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• SMfi£J854 • AMALGAMATED 1999 WITH CLARINGTON THIS WEEK • I'rvssrun 21 .*>00 46 Pages Wednesday September 26, 200* Off to the National Ballet News, page 7 'tional 4 week delivery $5/$l newsstand Liberty Jeep freedom Wheels Pullout Region wants probe into sludge ROGER ANDERSON 'We need this right away.' Politicians look to Province for answers on health concerns BY JACQUIE MclNNES Staff Writer There may be light at the end of the tunnel in a two-year fight by north Durham residents to get answers on the safety of paper sludge berms, including one at a northeast Oshawa gun club. Durham's Health and Social Services committee has recommended recommended Regional council make a number of requests of the Ministry Ministry of the Environment (MOE) for investigation into possible health hazards at the Harmony and Coates roads gun club site, where 'Sound-sorb' berms made from paper waste and sand arc used to muffle sound from the club's activities. If the requests to the MOE are not honoured the Region will consider legal action against the ministry, said Regional Regional Chairman Roger Anderson during a committee meeting last week. The non-profit gun club owns the land but the berms are operated operated by Courtice Auto Wreckers, owned by Skip Ambrose, who declined comment on the issue. At an Oct. 10 regional council meeting, the committee will recommend recommend counc.il ask the MOE to complete studies on air emissions and area groundwater in the surrounding surrounding area of the gun club; to investigate the presence of sewage of "animal or human origin" origin" found during a sampling of the gun club berms taken by a consultant for the Region; and for the MOE to order remediation of the gun club property of any contaminants. contaminants. The committee wants the studies completed by the end of November and the investigation investigation of sewage on the gun club site completed three weeks following following the Region's request. "We need this right away," Mr. Anderson told the committee. committee. "It's just gone on too long. I think we all know what's at the bottom of that pile and I think xvc all know it's not Sound-sorb," he added, referring to the consultant's consultant's findings of sewage sludge run-off coming from the berms. "It looks like it's an unautho- See REGION page 5 COURTICE - A Courtice school is up for potential closure, closure, according to a report to be discussed at a public school board meeting Thursday. The fate of Courtice South . Public School is up for discussion, discussion, should trustees accept the Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board's annual school accommodation/review report. Each year, staff looks at all schools within the board's jurisdiction, jurisdiction, in order to identify any that may be closed due to underpopulation. underpopulation. According to the report, a new elementary school slated for September 2002 opening in Courtice will accommodate current current overpopulation at Lydia Trull and Dr. Emily Stowe public public schools, which means students students currently being housed at Courtice South can move to Lydia Trull. If Thursday's report is accepted, accepted, a committee made up of school community members will be formed to provide recommendations recommendations to the board on the school's fate. After recommendations recommendations are complete, the board will make a final decision. But being on the initial list doesn't necessarily mean closure closure is inevitable, says a tmstee. "Once that ball's rolling down the hill, it's harder to stop, but I don't think it's unstoppable," unstoppable," says Port Hope tmstee Erin Brown. Including Courtice South, there are six sites to be studied this year. Others are located in Northumberland, Peterborough, and Hastings. 0SB32 ACCREDITED TEST & REPAIR FACILITY •An offlclal murk of the Province of Ontario used under licence. Whitby - Oshawa 1110 DUNDAS. ST. E., WHITBY LOCAL (905) 666-1772 honda Si , www,frQnd»1.c9m Footloose for football BOWMANVILLE - Students at Bowmanville High School enough student interest to field both a senior and a junior are looking forward to a season of football, after the sport team this year. John Lippert, foreground, goes through his has been absent from the school for 15 years. There's paces during tryouts for the senior team. Money's gone, but staff work on Employees strive to keep shelter for homeless operating . BY JANE MCDONALD Staff Writer OSHAWA - These days are busier than ever for the staff and volunteers at the downtown Gate 3:16 centre for the poor and Inside Wtjt Statesman WHERE TO FIND IT Editorial Page 6 Classified 10 Sports 15 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 email jbobbitt@durhamregion.com FAX 905-623-6161 homeless. And since Friday, Sept. 14, all 10 staff employed there have gained volunteer status status - the hard way. "As of Friday, the staff, including including me, was told there is no more money to pay us," says Reverend Valieree Brecht, executive executive director of the only shelter of its kind for the homeless in Durham Region. Upwards of 100 people a day visit Gate 3:16, formally known as the Community Ministry Centre. Centre. Whether the men and women need to use the drop-in centre, take part in literacy classes, or avail themselves of primary health care, a doughnut and a coffee coffee or a haircut, the unique centre has been there for them. Meal tickets for lunch at St. Vincent's kitchen are few and far between but can also be made available for those who otherwise might not have a meal that day. Crisis counselling as well as long-term guidance are offered and a church service is observed every Sunday at 2 p.m. "We average from 90 to 115 people a day," says Rev. Brecht, executive director of the downtown downtown mission. "We've gone as high as 150." Dependent on area churches and donations for enough money to operate, Rev, Brecht, an ordained ordained minister, says she.knows the churches arc having a hard ANDREW IWANOWSKI/Statesman photo Volunteer Roland Langstaff passes a tray of muffins and doughnuts from the kitchen at Gate 3:16, a shelter for the homeless in Durham. All staff have been working as volunteers volunteers since money for salaries ran out. time financially, too. As the economy economy weakens, the money that enables enables Gate 3:16 to provide for street people and those living on less than adequate fixed incomes is drying up. Sept. 14 was the last time any of the 10 paid staff saw a paycheque and Rev. Brecht doesn't know how Gate 3:16 will pay next month's rent, "We might all wind up being homeless soon," she quips, halfheartedly. halfheartedly. Gate 3:16 did receive some federal money to move to larger quarters and to renovate, See STAFF page 5 YOUTH SHELTER SAVED See page 4 More birds die of virus BY JENNIFER STONE Staff Writer DURHAM - Two more dead birds found in Durham Region have tested positive for the West Nile virus, bringing the total to three and leading the health department department to believe the poten- tially-deadly, mosquito-transmitted mosquito-transmitted virus has officially made its way to the region. The health department received received confirmation Friday that a crow found in south Whitby on Sept. 7 and a blue jay, picked up in Ashburn Sept. 11, tested positive for the virus. Until the two new positive test results, only one bird from Durham had been confirmed as. having the virus, giving some hope it was an isolated occurrence. But, the two new confirmed positives "indicate the West Nile virus is definitely in Durham Region," says Dr. Donna Reynolds, Durham's associate medical officer of health, who notes approximately 185 dead birds found in Durham have been submitted for testing since this season's surveillance program program began in the spring. "It is certainly in the GTA," says Dr. Reynolds, noting the virus has been found in several other Toronto-area regions. Though the local positive birds have been found largely in the Whitby area, Dr. Reynolds says, "I suspect we'll start to see some other potentially positive birds within other municipalities." Since finding the first bird with the vims, the health department, department, along with Health Canada, Canada, has been running a mosquito surveillance program, setting traps overnight in areas where mosquitoes are found. Mosquitoes Mosquitoes are then sent to labs, where they are identified by species, counted and tested for evidence of West Nile infection. "We will be moving the mosquito mosquito traps to try to get our highest highest yield," says Dr. Reynolds, noting the program will continue continue until cooler weather causes a significant drop in the mosquito population. Mosquitoes transmit West Nile Virus after feeding on the blood of birds carrying the virus. Most people infected with the vims show no symptoms, or mild flu-like symptoms. But, in rare cases, the illness can cause meningitis or encephalitis, and in some cases, death. Area residents continue to be advised to "try to avoid mosquito mosquito bites as much as possible," says Dr. Reynolds. As well, residents residents arc asked to report findings findings of dead crows and blue jays to the health department by calling calling 905-723-8521 or 1-800- 841-2729, ext. 2188. Men's Rockport, j THE MANAGEMENT & STAFF WOULD LIKETO THANK ALL OUR CUSTOMERS $ READERS WHO NOMINATED US II MEN'S STORE Clarks & Florsheim -- -- --. -- -- » ■ a size for every man Sunday ii:oo-5:oo Shoes 111 IMM'C • » MON.TOFRI. 9:30-9:00 values to $150 U WlM UyM m3 A A JL ft _ f " r| 1 1 ' day 9 30 g oo (On Selected Styles) ^ ^ B A S. 4 JL , 1 $0099 TAILORS ItYfff ® r~m \ 7,7 / - OSHAWA CENTRE I il I I H W Erf \ v*/ / Across from Reitmans WE CARRY SUIT SIZES FROM 34 TO 54 A m TAILORS A SIZE FOR EVERY MAN Ittftt