$10-million ticket bought in local area
A winning ticket from Friday’s Super Seven lottery, worth $10 million, was purchased in the Prince George area, a B.C. Lotto Corporation official confirmed Monday.
The prize of $20 million was shared by two ticket holders in the Prince George area and Ontario.
No claim has been made by the winner.
Quadriplegic man spared gov’t cuts
by SCOTT STANFIELD Citizen staff
The provincial government will continue to pay for supplies needed by a Prince George woman caring for a quadriplegic man, says Prince George North MLA Pat Bell.
In an interview Sunday, Jean Gordon said to her understanding the government would no longer pay for essentials such as Attends, urine drainage bags and medical aids for 29-year-old Stewart, whom Gordon has cared for since he was an infant.
Bell said this is not true.
“Clearly she needed the support,” said Bell, who said funding was approved Monday by the Ministry of Children and Family Development. “My job, and our job collectively, is to advocate on behalf of constituents. It is my job to help catch the people that fall between the cracks, and we think we’ve been pretty effective at that on a local level. As a government, our objective is to try and offer the support that people like Stewart need.”
Gordon is Stewart’s legal guardian but not his birth mother. She receives $325 a month from Stewart’s pension for his room, board, care, clothing and other other personal needs. The government also pays for respite care.
Stewart, who was left with cerebral palsy from lack of oxygen at birth, needs “total care,” Gordon said.
According to Bell, Gordon has come into the office periodically since the beginning of March, after which he and his office staff have been working with her on an ongoing basis.
“We’ve had four separate issues that we’ve worked on,” he said. “All of them have been resolved to her satisfaction, including the one that this article (Monday) is written on.” Bell also said a government letter concerning the new B.C. Employment and Assistance program, which talked about assisting people in need and moving people to sustainable employment, did not suggest Stewart should go out and get a job.
“We have committed to provide assistance to people with disabilities and to others who are unable to fully participate in the workforce,” Human Resources Minister Murray Coell said in the letter dated March 18.
Meeting held in effort to solve bingo
by KAREN KWAN Citizen Staff
The substance of a meeting between the B.C. Lottery Corp. and the operator of Bingo City remained a mystery Monday afternoon.
A conference call between officials of the Crown management agency and Frank Valentini was scheduled to take place Monday morning, said Patsy Me-lenchuk, vice-president of the First Choice Bingo Association. The associa-
tion’s 80 charities raise funds through Bingo City. But the purpose of the meeting was not clear, she said. “I’ve heard nothing. I know absolutely nothing,” she said.
Valentini could not be reached for comment Monday.
A lawsuit launched by Valentini against the government in, July limits what the B.C. Lottery Corp. can reveal, said spokesperson Roberta Kjelson. “It makes it difficult for us. Because of the
legal suit against the corporation, we’re not able to comment,” she said, nor could she confirm a meeting had taken place.
Meanwhile, the Vancouver Street bingo hall remained open Monday, but charities continue to live with uncertainty, Melenchuk said. “As far as I know there’s been no change. We’re just going day to day,” she said.
Last week, the association was told it could be locked out of its facility over
lease problems. Valentini said he’s unable to meet lease obligations after a new contract imposed by the provincial government reduced his payment as a service operator.
He’s currently suing the provincial government over the cancellation of two contracts, as well as a decision last year by the B.C. Gaming Commission to allow its competitor to move into a building across the street. The Bonanza Charities Association moved into its
situation
new home the same day Bingo City opened its doors in the revamped Cine-plex Odeon theatre last November. The decision “interfered with the business of (Bingo City Games) and damaged the business operations of the plaintiff, BCG by congesting the market,” the lawsuit claims.
Since then, revenue from First Choice bingos has fallen by about half, to $5 million on a projected annual basis, Valentini has said.
Citizen photo by Brent Braaten
SHADOW DANCE — Andrea Ginter works on her dance routine Monday evening on the Fort George Park stage. She will be performing during the First Baptist Church’s worship service in the park on Sunday at 6 p.m.
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Vanderhoof approves courthouse purchase
by KAREN KWAN Citizen Staff
The municipality of Vanderhoof is poised to take ownership of the local courthouse — a move which could keep services in the community.
Municipal council approved the $255,000 purchase unanimously at a meeting Monday, and amended the budget to accommodate the acquisition, said Mayor Len Fox.
“As far as I know, everything’s a go,” he said. Fox had signed the agreement Monday afternoon and was waiting for the B.C. Buildings Corp. (BCBC)to ink the deal.
The Crown corporation had earlier accepted the offer of $255,000 from the municipality. Fox promised the deal — which involves paying $55,000 down from VanderhooFs reserve fund and financing the remainder over four years through BCBC — would not lead to a tax hike or cuts to city services.
The municipality was forced to purchase the courthouse after the provincial government closed the facility at the end of July to cut costs, and transferred services to the Prince George courts. It was one of 24 courthouses in B.C. ini-
tially slated for closure.
Now, the municipality must convince the Attorney General’s ministry to reinstate court sessions at the courthouse. Council members are meeting with community stakeholders tonight to come up with a strategy, Fox said.
“I’m pleased with what we’ve done so far. I’d rather not have to purchase the courthouse, but we were not able to work anything out with the Attorney General’s ministry,” he said.
The ministry has said the Vanderhoof courthouse is too busy to run a circuit court, which holds occasional court sessions. Attorney General Geoff Plant has said the government can’t afford to run a permanent courthouse in Vanderhoof or the 23 other communities.
Twenty-four courthouses were originally scheduled to close at the end of May but a two-month delay was granted for 12 communities, including Vanderhoof, while the province tried to negotiate agreements for circuit courts. Five circuit courts have now been established in communities that lost permanent facilities, including Chetwynd.
BCBC said it has sold 13 former courthouses across the province, mostly to municipalities.
Summerfest auction set
by PAUL STRICKLAND Citizen staff
The ninth annual Summerfest Benefit Auction takes place Saturday starting at noon.
Organizers of Summerfest and the Downtown Business Improvement Association (DBIA) are looking for donations to help run the event.
This year’s Summerfest is set for Saturday and Sunday.
Each year, organizers try to acknowledge the support of those who donate items for the auction.
They do so in the printed program for the event, by mentioning the donor when the item is being auctioned and at the conclusion of the auction.
If you want to contribute an item, call Jack Ross of J.C. Ross Auctioneers Inc. at 563-7222 or the DBIA at 614-1330 by Friday with the following information!
■ The item you wish to donate;
■ The approximate value;
■ Your business name, contact name and item name.
You can drop off the item to the DBIA office at 204-411 Quebec St. or call the DBIA.
DBIA Hosts will come and collect the item from your store.
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