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i 1EEEIBl,c3A8 » Clarington's Community Newspaper Since 1854 • EXP.: AUGUST 25,1999 ^Hame^uDnsnin^community Newspaper Wednesday, July 28, 1999 145th Year Issue 30 7<)e + 5tf (Î.S.T. = 750 Series of Area Break-ins Linked by Jennifer Stone Staff Writer Durham Regional Police believe a Friday morning break-in at a Taunton Road gas bar may be related to a string of thefts earlier in the week. The front door to the Sunoco gas bar at Taunton Road and Liberty Street was jesmnec\ mr m&m rn bbwbm rr*t.s.'zy-ev-r. smashed at about 3:20 a.m. Friday. "We believe it is related to the other three break-ins," which occurred in the early morning hours of Tuesday in the Orono and Newcastle area, says DRP Sgt. Jim Grimley. After the Sunoco break-in, Grimley says police received information that two cash registers, registers, believed to be "part and parcel of the breàk-in," were found on Regional Road 57 at View Lake Road in Scugog. Later in the morning, on Regional Road 57, police happened happened upon a vehicle believed to have been used not only in Friday morning's break-in, but also in incidents Tuesday at Good Time, Good Cause Sparky, the Clarington Fire Department's mascot, was on hand as about 100 local emergency service and municipal personnel personnel teed off during the 12th annual Clarington Fire Fighters' Golf Tournament. The tournament, held last Friday at , Newcastle Golf Club, raised funds to purchase smoke detectors for the Alarm For Life program. Above, Sparky gives some final golf advice to Sheila Roman and Lou Ann Birkett before they hit the course. Photo by Jennifer Stone Morrison's Hardware in Orono, Tire Acres Restaurant at Taunton Road, and The Auction Centre on Highway 2 in Newtonville. The vehicle, a Grand Prix, had been reported stolen from Oshawa July 2. A man located with the stolen car told police he had happened upon two vehicles -- the Grand Prix and a Chrysler mini-van -- and three men who appeared to be "loading stolen merchandise from one vehicle to another," says Grimley. The man told police a gun had been pointed at him, and one suspect had taken off in the van, while two others had fled to the bush. Police searched the area, using the Canine Unit and the DRP helicopter, but were unable to find the suspects. The man also told police he had driven into the ditch in order to avoid a collision with the two vehicles. His car was found where he said it would be. Police took the Blackstock-area man to the DRP Port Perry Community Office for further questioning about all four break-ins. Morrison's Hardware, on Main Street in Orono, was hit at about 5:35 a.m. Tuesday. A witness told police he had seen people breaking into the store with an axe. They fled in a vehicle matching the description of the stolen Grand Prix. A cash register was taken in the incident. A short time later, at about 5:50 a.m., police were called to The Acres Restaurant, where someone had heard the alarm sounding. Nothing was stolen, but the front door had been smashed, causing $1,000 damage. Again, the vehicle matched the description of the Grand Prix. Just after 6 a.m., police were called to The Auction Centre in Newtonville. A safe and a cash register were taken. In Newtonville, a witness was able to provide police with a description of the getaway getaway car, as well as a complete complete licence plate. The plate matches the vehicle found Friday morning, as well as that of the vehicle stolen earlier in the month in Oshawa. Durham Regional Police continue to investigate the four incidents. Anyone with any information is asked to call 579-1520. Waste Processor Looking to Expand by Michelle Wyton Staff Writer They are not going after Toronto's garbage. That's the main message the Clarington Waste Processing Centre is trying to get out to residents as they begin the process to expand the current facility, located just north of Newtonville. "There are a certain number of pco- ple'who believe that this is the Toronto site and it's not," said Cord Miller, Parking Meter Stolen Environmental Consultant with Miller Environmental Services Inc. "It is not designed to try and deal with Metro's garbage. It will serve Durham Region and the other municipalities in the area only." What the company is proposing is to expand the site to house an additional additional 1.3 million tonnes of garbage. The start of the process was a public information information session on Friday, to hear concerns concerns from the public before the terms of reference for the project arc submitted submitted for environmental assessment. "We're trying to get on the table all of the concerns people have," said Miller. "We want to find out what the issues arc that arc important to the people." people." Things such as traffic, visibility of the mounds and environmental impact, including creek and groundwater con Thc phrase "free parking" took on a whole new meaning in downtown Bowmanvillc last week. According to Durham Regional Police in Clarington, an entire parking parking meter, including its cement base, was stolen from the corner of Church and Temperance Streets some time between Thursday evening and cents, were all brought up. They will all be reviewed as part of the terms of reference. The location is currently licensed to receive waste but is "virtually full," said Miller. With the expansion, the site should be in operation for another 15 years. The new site is planned for just south of the current site, further away from the creek that runs through the property. A man taking a walk near a seldom- visited area of his property got something something of a surprise recently. Durham Regional Police, Clarington, reports indicate the man found a well-tended patch of marijua- Friday morning, Clarington by-law enforcement officers estimate there may have been upwards of $70 in the meter at the time of the theft, says DRP Sgt, Ted Dionne, The meter is worth between $800 and $1,000. "This was a fairly substantial theft," says Dionne, The expansion could mean new jobs in the area. On top of the temporary temporary construction jobs that would be created by the project, there could be eight to 10 permanent jobs. The terms of reference will be submitted submitted to the Ministry of the Environment. Additional public meetings meetings will be held early in the Year 2000, once all of the necessary studies have been completed. na growing on his land near Lakcshore and Newtonville Roads. Because the patch was located near the back of the man's summer property, he hadn't noticed it earlier. He also told police lie had chased a "scrufly-looking male" from the area in previous days, says Sgt. Ted Dionne. Dionne says it looks like someone "tilled a small plot and planted" the marijuana. Approximately 20 to 30 plants -- all about two to three feet high -- were seized from the area. They have been turned over to the Durham Regional Police drug squad for destruction. Local Farmer Takes Aim Against Hail by Michelle Wyton Staff Writer When the hail cannon goes off, you would swear there was a war going on. And there is. The war, in this case, is between farmers and the hail that can destroy their crops. The latest weapon in the battle is called a hail cannon. Buried deep among the apple trees at Wilmot Orchards, the cannon is ready to fire in an effort to prevent hail from forming over 100 acres of apple trees. "I like to be proactive in what I'm doing," said Charles Stevens, of Wilmot Orchards. "It may seem a little far-fetched, but so was the car in the 1890s and so was the airplane' at one time. Very few people grasp the new technology in the beginning." beginning." The only unit in Ontario right now, the cannon uses acetylene gas and a spark plug to send 135 decibels decibels of sound waves into the atmosphere atmosphere in an attempt to break up the ions, preventing them from forming hail. It is equipped with a pager system system so it can be activated using a telephone. Firing every six seconds, it should protect an area of about 196 acres. "I'm in the ideal situation to make this investment," said Stevens. "My 100 acres of apple orchard are all in one location and should be covered by the canon." The unit is exactly that - an investment. Although the cost has dropped with changes in technology, the unit was worth about $125,000 two or three years ago. What it gives Charles and Jùdi Stevens is the kind of protection that crop insurance can't provide. "Crop insurance can protect the value of the crop from hail, but you Still have to deal with the aggravation aggravation of having to pick up the pieces," said Stevens. Hail can damage not only the apples but the trees as well, leaving them open to bacteria, The hail cannon cannon will hopefully protect both. But, Stevens recognises the unit is just a tool and "it's only as good as the operator operating it," he said. "I've had it running for a total of about two and a half hours over five different occasions," said Stevens. "It has to be running about 15 minutes minutes before the storm gets to you and it should be left on until the major part of the storm has passed." The hail cannon is used mainly for apples, but can be effective, for any high-value horticultural crop that hail can damage. But does it work? So far, thé Stevenses have not been hit by hail this year. But, the only way to tell for sure if the unit is working is if a hail storm comes directly through the farm. "There's a lot of skepticism about it. But that's the same with any new technology," said Stevens. His only real concern about the cannon so far is the reaction from area residents. It's quite loud when in. use and neighbours are sure to wonder what all the noise is. "It should only be on five or 10 times a year, for half an hour at a time at the most," said Stevens. "If people have any concerns or questions questions about the noise, I hope they come and see me about it." Stork Market Report Andrews - "It's a Boy" McGuey - "It's a Girl" Smith - "It's a Boy" Bowmanville's Movers for 50 Years. 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