Ventilation systems pursued

smoke ban still up in the air

THE WORKERS’ Com- pensation Board won't know if it will reinstate the Province’s stringent non-, smoking regulations in bars and restaurants until public meetings are held with the hospitality indu- stry, a WCB official says.

“We don’t know what the end will look like,” said Scott McCloy,

After discussions with the hospitality industry, the WCB could either re- instate the smoking ban, force bars to install state- of-the art ventilation sys- tems, or require more bar Staff rotations in order to limit workers’ exposure to second-hand smoke, said McCloy.

A supreme court justice threw out no-smoking re- gulations brought in by the WCB Jan. 1 for bars, rest- aurants, casinos, bingo halls and sporting arenas because she found the board failed to sufficiently contact the hospitality in- dusiry about the ban.

McCloy said the board won't appeal the ruling. In- stead, it will hold meet- ings with the public in the future to best determine how to protect all workers.

“Qur only concern is to protect workers from work-

HAPPY SMOKER: Torrey Logan enjoys a cigarette with a drink at Hanky Panky’s dance bar. Smokers are back in the bars and other entertainment

places now that a court decision has erased, even if temporarily, a ban on smoking. The Workers’ Compensation Board is not appealing the decision.

place hazards,” McCloy

tobacco smoke. Bars, rest-

said. “The hospitality in- dustry is still required to “minimize worker expo- sure.”

McCloy added that

public meetings can write letters to the board.

The majority of BC workplaces became smo- ke-free April 15, 1998 to Protect employees from the hazards of second hand

aurants and gaming halls were given until Jan. 1, 2000 ta comply to the new laws.

From Jan. 1 to March

missed by the court, the Coalition of Hospitality Organizations condemned the regulations, calling ihem a devastating fiasco, causing tens of millions in lost revenues and 730 lost

jobs.

The coalition, made up of affected pub owners and employees, believes a so- lution to indoor smoke can be found in having ventila-

people who can’t attend

22, When the ban was dis-

tion systems installed.

Cable guys take on satellites

THE LOCAL cable TV company is cutting of- fice expenses and revamping its channel offer- ings in an attempt to stem the flow of cable

subscribers switching to digital satellite dishes. -

“When the competition is starting to impact on your business, you look al what they’re doing and what you’re doing and compare the two and figure out which is the better way to do it,” Skeena Cablevision chief technician Ast Hill said. -

’ Several stations now’ only available if view- ers buy packages above the basic one will be shifted to basic.

And new channels have been added to the basic package and to the higher level ones.

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There has also been a shifting of channe! num- bers of existing stalions to handle the changes. Basic cable subscribers will now get ITV Edmonton, The Family Channel, The Learning Channel (TLC), and business news channel CNBC, The cable company isn’t increasing the price of its basic package in return. Subscribers to what’s called extended basic

_ will find they’re also getting arts and movies channel Bravo! and all-racing channel Speed-

vision. Two new Turner Broadcasting supersta- tions will be added for subscribers to the mo- vies plus package.

As well, the Fox channel has shifted from a Buffalo, New York station to one in the west.

Skeena Cablevision stopped taking over- the-counter payments last week.

People who handled those payments have moved to other duties. And the company’s front offices in Kitimat and Prince Rupert will close altogether.

Those staff changes could also be a fore- shadowing of a pending sale of Skeena Cable- vision here to an Edmonton-based company called Regional Cable.

That fits with Regional’s set ups elsewhere

in which there is no local direct contact for paying bills.

Subscribers make contact through a 1-800 number.

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, April 5, 2000 - A3

News In Brief

Hospital threatened

A MILLS Memorial Hospital switchboard operator answered a call around 12:30 p.m. Monday, March 27 and heard an unidentified male violently threa- ten the hospital,

The caller threatened to come down to the hos- pital and do some damage, said RCMP Sgt. Darcy Gollan last week.

The threat was not targeted at any one person and the RCMP are not investigating any specific incidents leading up to the phane call, he added.

No extra security have been positioned al the hospital, but security are on alert for suspicious in- cidents.

Anyone with infarmation about the incident can call Crime Stoppers at 638-8477.

Paint it red

RCMP are asking for the public’s assistance in tracking down whoever has been scratching and spray painting vehicles in the Terrace area. -

Cnst. Tara Basisty says vandals use red spray paint to mark vehicles and property.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Terrace RCMP at 638-7400.

Arsonists wanted

after vehicles torched

TERRACE RCMP are still looking for the person or persons responsible for torching two vehicles in the horseshoe area in February and one last month.

On Feb. 27 two fires were set in the 4700 black of Straume Ave, around 3:30 a.m. The first fire at 4722 Straume completely destroyed the vehicle and by the time the fire department doused the blaze, they noticed a second car fire across the Street at 4721 Straume.

And on March 21, a station wagon that was left unlocked was badly damaged on the 4700 Block Scolt,

Anyone with information on this or any other crime is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 635-8477. Callers will not be asked to reveal their identity or testify in court. Crimestopers does not use call dis- play and those who give information remain anon-

Dotto delayed

A TECHNOLOGY forum to help local businesses use hi tech scheduled for last weekend was can- celled when initial registration fell below organi- zers’ expectations.

The organizers had wanted at least 50 people for the Saturday, April 1 session but received only 33 registrations by their deadline date, said Ken Veldman of the Terrace Economic Development Authorily. Ironically, another 20 or so people wan- led lo register after the cut off but the cancellation decision had already been made, he said.

“What we're going to is re-schedule for the fall. We’ve now have a list-of:.namesand--phone

ymous.

“numbers,” said Veldman. Organizers-also want to

wads

hold it on a weekday. Paes

The forum was to feature Steve Dotto, host of the Knowledge Network’s popular hi tech show called Dotto’s Cafe.

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