The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

News/5 A tale of inspiration CLARINGTON'S AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1854 Sports/6 The sporting year in photos Canada quits on ITER project 'Cost, priorities aren't there' BY KEITH GILLIGAN Staff Writer DURHAM -- First Canada withdrew withdrew its bid to host the ITER project in Clarington. Now, the country has removed removed itself completely from the endeavour. endeavour. Murray Stewart, president and chief executive officer of Iter Canada, confirmed confirmed the country is no longer part of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Experimental Reactor. "We informed the other partners (last week) we were pulling out," Mr. Stewart said. The six remaining partners met in Washington last week to decide on the location for the project. However, they couldn't reach a consensus, so they will gather in February to vote again. "The costs and priorities aren't there," Mr. Stewart said. "Later, we may be a partner. Maybe, that will be an option for Canada." Mr. Stewart has been a member of the ITER project since 1988 and is "very disappointed the way the project went, that Canada just wouldn't be successful. I hope we can find some way Canada can be involved in the fusion fusion experiment." Unlike nuclear reactors at Pickering and Darlington, which use the fission process, or the splitting of atoms, fu- See CANADA page 3 Crime Stoppers looking for suspects ORONO - The identity of two suspects possibly linked to a theft remains unknown after three months. . Durham Regional Police and Crime Stoppers are asking the public's help to find a man •and woman who may have Jieen part of the incident that took place Sept. 26 between *1:50 and 2:15 p.m. Suspects broke into a 'locked 1989 Dodge Ram on Allin Road north of Concession Concession Rd. 8. After smashing unto the vehicle, the culprits •left the scene with credit cards, "$1.100, a Sony Digital Camera .and a blue Makita Power Drill. vA 32-year-old engagement ring made of gold with a diamond diamond in the middle and heart- shaped white diamonds on either either side was also taken. The ring holds sentimental value to the victim. Photographs of the suspects can be viewed on the Durham Regional Police Web site at www.drps.ca under unsolved See POLICE page 3 INDEX Editorial Page 4 Sports ... 6 Classified 8 GIVE US A CALL General 905-579-4400 Distribution 905-579-4407 General FAX 905-579-2238 Newsroom FAX 905-579-1809 durhamregion.com • SERVICE • PARTS MON., WED., FRI. 7:30 am - 6:00 pm TUES. & THURS. 7:30 am - 8 pm SAT. 9 am - 4 pm ACCREDITED TEST , & REPAIR FACILITY ♦An officliil murk of the r Province ofOnturlo used under licence. Whitby - Oshawa • Honda 1110 DUNDAS. ST. E. WHITBY LOCAL (9115) 666-1772 i-ioivon. www.honda1.com Kyle MacPherson/ Statesman photo Parental support system BOWMANVILLE - Rick Brooks took his 3-year-old daughter Sarah to the Garnet B. Rickard arena to teach her to skate. Father and daughter were at the complex Sunday and enjoyed a less than busy ice surface. Book drive a labour of love for northern youngsters Anne Wilson is organizing a book drive locally. BY SHELLEY JORDAN Staff Writer CLARINGTON - Inspired by the actions of a provincial politician, a local woman is raising a different kind of wealth to help needy kids. It's often said books contain a wealth of knowledge, but for those living in isolated, remote communities in Northern Ontario, Ontario, there is a poverty of resources, resources, Anne Wilson of Bow- manville says when she heard thousands of children living in these regions have little more than textbooks to read, she decided decided to do something about it. "Lt.-Gov. James Bartlcman started a book drive and is encouraging encouraging people to join in," said Ms. Wilson. "He takes books to First Nations children himself, but can only take a few at a time." This time, the lieutentant- governor has a military truck and aims to deliver books to 52 different communities, with Ontario Provincial Police willing willing to carry any surplus the trucks can't hold. "I love books so much and I have so many of them," said Ms. Wilson, "1 thought I should get rid of them." She also said many people tend to hold on to books, but rather than gathering dust on a shelf, they can be used to help others. "It's great for the kids, and I'm sure with long winters up there they could sit down and read rather than watching television," television," she said, Ms. Wilson is collecting all kinds of literature, from preschool age to teen and adult. "I asked all my friends, my kids and grandkids to bring something when we get together together at Christmas," she said. "My husband and I will deliver them in our truck to Queen's Park to the lieutenant-governor's lieutenant-governor's suite." Ms. Wilson says she just wants to do something nice for someone else and delivering books is no big deal. "It's not like raising money, and the books might be a treasure treasure to someone else." Ms. Wilson is a caretaker at the Bowmanvillc Zoo. Books can be dropped off at her residence residence on Zoo property, '330 King Street East No. 18, or she can be contacted at 905-623- 0296. Public board tests add up EQAO results are positive BY JEANNE BENETEAU Staff Writer DURHAM - Grade 9 students students in the public board are making the provincial grade in mathematics, according to recent recent testing. Late last week, the Education Education Quality and Accountability Accountability Office (EQAO) released Kawartha Pine Ridge (KPR) District School Board school- by-school Grade 9 provincial math test results. In the KPR board, 24 per cent of Grade 9 students who wrote the applied mathematics test scored at Level 3, a mark between 70 and 79 per cent, or higher. This score represents a three per cent decrease from last year's numbers but is higher higher than the provincial average of 23 per cent. In the academic stream, 67 per cent of KPR students scored Level 3 or higher in the math testing, right in line with students province-wide. Board spokesman Fiona White said the board is pleased the results show Grade 9 KPR students are. at or above the provincial average, which has been the goal of the board. However, there is always room for improvement, Ms. White added. Individual school results provide staff at each school a detailed look at areas that require require improvement. In addition, addition, the Ministry of Education is currently reviewing resource material that came out in 1999 to better identify areas where more support is needed. In a board press release, communications officer Judy Malfara said principals consider consider EQAO results along with other classroom assessments when they create and review school improvement plans. Test results arc only one source of information used to assist in continuous school improvement, improvement, Ms. Malfara said. Ranking Ranking or comparing schools may be misleading as each school has its own unique circumstances, circumstances, which may vary from year to year. In the three-year history of See TEST page 3 ,i !•' V /