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v A/4 • SINCE 1854 • AMALGAMATED 1999 WITH CLARINGTON THIS WEEK • Pressrun 21.900 28 Pa*-vs Wednesday, April 25, 2001 Optional 4 week delivery $5/$l newsstand A father's sad message News, page 3 Who flew to the top Sports, page 14 [v Clarington taxes go up JOHN MUTTON Tax hike 'one of the lowest in Durham Region.' Bison captured after a tour of Bowmanville BY JENNIFER STONE Staff Writer BOWMANVILLE Whoever wrote the song about buffalo roaming really knew what they were talking about. A two-day rash of buffalo sightings in Bowmanville ended over the noon hour TXiesday, as an approximately 700-pound beast was caught and tranquilized behind a Nash Road home. The buffalo, which got out of its north Bowmanville farm enclosure Sunday, made its way through the area, even making a brief stop in the parking lot at the mall in Bowmanville's west end. Police became aware the buffalo was on the loose when staff and customers at a video store caught a glimpse it roaming the shop's parking lot. Garth Hyson was working at Bowmanville's Jumbo Video outlet Sunday at about 9 p.m. when a customer came in and suggested Mr. Hyson "might want to call the police. See BUFFALOED page 4 c. ONTARIO'S DRIVE CLEAN ACCREDITED TEST & REPAIR FACILITY ♦An oflicinl mark of the Province of Ontario used imilyr licence. Whitby - Oshawa 1110 DUNDAS. ST. E., WHITBY LOCAL (905) 666-1772 HOIMDA. www.hondal .com Municipal tax hike of 3.2 per cent among the 'lowest' BY JACQUIEMcINNES Staff Writer CLARINGTON - Clarington taxpayers will have to pay more in 2001 but came out relatively unscathed compared to some of their neighbours, says Mayor John Mutton. It "will be the lowest actual increase along Durham's lakeshore municipalities and one of the lowest in all of Durham Region," the mayor said of the recommended 3.2 per cent tax in crease. In a special budget meeting meeting Monday, council recommended recommended the increase after hours debating the budgets of various municipal departments and external external agencies which it funds. Part of the increase "represents "represents council's reaction to the report report of the Fire Marshal's office for the safety of residents," said Mayor Mutton. In February, the Fire Marshal urged Clarington to increase its fire prevention staff levels following following a risk assessment report. As a result, one fire prevention officer and one training and technical technical support officer will be added to the staff. Other increases came from cultural cultural services including a move to open the main Bowmanville branch of the library seven days a week. The addition of the Monday Monday service will cost taxpayers an additional $48,795 this year. Council also recommended an increase to the Bowmanville Museum budget of 4.9 per cent and 9.75 per cent to Handi Transit Transit to cover additional fuel costs and maintenance on the aging vehicle. vehicle. Council opted to save $100,000, about .75 per cent on the tax rate, by eliminating the option to pay taxes by VISA. For the first time in municipal municipal history, council set a maximum maximum budget increase for the next two years of this term. In 2002, departments will be limited to a 2.5 per cent increase and in 2003, a .5 per cent increase. Will Durham university be announced soon? 'Exciting news' promised by Durham MPP DURHAM - Speculation is running rampant about the possibility possibility of a university for Durham Region, as. the Province prepares to make an announcement tomorrow to flesli out details of the throne speech, and deliver its budget May 9. . Last week's throne speech noted the Province "intends to establish an innovative new post-secondary institution that would link education and skills training to meet the needs of the marketplace." But Education Minister Janet Ecker is non-committal on whether that means Durham University will become a reality. reality. Durham College officials have been working towards a university for a number of years to, in the words of president Gary Polonsky, "give young people access to a full line of college and university programs other regions take for granted." No answer was immediately forthcoming from the education minister last week. "The Durham MPPs are continuing continuing to push for Durham College, College, to implement the plan they want to put in place," said Ms. Ecker in an interview. "I don't know if we'll be successful." Durham MPP John O'Toole pointed to impending "exciting" news for this area in the May 9 budget, but would not say what Inside file âtabaman WHERE TO FIND IT Editorial Page 6 Classified 8 Sports 12 GIVE US A CALL General.. .905-623-3303 Distribution 905-579-4407 . Death Notices 905-683-3005 Sincerely Yours 1-800-662-8423 Web site durhamregion.com E-mail j.bobbitt@durhamregion.com FAX .... ! .905-623-6161 MPP JOHN O'TOOLE 'Absolutely thrilled'by news in May 9 budget. the news would entail. The Durham MPP recently said there was news he was privy to but unable to reveal which has him "absolutely thrilled." The news, he suggested, coiild cause controversy through the province but will "be good for Durham." While he wouldn't elaborate, that hasn't hasn't stopped others from specu- JANET ECKER April 26 news will 'maybe ' touch on extracurriculars. lating. Mr. Polonsky welcomes welcomes the announcement of a new institution and says he's looking forward to more details. "If you're wondering if I'm hopeful if they're considering the Durham proposal, the answer answer is l yes\" he says. Ms. Ecker says the April 26 announcement will "maybe" touch on extracurricular activities. activities. Car goes through store window BOWMANVILLE - Police don't expect to lay charges after a car crashed through the window of a 7-11 store at Liberty and King streets Tuesday afternoon. No one was injured as the car, driven by an 85-year-old man, got caught against a post, then slammed through tire front window window of tire store. Store employee Nicole Landry was working near the window when the car went through, just before 1 p.m. She says she was unhurt, but "it freaked me right out though." kww *: : " v,j. ! mst AJ. GROEN/ Statesman photos 'Princess ' and the pig COURTICE - Dr. Emily Stowe Public School principal Sue Medd had to kiss a pig, after the students successfully successfully met a challenge to collect pledges for 30 minutes of exercise exercise a week. Dressed as a princess and wearing lots of lipstick to prove she actually smooched the swine, she puckered up to the porker with the help of Stan Found, as the students looked on. All or nothing: hospitals BRIAN LEMON 'We have to get enough to . make the whole project go.' Officials warn cancer centre needs expansion to proceed BY SUSAN O'NEILL Staff Writer DURHAM -- A piecemeal approach to hospital funding isn't going to address the needs of Durham's health-care system, hospital officials are warning as Regional councillors prepare to vote on whether they'll help to fund expansion projects here. "We have always from the beginning beginning of this process said (none of the proposed expansion projects projects are) a stand alone," said Gale Mossman, past-chairman of the Rouge Valley Health System (RVHS) board of directors and a member of the Durham Hospitals Expansion Group. That group, which recently sent a letter to Regional councillors councillors making one last pitch for funding, is encouraging Durham council to make a strong commitment commitment to local hospitals when the issue is debated by councillors next month. The matter was to be addressed at a special budget meeting April 25 but it has been postponed because the Province granted municipalities a one- month extension in setting their tax rates. "In our minds... it is all interconnected," Ms. Mossman said of the expansion plans for the See WITHOUT page 4 i- m . i Lame Pizza k 3 Toppinss Look for our exciting "CRACK THE CARDBOARD TO WIN" on every Pizza box E| -T AMlpop»1" x ' y : it-v iisMmaBBftss it © k, Æ Ik Your chtinco to win a now dronmhome, an new Toyota Cellca Gt, $500 Cash Prize, a Luxury Cruise or a Canon Bubble Jot Printer. -- ...i ----wMtiJbw&acsMiixmwaini muss**