There’s hope moms group can continue THE ORGANIZATION running a mothers help program that has had its budget cut hopes it can continue. Mothers Time Off has been operating for 27 years, but was told in early summer its $40,000 annual contract with the children and family development ministry was ending. It has enough money to pay five part time employees and run things until the end of November. But Fileen Howells of Skeena Family Resources, which runs Mothers Time Off, has hopes of finding ‘money to extend the program. She’s contacted the provincial lotteries branch and a branch of the children and family development ministry for grants: Although it was the children and family development ministry which cut the program in the first place, Ho- wells said this particular branch of the ministry may be able to help. “I'm fouking ‘everywhere [ can,” she said. “In the big scale of things, $40,000 isn’t much.” Howells has also written Linda Reid, the minister of state for early childhood development asking her to re- view the cut decision. An average of nine mothers and 15 children a day use Mothers Time Off. The idea is to give mothers a respite by offering care for their children in an adjacent room. The program operates four mornings a week and there is a $2 fee lo use it. ” Charlene Sorenson is a mother of four and has been using Mathers Time Off for approximately five years. Her husband works in a logging camp, meaning she’s the everything parent to her children for a great majority of the time. “T have no family here, so this is my support group in Terrace,” she said last week. “Both sets of our parents live in Creston, so they are too far away. I’ve had to create a local family and this is it.” “| share my information and I get information from these ladies.” Noreen Chalifoux last week made just her second visit ta the program. She has one child and, like Sorenson, heard about the program from a friend. “Pm really enjoying it,” said Chailfoux as she worked on making.a fall wreath. i a CHARLENE SORENSON, shown here with daughter Dayna, calls Mothers _ Time Off her family in Terrace. The program's budget has baen cut but there ‘are hopes money can be found to continue on past its scheduled November ending date. The program has been around for 27 years. More rain than normal in September IT RAINED more often than not in September, making it pretty wet month, reports Environ- ment Canada. Total rainfall for the month was 163.6 mm, -166 per cent of normal, reports Bill Miller of Environment Canada. aa q ge of rafn fellT 7 8° 3 rain :and©13\ days had;/inamiior:'more;". sai Miller in looking over weather information re- corded at the airport. But while 163.6mm sounds like «, lot of rain, it doesn’t come close to the 348.6mm which fell in September of 1992. It was also colder than normal, at least at the airport, with a mean temperature of 11 de- prees recorded. That 11 degrees is 1.3 degrees The wetlest day was Sept. 18 when 39mm below normal. Pot AAT AY Thes maximum temperature reached; was “There-v were. 24: days: witht at least’ ij irabe bE’ ‘19. 3 degrees: far‘off the 32:2 degrees recorded ‘igfor a Septémber\day back:in.1974. Cloudy skies seemed to be the rule with only eight days reporting more than five hours of bright sunshine, said Miller. “The total sunshine was only 76 per cent of normal and 2002 was the sixth dullest Septem- ber since records began in 1973,” he added. Terrace wasn’t alone in its wet and cooler weather. to Terrace down to Williams Lake and then back up io the northeast ran one degree or ymore below normal for the month,” said Mill- 4 Lose the weather for the west coast. But | only ‘ca to Punch Him! “Here's to my ‘broken home,” Jeff sadly elinked his beer with the bartender's water glass. The bartender smiled. “Easy with the violin strings, Jeff. You're 21 and your parents finally ended their rotten marriage. This is a good thing.” Jelf grabbed some peanuts. "I just hope 4 never meat a man as brutal as my father.” A loud voice pierced the air. “BARTENDER! GIVE ME A REFILL! AND A RUM AND COKE FOR MY IDIOT GIRLFRIEND.” Jell whispered to the bartender. “Who is this guy?" “Don't get Involved,” the bartender warned. "Bruno's got a bad tamper.” Bruno tumed to his girlfriend. FLIRTING WITH THE BARTENDER!” Bruno took the girl back to their table. Jalf got off his stool. “He's going to hurt her.” - “You're asking for trouble, Jeff!" ihe bar- tender warned. “|'m going aver there,” Jeff insisted. after her.” "STOP The bartender ran over. “Jeff!” Jeff let Bruno go. "Il can’t tet him hurt that girl. I'm going to make sure he doesn't go Jeff followed Bruno out the door and into the parking !ot. Bruno swung around. “I'll call the cops!” Jeff lost control. “You want justice?" He swung at Bruno’s face. “This is for all you men who beat their girlfriends.” Bruno fell to the ground and banged his head on the sidewaik. He lay motionless. Jeff panicked. “What have | done?” Bruno died on the way to Ihe hospital. Jeff was charged with manslaughter. IN THE COURTROOM AY GLARE BEANS TEIM “An area stretching from the northeast, west: er. He’s based in Whitehorse and looks after ” At their table, the girlfriend pleaded with Bruno. "Please keep it down. People are slar- a “il giva them something to stare at.” Bruno ‘slapped her. “No one tells me to keep quiet. C'mon, we're leaving.” _ “Pm not going anywhere with youl” The girl ran from the table In tears. “Gel back here!” Sruno stared after her. Jeff sprung into action. “Stay away from “We'ra asking for 5 years in jail," the prosecutor began. “Acts af vigilante justice are unacceptable in a civilized society and must be seriously punished, especially when someone dies.” Jeff asked for probation instead. “I'm deeply sorry for whal | did, | reaily am. But! never intended io kill Bruno. When he atlacked his girlfriend, | thought about my mother and | snapped. | have no history of The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, October 16, 2002 - A3 ame a News In Brief Union reps vote on deal BUSINESS AGENTS representing unionized civi! servants and others are themselves voting on a new contract. The business agents, there are two in Terrace, work for the B.C. Government and Service Em- ployees’ Union (BCOEU) and are represented by the Communication, Energy and Paperworkers Union (CEP). A tentative deal was reached only after a medi- alor was brought: in, says Chris Anderson, a BCGEU employee who is a member of the CEP, “We were coming off a four-year agreement and the wage increases were very small,” said Ander- ~ son of pent up demand by CEP members for a bet- ter contract. But their employer, the BCGEU, Tesponded by asking for concessions because ils revenue is drop- ping due to provincial civil service layoffs, Details of the new contract will be released after ratification. Clerical and support workers who work for the BCGEU are represented by another union. Thieves target trucks TWO VEHICLES parked at the Northern Motor Inn were ransacked as unknown culprits smashed win- dows and made off with various items last week. Police say the vehicles — both trucks — were bro- ken into overnight between Oct.6 and 7. One truck, a Chevrolet, had its passenper side window smashed with a rock. The thief, or thieves, then stole a camera case containing two cameras, po- lice say. The other truck had a tool box packed with air- craft parts, tools and testing equipment stolen. The black Pelican toolbox has an E and B Helicopter sticker on it, police say. Anyone with information about these thefts is asked to contact the Tetrace RCMP detachment at 638-7400. Accord costly, MP says THE KYOTO Accord will hurt towns in northwest B.C. and other resource-based communities, Skee- na Canadian Alliance MP Andy Burton told the House of Commens last week. Burton wants the government to shelve the con- troversial accord, aimed al reducing global fossil fuei emissions. But he fears the federal government will ratify Kyoto ~ even if the provinces aren't in favour, Burton said recent studies suggest the controver- sial accord will cost the Canadian economy hun- dreds of thousands of jobs and between $25-40 bil- lion in lost revenue annually, with resource com- munities particularly hard hit. Burton said the federal government has failed to provide a realistic estimate of the economic im- pact of signing the accord — or produce a feasible implementation plan, | The federal government under Jean Chretien has" “made ratifying the, accord a. primary, goal, leading up to.the.prime minister's retirement... +: SD ows her.” ; Ha pinned Bruno against the wall to give the girl tha chance to get away, “Lay offl” Bruna growled. violance and am no danger to society.” Should Jeff go to jail? You! Be The Judge. Then look below for the court's decision. SPONSORED BY TERENCE WRIGHT LAW OFFICES TRIAL LAWYER since 1985 Serving the Pacific Northwest TERENCE WRIGHT Criminal and Family Law and Civil Litigation — Wishing You Sulure SUCCObS... — Love your proud parents and family Free Initial Interview for LC.B.C. and Personal Injury Claims - 201-3219 Eby Street, Terrace, B.C. V8G 4R3 Phone: 638-0354 Fax: 635-2919 YOU! BE THE JUDGE - DECISION: ‘Two years fouse arrest,"’ held the Judge. “This was a misguifed act af retribution with tragle consequerices. {i's a serlous crime and probation is not adequate. But Jeff didn't _latend to kill Bruno, and he is not a threat to society, A prison term is unwarranted,” “Today's oulumin ts based ont 4 case from Nova Scotla. If you have a similar problem, please contact (sponsor) ar another lawyer in your province, We are : prowl io bring you some of the current legal issles from. aéross the country for discussion and debate, To provide oompeling reading, we have fictkon- alized the nurs, the characters and Whe scenarios in the case. Any resemblance to real people ts purely coincidental, in the Enteres! of clarity and brevity, ~ the lagal tsaues (1 the ease have been greatly reduced and simplified, Clalre Bernstein Is a lawyer and nudionally syndicated ooluntnist. Copyright 2002 * alka Bavenprise, C31-2 Les & Doris Emerson & Valerie VanCliefe Dianne, Rick, Danica, Morgen & Tiana Devast. Shannon & Mike-Northcoast Cleaning Ron Matthews “CIBC. Coast Mountain Electric _ JL Excavating "Bill & Marie Allen “Skeena Valley Fabricating Mike's Computer Service Way Fo Gol 01 Se ruben Jerry Gagnon & Dave Martin