| Smoke sales investigated - IF YOU'RE under 19 and you smoke it’s going to be more difficult to buy cigarettes. That's because the Skeena Health Unit is cracking down on stores which sell cigarettes to teens under the age of 19. It's illegal to sell to minors in B.C. The health unit sent decoy teenage buyers out to stores throughout the northwest, The teen attempts a purchase while an adult witness watches nearby, ‘We've done nearly 100 compliance checks,’” says Rus- sell Seltenrich of the Skeena Health Unit. So far the com- pliance rate varies from a low of 46 per cent in Prince Rupert, to a high of 90 per cent in Kitimat. Generally, compliance rates hover around 50 per cent, he says. Ter- race is the only northwest city where the results haven't been tabulated yet. The health unit started doing the checks in August, work- ing with teens after school and on weekends. “We've only done one check so far,"’ cautions Selten- rich, A store which doesn’t normally sell to minors may have an employee who isn’t aware of the law, he explains. So the first step is usually just a warning letter, he ex- plains. That gives non-complying stores the chance to train employees. The health unit will be doing a second round of com- pliance checks, which it hopes to complete by March. If there are any repeat offenders found, those stores could be fmed $100. It’s not much, but if the store keeps ignoring the law, then it could lose its tobacco retail permit for six months. And that will definitely make a dent in business. Salvation Army donations lag DONATIONS TO the Salvation Army are down about $12,000-$13,000 from this time last year, says Licutenant Norm Hamelin. He’s worried because the donations to the an- nual ketile drive provide money for the Salvation Army all year to run its emergency food bank and to buy food for Christmas hampers. “We'll meet hamper costs,’’ he says, but he i doesn’t know if the money will hold out all year. a The Food Bank of the, Churches runs once a month in the winter, but when people need emer- gency food, they come to the Salvation Army thrift store. So far the Salvation Army has had about 400 ap- plications for its hampers, and expects another 50- 60 more before Christmas. That’s at least 1,000 people he says. Only about 15 of the applications are from single people; the vast majority are from families. Numbers are about the same as last year. Hamelin says there could be a number of rea- sons Why donations are down, including the com- ing six-week closure of Skeena Sawmills. But if people can give a little, he’s asking them to be generous when they see volunteers with the famil- iar red kettles. Kakkk If you'd like to contribute a gift to those Salvation Amy hampers you can drop one off at Skeena Broad- kkekak casters’ office, on the comer of Lazelle and Emerson. The federal government recently released more ways of The Salvation Anny is looking for gifts for children curbing cigarette sales to minors. One of those is to do Fg FLLEGAL to sell cigarettes to anyone under the age of 19. But that doesn't ranging from newborn to about 16 years old. Toys and away with cigarette vending machines. ; stop a lot of stores from doing so. The Skeena Health Unit has been checking | Sifis should be new and unwrapped. It's also moved to restrict the space on advertising, signs stores around the northwest, making sure they're not selling to minors. Shoppers Particularly in demand are gifts for young teens, The and billboards in which tobacco companies can announce Drug Mart has signs about the law prominently displayed, and clerk Audra Mar- church usually has a surplus of toys for those aged 4-6, their sponsorships. shall will ask any young person to show ID before she'll sell them cigarettes. kh hk If you chose a child’s name from one of the Christmas trees in the Terrace Co-op or Kinart, then today is the cut off date for dropping off the toy. ; The Terrace Anti-Poverty Group collected about = 400 names of needy children this year, passed them a along to the two stores. : Staff from the Anti-Poverty group and volunteers, such as members of the Harley Owners Group will be delivering gifts from Dec, 19-25, Staff are hoping that this year enough presents will be dropped off so that each child will get one. Last year they had to do some last minute shopping to buy gifts for children who didn’t get anything. However, the Anti-Poverty group has had some cash donations, so if School district worried f\ b 2 a | ; . . ai A REORGANIZATION of the education ministry is cas!-’ means for School District 82, ing doubt on what will happen to monies for aboriginal ‘It’s always been a small branch but supportive of school programs, cooperative ventures between the school district and First For a few years now the education ministry has required Nations communilies,’’ said Whyte. that money given to school districts for aboriginal pro- ‘“The branch has been a flagship for targeted money,” grams be spent in consultation with Jocal native groups. he explained. Now some people arc worried about what that happens they should be able lo fill the need. In Terrace that resulted in the hiring of a number of na- will happen to the money for future programs, tive teachers and counselors, and the creation ofa First Na- © ‘‘We wonder where the cut might be,” said Whyte. He kkk tions resource centre at a local elementary school. says the staff are trying to look at the situation positively, The Terrace Child Development Centre's Christmas Tree of Lights is plugged in at the Skeena Mall, The public and local businesses are invited to buy a light for the tree. Costs are from $2-50 (or individuals But two or three weeks ago the aboriginal education and says a lot of good things have started in Terrace in a branch of the education ministry was dissolved. Some short period of time. workers were laid off, while other staff were split between © Whyte said he expects word on the impact of the shut- field services and special programs. dows of the aboriginal education branch in January or Feb- and $10-100 for businesses. - a Kenn Whyte, director of instruction of First Nations edu- ruary. That’s budget time; and that’s when the true impact All proceeds go toward providing therapy and ‘Sete cation for the school district, has questions on what that will-be revealed. - eee vices to children with special needs, co-op\ Terrace Co-op ~ Family Fashions BMDEASEL? Department er Dec. 18 - 23 oe Pre-Christmas Christmas theme | _ All Christmas CRAFT ITEMS FABRICS Need Something For The Family Room? * Mmponss Sanksey te i’; Make The Sky Your Portable CD Player PL «Lhe Big Screen 60” : ULTRAVISION Projection System P.C. Audio/Video Receiver SUOISTIAD "Delivered THX. es A) oy Magd? et? tee! and set up Fas bo Only STN Se