Faster tsunami relief sought /14
Making a Mochrie of new CBC sitcom /27
FRIDAY, JANUARY 7, 2005

Taking the ouch out of injections /24
Cattle feed questioned /6

CITIZEN
Serving the Central Interior since 1916
plus to three developments since trustees gave the bylaw first reading in late October:  School district enrolment declined less than first forecasted.  Payments to school districts from a provincial reserve to deal with the effects of declining enrolment have been increased.  Cost-saving efforts authorized by trustees over the past few years have started to pay off. Trustees voted unanimously on Oct. 26 to close the school in September to reduce the number of empty seats in Bowl-area secondary schools and to save $450,000 a year in operating costs, which would be used to reduce class sizes in Grades 4 to 7. At the time, a balanced budget was forecast. "Now we have a significant surplus," Rustad said. Rustad was unwilling to predict how trustees will vote tonight, saying there are good cases for both sides of the issue, but the improved financial picture left him buoyant. He also said the provincial government's budget surplus, combined with health and education being its top priorities, leaves reason to believe the situation will continue to improve for the coming years. "We are going to be in a position where this board and future boards are going to be able to actually debate where we should consider increasing funding and increasing services, which is quite a

PRINCE GEORGE

$1.00 (HOME DELIVERED: 57 CENTS A DAY)

School surplus thrills trustee
by MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff A previously unexpected budget surplus has given school board trustees greater freedom over the future of Lakewood Junior secondary school, says trustee John Rustad. Trustees will hold a special meeting tonight at the Van Bien Training and Development Centre, located at the Van Bien elementary school, at 5 p.m. to consider a motion to rescind a bylaw to close the school. Rustad was reluctant to give an exact figure, but he said the surplus looks to be in excess of $1 million and called it significant. He attributed the surchange from where we were two years ago," he said. "It's extremely good news, in fact." The school district has not had a budget surplus since 1992, Rustad said. Declining enrolment combined with the way the funding systems have worked over those years, have played a big role in that trend, and passing on the cost of wage increases to the school districts has also added to the woe over the last three years, he said. Meanwhile, Advocates for Children and Education said that it's encouraged by the news and hopes trustees will rescind the motion. -- See editorial on page 4

Mayor leads China trip
by MARK NIELSEN Citizen staff A contingent of 18 business people and local politicians jetted off to China today for a week-long trip led by Mayor Colin Kinsley. Each of the travellers have paid $2,600 of their own money for the trip, which will make stops in the cities of Shanghai, Nanjing, Chengdu and Beijing. Including Kinsley, seven of the participants are from Prince George and hope to raise interest in so-called "denim" pine (blue-stained pine beetle wood), log homes and a safety shuttle for moving injured workers or patients suffering from SARS. As well, the mayors of Prince Rupert and Terrace and some members of the United Chinese Community Enrichment Services Society, which has acted as a liaison between entrepreneurs from the two countries are taking the trip. The journey comes slightly more than three months after Kinsley joined three other B.C. mayors in another week-long trip to China, with the expenses covered by the organizers of a business festival he attended. "This is my last one for a long time I hope, unless I'm going back to sign some contracts," Kinsley said of the latest trip.

Red Cross sees wave of giving
by BERNICE TRICK Citizen staff Donations continue to stream into the Canadian Red Cross in Prince George for the southern Asian regions devastated by the Boxing Day tsunamis. The total of contributions from Prince George and northern B.C. topped $172,000 Thursday, said Chris Bone, regional director. Bone said the results are just starting to show from organizations, groups and schools gearing up after Christmas to raise funds. "Next week, on Monday and Tuesday, we expect to see a continuation of this unprecedented level of giving as people ensure they take advantage of the federal government matching program offered until Jan. 11," Bone said. "I've worked for the Red Cross for a long time and I've never seen a response like this," said Bone, explaining smaller communities like Dawson Creek and Fort Nelson are responding in big ways. "For example, Fort Nelson has hit $10 per capita. My sense is that this is pulling on the heart strings of everyone. It's very heart-warming to see because this devastation has no match. The images and the stories are unbelievable ... to have 12 countries affected and tens of thousands displaced." But this immediate relief operation may be just the tip of the iceberg, Bone said. "The longer-term needs will be the psycho-social needs for those who've lost families, dwellings and livelihoods." Bone said the Red Cross hopes to keep the needs focused, so people will have opportunities to participate not only in relief operations, but also recovery operations. Although it's reported there are about 150 Canadians missing, so far none appear to be from Prince George. The Prince George office has five to 10 volunteers working steady to deal with the magnitude of contributions coming in. The office will remain open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Financial donations to the Red Cross can be made on its website at www.redcross.ca, and its toll-free number, 1-800418-1111

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INDEX
Ann Landers . . . . . . . . . . . .29 Bridge . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Business . . . . . . . . . . . .16-18 City, B.C. . . . . . . . . . . .3,5,13 Classified . . . . . . . . . . .19-23 Comics . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Coming Events . . . . . . . .2,31 Crossword . . . . . . . . . . . . .26 Entertainment . . . .25,27,28 Horoscope . . . . . . . . . . . . .22 Movies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27 Nation . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .6,7 Sports . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8-12 World . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,15

Citizen photo by Brent Braaten

THE EYES HAVE IT -- Vader, a sled dog, looks out from his cage Thursday morning while waiting Thursday with 17 other sled dogs on First Avenue. The dogs, owned by Rob and Shelley Ramsay of Yellowknife, are on their way to a sled dog race in 100 Mile House.

City testing unique streetlight system
Citizen staff Prince George is testing light-sensing controls in 170 streetlights as part of the first remote streetlight management system in Canada. The project should allow the city to cut its energy use and costs by about 40 per cent, by reducing overlighting during off-peak hours when there is little vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The Lumen IQ technology behind the system was developed by Victoria-based Streetlight Intelligence Inc. (STI). "Installation of Streetlight Intelligence's technology is another example of how Prince George is leading the way with innovative energy reduction initiatives without compromising public safety," said Mayor Colin Kinsley. "Energy reduction makes sense, both environmentally and financially. Through the ongoing support of B.C. Hydro, the city is becoming even more power smart." The project is partially funded by a contribution from B.C. Hydro's Power Smart program, which provides incentives to promote new energy saving technologies. "We applaud Streetlight Intelligence's innovative energy solutions and their goal to be a leader in energy reduction through technology," said B.C. Hydro's energy management engineer, Roy Hughes. "Power Smart pilot-projects such as this demonstrate new technologies to our customers and help B.C. Hydro meet growing energy demand in the province by acquiring low-cost energy through conservation."

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