - The South Grenville Giants are gaining ground quickly in the Leeds and Grenville Secondary School Athletic Association (LGSSAA) volleyball standings.

The senior Giants travelled to Kemptville Thursday and posted a 6-2 record at the North Grenville tournament. The Giants started the tournament splitting a pair of games with St. Mary (17-25, 25-23), before sweeping BCI (25-4, 25-18, 25-3) and taking two out of three games from the host North Grenville Knights (25-16, 25-16, 19-25). The six wins tied the Giants with St. Mary for most wins at the tournament, and vaulted South Grenville into top spot in the LGSSAA senior girls volleyball standings with an 11-2 record, just ahead of the TISS Pirates with an 11-4 record, in two more games played.

Giants coach Ann Drummond indicated South Grenville is playing well, but just needs not to get caught flat.

"We're playing pretty consistent," said Drummond. "We played BCI and beat them relatively easily and then we came out flat against St. Mary and they really surprised us. We did well to rebound and pulled out the second game."

Drummond credited Sam Joudoin and Sara Watt with strong play at the tournament, with Joudoin taking a role as the floor leader with strong play and a positive attitude, while Watt's play in the backcourt proved to be the Giants strength all day.

Juniors jump to second place

The Giants junior girls volleyball team had a rough week in North Grenville posting a 3-5 record at the tournament.

The Giants split games with St. Mary (25-19, 23-25), while dropping two of three games to BCI (10-25, 25-20, 19-25), before losing two of their three final games against the Knights (25-27, 22-25, 25-11).

Despite the rough week, South Grenville jumped to second place in the standings with an 8-5 record, three wins behind the St. Mary Crusaders who have played 10 more games.

Giants coaches Allison Banford and Christine Sloan indicated the tournament was a bit of an off week for the team.

"We really just weren't focused," said Banford. "We are just going to get back to basics and take some positives from the tournament. Jessica Rupert really took some initiative and really stepped up for us with her setting."

Sloan added, "We got some great serving from Karrie Neddo and Karrie and Jaime (Grimes) worked really well together blocking."

Both the Giants senior and junior girls volleyball teams will be in action Thursday as they host their league tournament beginning at noon and running throughout the afternoon. Giants games are scheduled for approximately noon, 3 pm and 4:30 pm.

Jr. B Rangers undefeated streak stopped at 21 games

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

CARDINAL - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers saw their 21-game undefeated streak come to an end with a 4-1 loss Friday night at the hands of the Winchester Hawks.

Brandon Kelley scored unassisted for the Rangers' lone goal in the game, which got rough and led to South Grenville's Eric Selleck being suspended for the next game after he came out on top of a fight with Travis Armstrong in the final ten minutes of the game.

The loss came as the first defeat for the Rangers since Oct. 31 in Kemptville.

Last Tuesday, the Rangers travelled to Napanee and managed to overcome a couple of mental mistakes in a 5-4 overtime victory over the Raiders.

The Rangers led Napanee by two goals heading into the third period, but the Raiders responded to the challenge to score two goals, including the game tying goal with 45 seconds left to send the game into overtime.

Eric Selleck stepped up in the overtime frame scoring his second goal of the game to give South Grenville the victory. Alex Rees, Adam Tousant and Matt Bailey scored the other Rangers' goals, while Rees, Selleck, Kelley, Adam Lawrence and Dustin Swan added assists.

Following the game against Napanee, Rangers coach Rod Simmons indicated the game was a good test for the team.

"Napanee came out with a good physical presence," said Simmons. "They were very physical out there and the guys rose to the challenge after making a couple mental mistakes down the stretch. They showed a no quit attitude and showed they can regroup. This will be good preparation for the final stretch heading towards the playoffs."

South Grenville still sits atop the Rideau Division standings with a 27-4-3-0 record for 57 points in 34 games, five points ahead of the second place Brockville Tikis. The Rangers also have two games in hand on the Tikis.

The Rangers will play host to the Westport Rideaus Saturday at 7:15 pm at the Cardinal and District Community Centre. South Grenville will travel to Athens Sunday to take on the Aeros at 2:30 pm.

The Rangers will be in Brockville next Wednesday, Jan. 26 to take on the arch-rival Tikis at 7:45 pm.

Rupert named MVP of Veterans game

KEMPTVILLE - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers made their presence known at the Jr. B All-Star Game Saturday in Kemptville.

South Grenville was well-represented at the tournament with goaltender Greg Richardson, defencemen Alex Rees and Peter Veltkamp and forwards Derek Rupert, Skyler Hoar and David Lun named to the Rideau Division Veterans team. Defenceman Ben Bowden and forward Matt Bailey were named alternates.

The Rangers coaching staff of Coach/GM Rod Simmons, assistant coaches Mark Armstrong and Cahl Gerow and trainer Andrew Scott coached the Rideau Division Veterans team.

Five Rangers were also named to the Rideau Division Prospects team, with goaltender Tim Potter, defenceman Ryan Sullivan and forwards Brandon Kelley, Julien Francis and Eric Selleck representing South Grenville.

In the Rideau Division vs. Valley Division Veterans game, Rupert was named the game's most valuable player with a two goal performance in the 8-8 draw. Hoar and Lun picked up helpers, and Richardson got the start in goal.

In the Rideau Division vs. Valley Division Prospects game, Kelley and Francis each had an assist as the Rideau team dropped a 5-3 decision.

SG peewee #2 wins tournament

PEMBROKE - The South Grenville Rangers peewee B Rangers house league team #2 travelled to Pembroke Jan. 8 and 9 and captured the Pembroke peewee house league tournament.

The Rangers reeled off five straight wins in the tournament on their way to the title, including a 3-0 win in their opener over the Petawawa Bearcats. Cory Wilson, Sam Contant and Rik Champagne scored for South Grenville, while Mike Morrell, Shane McGuire, Champagne and Wilson added assists.

In their second game, the Rangers scored a 3-0 victory over West Carleton. Wilson led the Rangers with a pair of goals, while Contant added a single. Cody Patenaude (2), Wilson and Dan Calhoun chipped in with helpers.

In the third game, South Grenville posted a 4-0 win over the Pembroke Pitbulls. Morell scored a pair to lead the Rangers, while McGuire and Calhoun also scored. Patenaude (3), Sydney Wehmeyer, Calhoun, Ian King, Tim Kippax and Champagne added assists.

In the semi-final, South Grenville came away with a 4-0 victory over Arnprior. Champagne, King, Wilson and Calhoun scored for the Rangers. Champagne and McGuire chipped in with helpers.

In the final, the Rangers scored a 4-1 victory over Barry's Bay. McGuire, Wehmeyer, Patenaude and Morell scored for the Rangers, while Wilson and King picked up a pair of assists apiece.

The goaltending tandem of Matt Walker and Marc Brunet combined for four shutouts in their five tournament games.

Other members of the Rangers are Matt Leonard and Josh Bailey.

South Grenville Jr. B Rangers scoring

Name GP G A PTS

Derek Rupert 33 20 27 47

Skyler Hoar 31 14 23 37

David Lun 34 15 21 36

Matt Bailey 34 15 21 36

Alex Rees 34 14 18 32

Adam Tousant 33 14 16 30

Eric Selleck 28 16 13 29

Adam Lawrence 34 12 13 25

Julien Francis 24 14 10 24

Peter Veltkamp 33 5 16 21

Jason Whelan 25 7 13 20

Brandon Kelley 33 4 15 19

Mark Williams 34 4 10 14

Dustin Swan 25 6 7 13

Ryan Sullivan 33 3 9 12

Andrew Fortier 23 5 7 12

Ben Bowden 33 2 3 5

Ryan Landon (AP) 1 1 2 3

Lucas Spencer 3 0 1 1

Braeden Miller (AP) 4 2 0 2

Josh Rupert (AP) 1 0 0 0

Nick Maggio (AP) 1 0 0 0

Goaltending

Name GA Mins. GAA

Greg Richardson 43 1,090 2.37

Tim Potter 45 971 2.78

Giants basketball teams improve to 5-1

MAITLAND - The South Grenville Giants senior boys just won't quit, as they showed again last week with a pair of come-from-behind victories over GCC and Athens.

On Thursday, South Grenville continued its impressive string of come-from-behind victories as they battled back from a 22-17 deficit at the half to score a 48-36 victory over the GCC Lions. The Lions gave South Grenville a scare after getting the lead and switching to the four post corner offence, running down nearly the entire second quarter of the game.

Curtis Bucking and Ryan Devaney each scored 14 points to lead the Giants, while Andrew DeDekker chipped in eight and Matt Alkerton added five.

Marco Chui led the Lions with a 20-point night, followed by Peter Chui and Alex Chan with six apiece.

Giants coach Jason Crotty was glad to see his boys pull out a victory, though he thinks his team may have overlooked the Lions.

"We certainly seemed to take them a bit too lightly with BCI and North Grenville coming up," said Crotty. "We showed a lot of heart battling back and showing patience at the end of the game finishing it up. Guys like Alkerton, (Sam) Whitley and Bucking played well controlling the boards, which really helped us out."

The Giants travelled to Athens last Tuesday and scored a 65-57 victory over the Athens Warriors.

DeDekker played a strong game for South Grenville scoring 22 points in his first game back after suffering a concussion during a very physical exhibition game against Athens last week. Delaney and Whitley each added eight.

With the pair of wins, the senior Giants have a 5-1 LGSSAA record on the season, with their only loss coming at the hands of the St. Mary Crusaders.

Juniors 5-1 on the season

On Thursday, the Giants scored a 51-35 victory over the GCC Lions in Maitland. Josh Parsons led all scorers with 22 points, followed by Mike Froom with 12, Cory Alkerton with seven and Cody Haché with five.

Jim Lee scored 11 points to lead the Lions, while Kyle Pyke added eight, and Richard Lin and John Wang had five points apiece.

Giants coach John Doran was pleased with his team's performance after the game.

"We got a chance to get everyone in the ball game," said Doran. "We've got all our guys healthy and to find time for 15 guys can be tough, so this was good for them. We're 5-1 on the season now and we're coming up with two important games on the weekend with games against BCI and North Grenville."

Doran continued, "Our starting five has been playing well and we also just got one of last year's starters Stephen Joudoin back from a separated shoulder, and he should help us out."

In junior action, the Giants travelled to Athens last Tuesday and came away victorious with a 54-35 win over the Warriors. Parsons paced South Grenville with 15 points, followed by Froom with 11, Alkerton with nine and Haché with four.

Both Giants teams will travel to Brockville on Thursday, Jan. 20 to take on the BCI Red Rams; the juniors play at 3 pm and the seniors play at 4:20 pm.

RSL major atom Kings advance to semi-final

SPENCERVILLE - The Rideau-St. Lawrence major atom AA Kings had a strong showing at the Peterborough Liftlock Atom Tournament last weekend.

In the semi-final, the Kings fell 3-2 to the host Peterborough AAA Nationals. Slater Koekkoek and Tanner Casselman scored for the Kings, while Taylor Henry, Joey Sargeant and Will Fawcett added assists.

In their opener, the Kings scored a 2-1 win over the North York AAA Rangers. Adam Douma and Marc Beckstead scored for RSL, while Henry chipped in with a helper.

In game two, RSL put together a good game for a 2-1 win over the Central Ontario Wolves AAA. Chris Moss and Henry scored for the Kings. Koekkoek added an assist.

In game three, the Kings settled for a 1-1 draw with the Quinte Red Devils. Spencer Lee had the Kings' lone goal.

The Kings placed in top spot in their division in the round-robin.

The goaltending tandem of Spencer Corkery and Jarrett Pitt had a strong tournament, allowing only five goals in four games.

On Jan. 12, the Kings hosted the Ottawa Sting and came away with a 5-0 win at the Spencerville arena. Moss scored a pair of goals to lead the Kings, while Henry, Adam Douma and Koekkoek added singles. Payton Marriner (2), Warren Steele, Shane Riddell, Spencer Lee and Douma chipped in with helpers.

South Grenville atom Rangers defeat Kingston Township

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville atom B Rangers hockey team started the new year on a high note, with a victory over Kingston Township.

On Jan. 11, the Rangers scored a 4-1 win over the Kingston Township Titans at the Leo Boivin Community Centre. Broydon Stufko, Cody Adams, Brett Van Stralen and Alex Stephenson scored for South Grenville, while Stephenson, Stufko and Matt Courtney added assists.

SG falls in tourney final

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Giants senior boys basketball team advanced to the finals of its host tournament Saturday, before dropping the final 50-35 to the North Grenville Knights.

The Giants finished the round robin with the best record in pool A to advance to the final against North Grenville.

In their opener, the Giants scored a 65-45 victory over Ivy Ridge (Ogdensburg). Andrew DeDekker paced South Grenville with a 15 point performance, followed by Curtis Bucking with ten, Matt Alkerton with eight, and Sam Whitley and Ryan Davy with six.

In their second game, the Giants scored a 55-33 win over LaCitadelle. DeDekker scored 19 points for South Grenville, followed by Alkerton with eight, Chad Hyland and Bucking with six.

In their third game, South Grenville managed a 68-44 victory over Opeongo to remain undefeated in round-robin play. DeDekker led all scorers with 18 points, followed by Bucking with 14, Davy with ten, Whitley with eight and Nathaniel Hayes with six.

PDSA holding AGM tonight

PRESCOTT - The Prescott and District Soccer Association (PDSA) will be holding its annual general meeting tonight (Wednesday, Jan. 19) at the Prescott Fire Hall.

Prescott minor soccer is once again trying to get off to an early start to organizing the 2005 season and will be taking the first step with its AGM at 7 pm.

The PDSA is looking for volunteers for various roles, including some people to sit on the league's executive.

The PDSA needs some new people and fresh ideas to keep minor soccer in the area as a fun summer activity for the nearly 700 children who are registered to play each year.

Everyone is welcome to attend the meeting.

Teams needed for Randy Kroone Mixed Sno-Pitch tournament

PRESCOTT - The Prescott Kinsmen Club will be running the 11th annual Randy Kroone Memorial Mixed Sno-Pitch Tournament Saturday, Feb. 12.

Each team must have a minimum of four females.

The event is being run in conjunction with Prescott's Frost Festival and is being held at the Kriska (old RCA) ball diamonds.

All proceeds from the tournament will be donated to the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario.

To enter a team or for more information, contact Art Hitsman at 925-1315, 213-1136 or (613) 734-8486 or e-mail artg.hitsman@canadapost.ca.

Cardinal Hot Stuff mixed dart tournament set for Jan. 29

CARDINAL - The Cardinal Mixed Dart League is preparing to host its Hot Stuff Dart Tournament at the end of the month.

The tournament is scheduled for Jan. 29, with registration beginning at noon and games starting at 1 pm.

There is an entry fee.

The event is slated to be a fun event, which is involving local volunteer firefighters.

The dart league is looking for 20 teams, consisting of two women, one man, with a draw for the fourth member of the team from a pool of firefighters.

For more information or to pre-register a team, call Jeanne at 657-4558.

Kinsmen club offering pick-up hockey games for adult players

PRESCOTT - The Kinsmen Club of Prescott is inviting adult hockey players to come
out to play semi-competitive pick-up
hockey.

The club has ice time every Sunday from 11 am until noon and welcomes any players over the age of 18 to play semi-competitive gentle players hockey.

Players are asked to meet in dressing rooms 1 or 4 at the Leo Boivin Community Centre at 10:30 pm.

For more information, contact
Art Hitsman at 925-1315, 213-1136, (613) 734-8486 or e-mail artg.hitsman@canadapost.ca.

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