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The suspect's vehicle became stuck on a grassy shoulder in the Sinclair Ave. complex. When two officers arrived a short time later the man jumped out of the van and pointed a shotgun at the officers, who were about 10 metres away. Payne said the officers ordered the man to drop the gun, but he refused, so they both fired a number of rounds with their service pistols. "The officers fired their police handguns and successfully found cover. As they did, the man ran onto Sinclair Ave. towards a number of citizens," said Payne. He said the suspect refused to drop the gun when a third Halton officer, who has six years experience, approached him. The officer was concerned he might harm civilians or hijack a vehicle to get away. "He (the officer) acted quickly and was able to take the man into custody before he could pose any further risk to the witnesses and citizens nearby," said Payne. Lee Alas, of Bulldog Appliances, watched the final moments of the incident from the store's window. "The police grabbed him and took him down right in front of the store," said Alas. "It was kind of like watching a TV through our window." She said at approximately 7:10 p.m. her husband Peter looked out the office door and said "there's a guy running down the parking lot with a shotgun in his hand." She said he locked the door and everyone in the store ran to the window to JEFF MacNEALE watch what was going on outside. Alas said prior to seeing the man running she heard gunfire, but at the time thought it was a car backfiring. Bulldog Appliances employee Jeff MacNeale accidentally came upon the shooting as he was leaving to go home for the night. He was heading out of the parking lot when he came upon two officers, their guns drawn and pointed at a man in a van. The man had what he first though was an umbrella, but eventually realized was a shotgun. Shots were fired. "I was white as a ghost. I threw my car into reverse and from there I can't really remember what happened," said MacNeale, who later returned to make a statement to Curwood Officers, civilians escape injury after shotgun-wielding story earns man refuses to drop weapon reporter top award Continued from pg. 1 Independent & Free Press reporter Lisa Tallyn's report on the closing of Curwood Packaging Ltd. last year, Independent & Free Press reporter and its impact on local workers, Lisa Tallyn accepts her OCNA earned her a provincial newspaper award for Best Business and award Saturday. Finance story from Bob DoornenPublished Feb. 17, 2006, the story bal, past president of the Alberta detailed how Curwood workers dealt Weekly Newspapers Association, with the sudden closing of the at Saturday's awards night in Armstrong Avenue plant-- a move Niagara Falls. that resulted in the loss of 137 jobs. Photo by Riziero Vertolli Tallyn's story was named the Best Business and Finance Story at the impression with quotes from affected workers bringing out the Ontario Community personal end of those Newspapers Association's who would be finished annual award night in when Curwood PackagNiagara Falls. ing Ltd. closed its doors," "The faces from phosaid judge Rod Link of tographer Sabrina Byrnes the Terrace Standard in draw a reader in-- three Terrace, B.C. normal looking guys Tallyn's article was soon to be out of a job. `We just have to move on' judged the best among 56 B They dominate the front entries. The OCNA awpage of The Independent ards are held annually to in a style that's straightrecognize journalistic forward and effective and excellence among Ontstays with you. The story by Lisa ario's community newspapers. Tallyn more than backed that visual COOKIN Thai soup Page 13 Derbys but still hold series lead Page 16 grocery store open for business Page 9 357 Queen St., Acton Pa R Sale Toll Free -866-620-3248 905-87 Serving Halton Hills with pride since 1973 17 yrs ex SO 0 cents (+ GST) Serving Georgetown, Acton and the surrounding areas Friday, February 17, 2006 44 Pages 21,220 urwood Packaging Ltd. employees were invited to attend an information eeting at the Mold-Masters SportsPlex Saturday where union officials met th about 100 employees. Among those in attendance were, from left, Fred Hilts, Gord Rozell and Randy Perkins. Hilts and Rozell worked for th 17 years whle Perkins was an 18-year employee. The company's sur sure will put 137 people out of work-- 62 today. Photos by Sabri Curwood workers try to pick up the pieces ee who works as a packer, says the executive from the company's U.S. head office who broke the news the plant was closing to shocked employees late last month, spoke no more than a dozen words, then left the room. "Everybody was stunned," he says. "I left, I went straight home." He can't believe the way employees have been tossed aside. "It's like someone slapping you in the face and wanting to borrow money off you five minutes later," says the longtime Georgetown resident. But Perkins has come to terms with his situation. "I'm a survivor. I'm a realist. I know it's over. We just have to move on," he says. Even though he doesn't drive and is limited to finding work in town, Perkins, who is single with no kids, says his situation is not as bad as it is for some of his co-workers who have big mortgages and big families. For the first time in his life he's put together a resume (the company provided a consultant to show the displaced workers how), and he's mapping out his job search. "Word of mouth is probably better than the employment centre. I'm pretty well open to anything," says Perkins. Gord Rozell, another longtime Curwood employee, is carefully consid- Steve Bard of Starr Glass sweeps up the glass to the Georgetown Bread Basket front door, which was shattered after police opened fire on a shotgun-toting man Thursday night at 55 Sinclair Ave. Photo by Ted Brown Halton Police. Police Superintendent Signy Pitman praised the officers for their actions. "We are pleased that the officers reacted in a way that is consistent with their police training," said Pitman. "We train our officers for critical incidents such as this but hope they never need to press that training into action. This is not a typical call for our officers and yet they reacted very professionally and in keeping with the high standards have come to appreciate." Charged with failing to remain at the scene of a collision, pointing a firearm, possessing a weapon dangerous to public peace, possession of a prohibited firearm with ammunition, possession of stolen property, breach of recognizance and fail to comply with a probation order is Gerald Rawn, 40, of Hamilton. Rawn, who appeared in Milton court Friday, is facing outstanding theft-related charges in Hamilton in connection with a shoplifting incident at Lime Ridge Mall Feb. 7. On March 24 Hamilton Police issued a warrant for his arrest in connection with the alleged theft of a vehicle from his ex-wife's Hamilton home. --With files from Torstar News Service (Lisa Tallyn can be reached at ltallyn@independentfreepress.com) eing out of work with no job prospects on the horizon is not what Randy Perkins thought he ould be facing at this stage in his life, ut that's exactly the predicament he nds himself in today. "I'm 53, I don't know what I'm going do," says Perkins, one of the 62 plant mployees at Curwood Packaging Ltd. ho will finish their last day at the comny today (Friday). In all, by the time the Georgetown ant closes after 37 years in business on arch 22, 137 people, some with more an 30 years at the company, will be nemployed. Perkins, an 18-year Curwood employ- ering his work options and is about going back to school to different career. Coping with the plant clo been difficult, says the printer worked at Curwood for 17 yea "I was shocked. I didn't se ing," says Rozell, 44, who jus married and has two childre previous marriage. "It's alm mourning process." But he's trying to remain po "It's just a setback. I have a behind me," says Rozell, a Beach resident, who will also last day at the company today. See COMMUNITY, pg Public information centre set for tomorrow on planned reconstruction of Maple Ave. A public information centre will be held tomorrow (Thursday) on the planned reconstruction of Maple Ave. from Trafalgar Rd. to Mountainview Rd. The drop-in information meeting will be held 6-8 p.m. in the Halton Hills council chambers at the Civic Centre. It will also include information on the watermain replacement on Normandy Blvd. Wards 3&4 Regional Councillor Jane Fogal has requested that a second public information night be held at a later date since Thursday is part of the Easter holiday services. Construction is tentatively scheduled to start in August 2007. Once the Halton Region project is completed, the Town of Halton Hills will assume control of the road. Activity Challenge had 2,000 participants Over the five eight-week Activity Challenge, Halton Hills residents walked more than 110,000 kms collectively since 2005. More than 2,000 people participated and logged more than 20,000 hours of some form of activity, according to a Recreation and Parks summation report. Participants ranged in age from Robert Little School's Grade 5 class to seniors. Residents can still log on to the Town's website, www.haltonhills.ca to record their weekly physical activities. The program was funded by the Ministry of Health ($23,500), the Town of Halton Hills ($8,000 inkind services) and $6,500 from the Recreation and Parks Department's Active Living operating budget. Recreation and Parks Director Terry Alyman said his staff will continue to build on the momentum and seek out more grants to fund the program.