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

THURSDAY, JUNE 25, 1998 THE NEW TANNER Acton customers won't feel Shock treatment from Hydro By FRANCES NIBLOCK The New Tanner By 2000 Acton hydro con- sumers will be able to shop for their electricity supplier just like they can now for long-distance telephone serv- ice. While the province works on legislation to end Ontario Hydro's monopoly on Ontario's 10-billion-a- year- electricity business, the new general manager at Halton Hills Hydro, Dan Quatto, predicts that large businesses will take advan- tage of electricity competi- tion and consumer choice before local customers will. "Changing their (electric- ity) supplier is not something that a typical residential cus- Students charged Four Acton High School students were charged with consuming and possessing alcohol following an end-of- school party last week. The male Young Offenders were also suspended from school, except to write exams, after being caught drinking off school property at 11 a.m. on Wednesday. A neighbour called the school after hearing people setting off firecrackers in a barn behind an abandoned farmhouse in the McDonald Blvd. -Churchill Rd. area. Police confiscated beer, cool- ers and sherry, issued the four with tickets and escorted the teens to the school. INTRODUCING... Thought Full of Raskets We provide our customers with hassle free shopping of "Gift Baskets" for every occasion: ), Birthday, Baby 3 Bridal Shower, Special Holiday, Get Well, Congratulatory, Employee Gifi 3 Prize Baskets. Take advantage of our special service enabling you to tend to your busy life. Halton Hills Tel/Fax: (519) 853-4906 tomer will want to be in- volved with for the near fu- ture," Quatto explained in a recent interview, adding that Acton residents may get ap- proached by energy brokers. " | think that homeown- ers should be wary of sign- ing contracts because some of them are long term -- two or three years -- and they should at least investigate buying power in the traditional way from the utility, before they sign anything," Quattro sug- gested, adding that Halton Hills Hydro is waiting to see what the implications of the new energy act will be. "We haven't approached homeowners about it yet be- cause we don't know what the fall out will be. Some of these companies are gam- bling and signing up custom- ers with the anticipation that they can get theses great deals, when the deal might not be better," Quatto said. The proposed Energy Competition Act would split Hydro into three publicly owned companies -- a system operator, a transmission company and a generation company which will now have to compete with other power generators. Quatto said that Halton Hills Hydro might have too look at strategic partnerships in a deregulated industry to vt [ LS STRUGGLE FOR POWER: The new GM at Halton Hills Hydro, Dan Quatto, is confident that the local utility will be able to compete in the deregulated electricity industry that is proposed by Queen's Park. Extra cash saves jobs Some of the Halton teachers and instructional assistants laid off earlier this spring -- including those in Acton -- may be rehired thanks to the Province's decision to give the Halton District School Board an additional $9.5 million for this fall's education budget. A change in the provincial funding formula will give more money to boards with secondary school students who take more than 7.2 credits a year. Boards will also get special edu- cation grants for students needing extra help now, instead of having to wait until after individual student claims are proc- essed. The Halton board will get $24 million for special edu- cation this September and can apply for more, but not all of the 273 instructional assistants that were laid off will be re- called because the board will get $9 million less than it did last year for special education. The Board has already re- called 57 elementary teachers and 36 full-time secondary teaching positions since it issued lay off notices earlier this spring. continue to be competitive. "We'll have to look for alliances where ever they make sense and this could include amalgamations with other municipalities or form- ing a partnership with a gas company. It could mean any- thing. We have to be open to look at those things that will improve efficiencies and im- prove service." Quatto described Halton Hills Hydro is a "wires com- pany." "We manage the wires and we do this as an arm of the municipality as a non- profit company. We don't ACTON PHARMACY ITD. REACTINE 18's 10 mg Reg $21.89 Special 415.99 =| tale Reg $11.89 Special $8.99 Cope] Ce) | = ce 300 mi Special *3.39 COVER GIRL Powder or Liquid Special $4.99 Lipstick or Mascara Special $3.99 HUGGIES WIPES Reg. $5.95 Special 4.59 (sli os baz | [t= ee | =e (aad fe [See GILLETTE TRAC I! plus 10's FINESSE SHAMPOO MENNEN SPEED STICK Reg $3.99 Special 12.99 CLAIROL NICE 'N' EASY Special 16.99 ALWAYS FEMININE PADS Reg $5.79 Special '4.69 CREST TOOTHPASTE 75 mi jig Reg $1.19 Special 93¢ JORDAN TOOTHBRUSHES 1 | 2 Price Special JOHNSON BABY POWDER 6249 Reg. $5.59 Special §3.99 2 Main Street North, Acton 853-1620 (a ae know what new electricity rules will be approved by Queens Park but the compe- tition will put pressure on us to keep our rates low." -THe SMOKE SHOPPE- 56 Mill St. East, Acton Unit A 853-0411 ing Acton for Over 25 Years Tobacco, Lotteries, Used Books (on the United Church parking lot) Have you thought about... SATELLITE TV? Now you can enjoy ¢ Crystal clear digital video images and CD quality sound ° Easy to use, interactive on screen program guide (like having a TV guide right in your TY). ¢ Pay only for the program packages you want with flexible programming choices Now available at: Csr is on Express Vu™ Program packages start as low as $7.95/mo. Purchase dish before June 30, 1998 and receive $100 Programming Coupon Acton Home Hardware 43 Mill Street East 853-1730 Bill & Valerie Manes June 25 ONLY! - All Day Long! 12 Main St. N., Acton (519) 853-1960