Invista strike drags on; meeting set for Tuesday

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

MAITLAND - The strike at Invista Maitland Site - now in its 40th day - has taken a toll on both the striking workers and the staff workers who are running the plant, according to Communications, Energy and Paperworkers Union Local 28-0 President Steve Armstrong

"It's obviously affected them (striking workers)," he stated Friday. "They're not getting a full pay cheque."

Armstrong also stated pay for the striking workers is $250 a week, tax free. He estimated the take-home pay for the workers if they had been working on the site would be between $600 and $800 a week.

"(They've been) feeling the financial pinch, obviously," added Armstrong. However, he added the union has "assistance programs" in place to help strikers who are in "dire need." In particular, he mentioned there is a plan in place to help strikers with medical bills should the need arise. He also stated the union would begin to hold fundraising events to raise funds to help striking union members "in need" should the strike go on for months.

When asked whether or not there were any couples in which both people are now on strike at the plant, Armstrong stated there are "at least three" couples he knows of who are in that situation. "But the majority of people don't have two good-paying jobs (in a household)," he opined.

Armstrong also stated union members are pleased a meeting is planned for union and Invista officials and a provincial mediator Tuesday. "They're really glad we're meeting with the company," he stated.

Armstrong added the striking workers are pleased Invista has a lawyer to help with the negotiations. "The guy (Toronto lawyer Stewart Saxe) is trained to do these things."

Armstrong added, in his opinion, the staff workers in the plant are suffering fatigue. "(They're working) shift and aren't used to it," he stated, adding some of the people inside the plant once worked shift but went over to staff positions because they didn't like working shift. "Now (they're) doing something they dislike," he stated.

Invista spokesperson Line Villeneuve would not specify how many staff workers are staffing positions inside the plant when she was contacted Friday, but did say the numbers are "sufficient." She added that the plant currently has staff workers which are on the site for more than one shift, as well as people who "come and go on a daily basis."

She added "we have arrangements in place for people who have to stay for more than one shift."

When asked whether or not staff employees inside the plant are receiving additional compensation for working in the plant, she said "I wouldn't want to get into that." However, Villeneuve did say the company offers "appropriate compensation and benefits programs for all employees at Invista."

She added "The people who are working in the plant are doing a very good job. The long-term viability of the site and the employment of everyone who works there, including unionized employees, is dependent on continuing to operate the site and delivering value to our customers."

Talks involving the union, Invista officials (including a labour lawyer) and a provincial mediator are scheduled for Tuesday, July 19 at 10 am at the Royal Brock in Brockville.

THIS WEEK

Subdivision open house to be held later today

PRESCOTT ­ An open house to present plans for the new subdivision in the northeast section of Prescott will take place today (Wednesday, July 13) from 5 to 7 pm at town hall on Dibble Street West.

The drop-in session will feature plans for 80 residential units in the area north of Mackenzie, Massie and Woodland and south of the grocery store parking lot. Those three streets are to be extended as part of the proposed development.

The municipality owns most of the land in question.

Park dedication set for Saturday morning

PRESCOTT ­ Sarah Spencer Park will be officially dedicated this Saturday, July 16 at 10 am.

The Churchill Road park was renamed earlier this year in honour of Spencer, a young award-winning community volunteer who passed away last November at the age of 21.

A special garden in her memory was created this spring in the northeast section of the park.

Mill hosts Bye Gone Days this weekend

SPENCERVILLE ­ The Spencerville Mill will host Bye Gone Days this weekend.

Heritage demonstrations and activities such as butter-churning, rope-making and spinning will take place Saturday, July 16 and Sunday, July 17 from 10 am to 4 pm. There will also be pony rides from 2 to 3 pm and old-fashioned games.

Admission is free.

Head for Tom Wilson Country this weekend

PRESCOTT ­ The music of Tom Wilson Country will be featured at the next Sunday evening concert at the Kinsmen Amphitheatre.

The event is set for July 17 at 7 pm. There is no admission fee; donations can be made at the concert.

The series is funded by contributions from individuals, service clubs and businesses and is supported by the Town of Prescott.

In case of rain, the show will be moved inside to the Leo Boivin Community Centre.

Trillium says no to Prescott library

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

But campaign is going well and there are other reasons for optimism: Friends chair

PRESCOTT ­ The Prescott Public Library is continuing its renovation and expansion campaign knowing it can no longer count on Ontario Trillium Foundation funding.

At a committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday night, Mayor Robert Lawn noted town officials were advised Friday the municipality's application for a grant of $75,000 had been rejected.

Friends of the Prescott Public Library Chairperson Sandra Lawn said the foundation indicated in a letter that the Trillium funding available to the Leeds-Grenville area had been significantly oversubscribed. Mrs. Lawn told The Journal she contacted Trillium officials to find out if the Prescott decision could be appealed and was told it could not.

The Friends group launched the public phase of its "Our Library, Our Future" fundraising campaign in March.

In its May fundraising letter dropped off at households throughout town, the group stated it had "...already raised close to $220,000 with a $75,000 Trillium grant pending. There is approximately $145,000 more to raise."

To date, upwards of $10,000 has been collected through the door-to-door drive. Lawn said results are steadily coming in, and many more contributions are expected thanks to the effort of volunteers who canvassed the community.

Although she acknowledged the outcome was disappointing, Lawn referred to the grant decision as "a bump in the road." She also noted a new funding opportunity has emerged.

At the committee-of-the-whole meeting, Prescott council agreed to apply to the Eastern Ontario Development Fund (EODF) for capital funding for the library. EODF is a federally-funded regional program which provides support to a range of projects involving infrastructure, façade improvements and youth internships ­ all of which have some sort of connection to economic development.

The application was being finalized Tuesday and was to be submitted by today, the deadline for EODF applications this month. The board of Prescott-based Grenville Community Futures Development Corporation (GCFDC) reviews and makes decision about most local EODF applications on a regular basis.

Lawn said having a good library is a key component in any community's effort to attract new businesses and new residents. Prescott's library now boasts more than 3,200 active members, about 1,000 of whom are children.

Lawn also noted the process of preparing the Trillium funding application enabled town officials to collect the information and details required by EODF.

Applications for the next round of Trillium grants will be accepted in November. With $200,000 in the bank and more support on the way, Lawn said the library's campaign is going extremely well even with the bad news about the Trillium grant. "This certainly is not dragging us down at all," she said.

Lawn said campaign organizers remain hopeful library renovation and expansion work will be carried out this fall.

Heat caused train derailment: CN Rail

Rail buckle is very rare, spokesperson says

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ A buckled rail caused by extreme heat is being cited as the cause of last Monday afternoon's train derailment in Prescott.

No one was injured when 51 empty tanker cars went off the north track east of Edward Street. The derailment caused the temporary closure of CN Rail's main line, but partial service was restored the next morning and full service was restored about 48 hours after the accident.

CN spokesperson Jean-Daniel Hamelin told The Journal Friday the investigations by CN and the Transportation Safety Board were ongoing. However, the rail company had determined "extreme environmental changes" caused a rail to buckle.

Hamelin described the incident as "...a very, very rare occurrence."

The temperature that afternoon was about 30°C or slightly higher ­ hot enough, but not record-setting heat. It is believed the temperature has been at or above that mark a few other times so far this year.

Although Hamelin acknowledged there were other factors which might have contributed to the accident, CN maintains the main reason was the heat.

CN had performed maintenance on the main line in Prescott the previous week. Hamelin said the rails on the north track were not replaced as part of that work. He did not know how long the rails had been in service.

A visual inspection of the line had been conducted the morning of the derailment, according to Hamelin. He added the two-person crew on the train did not spot the problem prior to the accident. In some cases, railway personnel are able to see similar problems and act before a train gets to that section of track.

Hamelin was unable to indicate how fast the train was travelling when it reached the buckled rail.

By early Tuesday morning, limited freight train service had been restored using the north siding. By Tuesday night, both tracks at the derailment scene had been replaced.

They were both back to limited service with reduced speed orders in place Wednesday. At 10:27 am, Prescott firefighters received a pager message stating "the train incident is complete. No further assistance is required."

VIA passenger rail service, which had been rerouted through Smiths Falls and Ottawa after the derailment, returned to the CN main line later in the day.

The outside northbound lane of Edward Street at the top of the overpass was closed shortly after the derailment to prevent so-called rubber-necking and to protect pedestrians gathered to get a bird's-eye view of the derailment site. The lane was reopened to traffic Wednesday, as was the Boundary Street level crossing.

By early Thursday morning, most of the heavy equipment and machinery used to clean up the derailment site and replace the damaged tracks had left town.

Hamelin noted CN spends $1.2 billion each year to maintain its North American operations. In this case, though, "drastic environmental conditions" reportedly caused the empty tanker cars to leave the track.

"You can do as much as you can do," Hamelin remarked.

When asked if CN would compensate the OPP or the municipality for costs incurred as a direct result of bringing in officers to secure the perimeter and provide crowd and traffic control on the overpass and at other locations, Hamelin said he would check into it. When the subject arose at a committee-of-the-whole meeting of Prescott council Monday night, Prescott CAO/Clerk Robert Haller stated the town had been keeping tabs on those extra costs and would be submitting an invoice to CN.

Town council to follow through on pledge to improve lighting at Kelly's Bay gazebo

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ It is hoped better lighting will reduce the problem of teenagers hanging out in and near the Kelly's Bay gazebo at night, according to Prescott council.

In response to concerns about safety and vandalism expressed by the owners of a bed and breakfast located beside the beach and pavillion, council decided last year to have lights installed and ask for increased police patrols of the area. Nearly a year later, the lighting has yet to be installed.

In a presentation to council at a committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday night, Ship's Anchor owners Robert and Marilyn Bradley described the problems they have had with young people who hang out by the gazebo. The Bradleys, whose frustration was apparent at the meeting, noted the teens have sworn at and disrespected them. There is garbage and broken bottles left on the beach and in their back yard. They also described what they referred to as retaliation: their two vehicles were spraypainted one night, causing $5,000 in damage.

"We've learned to not say anything to anyone anymore," Mr. Bradley told council.

The Bradleys said Community Services Director Randy Pelehos had indicated moving the gazebo closer to the building that houses change rooms and washrooms was feasible. However, some councillors expressed concern moving the structure would only serve to move the problem to another part of the park area.

Although there was some support for the idea of getting rid of the pavillion altogether, council members agreed to stick with their initial decision and have better lighting installed. The estimated cost of the lighting project is about $1,500.

Installation is to take place as soon as possible. Town officials indicated they might review the situation before the end of this summer.

Intersection changes will give truckers more space for turns

PRESCOTT ­ The town is planning changes to the Churchill Road-Edward Street intersection.

As part of upgrades to Edward Street to be carried out beginning later this summer, there is a proposal to eliminate one of two eastbound lanes on Churchill at the intersection. The move is designed to give drivers of large trucks more space to make turns onto and off Churchill Road West.

At the present time, there is one lane for right turns and another lane for left turns and through traffic.

During a discussion at a committee-of-the-whole meeting of Prescott council Monday night, it was noted the northwest corner of the intersection has sustained extensive damage from trucks being driven over the curb as they turn right from the southbound lanes of Edward Street.

Town Engineer Clyde Solomon said the first phase would be to eliminate one of the eastbound lanes. Solomon noted most of the vehicles coming from Churchill Road West turn left at the intersection.

A proposed second phase would see construction of a short right turn ramp on the south west corner of the intersection. However, the municipality has not committed itself to building a ramp. Prescott CAO/Clerk Robert Haller noted the town would monitor how painting new lines on the road surface would affect traffic flow and decide at a later date if a right-turn lane is warranted.

In addition to replacing the surface of Edward Street between the overpass and Highway 401, the town will be proceeding with repairs to the overpass. The municipality has put out a tender on the million-dollar project; bidding will close in late July or early August.

Former police cars still for sale

PRESCOTT ­ Members of town council are not quite ready to sell the municipality's two former police cruisers.

The Ford Crown Victoria used by the now-defunct Prescott Police Service has attracted a top bid of $6,000 from the Brockville Police Department. The older model, a Chevrolet Impala, had received an offer of $500 from a private bidder.

However, the town had budgeted revenue of $10,000 from the sale of the two sedans.

Prescott CAO/Clerk Robert Haller said a notice had gone out to police and fire departments, several of which expressed an interest in the vehicles. Ads were also placed in The Journal, he noted.

Some councillors indicated they would like to see the cruisers advertised in a trade publication such as Auto Trader in an effort to get more money for them. "At least we've exhausted all avenues," Councillor Suzanne Dodge said of taking one last approach to selling the cars. "We've been hanging onto them for a year. What's another month?"

Correction

In a July 6 article about the Kiwanis Club of Prescott, the name of the club was incorrectly identified as the Kinsmen. Several other references to the club's name in the article were correct.

The Journal apologizes for the error.

Augusta offers first serving of Summer Jam

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

NORTH AUGUSTA - Organizers are considering the first go-round of the Augusta Summer Jam 2005 festival a success despite poor weather which affected attendance.

Despite some bad weather Friday night and Saturday, organizers feel the event has some legs and will be around in the future.

"The rain kicked us in the ass and it was a little disappointing," said event organizer Scott Semple. "If it wasn't for the rain Friday and Saturday, I think we would have reached our goals. We had a good Friday, a great Saturday and okay Sunday. Mother nature just wasn't on our side."

The three-day event, which was dubbed as a festival of music and camping fun, included a relatively star-studded bill with acts such as Trooper, Five Man Electrical Band, Shania Twin, Eddy and the Stingrays and Tom Wilson and his Western All-Stars.

Semple indicated there were a lot of positives coming from their first try at hosting a music festival.

"We had so much good feedback we'll likely do this again," explained Semple.

"Our sponsors were great, especially Bell World and 730 Truck Stop which really showed a lot of support. A lot of them came out and took in the concerts and really thought things were done great and professional. We were hoping for about 1,000 people a day and fell just short of that, but we knew we would take a small fall. Havelock started small, too, and took some hits, but look at them today. We're just going to lick our wounds and try to get more support to make it happen again."

Organizing committee member Virginia Rosario indicated the event was a fun weekend for everyone especially on Friday and Saturday nights when the headliners performed.

Rosario indicated while they were happy with how things went, there were some lessons learned if the event is to run again.

"It was our first try," indicated Rosario. "We know we need to get more advertising and let people know about the tent out here, so people know they can come and not get soaked."

Rosario indicated the majority of the crowd came from the local area and surrounding areas such as Kingston and Ottawa, but they missed out on one specific group of people.

"We need to get the people from across the border," said Rosario. "Of the people from the states who did come, they didn't know about the camping and where the park was. It's called Augusta Motorsport Park and they were looking for Augusta on a map and not finding it. It was a learning experience, but we were happy with the whole weekend, a lot of families came out and had fun, the police were great and Onne (Van Hoek) and Scott (Semple) did so much. Without them, this wouldn't have been possible."

Semple indicated the camping option is something they expect to grow with people concerned about bars.

"At bars, people know they can only have one drink at the most if they are driving and they can't smoke either so they are pretty confined," said Semple. "I imagine we'll get more people next year coming out and staying so they don't have to worry about any of that with the outdoor concert and camping on-site."

Weather affects turnout at Shakespeare festival

PRESCOTT - Organizers of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival's third season hope the better weather forecasted for this week will bring larger audiences than the festival had in its first week.

"We didn't get a good weather week," stated Jim Bishop, co-chair of front-of-house for the festival. "The weather kept people away."

After a strong opening night which attracted an estimated 137 people, attendance was low for much of the rest of the week. Bishop estimated "fewer than 20" people attended the performance last Tuesday night. "Traditionally, the first week has always been low," he opined.

However, Bishop is also optimistic the festival will attract more people in the upcoming weeks. "I'm confident the audience will start to build as of this day (Monday)," he stated.

Front-of-house co-chair Mary Lou Murray noted the festival has had approximately 500 attendees so far, and stated that number is "about dead-on" from the same point in the festival last year. An audience of 50 people viewed the play Monday might.

"What hurt us last week was the threat of rain," opined Murray. "We're off to a slow start."

Even though the crowds have been small, organizers note those who have seen the play have enjoyed it. "The response, even with 28 people in the audience, is standing and cheering (at the performance's end)" stated Bishop.

He was also quick to praise the cast of Twelfe Night. "It's a treat to be working with them... They work as hard for six as for 600."

Twelfe Night Director Molly Lyons noted the play was performed Friday night in the tent, because of rain. Murray wouldn't confirm a number of attendees for this night, but noted it was a "small crowd."

The festival's first Seasons's Past Afternoon Tea at the Colonel's Inn was cancelled due to the fact that the father of Jodie Cromb took ill. Cromb is co-owner of the inn. However, Bishop believes this Saturday's tea will take place. There is another tea slated for July 23. These teas are fundraisers for the festival, and take place from 3-5 pm.

Lyons also mentioned she has heard "all wonderful things" from patrons who have viewed the play. "People have said 'I don't go to Shakespeare often, but I totally understood it'."

She added "We're doing our job - people are finding Shakespeare accessible."

Lyons also stated Libby Skala's one-woman show Lillia!, which was based on the life of her Oscar-nominated grandmother Lillia Skala, was very well attended. Murray noted 46 people attended the show. It was presented in the tent which the festival has put up on Prescott's waterfront.

The festival runs until July 23. On July 17, Lyons is presenting her one-woman show A Most Notorious Woman, based on the life of the last Irish queen and sea captain Granuaile. The show has been played to sold-out houses in New York City, Seattle and Vancouver. Lyons has also performed it in Ireland.

Festival tickets are available at the Royal Bank, TD Canada Trust, Ken Durand's office on George Street and Jessup House in Prescott. Tickets will also be sold on site on performance nights.

North Augusta committee returns hall keys to township

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

MAYNARD - In a symbolic gesture, members of the North Augusta Recreation Committee have given back their keys to the community hall in the village.

"There is no way we can afford to run the community hall," stated Henry Eekhout, president of the committee, outside the municipal building after the keys had been returned. He added the association will continue to operate the ball diamonds and soccer field.

"They (the township) spend $20,000 on skating, and only $9,000 is given to all recreation associations," he added. "It's ironic the township's mission statement says everyone's treated fairly."

He stated the North Augusta Recreation Committee was given $1,500 for 2005.

Carol Stephenson, a councillor who sits on the Parks and Recreation committee in the township, noted the township covered debts for recreation committees in the township the past four years due to the fact that statements indicating the amounts owed by associations were not given out for that time period. "They're (statements) back in place now."

Stephenson indicated she did not know why the statements were not given out for the years 2000-2004. However, she did note that all six recreation associations in the township are being treated in the same way.

"We need to put rules in place for everyone," stated councillor John Fischl.

Councillor Bill Buckler noted it was "a sad night" when a recreation association felt it had to turn over a community hall because it believed it could no longer operate it. However, he also stated the committee was notified last week that council was seeking legal advice on the matter.

"Nobody on this council, I don't believe, diminishes the contribution these folks are making, but we need to have some answers on behalf of everybody," stated Reeve John McCrea.

He added council needs to locate a particular bylaw which may provide some guidance on the situation, as well as to confer with the township's solicitor, before it can take an official position on the matter.

When asked if the township would continue to operate the facility, Stephenson noted it was premature to say it would. She added council has to "group together" and decide what to do.

"It's a difficult situation," added McCrea.

New GCC headmaster selected

MAITLAND ­ Grenville Christian College (GCC) has named its new headmaster.

Reverend Gordon Mintz, the rector at St. Paul's Anglican Church in Brockville, will succeed David Dargie, whose retirement took effect at the end June. GCC made the announcement Tuesday.

Mintz has worked as a teacher and administrator at GCC and served as a residence don at the University of Western Ontario. "I am thrilled to be returning to the school I love and am proud to be a part of," he stated in a news release.

Touch a Rainbow program gives the disabled a chance to go riding

By Blake McKim, Journal Staff Writer

NORTH AUGUSTA - More than 18 years ago, the Touch a Rainbow riding for the disabled program began in North Augusta. The organization is still going strong today.

"It provides therapeutic riding for the disabled," stated Cynthia Dutton, president and director of the organization. She added hundreds of people have been helped by the program since its inception.

Dutton touted the therapeutic and social aspects of the program as being important to its participants. "They (participants) all look forward to it," she said. "If we have to cancel, they get upset."

She added the program currently has, as members,s disabled people in between the ages of three and 65. "The walking of horses is therapeutic (for riders)," she stated. "It exercises the whole pelvic area." Other skills which the program is said to improve include hand-eye coordination, motivation, sensory integration and balance.

Dutton added there are currently 40 people enrolled in the program. She also said it provides a "real lift" to participants who haven't ridden an animal before.

To fund the program, Touch a Rainbow holds a number of fund raising events throughout the course of the year, including a "fun" horse trial held in the fall and two bingos per month held at Bingo Country in Brockville.

In addition, Touch a Rainbow holds an Ontario Equine Federation-sanctioned horse trial competition each year. This year's event took place Sunday, June 26.

Dutton is quick to credit the many volunteers who help with both the day-to-day running of the program and who pitch in at special events. "We couldn't have done it without our volunteers," she opined, adding between 30 and 40 people volunteered at the horse trial on Sunday, while approximately 20 people volunteer with the Touch a Rainbow program.

One longtime volunteer with Touch a Rainbow is Teresa Dolan, who used to volunteer with the riding for the disabled program and now helps with special events.

Dolan, who was one of the program's first volunteers when it started, says she's gotten much satisfaction out of her involvement with Touch a Rainbow. "(My) satisfaction comes from seeing someone disabled do something they were not able to do before," she stated.

"It's unique," Dolan added. "There's nothing else out there like this for people with disabilities."

In addition to crediting her volunteers, Dutton also is quick to acknowledge a number of community organizations - including the Maycourt Club, the Kinsmen and the Civitan Club, which are all based in Brockville for providing funds for the program over the years.

The funds the organization receives go towards the boarding and upkeep of horses used in the program. In addition, they allow some participants who couldn't otherwise afford to be in the program to "come anyways," according to Dutton. She estimated the event on June 26, which drew 120 riders from Ontario, Quebec and New York state, would raise $8,000 for the program.

Danielle Smith of Carp, who was a first-time participant in the horse trial, stated it made her "feel good" to be involved in an event which helps others "It's really good to give back to the sport," she stated.

Dutton noted Touch a Rainbow is "always looking" for more volunteers. To volunteer for the program, contact Dutton at 926-2116.

Township, company sign windmill agreement

MAYNARD - The township of Augusta is now one step closer to having windmills in its industrial park.

At Monday's regular meeting, council passed a bylaw for the municipality to enter into a land lease agreement with Windfield Energy Inc. According to Reeve John McCrea, this agreement is the "first step" for the energy company to go forward with its wind turbine plan. "They can go to prospective investors and let them know the municipality is 'on side,'" he stated.

The bylaw states that "the land lease for the construction and operation of the wind turbines will be based on an annual minimum of $5,000 per wind turbine or $3,000 per installed MW (megawatt) capacity, whatever amount is higher. It also says the payment of the full land lease will begin on the start date of construction of the turbines, and that after the land lease contract is signed, 10 per cent per year of the annual land lease amount will be due until the construction starts.

Benjamin Strehler and Robert van Eyk of Windfield Energy were both on hand at the meeting to sign the agreement. The bylaw also states the company has three years from the date the agreement was signed to undertake further steps in starting the wind park project.

The bylaw was given all three readings Monday night.

Auditor reports 2004 was a good news year for Augusta Township

MAYNARD - According to an auditor's report presented to Augusta council Monday night, Augusta appears to be in good shape.

"It's a good news year financially for the Township of Augusta," noted Ross Markell, of Craig, Keen, Despatie and Markell in Cornwall. He also stated the township has reserves in the amount of $1,158,000 million and an additional $449,000 in the reserve fund, thus bringing the total reserves in the township to about $1.6 million. "That's a very solid number for a township of this size," he opined.

Markell also noted an operating surplus of $267,000 for 2004.

Jobless rate fell to 6.8 per cent in June

KINGSTON ­ The regional unemployment rate dropped below seven per cent in June, according to figures released by Human Resources and Skills Development Canada (HRSDC).

The jobless rate for the region that includes South Grenville was 6.8 per cent last month, a decrease of 0.2 per cent from May. Construction showed a marked improvement, according to an HRSDC news release; the goods-producing sector, health care and social services were among other sectors reporting employment gains.

The current unemployment rate is half a per cent lower than the 7.3 per cent recorded in June 2004.

As for Employment Insurance (EI) claimants, all but one HRSDC office in the Kingston-Pembroke management area reported decreases in June. The Prescott office had 965 regular and special claims at the end of the month compared to 1,131 a month earlier (a decrease of 14.7 per cent). The overall decrease in the region was just under 10 per cent; Gananoque was the only HRSDC office to report a higher EI total at the end of June.

The regional jobless rate is similar to the current provincial and national unemployment rates.

Local man makes rare find at beach

PRESCOTT ­ Most puppies are cute and cuddly, but Patrick Wedemire found one that was anything but.

Wedemire was at Kelly's Beach on a Thursday afternoon in late June when he saw an odd-looking creature in the sand close to the river. When he got a closer look, he could not believe what he saw.

"It looked like a fish with legs," he told The Journal.

Not knowing what it was, Wedemire picked it up; the creature was not moving that much. A woman who was nearby did not know what it was. Wedemire said she was reluctant to have her kids go into the water at the beach without knowing what kind of fish or animal it was. It had feathery gills like a fish and webbed feet.

Wedemire placed the creature and some water into a jug. He headed downtown, where other people looked at the contents of the jug and indicated they had never seen anything quite like it before.

The mystery was solved when images of the creature were e-mailed to the Reptile Rainforest in North Grenville. Darren Boyd said the images were that of a mud puppy, a large salamander rarely seen by the public.

Boyd said mud puppies prefer cold water and solitude, adding he has come across them a few times in the wild. He was surprised to hear Wedemire found the amphibian in the open at a beach on such a warm day; resource materials indicate mud puppies breed in water.

The one Wedemire found was about 30 centimetres (one foot) in length. Boyd said that is a normal size for an adult mud puppy.

Wedemire said some people he talked to had heard of mud puppies but had never seen one before. At first, he thought it might be some kind of lizard or even a mutation. "It's something you see in the movies," he remarked.

Although he now knows mud puppies are not that uncommon in this part of the world, Wedemire remains excited about how so many other people in town were just as surprised and curious as he was about the find. "I've never seen anything like it," he said.

The mud puppy Wedemire found did not survive.

Town assesses response to crash

By Tim Ruhnke, Journal Editor

PRESCOTT ­ Emergency responders did their jobs effectively, and the town could have done a better job of communicating with council members, the public and the media.

Those were some of the points made by Prescott CAO/Clerk Robert Haller in his assessment of the response to last Monday afternoon's train derailment on the CN Rail main line east of Edward Street. Haller gave a verbal report to council at its committee-of-the-whole meeting Monday night.

He noted fire, police and ambulance personnel were dispatched to the scene immediately. Within minutes, the fire department had received a contents list of what was on the train. As it turned out, the tanker cars were empty; they had delivered diesel and gasoline to the Ultramar terminal in Maitland, and the train was on its way to the Montreal area.

Haller credited Councillor Chuck Street with calling 9-1-1 to report the derailment just before 4 pm and then calling the municipal office. Mayor Robert Lawn was contacted at home and he went to town hall immediately.

The town's public works was notified of the situation. Town officials then received a call from OPP Sergeant Bryan Somerville, who reported an initial assessment at the scene revealed there was no fire, spill or fumes. It appeared to be a matter of dealing with the wreckage and reopening the rail line rather than having to cope with a direct threat to public health and safety.

As a result, the town's emergency plan was not implemented. Town officials waited for word of any changes at the scene, but the situation remained under control. "We were very fortunate," Haller commented. Had the situation been more serious, he added, additional steps would have been taken.

Haller went on to state the town's communications with council, the public and the media could have been better. Some managers and council members called in wanting to know what was going on and whether or not they were needed. "Perhaps activating our plan (a little further) would have made people know," the CAO said.

In noting some people flocked to the rail line near the crash site and emergency responders ended up performing security duties to keep people from getting too close to the scene, Haller said there is a need to increase public awareness "that people should run away from train wrecks instead of to them."

As for the overall response to the accident, Haller said "all of CN's safety procedures seemed to work perfectly." He added the recovery phase was "phenomenal to watch."

Two statues of Jesus stolen from school

PRESCOTT ­ Officers with the Grenville County OPP detachment responded to 70 calls for service in the Prescott patrol zone last week.

A two-foot statue of Jesus wearing a blue robe and a smaller statue of St. Joseph holding Baby Jesus were taken from St. Joseph Catholic School last Wednesday, July 6. The statues had been located inside the front entrance of the school; the front door had been left slightly ajar during the day. Constable Runciman is investigating the theft.

On Thursday, July 7 at about 2 am, constables Kavanagh, McConnell and Bisson were conducting a RIDE check on King Street East at Boundary Street. Constable Kavanagh observed a 1989 GMC truck apparently attempt to avoid the spot check by suddenly turning left at Russell Street, according to an OPP news release. The vehicle was stopped and the male driver was spoken to by the constable. The driver was arrested for impaired driving and transported to the Leeds detachment for breathalyzer tests. The 42-year-old King Street resident faces a charge of impaired operation of a motor vehicle and is scheduled to appear in Brockville court July 22.

A 12-year-old Victor Road boy has been charged with possession of stolen property in connection with the theft of a scooter reported in late June. The boy was seen with the scooter on July 3. A complainant took the scooter away from the boy and called police. Constable Pergunas decided to lay a criminal charge instead of using alternate measures as part of the Youth Criminal Justice Act. The decision not to use such measures can be based on the seriousness of the offence but also on previous involvement with police and the youth's willingness to correct his or her actions, the OPP release stated.

One of the calls police responded to the previous week involved the theft of a 10-speed bike from a West Street yard. It is believed the bike was taken sometime between 8 and 9 pm Thursday, June 30. Sergeant Adair is investigating.

On July 1, a Dibble Street resident advised police a silver Razor child scooter with red wheels that had been parked at Fort Wellington was taken sometime between 12:30 and 4 pm. The investigating officer is Constable Shawn Steinburg.

The constable also responded to a reported break-in at a Fort Town Drive (formerly Douglas Drive) residence. The rear door had been forced open; however, nothing was reported missing. Minor damage to the door frame was reported.

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

QUOTE OF THE WEEK

"You can do as much as you can do."

Editor's Notebook

Near-disaster serves as wake-up call

To say Prescott was lucky to have escaped last Monday's derailment unscathed is an understatement. Had a passenger train or some other freight train using the north track that afternoon been the one to derail, the threat to lives and property would have been significant. Although there is a public safety aspect of the ongoing debate over train whistles, that issue pales in comparison to something much more fundamental: people who live or work near a rail line as well as those who work on, or are passengers on,s trains need to know all reasonable efforts are being made to ensure railway operations are made as safe and as risk-free as possible. Once the investigation is complete, we expect CN to take appropriate measures in response to those findings. We would also hope our elected officials keep close tabs on the process and make clear the community's concerns about rail safety.

We support the decision by town officials not to activate the municipality's emergency plan Monday afternoon. However, the derailment was exactly the type of situation in which we would expect CERV to have a presence. Though it is true the initial assessment at the scene indicated there were no injuries or spills or leaks which might necessitate an evacuation, the volunteer team could easily have served a useful purpose by supplementing fire and police personnel whose task became keeping the public away from the accident scene. The move would not have led to panic or increased anxiety among members of the public; it would have shown the community there is another group of volunteers equipped to provide support when needed.

Providing crowd control and monitoring intersections at the Santa Claus parade has a value, but we would like to think the Prescott CERV team can and will be deployed effectively when the community really needs it. As much as we appreciate and support the efforts of firefighters, police, EMS and CN Rail personnel who responded to the call, it would not have been excessive to at least give CERV some valuable in-the-field insight and experience in dealing something as rare but potentially devastating as a derailment.

We accept the comments of town officials who acknowledge the derailment served as a wake-up call on emergency planning and the need for better communications. We also credit council members who stated at a recent committee meeting there is a need to improve communications between council and the fire department. These are things that can be accomplished at the local level and would show the community everyone is on the same page when it comes to dealing with emergencies that hit so close to home.

Tim Ruhnke

A year has passed quicker than I would have imagined

BLAKE'S TAKES by Blake McKim

If it hasn't been made obvious already, sometimes I get a little hung up on past dates in my life which mark minor milestones. A few columns ago, I acknowledged that May of 2004 was the time I officially left home for good. And this past week, I realized July 5, 2004 was the first day I started here at The Journal.

The year has gone by faster than I would have ever imagined. In that time, I've done my best to parlay more than four years of scholastic instruction to reporting in the real world. I've learned so much, made a few mistakes, and reported on many things I had limited or no previous knowledge about.

There have been some very noteworthy things which have happened this past year. One of my first assignments in 2004 was to cover the second season of the St. Lawrence Shakespeare Festival, and I'm glad it's back for a third year. It really is a pleasure to report on an event which involves so many dedicated volunteers, organizers and actors all working their hardest to bring a great festival to light.

I've also covered a few contentious things, most notably the "Rural Revolution" involving the local landowners association and other organizations who believe over-regulation by governments is negatively impacting property owners. If nothing else, their demonstration in February proved to me that grassroots protests really can have an impact in drawing attention (media and otherwise) to a cause. But whether or not the ongoing protests by landowners in Ontario will have an effect on provincial or federal legislation remains to be seen.

There have been many fun assignments too, most especially community events. Since I didn't go to many of these as a youngster, it gives me a lot of pleasure to see the little kids participating in the craft projects, barbecues, races and other events which are a hallmark of such community gatherings.

In short, it's been a great year. A busy, surprising, gratifying, but, above all, interesting year.

I had the chance to take in the opening night performance of Twelfe Night as it was performed at the Kinsmen Amphitheatre, and I must say I quite enjoyed the performance. However, I have some advice for the group of young people who walked behind the performance area on Water Street before it started. Yelling out "You suck" during the pre-show music offered by some of the play's actors is not only a childish and immature thing to do, it really detracts from the enjoyment of the performance by those who have paid to see it.

If you don't like Shakespeare, fine. But don't prevent those who do from enjoying the show.

Workers reject offer as strike at RCA enters its 11th week

FROM THE ARCHIVES

July 8, 1970

* The pickets are still up outside the RCA plant in Prescott. Many people had been expecting an end to the 10-week strike after the company and the union reached a tentative deal as part of concilliation talks held in Toronto. However, members of Local 523 of the International Union of Electrical Workers voted against the proposal at a meeting held at St. Mark's Parish Centre.

Union field representative Tommy Nimmo said the workers are prepared to meet with the company, but an RCA official indicated there were no plans for such a meeting at this time.

* A crowd estimated at 7,000 watched the Nonsuch duel at Fort Wellington. The mock battle involved the ship commissioned by the Hudson Bay Company to mark its 300th anniversary.

July 9, 1975

* A committee of Johnstown residents is asking Edwardsburg council to proceed with construction of a swimming pool beside the South Edwardsburg Community Centre. Mrs. A. Gillis, chair of the pool committee, reported the estimated cost is $27,000. Change rooms, showers and fencing would be extra.

Two years ago, the local planning board drew up plans for pools to be built in Johnstown and Spencerville.

* Augusta Councillor Mel Campbell is asking township council to consider the possibility of hiring a professional recreation director. The workload of the municipality's committees has increased to the point at which volunteer labour is no longer sufficient to meet demand, according to Campbell. Committees would be retained and would serve as a liaison between the director and communities in Augusta, the councillor noted.

* Playing at the C-Way Drive-in on Route 37 west of Ogdensburg is Young Frankenstein. Coming Sunday: Harry and Tonto. Among the movies being shown at the Brockville Drive-in Theatre are The Shaggy Dog and Blazing Saddles.

Even Dr. Phil might not be able to help this boy who just won't eat

FROM THE OTHER SIDE by Jeffrey Morris

There is one line that stands out in A Christmas Story. Ralphie and his family are gathered around the supper table, the father is grumpy, Ralphie is wondering when to bring up the subject of the B-B gun he wants for Christmas, and then the camera pans to his little brother. The narrator drawls out, "Every family has a kid that won't eat."

Well, that's us at home, at Fort Morris.

I'll back away from the preaching about Canadian government corruption for a week, and away from the how-much-better-my-life-was-in-the-U.S. stuff that I'm so often accused of writing about by so many of you. I do this because I need your advice.

Desperately. No, desperately and a half.

You may have gone through or may be going through parenthood. If not, you were likely a kid. Because you are still around to read the paper, you obviously ate something along the way.

My eight-year-old son has yet to eat a normal meal in his entire life. I don't know what he survives on, but he seems to be growing and healthy.

I'm trying to think of when it started. He ate baby food. We're waiting for him to move into the next phase of food. We've been waiting for about six years.

We were worried about his nutrition when he was younger, so we pumped him full of apple juice to make sure he was getting at least some vitamins and something good. He drank a lot of apple juice, which we found out is loaded with natural sugars. Wade drank so much apple juice that he had to get a root canal at the age of five. Needless to say, we had to cut him back to a glass or two per day.

I shouldn't say he doesn't eat anything. There actually could be as many as 10 different things he will eat, though it's usually some nibbling and rarely a real meal. The list includes Kraft Dinner, cheese pizza, toast with no crust, peanut butter, cheese, apples, crackers, tacos (shell and meat only), grapes, watermelon, spaghetti noodles and an occasional carrot stick dipped in ranch.

That's it.

No cereal. No meat, though he will nibble on a piece of chicken nugget, no vegetables, no milk. Making a meal is enough to drive us mad. Too often, on the nights that we can't or won't give him pizza or Kraft Dinner, he ends up eating crackers. My wife has tried everything to get him to try something new. He won't. When she reaches the end of her rope in figuring out what to feed him, and when he wanders into the kitchen to ask he's going to have for dinner, I have learned to dread the words, "I don't know, ask your father."

Oh, what pathetic parents we are.

It's not like we haven't tried. We have read books and listened to advice and have done everything short of going on the Dr. Phil show to try and figure it out. I doubt, though, that Dr. Phil could help us. ("The reason why y'all's son isn't fixin' to eat nuthin', is because he's not puttin' food in his mouth and then chewin' it up real good like and then swallowin'. That's what he plum needs to do.")

We've tried to bribe him. We withheld snacks. We tried to turn it into a game. We tried rewards. We tried to get angry and to beg and plead. We tried to explain to him how his body needs the food for nutrition.

He wants to make us happy, and from time to time likes to tease us and actually act interested in eating. Usually, however, the end result is that the food accidentally gets dropped on the floor, or he has a "tummy ache" that ends up miraculously being cured by a dish of ice cream a half hour later.

His older brother, who is 12 and growing, doesn't mind a bit. He has discovered the art of hovering over his brother's plate.

But the eating thing makes us wonder where we went wrong. We worry about his health. Did we mess him up that badly? Do you think that way as a parent?

Of course, there are other issues to deal with too. After a scary TV show he watched in the winter, he can no longer be alone in a room by himself. He can't sleep alone or be alone or go upstairs alone.

But other than that, he's a normal kid.

We try to convince ourselves that every kid has some issues of one kind or another. Even though our son won't eat and is afraid to be alone, he is a bright kid and a loving kid who is pretty well adjusted considering all of the moving and traveling we have done. He's probably just a really hungry well-adjusted child.

I don't know if there is anything else we can do. Have you ever hit the wall and given up as a parent? I know that when a lot of parents feel like they have given up, they just head to McDonald's with their kids and let them loose in the play structure. We used to try that, too. Maybe you saw us, our kid was the one who had half a Chicken McNugget and wouldn't eat his fries.

So we give up. If you think you have any answers for us, let us know. If not, I guess we'll just have to go online for those Dr. Phil tickets after all.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

"D" is for disgusting mess on Dibble

The Editor;

I also agree with Martha Sadler's letter in regards to the mess of brush, tree limbs and branches that take away from the beauty of our town and other people's property.

Martha referred to the big "C" or town chipper; well, I am fed up with the big "D" better described as the disgusting mess of scrub brush and weeds that graces our newly-redesigned municipal offices and library. I have not spoken to one person yet who has not been horrified at the look of the front of our beautiful old building.

I can't believe that a number of people would agree to the planting of such trash. The mess of the gardens is such that it overpowers the entrance with its density and height. Maybe they should have had a professional landscaper.

There are many beautiful dwarf shrubs available, 30-cm high perennials, a few well-placed large rocks and a sprinkling of annuals that would have added beauty and let the eye see the beautiful building.

There are also a number of hedges that are overgrown so the sidewalks are almost not useable and some dwellings that are in a state of disrepair. These diminish the value of other properties and make our town unattractive at the peak of the tourist season.

If there are others out there who feel the same way or have some suggestions for the municipal gardens, please write the editor or make your concerns known to your town officials.

Rosemary Keeler
Prescott

It's a jungle out there in front of town hall

The Editor;

We have a beautiful restored town hall that the residents of Prescott should be proud of, but, and this is a big but, the gardens in front of the town hall are certainly nothing to be proud of. I visited the library for the first time since spring and was shocked at the state of them; it's a jungle. What is the matter with our town; it certainly is not the responsibility of Prescott Blossoms, who have gone above and beyond in looking after the gardens around Prescott.

You visit other towns and the town hall has the most attractive and well-kept gardens. With all the press in our town the last few days reporting on the train derailment plus visitors coming to watch Shakespeare, what must they think if they visited our town hall? If they aren't looking after the gardens, is the newly-renovated town hall going to go the same way as the old? I hope not.

Give us a town hall to be proud of ­ that includes the gardens.

Valerie Schulz
Prescott

Town is taking care of business

Although it is the general policy of The Journal not to publish thank-you letters to the editor, we note a recent submission from Betty Elliott in which she acknowledges Prescott Community Services Director Randy Pelehos "...and his staff who followed through and took care of the unsightly brush at Centennial Park that was spoiling our beautiful view."

Tea follows guided tour of Fort Wellington

PRESCOTT ­ A one-hour guided tour of Fort Wellington followed by afternoon tea at The Colonel's Inn will be offered Saturdays in July and August.

Costumed fort staff will guide visitors through the national historic site and show period activities such as cooking over an open fire, demonstrating use of a rifle and various arts and crafts which provide a glimpse of what life at the fort was like.

Also available is afternoon tea; guests will dine on the veranda at the nearby Colonel's Inn; the menu includes freshly-baked scones with cream and lemon curd, strawberries, homemade jam and choice of teas.

Reservations for the afternoon tea package are recommended. Regular admission fees apply to the guided tour. For more information, contact the fort (925-2896).

Homewood Museum open for season

MAITLAND ­ Homewood Museum is open to the public this summer.

The national historic site located on County Road 2 east of Maitland is open Wednesday through Sunday from noon to 4 pm. The 200-year-old structure was home to six generations of the Jones family. The property is owned by the Ontario Heritage Foundation.

For more information, call 348-1246.

Join us for some rug hooking in the shade

WALKER HOUSE NEWS by MARNIE LIPPIATT

The traditional rug hookers, "Prescott Hoops and Hooks," are having a hook-in here on Saturday, July 23. If you enjoy rug hooking, bring your hooking, lawn chair and lunch and join us in the shade on the back lawn. If you are interested in traditional crafts, come and see some of the lovely work that can be done.

We at Walker House are very proud of our grounds and building. We decided to acknowledge all this work by entering the Prescott Blossoms show. This year, we recognized in particular the entrance and the container gardens. I hope they stay colourful well after the judging today. We appreciate all the gardeners.

The office is closed this week, but the activities are continuing as usual. The answering machine will be checked regularly, so please leave a message at 925-5300.

Card game winners: Monday afternoon bridge ­ 1st, Janet White; 2nd, Ruth Britnell; door, Doris Cook. Fun bridge ­ Joan Salmon. Wednesday night bridge ­ 1st, Findlay Hill; 2nd, Kitty Wormington. Thursday night euchre ­ 1st, Mary Reynolds and Jean McCrady; 2nd, Lou Baldwin; 3rd, Jeannine Marion; door, Hilda Hutton.

Weekly beach testing resumes for summer

PRESCOTT ­ Bacteria levels at Kelly's Beach were within bathing water standards as of last week, according to test results released by the Leeds, Grenville and Lanark District Health Unit.

Each week between the end of June and Labour Day, the health unit tests water taken from two dozen beaches in the tri-county area. Kelly's Bay is the only South Grenville site listed by the health unit as part of the weekly testing program.

Five water samples are collected at each site. If the results exceed the bathing water standard of 100 E. Coli, signs indicating the water is unsafe for bathing will be posted.

It is believed there is a correlation between high E. Coli levels and an increased risk of swimmers developing ear, eye, nose and throat infections.

Other variables such as the presence of algae bloom, poor water quality and accidental spills of pollution could also result in warning signs being posted at an affected beach, according to the health unit.

The list of public beaches and their status can be viewed at www.healthunit.org. As of late last week, only one site in the region was listed as closed.s

Spencerville bridge project likely to be delayed, counties official says

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

SPENCERVILLE - Work to be done of the Spencerville bridge will likely be put off a year to help accommodate a milestone anniversary for the Spencerville Fair.

United Counties of Leeds and Grenville Public Works Manager Les Sheppard indicated no concrete decision was made, but it was very unlikely the scheduled work on the bridge would happen in 2005.

After receiving a response from Sheppard in June regarding the timing closing the County Road 44 bridge for repairs and the possible detour of traffic, Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council wrote a letter asking if the repairs could be put off until next year so they wouldn't interfere with the 150th anniversary of the Spencerville Fair in September.

Sheppard indicated a final decision would be made at the next Edwardsburgh/Cardinal Public Works Committee meeting July 20 at the Waste Water Treatment Plant in Cardinal.

"We're trying to come to an agreement where we would leave construction until next year," Sheppard told The Journal. "There is a meeting of the township's public works committee in July and there's many things myself and the project consultant will be talking with council about at the meeting. Right now, it sounds like everyone would like to have the repairs put off a year and that's what is likely to happen."

Township CAO/Clerk Stephen McDonald indicated council had not heard back any response from the counties as of yet, but he is hoping construction would be able to be put off.

"We haven't heard anything yet, but we likely won't hear much more until the July 20 public works meeting," said McDonald.

"We're hopeful we will have more information and an update after that."

Sheppard indicated, while the bridge was due for repairs, a decision to put off construction until next year wouldn't affect the safety of the bridge.

"We checked the bridge and I talked to the consultant," said Sheppard. "We are going to do our regular inspection of the bridge and check it monthly to make sure things are not getting progressively worse, but I don't foresee any problems."

At an earlier meeting, council indicated it is in favour of waiting for the repairs, and a few council members indicated they still hoped for an alternative solution to a detour when work does take place.

The million-dollar bridge is being funded by federal, provincial and counties governments through the Canada-Ontario Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund.

GRENVILLE COUNTY OPP ­ TOWNSHIPS NEWS

Impaired driving charge laid

NORTH AUGUSTA ­ A 41-year-old Woodlawn, Ontario woman faces an impaired driving charge after being stopped by police at about 10:30 pm on the grounds of the Augusta Motorsport Park. The vehicle was stopped as part of a security patrol at the Summer Jam event; OPP Constable Hazelton and five other officers were there to assist with security. There were no other arrests made and very few incidents reported at the weekend event.

Squealing tires lead to arrest

MAITLAND ­ A 19-year-old Brockville man faces an impaired driving charge after making an abrupt stop in a parking lot just east of a RIDE check on County Road 2 at Richmond Road. Sergeant Onlock had heard squealing tires and observed a westbound vehicle make the stop. The driver failed a roadside screening test.

He is to appear in Brockville court July 22. He was also issued provincial offence notices for violating the terms of his graduated driver's licence (zero alcohol and and being accompanied by a fully-licensed driver).

Pick-up did not stop for officer

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ A 51-year-old man faces an impaired driving charge and several Highway Traffic Act charges in connection with an incident that occurred last Tuesday, July 5.

At about 9 pm, Constable Foley responded to a call about an unwanted person at a residence in Spencerville. The man left in his pick-up truck and headed west on County Road 21. When the constable tried to stop the vehicle just east of Weir Road, the truck did not stop and then accelerated. The vehicle pulled into a driveway less than four kilometres away. The man was arrested and taken to the Leeds County detachment. He is to appear in court July 29 to respond to the impaired operating charge. He is also scheduled to appear in provincial offences court Aug. 2 to respond to charges of failing to stop for police, driving while suspended, operating a vehicle without insurance, using improper plates and not wearing a seat belt.

Stolen car found gutted in pit

SOUTH GRENVILLE ­ A car, a wooden utility trailer and a riding mower were reported stolen from Windmill Road last Tuesday, July 5. It is believed the 1993 blue Chevrolet Cavalier sedan and 4X8 trailer were taken from a residence sometime between 11 pm and 9 am that morning. The car and trailer were found in a gravel pit near Roebuck; the car had been completed destroyed by fire. The lawn mower has been recovered. It was also discovered several cottages in the area had been entered; additional details were unavailable.

Anyone with information on these occurrences is asked to call Constable Butcher or Constable Blanchette at Grenville County OPP (925-4221) or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Happy Hoers led down the garden path

Submitted by Fiona Cleary

On Saturday, July 2, the 4-H Happy Hoers met at Countryman's Gardens on the Third Concession for a tour of this very popular family-owned vegetable and fruit farm.

Eugene Countryman, proprietor, who is in his ninth season on the farm, gave the 10 enthusiastic young gardeners and their leaders a tour.

The members toured the potato washing and sorting area, the potato peeler and the cold storage area that can hold 600 baskets of fresh strawberries.

The farm consists of about 85 acres growing a variety of crops. There are approximately 12 acres of strawberries, six acres of raspberries, one acsre of asparagus, two acres of sweet corn and one acre of potatoes.

Mr. Countryman has also started a half acre of Saskatoon berries, and new this year are 3,600 strawberry plants that will bear delicious strawberries this September.

There are three large greenhouses growing flowers, green peppers and tomatoes. The tomatoes are strung up to grow along a string suspended from the top of the greenhouse and have been ready to enjoy now for the past two weeks. The two varieties of green peppers are new this year and they look wonderful.

Along the road on the front lawn, Mr. Countryman has a collection of antique farm equipment on display. He started this collection years ago and decided to share it.

Mr. Countryman generously gave each member and leader a large double bloom Impatiens plant. There are still a large variety of unique flowers, herbs and hanging baskets available in the greenhouses.

After the very interesting farm tour, the members headed to the strawberry field to pick some beautiful red berries that are so much enjoyed at this time of year. Everyone looks forward to fresh strawberries, sugar and whipped cream!

To learn more about our 4-H clubs, go to www.4-hontario.ca.

Score on Power Play for Easter Seal Kids

BROCKVILLE ­ Organizers of the Leeds and Grenville Power Play for Easter Seal Kids are seeking volunteers to help with the Sept. 18 event.

The fourth annual street hockey tournament will take place in the 1000 Islands Mall parking lot. In addition to the hockey action, there will be a charity barbecue, children's area with face-painting, a bouncy castle and mini-hockey as well as a silent auction. Volunteers are needed in all areas ­ everything from scorers and timekeepers to experienced referees and people who can pitch in at the other Power Play activities.

Proceeds from Power Play help children living with physical disabilities.

Teams representing businesses and organizations are also being sought for the four-on-four tournament. New this year will be the women's division for all-female teams with little or no hockey experience.

For more information on Power Play, call Wendy Bowes at the Easter Seal Society's district office in Brockville (342-7110) or visit www.easterseals.org.

Food bank hours

PRESCOTT ­ The operating hours of the Food For All Food Bank will remain the same through the summer.

The resource centre for residents of Prescott, Augusta and Edwardsburgh/Cardinal is located on Henry Street in Prescott and is open to the public Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10 am to 2 pm. A satellite office in the Cardinal library building on County Road 2 is open Mondays from noon to 4 pm.

Family donation increases to cover clock costs

SPENCERVILLE - It was noted at the July 4 regular meeting of Edwardsburgh/Cardinal council that the cost of a clock for a proposed park on the corner of Centre and Spencer streets in Spencerville has increased.

Council indicated the Eric Baker Family Foundation which had donated $20,000 for the park project has agreed to cover the additional costs after selecting a clock which now is expected to run about $50,000. Mayor Peggy Taylor indicated the family liked the idea of a clock at the corner and hadn't started pricing models, but after a clock was chosen the donation wasn't enough and the family has agreed to cover all costs.

Plans are for the project to be completed in time for the 150th anniversary of the Spencerville Fair this September.

Children must be at library to win a Harry Potter book

CARDINAL ­ There will be two winners of Harry Potter books next Monday, July 18 at the Cardinal Public Library.

A draw will be held at 7:45 pm. A boy and a girl will each receive a copy of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

There is no admission fee; however, winners must be present to take part in the draw. The special contest is sponsored by Friends of the Cardinal Public Library.

Cardinal and Johnstown pools ready for sun and fun

CARDINAL - The staff of the Johnstown and Cardinal municipal pools are looking forward to a safe and fun summer in the sun.

Nicole Suthers is in her first year as the aquatics co-ordinator for both the Johnstown and Cardinal pools, and she expects a fun and exciting summer.

"We have two very good staffs and are excited about the experience," explained Suthers. "It should be a safe and fun summer for everyone who uses the pools."

In Johnstown, Suthers is joined by Assistant Aquatics Co-ordinator Lindsay Walker, who is in her third year at the pool, and lifeguard/instructor Nicole Bernier returns for her second year. Shauna Walker and Amanda Smith join the staff as first-year lifeguard/instructors.

In Cardinal, working with Suthers will be a very experienced veteran staff which includes Assistant Supervisor Brooke Jodoin, who is in her third year at the pool; lifeguard/instructor Courtney Sullivan, who is in her fourth year, lifeguard/instructors Kalla Dobbie and Ryan Davy, who are in their third year at the pool; and rookie lifeguard/instructors Joel Jodoin and Kristen Jessome.

Both pools also host swim teams which will compete in various swim meets throughout the summer.

The Johnstown Bear Paws and Cardinal Sea Sharks swim teams are recreational swim teams in which all are welcome to participate. Both teams practise Monday to Friday from 1 pm to 2 pm.

The times of programs and swim times in both Cardinal and Johnstown will be very similar with public swimming at both pools from 2 pm to 5 pm and 6:30 pm to 7:30 pm Monday to Friday.

Public swimming is also available at both pools Saturdays and Sundays from noon until 5 pm.

Free swimming days for Johnstown will be Mondays and Thursdays, while free swim days will be at Cardinal on Mondays and Wednesdays.

Adult swimming times at both pools are Monday to Friday from 5:30 to 6:30 pm.

The Cardinal Pool will also be hosting an AquaFit program during adult swimming times on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Mark Lewis wins OFSAA coaching award for efforts

By David Dickenson, Journal Staff Writer

PRESCOTT - South Grenville District High School teacher Mark Lewis has made history by becoming the first American-born person to win the prestigious Pete Beach Award handed down each year by the Ontario Federation of School Athletic Associations.

Lewis, a guidance counsellor/teacher at South Grenville, won the award June 29 at the last Eastern Ontario Secondary School Athletic Association (EOSSAA) meeting of the school year.

The award is similar to 18 others given out in different high school conferences across the province. The Pete Beach Award is given out annually to one coach within the EOSSAA boundaries - which span from Kingston to Cornwall and north to Deep River (excluding the greater Ottawa region) - who has made a significant contribution to high school athletics over the years and is an example of someone who best typifies the true function of the teacher-coach.

Lewis or "Tex" as he's nicknamed around the high school for his roots in Texas, has been involved in coaching and with the EOSSAA committee for a long time including his previous placements at Rothwell-Osnabruck and Seaway District High School, before coming to South Grenville two years ago. The fiery coach has made a reputation for himself as one of the best basketball and track and field coaches in the area.

"It was a surprise for me," indicated Lewis. "I don't do this for the awards, I do it for the same reason I became a teacher, the satisfaction of helping kids. It's still quite overwhelming to be recognized by your peers."

Since coming to South Grenville District High School two seasons ago, Lewis coached senior boys basketball in 2003-04 and took over the reigns of the school's fledgling cross-country and track and field teams which have recently enjoyed a resurgence.

Lewis' high school athletics exploits don't stop there, since he has served as the EOSSAA championship co-ordinator, played an integral part in getting EOSSAA high school athletics back up and running following the teachers work stoppage a few years back and is currently in his fifth term as the EOSSAA committee president. Lewis also sits on the OFSAA boys basketball advisory committee.

"Being involved with things like EOSSAA is just stuff I do to try and give back to all the kids in Eastern Ontario," said Lewis.

With Lewis winning the 2005 award, it marks the second consecutive year the award has been received by a South Grenville District High School teacher-coach. Lewis' colleague, Norie Spence won the 2004 award, which Lewis indicated makes the award mean even more to him.

"It's really a neat feeling to come right after Norie," explained Lewis. "For me it was amazing, because I really think so highly of her and never really expected this."

Lewis indicated his love of sports and involvement with local high school sports comes from his father who passed down the importance of sportsmanship and fair play through his work with the Olympics.

"He was a civil servant and was encouraged to get involved with sports and he served as secretary for Olympic basketball and boxing," explained Lewis. "I would see the stuff he would do and it was instilled into me about fair play and giving back to sport."

Upper Canada Little League Standings as of July 4, 2005

Minor (9-10)

Team Points

Morrisburg 2 26

Kemptville 1 20

Winchester 15

Kemptville 2 11

Iroquois 10

Prescott 9

Mountain 7

Morrisburg 1 6

Major (11-12)

Team Points

Prescott 20

Morrisburg 14

Riverside 10

Winchester 1 0

Winchester 2 0

Chesterville 0

Mountain 0

Iroquois 0

Kemptville 0

Junior (13-14)

Team Points

Cornwall 23

Kemptville 15

Winchester 12

Chesterville 12

Mountain 11

Osnabruck 9

Morrisburg 5

Iroquois 0

Prescott Home Games

Novice: Mondays 6 pm at Chick Kirkby Field

Minor: Tuesdays 6:15 pm at Chick Kirkby Field

Major: Mondays 8 pm at Chick Kirkby Field

Senior: Wednesdays 7 pm at Prince Street Ball Diamond

Under-11 Gunners team wins tourney

IROQUOIS - The Prescott and District Soccer Association (PDSA) Under-11 house league Gunners all-star team captured the Iroquois Lions Canada Day Soccer Tournament July 1.

The team made up of at least one player from each Under-11 PDSA team and was coached by Steve Adams.

"The kids really enjoyed every aspect of the tournament, from the soccer games, to the special events and skills competition," explained Adams. "I am very proud of the way the team played. These kids do not play together in their regular house league games they did a great job of forming a team and putting the ball in the net."

The Junior Gunners managed to capture the tournament championship with a 2-1 win over the South Dundas Lions in the final for their second consecutive Canada Day soccer tournament title. Cole Burchell and Zach Shankar scored for the Gunners in the win.

In the semi-final the gunners scored a 7-0 win over the South Dundas Kickers. Shankar scored a hat trick to lead the Gunners, followed by Devon Johnston, Cody Adams, Matthew Scott and Chris Hendriks with singles. Johnston had a clean slate in goal.

In its second game the Gunners had to settle for a 2-2 draw with the South Dundas Canadians. Nate Livingston scored both markers for Prescott.

In their opener, Prescott scored a 2-0 victory over the South Stormont Selects. Shankar and Burchell scored for the Gunners, while Johnston had a clean slate in goal.

2005 North Leeds Men's Fastball League Results

Thursday, June 16

Spencerville @ Lansdowne Longhorns (Longhorns win by forfeit)

Maynard 7, Greenbush 1

Toledo 5, Newboro 3

Lyn 11, Lansdowne Vikings 1

Seeley's Bay @ Domville (game rained out)

Murray scores six in Compendium Group Inc.'s 8-0 victory

PRESCOTT - The Prescott and District Soccer Association (PDSA) is hitting high gear with a full schedule of games.

Compendium Group Inc.'s Cameron Murray had one of the biggest performances of the entire season this week, scoring six goals in an 8-0 victory over Hometown Heating.

Nicholas McColl scored Compendium Group's other two goals.

Other PDSA scores are:

Under-5

Portraits by C. Endicott 3

Cooper Kingston (2), Robert Purcell

Beck's Construction 1

Brooke Crowder

Chevron Construction 7

Ryan Green (5), Lindsay Hoogwerf (2)

Playit Star 5

Tyler Watkins (3), Tanner Murray (2)

Star Security 4

Megan Henry (2), Payton Seward (2)

Prescott Chiros 3

John Coligan (3)

Under-7

St. Lawrence Printing 7

Spencer Ross (2), Nicholas Asbreuk (2), Adam Bukacz, Benjamin Ross, Kyrstn Burnie

T.D. Canada Trust 0

No goal scorers

Compendium Group Inc. 8

Cameron Murray (6), Nicholas McColl (2)

Hometown Heating 0

No goal scorers

Tropical Pools & Spas 2

Cameron Beaver, Danny Stuart

M.T.J.B. Daycare 2

Sam Fahrngruber, Hayden
Sayeau

Brent Scott Insurance 6

Cole Cameron (5), Michael Throop

Prescott I.D.A. 0

No goal scorers

Windmill Web Inc. 5

Austin Limburg (3), McIntyre Render (2)

Royal Bank 1

Connor Ladouceur

Windmill Web Inc. 2

Austin Limburg (2)

T.D. Canada Trust 0

No goal scorers

M.T.J.B. Daycare 1

Hayden Sayeau

Brent Scott Insurance 1

Cole Cameron

Hometown Heating 6

Devon Stoddard (3), Cameron Jones (3)

Prescott I.D.A. 1

Steven Armstrong

St. Lawrence Printing 2

Spencer Ross (2)

Compendium Group Inc. 1

Nicholas McColl

Tropical Pools & Spas 7

Cameron Beaver (6), Skylar Van Hyning

Royal Bank 0

No goal scorers

Under-9

Grenville Pharmacy 3

Phillip Boyd (2), Payton Selleck

Splash Well Drilling 2

Ryan Wilson, Steven Cucman

Prescott Kiwanis 5

Amanda Spencer (3), Cameron Smith (2)

Colour Pallette 1

Goal scorer not available

Clarica 2

Declan Colwell (2)

Prescott Kinsmen 1

Zachary Shankar

Danani Flooring 10

Damian Peladeau (5), Jordan Bernier (2), Megan Burkert (2), Cole Cameron

Cassidy's Engraving 0

No goal scorers

Clarica 4

Auston Wickware (3), Declan Colwell

Colour Pallette 1

David Armstrong

Prescott Kinsmen 3

Zachary Shankar (3)

Grenville Pharmacy 2

Phillip Boyd (2)

Prescott Kiwanis 5

Curtis Ross (3), Cameron Smith (2)

Danani Flooring 3

Damian Peladeau, Jordan Bernier, Emma Dukelow

Splash Well Drilling 5

Eoin Carr (3), Emma Wilkinson, Ryan Wilson

Cassidy's Engraving 1

Jacob Dickson

Under-11

B.W. Freer Electrical 1

Curtis Ross

Grenville Castings 1

Derik Bourgeois

Shriners 4

Connor Mackey (2), Jacob Ranger, Devin Johnston

Hansen's Kavity Kickers 2

Dylan Dorey, Alex Modler

Giant Tiger 4

Alex Stephenson (2), Spencer Merkley (2)

Beach Home Hardware 1

Ewen Eaton

Seaway Valley Pharmacy 3

Cody Adams, Dylan Dobbie, Adrian Dalrymple

Dr. Mac's Attackers 2

Matthew Scott, Thomas
Render

Tropical Exposure 3

Brandon Visser (2), Damian Haystead

Prescott Family Chiropractic 2

Brian Keeler, Chris Hendriks

Prescott Family Chiropractic 3

Chris Hendriks, Alex Boswall, Paul DeJong

Dr. Mac's Attackers 1

Spencer Cook

Seaway Valley Pharmacy 4

Zachary Shankar (3), Christian Saumier

B.W. Freer Electrical 0

No goal scorers

Hansen's Kavity Kickers 3

Nathan Hamilton, Tyler Simpson, David Armstrong

Giant Tiger 3

Alex Stephenson (2), Kelly Fee

Shriners 3

Jacob Ranger (2), Ian Flagg

Grenville Castings 1

Matt Courtney

Tropical Exposure 2

Taylor Byers (2)

Beach Home Hardware 1

Patrick Purcell

Under-14

Sandcastle Marketing & Design 3

David Suatac, Lee Charlebois, Rik Champagne

Pete's Music Exchange 3

Andrew Bernard, Troy Merkley, Lukas Henderson

Kriska Holdings Ltd. 3

Cameron Symington,
Kyle McNamara, Jessica Dunnington

Rick's Awnings 2

Scott Stephenson (2)

Alarca 4

Sean Perrin (3), Michael
Lawless

Gold Key Realty 1

Cody Patenaude

Canadian Tire 5

Bobby Watson, John Jackson, Skyler Fraser, Robbie Deeks, Chelsea Amell

Watermark Printing 1

Jamie Sturgeon

Rick's Awnings 6

Kyle Jenson (3), Scott Stephenson (2), Allison DeDekker

Watermark Printing 2

Jamie Sturgeon, Cody Sheddick

Pete's Music Exchange 6

Andrew Bernard (3), Troy Merkley (2), Lukas Henderson

Canadian Tire 3

Bobby Watson, John Jackson, Skyler Fraser

Alarca 3

Michael Lawless (2), Sean
Perrin

Sandcastle Marketing & Design 2

Rik Champagne, Damien Van Hyning

TNT Dynamite Signs 6

Taylor Garswood (2), Jacob
Scott (2), Mitchell Spicer, Aaron Snider

Gold Key Realty 0

No goal scorers

Under-18

Southport 3

Joshua Strickland (3)

Grenville Towing 2

George Gonidis, Brandon
Spencer

D.W.J. Plumbing & Sons 5

Chad Hyland (3), Clayton Dunnington (2)

Gateway Packaging 4

Aaron Greengrass (2), Sebastian Last, Kyle Jensen

Grenville Towing 2

Kevin Beach, Curtis
Biccum

Gateway Packaging 1

Sebastian Last

Southport 3

Jordan McMullen (2), Orry Thorpe

Kriska Holdings Ltd. 0

No goal scorers

Read The Prescott Journal each week for ongoing coverage of the Prescott and District Soccer Association throughout the summer.

For more information on the PDSA visit www.leedsandgrnenville.com/pdsa.

PGC men's golf league results for June 30

PRESCOTT - The Prescott Golf Club handed out its weekly men's league awards for June 30.

The winning team was Bob Foster, Tom Sheridan, Tony Gilson and Wally White.

Closest to the pin on hole #4 was Bob Lockett. Longest putt on hole #7 was Jim Duncan and honourable mentions went to Tom Hare with a low gross of 35 and a low net of 28.5.

Gift certificate draws went to Tony Gilson, Dave White, Ed Yandeau, Bill Craig, Paul Irvine and Sam Lamacchia. Steve Daoust, Bob Foster, George Rylands and Dennis Hibbett won the golf shirt draw.

Rangers golf tourney to tee off Oct. 2 at PGC

PRESCOTT - The South Grenville Jr. B Rangers annual fundraising golf tournament will be held in October.

The club announced the tournament will be held at the Prescott Golf Club Oct. 2 with a shotgun start at noon.

No other information was available as of press time, but more information on the event
is expected in the upcoming weeks.

Local golfer scores ace at Prescott Golf Club

PRESCOTT - Johnstown's Rick Farmer scored a hole-in-one July 8 at Prescott Golf Club.

Farmer notched the ace on the 140-yard 15th hole, while using a 5-iron.

Farmer was playing with Gerry Devaney, who witnessed the hole-in-one.