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3-yr. term3 ($249.95 no term) $0 LG Rumour™ $1525 /MO.ONLYPREFERRED PLAN For a limited time, take advantage of: (&&beYWbWdoj_c[c_dkj[i"fbki+&Xedkic_dkj[i Kdb_c_j[ZbeYWb[l[d_d]WdZm[[a[dZc_dkj[i" ijWhj_d]Wj,f$c$ 9WbbWW_j_d]WdZ9ed\[r[dY[9Wbb_d] Better deal. Better hurry. Pickering Pickering Town Centre 905 837-1212 Whitby Whitby Mall 905 725-1212 Available at the following Bell stores: Offer ends December 31,2008. Available to employees/members of eligible organizations (and their immediate family, with employee/member as account holder) with proof of employment/affi liation, on a 3-yr contract. Ask in-store for list of eligible organizations. Available with compatible devices within Bell Mobility high speed mobile network coverage areas. Weeknights Mon-Thur, 6pm-7am; Weekends Fri 6pm-Mon 7am. Other monthly fees, i.e., e9-1-1 (75¢), system access (not a government fee) ($8.95), and one-time device activation ($35) apply. Long distance and roaming charges (including foreign taxes) may apply outside your local area. Upon early termination, price adjustment charges apply. Subject to change without notice; not combinable with other offers. Taxes extra. Other conditions apply. (1) 50 bonus minutes apply during the initial contract term. (2) Simultaneous use of airtime. (3) With new activation on a monthly voice plan. Rumour is a trademark of LG Electronics Inc. Windows Live is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. cityofpickering.com/greatevents FREE FAMILY EVENTS 7 pm New Years Eve @ Rec Complex 2 pm New Years Day @ City Hall Details Online Auf Wiedersehen, sucka. The GTI Mk V. Pre-tuned in Deutschland. Pickering Volkswagen Inc. 503 Kingston Rd. Pickering Sales Hotline: 905-420-9700 The original hot hatch is here, and it’s spec’d for ‘09 with a turbocharged 200 hp 2.0-litre engine, sport suspension, a DSG with Tiptronic® and paddle shifting. ‘09 GTI www.pvw.com Get local 24/7 newsdurhamregion.com✦ 40 PAGES ✦ Pressrun 52,400 ✦ Optional delivery $6/Newsstand $1 ✦ FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2008 The Pickering Basement fire causes ‘significant damage’ By Reka Szekely rszekely@durhamregion.com PICKERING — A family of four will be out of their home for the holidays after a house fire on Commerce Street in south Pickering on Wednesday. Kate Fisher, an 18-year-old Pine Ridge Secondary School student, discovered the fire when she arrived home from school at around 3 p.m. “As soon as I opened the door, it was a huge gust of smoke in my face,” she said. Her 15-year-old sister, Jenny, and a friend were also with her. “I called 911 and they were here within two minutes.” Pickering Fire Services found a base- ment fire when they arrived at the scene and Platoon Chief Geoff Nicholson said firefighters brought it under control at around 4 p.m. “It was a difficult fire and the crew did a wonderful job bringing it under control. Basement fires are always difficult.” He said the cause of the fire is under inves- tigation. The fire damage was limited to the basement, but there’s extensive smoke damage to the first and second floor. With the power and gas cut to the single-family detached house, Mr. Nich- olson said the Fishers will not be able to return to the home immediately. “It’ll be quite a while; this is significant damage.” No one was injured in the fire. Ms. Fisher’s mom was at work and her father was at the cottage, but two cats are miss- ing. “They’re outdoor cats so they could show up, but one was probably in the basement,” said Ms. Fisher. Another cat and the family dog are fine. That the fire took place so close to the holidays wasn’t lost on the teen. “That’s the first thing I thought of; Merry Christmas,” said Ms. Fisher. The family hadn’t set up a Christmas tree and decorations yet, but Ms. Fisher knows many of her possessions, including all of her clothes, are likely gone. Early Wednesday evening, the Fishers had two options: they could stay with friends or family or accept emergency ac- commodations offered by the Red Cross. Ms. Fisher wasn’t sure what would hap- pen. Her mom was still meeting with the insurance company, but they’d received an offer from neighbour Peter Locke to stay there. “They take care of my kids, I take care of theirs. It’s what neighbours are about,” said Mr. Locke, whose daugh- ters are the same age as the Fisher girls. “The whole street has offered as much as they can to help out the Fishers,” said 18-year-old Brittany Locke. STORYTIME IN PICKERING Jason Liebregts/ News Advertiser photo PICKERING — Addison Walsh follows along to the actions to a song during Family Storytime at the Pickering Central Library. Fire leaves Pickering family homeless over Christmas Walter Passarella/ News Advertiser photo Firefighters quickly contained a fire at a residence on Commerce Street Wednesday afternoon. SCHOOL DAYS Read our new monthly feature on local schools on page 6 SALON AND SPA AT SEATON SPRINGS AVEDA • CONNECTING • BEAUTY, ENVIRONMENT AND WELL BEINGFLAT IRON AS A GIFT FROM US WHEN YOU PURCHASE A 2250 WHITES RD. N. PICKERING 905•837•9111 $150 FREE $200 ™Tuesday to Friday: 11 am - 7 pm Saturday: 10 am - 4 pm www.winexpert.com 623 Kingston Road, Pickering (West of National Sports) 905-837-WINE (9463) “Message in a bottle”“Message in a bottle” A unique way to give gift certifi cates durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 2 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 Jason Liebregts/ News Advertiser photo Brooklin man injured in crash PICKERING — Emergency crews were called to the scene of a single-car accident at 10:45 a.m. Thursday involving a 61-year-old male from Brooklin on Hwy 7, west of Salem Road. He was airlifted to Sunnybrook hospital with life-threatening injuries. Ontario Provin- cial Police say an eastbound vehicle rolled near the Sixth Concession shortly before 11 a.m. The eastbound lane of the highway was closed while police tried to piece together exactly what happened. OPP Sgt. Dave Woodford says the man suffered head injuries in the crash and investigators are trying to determine if he was wearing a seatbelt. newsdurhamregion.com Watch a video at newsdurhamregion.com VIJAY BADHWAR, DMD Dental Care for Adults, Kids and Great Big Babies. • A Full Range of Dental Treatments - Bring the whole family. • Saturday & Evening Appointments - To serve you better. • Flexible Payment Options - Helping you get the treatment you want. • A Relaxing Atmosphere - Virtual vision glasses, stereo headphones to help ensure you have a pleasant visit. 905-683-1391 We keep our patients smiling by taking the time to understand their needs. Add our friendly, caring staff and state-of-the-art techniques and you’ve found a good dental home. THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 3 A/Pdurhamregion.com Local food bank happy with surge in recent food donations Kristen Calis kcalis@durhamregion.com PICKERING — Despite the struggling economy, Ajax and Pickering residents and businesses have opened their hearts, and their cupboards, and donated generously to a local food bank. “I think people react even stronger in harder times,” said St. Paul’s-on-the-Hill Community Food Bank volunteer Marg Jocz. Ms. Jocz and her husband, Phil, deliv- ered one of many carloads of donations to the food bank they had just collected from Pickering schools Thursday morning. “The schools are very supportive through this time of year,” she said. “We don‘t even have to ask them.” Food bank volunteers are pleased with the nearly full shelves since Thanksgiving as they thought they’d be low this Christmas “We had a very poor Thanksgiving drive and we were afraid, but Christmas has just been bountiful,” said director, Rae Coulter. She’s been helping at the food bank for the past 15 years and has been director for six. The sad stories she hears, such as the amount of abused women who come in, or the fact that children make up half of the cli- ent base, never cease to touch her. “There’s good stories, too, though,” she said. For example, she sees tears in the eyes of some clients overwhelmed with the food they get to take home. The best moments happen when regular clients stop by, thrilled, and say ‘I’m not going to be able to come back because I got a job’,” she said. But, despite the food bank doing well now, Ms. Coulter said she’s sure donations will be low again in the spring. And, despite the impressively stocked shelves, there are certain items that are lacking, such as juice boxes, kids snacks, canned fruit, pasta, tea and cereal. “Cereal’s gotten so expensive,” she said, adding the most needed donation is money since they have to pay rent in order to stay alive. Although the number of families using the food bank is relatively the same as last year, the number of people has grown. This November, 622 families used the food bank, compared to 601 last November. One family, in particular, collects for 10 family members living in one apartment, Ms. Coulter said. St. Paul’s is sure of these facts since paper- work is required to receive food. But, Ms. Coulter is “absolutely” sure the families in need in Ajax and Pickering will have a nice Christmas. One hundred families will get Christmas hampers from St. Paul’s-on-the-Hill Angli- can Church, which contain a turkey, all the items to have a complete Christmas dinner, and even toys. The Ajax-Pickering Salvation Army will take care of the overflow, she said, so be- tween the two organizations, and thanks to residents, helpful grocery stores and busi- nesses that have given a little extra this year, food bank clients should have very happy holidays. For more information or to donate, call 905-839-9537. Jason Liebregts/ News Advertiser photo Rae Coulter speaks about the concerns of the St.Paul’s-on-the-Hill Food Bank in Pickering. She says residents have been generous this year, but there are still some needs. Happy holidays for families in need ‘We had a very poor Thanksgiving drive and we were afraid, but Christmas has just been bountiful.’ -- RAE COULTER No raise for council members in these tough times We think.. e-mail responses to mjohnston@durhamregion.com NEWS ADVERTISER 130 Commercial Ave., Ajax ON L1S 2H5 newsdurhamregion.com newsroom@durhamregion.com The News Advertiser is a Metroland Media Group newspaper. The News Advertiser is a member of the Ajax & Pickering Board of Trade, Ontario Community Newspaper Assoc., Canadian Community Newspaper Assoc., and the Canadian Circulations Audit Board. Also a member of the Ontario Press Council, 2 Carlton St., Suite 1706, Toronto, M5B 1J3, an independent organization that addresses reader complaints about member newspapers.The publisher reserves the right to classify or refuse any advertisement. Credit for advertisement limited to space price error occupies. Editorial and Advertising content of the News Adver- tiser is copyrighted. Unauthorized reproduction is prohibited. Publications Mail Sales Agreement Number 40052657 & Editorials Opinions Tim Whittaker - Publisher Joanne Burghardt - Editor-in-Chief Mike Johnston - Managing Editor Duncan Fletcher - Director of Advertising Eddie Kolodziejcak - Classified Advertising Manager Abe Fakhourie - Distribution Manager Lillian Hook - Office Manager Janice O’Neil, Cheryl Haines - Composing Managers News/Sales (905) 683-5110 Classifieds (905) 683-0707 Distribution (905) 683-5117 Fax (905) 683-7363 e-mail letters to mjohnston@durhamregion.com / max. 200 words / please include your full first and last name, place of residence & daytime phone number / letters that do not appear in print may be published @ newsdurhamregion.com Our readers think... P PAGE 4 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 durhamregion.com T he negotiations between Durham’s police union and its board have turned downright nasty. Actually, it appears the negotiations are done, but the barbs and jabs aren’t. Regional Chairman Roger Anderson, the Police Services Board’s lead negotia- tor, has borne the brunt of increasingly personal attacks from the union in media releases, newspaper ads and now in ads on local radio. In a recent press release, the union has taken shots that have noth- ing to do with the current bargaining, raising almost 30-year-old history. When asked why they did it, Durham Regional Police Association president Dough Cavanaugh played coy and pro- ceeded to once again characterize the Regional chairman as uncooperative and confrontational during negotiations. Only those who have met Mr. Anderson across the bargaining table know whether that’s a fair characterization, but focusing on it as a strategy to secure a good con- tract seems pointless. That’s because the union seems to have forgotten that the cops’ employer is Dur- ham residents and they’re the ones pick- ing up the tab. Let’s face it, with the growing economic uncertainty in Durham, we’re talking about a region where unions are fighting to simply keep jobs. The police associa- tion turning down a 9.6-per-cent pay hike over three years because there’s not enough additional benefits attached is a bitter pill to swallow for a laid-off worker whose property taxes will pay for any increases. The biggest challenge for the police union isn’t taking on Mr. Anderson, it’s convincing average residents they deserve a bigger and better contract in tough times. Recognizing people are struggling, Regional council has reduced next year’s tax hike goal. In fact, Mr. Anderson warned council of the consequences of decreasing it to a four-per-cent hike from 4.9 per cent. But, in the end, only five councillors voted against it and among them was police board member and Whitby Councillor Joe Drumm. So let’s be clear, the police budget was never in danger of being cut. Rather, it’s growing by less than initially anticipated. However, it’s still growing at a faster rate than other Regional departments and policing has been identified as a priority spending area. Upcoming investments include a new Clarington police station and a new shooting range. And, yes, there will be new cops on the streets next year and there’s certainly no danger of layoffs. That’s not to say the police board hasn’t pulled its own stunts. A recent move to send out a new offer on Dec. 3 with a Dec. 8 deadline for the union is just set- ting up both sides for another failure in reaching an agreement. But, ultimately, the public battle between the two sides will have little bearing on the final contract since they’re heading to arbitration in the new year. I’m sure both the board and the asso- ciation will be watching eagerly for the details of the just-announced deal for cops in Toronto. They, too, threw them- selves at the mercy of an arbitrator. Reka Szekely’s column appears every fourth Friday. E-mail her at rszekely@durhamregion. com. Ugly battle over police contract T he mere idea of possibly increasing Pickering councillors’ salaries at this time is a non-starter. Ward 3 Regional Councillor Rick Johnson raised the idea last week. And, while he didn’t say salaries should definitely go up, the fact that he broached the subject, inap- propriately, behind closed doors before the regular meeting, and that he noted councillors in other municipalities make more, speaks volumes to us. It tells us, first, that he hoped the matter could have been discussed privately because he knew the public would be outraged (no dice, as clerk Debbie Bentley said the matter was not in-camera meeting material). And, second, that he’s suggesting Pickering councillors aren’t getting their fair share and should get a raise. His colleague, Ward 2 Regional Council- lor Bill McLean, took the words out of our mouth: the timing to bring up the issue couldn’t have been worse. “People are losing their jobs, people are losing their houses; there’s so much uncer- tainty,” he said in an interview. “The last thing people want to see is (councillors) getting more money.” Coun. Johnson at the meeting responded he wasn’t surprised his colleague dis- agreed with him, since Coun. McLean is in the real estate business and, as a former Toronto police officer, collects a pension. True, not everybody makes the same amount of money but it is wrong for Coun. Johnson to suggest the salary of a council- lor should somehow take into account other revenue. Talk about a slippery slope. Besides, Regional councillors earn more than their City council counterparts. To be fair, there is some context here. City staff is reviewing salaries in other depart- ments. And, compared to many munici- palities, councillors in Pickering do make less. But every councillor knew the rate when they ran for office. If Pickering plans on taking a serious look at the matter, perhaps following Ajax coun- cil’s lead is a good approach. Last year, Ajax council approved an increase that sees councillors now earn about $29,000. It had appointed a four-member citizens’ com- mittee to review council remuneration. But this step should not be taken until our economy has made an about face and layoffs and plant closures are not filling the daily news pages. At the first council meeting in January, Mayor Dave Ryan should stand up and make it clear to the taxpayers the salary review is not on the horizon. A clear state- ment must be made to residents who are counting every penny they have that Coun. Johnson does not speak for council. Besides the dire economic times we’re in, ministry of municipal affairs and hous- ing staff, at the request of some Pickering residents, is preparing a report for Minister Jim Bradley on council’s salaries, expenses and allowances between 2003 and 2008. The process is underway because the resi- dents questioned the amount of expenses claimed by some councillors. That process must also be completed before there is any talk of a council raise. As resident Bruno Mannella states in his letter on this page, “I often wonder if poli- ticians like Rick Johnson live in a fantasy world.” Reka Szekely Reader outraged at suggested salary raise To the editor: I often wonder if politicians like Rick Johnson live in a fantasy world. In probably the worst economic times of our lives, he is asking for a salary study to justify an increase in his salary. In his fan- tasy world I presume there are no job loses, minimum wage, part-time work replacing full time, the tax burden of bailouts, etc.. Recently, our parish priest recounted a disturbing call he received from a woman (husband passed away) and her three chil- dren. She had been laid off, the electricity had been disconnected and they had not eaten in two days. In today’s climate, Mr. Johnson, this story is not the exception. There are a great number of people in dis- tress. Wake up sir. We the taxpayers have had enough of self-serving politicians whose salary is contingent on our ability to pay taxes. If you feel your salary does not permit you to live in the manner you are accustomed, resign and enter the private sector where most individuals work two jobs without benefits. Be wary Mr. Johnson, of waking the sleep- ing giant (the taxpayer). Bruno Mannella Pickering FIND YOUR HOLIDAY HELP pickeringtowncentre.com Gift Cards can be purchased at Guest Services using cash, Visa, MasterCard, Interac or corporate cheques. Available in any denomination. Pickering Town Centre Gift Cards. This year givethem themall! Visit pickeringtowncentre.com for full details. Visit pickeringtowncentre.com for Santa’s hours. Extended Hours Santa’s Here! Visit Santa in his Castle at Centre Court. THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 5 A/Pdurhamregion.com Casting spells for success By Matthew Johnston, Grade 8 PICKERING — Westcreek is many things to many people, but to everyone, it is known as the school with loyal students, staff, parents and com- munity partners who all stand by it with pride. Even before breaking ground, Westcreek gener- ated much debate and anticipation. Once a site was chosen for the school, the de- veloper began to have second thoughts about that portion of land, preferring to build more housing instead. The developer had already begun grooming the land for housing when members of the commu- nity approached officials to intervene. Construction of the school began and the school was built and ready for occupation in September, 1999. Located south of Finch Avenue and west of Al- tona Road, Westcreek has a current school popu- lation of 515 students from Kindergarten to Grade 8. We are known as the Westcreek Wizards and our mottos are, ‘The Magic is Learning’ and ‘Learning for All – Whatever it Takes’. In 1999, Westcreek was one of six Cana- dian pilot schools with a focus on tech- nological innovations to support and enhance student learning, which today is further widespread in the school with our computer lab, library and class- room hubs being utilized to varying de- grees by all. Westcreek has always emphasized the 3 A’s – academics, arts and athletics, while developing individual character so all members of the school community can be the best they can be for them- selves and those around them. The Eight Keys of Excellence form the basis of our character education program. They are: Fail- ure Leads to Success; Integrity; Ownership; Speak with Good Purpose; Flexibility; This is it; Commit- ment; and, Balance. These keys guide us to become successful not just in school, but also in the way we live our ev- eryday lives. Each month is assigned a key that is explored at our monthly house assembly through skits, quotes and presentations. This year, the school is getting a four-room addi- tion that is scheduled to be completed by the end of December. Four of our portable classes will be moving into the new addition. We are looking forward to the completion of the addition with anticipation for occupan- cy in the new year. As you approach the school, located in a quaint neighbourhood, you begin to wonder what hap- pens inside those walls. After watching the Kiss’ n’ Ride student volun- teers, you enter the front doors and warm yourself up in the delightful little foyer, then proceed to the office to sign the guest book. Moving down the hallway, you hear music. Following it brings you to Room 147, the music room, where you’re inspired. Leaving the room, you wander up a flight of stairs and into a room around the corner. Oops! You’ve stumbled into a Student Council and Students Together Against Racism Club meeting. Expect to hear all about their unique initiatives such as Au- tism Awareness. You wander down a hallway and into the arts room, where drama clubs and Destination Imagi- nation are rehearsing. You leave quickly, not wanting to disturb them, and wander into a vast, colourful library, where the Blue Spruce, Silver Birch and Red Maple reading clubs are having silent reading time and the French Cafe is wrapping up. As you slip out, you wander down yet another hallway and admire the Grade 3 and 4 works of art on the walls. Coming down the stairs, you find the custodian’s office. He gives you a friendly greeting, but can’t chat long because the Recycling Club is just finish- ing its work. Then you see the gym. Running in, you look up to see all the amazing pennants this school has won in sports. Finally, your gaze falls upon two large wizards painted on the gym walls, depicting the diversity and variety represented at Westcreek. Snapping out of your daze, you hear the excited screams of children in the playground. Outside, you’re greeted warmly by Westcreek students. One Grade 8 girl who has been here since the school opened in 2000 says, “The environment here is really friendly. It’s like we’ve grown up with the people around us, together. Kinda like a fam- ily.” I turn around to find my mother staring at me. “Do you really think you’ll like it here?” she asks me. I smile back at her and say with certainty, “I KNOW I’m going to like it here.” You’ll love it at Westcreek Linnea Kalchos Grade 8 SCHOOL DAYS Jason Liebregts/News Advertiser photoPICKERING — Westcreek Public School Grade 3 student Joseph Persaud reacts to a visit from the school mascot, The Wizard. The school’s motto: the magic is learning. A/P PAGE 6 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 durhamregion.com Police seek van that struck three at Pickering nightclub By Jeff Mitchell jmitchell@durhamregion.com PICKERING — One of the people in- jured in a bizarre series of hit and run incidents early last Saturday in Pickering has died. Durham police said Thursday that Har- dat Dyall, 35, of Markham, died from injuries sustained when he was struck by a van speeding through the parking lot at the Tropix nightclub. Mr. Hardat was one of four people struck by vehicles after 2 a.m. Dec. 13. Police continue to look for a blue Dodge Caravan in connection with the incident. Witnesses told investigators the van trav- elled through the parking lot, striking three people, before being driven off. Two other people struck by the van -- a woman, 28, and a 38-year-old man, both of Scarborough -- were also hurt. As emergency personnel attended to the injured a Hyundai Elantra sped through the parking lot, striking and dragging an 18-year-old Pickering man for more than 30 metres. Cops, paramedics and club patrons scrambled for safety and the victim was dislodged from beneath the Hyundai when the vehicle ran into ambulances, police said. An officer fired a shot that hit the ve- hicle. The driver of the Hyundai also fled the scene but was apprehended after a pur- suit by police. Adrien Rameswar, 21, of McCowan Road in Scarborough is charged with dangerous driving causing bodily harm, impaired driving causing bodily harm, failing to stop for police and other infractions. Police are still trying to piece together what led to the first hit and run incident, Sergeant Paul McCurbin said. Right now it is being investigated by the traffic services branch. There’s no information at the moment to indicate the incident was deliberate, Sgt. McCurbin said. But if that changes the investigation could become a homi- cide case. “It hasn’t changed status yet to go any- where else,” Sgt. McCurbin said. Investigators continue to speak to wit- nesses and are appealing for information on the van and its driver. The van sustained some damage when it struck the victims. “The traffic unit has suggested there’s damage to the front windshield,” Sgt. Mc- Curbin said. Police don’t believe the two hit and runs are related, he added. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 905-579-1520, extension 5262 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477. THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 7 A/P Remember, all inserts, including those on glossy paper, can be recycled with the rest of your newspaper through your blue box Recycling program. SAVE TIME, SAVE MONEY View Flyers/Coupons At Carrier of The Week Michael Today’s carrier of the week is Michael. Michael enjoys soccer and baseball. Michael has received a gift card from Pickering Town Centre, and a dinner voucher from McDonald’s. Congratulations Michael for being our Carrier of the Week. * Delivered to selected households only WHOOO has FLYERS in Today’s If you did not receive your News Advertiser/fl yers OR you are interested in a paper route call Circulation at 905-683-5117. Hours: Mon. - Fri. 9 - 6:30 Sat. 9 - 1:00 Your Carrier will be around to collect an optional delivery charge of $6.00 every three weeks. * 2001 Audio Video Ajax/Pick. * Ajax Gift Guide Ajax/Pick. * Bargain Shop Ajax * Canadian Tire Ajax/Pick. * Michaels Ajax/Pick. * New Homes Ajax/Pick. * News Advertiser Ajax * Pharma Plus Ajax/Pick. * Real Estate Scar. * Red House Thai Restaurant Pick. * Rogers Wireless Ajax/Pick. * Sears Ajax/Pick. * Shoppers Drug Mart Ajax/Pick. * Staples Business Depot Ajax/Pick. * Swiss Herbal Ajax * Town of Ajax Ajax * Toys R Us Ajax/Pick. * Tru Liquidation Ajax/Pick. * United Furniture Warehouse Ajax/Pick. * Wheels Scar. Ajax and Pickering Locations pickeringtowncentre.com Friday December 19, 2008 durhamregion.com Victim of Tropix hit-run dies Pickering looking for teen volunteers PICKERING — The City of Pickering is looking for volunteers this winter. Teens can volunteer to shovel drive- ways and walkways this winter for seniors in the community. It’s a great way to help your community and earn your community service hours for school. If you sign up before Jan. 12, your name is entered into a draw to win an Ipod. Vulnerable Sector Screening must be completed by the local police station to commence volunteer hours. For more information, call Heather But- ler at 905-420-4660 ext. 6100. Polonsky and Windfields among suggestions By Crystal Crimi ccrimi@durhamregion.com DURHAM — What’s in a name? When it comes to Durham’s university, confusion. The University of Ontario Institute of Technology’s (UOIT) quest for a potential new name is still ongoing, despite a plan to make a suggestion on it by Dec. 11. The school is now forming an ad hoc committee to make a recommendation in March on if, and what to, the university should be renamed. “We have yet to find ourselves with a consensus around the question of a new name,” Dr. Ronald Bordessa, UOIT presi- dent, said. The work done to find a name has made the issue more confusing, he added. Renaming the university has been in review for more than a year, according to a report by Dr. Bordessa, presented at the UOIT’s Dec. 11 board of governor’s meet- ing. Over the last few months, several focus group sessions and other survey proce- dures occurred, but failed to provide a proposal. “It’s clearly premature for us,” Dr. Bord- essa said. A list of potential names and their ra- tional was presented to the focus groups. They included: UOIT, Central Ontario University, McLaughlin University, Uni- versity of Oshawa, Technology University of Ontario, and Ontario Lakeridge Univer- sity. “It’s proving to be very hard to have a consensus around a name,” Dr. Bordessa said. Renaming the school requires rebrand- ing, website redesign, new signs, and other items associated with the name. “This is a million dollar effort or so,” Dr. Bordessa said. But the university could lose reputation and revenue by keeping its existing name, which impacts recruitment efforts and causes confusion for its target audience, the report said, adding future students also question if its an authentic univer- sity. Dr. Bordessa brought up the possibility of renaming the school in June 2007, with the intent of finding a title more reflective of what the university does. The term institute of technology causes confusion, Dr. Bordessa said in a previous interview. It has a different meaning in the U.S. than in Canada. In the U.S., institute of technology rep- resents a research intensive institution, but Canada’s are a notch below. Universities that may not have doctor- ate or graduate programs, as UOIT does, are bringing institute of technology into their names. “It’s quite a history on how that name (UOIT) came to be,” Dr. Bordessa said. “And I’m sure that history will come to be written in time.” Of the names suggested, the University of Oshawa received the most unaccept- able votes with 26, and UOIT was the first choice for 12 people. WIFE WANTED Due to massive overstock, Singer Sewing Centre is offering for sale to the public a limited number of new special 2008 HEAVY DUTY Zig-Zag sewing machines which are industrial strength and sew on all fabrics, denim, canvas, upholstery, nylon, stretch, vinyl, silk.EVEN SEWS ON LEATHER.No attachments needed for button holes (any size), monograms, hems, sews on buttons, satin overcasts, darns, appliqués and more. 35 built-in stitches, simulated serging stitch. Just set dials and see magic happen. These machines are suitable for home, professional or school room sewing, 25 yr. ltd. warranty. Your price with this ad - $199 - without this ad - $399.95. Cash or VISA, MASTERCARD & AMERICAN EXPRESS, LAY-A-WAY FOR CHRISTMAS. SEWING CENTRE ®REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF THE SINGER COMPANY LIMITED This is the machine your wife wanted! 11 SIMCOE ST. S. OSHAWA 905-433-1140 OFFER EXPIRES DEC. 23/08 CHRISTMAS HOURS Sat. 9-4, Sun 10-5 Mon & Tues 9 - 8 ® OPEN SUNDAY DEC. 21ST durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 8 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 No love lost for university names DURHAM — A search for a new name for the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) yielded no clear winner. Below are some results of focus group dis- cussions. • UOIT Participants took some pride in the name and said that although it’s hard to pronounce, the university’s name is starting to earn a reputation. “You-Owe-It has a positive aspect too, meaning that it costs a lot so it really must be leading edge and worth it,” said a par- ticipant, according to a report presented to the university’s board of governors. Other comments were less in favour of the existing name. “Can’t even say it — would like to have a simple name without a lot of disclaimers,” said another comment in the report. • Ontario Central University Many liked a name that related to the school’s location, but some found this one too generic. The blandness of the geo- graphically regional type name resulted in the fewest acceptable ratings. Other geographic name variations are: the University of Southeastern Ontario, University of Eastern Ontario, University of Southern Ontario, Southern Ontario Uni- versity, North Lake Ontario University, Lake Ontario University, Central Lake Ontario University. • McLaughlin University Associating a historical figure to the university was pretty well received. Some liked that it sounded like McGill and McMas- ter University, but others suggested the McLaughlin name’s association to General Motors could be a problem because of the industry’s current state. Some other name based suggestions included Polonsky, Wind- fields, Trudeau, and Preston Manning. • University of Oshawa The name wasn’t well received. Some felt it alienated the other municipalities in Durham Region, and others said Oshawa’s not seen as a place for higher education. One student said she wouldn’t go to a uni- versity with that name. Others liked the name, citing the role the university is having in re-building the city’s downtown. They also acknowledged it could take awhile to be accepted. • Technology University of On- tario Some thought the name sounded strong, academic and serious, but also that the word technology is limiting, causing peo- ple to think it only offers IT related, online, or engineering programs. Some other variations were: Scientific and Technical University of Ontario, Techni- cal University of Ontario, and Ontario Uni- versity for Science and Technology. • Ontario Lakeridge University The name didn’t receive much discus- sion. It wasn’t seen as a good choice and was found to sound too much like Lakehead University. University works on finding a new name IGas offers available for $0.01 with purchase or lease of eligible 2008/2009 Yaris, 2008/2009 Yaris Hatch, 2009 Corolla and 2009 Matrix (excluding fl eet sales) from a participating Ontario Toyota Dealer between December 2, 2008 and January 2, 2009. Customer must take delivery of eligible vehicle by January 15th, 2009. The value of the Gas Card is $450, (or an estimated 500L based on market price of $0.90/L). Gas Cards will be issued within 60 days of delivery. ¥*Limited time lease and fi nance offers available from Toyota Financial Services on approved credit. License, registration, PPSA, insurance, applicable fees and taxes are extra. MSRP of a new 2009 Yaris (Model BT903MA), 2009 Corolla (Model BU42EMA), and 2009 Matrix (Model KU40EMA) is $13,945/$14,835/$15,975 plus freight and P.D.E. of $1,220/$1,270/$1,270. Tax for fuel conservation is $75 for Matrix. ¥2.9%/4.9%/2.9% fi nance APR equals $405/$444/$464 per month for 36/36/36 months. 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Don’t pay at the pump all winter!Don’t pay at the pump all winter! $$1010 ,,000000Save Up to On Hail-dented New Cars Only 99 Remaining 5-Speed Manual 1.8L Engine WE ARE HERE HWY. 2 WHITESBROCKWESTNEYHARWOODSALEM401 PICKERING SUPERSTORE TOYOTA GOOD FUN DICKERING AT PICKERING! 557 KINGSTON RD., PICKERING 905-420-9000 WWW.PICKERING.TOYOTA.CA TAKEYOUR PICK AT PICKERINGTAKE YOUR PICK AT PICKERING THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 9 A/Pdurhamregion.com FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19 EARLY INFANCY PARENTING PROGRAM: A non-profit program to help mothers and families nurture their children from infancy to 2 and beyond, from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Pickering Ontario Early Years Centre, 1822 Whites Rd. Unit 202. For more information call Kelly at 905-509-0995. ADDICTION: The Serenity Group 12-step recovery meet- ing begins at 8 p.m. at Bayfair Baptist Church, 817 Kingston Rd., Pickering. The group meets every week and deals with addictions of all types, including co-dependency. Ev- eryone welcome. 905-428-9431 (Jim). MONDAY, DECEMBER 22 MOOD DISORDER SUPPORT GROUP: Support for individuals suffering from depression, anxiety, or stress meet every Monday from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30. Located at the Salvation Army Hope Com- munity Care Centre, 35 King’s Cres., Ajax. This group is held in partnership with the Mood Disorders Association of On- tario. For more information call 905-426-4347. AJAX SENIORS: The Ajax Seniors’ Friendship Club meets for carpet bowling at 9:20 a.m. at the St. Andrew’s Com- munity Centre, 46 Exeter Rd., Ajax. Beginners welcome but should come earlier. For more information, call Jim at 905- 428-2716. AJAX SENIORS: The Ajax Seniors’ Friendship Club meets for cribbage at 1 p.m. at the St. Andrews Community Centre, 46 Exeter Rd., Ajax. Beginners welcome but should come ear- lier. For more information, call Audrey at 905-426-6265. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 23 HELP FOR PARENTS: Help- ing Other Parents Everywhere (HOPE), Inc. is a community- based support group for par- ents dealing with children who have behavioural problems including attitude, substance abuse, running away, drop- ping out of school and parent abuse. The group meets locally every Tuesday at 7:15 p.m. Call 905-239-3577 or visit www. helpingotherparentsevery- where.com for more informa- tion and meeting location. Exceptional Warranty Superior Construction Fast Delivery ONELOCATI O N ONLY OSHAW A 900 Champlain Ave., Oshawa 905-723-4561 Hours: Mon.• Tues.• Wed. 10-6, Thurs.• Fri. 10-9, Sat. 10-6, Sun.11-5 *$49.95 administration fee and taxes due at time of purchase. Not valid on previous purchases or offers. Does not apply to best value items. See store for details. * Credit equal to the value of the GST. life • style • solutions 1 YEAR NO INTEREST, NO PAYMENT. OAC or NO GST1 YEAR NO INTEREST, NO PAYMENT. OAC or NO GST!!!!!!** BUY CANADIAN Wishing you a holiday season filled with Comfort & Joy and a New Year brimming with Wellness & Vitality™! From all your friends at Amica Mature Lifestyles 08-1613Amica at Whitby • Presentation Centre 3100 Brock St. N., Unit 6 Whitby, ON 905.665.6200 www.amica.ca WE CARRY BODY PARTS PICKERING LOCATION 1648 BAYLY ST. W. 905-831-4242 CommercialAccountsAvailable 5% OFFReg Pricewith this Ad durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 10 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 Get Local 24/7 mobile.newsdurhamregion.com What’s going on in your community? eventnow.ca Sunday brunch f undraiser for wrestler hurt in Ajax DURHAM — A brunch is being held to raise funds for the family of a boy who be- came a quadriplegic after taking part in a high school wrestling tournament. Oshawa resident Mi- chael Box, 16, is spending his first Christmas at home with his family after suffer- ing the devastating injury just more than a year ago. The Box family is now w orking on remodelling their house to accommo- date his wheelchair. The brunch is Sunday, Dec. 21, at 10:30 a.m. at the Oshawa Golf and Country Club at 160 Alexandra St. Tickets are $15 for chil- dren aged five to 12 and $35 for adults. Children under five free. The event will include activities for the kids, door prizes, and silent and live auctions. For tickets call Joseph Millage at 416-347-6623. THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 11 A/Pdurhamregion.com DISCOUNT $2000 DISCOUNT $1000 $185 BI-WEEKLY All models come backed with our 5 year 100,000 km Bumper to Bumper warranty. All payments are bi-weekly, based on a 60 month term, oac, amortized over 84 months. Deferral payments have a rate increase of 1%. All payments are deferred for 120 days. Cash rebate on Magentis is $4,200. 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PROTECTIONComplimentary Now Available. Ask about our 12 month return policy Visit our virtual showroom www.bessadakia.com BESSADA KIA • 905-421-9191 • www.bessadakia.com FINANCING ON ALL 2009 MODELS2009 MODELS§§ % THE POWER TO DELIVER 1675 BAYLY ST., PICKERING ††$294 BI-WEEKLY $260 BI-WEEKLY $215 BI-WEEKLY ††$167 BI-WEEKLY $142 BI-WEEKLY § WE PAY THE GST $140 BI-WEEKLY $18.995 CASH PURCHASE PRICE durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 12 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 Pickering asks Veridian to supply hydro services underground in Duffin Heights By Kristen Calis kcalis@durhamregion.com PICKERING — The City has to be fashioned for the future, and installing hydro servic- es underground and getting wires and poles off a main road is a good start, says a Pickering councillor. “Duffin Heights has got to be held to a higher standard than anything we’ve done in the past,” said Ward 2 City Councillor Doug Dickerson. He and Ward 3 City Coun- cillor Dave Pickles put for- ward a motion Monday night requesting that Veridian Cor- poration install hydro servic- ing underground along Brock Road in the upcoming Duf- fin Heights neighbourhood. Further, it should be done on the outset of development, coinciding with the widening of Brock Road, since existing hydro poles will have to move anyway. Development guidelines for Duffin Heights were ad- opted by Council in May of 2003, which envisioned a high-quality streetscape and mixed-use area along Brock Road. Early this year, Coun- cil approved the widening of Brock Road north of the 3rd Concession to the CP Rail- way grade separation, which will include storm sewers and curbs, giving it an urban pro- file. The below-ground hydro services will help achieve a high-quality urban design and set the tone for urban planning in Pickering, Coun. Pickles said, but more hydro poles and lines won’t send that message. “It’s not going to attract the type of development we want, it’s not going to attract the type of investment we want,” Coun. Pickles said. It’s better to simply install the servicing underground now, he said, since years from now, the City will want to bury the wires anyway, when it will cost more. Coun. Dickerson said hydro would also be safe from pos- sible ice storms, like the ones that pelted the United States recently. Everett Buntsma, director of municipal property and engineering, agreed. “It would probably save us a fair bit for maintenance, especially in the winter,” he said, and added ice and wind aren’t a factor with under- ground servicing. Ward 2 Regional Councillor Bill McLean also supports the idea. The City of Pickering, a 41- per cent shareholder of Verid- ian, will have to try to con- vince the other owners to get on board, he said. And, while initial costs would be more than servicing the traditional way, it will save in the end, he said. In terms of cost, Mayor Dave Ryan said it’s quite pos- sible that the other share- holders won’t support it, but the issue will be dealt with “in its fullness.” The Nautical Village at the foot of Liverpool Road cur- rently has underground ser- vicing, which Mr. Buntsma said roughly cost the City be- tween $120,000 and $140,000 to install. The next installation, on the small stretch of Liver- pool Road from Wharf Street to Annland Street, will cost about $60,000, but he “abso- lutely” supports the idea of underground servicing, and the City plans to continue to do so with the reconstruction of Liverpool Road. $$ $$$$ $$ 95 Bayly St. W., Ajax 905-683-2212 BOXING WEEK SALE STARTS TODAY! HWY #2 BAYLY HWY 401 BROCK RD.WESTNEY RD.HARWOOD AVE.SALEM RD.We Pay CASH for New and Used Items! ENTIRE STORE 25% - 50% OFF*! • Diamond & Gemstone Jewellery • Musical Instruments • Thousands of video games • Electronics • Pipes & Smoking Accessories • Brand new Toys • DVDs • Power Tools CHEQUE CASHING NOW AVAILABLE *Off regular priced items. Not valid with any other offer. Excludes consignment items. JewelleryJewellery Video GamesVideo Games InstrumentsInstruments WE BUY GOLD HUGE SAVINGS ON:$$ $$$$ $$ THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 13 A/Pdurhamregion.com Underground servicing sets urban tone: councillor Jason Liebregts/ News Advertiser photo The City of Pickering is requesting that Veridian to install under- ground power lines in the Duffin Heights neigbourhood. RSS UPDATESRSS UPDATESnewsdurhamregion.com CATCH UP ONLINE AT newsdurhamregion.com Temporary replacement is now permanent DURHAM — Don Lovisa is stay- ing behind the reigns at Durham College. The school’s board of governors announced its appointment of Mr. Lovisa as president, following his tenure as interim president that began in May when Leah Myers resigned. Mr. Lovisa was unanimously endorsed by the board follow- ing a national search of can- didates that began in the summer. His appointment is for a five- year term, ef- fective Jan. 1. “Don has proven him- self to be a trusted leader over the past seven months as in- terim president, earning great ad- miration and respect at Durham College, in the community and within the broader post-secondary sector,” said Aileen Fletcher, chair- woman of the board of governors and its presidential search com- mittee. “Everyone on the search committee was struck by Don’s vision for Durham College and his belief that our future is bright and that the road ahead of us is chal- lenging, but also full of opportuni- ties to further our reputation as one of Ontario’s leading colleges.” Mr. Lovisa joined Durham in August 2007. He was previously dean of the School of Business, Hospitality and Media Arts at Confederation College in Thunder Bay, and holds a master’s degree in international management, a bachelor’s degree in sociology and a diploma in adult education. He began his career about 21 years ago as a small business advisor for Confederation College. “I’d like to thank the board of governors for this opportunity to lead a college that has been de- fined by its ability to consistently make a difference for students and for being an essential fabric of the Durham and Northumberland communities,” said Mr. Lovisa, who is the fifth president in the college’s 41-year history. durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 14 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 Don Lovisa named Durham College president Don Lovisa University talks expansion into downtown Oshawa OSHAWA — University officials have been talking about more downtown sites and the civic com- plex with the City of Oshawa. Several potential downtown ex- pansion sites for the University of Ontario Institute of Technology (UOIT) have been identified and looked at, stated President Dr. Ron- ald Bordessa’s report to the UOIT’s board of governors, presented at its Dec. 11 meeting. There have been several discussions with City of- ficials regarding the school’s offer- ings downtown. They’ll continue considering the school’s growth options and will keep the board updated on any developments, his report said. The school has re-start- ed discussions with City officials about Oshawa’s plans to redevelop the civic fields and complex. Dur- ham College and UOIT have ear- lier residual agreements with the City regarding recreational use of its Oshawa campus, which would be resolved through a new agree- ment, the report said. Discussions are still preliminary. FROM OUR MEAT DEPARTMENT Veal Scallopini 499 lb $11.00 kg Beef Sandwich Steaks 499 $11.00 kg Pork Baby Back Ribs Eye of Round Steaks & Roasts 344 lb $7.58 kg Pork Side Ribs 199 lb $4.39 kg FROM OUR GROCERY DEPARTMENT Kellogg’s Yogos Fruit Punch Rollers 138 g Italpasta Tomato Paste 5.5 oz. Italpasta Lasagna Oven Ready or Regular Star Brand Cashews Kelloggs Rice Krispie Squares Chocolate - Strawberry Pork Centre Boneless (economy pack) 299 $6.59 kg lb lb 100 WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO LIMIT QUANTITIES 120 HARWOOD AVENUE, AJAX • 905-619-0228 STORE HOURS Monday to Friday - 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sunday 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 79Ê{ä£ 99Ê-/°,7""Ê6 °399 $8.80 kg Boneless Chicken Breasts Economy Pack • Porkloin Chops • 3 Rib Chops • 2 Tenderloin Chops • 2 Centre Chops 299 $6.59 kg lb MEAT DEPA R T M E N T Top Sirloin Steaks & Roasts lb $6.59 kg MEAT DEPA R T M E N T Prime Rib Steaks & Roasts 499 $11.00 kg 300 227 g. Star Brand Mixed Nuts lb Striploin Steaks 399 $8.80 kg lb Kelloggs Nutrigrain Peanut Butter Bars 6 pack Cloverleaf Whole Mandarin Orange Segments Sliced Marble Cheese 88¢ 100 g 255 g. 820 g pkg Pork Tenderloin 399 $8.80 kg lb 255 g. 399 lb $8.80 kg FROM OUR DELI DEPARTMENT Corned Beef or Pastrami 88¢ 100 g100 g66¢ Sub Mix frozen Banquet Macaroni & Cheese Entrees 99¢ MEAT DEPA R T M E N T MEAT DEPA R T M E N T Pork Sirloin Steaks (Economny Pack)199 lb $4.39 kg Lean Ground Beef ONE DAY SALE SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21, 2008 lb $3.73kg 2 pk/ Reduced To Clear 660 gr. lb 299 Inside Steaks & Roasts 299 $6.59 kg lb 3 CANS/99¢ Lipton Chicken Noodle Soup 4 pack 99¢ VISIT US @ WWW.SALSGROCERY.COM SPECIALS IN EFFECT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20thSPECIALS IN EFFECT SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20th TO FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26th, 2008TO FRIDAY, DECEMBER 26th, 2008Sals‘‘ 2 PKG./ Italpasta Seasoned Bread Crumbs Regular Salami 66¢ 100 g Roast Beef 88¢ 100 g Cooked Turkey 66¢ 100 g 169 Black Forest Ham 88¢ 100 g Smoked Turkey 88¢ 100 g Cooked Ham 55¢ 100 g Mediterranean Chicken Breast 49¢ 100 g ONE DAY SALE SATURDAY,DEC. 20, 2008 Cloverleaf Smoked Oysters 85 gr. 99¢ pkg. BBQ Chicken Breast 100 g 794 gr. Kellog Eggo Doubles Brown Sugar & Cinnamon 99¢ pkg. 280 gr. TIN 284 ml. 1002 for GROC E R Y DEPA R T M E N TMcVitie Digestive Cookies 500 gr. 99¢ Billy’s Bacon (Previously Frozen) pkg Reduced To Clear 454 g. 500 4 pkgs/ Reduced To Clear 338 gr. 99¢ ONE DAY SALE SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20, 2008 pkg. 168 - 200 gr. 4 pkg/500 Open Boxing Day 9am - 6pm 199 pkg. 375 - 500 gr. Star Pasta Sauce Traditional-Hot-Basil-Garlic-Onion Reduced For Quick Sale 2 bottles 100 Reduced To Clear 199 TIN 299 99¢ 192 g. THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 15 Adurhamregion.com THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 15 Pdurhamregion.com THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 15 Pdurhamregion.com Lindsay 229 Kent St W 705 324-9000 Pickering 570 Kingston 905 421-9600 Uxbridge 307 Toronto St S 905 862-3255 Whitby 30 Taunton Road E 905 655-1200 Available exclusively at the following Bell Stores. We carry Please note our fi rst shipment is 50% sold out. 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For the fi rst time in a long time, I have been totally impressed with these German designed handsfree kits...” Mickey Obradovich, P.Eng., Vice President Omega Electronics Inc. durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 16 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 Hundreds of phone calls received for donations and adoptions By Parvaneh Pessian ppessian@durhamregion.com OSHAWA — The day after a tragic fire ripped through the Durham Humane Society in Os- hawa, staff and volunteers are doing their best to pick up the pieces, with the help of over- whelming support from the pub- lic. “We’ve got three or four dif- ferent phone lines and they’re all ringing off the hook,” animal services manager Kathy Duncan said. “They’ve been ringing like crazy. It’s been great.” Residents from across the re- gion and beyond have reached out to shelter workers after word spread about the early morning fire that took the lives of more than 150 cats, three dogs and other small animals. Rescue officials were able to save 10 dogs, two cats and one rat that are being cared for at the animal services site. “People are coming forward with respect to interest in adopt- ing the animals and donations, and it’s all extremely welcome,” Ms. Duncan said. “We just ask them to bear with us because we have a limited number of people and we’re try- ing our best to still work through the logistics.” Temporary ac- commodations for the shelter’s staff have been set up in Oshawa animal services where telephone use, tables and access to the res- cued animals are available. “There’s been a tremendous response and the community has just been incredibly gener- ous,” volunteer Cindy Bennett said. “Every time we hang up the phone, there’s another call coming through.” Lakeridge Health Oshawa and various local businesses have al- ready contributed by donating office equipment, including fil- ing cabinets, desks and chairs for staff, and the General Motors Centre has offered to store the donations. The deceased animals were removed from the fire-ravaged shelter Wednesday afternoon once fire officials finished their initial inspection of the building. The blaze caused an estimated $250,000 in damage. “We’ve concluded our inves- tigation purposes at the build- ing and turned it back over to the owner, but some testing is still being done and no definite cause has yet been determined,” said Susan King, chief fire pre- vention officer for Oshawa fire services, adding there’s no indi- cation at this point that the fire was suspicious. The Humane Society can be reached by calling 905-433-2022 or 905-436-5632, or contacting the City’s call centre at 905-436- 3311, The call centre will forward calls to shelter staff. All City Wide taxi drivers have offered to pick up donations of money and items to help the Humane Society, free of charge. Drivers will collect cheques -- no cash -- and deliver them to Humane Society officials. Items such as food and lit- ter will be stored by City Wide until a drop-off location is deter- mined. City Wide can be reached at 905-579-9393.©Disney, ©Disney/Pixar.Buy tickets at www.disneyonice.com, Retail Locations, Rogers Centre Box Office – Gate 7 or call (416) 870-8000 For group information call (416) 341-2255 TICKET PRICES: $15 - $26 - $39 Limited number of Rinkside and VIP seats available. Call for details. (Service charges, facility and handling fees may apply.) DEC. 19 - 28 Fri. Sat. Sun. Mon. Tue. DEC. 19 7:00 PM DEC. 20 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 7:00 PM DEC. 21 1:00 PM 5:00 PM DEC. 22 2:00 PM DEC. 23 2:00 PM *Additional show times may be added. Wed. Thu. Fri. Sat. Sun. DEC. 24 NO SHOWS DEC. 25 2:00 PM DEC. 26 2:00 PM 7:00 PM DEC. 27 11:00 AM 3:00 PM 7:00 PM DEC. 28 1:00 PM 5:00 PM THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 17 A/Pdurhamregion.com Humane Society touched by public outpouring Foster owner says kittens will continue shelter legacy By Jillian Follert jfollert@durhamregion.com DURHAM — As staff and volun- teers with the Durham Region Hu- mane Society mourn the cats, dogs and other animals lost in a massive fire earlier this week, a small piece of good news is proving to be a balm to their wounded hearts. On Tuesday morning, just hours after a blaze levelled the Humane Society building on Waterloo Street, a cat named Molly who had been living at the shelter, gave birth to five healthy kittens in her foster home. “It’s kind of like a legacy, this way the shelter lives on,” said Kelly Bays, a Metroland Durham Region Media Group employee who has been fostering Molly for the past two weeks. “It’s a little bit of good news. It might make people feel better to hear it.” Ms. Bays has three cats of her own but Molly is her first foster pet. She hadn’t planned to bring the cat home until after she gave birth, but changed her mind two weeks ago -- a decision that likely saved Molly’s life. “She has some upper respiratory problems so I decided to take her home early to help her destress a little,” Ms. Bays said. The one-year-old cat went into labour early Tuesday morning, around the same time Ms. Bays and other Humane Society volun- teers learned about the tragic fire that claimed the lives of 140 cats, three dogs and several other ani- mals. By the time she went home to check on Molly, Ms. Bays said the cat was snuggled in a box with five tiny bundles of joy. Molly and her kittens are all available for adop- tion, although many people have already expressed interest in giving them a new home. For more information on the cats, contact the Durham Region Humane Society at its temporary phone number, 905-436-5632. Walter Passarella/News Advertiser photo Molly and her day-old litter of five kittens have found a temporary home in Courtice. Humane Society cat gives birth hours after fire newsdurhamregion.com Watch a video interview at newsdurhamregion.com NE123G408 ©2008. Sears Canada Inc. Saturday 2-4 p.m. Saturday 4 p.m.-closing Saturday 7- 11 a.m. *All men’s reg.-priced dress shirts & ties 50% OFF 50% OFF *All Women’s reg.-priced sweaters 50% OFF *All women’s & men’s reg.-priced Point Zero® fashions 50% OFF *All men’s reg.-priced underwear & socks 50% OFF *All women’s & men’s reg.-priced gold jewellery 65 % OFF WIN A $20 BUTTERBALL‡ TURKEY GIFT CERTIFICATE Details in store. ‡Registered trademark of Swift Eckrich Inc., Parrish & Heimbecker Licensee. *All women’s & kids’ reg.-priced slippers CUSTOMER APPRECIATION NIGHT reg.- priced Saturday All Day! Saturday All Day! 36 99 All men’s Levi’s® jeans reg.-priced at 6999 & 7499 Choose from 501®, 505®, 528, 516®, 550, 569®& 640 Saturday & Sunday Women’s selected Fall & Holiday Nygard, Attitude®/MD, Concept®, Kasper®, Axcess, “Tan Jay”®, Alia, Haggar®, Alfred Dunner®& Tabi®collections 40% OFF20% OFF All fragrances BOXING DAY PRICES ON NOW Sat., Dec. 20, the first 200 customers in store through the mall doors (adjacent to cosmetics) will receive a $10 Super Bucks Certificate valid on date of issue on merchandise purchases of $50 or more before taxes. The first 50 customers in store at Sears Home, Sears Décor and Sears Appliance & Mattress Stores will also receive the certificate. See certificate for details & exclusions. One per customer. Excludes Liquidation/Outlet stores. $10 Super Bucks for the first 200 customers Not valid for Timed Specials, clearance-priced items and Special Purchases *These savings offers exclude items with prices ending in .97 and .88, Special Purchases, Lands’ End, Jockey®, Calvin Klein and Tommy Hilfiger® brands, Alia & “Tan Jay” sweaters, ‘2 for’ & ‘3 for’ offers and currently advertised items. when you spend $50 or more** **Before taxes. Valid in Sears Department Stores only. All offers valid Saturday, December 20, 2008, unless otherwise stated PICKERING TOWN CENTRE 905-420-8000 durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 18 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 Go Directly to Car Heaven – Collect Three Hundred Dollars London, ON. Ontario vehicle owners are being encouraged to recycle their old cars and trucks properly and collect a new $300 incentive in the process. The Car Heaven Ontario program is aimed at voluntarily getting older cars off the road by providing a suite of attractive incentives to vehicle owners. Vehicles built in 1995 or before produce, on average, 19 times more smog forming emissions than 2004 or newer model cars. But it’s not just about reducing the number of older vehicles still being driven on our roads. It’s also about making sure cars are properly scrapped and recycled in a manner that is good for the environment. “Not every auto recycling business takes the time to practice the proper procedures when disposing of an old vehicle,” says Steve Fletcher, Executive Director of the Ontario Automotive Recyclers Association (OARA). “Ontario drivers need to be informed consumers and the new $300 incentive has been designed to draw attention to the right way to dispose of your old clunker. The fact that car owners can receive a variety of incentives, including a $300 cheque, along with a free tow of a donated vehicle, adds to the value of participating in Car Heaven Ontario.” The program is simple. The owner of the 1995 or older vehicle can start the process by visiting www.cartheaven.ca or by calling the toll free number 1-866-535-7312. Proof of ownership for the past 6 consecutive months, as well as valid insurance must be provided, as well as location details of the vehicle. Once the documents are received and eligibility is confi rmed, the owner is contacted by an OARA member and arrangements are made for the car to be towed, free of charge, to an OARA member recycling yard. The fi rst step in the recycling process requires that hazardous waste products, such a fuel, oil, refrigerants, mercury switches, batteries and tires, are removed and disposed of safely, in accordance with provincial standards. OARA members also reclaim reusable parts that do not contribute to the vehicle’s emissions. These parts are available to be resold with a full warranty, or they are refurbished and sold through a variety of retail channels. The rest of the car is then crushed and shredded into smaller pieces with the metals recycled and used to make new products. This ability ro reuse the clean metal reduces the need to mine raw materials and signifi cantly reduces the amount of energy needed to create materials for manufacturing. The $300 incentive is offered as part of a new national program funded by Environment Canada, announced in June 2008, offering Canadians rewards for retiring their older, high polluting vehicles to reduce air pollution. The National Vehicle Scrappage program will be fully operational across Canada in early 2009. The Ontario Automotive Recyclers is a not-for-profi t industry association representing 135 professional auto recyclers across Ontario. 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Gold Winner for Best Dance School (Readers Choice Award 2008) BellyDancingBelly Dancing • Classes (for all ages) • Costumes, Music, Accessories (also available online) • Events/Parties (including theme parties) • Workshops with the Bellydance Superstars 905-426-5265 www.zahras.ca • Fully Computerized Inventory System • National Parts Locating Service • Pick & Pull Your Own Parts • 60 Day Warranty • Extended Warranties Available • We Buy Scrap Cars 905-434-4566 Toll Free 1-800-481-7272 www.domsauto.com 1604 Baseline Road West, Courtice, Ontario L1E 2S5 Quality • Service • Selection OSHAWAAUTO PARTS 1175 Nelson St. Oshawa ON 905-725-2162 1929 Burnham Line Peterborough ON 705-745-3212 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 19 A/Pdurhamregion.com Ron Pietroniro/ News Advertiser photo Village celebration PICKERING — Peter Gilbert, along with other members of the choir, sings at the Pickering Museum Village. The museum was preparing for the holidays with different activities in all buildings. At right, Paula and Mark Vigna, with kids in tow, make their way along the 5th Concession as they prepare to meet some friends at the event. AJAX — The Ajax fire depart- ment advises residents to keep holiday safety in mind during the festive season. While spending time around the house, check your smoke alarms: a working one is manda- tory on every level of your house including outside of all sleeping areas. Clean the oven and stove often, as extra grease build-up and high use is a key cause of fire. Ensure that all decorations and kitchen clutter are away from sources of heat such as open flames, electric heaters and ex- posed electric bulbs. While decorating, make sure not to overload on electric out- lets, inspect electrical cords and light sets regularly. Make it a point to purchase only ULC approved lights and make sure they are not touching combustible materials. Mini lights are safest to deco- rate with because they produce the least amount of heat. Check all lights for frayed cords and replace if necessary, using outdoors lights only outside. Turn off all lights before going to bed or leaving your home and avoid using extension cords, but if necessary, follow instructions carefully. Make sure not to overload elec- trical circuits, such as wall outlets and extension cords. Christmas trees should be kept in a solid base filled with water and checked on daily. It is recommended to spray your Christmas tree with a flame retardant and to keep it away from all heat sources, including fire places, candles and heaters. Dispose of your tree before it gets dangerously dry, never burning tree parts in your fireplace. While wrapping festive gifts, keep combustible materials away from heat sources and never burn wrapping paper in your fireplace. 905.686.2001 1020 Brock Rd. #6, Pickering www.mkbi.com Watch for our promotion with Creating elegance in your home since 1981! H appy OUR FAMILY FROM TO YOURS H olidays COMING SOON! 3 Harwood Ave South Ajax, ON L1S 2C1 insanecomputers@gmail.com 905.427.5946 www.insanecomputers.net 2008 Diamond CHRISTMAS SPECIAL Computer and Monitor - $699.99 KINGSTON RD E (HIGHWAY 2) HIGHWAY 401WESTNEY RDHARWOOD AVESALEM RDINSANE COMPUTERS Best Computer Service THE LAKE HOUSE BRUNCH ON THE BAY EVERY SUNDAY & NEW YEARS DAY! 600 LIVERPOOL ROAD, PICKERING • 905.422.0300 Enjoy dining overlooking the bay $19.95 + taxes LIVE JAZZ Featuring the Patricia Duffy Trio GIFT CERTIFICATES AVAILABLE BRUNCH ON THE BAY 2008 Diamond www.bestchickenwings.com BOOK YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY TODAY 75 Consumers Drive, Whitby • Just W. of Thickson (AMC Complex) OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK • 905-444-WILD (9453) 2008 Award Winner WE’VE GOT YOUR SIZE Sizes 4-15 Widths AA-EEE PICKERING TOWN CENTRE • UPPER LEVEL • SEARS WING COMFORT FROM ITALY durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 20 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 Stay safe this holiday season with these tips THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 21 A/Pdurhamregion.com Visit Santa Monday to Friday 1pm to 8pm, Saturday and Sunday 11am to 6pm •December 24 10am to 5pm North of Hwy 401, intersection of Stevenson Road and Hwy 2 •905.728.6231 •oshawacentre.com LULULEMON ATHLETICA |TOWN SHOES |OKAÏDI |SONY STYLE |GUESS |SPORT CHEK |WEST 49° Extended Holiday Hours This holiday shopping season, we’re going all out to be open when it’s most convenient for you. Monday to Saturday 9am to 10pm Sundays 10am to 6pm Christmas Eve 9am to 5pm Christmas Day closed Boxing Day 9am to 6pm December 27 9am to 6pm December 28 10am to 6pm December 29 9am to 9pm December 30 9am to 9pm New Year’s Eve 9am to 5pm New Year’s Day closed CENTRAL VACUUM SYSTEMS DURHAM VACUUM PLUS LTD. 629 KINGSTON RD., PICKERING 905-831-2326 #2 HWY 401 HWY Whites Rd.SteepleHillKingston Rd. 2008Platinum SPECIALSDECEMBER $20999 Electric Power Brush Package Includes 30’ 1-1/4” 110V crushproof hose with 2-way switch. Progression handle and accessories. SAVE $4000 Model# 0020E $29999 Premium Electric Power Brush Pkg. Includes 30’ 1-1/4” 110V/24V total control crushproof hose with 3-way switch. Progression handle and accessories. SAVE $5000 $390 Electric Powerheads SAVE $3500 Model# C4572140from $9999$8999 Central Vacuum Machines From Crush Proof Electric Hose SAVE $3000 30’ Crushproof Low Voltage Hose Model# PR30LVS $8999 SAVE $5000 30’ Crushproof 3-Way Hose Model# PR30HLVS $199 99 SAVE $2000 Turbine Carpet Nozzle Model# TK280 $5999 LANGUAGE INSTRUCTION FOR NEWCOMERS TO CANADA THEDURHAMCA THO L I C DISTRICT SCHOOLBOARDCOMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL DURHAM CALL ROSE 1-866-550-5462 CHILDCARE AVAILABLE www.durhamLINC.ca durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 22 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 AJ Groen/ News Advertiser photo Kids helping kids PICKERING — The Grade 6 class at Holy Redeemer Catholic School raised $2,000 for two orphanages in Honduras. Representing their classmates are, from front to back, Madison Facchini, Jeffrey Perssoa and Anthony Gomes. Declining sales reason for business decisions By Melissa Mancini mmancini@durhamregion.com OSHAWA — The General Mo- tors Oshawa car plant will be shut down for three additional weeks after Christmas. The car plant is scheduled for holiday shutdown from Dec. 24 to Jan. 2. Following that, there was scheduled to be two additional weeks of downtime for the plant due to market conditions, mean- ing workers were scheduled to be back to work Jan. 19. Now the plant will be down until Feb. 9, GM Canada spokeswoman Patty Faith said. Reports that all GM plants in North America will be shut down for all of January are false, Ms. Faith said. “We have been actively cor- recting this misinformation in the media,” she said. General Motors announced Dec. 5 that it will be cutting the third shift at the car plant Feb. 9, resulting in the layoff of 700 work- ers. This means third shift workers will not return to work in the early months of 2009. But the shift cut is still considered temporary, Ms. Faith said. The shift cuts and shutdowns are the result of declining U.S. auto sales, Ms. Faith said. In North America, GM will reduce produc- tion by about 30 per cent dur- ing the first quarter of 2009 and will produce about 250,000 fewer units. Canadian Auto Workers local 222 president Chris Buckley said the move is another devastating blow to the auto industry. “It’s another piece of bad news, another example that this is a cri- sis,” he said. In November, GM announced it would be slowing the line at the car plant. The local plant produces the Impala and the Buick Allure/La- Crosse. It will produce less Im- palas per hour, which will result in 500 layoffs as of Jan. 1. These layoffs are temporary and based on market conditions, GM Canada spokesman Stew Lowe said. Production of the LaCrosse/Al- lure is set to end Dec. 23 as the result of the end of the car’s pro- duction life. This was announced earlier in the year and will mean 400 fewer jobs in the plant. These jobs have already been taken care of through retirement incentives and buyouts, Mr. Lowe said. The layoffs will not affect pro- duction of the Camaro, which will be produced on a different line, Ms. Faith said. There are 4,800 workers em- ployed in the Oshawa car plant. Truck plant workers will return to the line on Jan. 12. Two of their shutdown weeks for 2009 have been rescheduled, but no additional weeks have been added. † We will give you a discount equivalent to the GST & PST. *EXCLUDES ALL MAJOR HOME FASHIONS, COSMETICS & FRAGRANCES. Scratch and Save card must be scratched in the presence of an Associate at the time of purchase. One card per transaction. ALL OTHER EXCLUSIONS - All Prestige Cosmetics & Fragrances, Vera Wang Giftware, All-Clad, furniture and mattresses, major appliances, electronics, Godiva, miscellaneous localized items, candy, gifts and accessories, short-term licensees, garden centres, fl owers and plants, wigs, optical, hearing aids, health and beauty, beauty services, licensed Home Decor, souvenirs, Rug Doctor, Licensed restaurants, Home Cleaning, Custom Drapery, Lottery, Toys, Sporting Goods, Travel, Telus, Taxation departments, Custom and Fine jewellery, watch and jewellery repair, Alterations, Dry Cleaning, Portrait Studio, Canada Post, Pharmamart, Pharmacy, Restaurant and Ready-To-Go foods, Hbc Gift Cards, prepaid phone cards, insurance-related products, alcohol, lottery tickets, travellers cheques, mail order products and services, orders from the Hbc Rewards catalogue, Charity Plush & T-shirts & Hbc Rewards orders are excluded from Scratch & Save discounts. Brand selection will vary by store. Other exceptions will apply. See in-store for details. Each Scratch & Save card is valid only on the day it is scratched. Personal shopping only. One card per customer. =<:G$2/GA:34B A^S\R#]`[]`SPST]`SbOfSaW\Q]a[SbWQaO\RT`OU`O\QSaO\R`SQSWdSg]c` A1@/B16A/D3]\OZ[]ab3D3@GB67<5 !2/GA=<:G4`W2SQ'bVb]Ac\2SQ ab A/D3C>B=% A][SSfQS^bW]\aO^^ZgASSPSZ]eT]`RSbOWZa BVS0Og0SOcbgD7>AOdW\Ua>Oaa^]`bWa`SRSS[OPZS]\ZgObBVS0OgT]`]TTO\gQ]a[SbWQa]`T`OU`O\QS#]`[]`SPST]`SbOfSa]\QSSOQV[]\bVT`][2SQS[PS` &c\bWZ/^`WZ ' @SRSS[g]c`0SOcbgD7>AOdW\Ua>Oaa^]`bPgdWaWbW\Uca W\bVSQ]a[SbWQaO\RT`OU`O\QSRS^O`b[S\bSOQV[]\bV T`][2SQS[PS` &c\bWZ/^`WZ 'b]USb ]TTg]c`^c`QVOaS SdS`g[]\bV #0SOcbgD7> AOdW\Ua>Oaa^]`b A/D3 A1@/B16 7A3D3<03BB3@ ASZSQbab]`Sa]^S\ "V]c`a 0OgaV]`S0`O[OZSO4OW`dWSeA_cO`S=\S AVS`eOg5O`RS\aG]`YROZS =c`?cSS\Ab`SSbZ]QObW]\Wa]^S\c\bWZ[WR\WUVb /ZZab]`Sa]^S\ 2SQ'bV bVOb%O[ >:CA A/D3B63 B/F *=<<=E>:CA/::Tc`\Wbc`S [Obb`SaaSaO^^ZWO\QSa SZSQb`]\WQaO`S]\aOZS 3fQZcRSa;O\OUS`¸aA^SQWOZa3dS`gROg0OgDOZcSWbS[a 3ZSb`]Zcf53>`]TWZSA]\gF0@ Galbraith Jewellers voted again for BEST JEWELLER Winner for past 3 years! 132 Harwood Ave. S. 905-683-0407 ALL ON SALE Jewellery THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 23 A/Pdurhamregion.com Third shift at car plant won’t return to work in January durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 24 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PICKERING — The City of Pickering acted fairly when it held meetings behind closed doors regarding a local Mr. Fix-It, says a rep- resentative of the Ontario Ombudsman. Pickering resident and handyman John Tennant since June has been battling a charge by the City’s bylaw department since June for running a lawnmower business out of his home in an area of Pickering where the zoning does not allow it. The 81-year-old says he does not run a business and only ac- cepts coffees for repairing small engines for locals. He pleaded guilty to a similar charge in the past, but claims he didn’t understand the charges at the time. In September, Council chose to discuss matters regarding the case during two closed meetings, and complaints were sent to the Office of the Ontario Ombudsman, saying those items should have been discussed in public. Complaints also said improper public no- tice was given for one of those sessions. But, after reviewing the matter, Laura C. Boujoff, an early resolution officer, found that the meetings were closed in compli- ance with the relevant exception under the Municipal Act and the Ombudsman will not have to investigate. The Municipal Act, she wrote in a letter to the City, allows advice that is subject to solicitor-client privilege to be held in private and noted that there was in fact enough notice given regarding the closed meeting in question. Ward 2 City Councillor Doug Dickerson said at the meeting that Ms. Boujoff’s deci- sion shows the City is run openly, transpar- ently and accountably. “(I’m pleased to see they) found abso- lutely nothing, but nothing wrong with the way the City has run its business,” he said. Mr. Tennant will be back in court in the new year. Pickering acted fairly: Ombudsman’s office BOXINGBOXING DAYDAY BLOWOUTBLOWOUT ONE DAY ONLYONE DAY ONLY Saturday Saturday December 27December 27thth 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. only9 a.m. - 4 p.m. only 18 KING STREET EAST, OSHAWA 905.571.3511 35TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Annual Readers’ Choice Award Winner 50% OFF 20% OFF CHRISTMAS DÉCOR (SOME EXCEPTIONS) EVERYTHING IN THE STORE (EXCLUDING DEPT. 56 & SNOW BABIES) GIFTWARE AND CANDLES | CRABTREE & EVELYN BATH PRODUCTS | AROMATIQUE HOME FRAGRANCES WATERFORD CRYSTAL | HOME ACCENTS | UNIQUE WALL HANGINGS | ACCENT LAMPS | DESIGNER BABY PRODUCTS HOLIDAY HOURS Closed December 25th & 26th Open Saturday December 27th 9:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Closed Sunday December 28th Open Monday December 29th to Wednesday December 31st Closed Thursday January 1st Open Friday January 2nd 9:00 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. On-Site Services CALL TODAY TO BOOK YOUR CHRISTMAS PARTY! CHRISTMAS PACKAGES! $50 includes a spa manicure, spa pedicure, and facial/body massage. 7-1848 Liverpool Rd., Pickering (Liverpool Rd./Kingston Rd.) info@allure4us.com www.alluresalonandspas.com 905.422.0022 NOW OPEN Get your Gift Certifi cate for Christmas at 15% OFF THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 25 A/Pdurhamregion.com Get Local 24/7 mobile.newsdurhamregion.com School board and federation reach a collective agreement DURHAM — Local high school teachers are getting a three-per- cent raise in each of the next four years, after ratifying a new collec- tive agreement. The Durham District School Board and the Ontario Secondary School Teachers’ Federation, Dis- trict 13, agreed to a new contract effective Sept. 1, 2008 to Aug. 31, 2012. Along with the pay increase, members will see improvements to benefits and staff enhancements. “We are grateful to both bar- gaining teams for working dili- gently in the spirit of co-operation to achieve an agreement within the terms of the Provincial Discus- sion Table framework,” said Ajax Trustee Marilyn Crawford, who was the board’s chairwoman when the agreement was announced on Dec. 15. “This agreement meets our objectives of working together to provide further enhancements to student safety and student suc- cess.” $45.99* +TAX Featuring lobster**, shrimp, oysters, mussels and our signature prime rib. Seatings at 4:30/6:30/8:30/10:30pm ** maximum 2 lobsters per person Reservations required. Please call 905-985-4888 Ext. 235 or 1-888-29HERON $6.99* +TAX 2:00am - 10:00am $15.99* +TAX 10:30am - 4:30pmFOOD,PRIZ ES &E N T E R TAINMENTPort Perry, ON • 905-985-4888 • 1-888-29-HERON • www.greatblueheroncasino.com Must be 19 years of age or older. 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Pickering 905-231-0459 www.UrbanNatureStore.ca DurhamDurham’’s Best Sources Best Source for Birdingfor Birding and Nature Productsand Nature Products THE FACIAL PLACE Day Spa & Medi-Spa Pickering Spa ❖ 905.831.9700 Whitby Spa ❖905.668.8128 thefacialplace.com You deserve to be Spa...aahd by an Award Winning Luxury Spa Print yourPrint your Spa Gift CertificatesSpa Gift Certifi cates from home from home with ourwith our E-Gift Giving FeatureE-Gift Giving Feature.. durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 26 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 Durham secondary teachers make a deal D A I L Y S U D O K U newsdurhamregion.com Bird Count returns to Uxbridge By Jeff Hayward jhayward@durhamregion.com PICKERING — The organizer of an annual bird-counting cam- paign hopes this year’s search will uncover more species of winged friends than ever resid- ing in Uxbridge. Uxbridge’s fourth Christmas Bird Count (CBC), led by resi- dent Derek Connelly, is taking place Saturday, Dec. 27. Resi- dents can either sign up to count birds at their backyard feeders, or join a field team searching for birds in an area bordered by the Uxbridge/Pickering Townline to the south, Zephyr Road and Concession 4 in the north, Con- cession 2 on the west and Old Simcoe Road in Port Perry to the east. “Field teams head out for the day counting every bird they see in their areas while feeder watchers count only the maxi- mum of a species at the feeder at one time,” reads a release on the Uxbridge count. “At day end, we collect all our results and share the experi- ences. It’s a fun day of counting birds and a chance to meet other birders and improve your skills.” The total birds counted during last year’s CBC was 6,406, down from 7,240 the previous year, ac- cording to Mr. Connelly. But 47 different species were counted in 2007, he added. The goal is to identify 50 or more species this year. To help gather the 2007 sta- tistics, a local field team of 30 volunteers walked more than 70 kilometres in total through snow, forests and along trails, said Mr. Connelly. But many of the birds were found at outdoor feeders or by roadsides, he added. New birds in Uxbridge recorded during last year’s count included the east- ern screech owl and the black- backed woodpecker. “You may be one of the lucky ones to spot something unusual (this year)... red bellied woodpecker? North- ern three toed woodpecker? Will it be a southern or a northern straggler that shows up this time?” asked Mr. Connelly. The CBC is conducted in more than 2,000 localities across Canada, the United States, Latin America, and the Caribbean. The data is used by the Cana- dian Wildlife Service and other organizations to assess bird dis- tribution, habitat and popula- tion changes. In recent years, counts have indicated a stark drop in the number of migrating birds across Canada. Research- ers suggest deforestation, global warming and urban growth are the reason for the drop in bird sightings. The combined 2007 count un- covered 70 million birds, with the help of 58,000 volunteers across the continent, according to Uxbridge organizers. In Cana- da alone, 11,565 bird enthusiasts counted more than 3.2 million birds. For more information about this year’s Uxbridge bird count, call Derek Connelly at 905-852- 5432 or Kim at 905-862-0395. Mr. Connelly can also be reached by email at dconn50@powergate. ca. © Tim Hortons, 2007 Tim Hortons invites you to enjoy some time with your family and friends and skate for free at your local arena. It’s our way of saying thank you and happy holidays. Visit your local Tim Hortons for a schedule of ice times and locations. The real gift is the time you’ll spend together. THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 27 A/Pdurhamregion.com AJ Groen/ News Advertiser photo Fleet feet in Ajax AJAX — Phyliss Desjardins and her dance partner Carmen Stanco cut a rug as they took in the Town of Ajax’s annual Christmas dinner and dance for older adults at the Ajax Community Centre. Pickering bird lovers unite over Christmas durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 28 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 ENTERTAINMENT ✦ E-mail information to Mike Ruta, mruta@durhamregion.com ✦ Get local 24/7 newsdurhamregion.com Lots to do in Durham Region over holidays DURHAM — As the holidays approach, there are still a few remaining seasonal events going on, including performances of the ‘Nutcracker’ in Uxbridge and a Celt- ic Christmas in Oshawa this weekend. Here are events through to Jan. 4. Enjoy yourself, get out and explore Durham. But remember, drinking and driving don’t mix. Friday, December 19 The Oak Ridges Trail Association holds a hike at 9:30 a.m. in the Walker Woods, 2-plus hr, 10-plus km, moderate to fast paced. No dogs. Meet at the parking area on the west side of the 7th Conc., 2.1 km south of Durham Rd. 21 (Uxbridge). Joan Taylor, 905-477-2161. Pickering Panthers play Port Hope in On- tario Junior Hockey League action at the Pickering Recreation Complex at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at box office. Bowmanville Eagles play Ajax in Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Garnet Rickard Recreation Complex, Bowman- ville, at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at box office. Saturday, December 20 The Oak Ridges Trail Association holds a hike at 7 a.m. on the Al Shaw side trail, 1.5 hr, 4.5 km, moderate paced. No dogs, join for breakfast after hike. Meet at the trail entrance on the west side of Conc. 6, 1.5 km south of Durham Rd. 21 (Uxbridge). Russ Burton, 905-830-2862. Whitby Dunlops play Dundas in MLH On- tario Senior action at Iroquois Park Sports Complex, Henry and Victoria streets, Whitby, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets at box office. Ajax Attack play Port Hope in Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Ajax Community Centre at 3 p.m. Tickets at box office. Sunday, December 21 Simcoe Street United Church, 66 Simcoe St. S., Oshawa, presents A Celtic Christ- mas at 7 p.m., featuring the choir, Mela- nie Hartshorn-Walton, Kristen Theriault, Marianne Turner, Sheri and Ian Anderson and organist/music director Robert Phil- lips. Freewill offering. A candlelight Christmas concert by the Harmony United Church choir and the Loreley Singers takes place at Harmony United Church, 15 Harmony Rd. N., Os- hawa, at 7 p.m. Everybody welcome. Ajax Attack play Trenton in Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Ajax Commu- nity Centre at 3 p.m. Tickets at box office. Pickering Panthers play Mississauga in Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Pickering Recreation Complex at 6:30 p.m. Tickets at box office. The Brooklin Poetry Society meets at 2 p.m. for a Christmas poetry reading at J and J Express Kitchen and Cafe, 6 Camp- bell St., Brooklin. For information, contact Shawn Dickey at 905-620-0274 or shawn. dickey@sympatico.ca. December 19 to 21 Uxbridge Dance Academy presents ‘The Nutcracker’ ballet at Uxbridge Music Hall at 7:30 p.m. Dec. 19 and 20, 2 p.m. Dec. 20 and 21. Tickets are $15 for seniors and students, $18 adults, available at Presents, Presents, Presents and at the door. Monday, December 22 and Tuesday, December 23 There’s free public skating at the O’Brien rink at the Pickering Recreation Complex from 1 to 3 p.m. 905-831-1711 ext. 3225. Sunday, December 28 There’s free public skating at the Scugog Arena, Reach Road, 1655 Reach St., Port Perry from 1 to 2:20 p.m. Oshawa Generals play Owen Sound in OHL action at the General Motors Centre, Mary and Athol streets, Oshawa at 6:05 p.m. Tickets at box office, www.oshawa- generals.com, 1-877-436-8811. Monday, December 29 and Tuesday, De- cember 30 There’s free public skating at the O’Brien rink at the Pickering Recreation Complex from 1 to 3 p.m. 905-831-1711 ext. 3225. Wednesday, December 31 The Town of Ajax’s annual Family New Year’s Eve Party at the Ajax Community Centre is from 6 to 9 p.m. Activities in- clude children’s games, ice skating, enter- tainment (including juggler Craig Douglas at 7 p.m.), celebration cake, party favours and a special countdown. Three dollars for youth and seniors, $4 for adults, children three and under free. Tickets must be pur- chased in advance at the Ajax and McLean community centres. 905-619-2529, ext. 7243 or e-mail lisa.warth@townofajax. com. The New Year’s Eve Family Countdown in Pickering features a free DJ skate in both arenas and a free swim. Featured activities include crafts and a movie. Don’t miss the snow cones and popcorn. Join us for the Pajama Jam in the banquet halls complete with a balloon drop at 9 pm. All activities are free and designed for all ages – Food donations will be accepted for the local food bank. It’s from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Pickering Recreation Complex. 905-420- 4660 ext. 3230. Thursday, January 1 Welcome 2009 with Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan and council at the New Year’s Levee from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Pickering Civic Complex. Friday, January 2 There’s free public skating at the O’Brien rink at the Pickering Recreation Complex from 1 to 3 p.m. 905-831-1711 ext. 3225. Clarington Public Library, Bowmanville branch, 163 Church St., Bowmanville, presents a Guitar Hero III Tournament: Expert Level for ages 10 to 17 from 6 to 8:30 p.m. Cost is $2 per participant, pay- able at registration at the circulation desk; valid library card required. Maximum of 16 players. Pickering Panthers play Dixie in Ontar- io Junior Hockey League action at the Pickering Recreation Complex at 7:30 p.m. Tickets at box office. Saturday, January 3 Ajax Attack play Bowmanville in Ontario Junior Hockey League action at the Ajax Community Centre at 3 p.m. Tickets at box office. Sunday, January 4 Oshawa Generals play Kingston in OHL action at the General Motors Centre, Mary and Athol streets, Oshawa at 6:05 p.m. Tickets at box office, www.oshawagener- als.com, 1-877-436-8811. Bowmanville Eagles play Pickering in Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Garnet Rickard Recreation Complex, Bow- manville, at 6:30 p.m. Tickets at box of- fice. Ajax Attack play Lindsay in Ontario Junior Hockey League action at Ajax Community Centre at 3 p.m. Tickets at box office. News Advertiser file photo Rachel Gallagher tags onto her sister Robin and Ryan Lindsay during a Tim Hortons’ free skate at the Pickering Recreation Complex last year. There are several opportunities to have a free skate in Pickering again this year. See the calendar for more information. Holiday Hours Open late for all your Holiday shopping needs PICKERING TOWN CENTRE 1355 Kingston Road, Pickering 905-839-4488 Christmas Eve 8 am - Midnight Christmas Day CLOSED Boxing Day 8 am - Midnight New Years Eve 8 am - Midnight New Years Day 9 am - Midnight WESTNEY HEIGHTS PLAZA 15 Westney Road, Ajax 905-426-3355 Christmas Eve 9 am - Midnight Christmas Day 10 am - 6 pm Boxing Day 9 am - Midnight New Years Eve 9 am - Midnight New Years Day 9 am - Midnight GROCERY•COSMETICS•POST OFFICE•PHOTOGROCERY • COSMETICS • POST OFFICE • PHOTO OPEN 24 HOURS HARWOOD PLACE MALL 314 Harwood Ave. S., Ajax 905-683-5222 GROCERY • COSMETICS • PHOTO • POST OFFICE STEEPLE HILL SHOPPING CENTRE 650 Kingston Rd. & Whites Rd., Pickering 905-421-0424 Christmas Eve 8 am - Midnight Christmas Day 10 am - 6 pm Boxing Day 9 am - Midnight New Years Eve 8 am - Midnight New Years Day 9 am - Midnight GROCERY • BEAUTY BOUTIQUE • POST OFFICE • PHOTO BEAUTY BOUTIQUE • POST OFFICE • PHOTO EVERY DAY OVERTHE HOLIDAY SEASONEVERY DAY OVER THE HOLIDAY SEASON New Year’s Eve Gala New Year’s Eve Gala Good Times Orchestra Featuring the S o u n d s o f t h e Big Band Era w i t h . . . Your Evening will include:Cocktail Reception with hors d’ouevres3 Course Sit Down MealLate Night BuffetHouse Wine served with DinnerPremium Host Bar for the entire evening All Inclusive Ticket $155 per person Welcome 2009 with us! 2700 Audley Rd. N., Ajax, Ontario L1Z 1T7 www.golfdeercreek.com Call 905.427.7737 ext 247 Th e ULTIMATE All Inclusive Ticket Applebees.com ©2008 Applebee’s International, Inc. $5 free 9B9P)--Caf_klgfJgY\=Ykl Lg?g1(-%,*.%.,,( applebeescanada.com ©2008 Applebee’s International, Inc. The gift of food brings people together. Celebrate the season at Applebee’s today. Get a free $5 bonus card with every $25 in gift cards you buy. THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 29 A/Pdurhamregion.com Live music at The Edge in Ajax this weekend The Intruders and Ascension Band perform Friday and Saturday night, respectively AJAX — Live performances continue at The Edge Lounge this weekend. Friday night features a perfor- mance from the band ‘The Intrud- ers’ starting at 9 p.m. On Saturday night, Ascension Band takes the stage, also at 9 p.m. The Edge Lounge is at 250 Bayly St. W. in Ajax. For more information, call 905- 426-9692. INTRODUCING ROLLOVER MINUTES, ONLY FROM BELL Offer ends December 31, 2008. Available with compatible devices within Bell Mobility high speed mobile network coverage areas. Weeknights Mon-Thur, 9pm-7am; Weekends Fri 9pm-Mon 7am.Other monthly fees, i.e., e9-1-1 (75¢), system access (not a government fee) ($8.95), and one-time device activation ($35) apply. Long distance and roaming charges (including foreign taxes) may apply outside your local area. Upon early termination, price adjustment charges apply. Subject to change without notice; not combinable with other offers. Taxes extra. Other conditions apply. (1) With new activation on a 3-yr contract on a Rollover plan. Rollover minutes from previous month are used when minutes included in monthly rate plan are exceeded, expire 30 days after the end of 1st billing period in which minutes have been accumulated and apply to anytime local minutes included in your plan. Additional purchased, bonus, long distance and unlimited calling minutes excluded. Rollover minute plans begin after bonus air time promotions expire. Other conditions apply. (2) Simultaneous use of airtime. BlackBerry®, RIM®, Research In Motion®, SureType®, SurePress™ and related trademarks, names and logos are the property of Research In Motion Limited and are registered and/or used in the U.S. and countries around the world. DECEMBUARY Now you can roll this month’s unused minutes into the next. Get plans starting at only $30 per month and enjoy: • 300 local anytime minutes, which can be rolled over for one month1 • Unlimited night and weekend local minutes • Call Waiting and Conference Calling2 Available at the following Bell stores: Whitby 30 Taunton Road E 905 655-1200 Uxbridge 307 Toronto Street South 905 862-3255 Pickering 570 Kingston 905 421-9600 Lindsay 229 Kent St W 705 324-9000 durhamregion.comA/P PAGE 30 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 THE NEWS ADVERTISER, December 19, 2008 PAGE 31 A/Pdurhamregion.com SPORTS ✦ E-mail game scores to Al Rivett, arivett@durhamregion.com ✦ Get local 24/7 newsdurhamregion.com Ajax curler vies for provincial senior men’s title Turcotte sweeps up regional title, to play for Ontario crown in Scarborough By Jim Easson Special to the News Advertiser AJAX — An Ajax curler will vie for a provincial championship at his home Scarboro Golf and Country Club next month. Ajax’s Bob Turcotte and his Scarborough rink advanced to the Ontario Senior Men’s Curling Championships after capturing the ‘A’ side of the regional senior men’s playdown in Lakefield last weekend. At provin- cials, from Jan. 14 to 18, eight teams will play a round-robin format to send the victor to the Canadian finals in Sum- merside, PEI next March. Winning Canadian titles is nothing new for Turcotte, who has three previous Canadian senior championships to his credit. ••• Skip Sandra Thain and her An- nandale women’s team of Barb Luffman, Joan O’Leary and Janet Alexander also competed in Lake- field in the OCA regional senior women’s event, but were unable to advance. Thain’s next OCA play- down is the women’s Tankard, the two-team event, in Sutton on Jan. 24. ••• Annandale has a team entered in the Fairfield Marriott Challenge Zone playdown in Uxbridge on Jan. 10. Adam Sonley will skip a team of Blair Metrakos, Steve Smith and Tim LaRoche. The Ontario Curling Association event has no regional playdown, so two zone-winning teams head directly to the provincial, where 32 teams will meet with each rink guaranteed three games. The pro- vincial playdown is in Brighton and Trenton from Jan. 23 to 25. ••• Annandale will soon be clos- ing the leagues for the Christmas break. The last league game of 2008 will be the Friday Mixed League on Dec. 19 and then ice maintenance will be completed for the curlers to restart on Sun- day, Jan. 4. ••• Team Glenn Howard, with Pickering resident Richard Hart at vice and Brent Laing and Craig Savill, is next scheduled to com- pete at the TSC Stores Tankard Zone 10 in Penetanguishene on Dec. 20 and 21. Eight teams are entered in the double-knockout playdown to send two teams to the regionals in Elmira on Jan. 3 and 4. Bob Turcotte Pickering badminton teen continues strong court play PICKERING — A Pickering badminton teen more than held his own against older, more ex- perienced competition at the Ca- nadian Senior Elite Badminton Championships in Moncton, New Brunswick last week. Nyl Yaku- ra who, at 15, was the youngest player in the tourna- ment, man- aged to cap- ture a silver medal in the doubles final with partner and coach, Brian Prevoe. In singles, he made it to the quarter-finals. Just prior to the Senior Elite event, Nyl captured the boys’ singles and doubles titles at the Toronto Junior Elite U16 event. The Dunbarton High School student travels to Orange County, California for two weeks, where he will play in the Junior Interna- tional event. Nyl returns to Toronto early in the new year to compete in the Senior Elite Toronto Open event at Humber College in Etobicoke from Jan. 2 to 4. Nyl’s a member of the Manda- rin Badminton Club of Markham. Ron Pietroniro/ News Advertiser photo Notre Dame Cougars’ Dwight Henry splits the defence of All Saints Titans’ Brandon Mark and Taylor Holden. The two teams faced off in Lake Ontario Secondary School Athletics midget boys’ basketball at the Ajax school on Tuesday. The Cougars prevailed 45-26. Cougars boys’ team wins first LOSSA league contest over Whitby’s All Saints AJAX — The Notre Dame Catholic Secondary School Cou- gars midget boys’ basketball team made its inaugural Durham Re- gion league game a winning one on Tuesday afternoon. The Cougars played host to the All Saints Catholic Secondary School Titans of Whitby, winning 45-26 in Lake Ontario Secondary School Athletics (LOSSA) ‘AAAA’ action. Cougars’ coach Rose Booker noted her charges, after a slow start, re- grouped and proceeded to take the game away from the Titans by mix- ing it up with solid work on the perimeter and in the paint. “As the game progressed we were more successful in working the ball into our low-post play- ers,” said Booker. “Once our play- ers settled into our game with our perimeter shooting game and the low-post feeds we were successful in winning the game.” Cougars’ Gabriel Alamag scored a game-high 14 points, followed by Dwight Henry with 10 and Dervan Wong-Shaw with seven. Brandon Marks had 11 points for All Saints. Marquell Winston added four. The Cougars played twin- school rival, the J. Clarke Richard- son Storm, on Thursday at Notre Dame, with the result unavailable at press time. After the Christ- mas break, the Cougars play the Pickering High Trojans on Tues- day, Jan. 6 at Pickering High. 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