Febuary 07, 2009

NEWS |

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With Food Freedom Day, farmers give us something to chew on.............»14 THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Measures aimed at hockey fights

»20 VOLUME 14, ISSUE 05

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 07, 2009

www.ObserverXtra.com

Decorating Woolwich in Hockeyville colours

Had enough of winter?

The worst of it is yet to come

photo | joni miltenburg

MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

SCARING UP SPIRIT Sadie Goss, left, and her sister Maddy have some extra hockey players at their house this week. The Hockeyville decorating committee is hoping other residents will put up signs and “hockey scarecrows” of their own. See story page 21.

Though they might not share the same methods or employ the same tools when predicting the weather, Environment Canada’s David Phillips and Bruce County’s Wiarton Willy would likely agree on one thing: we can expect to see a long and tumultuous winter over the next couple of months.

On Monday, the famous albino groundhog predicted six more weeks of winter.

From his own weather office, Canada’s foremost weather guru had a similar prediction.

“I think that most people in southern Ontario and, in fact, most parts of Canada, are probably fed up with winter; statistically, we’re a little beyond See WINTER page »06

Taxes to jump 6% in Woolwich Staffing costs the principal driver as budget gains council approval; water rates poised for big hike Another big jump in staff costs, the township’s largest expense, is driving a six-percent tax increase for Woolwich residents this year. That translates into an additional payout of approximately $30 per year on a home with an assessed value of $200,000.

For 2009, the township proposes an operating budget of $10.2 million, an increase of almost 15 per cent over last year’s $8.9 million.

The increase that gained tentative council approval this week would see a fourper-cent jump in the general tax levy; with a further two per cent capital levy for recreation projects – some $114,000 for the fund earmarked for Woolwich’s extensive, township-wide recreational facilities program. That program was put in place in 2005 and runs through 2010, reported director of finance Richard Petherick.

Also approved Tuesday night was a water-rate increase of

9.4 per cent, to $1.24 per cubic metre from $1.14. That represents about an additional $18 to $24 per year for the average household.

The wastewater rate will climb by 13.6 per cent, to $1.48 per cubic metre from $1.30, adding about $32 to $43 per year to the average annual cost.

The entire package was passed in relatively short order, as senior staff assured councillors they had pared down expenditures to a minimum.

Looking for possible savings, especially on infrastructure

spending, Coun. Ruby Weber asked if stimulus money announced in last month’s federal budget would be used to reduce Woolwich’s own expenditures.

In response, chief administrative officer David Brenneman noted the township is accelerating engineering and design of projects to take advantage of any money that comes along once the government has released more information.

“If the details say we need to be construction-ready, we want to be ready,” he said.

Councillors focused on the dollar size of the increase, noting Woolwich’s taxes are still much lower than many nearby municipalities.

Each one percentage point increase in taxes amounts to some $57,000 for municipal coffers – about $5 per taxpayer, noted Coun. Mark Bauman.

In a comparison to other communities prepared by Petherick, and based on a three-per-cent increase from last year’s numbers, only North Dumfries residents pay See BUDGET page »02

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2 | NEWS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Budget: Previous commitments cited in need for another hike » From cover

less than Woolwich taxpayers – $369.66 versus $520.70 – on the municipal portion of the taxes applicable to a home assessed at $200,000.

Wellesley Township residents pay $742.89; Wilmot $694.33; City of Waterloo $900.16; Kitchener $954.08 and Cambridge $968.21. Nearby municipalities outside Waterloo Region are also higher: Centre Wellington at $677.79; Mapleton Township $752.34 and GuelphEramosa $566.64.

There was little discus-

sion, however, of plans to add another four staff positions, three at the Woolwich Memorial Centre slated to open in September and one a contract job to oversee infrastructure projects for the next two years.

Plans to add three more jobs – a human resources coordinator, information technologies administrator and financial analyst – were scrapped at senior management discussions prior to tabling the budget.

Still, the new hires, coupled with a three-per-cent

increase in salaries and wages and the full impact of positions added last year – an economic development and tourism officer and a deputy fire chief – means staffing costs will have increased by more than 50 per cent in the past five years, to an estimated $5.2 million this year from $3.4 million in 2004.

As the township’s largest expense at some 52 per cent of the operating budget, staff costs have a major impact on tax increases, which reached six per cent last year as

well. While the big jump in staff complement and costs may not translate into noticeable jumps in service levels, much of it has been dictated by provincial regulations, Brenneman argued in a later interview.

The water/wastewater supervisor position added last year, for instance, was a direct result of the increasing regulatory burden post-Walkerton, he said.

“When we looked at our legislative requirements and the collective agreement [with outside

workers] … we saw that we needed to create a water and wastewater supervisor.”

Similar regulatory requirements have led in recent years to the hiring of an additional building inspector and to changes in the fire department, where a parttime fire chief has given way to a full-time chief, an administrative assistant and, now, a full-time deputy chief.

On the recreation and facilities front, two new positions were created in the wake of a massive construction spree in the township. Projects such as the Woolwich Memorial Centre and the new administration building required more oversight, Brenneman explained.

With the multi-use facility in Elmira, even though two existing

buildings will be closed in favour of one, three new hires are expected.

That, said Brenneman, recognizes the expanded nature of the facility and the programs that will be offered there.

“I can understand the general public may say, ‘why do we need more employees? We’ve already paid a lot for this [project].’ But this is a project of unprecedented size in Woolwich, and we want to make sure it runs smoothly – want to avoid poor customer service,” he said.

“The public would criticize us if we didn’t have an appropriate level of service.”

The budget is scheduled to be discussed again at a committee-of-the-whole meeting Feb. 17 before being passed at the council meeting of Feb. 24.

Woolwich pans provincial communications proposal STEVE KANNON Another provincial ode to political correctness rather than common sense got the thumbs down from Woolwich council this week.

This time, the province wants municipalities to make information available in formats suitable for people with disabilities such as vision or hearing issues. The idea is to provide documents in Braille and large print, in audio format and in sign language.

And it’s set the end of 2011 as the deadline for compliance.

Debating the township’s stance in advance of a Feb. 6 deadline for written comments, councillors called the idea unrealistic, especially given the timelines. They joined other municipalities in calling for, at minimum, an extension.

Deputy clerk Val Hummel, who tabled the report, said members of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) are calling for the measures to be phased in by 2024.

The measures – proposed standard for accessible information and communication – fall under the Ontarians with Disabilities Act. At the heart of the issue is the cost-benefit analysis. The province’s own study indicates municipalities would be hit with costs equal to between one and three per cent of their annual op-

erating budget – in Woolwich’s case, $100,000 to $300,000. All without any idea how many people would be served by the exercise.

“Who’s benefitting from this? One person? Ten people? One thousand people?” asked Coun.

Mark Bauman.

“I’m concerned about spending taxpayer dollars on a service that may be underutilized.”

Hummel indicated the township has had the occasional request for materials in large print, which is easily accommodated on a case-by-case basis.

There’s no indication any of the other measures would be useful.

Without any indication of demand, the crippling costs could be for naught.

“I’m worried about the cost. It’s going to be very costly for a municipality the size of ours,” said Mayor Bill Strauss.

Chief administrative officer David Brenneman said this program is yet another case of the province coming up with a directive for municipalities without providing any funding, and without regard to the consequences.

“Municipalities should tell the province ‘it’s a good idea, but where’s the funding to match?’”

AMO, which estimates the province-wide cost of implementation at $300 million to $900 million, said the issue should be left to individual municipalities to deal with on an as-needed basis.

LEADING OFF

» NEWS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

I don’t pretend to be a Dr. Phil ... but I can provide food, I can provide music and I’ve got a real good set of ears for listening.”

Keith Thom

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FOOD FOR THE SOUL Keith Thom was at The Loft, Eatery & Pub in Wellesley Thursday night, performing and looking to raise money for his tour. Thom is about to embark on a three-month tour visiting youth shelters across the PHOTO | MARC MIQUEL HELSEN country, sharing food and music with the youngsters. He hopes to leave a guitar at every stop.

Music has charms to soothe ...

Musician Papa Thom plans to take message of unity, and shepherd’s pie, to youth groups across Canada MARC MIQUEL HELSEN As a testament to the universal and unifying powers of music, Baden musician Keith Thom (aka Papa Thom) recounts the story of how he once saw music come between two individuals spoiling for a fight and their intended victims.

“I had two guys come into the shelter all hepped up on crystal meth, had their meals, looking for a fight,” Thom said in an interview.

“I just kept on playing my music and within about three songs I saw these two guys that 15 minutes earlier wanted to beat someone up sitting on the chair; they tipped their heads back and they were singing the words to Billy Joel’s “Pia-

no Man,” looking so relaxed. I couldn’t have done that talking to them,” he explained, noting that without his guitar he would merely be “an old guy” to the many youngsters with whom he regularly jams at Reaching Our Outdoor Friends (ROOF) in Kitchener.

Thom, 54, is a singer-songwriter, musician, adjudicator and a workshop leader tightly bound to the Wellesley Idol competition.

He’s also a regular volunteer at ROOF, where for some four years he has been lugging his instruments – guitars, maracas, and congas– to the downtown facility to share a hearty meal and some music with the youngsters.

Within the next few weeks Thom will embark on his Shep-

herd’s Pie Tour, heading to Toronto for a few gigs, and then to Northern Ontario before heading out west through the prairies, Alberta and British Columbia. For three months, Thom will drive across Canada stopping at youth shelters throughout the country offering up jam sessions and shepherd’s pie. Along the way, he hopes to establish links between youths whose lives are in various stages of transition and other area young people to create a “Youth helping Youth” network.

Thom has thus far secured the sponsorship of the Canadian Organic Growers of Canada, which will provide him with organic ingredients along his voyage. Through local fundraising, he also hopes to buy a guitar from a local

music store and donate it at every local shelter.

“I’ve left two in Kitchener and they’re used seven days a week,” he said.

Though the self-professed “bit of a middle-aged hippy” isn’t a counsellor, he notes that music and shepherd’s pie can go a long way to quell a person’s burning hunger and soothe his or her nerves.

“I don’t pretend to be a Dr. Phil; I don’t pretend to be able to solve these young children’s problems, but I can provide food, I can provide music and I’ve got a real good set of ears for listening,” he said, adding that without preaching or telling the youths “what they’re doing is wrong … they generally talk themselves into their own solutions.”

“I’ve just seen so many benefits

from giving a belly full of food, sitting around and just playing music and singing …. I’ve seen so many examples of the calming effect of that and I’ve seen the benefits of just sitting and listening to these kids.”

A primary objective of the tour is to get everyday people aware of deep-rooted social problems and issues and to encourage them to demand action from their governments by writing letters to their members of parliament.

Having already contacted the four major federal political parties, Thom noted he has received communications of interest from a few.

To follow Thom on his tour and for more information on how to donate, visit www.papathom.com.

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4 | NEWS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

» FROM THE EDITOR | STEVE KANNON

It’s not as gloomy out there as we imagine a whole, in our job prospects and in our ability to keep earning, we are likely to buy more, to invest more and to take long-term decisions in favour of more buying and more investment. This positive attitude creates upward momentum in the economy,” he writes in a recent assessment.

“If, however, consumers and investors are influenced by all the recession talk, adopt a more negative attitude and suffer a drop in confidence, then we are less likely to buy and invest and to take long-term decisions. We hunker down, retrench personal and investment spending in an effort to husband cash – and end up making the overall economy even worse through a pull-back in aggregate demand. The psychology of recession becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy – if we feel bad, things do indeed get worse.”

In other words, the more we panic about what could happen, the more likely it will happen.

That’s not to say there aren’t reasons to worry. Nor does that negate the fact that there are people who have lost their jobs, and more who likely will – for those people, the economy is front and center. For them it’s a harsh reality. There’s something to be said, however, for the rest of us to do what we can to improve things. Or at least not to add to the downward spiral.

“Even with the unemployment [projected], 92 to 94 per cent of us will still have our jobs, and we’ll still need to go on doing the things we’ve always done,” Hodgson explains from his Ottawa office.

“Why change your behaviour?”

Why, indeed. That’s at the heart of his treatise about the link between confidence and the health of the economy.

If your job and finances are stable, you might even see some benefits right now. Low interest rates reduce debtservicing costs, allowing some of us to pay down debt or to free up some additional cash. The temporary tax cuts and stimulus measures announced in last month’s federal budget may provide a few additional dollars, as well – another opportunity to tackle debt, boost savings or do a little bit of extra spending.

It’s the latter the government is particularly looking to encourage. Its own stimulus spending will also put more money into the economy, though the timing remains an unknown. Hodgson expects to see things pick up as the money makes its way through the system, perhaps through such measures as the home renovations encouraged in the budget. Some visible improve-

ment might be seen in the second or third quarter of the year.

Although we’ve been moving into an official recession, there was some good news in January, as the Conference Board saw a slight increase in that allimportant consumer confidence.

The question now in regards the recession is whether it will be U-shaped, that is somewhat protracted at the bottom before improving, or V-shaped, quick to head up after reaching the low point. Hodgson’s in the latter camp.

That’s a better scenario, and any news that shows an upward trend is likely to do wonders for our confidence.

There is, it seems, reason to be optimistic. More so if we start to see structural changes that move us away from what got us in this mess in the first place: deregulated financial markets, poor credit management and misplaced consumerism (ironically, it’s spending that’s supposed to lift us out of the recession, but that’s another story).

» ABOUT FACE

photo | JONI MILTENBURG

There’s a fine line between being a Pollyanna and a doomsayer in the face of today’s economic climate. A don’t worry, be happy approach is clearly out of touch with reality. But all the doom-and-gloom stories run the risk of creating a selffulfilling prophecy.

The media is no help in that regard.

Yes, the financial crisis and the resultant fallout are stories that have to be covered, but it seems sometimes outlets are in a race to present the gloomiest forecasts and grimmest prospects.

This in turn can cause people to worry perhaps more than necessary, eroding consumer confidence and sending our consumer-driven economy down a little more. More bad news follows, and the cycle repeats itself.

“The real stuff happening in the economy matters, but so does the way we perceive it … and how we react,” says Glen Hodgson, senior vice-president and chief economist at the Conference Board of Canada.

The psychology of recession, he says, may have us seeing a bleaker picture than the reality of the situation. You can’t stick your head in the sand, but you can’t let the economic news shape your every move.

“Confidence among consumers and investors is an important element in keeping the wheels of commerce moving, or in slowing them down. If we are confident in the economy as

Jon Milanovich

In Timbits Hockey, half the fun is sharing a moment –

Grade 10, EDSS

along with making new friends, learning valuable life lessons and discovering a love for the game. That’s why Tim Hortons is proud to support the boys and girls who play Timbits hockey in the St. Jacobs and Elmira communities.

The first goal is having fun.

© Tim Hortons, 2007

What do you want to do after high school?

Either something athletic or an electrician.

Do you play any sports?

I played volleyball in the fall. I play hockey now.

Where do you play?

In Drayton. OMHA midget.

Anything you’re looking forward to right now?

Playoffs.

How’s your team doing right now?

We’re in first.

Who’s your favourite hockey player?

Alexander Ovechkin.

Any other hobbies?

I’m a snowboarder.

NEWS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Keeping costs on a leash A leash-free dog park in Woolwich, if it comes, won’t be anything grandiose.

A staff report presented to council this week shows neighbouring municipalities have spent between $25,000 and $40,000 creating special, fenced-in parks where dogs can run free. But Coun. Mark Bauman, whose suggestion prompted the study, said he had nothing that elaborate in mind. Instead, he recommends cutting something of a walking path through some townshipowned land near the Health Valley Trail in St. Jacobs.

The idea stems from seeing many dog owners walking their animals on the trail in violation of the bylaw that requires the dogs to be on a leash. The informal dog park concept would give owners space isolated from others using the regular trail system. Bounded by bush, woods and a creek, the site would provide separation between dogs running free and other hikers, Bauman explained.

“It’s fine to have a bylaw to say you must have your dog on a leash, but you have to enforce it; it’s been flagrantly violated.”

A separate area, with signs pointing dog owners in that direction, would provide an alternative. As well, bylaw staff would then go about enforcing the rules on the main trails, he said.

Recreation staff will look into the proposal, and then bring another report back to council later this year.

Wiring up the the new WMC

With the construction of the Woolwich Memorial Centre nearing completion of the major structural portions, the township is now looking at some of the detail work that falls outside the $23-million price tag. Meeting this week, councillors gave the go-ahead to begin the purchasing process for the installation of network and phone cabling and equipment in the new 113,000-square-foot facility. The budgeted amount is $160,000.

Winter chill extends budget The protracted winter weather isn’t just something of a downer, it’s costly, too. Even if you’re escaping it by flying south from the Region of Waterloo International Airport.

Meeting this week, regional councillors approved a contract to buy a tow-behind runway deicer from Eagle Airfield Ltd. for $142,000. The same company will be paid $122,000 for a sweeper broom.

Since 1929

» TURNING THE PAGE

Final chapter for longtime Elmira librarian Mary Anne Cressman to retire after 40 years on the job with regional libary JONI MILTENBURG When Mary Anne Cressman started working at the Elmira library in 1968, there was a sign on the wall that said “Silence” in big letters.

Taking that sign down was one of many changes Cressman has presided over in her 40 years as librarian and library supervisor. The library is a friendlier place now; the collection has expanded to include DVDs and downloadable audio books, the building has expanded with an addition, and there is wireless internet for laptop users. But the fundamental purpose of the library hasn’t changed, she noted.

Cressman grew up reading Nancy Drew, the Bobbsey Twins and Walter Farley’s horse books.

When she was eight, her family moved to a farm outside London. There was no local library branch, but the bookmobile came around once a month.

She moved to Elmira when her first husband got a job at Elmira District Secondary School.

When her son was four, she started looking for a part time job and found the library position

a student to work parttime in the children’s department. The children’s section had moved downstairs to the lower floor, but in the evenings there was no one working there and children

See RETIREMENT page »06

Growing enrollment has made for cramped quarters; work to be started next summer JONI MILTENBURG Where other rural schools are facing declining enrolment, Wellesley Public School is bursting at the seams, and the new addition slated for construction this summer is badly needed.

The Village of Wellesley has seen rapid growth with the construction of several new subdivisions in recent years. Many of the families who moved in have school-aged children, and the population of the school has grown to 600.

The addition will allow the school to get rid of six portables, and move

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all the administration into one place.

“The office area currently was meant for a school of about 200 students,” said principal Lee Anne Andriessen. “We have no reception here and I have a vice-principal that works almost full-time but is at the other side of the building, and a secretary that works out in the hall.

“It’s very, very challenging to work in the existing conditions. We’ll be able to service the school better by having better communication when we’re all together.”

The addition will also give the school more storage space for sup-

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plies and literacy items.

The photocopiers, paper and art supplies will be housed in a workroom, instead of scattered in corners and closets around the school. Literacy material will also be gathered into one room, so teachers can sign out what they need and return it when finished.

“It’s actually more costeffective than it is to have every class outfitted,” Andriessen said.

The staff room will be upgraded and enlarged, and new bathrooms will be installed for students and adults.

Wellesley Public School was built in the late1960s, and there have

been a number of additions since them. In early 2000, a new gym and six new classrooms were added. This addition will bring the total square footage of the school to 53,000.

The addition will cost approximately $2.9 million, Andriessen said.

Wellesley’s addition qualified for provincial funding slated for capital projects at rural schools.

The project has gone to tender, and construction should start in the spring. The majority of the addition will go up over the summer, while the students are on holiday, and it is scheduled to be open when students

return in September.

The school board has agreed to leave the portables in place as long as there is a potential need for them.

“We will have a backup plan in case things aren’t totally ready to open, but it’s our intention and the contractor’s intention that things will open for September,” Andriessen said.

She added that they’ll have to be flexible and use the construction as a learning experience for the students. The site plan and elevations are posted in the hallway and the students have taken an interest in what the project will look like.

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They were looking for someone with a B.A. and a love of reading, and Cressman fit the bill.

One of the first things she did was convince the library board to hire

who came in with their families weren’t allowed downstairs.

By the 1970s, it was clear the library had outgrown its space.

When approval for an addition came through, library staff had seven days to pack up and move 25,000 items. Five thousand were moved onto a bookmobile that served as a temporary library; the rest were put in storage. When the addition and renovation were complete, a group of volunteers formed a book brigade, passing items hand to hand back into the library.

When Woolwich Township decided to install an elevator in the library last year, staff again had a week to pack up and move. This time they moved a selection of adult books downstairs and operated out of the children’s section.

The construction was supposed to be relatively quick, but the company ran into unexpected problems and then ad-

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6 | NEWS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Water and sewer rates continue their ascent STEVE KANNON The latest in a steady stream of rate hikes from Waterloo Region is behind the big price increase in water and wastewater costs bound for Woolwich Township this year.

A 9.9-per-cent increase in the price of water supplied by the region translates into a 9.4-percent hike locally, to $1.24 per cubic metre from

$1.14. That represents about an additional $18 to $24 per year for the average household.

On the wastewater side, the region has hiked its rate by 14.9 per cent, forcing the township to pass on an increase of 13.6 per cent, to $1.48 per cubic metre from $1.30, adding about $32 to $43 per year to the average annual cost.

The local increase was slightly smaller than the

regional cost hikes because the township was able to temper its share of the costs, although the bulk of expenses relate to fees charged by the region, director of finance Richard Petherick told councillors Tuesday night. The new rates were given tentative approval as council’s review of the 2009 budget.

The large increases from Waterloo Region are necessary because

of rapidly rising costs, including capital upgrades and new monitoring protocols demanded by the province, Nancy Kodousek, the region’s director of water services, said in an interview.

The upper-tier government is in the midst of a 10-year capital campaign to upgrade water and sewage infrastructure, currently predicted to cost more than $1 billion. The increased rates reflect the

extra costs, she said.

Bill 175, the Sustainable Water and Sewage Systems Act, requires municipalities to run those services on a cost recovery basis. Additional costs and paperwork are expected under Bill 195, the Safe Drinking Water Act that followed the Walkerton tragedy.

New rules mean Woolwich and every other Ontario municipality had to begin collecting enough

Winter: Bulk of snow typically arrives after Feb. 1 » From cover

the halfway point, but clearly there’s still a lot of winter to come,” said Phillips.

During the months of February and March, the region typically receives a large portion of its annual snowfall – roughly 40 per cent arrives after Feb. 1.

That historical data should warn residents

of what is still to come, he suggested.

“If you think that it comes in allotments – because we’ve had almost a year’s worth of snow already, that there will be no more – well, then you’re not dreaming correctly.

“I think … this week in many ways will be the teaser, the weather trailer for what we’re go-

ing to see for the rest of winter.”

From highs of -12 degrees earlier this week, temperatures are expected to climb to 7 degrees, accompanied by rain, by Saturday.

“What we think is that we’re going to see less persistent cold – we still are going to see snow and cold, I mean it’s too much to expect winter to

and accidentally taken it with him.

“I remember getting the book back with all kinds of stamps on it and a little note of apology.”

Along with having more time to read, Cressman and her husband plan to do some more travelling.

They’ve been to Egypt, Europe and Russia, and they’d like to visit Newfoundland, as well as visit their grandkids in Whitehorse and Connecticut.

Sheryl Tilley will be coming from St. Clements and Wellesley branches to take on Cressman’s role of library supervisor.

There will be a retirement open house for Cressman at the Elmira library on Feb. 14, from 1-4 p.m.

be over, so we’re still going to get that, but it will be broken up with more southern air masses.

Some melting going on and then back into the cold … more of the variability the swings back and forth – we think that will be the character, the personality of February and March,” Phillips, explained.

January was a tough

Retirement: Out from behind the stacks » From page 05

ministrators at Waterloo Region decided to make the washroom wheelchair accessible. In the end, the library was closed as long as it had been to build the addition.

Like all librarians, Cressman has seen materials go missing and had some returned from unusual places. One book arrived in the mail from Australia, from a patron who’d gone on sabbatical

BOOKING TIME OFF mary Anne Cressman is retiring after 40 years as librarian and library supervisor of elmira, St. jacobs and bloomingdale branches.

month for residents in this area.

After Canadians saw a white Christmas that was celebrated from coast to coast, the month of January saw very cold air masses keeping the average temperatures running between three to four degrees below normal in some areas of southern Ontario. Almost the same was true in central and Northern Ontario, where temperatures were generally two to three degrees below typical values. The province hasn’t experienced these widespread cold conditions in most areas since 2004, according to an Environment Canada report.

In the Waterloo-Wellington area, the mean temperature during the month of January, -10.8 degrees, varied significantly from the normal temperature of -7.1 degrees. At seven degrees colder than January

through its fees to pay for future upgrades and repairs to the water and sewer infrastructure, rather than financing the costs through general coffers.

The township has been ramping up costs since 2005.

In response to a question from Coun. Mark Bauman, Petherick said Woolwich’s rates are still among the highest in the area, but other municipalities are starting to catch up.

2008, January 2009 yielded the coldest recording since 1994.

Large amounts of snow also fell last month. In many areas of Ontario, including this one, the amount has already matched or even surpassed the entire season’s average tally.

Waterloo Region received more snow than normal: about 63 centimetres of snow, 20 cm more than the average for January.

Consistently cold temperatures and little if no melting allowed the snow to stay. Last month, thawing was a question of minutes not days, said Phillips.

It was also pricey.

“We also paid for it; you don’t mind some misery but when it costs you in the wallet, that’s not good,” said Phillips, noting that in January residents probably paid 25 to 30 per cent more on their home heating bills.

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NEWS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

» LAW & ORDER

7

Suspect sought in Elmira break-and-enter

»»

January 30

8:15 AM | A collision occurred on Northfield Drive East near Conestogo. A vehicle went into a ditch and struck a tree. There were no injuries and, due to the icy road conditions, no charges.

8:19 AM | There were no injuries and just minor damage following a collision involving two vehicles on Lobsinger Line near St. Jacobs. It appears that a mail carrier was slowing to pull into a laneway when the driver of another vehicle, unable to stop in time, swerved to avoid a collision but ultimately struck the postal vehicle from behind.

12:54 PM | Two vehicles were involved in a collision in the area of Arthur Street South and South Field Drive. One man was found bleeding from the mouth and was taken by ambulance to GRH. Charges are pending.

1:30 PM | Police were called to New Jerusalem Road in Woolwich Township following a single-vehicle collision. It appears the vehicle had been travelling approximately 60 km/h when it hit a patch of

Minivan ... maxi damage

no injuries and no charges.

»»

January 31

5:30 PM | A single-vehicle collision took place in the area of Floradale and Listowel roads. The vehicle had been northbound on Floradale Road when it hit a snowdrift, crossed the centre line on the southbound lane and ran off the roadway, coming to a halt in a culvert. There were no injuries. There was moderate damage to the vehicle. It was removed by a tow truck. As a result of the adverse weather conditions, no charges were laid.

BIG CRUNCH Two minivans collided on Northfield Drive north of Line 86 on the morning of Jan. 30. The driver of each van and two passengers suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Conestogo when a two-year- stopped for traffic and turning 8:25 PM | The front door to old locked himself inside the left into a lane way when an- a residence on Park Avenue house. The toddler’s grand- other vehicle, also westbound West in Elmira was found mother was outside and on Line 86, was unable to stop open. A neighbour observed couldn’t get in. She went to in time and subsequently rear- this and notified police. It apthe neighbour’s home and ended the first vehicle. One pears that suspects unknown contacted the police. Police vehicle suffered just minor gained entry into the home attended the scene and gained damages while the other was through a front door, causing some $500 worth of damentry into the home through a towed from the scene. »» February 3 basement window.

7:15 PM | The Esso gas bar at age. Once again, the suspects 9:45 AM | Police were called 5:13 PM | A Mornington man, Wagners Corners near St. Ja- searched the master bedroom to Musselman Crescent in westbound on Line 86, was cobs was the scene of a gas placing items on the bed. The drive-off. It appears the sus- investigation continues. pects filled up with $41.97 »» February 4 worth of gas and left without paying. The suspect ve- 9:30 AM | A recycling truck hicle was described as a light collided with another vehicle brown or beige Toyota. Video on Barnswallow Drive in front surveillance was obtained and of Woodside Bible Fellowship in Elmira. The truck had left the investigation continues. the church lot and had stopped 8:23 PM | Unknown suspects at Barnswallow to perform broke into a residence on some work duties. The driver Second Street in Elmira. They of another vehicle attempted entered the master bedroom to stop but skidded on black and searched for items in ice and subsequently struck some dresser drawers. The the rear end of the truck, damsuspects then left some items aging the front end of her car. on the bed. Police continue to There was no damage to the investigate the scene and are truck. There were no injuries COLLISION COURSE Charges are pending in a two-vehicle collision at the corner of Arthur Street South and searching for fingerprints on and no charges were laid. the handled items.

South Field Drive in Elmira Jan. 30. One man was transported to Grand River Hospital.

Two cars intersect

photo | joni miltenburg

January 29

icy roadway, causing it to spin into a ditch. The vehicle ended up resting on its side, facing northbound. There were neither injuries nor charges.

2:27 PM | Katherine Street North, just south of Line 86 was the scene of some poor road conditions that saw vehicles slipping on the roadway. One vehicle was travelling northbound when its driver lost control and the vehicle subsequently left the right side of the road and came to rest on its side. Two occupants, both 82 years old and from Kitchener, were extricated safely by firefighters, police and a number of local residents. There were

Over in the deep snow

photo | STEVE KANNON

»»

10:27 AM | Police were called to the scene of a collision on Peel Street in Winterbourne involving a tractor plowing a private driveway and another vehicle. The two parties came to an agreement and no charges were laid.

2:20 PM | The CIBC branch in St. Clements notified police that they had received a fraudulent $100 bill. It is the third one collected at that bank in one week. It appears that the bill came from an unknown suspect who used counterfeit bills at roadside vendors. The investigation continues.

Police received a report of a break-and-enter that allegedly took place some time between 5 and 7 p.m. on Feb. 3 in Elmira. The unknown suspect appears to have entered through a front door, causing an estimated $500 worth of damage.

Upstairs, the suspect then removed some drawers in the master bedroom. It was unknown whether anything was taken. It appears that someone witnessed the suspect leaving the home. He is described as 35 to 40 years old, about 200 pounds, as having long, dark hair and a stocky build, wearing dark jeans, a black coat and dark shoes. The suspect was last seen walking westbound on Second Street.

photos | joe merlihan

January 28

SIDE-SWIPED Two Kitchener residents, both 82, were helped out of this van by Conestogo firefighters Jan. 30 after the driver lost control on an icy stretch of Katherine Street, north of Winterbourne.

Poor conditions to blame

photo | joni miltenburg

»»

1:42 PM | There were no injuries and just minor damage as a result of a collision on Industrial Drive near Howard Avenue in Elmira. The driver of one vehicle, northbound on Industrial Drive, came to a stop at Howard Avenue but failed to see another vehicle, westbound on Howard. When the first vehicle pulled away from the stop sign it failed to yield for the second vehicle and a collision ensued. The driver of the first vehicle was charged with ‘fail to yield to traffic on thru highway.’

2:18 PM | A 21-year-old woman was driving northbound on Arthur Street South, near Sawmill Road, when she lost control over an icy portion of roadway and hit a sign pole.

There were no injuries and no damage to the pole. The vehicle suffered minor damages.

3:20 PM | Police received a report of evidence of a suspected prowler on Union Street, Elmira. Footprints around the perimeter of an area business indicated that someone had been checking windows at the facility.

OFF AND OVER The driver of this van was travelling on New Jerusalem Road around 1:30 p.m. Jan 30 when they hit an icy patch, spun into the ditch, and tipped over. There were no injuries in the accident.

8 | NEWS

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NEWS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

JONI MILTENBURG The poem on the door of Paul Wettlaufer’s office, written by the Grade 5 class at John Mahood Public School in Elmira, starts off “The important thing about Mr. Wettlaufer is that he has a loud voice on the announcements.”

“A P.A. system will do that to anybody,” Wettlaufer chuckles. “They think it’s loud because it’s coming through the wall.”

Wettlaufer, who has been principal at John Mahood for two and half years, is leaving at the end of next week to fill the principal’s chair at Winston Churchill School in Waterloo.

In person, Wettlaufer is much more soft-spoken

than his announcement voice would indicate.

He’s also the first to tell you he’s not a strict disciplinarian.

“When I think back to my days as a student … my perception was that principals were very authoritarian and students almost feared going to the principal’s office. I like to think of myself as just another classroom where they can feel comfortable coming.”

Students are invited in to share their work, read, or just talk about good days and bad days.

That also makes the discipline easier when something comes up in the classroom or out in the schoolyard.

Wettlaufer started his 25-year career as a teacher at Rosemount

Public School in Kitchener. He tries to get back in the classroom whenever he can, helping out any time teachers need an extra set of hands.

Wettlaufer has worked at nine schools during his career and John Mahood stands out for its caring community, he said. The teachers work to make the students feel secure and good about themselves, and the larger community has rallied in support “I firmly believe that you need to have someone wanting to be at school and enjoying the school environment and feeling good about themselves and then they will take on what the expectations of the program are,” he said.

When the school first tried full-day kindergar-

photo | joni miltenburg

John Mahood principal is Waterloo bound

SAYING GOODBYE After two and a half years as principal at john mahood pS, paul Wettlaufer leaves next week for another post.

ten as a pilot project, one little student had trouble making it through the whole day. During story time, he was sitting upright, sound asleep, so they made a bed for him on a cushion behind the secretary’s desk.

“He soundly slept from

probably 1 until 3 o’clock at which point he woke up and asked ‘is it home time?’” Wettlaufer recalls. “It’s not just about imparting facts on kids, it’s also about meeting their basic needs.”

One of Wettlaufer’s goals at Winston

Churchill is to make sure the caring is at the forefront of the board’s goals of learning, connecting and caring.

The move is part of a domino effect affecting half a dozen principals that started with a principal taking a position with the Ontario College of Teachers. The new principal at John Mahood will be Tracy Tait, currently vice-principal at Franklin PS in Kitchener.

Wettlaufer had to laugh when he discovered he finished on Friday the 13th. He starts at Winston Churchill on Feb. 17, the day after holiday Monday, so he’ll be spending his long weekend packing.

“Nothing says Family Day like…” he trails off into a chuckle.

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10 | COMMENT & OPINION

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

» CARTOON Published Saturdays since 1996

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» EDITORIAL

Increase vocabulary, not taxes In approving a four-per-cent tax hike (plus another two for recreation capital projects), Woolwich councillors maintained they kept the budget as tight as possible: they could go no further.

Then came the familiar refrain that the increase will only amount to about $30 a year on the average tax bill. Well, on the municipal portion, which represents 20 per cent of the total. Waterloo Region council has already decided you’ll pay an extra 3.15 per cent, or $43, on its share of ever-climbing property taxes.

You’ll also be paying significantly higher prices for water and wastewater processing again this year.

As usual, none of these rate hikes comes with a commensurate increase in services. We pay more for more of the same, at best.

This is the heart of the conundrum that must eventually be addressed: public sector spending is outstripping the productive sector’s ability to pay. As the former depends entirely on the latter, the gap must inevitably cause upheaval as we question the value-for-money scenario: what are we getting for the cash we pour into the sys-

tem? And how often can governments keep going to the well before it runs dry?

At some point, local politicians will have hard decisions to make. Not just how to keep increases to four per cent, but how to cut by many times that amount. In the long run, the system we’ve developed is untenable, but the crisis will come long before that. The federal government’s current orgy of spending will have consequences in a few years’ time when we have to eliminate massive deficits.

Recall the ill-considered policies of the Mulroney government, and the remedies that followed under finance minister Paul Martin. The scenario we can expect to see repeated goes like this: the federal government cuts transfer payments to the provinces as it brings its own spending under control; the provinces make cuts to cope with decreased revenues, necessitating cuts to the municipalities; municipalities find far fewer grants and supports coming from Queen’s Park, so they’re forced to find savings in their budgets – perhaps by trimming the fat they’ve accumulated over the last few years as the economy boomed.

As described earlier, a series of hikes that

» VERBATIM “There is ... a significant risk that the government’s budgetary balance will not return to a surplus position by 2013-2014.”

Parliamentary budget officer Kevin Page takes aim at government’s figures

drove property taxes and fees to egregious levels leaves no room for hitting the beleaguered residents with still more taxes to make up the shortfall. The only recourse will be to begin cutting staff and programs, sustaining only those services where taxpayers see actual value for their money.

Before the crunch comes, politicians would be well advised to begin scaling back now. The first step is to learn the word “no.”

Staff and community groups pitch all kinds of ideas to councillors: there is a rationale for every spending request. Taken in isolation, each may make sense, but it’s the role of elected officials to see the big picture, and to nip in the bud empirebuilding and incremental growth.

“No” also applies to the widening gap between public sector wages and the incomes of those who pay the freight. An extended hiring and wage freeze is a practical first step, allowing the productive sector to close the gap, and eventually resume the higher position before governments of all levels re-examine the situation.

As with addicts of another kind, politicians must learn to just say “no.”

» THE MONITOR Municipalities issued $4.6 billion in building permits in December, down 3.9% from November. This third consecutive monthly decline was the result of decreases in both the residential and non-residential sectors. The value of residential permits declined by 3.2% to $2.6 billion, the ninth monthly decrease in 2008.

Statistics Canada

COMMENT & OPINION |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

» HARD TALK | RAFE MAIR

11

BC process a warning about privatization schemes everywhere Oh as I was young and easy in the mercy of his means, Time held me green and dying Though I sang in my chains like the sea.

– “Fern Hill” by Dylan Thomas This verse so neatly sums up our carelessness with time when we’re young and are promised so much of it. When you reach a certain age, however, wastes of time take on new importance. It seems to happen so suddenly. One day you realize that when people talk about something happening in 2015 (or even 2010) you just might not be around for the event. You find that your patience runs out when being unduly delayed far more frustrating than you once did when most delays

were inconsequential in the big scheme of things.

Well, in that context I and more than 300 others wasted about four hours in a meeting held last week by the B.C. government’s Environmental Assessment Office to set terms of reference for the environmental assessment process for Plutonic Power’s massive private power project on Bute Inlet.

This private scheme is proposed by Plutonic Energy, which is controlled by General Electric, in which multi-billionaire Warren Buffett has a large interest. I speak for Save Our Rivers Society, which, far from being well-funded as alleged, depends on timely month-to-month donations from generous ordinary citizens to meet its obligations. We are, as they say, in tough.

There are two points to bear in mind.

No ordinary citizen had any say in the

government’s energy plan, which, in essence, was the plan put forward by Alcan.

And no local government has any say with respect to power projects, a right taken away by the Gordon Campbell government with the infamous Bill 30.

Thus, the massive destruction of our environment and the slow-but-sure death of BC Hydro have been planned and are being implemented without any opportunity for the public to be heard.

Back to the Powell River hearing on the massive Bute Project. The hall was jammed. There were three general groups there: the Plutonic Energy people, those who supported what Plutonic was doing (mostly contractors who would get the business); First Nations; other folks (about 90 per cent of the whole) with questions that never would be answered.

The woman who chaired the meeting,

who somehow reminded me of my dear old Sunday school teacher, declared over and over again that the meeting was not on the merits of the proposal but strictly to address the terms of reference for the Environmental Assessment Office by whom she is employed. Notwithstanding the chair’s ruling, Plutonic, their supporters and a First Nations chief were permitted to extol the virtues of this project as long as they liked while those who opposed were quickly shut down.

(It did not go unnoticed that the chair and Don McInnis, president of Plutonic, were on a first name basis.)

The meeting went on and on and on with ordinary citizens wanting to deal with the issues, not the terms of reference. They took the rather obvious position that a project ought to have been dealt with on the merits before any enSee MAIR »12

» INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS | GWYNNE DYER

Environmentalist better off tackling the bigger issues just now The biggest “environmental” issue in Britain for the past year has been the plan to build a third runway at London’s Heathrow airport.

The growth of air travel, the protesters claim, is a major cause of global warming, and John Sauven, director of Greenpeace UK, predicted that Heathrow would become “the battlefield of our generation.”

So the protesters contacted Jim Hansen, one of the world’s leading climate scientists, to back their campaign.

They assumed that Hansen, the director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, would back them, for last year he helped to defend six British protesters charged with criminal damage after occupying a coal-fired power station in Kent. To the obvious astonishment of the Heathrow protesters, he refused.

Hansen resisted several attempts by then-president George W. Bush to silence him during the Great Darkness, and recently wrote an open letter to Barack Obama warning him that he must act decisively on climate change in his first term. Nor does he deny that planes flying through the stratosphere contribute to global warming.

He just insists on a sense of proportion – and he does not think that devoting the energies of the entire British en-

vironmental movement to preventing a third runway at Heathrow is a productive use of its time.

“Coal is 80 per cent of the planet’s problems,” he said in a newspaper interview. “You have to keep your eye on the ball and not waste your efforts.

The number-one enemy is coal and we should not forget that.”

All fossil fuels are a problem, for they all release back into the atmosphere carbon dioxide that was buried underground long ago, but coal is by far the worst. A coal-fired generating plant emits twice as much carbon dioxide as a gas-fired plant that produces the same amount of electricity. That is where the big cuts must be made soon if we are to escape grave consequences, and going after aviation emissions now is only a fashionable distraction.

So why do people do it? For the same reason that they think that changing the kind of light-bulbs they use and driving more fuel-efficient cars will save us from really destructive climate change. Those are bite-sized chunks of the problem that seem relatively easy to tackle, whereas the real work of changing the way the human race generates its energy seems too big to contemplate.

Especially since so-called “clean coal” is probably a mirage.

The technology for capturing and burying the carbon dioxide produced by burning coal does exist, but it has never been tested at one-hundredth of the scale that would be needed to cope with

the emissions of a typical 500-megawatt power station. Why? Maybe because the coal industry secretly suspects that the economics of the operation would be prohibitive, and would rather not know for sure.

But after we have stopped burning coal and gas to generate electricity, and after we have even replaced oil for most purposes, we will eventually have to deal with aviation’s contribution to global warming, for by then it will constitute a significant part of the remaining problem. Happily, there is a solution.

The major problem with airliners is not the carbon dioxide they produce as they fly – and in any case, that can be solved just by substituting some bio-fuel with a high enough energy content. Several such fuels are being experimented with now, and will almost certainly be commercially available in 10 or 15 years.

The real issue – three or four times bigger than the CO2 problem, by most estimates – is the water vapour that high-flying airliners dump into the stratosphere, which turns into persistent high-altitude clouds that reflect heat back to the surface and contribute to global warming.

The solution to that, obviously, is to fly lower than 27,000 feet (8,000 m.), down in the weather, where the water vapour turns harmlessly into rain. But that means smaller wings, because the air is denser down there, and smaller wings mean longer take-off and landing runs.

Flying in the troposphere also means

constant turbulence and a lot of airsickness bags.

But there is a single technology that would solve all of these problems at once. “If you go to something called circulation control,” explains Dennis Bushnell, the chief scientist at NASA’s Langley Research Center, “which is to bleed the engines and inject air backwards at the upper trailing edge of the wing, you can produce lift coefficients which are easily three or four times what we can get out of conventional wings.”

That means very short take-offs and landings, so short that existing runways could accommodate several aircraft at once. And the same circulation control system, used in flight, has “such tremendous control authority” that it can counter the bumps that are normally part of flying down in the weather and produce a smooth ride.

Problem solved – in 15 or 20, when that technology is incorporated into the civil airliner fleet and aviation-grade biofuels are available. Even Heathrow’s third-runway problem would be solved at that point, since far more aircraft could use the existing two.

Climate change is a problem caused by technology, and most of the potential solutions are also technological. Aviation is a small part of the problem, and the solutions will be along in a while. Concentrate on closing down the coal-fired power stations, and we may get through this without too many casualties.

leges, and improved broadband access across rural Canada.

Additionally, new monies have been made available for the Canada Foundation for Innovation and clean energy research. Canada Health Infoway now has the funds to pursue its target of electronic health records for 50 per cent of Canadians by 2010.

Canada’s Economic Action Plan puts $50 million towards the Institute for Quantum Computing here in Waterloo Region. This is on top of the $10.7 million I recently helped announce in Stratford for two digital media hubs that will not only build tomorrow’s businesses but help today’s businesses

deploy tomorrow’s tools and technology, and the money our Conservative government already provided to the Perimeter Institute.

Where’s the push to move beyond old technologies? It’s in the expanded Canada Scholarships and National Centres of Excellence programs the Economic Action Plan delivers. It’s in the new support the Canada Research Council’s Industrial Research Assistance Program receives.

If the editors would prefer to think of these investments as haphazard rather than strategic, it is their right to remain incorrect. Our vision was clearly outlined in 2006’s Advantage

Canada, our long-term economic plan for Canada. We explained the approach we would take to improving Canada’s capacity for innovation and adapting to changing global economic circumstances.

As the events of the past six months have demonstrated, global economic circumstances can change faster than ever. A push to move beyond old technologies is more essential than ever, and that’s why I’m grateful to be working with a government so dedicated to moving Canada forward.

» LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Technology given a boost in federal budget To the Editor, “Where’s the push to move beyond old technologies?” asks an editorial in the Jan. 31 edition of The Observer.

The push to move beyond old technologies is found in Budget 2009, Canada’s Economic Action Plan.

New opportunities for training and skills upgrading are provided by the plan, as well as better research and development facilities for universities, improved facilities for advanced skills training at Canada’s community col-

Harold Albrecht MP Kitchener-Conestoga

12 | COMMENT & OPINION

Mair: No public interest in this idea » From page 11

vironmental assessment process kicked in. Despite valiant efforts by Ms. Chairperson, it became vividly obvious that following this process simply rubber stamped the project.

The “ordinary folks” got angrier and angrier as the meeting dragged on – this anger considerably aggravated by the Plutonic supporters and Plutonic itself being permitted to shill their project to their hearts’ content.

It’s useful, I think, to summarize just what issues make up these private power projects: 1. Why the lack of real consultation?

2. Where’s the proof that we need more power and, if we do, are there alternatives?

3. Experts tell us – so does BC Hydro, for that matter – that with conservation, upgrading present facilities and adding generators on existing dams plus taking back the power we’re entitled to under the Columbia River Treaty, we have no need for many years for more power. So why are going down the privatization route?

4. Why is BC Hydro not permitted to create any new power?

5. Why are we giving away to large corporations the hundreds of millions of dollars BC Hydro puts into the public purse every year to help with schools, hospitals and the like?

6. Why is BC Hydro forced by the government to enter contracts for energy with private producers which cost Hydro more than they can sell it for – buy high, sell low is a strange policy especially for a capitalist government!

7. Why are we approving

intermittent power, which only can be produced during the spring run-off ?

8. What will be the effect of NAFTA? Will it mean that any American company with rights on a river has all rights, including the right to export it?

9. Will it mean that as long as the American company uses the river, it can ignore the time limit in the lease? The answer to each is probably “yes.”

10. Why are we disabling BC Hydro so that it must go broke under the proposed policy?

These and others are all questions that go to the root of the matter. If there had been public hearings dealing with these issues, I submit that the public outrage might even have caught the attention of the somnolent mainstream media.

When Premier Gordon Campbell took away from local government the right to pass judgment on power projects, he high handedly took from the people the right to be heard and thus participate in the process in a real way. The effect was a denial of justice, meaning that all who attended last week’s meeting in Powell River were wasting time that we folks of a certain age can ill afford to give up.

I think I can create a new political maxim. If the public is denied the right to be heard in one place, it will insist upon being heard in another.

And this is exactly what happened at last week’s meeting, and what will continue to happen as the environmental assessment exercise in futility takes its dog-and-pony show around a province being ravaged by private power plants that have no consent of the public.

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THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

» OBSERVER Q&A

Will you use the bus when service is extended to Elmira?

“Oh, yeah, I’ll try it, sure. I go to the city to shop. I don’t have any doctors or anything down there but I’d use it …”

“I think so. I was actually pretty excited to hear that that’s going to happen. Right now my husband and I have two cars, and it might mean that we can get rid of one of the cars.”

“Sure, yeah, why not? We have our doctor and everything in Kitchener – we have everything in there, so we would use it at least once or twice a week.”

“Yes, I will. Absolutely. I think it is a great idea.”

»» Donna Rhodes

»» Karen Meissner

»» Wally Maier

»» Trevor McCormick

» THE VIEW FROM HERE | SCOTT ARNOLD

FACING ANOTHER ROUND OF BIG TAX INCREASES, WOOLWICH RESIDENTS WONDER ABOUT SPENDING PRIORITIES AT THE TOWNSHIP.

» LETTERS TO THE EDITOR GRT should look at extending bus route to airport in Breslau To the Editor, I was very happy after reading the article “Bus to Waterloo in final stages” (Observer, Jan. 23/09).

I’m glad to see that the GRT is expanding services to areas that are in need.

As an aviation student at the University of Waterloo, I know my peers, general travellers as well as myself would love to see the same kind of expansion service branch out to the Waterloo Regional International Airport in Breslau. During the winter months the airport expands and accommodates airlines lines such as Sunwing, Skyservice and Signature vacations in order to carry

all of us who wish to flee the cold.

It would be nice to see even just a seasonal service to accommodate these extra travellers, and I know the students wouldn’t mind either!

Drew Barton Waterloo

Do you expect the truth, or the answer you want to hear?

To the Editor, Honesty is the best policy. Do you remember when you were being told this over and over as a child?

In today’s world we seem to be more worried about being politically correct with people, that we are not allowing our true nature to show.

When someone asks a question they are assuming you’re going to

give them the answer they are looking for, not necessarily the one you want to give them. When asked, we often have millions of answers going through our minds. Will I offend them if I say this? What are they really wanting me to say? Will they walk away hurt?

How is it that we have come to a place in time where it is better to please everyone then to stand alone on what we really think is right? We are continually sidestepping questions so that we do not come off as being honest. Please, the next time you ask a question of someone and do not get the answer you’re looking for, try not to be upset about it.

Walk away knowing that person put themselves out there and were open with you. If you ask in earnest, expect the unexpected.

Angela Harrison Elmira

You hear from us every week. Now we want to hear from you. Let your voice be heard: write a letter to the editor.

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COMMENT & OPINION |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

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14 | BUSINESS

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THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

BUSINESS

Farmers paying the price to feed us

Food Freedom Day comes earlier this year, while producers continue to see their returns falling By next Thursday, you will have earned enough income to pay for all of the food you’ll consume this year.

In a world where many people are going hungry or paying more each day for scarcer food, Canadians are fortunate to have access to a wide variety of healthy, inexpensive foods, say farmers, who don’t share the boon for consumers that comes with low prices.

Food Freedom Day, set for Feb. 12, is marked to show just how little farmers make in relation to the bill you get at the supermarket. “The farmer is still getting a very, very small, portion of that grocery tab,� says Bette Jean Crews, president of the Ontario Federation of Agriculture.

Indeed, even when the costs of fuel and other commodities were on the rise, food prices continued in the vein of a decades-long, downward trend.

According to the OFA, in 2003, Canadian consumers spent on average, just 10.5 per cent of their personal disposable income on food, compared to 12.4 per cent in 1998.

Indicative of this steadily negative trend, this year, Food Freedom Day arrives three days earlier than in 2007, and five days earlier than in 2005. In other words, Canadians are paying less for their food bills and farmers are seeing even lower profits.

According to a 2006 report by the Centre For Rural Studies and Enrichment in Saskatchewan, the most dramatic price

PHOTO | MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

MARC MIQUEL HELSEN

A HOMEGROWN SOLUTION Though Canadian farmers are being paid less for their produce, despite rising prices in energy and technology, there are reasons for optimism, says local fruit grower Steve Martin: more consumers are starting to look locally for their food.

increase in grains is found when corn is compared to corn flakes.

The price of a box of corn flakes more than doubled from 1981 to 2005, increasing by $1.95 per box.

However, the price of the corn used to manufacture that box of cornflakes has decreased by $0.01 per box. In 2004, an Ontario farmer received a penny less for the winter wheat that went in to a box of crackers, than he or she received in 1981, while that same box of crackers increased in value by $0.75.

OFA vice-president Don McCabe notes that while the prices

farmers get for their products have actually dropped, the costs of labour, fuel and other inputs have risen significantly. General inflation has also played a factor. “For farmers, the fact is that what consumers pay for their food directly to the farmer is such a small cost of the overall food price,� says McCabe, a corn, wheat and soybean grower in Lambton County.

Steve Martin of Martin’s Family Fruit Farm in St. Jacobs says that many fruit and vegetable farmers today see labour

accounting for approximately 60 per cent of their costs, despite the fact that what they are getting in return is either stagnating or decreasing. “Where is that money going to come from? Already there are no margins to work with,� Martin says.

With minimum wage destined to rise in the next few years, farmers will be faced with even fewer options, some of which – such as conglomerating farm operations, employing cheaper growing methods, or slashing wages – are not desirable.

“I appreciate the fact that there are people, even right in our communities, that might already be struggling to afford food as it is – but I think that’s a separate issue. I’m not unsympathetic to that; I just say that that has to be dealt with through other social means.

But we can’t deal with that at the backs of farmers. We can’t expect farmers to produce it for less than the cost of production,� says Martin.

Part of the OFA’s Food Freedom Day campaign is to raise awareness about the plight of farmers today and to encourage them to think locally when buying food. “We would ask that folks seriously consider looking at, where possible, buying local,� says McCabe, who notes that within this context there is reason for optimism as more people are looking locally. “The bottom line is that we are seeing an uptake in ‘buy local.’ We are seeing a greater interest from consumers in how farmers do what they do for them.

And education is the utmost important thing here.�

Though supporting local initiatives such as the Buy Local!

Buy Fresh! program is one way of supporting domestic farmers, it isn’t a panacea, says McCabe, who confesses that not every trip to the grocery store for him involves a thorough search for exclusively Ontario products. “You can’t always do what you want to do at the farmers’ market. I’m not telling people not to drink orange juice; I’m kind of partial to orange juice.

See FARM Âť15

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BUSINESS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

» FOOD FOR THOUGHT | OWEN ROBERTS

15

Product developers are ready to help the economy I’m not celebrating the decline of vehicle sales. Real people in our community are hurt by statistics like those reported earlier this week, which showed overall sales were down more than 25 per cent. General Motors led the way with a 47 per cent drop, with Chrysler down 37 per cent and Ford down 14 per cent.

But think about this: did anyone buy 47 per cent less food last month?

Or 37 per cent less?

Or even 14 per cent less?

Probably not. We can cut back on food to some extent, particularly unhealthy snacks, but not in the same way we can wring another few thousand kilometres out of our cars and trucks, and delay buying a new one for awhile. It’s just not possible.

And that fact puts food and agriculture in Ontario in a different, resilient league.

Food and agriculture, intrinsically tied to processing, manufacturing, transportation and retail, have an innate ability to not only endure as economic stabilizers (they’ve long stood as the numbertwo industry in the province, behind the now-beleaguered auto sector) but also to advance as economic engines.

The province says food and agriculture already contributes more than $33 billion to the Ontario economy, and employs about 700,000 people. With some guidance, it’s felt the sector can do even more.

Right now, a Guelph-based organization called BioEnterprise, which helps agri-food technology developers get their products to market, has more than 150 companies on a contact roster. The most promising technologies and products among them include plant oils as petroleum replacements, food and nutraceuticals, and alternative energy.

Dave Smardon is president of BioEnterprise. He knows the companies, and figures as many as 20 per cent of their owners are ready to talk to investors about getting behind further product development and commercialization.

These inventors and entrepreneurs don’t need to be convinced agri-food technology has a place in Ontario’s future. They’ve already created it, thanks to the ingrained research culture that envelopes agriculture and food in Ontario. Anchoring that forward-thinking environment is the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs’ investment into research at the University of Guelph. It helps create an infrastructure of personnel and equipment that can take on the kind of long-term

Guelph MPP Liz Sandals and Ontario development that produces results and Minister of Research and Innovation outlasts short-term agendas.

Because of that infrastructure, when John Wilkinson visited BioEnterprise at problems or opportunities arise, or the end of last month to see what all the when the economy turns, no one has to commotion’s about. Premier McGuinty scramble to find people who can address has stated he wants to support new apthe situation. For the most part, they’re proaches to stimulate Ontario’s economy, and Sandals says he’s pumped about already in place.

But the final step of the discovery pro- greater potential for agriculture and cess – that is, getting products on shelves food.

So is she. and getting technology into the hands of those who can use it – is tough. Manage“It’s really an important part of Ontarment skills such as those found among io’s future,” she says. “We’re coming to companies and organizations outside of realize that while agriculture is key for agriculture, as well as development time producing food, we can do a lot to sup(up to five or more years), are needed. port product development.”

Most start-up companies have neither.

BioEnterprise and other organizations Generally, they’ve spent all their intellec- in Guelph ’s new Agri-Technology Comtual capital in the lab or the workshop. mercialization Centre have more opporThat’s where Smardon and BioEnter- tunity than ever to show Ontario new prise come in, to help nurture budding ways agriculture and food can spark the entrepreneurs and get them in touch economy. The province is providing inwith people with money and develop- centive programs and matching funds to IA ad 40% off:Layout 1 1/27/09 10:14 AM Page 1 help. It looks like the pieces are in place. ment expertise.

Farm: Looking for a fair share » From page 14

Last time I checked under global warming, we haven’t picked up enough heat yet to start growing our own oranges – you can’t get everything you want from the farmers’ market and you might not want to necessarily be seasonal all the time in what you eat.”

Another crucial aspect of the OFA campaign is to encourage consumers to learn about the issues and demand action from their elected representatives in government. Governments should work with farmers to create a sector whereby farmers get a return on their

investments.

“We’re not asking for handouts: we want that income from the marketplace, but at that point we need those shortterm programs to keep us there until the long-term solutions can be put in,” says Crews.

With climate change and global geopolitical issues an ever growing concern, it is crucial that Canadians find a way to support sustainable agriculture.

“There is a necessity to keep the agricultural industry going,” she says. “We need to be able to feed ourselves to be a sovereign country.”

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16 | SPORTS

»

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

SPORTS

» JUNIOR B HOCKEY

Kings bounce back to beat Winter Hawks

Listless loss in Stratford spurs Elmira to convincing win over archrivals JONI MILTENBURG

always had a smaller pool of kids to draw from than larger centres, but this age group seemed to be particularly small. Where teams in Kitchener or Cambridge would have 50 or 60 at tryouts, the coaches in Woolwich never made more than one or two cuts. A few years, they had so few try out they had to approach kids to play to fill the roster.

After a messy 6-1 loss to Stratford on Jan. 30, the Elmira Sugar Kings regrouped to down Cambridge 5-1 to start February, handing the Winter Hawks their fourth straight loss.

On Jan. 30, playing with a short bench and missing some key scorers, the Kings just couldn’t hit their stride. Coach Geoff Haddaway said the team “just didn’t compete, right from the opening faceoff.”

Things were tied 1-1 at the end of the first period, thanks to a goal from Michael Therrien five minutes in. But Stratford added three unanswered goals in the second period and another pair in the third to walk off with the win.

The Kings turned things around on Sunday and put on a good show for the fans who decided to forgo the Super Bowl for hockey, shutting down Cambridge’s offence and hammering the Hawks around their own net.

Cambridge now has the two top scorers in the league, as Anthony Colizza and Greg Virgo have moved past Brantford’s sharp shooters to top the standings. The Kings held the Winter Hawks to 29 shots, while firing 48 of their own at Cambridge keeper Dave Clement.

“I thought we were good right from the

See BLONDE »18

See KINGS »19

DYE-ING TO GO FURTHER The Woolwich Minor Midget A team is a serious playoff contender for the first time in their hockey lives. Front, Jake Martin, Matt O’Hara, Andrew Brubacher, Alex Albrecht and Jacob Martin. Middle, Ben Mitchell, Graham Colby, Ryan Bauman, Ben Brown and Jeremy Martin. Back, Ted Sebben, Alex Martin, Brandon Nickel and Caleb Bauman.

Woolwich squad in playoff run Typically poor showings a thing of the past as team grows confident JONI MILTENBURG The bright yellow hair sported by Woolwich’s minor Midget A team tells the story: these kids are on the playoff hunt.

That’s not the whole story though; heading into the playoffs on a seven-game undefeated streak wasn’t just impressive for this group, it was unprecedented.

Most of the kids on the team have been playing together since they were seven or eight years old. In all those years, their best finish was second last; most years, they finished at the very bottom. Just winning two games back to back was almost unheard-of.

“Thirteen points I think was our high,” said player Graham Colby.

They weren’t close losses

either, those first four or five years. Scores like 8-0, 9-0, 10-0 were common. And over the years, losing all the time began to take a toll.

“It got to the point that these boys would go to the rink knowing that they’re going to lose,” said coach Brad Nickel. “We’d go to tournaments knowing we’d be coming home after the third game.”

Woolwich’s rep teams have

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SPORTS |

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18 | SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Âť THE NOT-SO-GREAT OUTDOORSMAN | STEVE GALEA

Let’s call this one a winter’s winter You always hear the phrase, “He’s a man’s man.� Not necessarily around me, mind you, but it is uttered frequently nevertheless. Well, I’d like to borrow from that phrase and call this winter, “A winter’s winter.�

This winter has been belligerent and uncooperative right from the word go.

I’m not sure how to describe its severity, but let’s just say that if I were a brass monkey, I’d be wearing an insulated jock strap until spring. It’s that cold around here.

This, and last year, in my neck of the woods have been snow-filled events to the point where I think it might be more realistic to create a new season and call it Uberwinter. In my mind, that would be the part of winter where

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it’s too cold for open air ice fishing, snowshoeing for pleasure, and peeing outside – which are, officially, the three things you need to be able to do in order to enjoy winter.

The way I envision it, we could celebrate Uberwinter with wood-burning contests, and by decorating the Festive Heating Duct. Then, family and friends could gather round, under quilts, with hot chocolate in hand, and exchange gifts of electric socks and power augers. After that, we could sing Uberwinter hymns of better times like, “Margaritaville� or “Mr. Sun� and speak fondly of long forgotten things like sunburns and black flies.

The way I see it, this new season would last until the first robins and woodcock return; then we would never speak of it again.

Barring the Uberwinter part, this has been a relatively delightful winter. Lately, I’ve been enjoying it with

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my own version of the biathlon. Essentially, I’ve been carrying the .22 or .243 and wading through deep snow to a safe shooting area in our back 40 and firing a few shots at a target before wading back in and then passing out on the couch.

I walk to the range rather than ski because, quite frankly, a guy with my skiing abilities shouldn’t carry a loaded gun on the way to the next target. Even so, each time I trudge back there I daydream about gliding gracefully across the snowy landscape on skis with loaded rifle slung across my back. In my dreams, I arrive at the shooting post, only mildly winded, and then unsling my rifle while a crowd of event-goers looks on. Then, quick as a flash, I shoot a perfect score.

As the crowd oohs and ahs in amazement, I sling the rifle again and glide away, quiet as a ghost, to the next station.

Of course, I’m a realist. I do understand that I have a few obstacles to overcome before leading the Canadian Biathlon team to our next Olympic gold medals. Cross country skiing skills would probably be helpful. So too would long legs, excellent hand-eye co-ordination, any recognizable sort of musculature, lung capacity, athleticism, natural shooting ability, and discipline. Other than that, I’m a shoe-in for team captain.

I also think it’s prudent to walk before you run, which is why I’m walking out there until I figure out the cross-country skiing part – but don’t worry, I’ve got next Tuesday slated for that. Of course, I’m not unrealistic about my chances of becoming an Olympic-level skier, I know it will take more than that. That’s why I took out a book from the library, too.

Now, is there such a thing as training skis?

Blonde: Believing in themselves Âť From page 16

When Nickel invited Tim Hall to become assistant coach two years ago, Hall hesitated. He’d been captain of the Junior B Waterloo Siskins and played on winning teams as a kid, and he was surprised that this group wasn’t more excited about hockey. “It was almost like a morgue in the change room,� he noted. “I thought pretty long about it and just realized what they’d been through.

The fact that these kids still loved to play hockey even though they hadn’t exactly won a whole lot – it’s hard to keep coming back every season knowing it probably wouldn’t turn out in their favour.�

This season started out as the same story all over again. The Midgets were in familiar territory, back in second last place. But the games were getting closer; by November, they had won a few and were vying for fourth place in the eight-team division.

When it finally happened, the turnaround came where no one expected it.

It was the third game of a Silver Stick tournament in Vaughn. Woolwich had already lost the first two games, so they

decided to play the third game just for fun. Some of the players asked if they could try new positions: a defenceman moved up to centre and a winger dropped back to defence.

Nickel and Hall threw their coaching boards in the corner of the dressing room and left them there. “We said guys, just give us your best effort and we’ll be happy,� Nickel said. “And we won. And we haven’t lost since.�

Something about the new lines clicked. The players settled into their positions. The goalies, who’d been struggling a bit, hit their stride. The coaches threw out some of their systems and refocused on straightforward hockey.

But most importantly, the team realized they could win. “We came out and ‌ beat the first-place team.

We beat the second-place team after that and then we realized we could compete in this division,� said goalie Alex Martin. “It’s a mindset, and over the years of what we’ve been through, we had to find ways to change that mindset,� Nickel said.

Nickel has pulled a few tricks out of his bag to inspire the team. He likes

to re-read a faded newspaper clipping he saved from 2007, about a baseball team that hadn’t won a game all year and went on to win the championship. He also had a sign made that reads “Woolwich Minor Midgets, 2008/09 Tri-county Champions.� At the bottom, it says “OMHA finals, here we come!�

Just convincing the team that they can win, that they can get down by a goal or two and fight back into the game, was half the battle. “We don’t get a lot of bounces, we don’t get a lot of lucky goals, we don’t have a lot of Sidney Crosbys,� Nickel said. “If we’re going to win, we’re going to win on grit, we’re going to win on 100 per cent effort on every shift, we’re going to win on 60 minutes of hockey. These guys can’t give up and they know it now.�

The undefeated streak ended at 11 games in Oakville on Tuesday night, but the Midgets have already knocked Oakville out of the running. They need just one more win to advance to the quarterfinals against Brampton.

Their final round robin game, against Fergus, is tonight in Elmira at 5 p.m.

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SPORTS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

19

Kings: Team coming together in time for playoffs, with just five games to go

PHOTO | JONI MILTENBURG

» From page 16

WINNING FORM Kyle Blaney wheels toward the net during the Sugar Kings game against Cambridge Feb. 1. Blaney notched a second-period goal for Elmira in the win.

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Ranalli raced down the ice on a breakaway and wired a pass across to McNeil, who knocked it in. The period ended with Elmira up four and Cambridge still shut out.

Cambridge finally got on the board 48 seconds into the third frame.

Josh Woolley fed the puck to Tanner Rutland, who found a hole in Elmira’s defence and blasted a shot past Jake Williams.

“I think that [goal] was just hopefully a reminder that we’re a team that can’t let our guard down for even one shift; if we do, we’re going to get punished,” Haddaway said. “I thought we bounced back from that really well.”

Indeed, the Kings clamped down on Cambridge’s offence and allowed nothing else through for the rest of the game. With three minutes to go, Therrien capped the win with a

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power play goal on a feed from Trent Brown.

“The last few games, we’ve been playing great as a team,” Therrien said. “We can finally score too. We’ve outshot most of the teams we played all year, but now we’ve finally found that scoring touch.”

After last night’s game in Owen Sound, the Kings have just five regular-season matches remaining, but Haddaway said they aren’t think-

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“We have to be careful. Every time we think we’re better than we are, we get ourselves into trouble, so we really want to concentrate just on our next game and put our last game behind us, whether it was a good result or a bad result.”

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opening faceoff to the final buzzer,” said coach Geoff Haddaway. “They certainly have three or four really gifted offensive players, but we made a concentrated effort to make life difficult for those guys and I thought for the most part we did a good job.”

The Kings were first on the board with an unexpected goal at 7:22.

Call-up Rob Hinshberger snagged a loose puck when a Cambridge defender went down and beat Clement handily for the point.

Five minutes later, Josh Ranalli made it 2-0 on the power play. Kyle McNeil carried the puck in front of the net, and Ranalli drove it home.

The Kings widened their lead in the second period. At 11:25, after pounding Cambridge with a barrage of shots, Kyle Blaney blasted through to make it 3-0.

Four minutes later,

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20 | SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

» DEBATE ABOUT FIGHTING’S ROLE

OHA moves to reduce fighting New rules in place in reaction to fighting-related death of Don Sanderson of Senior AAA Whitby Dunlops MARC MIQUEL HELSEN The age-old debate about whether to eliminate fighting from hockey was reopened last month with the tragic death of Don Sanderson, a 21-year-old defenceman with the OHA’s Whitby Dunlops.

Sanderson died after spending nearly three weeks in a coma, the result of hitting his head on the ice during an onice fight with a player from the Brantford Blast.

Moving quickly to address the issue, the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA), the governing body for the majority of junior and senior level hockey teams in the province, last week announced new measures meant to curtail the number of fights.

With respect to fights in its games, the OHA will maintain its position on game ejections for fighting. In addition, the body has developed a graduated suspension policy for players who engage in fights that will go into effect beginning in the 2009-2010 season.

Under the new regulations, a player who engages in his third fight in a season will receive a one-game suspension.

After his fourth fight, a

player will receive an additional two-game suspension; after a fifth fight, a three-game suspension; a sixth fight will earn him an indefinite suspension requiring the player to show cause as to why he should be permitted to continue within the OHA program.

OHA president Brent Ladds is confident the changes will help reduce the number of dangerous incidents, such as falls, taking place on the ice.

“The issue that I think we’ve all agreed on is it has less of an opportunity of happening if we can reduce fighting,” said Ladds in an interview.

“I think they’re tied together: the falls to the ice and the helmets not in place, but it’s caused by a fight.”

Those who argue that fighting has a place in the game underscore the fact that most serious injuries occur not so much as a result of the punches that are dealt but the blows that players receive to their heads when they fall to the ice, helmetless.

When engaged in bouts, hockey pugilists often attempt to remove their opponents’ helmets as well as their own before trading jabs.

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– you never seem to worry about the punches. You always seem to worry about the fall and players getting stepped on,” said Elmira Sugar Kings coach Geoff Haddaway.

The OHA said it will work with helmet manufacturers and the Canadian Standards Association to determine whether the current fastening systems for helmets can be improved.

Moving forward, if an OHA player intentionally removes his own helmet or undoes his chinstrap prior to or during a fight, the player will receive a gross misconduct (in addition to any other penalties assessed) and an automatic one-game suspension.

If a player intentionally removes his helmet or undoes his own chinstrap prior to a fight, and his opponent does not remove his helmet, the player removing his helmet or undoing his chinstrap will receive a two-minute minor penalty and a gross misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and an automatic one-game suspension.

If a player intentionally removes an opponent’s helmet or undoes an opponent’s chinstrap prior to or during

a fight, he will receive an automatic gross misconduct penalty in addition to any other penalties assessed and a one-game suspension.

The idea behind the OHA’s beefed-up helmet regulations is that fewer players will engage in fights, knowing that the majority of their blows will likely land on a hard plastic surface.

“I think that will lead to several players going, ‘OK, well, you know what? I don’t think my knuckles can take one more punch to a helmet’ … that might discourage some players from going out and doing that premeditated fight, rather than in the emotion of the game,” said Haddaway.

While fights are not as frequent in Junior B games as they are in the NHL – where the entertainment factor is of a different level – Haddaway said he thinks the OHA’s approach is a reasonable attempt to balance tradition with safety. The three-game window will help curb the number of premeditated fights, but allow for more spontaneous tilts when frustration runs high in the contact sport.

“I share a sort of traditionalist’s point of view: I certainly don’t mind the fighting that comes

Audiologist

the OHA will also monitor other categories of penalties in order to assess whether a tougher policy on fighting leads to an increase in other penalties such as those involving stick infractions.

For other Canadians just as passionate for the game, however, fights have no place on the ice.

“As a parent you really don’t want to see your child involved in a fight out there and the more that can be done to remove it from the game the better it is, from a parent’s standpoint anyway, and from the safety of the players,” said Joe Lepold, father of former Sugar Kings player Scott Lepold.

“My personal feeling is that fighting – you’re there to play hockey, you’re not there to fight – if they could eliminate fighting from the game I would certainly be in favour of that. It’s certainly one of those aspects of the game that people have come to associate with hockey but I’m not sure it needs to be part of the game,” he said, representing the other side of the national debate.

“The game has gotten so quick and so fast and so skilled that sometimes the fighting just detracts from an outstanding game.”

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out of a natural reaction between two players. The premeditated stuff you see [with] several players who will fight late in game, I’m not sure that’s the kind of fighting I like to see.

So, if it eliminates that part of it, then I think it’s a good thing,” said Haddaway, noting he wouldn’t want to see fights totally removed from the game.

“Right or wrong, it’s sort of a tradition and part of our game and I don’t want to sound like I’m trying to encourage that barbaric part of our game, but it’s been at all levels for a long time, and I think the OHA is certainly doing the right thing by taking a look at it in light of the recent events with Don Sanderson – there’s no question about that. I’m all for players’ safety but at the same time, I do like to respect the traditions of the game.”

Ladds holds a similar view.

“Fighting is something that has some historical and traditional presence within the game; I think what we have to do is do what we can do to discourage it and, secondly, monitor it so that we’re confident that it only results from frustration and doesn’t become a tactic within the game,” said Ladds, noting that

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SPORTS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

» JUNIOR D HOCKEY

Another up and down weekend for the Jacks Wellesley squad follows hard-fought win over rivals from Tavistock with weak effort against Thamesford Trojans The Tavistock Braves arrived in Wellesley Jan. 31 looking for payback, but the Applejacks sent them away emptyhanded and fuming courtesy of a 5-4 overtime victory.

The longstanding rivalry between the two squads was given an extra edge by the 8-4 pounding the Jacks delivered to Tavistock on Jan. 9. Wellesley fans in the crowd were rewarded for their dedication, as the Jacks notched their first victory on home ice since October.

“It feels good to finally get the win,” said captain Scott Litt after the game. “It took long enough, but things are starting to click.”

Tied 3-3 through most of the second and third periods, the Jacks finally pulled ahead at the 13-minute mark, only to watch Tavistock tie things up again with three minutes left in regulation.

“We let in a soft goal and in the past that would have sunk us right there,” Litt said.

“Those bounces come and they hurt, but we battled through everything tonight.”

Penalties and penalty killing were Wellesley’s vulnerable points again last Saturday, as Tavistock scored all four of their goals on the power play.

The Braves notched their W O NO N T LIC! E B OP PU E TH

PHOTO | JONI MILTENBURG

JONI MILTENBURG

AROUND HE GOES Dan Berwick carries the puck past a Tavistock defender attempting to knock it away. The Applejacks needed overtime to beat Tavistock 5-4 Jan. 31, their first win on home ice since October. first power play goal just before the end of the period 35 seconds in, with Evan when Hebebrand blasted a Hebebrand mashing the puck slap shot past keeper Luke into the net.

Zehr.

Wellesley got on the board at Five seconds into the second 8:36, with Dan Berwick cross- frame, Parr drew a hooking ing the puck in front of the penalty and Hebebrand scored net and Pat Doyle driving it his third power play goal to home. The Jacks moved out in regain the lead for Tavistock. front six minutes later with a The lead was short-lived, second goal from Doyle, this though. Three minutes later, one on a feed from Eric Parr Read Shantz carried the puck and Rob Bolger. into the corner and wired a Tavistock evened things up See JACKS »22

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Hockeyville committee wants you to show your true colours JONI MILTENBURG The Hockeyville committee wants Woolwich to show its true colours – all over homes, businesses and streets.

Woolwich is still waiting to hear if it has been named to the top five finalists for the CBC Kraft Hockeyville competition. In the meantime, the committee is encouraging people to put up hockeythemed decorations to show their support.

“We want everybody as a community to feel part of Hockeyville so that hopefully when CBC comes, everybody will feel our excitement, because we really want to win this thing,” said committee member Sharon Schultz.

One creative idea is to build a “hockey scarecrow” out of old pieces of equipment and jerseys.

“Everybody’s got old equipment hanging around, everybody’s got old hockey jerseys hanging around.”

Those who don’t can make a poster, a snow sculpture relating to hockey, or just tie a bundle of old hockey sticks with a bow and set them by the door, using the Hockeyville colours of red, white and blue wherever possible.

Businesses are encouraged to show their support too, with a window display of posters and hockey gear or simply by putting a Hockeyville message on their exterior signs. The Woolwich Minor Hockey Association

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got new jerseys for its rep teams this year, and the committee would like to display the old ones inside local businesses.

The decorating committee is also looking for donations of old hockey jerseys to hang from the lampposts along Arthur Street in Elmira.

Two of the five finalists have been announced so far: Terrace, B.C., from the Western region, and Harbour Grace, Newfoundland, from the Atlantic region.

The next finalist will be announced tonight (Saturday) and the remaining two on Feb. 14 and 21.

If Woolwich does make the top five, CBC camera crews will be in town the Thursday following the announcement to film a segment.

“We have such a short time when we find out if we won that finalist position, everything should be prepared,” Schultz said. “There will be so much to do in those few days, there won’t be time to decorate.”

The finalists are vying for the top prize of $100,000, an NHL preseason game and a CBC Hockey Night in Canada broadcast from their community.

Anyone looking for help with decorating can contact Brenda Boland at 519-6642965. Anyone interested in helping the decorating committee or any of the other sub-committees can contact volunteers@woolwichhockeyville.ca.

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22 | SPORTS

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Jacks: Looking beyond season to upcoming playoffs » From page 21

pass to Scott Hanley in front of the net. Hanley put it away to tie things at three goals apiece.

The next 23 minutes passed with no scoring on either side. Wellesley finally broke the deadlock at 13:21 in the third, with Bolger (Doyle, Parr) notching the point.

With three minutes to go, Chris Bauman found an open corner and tied things up, causing a roar from the Tavistock fans and sending the game into overtime.

The Braves nearly ended it 3:32 into overtime, when an attacker found an opening and let a shot rip, but Zehr made a fast glove save to keep the Jacks in the game.

Finally, with just over a minute left, Parr powered the puck into Tavistock’s zone and Bolger hammered it past netminder Billy Whaling to clinch the victory.

After their gritty play on Saturday, the Jacks reverted to their old, undisciplined ways against Thamesford Tuesday

night, going down 8-1 to the Trojans.

Thamesford scored four unanswered goals, two of them unassisted, in the first half of the first period.

After staying out of the box in the first frame, the Jacks racked up 46 minutes in penalties in the second and third, handing Thamesford eight power play opportunities.

The Trojans added a fifth goal on the power play before Ryan Kuepfer put Wellesley on the

board in the last seconds of the second frame.

The third period was all about Thamesford again, as the top team in the division added three more goals to their total. Over the course of the game, the Jacks managed just 18 shots to Thamesford’s 35.

The Jacks have four games remaining in the regular season before they head into the playoffs, where they are guaranteed a berth.

“We had a good team meeting on [Jan. 28]

about making a push for the playoffs and proving to ourselves and the rest of the league that we’re not going to be a pushover,” Litt said. “We’re not going to score many pretty goals out there but if we keep working hard, we’re going to get our bounces.”

The Jacks will have to work on staying out of the box and killing penalties more effectively if they want to last past the first round. Wellesley sits second from the bottom of the league on

penalty killing percentage.

The Jacks are now 8-226, but Litt said the team is going to put the disappointing season behind them and focus on the games to come.

“The way we look at it, we’ve got 40 exhibition games. We’re trying to get a good head of steam going into the playoffs. If you work hard, anything can happen.”

The Jacks take on North Middlesex tonight (Saturday) in Wellesley.

Game time is 7:30 p.m.

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SPORTS |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

SCORECARD

Submit your sports scores to Joni: jmiltenburg@woolwichobserver.com

BELLE RINGETTE WOOLWICH REDHOTS

Feb. 2

Game 3

Jan. 28

Twin Centre 3 Woolwich 2 Twin Centre goals: Kate Uberig x3 (Jenna Voisin, Rebecca Cornwall, Emily Detzler) Woolwich goals: Stacy Thompson, Lisa Ashworth (Heather Lorenz, Nikki Bisbee, Mandy Martin, Sam Grace)

Woolwich 7 Dresden 0 Goals: Bradley Hale, Brody Waters x3, Noah Scurry, Owen Hill-Ring (Riley Demers x2, Owen Hill-Ring x2, Connor Bradley) Shutout: Jackson Hale

Woolwich 10Â Guelph 1 Goals: Tabatha Horst x4, Steph Thomas x2, Jenna Petker, Amanda Poole, Shelley Shantz, Michelle Poole (Steph Thomas x4, Jenna Petker x3, Tabatha Horst x2, Amber Bauman, Shelley Shantz Michelle Poole x2, Amanada Poole)

BELLE RINGETTE WOOLWICH LIGHTNING Feb. 1

Woolwich 7 Waterloo 4 Goals: Barb Huegle, Nikki Bisbee, Rebecca Walker, Michelle Conlon x3, Megan O’Hara (Barb Huegle x2, Nikki Bisbee, Kelly Barnes, Nicki Brubacher, Rebecca Walker, Megan O’Hara, Nikki Kutchaw)

WOOLWICH ATOM B GIRLS Jan. 28

Woolwich 3 Waterloo 1 Goals: Emily Willms x2, Caitlin Pickard (Meghan Martin x2, Emily Willms)

WOOLWICH PEEWEE B GIRLS Jan . 30

Woolwich 2 Ancaster 1 Goals: Cora Kieswetter, Kendra Harold (Madeleine Wang x2, Kendra Harold, Cora Kieswetter)

GRAND RIVER NOVICE LL #2 BOYS Jan. 31

Woolwich 4 Ayr 4 Goals: Blake Roemer x2, Austin Cousineau, Travis Weber (Hunter Schmitt, Isiah Katsube, Austin Cousineau x2) Feb. 1

LL#2 5 LL#4 0 Goals: Austin Cousineau x3, Isiah Katsube, Travis Weber (Bruce Martin, Byrce Sellers x2, Sam Sabean) Shutout: Nathan Maier

GRAND RIVER NOVICE LL #5 BOYS Jan. 31

Woolwich 5 Plattsville 4 Goals: Kyle Gingrich, Riley Shantz x2, Lukas Shantz, Griffen Rollins (Lukas Shantz x2, Noah Bauman)

WOOLWICH MINOR NOVICE LL #1 BOYS Jan. 28

Woolwich 5 Tavistock 1

Goals: Brody Waters, Ryan Elliott, Connor Bradley, Noah Scurry, Jacob Code (Owen Lucier, Cole Campbell, Brody Waters)

LLFHL BANTAM B GIRLS Nepean tournament Jan. 30 – Game 1

Nepean 1 Woolwich 1 Goal: Melanie Schwartzentruber (Sarah Church, Jennifer Norris) Game 2

Ottawa 2 Woolwich 1

Goal: Melanie Schwartzentruber (Sarah Church, Jennifer Norris)

WOOLWICH MIDGET LL GIRLS

Dresden Cup Tournament Jan. 31 – Game 1

Woolwich 2Â Petrolia 2 Goals: Brody Waters and Jacob Code (Matthew Dunn) Game 2

Woolwich 2 Wallaceburg 1 Goals: Connor Bradley, Brody Waters (Brody Waters, Jacob Code)

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Semi-finals

Woolwich 4 Point Edward 1 Goals: Bradley Hale x2, Jacob Code x2 (Matthew Dunn x2, Jackson Hale, Owen Hill-Ring, Seth Morrison, Riley Demers, Jacob Code)

Colby Bond, Jacob Dubue, Nathan Schwarz (Mathew Uhrig, Alex Taylor, Aaron Weigel, Colby Bond) Feb. 1

Woolwich 5 Hespeler 1 Goals: Colby Bond, Gareth Rowland, Brett Henry, Alex Taylor, Nathan Schwarz (Nathan Schwarz, Mathew Uhrig, Sheldon Metzger x2, Nick Kieswetter, Colby Bond, Cameron Rose)

Championship

WOOLWICH MAJOR ATOM A BOYS

Tillsonburg 2 Woolwich 1 Goal: Brody Waters

Jan. 28 – Game 3

OMHA playoffs

WOOLWICH MAJOR NOVICE BOYS OMHA playoffs Jan. 31

Woolwich 5 Owen Sound 4 Goals: Cade Schaus, Keanan Stewart x3, Sam Davidson (Austin Whittom, Cade Schaus, Tyler McBay, Sam Davidson) Feb. 1

Woolwich 5 Hespeler 2 Goals: Greg Huber x2, Kelby Martin, Connor Goss, Mathieu Fife (Connor Goss, Tyler Moser, Jayden Hipel, Connor Runstedler, Connor Bauman, Greg Huber, Liam Dickson) Jan. 31– Game 4

Woolwich 1 Wellington 0 Goals: Danyal Rennie (Connor Bauman) Shutout: Evan Courtis

Oakville 7 Woolwich 4 Goals: Cade Schaus, Liam Hartman x2, Cole Altman (Keanan Stewart, Tyler McBay, Sammy Huber, Cade Schaus, Liam Hartman, Sam Davidson)

Feb. 3 – Game 5

WOOLWICH ATOM LL #1 BOYS

Jan. 31

Jan. 31

Woolwich 2 Guelph 1 Goals: Mathieu Fife x2 (Mason Buehler, Connor Runstedler, Greg Huber)

WOOLWICH PEEWEE LL #1 BOYS

Woolwich 6 Beverly 3 Goals: Jake Lewis x5, Zach Pogue (Walker Schott, Ryan Shantz, Benton Weber x2, Tim Mayberry)

LL#1 4 LL#3 0 Goals: Spencer Anderson, Dylan Arndt, Matt Lalonde, Christopher Taylor (Jake Bruder x2, Isaac Fishbein, Matt Lalonde) Shutout: Zac Martin, Curtis Young

WOOLWICH ATOM LL#2 BOYS

WOOLWICH PEEWEE LL #2 BOYS

Jan. 24

Jan. 31 Woolwich 3 Ayr 3

Embro 6 Woolwich 3 Goals: Tyler Martin, Ryan Diemert, Jon Martin (Tyler Martin, James Cooper) Jan. 31

Woolwich 2 St George 1 Goals: Jon Martin, Tyler Martin (Luke Charter, James Cooper, Liam Catton)

Goals: Dan Faries, Jordan Aivaliotis, Luke Yaeger (Jordan Weber, Morgan MacPhee, Lucas Nosal)

Hespeler 6 Woolwich 4 Goals: Alex White, Jordan Shantz, Owen Griffiths, Calvin Cressman (Bradley Mathieson (x2), Owen Griffiths, Spencer Inglis

Jan. 30

Woolwich 4 New Hamburg 1 Goals: Jordan Aivaliotis, Cole Martin, Bradley Thomas x2 (Bradley Thomas, Christian Davenport x2, Jordan Weber, Lucas Nosal, Drew Jansen)

WOOLWICH MINOR PEEWEE A BOYS Jan. 25 – Round Robin Game 3

Goals: Alex Uttley, Evan Martin (Evan Martin, Luke Brown)

WOOLWICH BANTAM AE BOYS

Jan. 28 – Game 4

Jan. 17

Woolwich 5 Centre Wellington 2 Goals: Jason Gamble, Adam Jokic, Grant Kernick, Nicholas Pavanel, Harrison Clifford (Cole Conlin x2, Nicholas Pavanel, Alex Uttley, Matthew Leger x2, Harrison Clifford, Jason Gamble)

Woolwich 3 Hespeler 2 Goals: Evan Yantha, Sebastian Huber, Jordan Moore (Mackenzie Martin) Jan. 24

Woolwich 2 Centre Wellington 0 Goals: Mackenzie Martin, Josh Simpson (Simon Baleshta) Shutout: Blake Zeigler

Jan. 31 – Game 5

Woolwich 2 Centre Wellington 1 Goals: Matthew Leger, Harrison Clifford (Harrison Clifford, Alex Uttley)

Jan. 25

Grimsby 4 Woolwich 0

Feb. 1 – Game 6

Feb. 1

Woolwich 3 Brampton 1 Goals: Grant Kernick, Cole Lenaers, Harrison Clifford (Matthew Leger, Adam Jokic)

Woolwich 2 Hespeler 0 Goals: William Frank, Jordan Moore (Jordan Moore) Shutout: Blake Zeigler

Feb. 3 – Game 7

Woolwich 3 Milton 2 Goals: Alex Uttley, Cole Lenaers, Harrison Clifford (Harrison Clifford, Alex Uttley, Adam Jokic, Nicholas Pavanel)

WOOLWICH MINOR BANTAM BOYS Jan. 30

Hespeler 3 Woolwich 2 OT Goals: Eric VanGerwen, Jake Moggy (McKinley Ceasar, Matt Townsend, Evan Buehler)

WOOLWICH MAJOR PEEWEE Jan. 31

WOOLWICH MAJOR BANTAM A BOYS

Oakville 4 Woolwich 1 Goal: Alex Maclean (Adrian Gilles)

Jan. 31

Woolwich 4 Owen Sound 0 Goals: Jake Kernick, Ryan Ament x2, Stephen Kardasz (Alex David, Stephen Kardasz, Ryan Ament) Shutout: Tyler MacGregor

WOOLWICH BANTAM LL #2 BOYS Jan. 17

Goals:Â Zeke Schneider x2, Mackenzie Turchan (Stephen McCabe, Ryan Devries, Nathan Dowdall, Zach Goetz)

WOOLWICH RUSSELL PEEWEE AE Jan. 25

Jan. 31

Woolwich 2 Centre Wellington 0 Goals: Andrew Stoltz, Spencer Inglis (Baily Nickel, Alex White, Joseph Dubue)

Woolwich 5 Centre Wellington 3 Goals: Gareth Rowland, Brant McLaughlin,

Centre Wellington 1 Woolwich 0

RUSSELL ATOM AE BOYS

Feb. 3

Feb. 1

23

LL#2 4 LL#3 1 LL #2 goals: Lucas Nosal x2, Bradley Thomas, Conor Jansen (Brad Talbot x2, Christian Davenport x2, Dan Faries, Jordan Aivaliotis­) LL #3 goals: Ben Meyer (Thomas Bromberg, Jacob Hahn)

Feb. 1

Hespeler 2 Woolwich 1 Goals: Ryan Ament (Jake Kernick)

WOOLWICH BEECHEY JUVENILE BOYS

Jan. 23

Feb. 1

New Hamburg 4 Woolwich 2 Goals: Bradley Thomas, Christian Davenport (Drew Jansen, Lucas Nosal)

Woolwich 9 Aylmer 6 Goals: Cody Bates x3, Brian Kron x3, Zack Hergott, Nick Densmore, Shawn Reinhart (Shawn Reinhart x3, Brian Kron, Zack Holle x2, Brian Martin, Derek Goetz)

Jan. 24

Woolwich 3 Ayr 2

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25% - 50% OFF pet apparel, beds & more! Region’s best selection available at Creature Comfort Pet Emporium, 1553 King ST. N., St. Jacobs. 519664-3366, www.creaturecomfort.ca

er Limited 4X4 - 5.7L MDS, auto trans, fully loaded including leather seats, 3 sunroofs, trailer hitch, 7 passenger seating, finished in black. Only 32,000 kms. Sale Priced $28,900. Voisin Chrysler 519-669-2831.

WANTED 2008 Dodge Avenger Adults with high blood SXT 4dr. 2.7L V6 Auto cholesterol NOT on cho- Trans. AM/FM CD Radio, lesterol-lowering medica- pw. pdl. Tilt/cruise, alum. tions needed for University road wheels, finished of Guelph OAT CEREAL in Lt. Sandstone. Only study. Financial compen- 31,397 kms. Sale Priced sation. 519-824-4120 $ 16,900. Voisin Chrysler, ext. 58081 or oatsudy@ 519-669-2831. uoguelph.ca 2008 Dodge Gr. Caravan SE - 3.3L V6, auto AUTOMOTIVE trans, fully loaded inStow N Go seat2000 Hyundai - good cluding ing, rear air/heat. Pwr b o d y, c o m p l e t e n e w driver seat, finished in brakes and struts. Excelblack. Only 30,532 kms. lent battery and engine. $18,900. Voisin Chrysler, Good tires. $1500 as is.

519-669-2831.

Call 519-669-5759. 2 0 0 4 D o d g e R a m TRADES & 1500 SLT Quad Cab 4X4 SERVICES - 5.7L hemi, auto, pwr windows, pwr door locks, House Cleaner Availpwr driver seat, tilt/cruise, able. Honest and reliable.

AM/FM CD radio. Fin- Call 519-342-6751 (Elmira ished in Lt. blue. ONly number).

62,000 kms. Sale Priced $16,900. Voisin Chrysler RENTALS 519-669-2831. St. Jacobs - Upscale 2005 Dodge Gr. Cara- apt. in village core. One van SXT - 3.8L V6 auto + bedroom, controlled trans, fully equipped in- entrance, includes 5 apcluding Stow N Go seat- pliances, ensuite launing, O/H console, rear dry, A/C. 1,064 SF. Rent air/heat, pwr door group, $1,200 per month (utilipwr driver seat, pwr. adj. ties extra). Available impedals, AM/FM 6 disc CD mediately. Steps away radio, one owner. Finished from excellent shopping, in linen gold. Only 52, restaurants, theatre, na652 kms. $14,900. Voisin ture trails. 519-664-2293 Chrysler 519-669-2831. ext. 322.

rentals

rentals

Bedroom Semi detached bungalow in Wellesley. 950 sq. ft.,open concept kitchen and living room. Gas fireplace in living room french doors to deck. Fridge, stove, washer, dryer plus all utilities included. Including snow removal and lawn mowing. $900 monthly.

Available March 1 or April 1. Ideal for elderly, no steps. Call Jim at 519588-1045 days or 519656-3322, evenings.

2 Yr Old luxury 3 bedroom, 21/2 bath home with garage. Paved drive, deck, professional landscaping.

Hardwood floors & ceramic, large master bedroom w/on-suite. Finished basement. Available Feb. 15th. $1,200/mth + utilities. Call 519-669-0003, ask for Denise.

100% Local.

Period.

BY THE NUMBERS

REMEMBER: you must not repeat the numbers 1 through 9 in the same line, column or 3x3 box.

Find the answers to this week’s puzzles on page 27.

519-664-2281

Hip Barn Roof (classic) Winter Clearance Sale. 2007 Jeep Command- Two

109ftx32ft, hand made truss, double wide, original 2x4, 6, 8, etc. Tobacco scaffold complete, Conklin lumber, bottom to top and 1946 plus WW2 galvanized steel needs only paint. 1pc. move possible, FOR SALE to move to new foundation disassemble. Must see 8 Foot Arctic Snow or to appreciate strength. plow blade for truck, in Also 40x60ft barn, 1934, great shape, 3 spring barn Board, beams, 1963 unit, needs new motor galvanized roof. Phone and hosing. Best offer.

519-984-2604 Kingsville.

519-664-3703. W e l c o m e T o O u r WORK WANTED Spring Fabric Sale at Frocks N’ Fabrics. A large Landscaping - Need selection of fabrics at re- help with spring mainteduced prices. Tuesday, nance, lawn and flower February 17 - Saturday, beds (weeding)? Apply February 28. Monday - now, make arrangements Saturday 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. come spring. $8 - $10/ hour. Call afternoon or 519-846-9250. Air Tight Stove - New, evening 519-664-2657. never used. 6� flue, 18� Furniture door with glass. Also, 7� REFINISHING insulated chimney. 6 sections by 36� long. Call Cooper’s Furniture Re519-669-5759. finishing. Specializing in 43’ Park Model Trailer handstripping, repairing, for sale $39,900. 1989 church interiors and pews, Northlander Supreme dining room sets, rockers, 12’X43’ with 12’x30’ fac- chairs, doors, antiques tory addition, sun porch, and upholstery. Highest covered rear deck, stor- quality workmanship. Pick age shed, fridge, stove, up/delivery. Free estiair conditioner. Clean mates. 519-579-1475. condition with numerous updates. Located on a HAY & STRAW shaded lot with paved Hay and Straw - 4X4 driveway in GreenAcre round bales for sale. Call Park, Waterloo. Must be 519-830-3726. vacated 2 months in the winter. Park rental may be Hay For Sale. Alfalcontinued, or trailer may fa timothy mix, no rain, be moved to your location. big square and round silage bales. Call Tony 519-575-6314.

Page 1 519-638-5331.

Âť through 9 only once. Each 3x3 box is outlined with a darker line. You already have a few numbers to get you started.

47 Northside Dr., St. Jacobs, ON

Help

Us Grow Our Business! Require motivated, teachable person to assist with growing financial services business. Training provided.

Call 519-489-2591 for more details.

automotive

Š2008 Cathedral Communications Inc.

2007 FORD FUSION SEL V6 Auto Power locks & windows. 59,000KM. Finished in Silver. $13,900.

2006 FORD FREESTAR SPORT V6 DVD. One owner.

158,000KM. Finished in Blue. $6,995.

2006 FORD RANGER EXTENDED CAB 2WD Auto A/C Cruise Control 63,000KM. Finished in Red. $11,000.

2005 FORD FREESTYLE 2WD V6 Auto 7 passenger 110,000KM. Finished in Green. $10,500.

2005 TOYOTA CORROLLA Auto. Power locks & windows.

Cruise 102,000KM. Finished in Green. $10,900.

2004 CHEVROLET OPTRA Auto. Power locks & windows, 116,000KM. Finished in Silver. $5,900.

2001 LEXUS ES300 Loaded. 152,000KM. Finished in Sage. $11,900.

FOR SALE

EASY

SALES & SERVICE

HELP WANTED

MEDIUM

2009

PETS

FAX | 519.669.5753 EMAIL | sales@ObserverXtra.com

HARD

Automotive

519.669.5790 | 1.888.966.5942

HOW TO PLAY: Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1

CLASSIFIED DEPT. SALES & SERVICE

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

AD RATES | Residential 20-Word Ad $7.50 Extra Words 20¢/word | Commercial 20-Word Ad $12.00 Extra Words 30¢/word | Bold Headline Add $1.00 /line | Display Ads are quoted individually.

PLACING A CLASSIFIED ADVERTISEMENT | Classified ads can be obtained in person, by phone | fax from Monday to Thursday 8:30am-5pm or Friday 8:30am-4pm. Email queries to classifieds@woolwichobserver.com 24/7 - email will be replied by next business day. All classified ads are prepaid by Visa | MasterCard | Debit | Cash | Cheque unless on account. Deadline is Thursdays by 10am.

ADVERTISING POLICY | All advertising is accepted subject to the Publisher’s discretion.

The Publisher will not be responsible for damages arising out of errors in advertisements beyond the amount paid for the space occupied by that portion of the advertisement in which the error occured. Please check your ad on the first day of publication. The Observer’s responsibility, if any, is limited to the charge for the space for one insertion only.

CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Community Information Page THE TOWNSHIP OF WOOLWICH "Proudly remembering our past; confidently embracing our future."

P.O. BOX 158, 24 CHURCH ST. W. ELMIRA, ONTARIO N3B 2Z6 WEBSITE: www.woolwich.ca

USE OF TOWNSHIP PROPERTY #76-2006

TEL: 519-669-1647 or 519-664-2613 FAX: 519-669-1820

AFTER HOURS EMERGENCY: 519-575-4504

NOTICE OF PUBLIC MEETING TUESDAY MARCH 3, 2009 - 7:00 P.M.

The Township of Woolwich has in place a by-law to regulate the use of Township property.

Township Council Chambers 24 Church Street West, Elmira

The by-law states that:

Regarding

TOWNSHIP PROPERTY – Includes but is not limited to vacant or other lands owned by the Township, a highway, roadway, sidewalk, pedestrian way, boulevard, watercourse, building, or structure.

MARHAVEN FARMS LIMITED (ZONE CHANGE 4/2009) AND SHANTZ STATION TERMINAL LIMITED (ZONE CHANGE 5/2009)

1.

No person shall throw, drop, place, or otherwise deposit refuse or debris, or any other similar items on any Township property unless authorized by the Township.

The Township of Woolwich will hold a Public Meeting, under Section 34 of the Planning Act, to consider the following Zone Change applications. No decisions will be made at this meeting; its purpose is to provide additional information to the public and agencies and to receive comments and information from them.

2.

No person shall pick over, interfere with, disturb, remove or scatter any material placed in garbage or other refuse receptacle placed by the Township intended for the collection of garbage, paper, cans, rubbish, or similar items of refuse.

3.

No person shall block, interfere with or otherwise impede the passage of any pedestrian on any Township sidewalk or other Township pedestrian-way, or portion thereof, unless authorized by the Township.

4.

No person shall ride or otherwise operate any motorized vehicle on any sidewalk or pedestrian way within the Township unless for the purpose of maintaining such sidewalk or pedestrian way and as authorized by the Township or other Provincial legislation as may be applicable to such motorized vehicle.

Anyone found violating the by-law will be fined. To report an offence under the Township Use by-law, please call the Municipal Law Enforcement Division action line at 519-6691647 extension 6106 and leave a message.

Please see the Township website for more information on the by-law including set fines at www.woolwich.ca.

MOTORIZED SNOW VEHICLES BY-LAW #8-94

The Township of Woolwich has in place a by-law to regulate, govern or prohibit the operation of motorized snow vehicles in the Township.

The by-law states that: No person shall operate a motorized snow vehicle within any settlement area within the Township of Woolwich during the following hours:

Marhaven Farms Limited (Zone Change 4/2009) The Township of Woolwich has received an application from Marhaven Farms Limited (Stuart Martin) for the property described as German Company Tract, Part Lot 27 and located at 141 / 161 Hawkesville Road, St. Jacobs (see Map 1). The 36.8 hectare (91 acre) farm is designated Rural and Restricted Land Use Area in the Township’s Official Plan and is zoned Agricultural (A). The property is developed with two single family dwellings and a dairy operation.

The purpose of the application is to amend the Agricultural zoning with a site-specific amendment through a Temporary Use By-law, to allow a mobile home (granny suite), as a third dwelling unit, to be located on the property for a 10 year period. The proposed granny suite will be occupied by the applicant’s in-laws and would be attached to the second dwelling (141 Hawkesvillle Road) with an enclosed breezeway. The main dwelling (161 Hawkesville Road) will be occupied by the applicant’s son and the applicant will occupy the second dwelling.

Shantz Station Terminal Limited (Zone Change 5/2009) The Township has received an application from Shantz Station Terminal Limited for the property described as GCT Part Lot 85, Plan 574 Part Closed Road RP58R-6283 Part 1 and RP58R14110 Part 1 and located at 1855 Shantz Station Road (see Map 2). The 44 hectare (108 acre) property is designated Rural Land Use and Restricted Land Use Area in the Township’s Official Plan and is zoned Agricultural (A) with site-specific provisions to allow an agricultural rail transfer facility. The property is developed with an office building, grain elevator and silos.

The purpose of the application is to amend the site-specific provisions to allow a flour mill as an additional use and to remove the maximum tonnage for storage on the property in the area of the silos.

The proposal will allow for the development of the flour mill and additional silos for the rail transfer facility within an area of approximately 2.5 hectares of the property. The applicant also proposes to construct a 139 square metre (1,500 square foot) office addition to the house to accommodate additional employees.

a) between the hours of 11 o’clock p.m. of any Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday and the hour of 7 o’clock a.m. of the following day (unless the following day is a holiday); b) between the hour of 1 o’clock a.m. and the hour of 7 o’clock a.m. of any Saturday, Sunday or holiday.

No person shall operate a motorized snow vehicle in or upon public parks, playgrounds, walkways or cemeteries.

No person shall operate a motorized snow vehicle along a sidewalk situated on any road.

Please Note:

Anyone found violating the by-law will be fined. To report a motorized snow vehicle please call the Municipal Law Enforcement Division action line at 519-669-1647 extension 6106 and leave a message.

Zoning Amendment If a person or public body that files an appeal of a decision of the Council of the Township of Woolwich in respect of the proposed zoning by-laws does not make oral submissions at a public meeting or make written submissions to the Council of the Township of Woolwich before the proposed zoning by-law amendments are adopted, the Ontario Municipal Board may dismiss all or part of the appeal.

Please see the Township website for more information on the by-law including set fines at www.woolwich.ca.

OVERNIGHT PARKING BAN Effective December 1st to April 1st, parking is prohibited on all Township roads and streets from 2:30 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. to facilitate winter road maintenance operations. Vehicles found parked overnight on Township roads during the parking ban or on Regional roads at any time will be ticketed. For further information, please call 519-669-1647 Extension 6009 or 6005.

Additional information pertaining to these planning applications is available for review at the Township of Woolwich Municipal Office between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, or by contacting Engineering and Planning staff at 519-669-1647.

If you cannot attend the meeting, you can express your concerns/comments about the proposed change in writing to the Township of Woolwich. Any comments received on or before February 24, 2009 (Note that this date is before the public meeting) will be included in a report prepared by Engineering and Planning Services and presented at the Public Meeting. Any comments received after the Public Meeting, but prior to Council making a decision on the applications, will also be considered.

If you wish to be notified of additional Township public meetings or Township staff reports regarding these applications you must make a written request to Engineering and Planning Services at the Township of Woolwich at the address shown at the top of this page.

25

26 | CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Puzzle answers, games, opinion polls and much more at:

www.kidscoop.com

HOME HUNTERS Barry Kurtz Broker of Record Tel: 519-763-4500 Fax: 519-837-1442

490 Woolwhich St., Guelph, ON N1H 3X5

Objects, people and buildings look different from different points of view or perspectives. Look at the two pictures of the coffee cup. Then, match each top view in the pictures below to its side view.

BACKING ON TO PARK Tidy 3 bedroom backsplit with large eat-in kitchen. Living room with laminate, lower level features recroom with walkup and 2pcs bathroom. New furnace and air conditioning system 2007, bathrooms updated 2008. A delightful home. Flexible closing.

0 ,40 28 2 $

What if some of the things on today’s page were viewed from below, rather than from above? Can you identify each object?

OPEN HOUSE - Sunday Feb 8th, 2-4PM 12 Aspen Cres. Elmira

R.W. THUR REAL ESTATE LTD. 45 ARTHUR ST. S., ELMIRA

Imagine you are a bird, flying above your school and its surrounding neighborhood.

What would the area look like from your bird’s-eye view?

BROKERAGE

519-669-2772

Here are some pictures of places in Kid Scoop City.

Can you match each side view to the view from above on the map?

BRAD MARTIN Broker of Record

JULIE HECKENDORN Broker Res: 519-669-1068 Res: 519-669-8629 MVA Residential

ALLI NORRIS Sales Rep. Cell: 519-577-6248

OPEN HOUSE

BILL NORRIS Sales Rep. Cell: 519-588-1348

TRACEY WILLIAMS Sales Rep. Cell: 519-505-0627

SUN. FEB 8th, 2-4 PM

62 Poffenroth Path, Elmira

LIKE NEW Spacious semi in a new subdivision. Ceramic flrs, maple cabinets, convenient side entrance to bsmt. 12’ wide garage.

Large master w/walk-in closet and ensuite. MLS $239,900.

MOVE IN! New home w/

walkout bsmt! 3 baths (ensuite).

Large kitchen. Maple cabinets, hardwood. Main flr. laundry.

Upper level fam. room. Lots of upgrades. MLS. $355,000.

GREAT FOR FIRST TIME BUYERS C L O S E T O D O W N T O W N 3 bdrms, huge master w/ ensuite and w/i closet. Open concept mn flr. w/ walkout to cedar deck and lovely landscaping. Mn flr. 2-pce and laundry. Finished bsmt.

MLS. $217, 900.

Find a picture in the newspaper. Redraw it as if you were looking at it from above.

Cathy has $43. She wants to buy five things at five different stores in Kid Scoop City and spend exactly $43. Which five things can she buy?

-Sidesplit offers a huge rec. room w/fireplace & walkout to large deck. Most windows replaced.

Updated furnace & central air.

Two bathrooms. Deep lot. MLS. $289,900.

3 B E D R O O M B R I C K NEW HOME open concept main BUNGALOW - w/ updated flr, Great room with cathedral

POINTS VIEW PLACES COFFEE CITY OBJECTS MARKET HOTEL PEOPLE SCHOOL CAFE MATCH SIDE FIRE HIGH

Find the words in the puzzle, then in this week’s Kid Scoop stories and activities.

flooring. Gas fireplace in rec. rm, updated furnace. Bsmt potential!

Large rear yard, shed w/hydro.

MLS. $239, 900.

ceiling. Ceramic in entr y, kitchen & baths, APPLIANCE PKG INCLUDED (3). NEW MLS $274,900.

E L P O E P H I G H S E E B I O E N P G F M R J T O D O M C

V E R S S E C A L P

DRAYTON Beauty! - Custom built DRAYTON - SPACIOUS with quality throughout! 9’ ceilings. 4-level back split. Oversized Maple cabinetry. Hardwood flrs. 3 kitchen -walkout to covered gas f/p’s. Fin. rec. room, bdrm. & deck & deep lot. 3+1 bedrooms, Describe the geography of where office in lower level. Huge garage. 2 baths, dble garage. MLS. you$424, live. near a body MLS 900.Do you live$234,900.

I T I E E H C T A M

EXISTING CHURCH! Seating INVESTMENT PROPERTY

D A I E Y T I C O F F R L C E N S F R E W K E T T E F N F T

W S F V L O O H C S

of water? In a desert? In a valley?

Describe the landforms, weather,5 plex, always capacity 175+. Major addition at well maintained fullyplace occupied! rearcolors in 1986, incl. basement. andfullfeel of the in Shows a good return on your investment!

Ideal for office, lofts, etc.C-1 which you live.

MLS. $509,000.

Zoning. MLS. $649,000.

»

CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

HOME HUNTERS ELMIRA REAL ESTATE Independently Owned & Operated, Brokerage SERVICES

519-669-1544 24hrs 17 Church St. W., Elmira www.thefreyteam.com

519-669-3192

90 Earl Martin Dr., Unit 1, Elmira N3B 3L4

Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated

THE FREY TEAM

WEBSITE: www.remaxsolidgold.biz

Len Frey

Mildred Frey

SALES REP*

BROKER**

EMAIL: paul@remaxsolidgold.biz

DIRECT................519-503-9533 HOME .................519-669-3074 OFFICE ................519-888-7110

BONNIE BRUBACHER Broker of Record

SHANNA ROZEMA Broker.

DARREN ROMKEY Sales Rep.

LAURIE LANGDON Sales Rep.

DALE KELLER Sales Rep.

Mary Lou Murray

Wendy Taylor

SALES REP*

BROKER**

marylou@mmrealestate.ca

wendy@thefreyteam.com

frey@golden.net

ADDRESS: 180 Weber St. S., Waterloo

27

MONIQUE BRUBACHER Sales Rep.

THIS WEEK'S FEATURE PROPERTIES

Immediate Possession OPEN HOUSE - Sunday Feb 8, 2-4pm

Move right in to this beautiful quailty built bungalow featuring 9’ and vaulted ceilings, arches, 18” ceramic throughout foyer and kitch, great room & dining area features beech hardwood flrs, maple cabinets with no slam drawers, breakfast bar.

Master bedrm leads to gorgeous 5 piece bath, Dbl garage, extra ht in basement, main flr laundry.

$209,900 - ELMIRA | GREAT DEAL. Perfect for first time buyer needing lots of space.

Nice open kitchen with large dining area. 3 bedrooms, 1 in finished basement, rec room, gas heat stove and moveable bar w/fridge. MLS CALL MARY LOU** TO VIEW.

OPEN HOUSE SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM 35 and 42 ROBERTA STREET, ELMIRA

PARADIGM 2 STOREY AND MODEL BUNGALOW HOME

$424,900 | 11 Coral Gables, Elmira

Homes starting at $312,000. Beautifully appointed homes offering many designs and styles, superior kitchens, ensuite baths, fireplace and HRV are some of their standard features. Located near the new Rec Centre, schools and downtown. Visit our open house or make an appointment.

Magnificent

A must see, maple cabinets, hardwood and stairs, huge foyer feat ceramic floors & cathedral ceiling, open concept, walkout from kitchen to back deck.

Beautifully landscaped prop. asphalt drive to insul 720 sq ft shed with hydro & plumb. Finished basement. Walking distance to golf course & curling club, oversized dbl garage, 45 yr shingle, extra attic insulation, the extras are too many to list. MLS.

2 BEDROOMS

$93,000 | Nicely finished with additional storage, 4 piece bath, 4 appliances, 2 outside sheds and patio. Walking distance to the New Wal Mart. MLS.

$695,000

ALMOST NEW

$324,900 | NEW PRICE | Beautiful

This Exceptional Home Is located in the quiet community of Elmira, quality at every corner throughout this beautiful home, 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, fantastic maple kitchen, cozy family room with gas fireplace, Master bedroom with deluxe ensuite, extra height ceilings including basement. Double garage.

This home is not fully finished but photos reflect the proper appearance.

THIS ONE IS FOR YOU.

updates, oak staircase, hardwood, fireplace, spacious kitchen/dinette; 3 Baths, 3 Bedrooms, basement electrical r.i. and drywalled. 6 appliances. MLS.

$289,900 | Beautiful piece of property;

$449,000

Solid Gold Realty (II) Ltd., Brokerage Independently Owned and Operated

4B Arthur St. S. Elmira t www.remaxsolidgold.biz OFFICE: 519-669-5426

LOCATION, LOCATION

spacious 5 level side split. Formal living/ dining, eat-in kitchen, 3+ bedroom, 2 baths with r.i. on recroom level. Loads of potential. MLS

Beautiful!!!

Location, lot, extras & quality makes this property a must see, ceramic in foyer, kitch & bathrooms. Hardwood in livrm & dinrm, kitch features pantry & cherry cabinets with glass doors, 9’ ceilings on main flr, 10’in mast bedrm, covered deck with composite board. Exposed aggregate on porch & driveway. Double garage with stairway leading to finished basement that features rec room and excercise rm.

MAPLETON | 100 acre farm with 35,000 sq. ft. single level barn set up for hogs and wellkept 14 yr. old, 2000 sq. ft. 3 bedrm, 3 bath home. 90 acres cultivated, 32x68 quonset style drive shed. Home features mainfloor laundry, separate diningrm, eat-in country kitchen, separately fenced inground pool and much more. MLS Call Wendy Taylor.

DIRECT: 519-572-2669 EMAIL: bert@remaxsolidgold.biz

JUST LISTED

$289,000 DRAYTON | This is a fully furnished 4 bedroom bungalow on a very large lot overlooking pristine green space and features a cedar deck, professionally landscaped, patio and 2 wood-burning fireplaces. NEW MLS.

$549,000

www.

SMALL TOWN LIVING

$267,000 HEIDELBERG | Old charm and modern updates in this family home; main floor laundry; family room; patio; hot tub; fenced yard; separated workshop/garage with upper level. NEW MLS.

.com

IN PRINT | ONLINE | IN PICTURES | IN DEPTH

P L A C E S O F FA I T H

Further Information: WEBSITE: www.royallepage.ca EMAIL: Elmira@royallepage.ca

LOCAL CHURCH

SERVICES DIRECTORY

ACCELERATING building relationships with God, one another and the world

Sunday, February 8, 2009 9:15am & 11:00am “If God is good, why does He let bad things happen?”

Speaker: Kirk Durston %## 5TeafjT__bj 7e! 8_`\eT 519-669-1296 Check out our website www.woodsidechurch.ca

Trinity United Church ELMIRA

Sunday School During Worship

BERT MARTIN, BROKER

Minister: Rev. Dave Jagger Sunday Worship: 10:55am

Visit our new website on: www.wondercafe.ca %$ 4eg[he Fg! Abeg[ 6[heV[ BYÐVX ($, )), (()# ÄBhe `\ff\ba \f gb _biX _XTea TaW _\iX Ul 6[e\fgÇf gXTV[\aZfÅ

Your Spiritual Growth

SUNDAY, FEB 8, 2009

$1,450,000

FARM! Square 100 acres, 90 workable, cash crop and hog operation with finishing and nursery barns, drive shed, older livestock barn, 1500 s/f 3 bedroom bungalow with new kitchen and attached double garage. MLS. Call Bert to View.

LEASE SPACE! Approximately 2,000 s/f of commercial with office and warehouse.

Zoning allows many uses. Located in a busy plaza with lots of parking. Only 10 minutes to Waterloo. MLS. Call for details.

Your referrals are appreciated!

HEARING ASSISTED

WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE

NURSERY PROVIDED

SUNDAY SCHOOL

Welcome to

CALVARY UNITED St. Jacobs

Upbeat Family Worship & Sunday School 10:00 am

J[XX_V[T\e TVVXff\U_X AhefXel 6TeX cebi\WXW ;XTe\aZ 4ff\fgXW

'+ ;Tj^Xfi\__X EW! 519-664-2311

SUNDAYS, 8:30 & 11:00AM WEDNESDAYS, 7:00PM (with Childrens’ Programs) IMPACT YOUTH: Fridays, 7:30pm TWENTY20: Sundays, 7:00pm (2nd & 4th Sundays monthly)

Pastors Steve & Beth Fleming

850 Sawmill Rd, Bloomingdale 744-7447 www.kcf.org

JOIN US

SUNDAYS AT

10:30AM & 6:30PM %,# 4eg[he Fg! Fbhg[ 8_`\eT 519-669-3973

www.ElmiraAssembly.com (Across from Tim Horton’s)

Feeding Yourself From God’s Word Sundays @ 10:30am John Mahood PS

( 9\efg Fg! 8_`\eT 519-669-1459 www.elmiracommunity.org

B M C Pastor: Mary Mae Schwartzentruber Sundays - 9:45 am Family Worship Service 11:00 am Sunday School for all ages

$$($ FalWXeÇf 9_Tg EW! 5_bb`\aZWT_X 519-745-2411 www.bloomingdalemennonite.com

“Making Faith Live” Sunday Worship 9:15 am - 10:15am

Faithsteps 10:30am - 11:50am

% 9\efg Fg! 8_`\eT 519-669-5030

S. T C C

No God, No Hope; Know God, Know Hope!

Celebrate Eucharist with us Mass times are:

Sat. 5pm, Sun. 9am and 11:15am

$, 9_T`\aZb 7e! 8_`\eT 519-669-3387

28 | CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM

WORD-UP

SOLUTION FOUND ON PAGE 27

Âť

CREATED EXCLUSIVELY FOR THE OBSERVER

Š2008

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

ACROSS 1. Extra inning 6. Bounced checks, hangnails, etc.

10. The colour green 14. “Farewell, mon ami�

15. Go backpacking 16. Hip bones 17. Tail crossed by conspicuous bands of colour 19. Coarse ďŹ le 20. Pilot’s announcement, briey 21. Blast 22. Imprisonment for a long time 24. Dash abbr.

25. Minor player 26. Perlman of “Cheers�

28. Most basic elements 34. Disinclined 35. Arabic for “commander�

36. Bauxite, e.g.

37. Moorehead of “Bewitched�

38. “Go on�

39. A chorus 41. Grooved on 42. Bluenose 43. Postal scale unit 44. The recent past 47. “Guilty,� e.g.

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GLASS SERVICES

DOWN 1. Container weight 2. Do some cutting, maybe 3. Jazz singer, last name Simone 4. The ďŹ&#x201A;eece of a two-year-old sheep 5. (Yiddish) Unbelievable gall 6. Lash 7. Black gold 8. Barely managed, with â&#x20AC;&#x153;outâ&#x20AC;?

9. Entices others 10. Shrew 11. Brio 12. Computer architecture: reduced instruction set computing (Accro)

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GENERAL CONTRACTING

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519-846-9066

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fax: 519-846-9319

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GROSHAW BROS. CARPENTRY 519-669-5588 (cell) 519-897-6238

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Complete Collision Service

GLASS SYSTEMS INC.

â&#x20AC;˘ Store Fronts â&#x20AC;˘ Thermopanes â&#x20AC;˘ Mirrors â&#x20AC;˘ Screen Repair â&#x20AC;˘ Replacement Windows â&#x20AC;˘ Shower Enclosures â&#x20AC;˘ Sash Repair

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On-Site Balancing Fans, Rotors, Armatures, Pump Impellers, Drive Shafts & Many Styles of Rotary Equipment Available

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YOU NAME IT: WE FRAME IT!

PAINTING

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Âť

CuSTOM FRAMING

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13. Bind 18. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I see!â&#x20AC;?

23. Defraud 24. Allocate, with â&#x20AC;&#x153;outâ&#x20AC;?

26. Scalawag 27. Executes, in a way 28. Santa Claus feature 29. Innermost membranous sac enclosing the embryo of vertibrates 30. Having ridges 31. Who â&#x20AC;&#x153;ever loved you more than I,â&#x20AC;? in song 32. â&#x20AC;&#x153;All My Childrenâ&#x20AC;? vixen 33. Arid 34. Disney dog 39. Green vitriol 40. ___ Bowl 42. Bishop, e.g.

45. Cargo ship 46. ___ Grove Village, Ill. 49. Caribbean, e.g.

50. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a ___!â&#x20AC;?

51. Bumpkin 52. Bermuda, e.g.

53. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Beowulf,â&#x20AC;? e.g.

54. Andean land 55. Dwarf buffalo of the Celebes 56. Gulf war missile 57. French father 60. The â&#x20AC;&#x153;pâ&#x20AC;? in m.p.g.

61. Increase, with â&#x20AC;&#x153;upâ&#x20AC;?

48. Amber, e.g.

49. Marienbad, for one 50. A minor difďŹ culty 54. ___ Dee River 55. Death on the Nile cause, perhaps 58. Twice-baked bread 59. Visible aspect 62. ___-bodied 63. Ticket info, maybe 64. French romance 65. Equal 66. Alternative to nude 67. Digger

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CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Âť STRANGE BUT TRUE | BILL & RICH SONES

29

You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t tickle yourself: youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to need some help Q. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the trick to cutting out background noise while on your cell phone in a loud and crowded place? No, sticking a finger in your other ear wonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do it.

A. Surprisingly, the way to hear better is to cover the mouthpiece. Though youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll hear just as much noise around you, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be able to hear the caller better, say Sandra Aamodt, PhD, and Sam Wang, PhD, in Welcome to Your Brain. The human brain, it turns out, is a marvel at picking out the voice you want to hear from a host of others -- the â&#x20AC;&#x153;cocktail party effect.â&#x20AC;? But the phone (cell or not) makes this harder by feeding sounds from the room youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re in through the circuitry and mixing them with the signal coming from the other phone. So now youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve got the voice plus distorted room noise coming into one ear plus the room

noise coming into the other. This is worse than hearing at a cocktail party because both the callerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s transmitted voice and the room noise are tinny and mixed together. Covering the mouthpiece can stop the mixing muddle and recreate the live cocktail party situation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Try it. It works!â&#x20AC;?

Q. â&#x20AC;&#x153;What in the thunder was that?â&#x20AC;? she marvels, not remembering ever hearing thunder in a snowstorm before.

A. Thundersnow, though rare, can happen with sufficient instability and electrical buildup in the storm, bringing on flashes of lightning, says Randy Cerveny in Freaks of the Storm. Often this will portend as much as 10 inches of the white stuff, report University of Missouri atmospheric scientists, who analyzed 30 years of data from the U.S. Midwest. Wind and hail are often part of the mix.   Another weather oddity is St. Elmoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fire, a small static electricity discharge that can occur with storms, Cerveny adds. A nineteenth-century British surgeon once commented that during a snowshower his horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ears

SERVICE PROS

AUTOMOTIVE

HOCKEY

became luminous and the brim of his hat appeared on fire. Minute sparks darted toward the horseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ears and â&#x20AC;&#x153;the margin of my hat looked beautiful, and I was sorry to be so soon deprived of it.â&#x20AC;?    More recently, Arizona meteorologists observed an odd electrical discharge during a rare snowstorm in Tucson. From atop an 80-foot tower, they could see short flashes of light originating at or near the ground all across the city. â&#x20AC;&#x153;These were less flickering and intense than normal bolts. There was neither thunder nor radio static. One of the meteorologists speculated that the unusually large wet snowflakes were able to pull electric charges down from the clouds in the fashion raindrops usually do.â&#x20AC;?

Q. Ticklish question #1: Why is it virtually impossible to tickle yourself? And #2: Is tickling ever a torture?

A.  For you to become â&#x20AC;&#x153;ticklee,â&#x20AC;? there needs to be a â&#x20AC;&#x153;tickler,â&#x20AC;? a â&#x20AC;&#x153;safeâ&#x20AC;? person and not a stranger, say Tom Stafford and Matt Webb in Mind

Providing the latest technology to repair your vehicle with

PAINTING

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519-669-4400 21 HOWARD AVE., ELMIRA (Behind the old Trylon Building)

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interior/exterior painting wallpapering & Plaster|Drywall repairs

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Plumbing and Maintenance Inc.

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BRUBACHER LTD. 19 First St. E., Elmira

519-669-3362

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service

SEPTIC

ROOFING

UĂ&#x160;-ÂŤiVÂ&#x2C6;>Â?Â&#x2C6;âÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Ă&#x160;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;Ă&#x160;-Â&#x2026;Â&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}Â?iĂ&#x160;,Â&#x153;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;U U,i,Â&#x153;Â&#x153;vÂ&#x2C6;Â&#x2DC;}U UĂ&#x160;-Â&#x2DC;Â&#x153;Ă&#x153;Ă&#x160;,iÂ&#x201C;Â&#x153;Ă&#x203A;>Â?Ă&#x160;vÂ&#x153;Ă&#x20AC;Ă&#x160;,Â&#x153;Â&#x153;vĂ&#x192;Ă&#x160;U 7875 4th Line Peel Twp. Wallenstein RR2 N0B 2S0

519.465.8187 SIGNAGE | VINYL & DIGITAL

Various sizes & rates

CLEAN â&#x20AC;˘ DRY â&#x20AC;˘ SECURE

Call

519-669-4964

Septic Tank Cleaning Inspections for Real Estate Septic System Repairs & Restoration Catch Basin Cleaning

100 SOUTH FIELD DRIVE, ELMIRA

SHARPENING

graphfix ltd. www.remingtongraphfix.com

Vehicle Lettering Logos & Graphics Large format printing Decals & Safety Stickers

BILL SCHENKEL

519-664-1809 1600 King St. N., Unit #18

ST.JACOBS

FAST, FRIENDLY SERVICE AT COMPETITIVE PRICES!

Have your skates sharpened with us four times, and the fifth oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s FREE!

Knife and Scissor Sharpening See store for details.

22 Church St. W., Elmira

Tel: 519-669-5537

STORE HOURS: M-F: 8-8, SAT 8-6, SUN 12-5

or

519-896-7700

www.biobobs.com

TOWING

HEADQUARTERS

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Waterloo Region â&#x20AC;˘ Wellington County

519-648-3004

TRUCKS

window coverings

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ELMIRAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S SHARPENING

Signs & Banners

PLUMBING & HEATING SPECIALISTS!

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PLUMBING

YOUR

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Mon-Wed. 9-6, Thurs, Fri. 9-8, Sat. 9-5, Sun. Closed

SELF STORAGE

Roofing

PLUMBING

20 years experience

Â&#x2014; F^TgX F[TecXa\aZ Â&#x2014; AXj HfXW F^TgXf Â&#x2014; Fg\V^ F^TgX EXcT\ef Â&#x2014; 8dh\c`Xag 48 Arthur St. S., Elmira | 519-669-8799

(Send STRANGE questions to brothers Bill and Rich at strangetrue@compuserve.com)ďż˝

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THOMPSONâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S

Auto Tech Inc.

Hacks: Tips & Tools for Using Your Brain. The problem with your self-tickling is that your brain makes an â&#x20AC;&#x153;efference copyâ&#x20AC;? of any motor command, like a carbon copy, so you know itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s your movement. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a â&#x20AC;&#x153;no goâ&#x20AC;? for tickling. So hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the trick: You set up a robotic system where the robot responds and tickles you in one of your ticklish zones. But youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll need to build in a TIME DELAY that fools your brain into thinking the tickle was externally generated! â&#x20AC;&#x153;This just might do it,â&#x20AC;? say the authors.   Yet while the pleasure of tickling is well known, the act can generate pain as well, with the ticklee simultaneously laughing hysterically and writhing in agony. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Indeed, in Roman times continuous tickling of the feet was used as a method of torture.â&#x20AC;?

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CASH PAID

FOR YOUR UNWANTED SCRAP VEHICLES CARS, TRUCKS OR VANS WE PAY CASH WITH FREE TOWING PLEASE CALL

519-568-8666

TRANS IT! VEHICLES

s 4ON #URTAIN 3IDE &LAT "ED LONG WIDE s #ARGO 6AN s 0ASSENGER !STRO 6AN 7ITH X TRAILER s #AR

PHONE 519.503.0888

raperies & Blinds â&#x20AC;˘ Curtain Hardware Custom D

40 Memorial Ave, Elmira

519-669-8309

EVENTS CALENDAR Âť

30 | CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM

â&#x20AC;&#x153;A GOOD JOB DONE EVERY TIMEâ&#x20AC;?

Kleensweep Carpet Care

West Montrose, ON

T. 519.669.2033 Cell: 519.581.7868

www.freybc.com

Cardlock Fuel Management

FEBRUARY 8

 Alma Optimist Plunger Plop 9 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 2:30 p.m. There are more than 50 teams competing from across Ontario. Alma Skating Rink, Alma.  Hungrymanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Breakfast in support of The Childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wish Foundation 8 a.m â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 p.m. All you can eat $5. Royal Canadian Legion, 11 First St. E., Elmira.

FEBRUARY 11

 Special Worship â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Love Is ... Everyone is welcome to join us for a special contemporary worship at Trinity United, 21 Arthur St. N., Elmira, 7 p.m. Families welcome and refreshments provided.

FEBRUARY 14

 Woolwich Community Lions present Country Nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Rock Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dance with live band, Moonshine. Doors open at 8 p.m. (no reserved tables). Band starts at 9 p.m.

Elmira Lions Hall, $15/person. There is a prize table and roses are available for your Valentine. All proceeds to Elmira Memorial Arena and community betterment.

Tickets are available at Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Menswear (Elmira), Pampered & Polished (Elmira) or by calling Julie at 519-669-8629. Tickets may also be available at the door â&#x20AC;&#x201C; no guarantees.  Alma Optimists Host Regional Plunger Plop for Optimist Clubs; 10 a.m., Alma Skating Rink, Alma

â&#x20AC;˘ Design â&#x20AC;˘ Installation â&#x20AC;˘ Custom Fabrication

MILLWRIGHTS LTD.

519.669.5105

P.O. BOX 247, ROUTE 1, ELMIRA

24-HOUR EMERGENCY SERVICE

TOTAL HOME ENERGY SYSTEMS

RESIDENTIAL & COMMERCIAL

YOUR OIL, PROPANE, NATURAL GAS AND AIR CONDITIONING EXPERTS

11 HENRY ST. - UNIT 9, ST. JACOBS

519.664.2008

25 Industrial Drive, Elmira, ON N3B 3K3

Group

FEBRUARY 7

MATERIAL HANDLING & PROCESSING SYSTEMS

Allen Morrison Insurance Inc.

Investments

Truck & Trailer Maintenance

COMMERCIAL 24 CARDLOCK FUEL DEPOT HOUR

Allen Morrison, Agent/Owner

Life

519-699-4641

 Elimination Draw and Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Dance â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 8 p.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 a.m. featuring The Jeff Tanner Band. St. Clements Community Centre. Tickets, $25 each, include admission, midnight lunch and live entertainment. Chance of winning numerous cash prizes up to $1,000 grand prize. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out on this fundraiser to support your local recreation facilities. Ticket information â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Trevor at 519-699-5792, e-mail stc_rec@ yahoo.ca Presented by St. Clements Recreation Services Board.

Bus.:519.669.2632 Fax: 519.669.4282

Business

FEBRUARY 15

 In Concert â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Reunion â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 7 p.m. at Waterloo North Presbyterian Church. A donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t -miss gospel concert of easy listening songs. Free-will offering. For more information, call 519-888-7870.

After Hours Emergency Services: 1-800-465-2667

Email: allen_morrison@cooperators.ca www.cooperators.ca

â&#x20AC;˘ Same Day Service Disability

on Repairs and Relines â&#x20AC;˘ Metal Partial - Soft Relines â&#x20AC;˘Since Implants 1987 - DentureTech â&#x20AC;˘Since DENTURE SPECIALIST 1995 - Denturist

$%.452%

DENTURE Vinolea Jahandari DD

â&#x20AC;˘ ELMIRA Total Denture Care â&#x20AC;˘ Same day service on and relines 15repairs Memorial Ave., Since 1987 - DentureTech â&#x20AC;˘ Elmira Metal Partial - Soft Relines 1995 - Denturist (Behind Bank of Montreal) â&#x20AC;˘ DENTURE SPECIALIST

SANYO CANADIAN

MACHINE WORKS INCORPORATED

33 Industrial Dr., Elmira 519.669.1591

Elzeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Vinolea Jahandari DD

Wonderful 519.669.1535 ELMIRA

15 Memorial Ave., Elmira

Wines

A Fine Wine Establishment

(Behind Bank of Montreal) KITCHENER

519.744.9770

29 Church St. W., Elmira

519.669.0799

New to the Community?

Do you have a new Baby?

Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time to call your Welcome Wagon Hostess.

Elmira & Surrounding Area

RETAIL STORE STORE RETAIL

s %LECTRICAL 3UPPLIES s .EW 6ACUUMS s 6ACUUM 2EPAIRS s 0ARTS !CCESSORIES s !LL MAKES AND MODELS 9 CHURCH STREET EAST, ELMIRA

519.669.8362

FEBRUARY 21

 Alma Winter Family Day 12:30 â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 3:30 p.m. Skating at the dome, family activities at Wallace Cumming Park, Alma. Ultimate Frisbee, tobogganing, cross country skiing, snowman-building contest. Complimentary cookies and hot chocolate.

SHARON GINGRICH 519.291.6763

elmirawelcomewagon@sympatico.ca

WinesSOLUTION CROSSWORD ÂťWonderful + $ ' 6 7 ' ( & & $

$ / ( 3 + $ 7 $ / /

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DEATH NOTICES â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lorne John Quehl of St. Jacobs, passed away peacefully with family by his side on Friday, January 30, 2009 at St. Maryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hospital, in his 79th year. Lorne was born in Wellesley Township , February 1, 1930.

AUCTION

Be Prepared For Winter!

519.669.2884 21 Industrial Dr., Elmira

NANCY KOEBEL

Bus: 519.895.2044 ext. 217 Home: 519.747.4388

Individual life insurance, mortgage insurance, business insurance, employee benefits programs, critical illness insurance, disability coverage,

RRSPs, RESPs, RRIFs, LIFs and Annuities.

Submit calendar listings to info@observerxtra.com

QUEHL Lorne, John

FEBRUARY 19

 CARE Program â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Free information session on CPR/First Aid/Automated External Defibrillators. Not a certification course. Gives an overview of 9-1-1, Telehealth, conscious choking, CPR, AEDs, seizures, bleeding and fractures. Everyone welcome! Space limited, call today, 519-579-5451; 6:30-8: p.m. at St. Clements Community Centre.

KITCHENER

ELMIRA â&#x20AC;˘ Total Denture Care KITCHENER 519-669-1535 â&#x20AC;˘ Same Day Service519-744-9770 15 Memorial Ave., Elmira (behind Bank of Montreal) on Repairs and Relines â&#x20AC;˘ Metal Partial - Soft Relines â&#x20AC;˘ Implants â&#x20AC;˘ DENTURE SPECIALIST

HARD

FREE CONSULTATION 519.744.9770

FEBRUARY 18

 Waterloo Rural Womenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day â&#x20AC;&#x201C; A panel of speakers on alternative health care, iridology, therapeutic touch, osteopathy, a massage therapist and reflexologist.

Presentation for CARE program, the Heart & Stroke Foundation, Emergency Medical Services. $15 for day (hot lunch included) held at Living Waters Christian Foundation, 45 Hincks St., New Hamburg. Call 519-664-3794, ext. 237.

519.669.1535

FEBRUARY 17

 Lunch at Gale Presbyterian Church 11 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 1 p.m., 2 Cross St., Elmira. Chicken divine, rice, spinach salad, rolls, rocky road cheesecake and beverage; $9 per person, also soup and roll to go $3. Takeouts available; everyone welcome. Call 519-669-2852.

â&#x20AC;˘ Total Denture Care Travel

FEBRUARY 16

 Grand River Heritage Day Workshop from 8:30 a.m. â&#x20AC;&#x201C; 4:30 p.m. at the Wilmot Recreation Complex. Theme â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rural Routes â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Rural Roots: A Heritage View of the Countryside.â&#x20AC;? The event will showcase Woolwich, Wilmot and Wellesley townships.

Registration is free and limited to a first-come, first-served basis. Please register by Feb. 6. For more information call Township of Wilmot 519-634-8444.

MEDIUM

FREE CONSULTATION

Farm

 Maryhill C.W.L. & K. of C. Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Day Supper. Ham, scalloped potatoes & fixings. A flower for your special lady. Seatings at 5:30 or 7 p.m., Maryhill Heritage Community Centre. Adults $14; children (6-12) $7. Tickets must be purchased by Feb. 9. Contact: Mike 519-648-3394, Mary 519-822-9287, Bob 519-836-8271.  Valentineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Buffet Dinner for the Floradale Mennonite Church MYF. Child care provided. Starting at 7 p.m., $20/person. For advance tickets, call 519-669-1967 or 519-669-2861.

EASY

DENTURE

Auto

3435 Broadway St. Hawkesville

ÂťSUDOKU SOLUTION

Since 1987 - DentureTech Since 1995 - Denturist

Home

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COLLEEN

Skilled cra ftsmanship. Quality materials.

CONSTRUCTION STARTS HERE.

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Suite 800, 101 Frederick St., Kitchener

AUCTION SALE OF CONSUMER GOODS AT K & K LIQUIDATION AND AUCTION LTD.

1011 INDRUSTRIAL CRES. UNIT # 3, ST. CLEMENTS

MONDAY FEBRUARY 9, AT 5:30 P.M.

SALE CONSISTS OF: Assâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t Furniture Items; Assâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t. Electronics; Watches; Swar; House wares; Kid's & Adult Clothing; Toys; Linens; Hardware Items; Vaccumes; Books; Candy; Consumer Goods; Plus a Large Selection of Other Misc. Items.

LUNCH BOOTH TERMS; Cash, Interac, Visa, M.C. NOTE: Clothes will be sold in large lots, list subject to additions & deletions. Viewing from 4:00 P.M. day of sale. Owner or auctioneer not responsible for accidents day of sale.

OWNER: K & K Liquidation and Auction Ltd.

519-699-6084 AUCTIONEERS: GRAYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AUCTION SERVICE INC., HARRISTON

519-338-3722

CLASSIFIEDS | SERVICES | REAL ESTATE | FAMILY ALBUM |

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

MCC feels impact of economic downturn MARC MIQUEL HELSEN A plummeting Canadian dollar coupled with a souring global economy is affecting humanitarian agencies around the country.

Mennonite Central Committee Ontario (MCC Ontario) is among those agencies and, looking to fulfill its commitments to its local and international programs, the organization is taking a two-pronged approach to weather the economic storm.

MCC Ontario will continue to reach out to its individual donors for donations and lean on the success of its thrift shops around the country, including the store in Elmira. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Canadians have a very generous spirit and charitable giving is not on their list of luxuries, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on the list of core expenses,â&#x20AC;? said Rick Cober Bauman, executive director of MCC Ontario.

MCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s international work is funded by donors in Canada and the U.S., as well as the Canadian government â&#x20AC;&#x201C; close to

half of the funding for international work comes from Canadian sources.

With the recent economic downturn, MCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s budget for international programs â&#x20AC;&#x201C; which carries out relief, development and peacemaking work in more than 50 countries around the world â&#x20AC;&#x201C; will be reduced by about $2.4 million. In Ontario, donations are down 4.5 per cent or about $350,000, five months into the fiscal year.

Striving to meet its international commitments, MCC will continue to entreat its donors for funding.

Cober Bauman remains optimistic. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Given the tough economy that, particularly, Ontario is in, we feel that our giving has remained really quite strong, and our gifts shops have remained very strong.â&#x20AC;?

Despite the generosity of donors, however, the unexpected plunge in the value of the Canadian dollar relative to the U.S. greenback over the past few months has greatly affected MCCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s overseas work.

To counter those negative trends, MCC Ontario will reduce its expenses â&#x20AC;&#x153;mod-

eratelyâ&#x20AC;? and prepare to use its reserves if necessary, said Cober Bauman. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are not going to make our international partners wear the pain of MCC Ontario not being able to meet its commitments. If we have to use some reserves weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll do that,â&#x20AC;? said Cober Bauman, noting that the agency will continue to focus on improving revenues rather than cutting back on staff or core programs.

MCC Ontario will look towards donors â&#x20AC;&#x201C; and its

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shops. That said, things are so far looking good, as more and more people turn to thrift shops for competitive prices. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thrift shop revenue is up â&#x20AC;&#x201C; every year it goes up.

I think people are more aware of shopping at thrift shops and they get quality for a good price.â&#x20AC;?

People can help by donating to MCC or by giving another gift. Donations can be made online at www.mcc.org/donate or by calling 519-745-8458 (toll-free 1-800-313-6226).

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has an over abundance of stuff being donated,â&#x20AC;? said shop manager Betty Marshall.

Because sales numbers are typically lower during the months of January and February, it is still difficult to assess whether the shop has seen the effects of an economic downturn.

There is, she said, always the danger that with fewer people buying new products there could be a reduction in old products coming into the thrift

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thrift shops â&#x20AC;&#x201C; for those revenues. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The shops around Ontario and in fact across Canada and the U.S. are really one of the bright lights here. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing better than they did last year â&#x20AC;&#x201C; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re really hopeful that thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be one of the places thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to help cover some of the other short falls.â&#x20AC;?

Elmiraâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s own MCC thrift shop appears eager to oblige. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s too much stuff around â&#x20AC;&#x201C; every thrift shop

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32 | BACK PAGE

THE OBSERVER | Saturday, February 07, 2009

Elmira 315 Arthur St. S., Elmira

Shuttle Bus Services SERVICE RUNS Wednesday, Friday & Saturday

FEBRUARY 6TH - FEBRUARY 13TH

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Old Store (6 Arthur St. N.)......9:30, 10:30, 11:30, 12:30 Dunke St. Apartments.............9:45, 10:45, 11:45, 12:45 Wyatt St. Apartments..............10:00, 11:00, 12:00, 1:00

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For more information call: 519-669-5403

Everyone is welcome to use our shuttle service.

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