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I PAGE A6 ♦ THE CANADIAN STATESMAN 4> July 19,2006 Tim Whittaker Publisher Joanne Burghardt Editor-In-Chief Chris Bovie Managing Editor Fred Eismont Director of Advertising Eddie Kolodziejcak Classified Advertising Manager Kirk Bailey Distribution Manager Lillian Hook Office Manager Janice O'Neil, Cheryl Haines Composing Managers Todd Blayone Interactive Media Manager Clarington's Award-Winning Newspaper Since 1854 Œïje Canabmn Statesman ■ I JULY 19, 2006 durhamregion.com Phone 905-579-4400 Classifieds 905-576-9335 Distribution 905-579-4407 General Fax 905-579-2238 Newsroom Fax 905-579-1809 E-Mail newsroom@durhamregion.com 865 Farewell St., Oshawa ON L1H 7L5 Publications Mail Registration No. 07637 infodurhamregion.com EDITORIAL c-mail letters to ncwsroom@durhamrcgion.com Time to get Durham moving As long as there's been a Hwy. 401 there's been traffic congestion. congestion. You could say that about any 400 series highway that leads to . and from Toronto. But during the past 20 years as our.communities have grown, so too has the traffic congestion. Unfortunately the bottlenecks have expanded at an unhealthy rate while our solutions to the ' problem remain limited. Progressive Conservative leader leader John Tory joined provincial transportation critic and Durham MPP John O'Toole at a recent town hall meeting to speak with residents about possible solutions. solutions. All agreed Durham Region needs better road infrastructure, more accessible transit and a better better life-work balance. Mr. Tor)' referred to the eastern extension of Hwy. 407 as the single biggest issue of transportation transportation importance for Durham and expressed frustration at how long the approval process is taking. taking. Until the 407 extension is built, commuters and trucks transporting transporting goods will be forced to continue continue trekking down to Hwy. 401 to get in line of the slow-moving ride to Toronto and beyond. If there was anything being done to improve the commute, be it through an expanded 401, improved GO Transit service or even the Hwy. ' 407 extension, Mr. Tory would be wrong to complain the Dalton McGuinty government is doing nothing to ease traffic congestion. But nothing is being done and it doesn't evert appear to be on the Province's radar at this point. That just leads to greater frustration frustration for commuters living in Durham Region who work in Toronto. On top of the frustration commuters commuters encounter every day, the daily grind is also costing the GTA $1.8 billion a year in economic economic activity. If anything, that should catch the Province's attention. Yet the problem remains, unsolved and growing each and every day a new homeowner moves into the area. Durham is one of the fastest growing areas in Ontario and needs a comprehensive transportation transportation plan -- one that will include a balance of better roads and convenient transit similar to what-Mr. Tory is proposing. One could say it's easy for a leader of the opposition to visit an area and criticize the government government but at least residents know ' where the PG leader stands. And it's nice to see a leader taking an interest in Durham's transportation needs because clearly the current government hasn't. Otherwise there would be something to write about other than the constant gridlock. BACKWARD GLANCE Station Hotel, 1897 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR e-mail letters to newsroom@durhamregion.com Photo supplied by Clarington Museum and Archives From October 1897, this is the only known picture of the first hotel built beside the Grand Trunk Railway (now VIA Rail) tracks, south of Bowmanville. Known as the 'Station Hotel,' the building was gutted by fire in late September 1897. It dated back to the late 1850s. The original owner, John Hobbs, was succeeded by Thomas Totterdale and then others. The remains of the building and land were purchased by William Shaw of Port Darlington in 1898 and a new hotel was built on the site. The Shaw family operated it until 1909, lastly as 'The Arlington.' It then became a private residence. The old Arlington still stands today near the tracks, on the east side of Duke Street south of the 401 adjacent to the Liberty Liberty Street cutoff. Rights of guide dog owners need to be known To the editor: It's too bad not enough people are informed about the rights of people with guide dogs. My mother is deaf and travels with her trusted and much-loved hearing ear dog wherever she goes. She went with my father, who is also deaf, to grab a few groceries at a store. My mother mother was shopping when an irate woman started yelling at her. My mother, confused and haying haying no clue what this woman was saying, went on with her shopping and if it had been an emergency, the-dog would have alerted her. A few moments later a person who appeared to be the store manager approached -her with the irate woman, standing behind, and pointed to the dog at which time my mother pointed to the dog's coat and card which clearly states it is a 'Hearing Ear Guide Dog.' He apologized' and turned around and explained to the woman (my mother was assuming) that it is a guide dog. The woman apparently yelled something at the man, dropped her unfinished grocery shopping and left; I should add this dog, not that if should matter, is a non-shedding breed. One has , to wonder about the selfishness of someone such as this. EveOsten Whitby DVDs not best way to get message out To the editor: I read with interest the Durham Works newsletter and the article on "Green Means Go." I am somewhat fanatical about recycling, conserving energy and reducing waste. I noted that along with these bins 132,000 households will be receiving an , instructional DVD. I phoned the Works department to find out if these DVD's were biodegradable or recyclable. I was told that I could perhaps make something out of the plastic, plastic, or take the disc back to the Works department so they could give it to someone else. Sending out 132,000 pieces of plastic that cannot properly be disposed of is contraiy to the message the Region is trying to get out. Josephine Geraghty Oshawa Garbage needs to be picked up more than twice a month To the editor: I am disgusted with Oshawa's newest garbage collection times. We are in the summer season -- it is hot and humid daily. This means garbage in this season season can and will lead to worm infestation. I was shocked to know garbage now is picked up every other week, meaning garbage garbage will stay in my garage for two full weeks. I am paying $450 per month for city services. I am getting half of it used properly and the rest -- only god knows where it goes. If I am paying money, I should see my garbage picked up every week! This is horrible and will, lead to citizens going to places at night to dump garbage! I know there is a dump site on Ritson Road North, but that costs an arm and a leg and why should we pay in the first place when we are already paying $450 a month for that! Nabil Shams Oshawa Let's have garbage buddies To the editor: I am writing with regard to the recent letters of complaint about Durham's new recycling/composting recycling/composting program,, i I'd like to offer a suggestion to the Region of Durham. ; Perhaps it should consider , setting up some sort of system . whereby it can pair up "waste- management challenged" citizens citizens with those who are more ; savvy. ' .Concerned citizens such as myself could offer to interpret the colour-coded maps and calendars calendars in the information package package delivered by the Region. We could visit our "garbage buddies" buddies" on. their collection day to help place the appropriate bins at the curb and perhaps even demonstrate the locking lids on the compost bin. I feel confident that if such a program were implemented our beautiful Region could become greener and cleaner and perhaps even a little bit smarter. Nicole Raiding Whitby ' LETTERS We welcome letters that include name, city of residence and phone numbers for verification. Writers are generally limited to " 200 words and one submission submission in 30 days. We decline announcements, poetry, open letters, consumer complaints, congratulations and thank you notes. The editor reserves the right to edit copy for. length, style and clarity. The newspaper newspaper contacts only those people people whose submissions have been chosen for publication. FAX: 905-579-1809; E-MAIL: Newsroom ©durhamregion. com. We report the news, not rumours Everywhere you go in Clarington Clarington these days, you hear rumours about the criminal charges that have been laid against Mayor John Mutton. The gossip mill is working overtime, spinning tales of what led to his arrest and eventual charge of two counts of assault. Some of the talcs may have some basis in truth, but the vast majority of the rumours defy belief. There arc whispers of special special treatment being behind the tight lid oil information Durham Regional Police have put on with regard to the alleged incident. Police claim they are being "consistent" in their policy against releasing any information information that might identify victims in such cases. Some even wonder about the Jennifer Stone court-ordered publication ban on evidence introduced thus far. But the ban is actually quite typical in instances like this -- to those who understand the court system, system, it would have been far more surprising for there not to have been such an embargo. We've received letters and phone calls galore, many starling with the words, "1 heard he..." We've even had demands for his resignation until the ease makes its way through the court system, something that could, should it proceed, lake months. We've had appeals for more information. But, though information has been less than plentiful in terms of the actual incident, there are a few indisputable truths. First, newspapers don't print things based on what people have "heard." We don't spread gossip and we can't and won't publish innuendo. innuendo. Not only is it potentially libelous, libelous, but it's a matter of integrity, We publish facts, period. In terms of his resignation, there's not a shred of legislation that would compel the mayor to resign in this instance., Look to the west, to Pickering, where Regional Councillor Mau rice Brenner has been charged with fraud involving City, funds, and breach of trust by a public officer. Even in that case, which directly directly relates to his job as councillor, there is no compelling legal reason reason for him to step aside until his name is cleared, Mayor Mutton's case docs not appear, from what little information information we have, to be related to his role as mayor, In terms of release of details, we, too, arc bound to protect the identity of some victims, victims, Even if details were being released, we would have to tread lightly, for fear of singling out the alleged victims. In most cases, assault charges aren't terribly newsworthy. By no means do we report every assault that occurs in Durham Durham Region, or every assault charge laid. They have to be major, usually with extenuating circumstances, to warrant coverage, But, given the charges involve a public figure in this-case, it is newsworthy and - to what extent we can - is being reported, That, however, doesn't give us the right to publish more than what would normally be printed in such a case, His life as a public public figure doesn't invalidate the alleged victims' rights to privacy. The case is before the courts, and as it proceeds, we will report what details we can, But, they will be based in fact, not in conjecture, rumour or gossip, gossip, Reporter Jennifer Stone s column appears every other Wednesday E-mail jstone@dnrhainrepion. cow, CLICK AND SAY Today's question: Will last Friday's GO Trairi problems make you less likely likely to rely on trasit? No Yes Cast your vote online at infodurhamregion.com Last week's question: Is it a good idea to treat drinking and boating like a highway traffic offence or is it going too far? Goes too far 47.5% Good idea 52.5% Votes oast: 733 HAVE YOUR SAY Are you trying to conserve electricity this summer? Nancy Thompson "Yes, we're using ceiling fans and keeping the windows open." Jean Welsh "Yes, I keep the:blinds drawn and lights off and we use fans."' Jenna Storey "Yes, I try to save on all expenses." Matthew Socco "Yes I am. I haven't turned on the air-conditioner at all yet. I use a fan in my salon and at home too." The Canadian Statesman is one of the Metroland Printing, Publishing and Distributing group of newspapers. The Statesman is a member of the Bowmanville Clarington Board of Trade, the Greater Oshawa Chamber of Commerce, Commerce, Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Circulations Circulations Audit Board and the Ontario Press Cpuncil. The publisher reserves the right to classify or refuse any advertisement. Credit for advertisement advertisement limited to space price error occupies. Editorial and Advertising content of the Canadian Statesman is copyrighted. Unauthorized reproduction reproduction is prohibited. ' rarnsiwi mwhiikm Aocnaimni (+CNA, ■nez: