Orono Town Hall BOWMANVILLE LIBRARY 62 Temperance St. 1- 1 -04 Bowmanville, Ont. L1C 3A8 $100 GST Included Wednesday April 2, 2003 Serving Kendal, Kirby, Leskard, Newcastle, Newtonville, Orono, Starkville and Tyrone since 1937 Forest Technician, Steve McMullen (R) explained the maple sap collecting system at the Ganaraska Forest Saturday, part of the Conservation Authority's annual Maple Syrup Day festivities. SARS m The number of Durham residents being investigated as potential SARS cases is now in the hundreds. Over 400 people who have, t'mxçr&jm n. iw® wyagres ■ ^ ; e ^ __ m m nr 'A MEETING of the ORONO CROWN LANDS TRUST Tuesday, April 8th 7:00 p.m. Orono Town Hall or may have, come in contact with a suspect or probable carrier carrier of the sometimes-deadly disease are being monitored by Durham Regional Health Department staff who are working to contain further transmission of the disease. As of Monday, March 31, there were 5 known probable cases of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in the region and one suspect case. The probable cases include suspected cases where symptoms symptoms have advanced to severe, respiratory illness. Suspect cases are categorized as patients who experience sudden sudden fever (over 38 degrees C), Hunting practices questioned by residents cough and/or breathing problems, problems, combined with contact with a probable case or travel to Asia within the past 10 days. Currently, all suspect and probable cases, and those under investigation in Durham Region are linked to the Scarborough Grace Hospital. The Durham Region Health Department's manager of health communications, Glendene Collins, says the Health Department is concentrating concentrating all its efforts on the outbreak with increased staff, additional incoming phone lines and longer hours of operation. SARS continued page 3 Karen Flim says she's been a silent bystander observing hunting practices in her area for years. Flim, her husband Glenn and their three small children appeared before council Monday evening to voice concerns concerns they have with safety in their area. The Flim's live on a sheep farm on Hillen Road in Kendal, their property backs on to the Kendal Crown Lands, These lands were purchased purchased by the provincial government government in the 1960's to foster wildlife habitat and to provide areas in which residents can have an opportunity to enjoy outdoor recreational activities like hiking, skiing and hunting during certain times of the year. Flim stated in her address that an incident which occurred on January 8th of this year has made her break her silence and speak out. "My three young children were outside tobogganing on private property, next to our property," she stated. "There were gunshots and dogs barking barking which increased in intensity intensity and, a concerned neighbour sent my children home. The involved hunter was charged for trespassing," she said. Ministry of Natural Resources officials confirm the hunter was issued a ticket for trespassing trespassing for and being in possession possession of a firearm. These events, according to Flim put the safety of her children children at risk, and she now wants reassurance from council council that they are doing everything everything within their ability to maintain a safe living space for her children and the entire community. Flim encouraged councillors councillors to ban the use of long range rifles in the municipality in favour of the short range shotgun. In his address to council, Glenn Flim stated that when he spoke with the hunter some time after the incident, the hunter said he was not aware the children where outside playing in the area. "What if one of the long-range bullets had strayed? " Mr. Flim asked councillors. ' A number of hunters made presentations to council, including Mr. Keith Worden of King Street East in Oshawa. who spoke to his historical right to hunt. Worden, who says he owns property in the Kendal area, stated, "hunting and discharging of firearms is often called a 'safety issue'. I do believe our fraternity have a good safety record," he stated. stated. High powered rifles are the weapon of choice for, coyote hunters, which is what the trespasser at the Crown Lands was involved in on January 8th. In 2002 Clarington paid out $27,632 to farmers under the Livestock, Poultry and Honey Bee Protection Act for 57 claims of livestock damage caused by coyotes. The municipality paid out for 517 claims since 1997. "We are in a rural municipality municipality with one of the highest coyote predation rates on livestock livestock anywhere in the province," stated Mr. Norm Monaghan of the Ontario Federation of Anglers and Hunters. "Coyote hunters are doing a favour in keeping your taxes down while they are enjoying their heritage of engaging in hunting," he said. Mayor Mutton asked several several of the delegations if they would be agreeable to sit on a committee to explore the issue of shot gun use versus high powered weapons in Clarington. Non of the delegates delegates said they would be adverse to sending representation representation to sit such on a committee. HUNTING continued pege 3