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lew»»* t .Mow eiz: M /4^.wc.vHa«xa»iJi ■ " •• - Ai «Al A S3 A ' •/ r ■' / • Total Market Coverage of Clarington from the Publishers of The Canadian Statesman A James Publishing Community Newspaper Saturday, August 29,1998 144th Year Circulation: 21,265 PC Party Faithful Brave Big Storm for Barbecue Until Agreement is React ned: by Lorraine Manfredo Staff Writer Despite a lightning storm, about 200 Progressive Conservatives from three federal ridings attended a barbecue in Oshawa to meet the candidates candidates for their party's leadership election this fall. But, out of seven lead ership hopefuls invited to the event -- including former Prime Minister Joe Clark -- only two showed up. Hugh Segal, a former Brian'Mulroney Chief of Staff, and Brian Pallister, a former Manitoba MLA, had constituents all to themselves at the Knights of Columbus Hall where ON THE HUSKINGS -- Durham East MPP John O'Toole (second from left) joins Evert Vroegh (left), Joe Christl and Viv Woolford (right) getting food ready for the Progressive Conservative barbecue and corn roast held Wednesday on Scugog Island. It was a day to thank supporters in the riding who have worked so b/-p over the past year. The Pigeon Creek Trio provided pjenty of old time,music. The previous evenings PCs from the Durham federal riding held a barbecue in Columbus. the lights remained off the whole time due to the storm. The two spent over an hour shaking hands, posing posing for photos and explaining their positions on national unity, senate reform, the sinking dollar and fiscal responsibility. About ten days prior to the barbecue date, Joe Clark's campaign office had notified hosts that Mr. Clark had a commitment commitment in northern Ontario and would be unable to attend. The barbecue had originally been switched to a Tuesday to accommodate accommodate Clark's schedule, notes Peter Zakarow, president of the Durham Federal Riding PC Association. But, as Dr. Zakarow explains, the new, one- member one-vote process for selecting a party leader, while being wonderfully wonderfully democratic for members, is hard on the candidates. They must take their campaigns on the road through 301 ridings ridings coast to coast. Instead of sending a handful of delegates from each riding to a closed convention, every valid party member will have opportunity to vote for Continued on page 3 Teachers Withdraw Voluntary Services by Jennifer Stone Staff Writer High school students returning to class in Clarington on Tuesday will be without the voluntary services usually usually provided by teachers. According to Dave Nickle, president of Ontario Secondary School Teachers' Federation District 14, teachers "have been directed to withdraw all voluntary activities." The withdrawal means students will be without things like sports coaches and band or drama leaders. As well, teachers have been advised not to go to their schools prior to Sept. 1, the first day of school, to prepare. prepare. "The things teachers have traditionally had time to offer -- services such as band, drama and extra help -- just won't be available," available," says Nickle. Teachers have been attempting to work out a collective agreement with the Kawartha Pine Ridge School Board. This is the first collective agreement under Bill 160, the province's Education Improvement Act, which became law earlier this year. Members of OSSTF District 14 and a partial team from the Kawartha Pine Ridge School Board met Monday to try to hammer hammer out a deal. But Nickle says, for now, "everything's "everything's on hold basically" until the board's chief Continued on page 2 Firefighting is a Top Priority in Fall Agenda by Jennifer Stone Staff Writer If members of Clarington's Town Council have anything to do with it, the hot topic on the agenda this fall will be 24-hour fire protection for Courticc. According to Ward One and Two regional councillor councillor Mary Novak, it's time to put full-time fire protection protection in Courticc. Egpi "We're at the point where the fire chief is saying saying he'd like to see clauses telling people, when they buy a new home (in Courticc) that there is not full-time fire protection there so they know when they purchase their home that's the case." Ward Two councillor Jim Schell says he, too, will be working hard to see full-time fire protection in Courtice. The Chair of the Fire Department says implementing the service would mean a three percent percent tax increase, so he'd like to see council put the plan in place over a three- year phase-in period. Council returns to its normal schedule in September. One of the first jobs, upon council's return from summer break, will be to set local municipal tax levels. Set Taxes "The goal is to make sure our budget doesn't become another monster," says Ward Three and Four regional councillor John Mutton. "We have to keep taxes down." Area residents will be faced with changes to tax bills from the regional level. Partially because of the province's new Current Value Assessment of property, property, and partially because of a shift in taxation responsibilities from the provincial to regional level, regional taxes will, in many cases, rise. But here in Clarington, where homes were last assessed in the 1980s, some people will see decreases. Increases of more than $500 and decreases of more than $423 will be Five inches if phased in over a three-year period. And that could mean confusion when people people receive their tax bills in September, says Novak. "There's a lot of confusion confusion about assessment .... Now many people are wanting to know exactly what the phase-in means, where the cut-off point is, how they're going to read the tax bill. That'll proba- Continued on page 3 New Technology Targets Speeders by Jennifer Stone Staff Writer There's no place for. speeders in Durham Region to hide. Durham Regional Police unveiled new Laser Speed Evaluation Devices. Thursday in Oshawa. And, according to Constable Chris Collins of DRP's Oshawa detachment, the new devices are "dead- ; on." "This laser was introduced introduced for high volumes of traffic because its intensity can pick out a single vehicle in a large group," he adds. The units are currently currently in use in Pickering, Whitby and Oshawa. But Clarington will likely have the new devices before long. "Each community police office will have to purchase their own. The idea is to replace all the older-style radar units with this type of unit," Continued on page 2 Weather Making Harvest Difficult Independent Flyers by Jennifer Stone Staff Writer An early harvest combined combined with recent heavy rainfall could make bringing bringing in crops slightly more difficult. Neil Moore, a Soil and Crop Adviser with the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs in Port Perry, estimates approximately three to five inches of rain fell between Sunday and Wednesday. The heavy rainfall came just as corn and soybean crops have hit the matur ing stage, and as farmers are hoping to take the last cut of hay off the fields. "Some people could be harvesting corn silage," Moore says. But, it could be too wet and going into the fields to harvest could lead to soil compaction problems, As well, hay is wet. And, in some cases, recent storms have caused hay to "lodge" or fall over in the fields. "(Farmers) had had some nice rains, and were finally getting a good cut (of hay), but some fields have lodged," says Moore. "Right now the hay is wet -- not drying. Some fields arc lying in water." But, he adds recent weather shouldn't cause any long-term problems. "If we get back normal rainfall patterns, there won't be any problems," problems," he predicts. "Right at the moment we're fine because the ground will absorb most of it." Environment Canada Severe Weather Meteorologist Rob Culm says recent storms arc not unusual for this time of year. He explains a cold m into front has remained over Durham Region in recent days, "waffling back and forth across the area, clashing with the warm humid air." The good news is, the storms seem to be over, at least for now. Environment Canada is predicting dry conditions at least through this weekend. weekend. "The (cold) front is getting getting a bit of a push. Through the weekend should be fairly pleasant. In fact, you'll likely have several dry days in a row," lie predicts. ROADBLOCK - Clarington escaped much of the heavy winds that did some damage in Oshawa Tuesday afternoon, hut there was some evidence of the storm's fury. Here, firelighters cheek out one of two trees which had been blown down on Baseline Rd„ just west of Courticc Rd. Further west, in Oshawa, there was more damage from the storm, along with flooding and power outages. /lüsîaîB 1 tABeaver ©'lumber w RadioShncti mv (lliti85>@Viem Cfl ntiutitrf ^Allstate (Darlene Ferguson 987-1611) *A&P - Bowmanville (Prices in effect from Sun., Aug. 30 to Sat., Sept. 5/98) 'Beaver Lumber (Prices in effect until Sat., Sept. 12/98) Canadian Tire (Prices in effect from Sat., Aug 29 to Fri., Sept. 4/98) ^Electronics Plus/Radio Shack (Prices in effect from Sun., Aug. 30 to Sat., Sept. 12/98) Girl Guides of Canada (1998-99 Registration Information) ^Graham's IGA (Prices in effect from Sun., Aug. 30 to Sat., Sept. 5/9S) * Jumbo Video (September Happenings) *Lcon's (Grand Opening Sale • A • Bration) ' Plummers Drug Store - Port Hope (Prices in effect from Mon., Aug. 31 to Sat., Sept. 5/98) :|: Port Hope A&P (Prices in effect from Sun., Aug. 30 to Sat., Sept. 5/98) *Port Hope Value Mart (Prices in effect from Sun., Aug. 30 to Sat., Sept. 12/98) ("'Indicates partial distribution) For information about inserting Byers in Œlje Clavmgtou/ Courtier llnbepenbcnt, please contact our office at 623-3303.