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THURSDAY, MARCH 2, 2000 THE NEW TANNER Variety Store vet calling it quits After 33 years of serving Acton customers from behind the counter of a variety store, Helen Jocque is calling it quits and will close her Village Variety Shoppe, better known as the Smoke Shoppe, on March 31. Located at 56 Mill St. East for the past nine years, Jocque and her late husband Sonny (Joe), had variety stores in three other downtown Acton locations over the years. _Jocque said she'd been thinking of retiring for quite a while, but just put the sign up in the window on Tuesday. Jocque is looking forward to not working from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., and plans to do "noth- ing" for a while. "I'm going to sleep in for the first while," Jocque said, adding she hopes to sell the business and her two em- ployees will be laid off. "I have no regrets about ering but will miss every- body like crazy --all the regu- lar customers." Employment is up, welfare down says Halton MPP January marked the 24" consecutive month in which the number of people on wel- fare in Ontario declined, the longest such improvement in at least 20 years, says Halton MPP Ted Chudleigh, "Our welfare reforms and the strong economy have helped get 472,090 people's lives back on track since June 1995," said Chudleigh. "That includes 3,166 people who escaped the welfare trap last month." Independent surveys have confirmed the majority of people leaving welfare have gone on to jobs. In ad- dition fraud and abuse meas- ures have uncovered $60 mil- lion in benefits that should not have been paid out in 1999, Chudleigh pointed to an increase of 21,300 new jobs in Ontario in January. This follows the 27,800 new jobs created in Ontario in Decem- ber. Since the government first laid out its plan for jobs and growth in September 19995, Jobs in Ontario have grown by 664,000. Ontario currently has an unemployment rate of 5.7 per cent. Youth unemployment, currently 11.7 per cent, re- mains persistently high, largely a to more and more youth actively seeking em- ployment. Canada's unem- ployment is currently at 6.8 per cent after 44,300 new jobs were created across the coun- try in January. "Every month the num- bers simply add more credibil- ity to the claim that tax cuts create jobs," Chudleigh said. Chudleigh recently called upon the federal government to reduce personal income taxes by 20 per cent. WHEELS, NOT BLADES: The weekend thaw prompted Acton's Curtis Clutterbuck to take a spin on his bike on a soccer field at McKenzie-Smith Bennett, where just days earlier kids skated on the Town's rink that had some of the best ice in the past few years. - Frances Niblock photo PoLicE BEAT Theft of Ford foiled A would-be thief. at- tempted to steal a 1994 Ford ae truck, valued at ,000, from the driveway of a Silvercreek Drive home in the Highway 7- Trafalgar ae 'area overnight Satur- y. After unhooking a snow- plough from a ae - Suspect got in through a slid- ing window and "attacked" the ignition but couldn't get the truck started, according to police. Teen arrested A 15-year-old Acton girl has been charged with theft Environmental Sensitive Areas subject of Halton brochures Two brochures, devel- oped by Halton Region's Eco- logical and Environmental Advisory Committee (EEAC), are now available to Halton residents to help them under- stand the importance of the Region's natural environment and how to be good neigh- bours to Environmentally Sensitive Areas (ESAs). Halton's Natural Envi- ronment: A Legacy Worth Protecting explains how the soils, physical features, and climate in Halton create envi- ronments, or habitats, that support an unusual diversity of plants and wildlife. It de- scribes =< of the rea the Region has taken to help pre- serve and enhance the envi- ronment, including formation of EEAC and designation of ESAs. Halton Homeowners Guide for Properties Adja- cent to Environmentally Sen- sitive Areas provides land- owners near these special ar- eas with practical sugges- tions for maintaining good land eae eh ig The guide highlights t n- efits for bot Oe landowner and the environment. "Over the past four years EEAC received more than 45 land development applica- tions affecting ESAs," said EEAC chairman Randall Es: Sp Centrat Ontario AUCTIONEERS Professional Auction Services Estate & Industrial © Certified Appraiser Consignment Welcome NORM WEBSTER (416) 523-6645 (pager) 905) 873-7633 R.R.#1, Limehouse ON Next Auction Sat. Goodwin. "These applica- tions involved thousands of existing and potential resi- dents. Many applicants were unaware of the environmen- tal value of the nearby area or simple practices that would help them enhance natural areas and olive co-opera- tively with the environment. We prepared the Homeown- ers' Guide to help address these interests. March 11, 2000 ofa credit card, fraudulent use of a credit card and breach of probation after a stolen card was used to make a purchase at the Doll Emporium. An Acton High school student reported her credit card had been stolen from her purse at the school last month. The Young Offender was arrested after the victim found an un- explained $50 charge on her most recent bill. Drunk driver A 53-year-old Acton man who smashed into two cars and left the scene s been charged with im- BOYES PLUMBING Water Softener Aen Rentals ise Water Pump ---- Service shawn wre) 855-4232 paired driving, having over 80 milligrams of alcohol in 100 milliliters of blood and fail to remain. Witnesses called po- lice at 7:30 p.m. last Thursday after the man drove into the cars in a rear parking lot of the Maria Street apartment building, doing $800 in dam- ages, and then went to his apartment where police ar- rested him. 'THE Te A.-> Halton 'Sion Council niGnLiGnTsS Travel Health Clinic services Council received an up- date on the services provided pee Halton's Travel Health Staff administer vaccines and provide counselling to peo- ple travelling to "at risk" parts of the world on ways to pre- vent infectious diseases. Vaccines provided are for Hepatitis A and B, typhoid fever, meningococcal menin- gitis and Japanese encepha- litis. In addition, Halton has recently received approval to administer the Yellow Fever vaccine. Clients pay the cost of the vaccines pay a $10 adminis- tration fee per vaccine which covers the costs of deliver- ing these services. The clinic has seen an in- crease from 350 clients in 1998 to 674 in 1999. The majority of people attending the clin- ics are vacationers (65 per cent) and business travelers (25 per cent). Last year, the most frequent destinations were Asia (38 per cent), Af- Tica (18 per cent) and the Car- ibbean (11 per cent). $134,145 to United Way Chairman Joyce Savoline and Marilyn Burwood, the 1999 Employee Campaign Chair, a cheque to the United Way in the amount of $134,145 on behalf of Halton's employees. The 1999 Campaign saw an in- crease in the number of em- ployees participating in the payroll ion program from 18 percent to 23 per cent. We'll Make You Sinile!/! 7 ag DENTURE SPECIALIST ia E. JUREVICIUS D.D. ] onstruction & Fittings of New Denture: * Same Day Repairs & Relines + Free Consultations » Seniors Discount * Specializing in Problem Lower Dentures ACTON DENTURE CLINIC 16 Mill St. E., Acton 853-0079 1ST ANNIVERSARY ATOURNEW LOCATION ! Acton Home Hardware Customer Appreciation Day Join us for Instore Draws and Scratch gg Save Coupons (up to 50% off regular priced merchandise) March 8th Only 362 Queen Street E., Acton (519) 853-1730 N-STOR ACTON gaa a IGA GIFT ILA CERTIFICATES Home VALUED AT Proud! $2000 & $200 12 Main St. Acton PLUS 1 YEAR FREE GROCERIES ais ps cpa 853-1960 $32,000 TOTAL VALUE VALUED AT $70