. Bye bye, 2003
Part one of our look at the
people and stories that
touched the community .

Looking back
Coach of the year
honours for Caledonia
were just part of 2003

Power play

B.C. Hydro is going after a
hefty price increase it Says
has been coming for. .

\SPORTS B6 years\NEWS A110 \COMMUNITY B12
$1.00 pLus 7¢ GST 7 Z LAAN . he
($41.10 plus 8¢ GST ae
outside of the Tarrace area) a
| TERRACE | <a
: . a
. — 7

2003
QO

City passes on recycling

Share savings with

recyclers, RD urges
By JEFF NAGEL

A NEW SCHEME to use city money

to encourage recycling is too expen-

sive for now, Terrace council has de-

cided.

The proposal, advanced by the Kiti-
mat-Stikine regional district, would
give recyclers $12.75 for every tonne
they keep from going to the dump.

That’s ‘equivalent to half of the
transport and landfilling costs at the
future Forceman Ridge dump near
Onion Lake.

Advocates say spending that money

will actually save the city money, be-
cause every dollar that goes to recy-
clers will generate an extra dollar in
savings through reduced dump costs.
The problem, says city councillor
and RD rep Stew Christensen, is Ter-
race is still using its much cheaper ex-
isting dump — not-Forceman Ridge.
That means the program won't pro-

taxes,

“It’s dollars — that’s really what it is
at this point,” Christensen said. “This
would be a new program and we'd
have to cut. something else someplace
else.”

City staff also question the logic of
giving money to recyclers who already
recycle without incentives.

areas to pass on it as well.

If the Thornhill and Lakelse Lake
directors vote to
participate, he -
noted, taxpayers in
those areas will
subsidize. recyc-
ling of material
from Terrace as

aid plan

paper products, glass and plastic con-
tainers.

The program would alsa finance”
grants for projects to educate residents ‘
on reducing garbage.

Once the Terrace and Thornhill
dumps are replaced by the new Force-
man Ridge site — where costs will be
much higher — the recycling credit

‘Council plans to re-
idea in its 2005 budget.

duce sizable savings yet.

The regional district proposed Ter-
race contribute $25,000 per year to the
landfill diversion credit program — or
about half of the regional program’ s
planned $50,000 budget.

Christensen also blames the city’s
cash crunch due to New Skeena Forest
Products’ failure to pay its property

without Terrace.

join now may, prompt

Meanwhile, Christensen said the
regional district will likely vote in
January on whether to proceed with
the program throughoul the region

He admits Terrace’s decision not to

well.
Recognized
non-profits or re-
cycling businesses
could apply for the
eredit of $12.75
per tonne of re-
cyclables collec-

examine the

neighbouring

Veniez

rival still
has eye
on prize

By JEFF NAGEL

A RIVAL. BIDDER for
Skeena Cellulose has
never gone away and con-
tinues to snipe from the
sidelines, says New Skee-
na Forest Products presi-
dent Dan Venicz.

Larry Bontjé, head of
Forest Capital Ltd., tried
repeatedly to buy the
operations or force them
into bankruptcy when the
province had them up for
sale in late 2001 and early
2002.

Government officials
ultimately chose Venicz
and George Petty’s NWBC
Timber and Pulp and not
Toronto-based Bontje nor
Swiss bidder Mercer Inter-
national.

Veniez says he believes
Bontje has encouraged
northwesl Lown councils to
seize equipment in a bid
to push New Skecna into
bankruptcy by holding out
the prospect new owners
with deeper pockets could
come in’to pick up the
pieces.

“This guy has been
wasling cverybody's time
by whispering sweet noth-
ings in the ears of mem-
bers of city council,” he
said.”

Now that New Skeena
is under the supervision of
a court-appointed monilor
- which is calling for ol-
fers to buy the company
- Verriez says Bontje
should put up or shut up.

“This guy has been like
a nasty mosquiloe that just
won'l go away,” Venicz
said, “But if he has an
offer and he has people
who are prepared to invest,
let him come forward or
forever hold his peace.”

Veniez said New Skee-
na has remained open to
offers from all serious pnr-

BA year with sparkle

CHILDREN iike seven-year-old Larissa Wight represented the future as Terrace marked the end of its
75th anniversary year by burying a time capsule at Heritage Park. Children were photographed with
the capsule, in the hopes they might return in 2078 for its planned opening. The music- and song-
filled afternoon wrapped up with sparklers and candles that gradually winked out, symbolizing the
end of the year-long 75th celebration. Anniversary committee chair Marylin Davies announced
$17,000 in 75th legacy money will'go to landscaping at the George Little house at the foot of Kalum
St. And mayor Jack Talstra announced the city will convey Order of Terrace honours on Gordon Mc-
Connell, !\da Mohler and Jim Stainton at a formal ceremony in the weeks ahead. JEFF NAGEL PHOTO

ties, allhough Petty rejec-
ted an offer fram Bontje in
early 2001, After thal
Bontje denied having any
ongoing strategy to try to
acquire the company.

“He hasn't demonstta-
ted any capability to be
taken seriously,” . Veniez
said. “IF he is in any way
shape or form:serious, now
is the time for him to step
up to the plate.”

Terrace city administra-
tor Ron Poole confirmed

Continued Pg. A10

weré called to the area of Hanky
Panky’s nightclub at 12:25 a.m. Dec.
20

As police responded to the scene
one of the suspects involved in the
disturbance fled to the area-of the
Pizza Hut, Basi said,

“One of our uniformed: traffic
‘Mmembers-attended the scene and the::
suspect lunged at the member with a~
knife slashing him in: the throat and.
neck area,” he. said,. : :

Man charged after officer slashed

By SARAH A. ZIMMERMAN
A TERRACE RCMP officer is recu-
perating alter being slashed in the
neck by a large knife last week and
a local man is charged with atiemp-
ted murder. ;
Constable Cam Joseph sustained
a 13-centimetre gash to his neck just.
above -his jugular. vein after. a“sus-:
_ pect he was pursuing lunged ‘at-him, -
RCMP Staff. Sgt. Jas Basi said. .
The aitack happened after police.

“Several centimetres feft or right
sould have caused this member a
fatal injury.”

Despite the. wound Joseph was
able to subdue the suspect until
other officers arrived to assist.

Joseph was taken to Mills Mem-

‘“orial Hospital where-he received 20.
“slitches to the: wound on his throat.

Charles: Joseph’ Costello, 34, was

arrested: al the scene. and later:
munity’ for public school use of Mountainview.

charged with attempted murder.

Christensen .

ted. It would cover organic material,

system may well make sense, Christ-
ensen said.

“The program has some merit,” he
said. “You earn something by having
these people do recycling.”

How long it will take to open For-
ceman Ridge is a huge question.

The regional dump has been on the

Continued Page A2

Stew

Goodbye

to jr. high

Schools to run Grade 8-12

By JENNIFER LANG
PRIMARY SCHOOLS and junior highs in Terrace will
be phased out by September 2005.

After that, there will be just elementary schools offer-
ing instruction for Kindergarten to Grade 7 and second-
ary schools for Grades 8-12.

School trustees last month came out out in support of
new grade groupings, assistant superintendent Rob
Greenwood said.

The change is being driven by new graduation re-
quirements that start the graduation program in Grade 10.

Thal’s going to impact schools in Terrace, where stu-
dents don’t move to senior high until Grade 11.

Terrace is the only community in the school district
with primary schools and junior highs. It’s also some-
thing of a rarity in the province, where there are fewer
than 40 Grade 8-10 schools,

The middle school option — creating schools that go
from Grade 7 to 9 — was considered, but has now been
abandoned.

“In a middle school there tends to be clusters of sub-
jects taught by the same teacher to the same kids,”
Greenwood said. “It's seen as a transition. It’s a totally
different philosophy from a junior high.”

Education experts suggest the fewer transitions for
students — the fewer times students change schools — the
better.

It's also thought to be better for students and promotes
a stronger school culture.

In Terrace, students attend four different schools he-
tween Kindergarten and graduation.

“Right now, kids ge to primary school for four years,
they really grab ahold of the spirit of the school then
whoosh, they're off to another school, They’re there for
four, five, six and seven, and then they're off to another
school, Skeena, and then off we go to Cal,” :

Students spend just two years at Caledonia Senior
Secondary, resulting in a 50 per cent tumover in the stu-
dent body each year.

“We're not doing this on a sort of touch-and-feel
basis,” Greenwood cautioned. “This is grounded in ex-
amples of best practice.and educational research, Other
school districts are considering the same things.”

Greenwood, who has already met with high school
principals, said with the board's recent decision to sup-
port the K-7 and Grade 8-12 grade groupings, his next
step is to mee€ with school planning councils from the
three high schools.

School planning councils will be expected to forge
the direction the district will lake by spring, leaving a
Full year for planning “rather than spend the whole time
debating what we're poing to do.”

Scenarios include turning all three high schools into
three small
Grade 8-12
schools, or - .
sibly combining The middie school op-
Skeena Junior tion. — creating schools
and Caledonia that go from Grade 7 to 9
into one Grade — was considered, but has

8-12 school wilh’ pow been abandoned.
lwo campuses

(known as the
“Cal-Skee”
option), with Thornhill becoming a community school
for the 350 or so Grade 8 to 12 students there.

The new grade groupings will also have implications
for local elementary schools, a situation that wilt be af-

fected by what the schdol board decides to to with

Motintainview Elementary.
_ The board is accepting submissions from the com-