Under the ‘B’ for big bucks LUCKY DOLLAR Bingo Palace has joined nearly 60 other halls across the province to play electronically linked bingo. SuperStar bingo operates on the same type of con- cept as buying a lottery ticket and is regulated by the B.C, Lottery Corporation. Money raised from Superstar Bingo goes into a separate account from those of regular events. The money is then divided between charitics according to the number of nights allotted to them. Bingo hall manager Marilyn Thodt says it’s about time B.C.- leaps into the 90s and joins other bingo halls across the country. She says halls in Ontario and Alberta have been linked for a number of years, “It’s bringing the bingo industry {in B.C.) to the modern age — the gaming industry was falling apart. Now the in- dustry is working together for the best, which is for charities,’’ said Thodt. SuperStar bingo is part of the government’s marketing plan to attract more people to local bingo halls with jack- pots of up to $20,000. This move is part of the government's plan to safeguard from charity and destination casinos bingo halls anticipated to crop up across the province. ‘Bingo isn’t really on a really upward moving chart — not a whole lot of new players are coming into it,’ said Lynne Kailan from the B.C, Gaming Commission. ‘‘The . intention is to protect charities from casinos.’’ Players must play regular bingo events at the hall before they can buy SuperStar bingo tickets. The event starts at 8:30 p.m. and tickets cost $3 for a group of three tickets. - Tickets are printed out daily on the premises from a com- puter that is connected to the Lottery Corporation head- quarters in Kamloops. The tickets are ali encoded, similar to a regular lottery ticket. If a player completes a card, the game is halted and the card is verified to ensure it is a winner. So far, two people from Terrace have won the jackpot. Money from regular bingo events goes into a local trust and is split amongst local charities according to the num- ber of nights they are allotted. MEMBERS OF THE Terrace Bingo Associa- tion are not happy with changes affecting charitable organizations. As of November 1, the province will pool all the money raised at gaming into one trust fund. Charities used to only get the money raised during allotted nights and many complained about the time slot appointed to them. | The days welfare cheques came out, the hall ‘would be packed, but nights, like Halloween, halls would be empty, leaving that charity ‘without any chances to raise money. But with a collective trust fund, the govern- ment is taking.the emphasis away from money ‘made by local halls and guaranteeing the charities a sum of money no matter what the lo- cal economy may be going through. . Helga Kenny, the executive director of the LOCAL BINGO employee Terri Anderson holds sheaf of coded b bought by players taking part in a new province-wide, electronically-linked game. The Terrace: Standard, Wednesday, October 22, 1997 - A3 soe ingo sheets It was introduced by the province to renew flagging Interest in bingo halls. Charities uneasy with change registered charity and a member of the bingo as- sociation, says she’s been kept in the dark about the new changes and says it’s too soon to tell what it will mean to local charities. “The problem is that information is not com- ing to charilics — last tine anyone heard any- thing was in June. If it’s such a good thing then why aren’t we informed about it?’’ she said. Last month, the money generated from charitable bingo in Terrace amounted to $376,000 — $205,000 of which went to prizes. After expenses, just over $100,000 went to vari- ous charitics. Each event averaged about $2,200. Kenny says charities should ‘theoretically make more moncy with a joint trust fund, but says its too soon to teli what the full impact of the changes will mcan. money, the government will take a larger por- tion, It says the difference will be made up from the larger betting ante. Gordon Oates, president of Terrace Little Theatre, another charity, says the provincial pooling plan guarantees a return to charities at 1996 levels, “The impact to charities will be zero — if anything it gives more stability,’ said Oates, The province guarantees charitics $118 mil- lion dollars plus the difference for any increases in the Consumer Price Index, similar to cost of living increases. This guarantee is projected to _ last for two years, ensuring 1996 rates no matter * how the gaming market does. — rt? The money wili go into'a collective charitable - gaming pot, administered by the loliery corpora- tion and members of the B.C. Charitable ¥ * News In Brief Candidate gets a job THE UNSUCCESSFUL LIBERAL candidate for Skeena in last year’s federal election is now the chair of a federal crown corporation. Rhoda Witherly was appointed recently to head the Prince Rupert Port Corporation, She had been vice chair of the corporation. The corporation is responsible for the majority of the deep sea docks in Prince Rupert which Is closer in sail- ing time to Asia than its Vancouver counterpast. A former CBC Radio broadcaster and Prince Rupert city counciilor, Witherly owns Prince Rupert Title Search and also ran for the Liberals in the 1993 federal election, Skeena Reform MP Mike Scott called the appoint- ment “typical Liberal politics. That’s the way the Lib-- erals have governed Canada for four decades, by engaging in pork barrel politics.’’ Cuts hurt shelter BUDGET CUTS have forced the Terrace Emergency Shelter to close its doors for most of the day. The shelter, located on Hull St., is now closed from noon till 9 p.m. House manager Janet Costain is wondering what will happen to homeless clients during those hours, now that winter is coming. The shelter gets money from the social services min- istry to provide emergency accommodation of up to seven beds for homeless men and couples. Costain said the average stay ranges from three days to a month. In March the shelter’s budget was cut $70,000 to $170,000, That moncy pays for three full time workers and Costain’s part-time job. It also pays for houschold supplies, insurance and other overhead items. To cope, staff hours were scaled back, leading to the lengthy closure. “Tt wasn’t so bad in the summer, but with winter coming you can’t do that,’’ said Costain. The shelter is the last resort for its clients. Costain is now looking at other ways to raise money. Drug busts TWO TERRACE residents have been charged with possession of marijuana for the purposes of trafficking, based on RCMP drug searches conducted in August. On Aug. 25, Terrace RCMP raided a home on Dog- wood Ave. They seized about 18 hydroponically- grown marijuana plants and some loose marijuana with # total street value of about $12,000, Two days later, police raided a home on Kalum Lake Drive. A search tumed up 600 marijuana plants in a large hydroponics system. The street value of the crop is estimated to be about $450,000. Terrace resident Robert Erb has been charged in the first raid, while Mark Valcourt, also of Terrace, wis charged in the larger bust. Both are charged with the production:of marijuana, possession for the purposes of . trafficking and possession. 7 Gaming Association for distribution to charilics. Terrace Anti-Poverty Group Society, which is a While charities get a smaller percentage of the Public Input for Draft 2 SMOOP for TFL 1 ma. Skeena Cellulose Inc. (SCI), Terrace Operations is inviting comments on the Draft Statement of Management Objectives, Options and Procedures (SMOOP) for Management Plan #9, Tree Farm Licence 1 (TFL 1}. SCI is required to submit a new managment plan for TFL 1 to the province's Chief Forester before the end of 1998. The purpose of the management plan is to establish the strategic level objectives and : management strategies for the management of bath the timber and non-timber resources of TFL #1, which encompasses a total landbase of 690,000 hectares in the Skeena, Kitsumkalum and Nass | Valleys. FOREST DISTRICT The SMOOP provides an outline of issues and strategies that will be included and expanded in the draft | Management Plan. The Draft SMOOP will be available for view- ing Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. fo 5:00 p.m. at SC1’s Terrace Woodlands Office, located at the below address, from October 27, 1997 until February 28, 1998. 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