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4- The Oakville Beaver, Friday January 26, 2007 www.oakvillebeaver.com Suspect arrested in brutal beating of senior Halton Police have arrested a 19-year-old Hamilton man in connection to a break-in and attack on an elderly Oakville homeowner back in November, 2006. The Burnhamthorpe Road West resident was doing yard work just before lunch time on Nov. 26 when he came into his home to find two men he didn't know. Police allege the men beat and bound the elderly homeowner and then stole his television and several other items. The victim was treated in hospital for undisclosed injuries, said Sgt. Peter Payne of Halton Regional Police's public affairs bureau, and is now "recovering at home." After an extensive investigation, detectives from the Oakville Break and Enter Unit made one arrest Wednesday. The suspect is accused of being responsible for the breakin and beating of the elderly Oakville man along with several other crimes. A second man has been identified, and additional charges are pending. Charged is 19-year-old Roderick Warren McNeil, of Hamilton. Relating to the incident at the Burnhamthorpe Road home, he is charged with aggravated assault, forcible confinement, robbery, break, enter, theft and breach of probation. McNeil has also been charged in connection with several crimes in the Hamilton area. Halton Police have laid charges in connection to those incidents ­ two counts of theft over $5,000, two counts of possession of stolen property over $5,000, three counts of breach of probation and one count of break, enter and theft. The suspect has been held for a bail hearing scheduled for yesterday, Jan. 25, in Milton. As of press time, no details had been released. The Halton Regional Police Service is continuing to investigate these incidents. Anyone with information related to them is asked to contact the Oakville Criminal Investigations Bureau at 905-825-4777 or 905-6341831 ext. 2215 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Soutar Family Benefit Night Tragically on September 14th, 2006, Kym Soutar was killed in a car accident on her way to her eldest daughter's soccer game. Kym is survived by her loving husband Graham and their three beautiful children. The Milton Gunners Soccer Club, of which Graham has been a longstanding member, are hosting a benefit night, on Friday, February 2nd, to raise money for a trust fund set up in the names of Kym's and Graham's children. Tickets are $40 per person. Library has hi-tech vision to connect with community By Kim Arnott OAKVILLE BEAVER STAFF LIVE MUSIC · BUFFET DINNER DANCING · SILENT AUCTION · RAFFLE Lots of Fun... just how Kym would have liked it. Please help support this worthy cause. Any items you can contribute, large or small, will be used in a silent auction and raffle. Cash donations will also be gratefully accepted. For more information or to purchase tickets, please contact: Dave Sadler Paul Reid 905-825-8760 905-876-2253 Traditionally, libraries have been physical places where people went to quietly borrow books. The explosion of technology over the last two decades has changed the face of how people interact with information, and Oakville's public library wants to stay on the leading edge of helping people engage with ideas. That concept is embodied in a new mission statement ­ Where People and Ideas Meet ­ recently approved by the town's library board. In a new strategic plan, the board lays out a vision that will see the library focus less on physical locations and physical materials, and more on reaching out to the community. "It's not about bringing people to a place specifically to learn, but bringing people together with ideas and bringing people together with people," library board chair Chris French explained to the town's Community Services committee meeting on Tuesday night. The strategic plan calls on the library to reach out to the community to understand how it is changing, what it needs and how the library can be more accessible. It also places an emphasis on innova- "It's not about bringing people to a place specifically to learn, but bringing people together with people." Library boar chair Chris French tion and technology ­ including ideas like self-serve check-outs, downloadable audio books and an on-line virtual library where users can communicate with each other. The changes may be reflected in new hours, increased numbers of Book Nook and deposit station locations, new programs for increasing numbers of seniors and new Canadians, and the creation of teen-friendly spaces in library branches. The plan even calls for the investigation of a single user card that would allow local residents access to all town and library services. The library board noted that over 70 per cent of all residents have a local library card, and the service was given a 92 per cent satisfaction rating (the highest recorded by any town service) in the most recent citizen survey. The Oakville library system employs 186 people, has an annual operating budget of $7.6 million, and in 2005, performed 12.9 million transactions. CHOOSE FROM OVER 1,000 PREMIUM SELECTED PRE-OWNED VEHICLES - 3000 WOODCHESTER DR. (ERIN MILLS AUTO CENTRE) MISSISSAUGA SakeP ayment a Vacation BUY NOW - NO PAYMENTS TILL SPRING! REALLY!