The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

Fishing 'hot' on Scugoy ice Anglers are having pretty good luck taking pickerel through the Lake Scugog ice so far this winter season, but the fish are on the small side, according to a Conservation Officer with the Ministry of Natural Resources in Lindsay. Ann Kirk told the Star last Friday that there are about 250 ice huts on -the lake, which is half the number last year. Ms. Kirk said she has made about 200 inspections over the past couple of weeks with many anglers reporting little trouble tak- ing the daily limit of six fish. But most of the fish are under two pounds, she said. "Anything larger "than that is considered a good catch." As of Friday, ice conditions on the lake ranged from four or five inches in some areas to ten inches in others. But there is a lot of slush Vol. 120 No. 6 from the heavy snows which is caus- ing problems for snowmobilers. Anyone travelling on the lake should use caution, said Ms. Kirk. The best spots for taking pickerel so far are in the View Lake and Caesarea areas, and near Goreski's Marina in the west arm of Scugog. Ms. Kirk said that so far, Conser- vation Officers have not laid any charges for infractions of the fish regulations, but she said one of the main problems is the litter and trash left outside ice huts. 'People should take their garbage back with them," said Ms. Kirk," noting that anyone who doesn't can be charged. While the ice conditions on Scugog appear to be safe enough for travel if caution is followed at all times, the same is not true for snowmobilers (Turn to page 3) Copy 35° New Year's Baby The New Year got off to an eventful start for Ron and Karen Parish as little Shawn Michael was the first baby born in 1986 at Community Hospital in Port Perry. Weighing 8 pounds, 8 ounces, Shawn arrived January 2 at 4:30 in the afternoon. He's a new brother for Steven, 10, Renee, 7, and Lee Anne, 5. The family lives at R.R. 3, Uxbridge. Scugog retailers report : Tuesday, January 7, 1986 booming Christmas sales It was indeed a Merry Christmas for the merchants of Port Perry, most of whom enjoyed the best holi- day sales they've experienced in re- cent years. "The month of December was awash with activity all over the town as shoppers spent with aban- don, many buying early to avoid the last-minute rush. Girl, 12, dies of injuries A 12 year old Lindsay girl injured in a two car crash December 27 just south of Port Perry, has died in hospital. Alexandria Currier suffered severe head injuries and was air- lifted by emergency helicopter to Sick Children's Hospital where she died on December 30. The young girl was a passenger in a northbound vehicle driven by her 16-year old brother Thomas which went out of control and hit a south- bound car on Durham Road 2, just south of Port Perry. Thomas Cur- rier and hjs mother Patricia suf- fered minor injuries, as did the driver of the southbound car, Stirl- ing Moore of Nestleton. Durham Police said the accident took place about 6:15 P.M. under poor driving conditions. There were no charges laid. What's more, storeowners report an increase in the use of cash and cheques as credit cards went the way of the Edsel. "I've seen more hundred dollar bills in December than I've ever seen before," said Howard Hall of the House of Howard, where VCRs and microwaves sold like proverbial hotcakes. Lo» At Homestead Furniture, things weren't much different. Ralph Ballard claims December 1985 'was the best year yet' with 90 per cent of his customers paying by cheque or cash. : Bill Brock at Brock's Department . Store also said 1985 was the best year on record, "probably because we've had better stock than ever before." Brock's sold a lot of sweaters and sleepwear to gift buyers, who more often than not pulled out cheque books rather than plastic. "People say it's a sign when more cash it used, that more cash is around," said Jill Bradley of Coun- try Classics, where cash was spent in abundance. "It was our best Christmas ever." . It was also a profitable Christmas at other clothing stores in town, in- cluding Strawberry Threads, where cheques were most common, and Dor-Jean Fashions, where credit cards were used about 50 per cent of the tim At Gregory's Menswear, business was steady, "but it wasn't as good as last year," said owner Greg Hef- fering. 'There was more competi- .. (Turn to page 3) ew impaireds Both Durham Region Police and - the Whitby OPP say the number of impaired driving charges laid this Christmas-New Years season is down considerably over previous years. Staff-Sgt. Doug Aird of Durham's 26 Division said last week five charges for impaired driving, in- cluding one in Port Perry, were laid by officers in his division. The Division covers some 536 square miles and takes in all of Scugog. Uxbridge and Brock Townships. Officers with the Whitby OPP con- ducted 278 vehicle spot checks over the Christmas period in addition to their regular highway patrol we « and laid just three impaired charges. The Whitby OPP patrol provincial highways, including Highway 12 and 401 from the Rouge River Bridge to just east of Oshawa. An OPP spokesman told the Star last Friday that the small number of impaired charges "is incredible" considering the vehicles stopped by officers over such a large area. Mn ZIP! A young speed demon races down the famous high school hill (next to Mother Jackson's in Port Perry) at a harrowing pace last Friday, when terrific snow conditions and the last day of .Christmas holidays filled the hill with toboganners of all ages. See inside for more photos. 4 A A