World champ . Local teen picks up the title of world kickboxing champion\SPORTS B4 New regs Federal government Says airport here - needs to have firefighters\NEWS A141. Ring in awareness The Kermode Friendship Society spearheads an a FAS awareness campaign + \COMMUNITY B1 $1.00 pLus 7¢ GST ($1.20 plus 8¢ GST outside of the Terrace area) Mayor, BOTH TERRACE Mayor Jack Talstra and Skeena Liberal MLA Roger Harris are offering whatever help they can to have unionized Skeena Cellulose saw- mill workers here reach a contract with their employer. Both said late last week that extra- ordinary measures are needed to pre- vent more economic damage from the continued closure of the company’s operations. And both say a successful deal reached between the company and the IWA here will demonstrate the com- pany and a union can agree on a con- tract that culs costs for Skeena yet provides financial incentives for work- ers. Up until now, most of the concen- tration on the future of the company has been focussed on whether or not it IVAN AND Donna Carpenter are just two of many Terrace resi- dents experiencing more freedom and mobility due to a large been assisted with the growth in sidewalks and paved roads. Have scooter, will travel could reach a deal with its unionized Prince Rupert pulp mill workers. That’s because the pulp mill is the lar- gest of Skeena’s operations and is the end user for chips generated by its sawmills. It’s considered a main driver of the northwest economy. All hope of a deal between Prince Rupert workers and the company could very well have collapsed last week when the Pulp, Paper and Woodwork- ers of Canada Local 4 in Prince Ru- pert submitted a proposal which was immediately rejected by Skeena Cel- - lulose. The company has been promoting ts: “Fresh Start” deal which cuts wages by 20 per cent but offers bo- nuses tied to profits. SCI CEO Dan Veniez has been saying for months that he needs to lower fixed costs, such as wages, in order to allract investment money to start up operalions. Last week, Veniez announced he was mothballing the Prince Rupert pulp mill, which hasn't been operating for a year anyway, for the winter. He also said he was selling a stockpiled chip pile at the Rupert mill site. His plans had been to start it and his Terrace mill this November had he reached a deal with his Rupert union werkers. Although the pulp union Aug. 30 proposed bringing in experienced mediator Vince Ready, Veniez rejec- ted the idea in a letter also dated Aug. 30." “The only way we can salve this impasse is for you to hold another vote of your membership immediately to increase in the number of scooters in the area. Travel has also allow your members to decide whether they wish to return to work,” he wrote. Harris said the prospect of operating the Terrace sawmill without it being able to send pulp chips to Prince Ru- pert was “problematic” in terms of economic viability. “Td think you'd be looking at a li- mited time frame before the issue of chips becomes a problem,” he said. Yet more important to Harris is the demonstration that a contract can be reached. “If there can’t be a framework agreement reached in Prince Rupert, then perhaps there can be one reached in Terrace,” he continued. “Call it ar- bitration, call it mediation, whatever you want to call it. I’m willing to put whatever time and energy in to make it happen.” Terrace, seek SCl-union deal Talstra said he’s willing to take a week’s leave from his law practice and from his mayor’s position to spend time with SCI and [WA negotiators. “Maybe we have to bang some heads,” said Talstra. Harris said that if a surrender of wages for profit sharing is insurmount- able on the part of the union, it may want lo consider another kind of benchmark to generate bonuses.” “Perhaps it could be tied to the price of lumber. It’s a simple visual. You could check it every night [on TY], he said. “Once you begin to real- ize you can craft a model for the new reality, there are lots of alternatives that can come into play.” Harris and Talstra did express con- cern about how willing SCI and the Cont’d Page A2 Olympics bid ignoring poor, says gov't body By JENNIFER LANG THE PROVINCIAL government is under attack from the Kitimat Stikine regional district for appearing to put dreams of Olympic glory ahead of B.C.’s poor. ‘In a letter to four ministers, board chair Harry Nyce - questions the government’s.spending priorities. - “Hf gavernment can commit $310 million to an Olym- pic bid,” Nyce says, “surely it has the means and the will to ensure our children have a safe, secure environ- ment and enough nutritional food to grow, learn and be- come productive healthy members of society.” Nyce says cuts to income assistance and programs that support local families like Mothers’ Time Off and Nobody’s Perfect put kids and their parents at risk, He also cited the troubles affecting the forest indu- stry, corporate downsizing — and the province's decision to close some government offices with contributing to ‘higher unemployment in the region. The regional district agreed earlier this summer to Taise the issue of growing poverty and hunger with the provincial government. The decision came after Community Response to Hungry Kids Committee member Darlene Westerman told the board about rising numbers of hungry families in - She said local children are feeling the impact of pro- vincial government cuts to social programs. In some cases, people are turning to local social ser- vice agencies far food. Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee ‘an- nounced last week Vancouver is one of four cities on a short list to host the 2010 Winter Olympics, Salzburg, Austria, Bern, Switzerland and Pyeong- chang, South Korea are also in the running, The IOC makes its fina) decision on the 2010 Winter By JOANNA WONG BEFORE DONNA Carpenter goes out to get groceries, she straps on a pair of racing gloves. After all, cruising along al six miles an hour can get chilly when you're riding a scooter —a close cousin of the wheelchair, onty more high tech and stylish. “You don’t realize what you lose and you have to make a choice in your life,” says Carpenter, who suffers from chronic arthritis and multiple sclerosis. “You can stay at home and go ‘poor me poor me’ or you can take the initiative.” Carpenter and her husband, Ivan, have both been using scooters for the past three years, “It gives you your independence back,” says Mrs. Carpenter. “A fellow we know is quite elderly and can’t walk any- more. He gets out on his scooter and goes out every day of the year, rain or shine.” The Carpenters both say they’ve noticed a growing sensitivity to disabilities, “A lot of businesses are pretty good,” says Mr. Carpenter, adding that the Skeena Mall has added an automatic door. Getting around on scooters has given the Carpenters a whole new perspective on Ter- race. “Most people don’t think much about it if you have to take a step or two,” says Mr. Carpenter. Mrs. Carpenter often even plans out her route hefore she goes out. “We may spend ‘more time figuring out how to do something | but mostly you get it done,” she says. According to Sara Blum, who's been dealing with scooters over the past eight years through the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Canada, use is on the rise. “Part of it is people are more open to try- ing them. People feel ‘there’s less stigma at- tached to a scooter than a motor wheelchair,” she said. Northern Healthcare pharmacist manager Eric Durando says he’s noticed an increase in the visibility of people using scooters in Terrace. “I would probably think I service 12 [scooters] on a regular basis,” Durando says. Mrs. Carpenter figures there’s 2 least 50 Scooters out in the Terrace community, and she says there would likely be more if they weren't so expensive. Typically, a new scooter costs anywhere from three and five thousand dollars, with deals on used models. Pricey, yes, but the Carpenters say it’s worth it. Other scooter perks include easy parking and lots of attention from fascinated children. Then, of course, there’s the racing option. But when Mrs. Carpenter and her husband burn rubber, there’s no contest. “My scooter is faster than his,” she laughs. “That’s the best part.” Olympics next year. The Vancouver bid committee says it will cost $2 bil- lion to host the games ~ not including an upgrade of the Sea to Sky highway linking Vancouver ta Whistler it says is necessary to secure the bid. With other projects, the total Olympics price |lag could touch $6 billion. The regional. district s letter is addressed to Gordon Hogg, the Minister of Children: and Family Develop- ment; Murray Coeil, Minister of Human Resources; ‘ Linda Reid, Minister of State for Early Childhood Deve- lopment, and Colin. Hansen, Minister of Health Services. - The board has received just one reply so far, from Doug Hayman, interim chief executive officer for the north region of the Ministry of Children and Family De- velopment. Hayman says his ministry, which is facing a budget Teduction over the next three years, is reviewing pro- grams and services. Since 75 per cent of the ministry’s budget is spent on contracted services, he warns some contracts in Ter- race’s social services sector will be affected. Locals assist in search for hikers MEMBERS OF Terrace’s search and rescue team and others from the area spent hours combing the steep trails of Mount Elizabeth last week as they helped in the search for two missing hikers. . Christina Huckvale, 20, and Christ- opher Markoff, 22, were reported mis- sing Sunday, Aug. 25 after they failed io return from a 12-hour hike up Kitl- mat’s challenging Mt. Elizabeth hiking trail. The two were working at Alcan ab summer intern students. “' Searchers discovered the body of . Huckvale around 11:30 a.m. Aug. 29 at the base of a 150 metre cliff roughly 100 metres from the top of the trail. Terrace coroner Art Erasmus said her death is considered accidental. “Her injuries are consistent with a fall of that height,” Erasmus said, add- ing that in a case such as this where the cause of death is apparent, an au- topsy is not required. Erasmus said “Alcan employs about : _ 20 summer intern studerts and that _ they spent a‘lot of time together, , He said. on Saturday, Aug. 24, a number of the students decided to try the trail the following day. “On Sunday at the rendezvous only these two showed up so they went and did the hike,” Erasmus said. He said thal Huckvale’s body was discovered very close to the top of the mountain near the retum trail. He said that area is very steep and marked by sharp loose rocks and boulders. . Erasmus says the-young woman likely died very quickly. . “My judgment is that she died on Sunday [Aug. 25]," Erasmus added. Members of Terrace’s Search and Rescue (SAR) team were on-hand to. hetp in the search with others involved in the organizational end, “Most of our people have been in search manager positions, team leader positions and tracking positions,” said ‘SAR member Dave Jephson. Trackers are called in when evi- dence suchas footprints of a missing person-are found. ; “They’re able to get dawn on their hands and knees and follow the signs,” Jephson explains. : Those.. signs . include things ‘like footprints, broken iwigs:or- grass whieh | o 5 may. have been trampled. bya person. . Provincial Emergency. Program re- gional manager Maurie Hurst. said do- zens of volunteers from the Terrace and Kitimat area helped in the search, People from ‘the Smithers aréa were ‘also involved... ~“T can tell you we've had | al amaz- ing turn out-not only. from search and -tescue volunteers from around the pro- vince. and. local volunteers from all walks ‘of life,”. Hurst said. ne -A helicopter equipped with. infra red ohnology ‘to-detect body : heat.