oa at | Meeting 7:30 pm | Elks Hall - 2822 Tetrault Street The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 12, 2000 - A3 Missing cats leave owners perplexed KEEP AN EYE on your cat. That’s the warning a group of frustrated local residents have after nine cats disappeared from Terrace’s north horseshoe area in the last two months. Greta Brorup just wants to know what happened to her 10-year-old Japanese tailless cat named Oliver. Oliver was let out just after 9:15 a.m. Thursday, March 9 for his half-hour morning walk and never came back. “He was the most beautiful cat,” said Brorup, who keeps his toys and scratching pad out in case he returns. “That cat never went anywhere.” Most of the missing cats lived on Tuck, Soucic and Mc- Connell but one cat also went missing from a townhouse at the corner of Walsh and Eby. Two cats were found dead on their owner’s lawns early last month. They were buried be- fore owners thought to have them autopsied. “It’s really suspicious,” said Krista Bottyan who says she knows of three cats who disappeared Feb. 24. ““They’ve all been in the neighbourhood for a really long time.” She says her neutered male cat never wandered for more that 12 hours in the five years she owned him, The Terrace animal shelter hasn't had any cats turned in that fit any of the missing cat descriptions. “It’s a big myst- ery right now,” said Ann Whittington at the shelter. “We haven’t got the slightest idea what’s happening.” Resident's theories range from a hungry fox or coyote lurking in the woods, to youths with pellet guns and adults ‘with anti-freeze. They've even checked out garbage bags at ‘the dump because most of the cats disappeared on a Thurs- ‘day and the Tuck Avenue garbage day is Friday morning. But no one has seen any wild animal prints or evidence ‘to substantiate their theories. Terrace bylaw enforcement officer Frank Bowsher has heard the stories but hasn’t come up with any proof of foul ‘play. He thinks one solution may be for cat owners to keep their cats on their own property. : He said the city is considering regulating wandering cats- sbecause of the shear number of complaints they’ve received ‘this spring. ; “How are you going to do that?” questioned Brorup. “A ‘cal is a cat — there’s never been any reason before to regu- News In Brief Steelhead on TV NORTHWEST STEELHEAD fishing is to get plen- ty of exposure beginning this fall following the visit here recently of a crew from Canadian Sport- fishing. The show airs on TSN and the Outdoor Living Network and the crew shot enough footage for five shows to be aired beginning this fall. Show -host- Italo Labignan and the crew were the guests of the. Terrace Tourism Council and stayed at a local lodge owned by Noel Gyger, says Rana Nelson af the tourism council. "The shows will start this October and are sche- “duled to run until the following October,” she said. © Each show repeats three to four times a week. City grant cut back THE GRANT the cily gets each year from the provincial government has been cut from $261,723 last year to $255,236 this year. A portion of that money comes from traffic fines and this year that amounts to $62,888. There'll be more money handed out later this spring. Open up the gov't THE PROVINCIAL government should be more accountable to the public, says its watchdog who is retiring, Auditor General George Morfitt says better legis- lation is needed so the government reports on its intentions and results instead simply what it does and how it does it. He’s suggesting that committees made of up Members of the Legislative Assembly charged with examining specific government activities can ‘be effective if used correctly. - “I believe British Columbians would be well- served if their government provided both the lea- dership and the legislation needed to move toward the more open, transparent and accountable gov- ernment we all want,” said Morfitt, ‘late them.” Brorup suggested Bowsher’s time would be bet- iter spent by allowing the RCMP access to his complaint files. ; “After all, i's areal crime,” she said. “He should not de- ifend the person killing animals.” GRETA BRORUP halds a toy mo SCHOOL DISTRICT support workers refuse to resume bargaining with the school district until a ‘mediator arrives. : Acting district superintendent Sharon Beedle ‘said a request for a mediator was sent to the la- ‘bour relations board last week. Support workers from across the province - ‘who are members of the Canadian Union of Pub- ‘lic Employees (CUPE) ~ were legislated back to 1999. ‘work April 3 after a one-week strike. Workers and the school districts have 60 days: + Beedle said the same issues that resulted inthe:~ in which to negotiate: a contract or face having strike’ still’need to be dealt with. “But CUPE’ one written for them;by provincial induéttjal in- ‘workers ‘indicated they won't meet with us unless quiry commissioners; , - : bone “we remove all our proposals from the table,” Norrey Kendall, president of CUPE local 2052 -Beedle said. “We refuse to do that.” said the school district is demanding major con- : Local CUPE members, which include 394 cessions from support workers, including de- janitors, school secretaries and other support staff, want more money, pensions, pay equity and other benefits. An industvial inquiry commission report, which lead to the back-to-work legislation and a requirement to negotiate contracts or face binding arbitration, recommended that workers receive a one per cent wage hike retroactive to Jan. |, vourite scratching box. Oliver, her Japanese tailless cat, is one of nine cats that have disappeared from Brorup's neighbourhcod in the iast two months. Mediator sought for school contract Renewed tobacco attack planned by province THE PROVINCIAL government wiil introduce new legislation to renew its campaign to recover from tobacco companies the health-care costs associa- ted with smoking. It’s first attempt at legislation was struck down last week by a Supreme Court justice who while upholding some of the legislation, found that some of the provisions went beyond the province’s juris- diction. “The court confirmed that the pravince has the right ta sue for the recovery of health-care costs,” said atterney-general Andrew Petter. “We will now make legislative changes to deal with the one aspect the court found to be beyond the jurisdiction of the province.” : . : Do, The province says tobacco companies should be held accountablé because they have known for years the damage caused by tobacco and that they . have failed to warn consumers of the dangers. use and poses beside her missing cat's fa- stroying seniority rights and removing workers" right to take vacations al any other times but school holidays and Christmas. Kendall said the district is attempting to elim- inate previously bargained for wages and benetits that Kitimat workers receive, in order to create one equal collective agreement for all workers in Terrace, Stewart, Kitwanga and Hazelton. Beedle said the school district wants one cel-. - lective agreement for all, workers that will allow, ~~ it lo manage employees -equitably."We need to: ~ have reasGnable clauses that we can’financially’ meet as well as manage,” she said. “If we had money we could solve all kinds of things, but there is just no more.” \° Terrace CO-OP Co-operative —” Association ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING | Tuesday, April 25, 2000 | Registration 7:00 pm ‘TOWER RADIO LTD. MOBILE RADIO - SALES & SERVICE Toll Free 1-877-39-TOWER (1-877-398-6937) RADIO LTD. MOBILE RADIO « SALES & SERVICE Customer Appreciation Day! Saturday April 15th 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. Rob and his staff would like to thank all their , customers for their support over the last year CHECK OUT THE NEW 2000 MODELS Make a donation to the Terrace Food Bank and receive FREE Routine check-up for any 2-way radio or autotel. #101 - 4443 Keith Ave. Terrace, B.C. ¥8G 17 Ph: 638-0577 Fax: 638-0210 KENWOOD (S) MOTOROLA Morvan 6! TAD